Well, it looks sunny today…which means it’ll rain like hell tomorrow, ‘cos it’s the weekend, natch. So with this in mind, I have worked out a few things you can do this saturday and sunday:
Enter The Red Planet Prize. You have to have been living on Mars not to have heard of this, even if you didn’t make it to The Screenwriters’ Festival. The Lovely David and Helen have already blogged about it, so I won’t repeat them, but deadline’s not ’til September, it’s email entry so no trees need die and there’s 5000 squid up for grabs and a commission on…something. Cool. We also have Sir Daniel to thank for it too. Be aware that a new rule has been added: only one entry per person, so no multiple submissions. Got that? Make sure your entry is your best work then! Check it out here.
Sign Up For Info List. This is well-wicked, man, lovin’ it, lovin’ it, lovin’ it. A kind of cross between SP and Inktip, this site gathers together jobs, opportunities, seminars, parties, the works and all sorts into one list. New registrations will cost soon, but if you get in on the act NOW, it’ll be FREE – my fave price. Many thanks to the fabulous Fun Joel for the heads-up as they say across the pond. To register, click here.
Dream that you’ve won The Royal Tapes. Yes, the results come out on Monday. I would love to be a finalist in this, but since I’ve never written a radio play before it’s highly doubtful. But we’ll see. Gotta be in it to win it, etc etc.
Make big plans. There’s a school of thought that says baby steps help you get to your destination. I say screw baby steps, take a giant leap forward – in your thinking. How can you get anywhere, if you tell yourself you’re not good enough? So target that agent you want, go after that commission, start training to become a director… Whatever it is you want, go get it! It’ll take more than a weekend, but you need to decide on your destination before programming it into the satnav baby.
Vote in The Bang2write Alternative Pitch Fever. We get 200 hits a day here… And there’s been 40-odd votes total in both categories! Shame on those non-voting asses. And actually, shame on those voting who didn’t vote for mine. After all I do for you ungrateful B*******, humpf… ; )
Submit Something to Someone, Anyone. People always email me asking where to find producers who’ll read their work and if it’s it a good idea to cold call. Don’t cold call, ever. There are loads of people, out on the internet – and even in real life (shock, horror!), actively looking for scripts. Honest! But if you don’t have time to go to mass orgies where all the producers will naturally be, I think the internet was created FOR screenwriters to chase script opportunities. So use this fantastic tool and try looking at the lists here, here, here or here. Or you could try pitching or finding collaborators via a place like Shooting People or Talent Circle. Go on. If you don’t show anyone yours… That sounds so wrong. But do it! (Ooops again).
Send your script to Bang2write. That’s right, I am taking my mind off this hellish house move and collapsed chain by reading EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD. So, you need development notes or a script report? Send ’em over: you get a discount coming through this blog and mentioning this article. Need a recommendation before you spend your moolah? Feast your eyes on all of these. Email for more details or if you want to know how the hell Paypal works off eBay (I must send that email out 6 times a week).
Anyone doing anything exciting this weekend?
Thanks for this, Lucy. I’ve signed up for it all! Will you get an ipod nano out of it?
Welcome Elinor…but what the hell is an ipod nano?!? All I can think of is the nanobots in Red Dwarf that go meee-meeee-meee-meeeeeeee… Oh dear, my
techno-crapness is rearing its head again!
I think it’s something that the young folk like to use.
I dropped your name as a referral for one of those links, so maybe you’ll get one…
Never mind, Alfie will think you’re dead cool and Lili can throw it at your head. Result!
I would like to point out my dear that I am still lithe and nubile, just dreadfully uncool.
Anything that Lili can use as a weapon is always good – yesterday she not only poked me in the eye with the tv remote, she laughed about it! The little swine. No one ever tells you that parenthood is so dangerous…
I’m going to read lots – picked up no less than 4 books from the P.O today when I went to collect a bundle of scripts – and start outlining a new script. Oh, and probably tidy this filthy flat. So no, nothing exciting.
Thanks for the shout-out, as we say on this side of the pond! Be aware, however, that there will be a decent amount of LA events listed on the InfoList. Still, if you see it ain’t worthwhile down the road, you can always unsubscribe!
Hi Joel! I figured as much, but you never know re: the script calls and there seems an impressive amount of them listed on there. Like I said, I hadn’t seen this particular list before and a good screenwriter should be subscribed to ALL lists, so it’s very handy! : )
Well, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that number 3 is going to come to pass. Nothing in my inbox yet…
I thought no one would hear until monday, Oli? Or is that daft optimism on my part?
My wife is ovulating this weekend so I’ll be making a baby.
Wow, little more info than we needed there Anon, but best of luck!
Wow Lucy!
You truly are the inspirational info-blog Queen!
So, your Madge…
I Signed up on the new lists, and gave you as the referral, so you might have to become a bit techy in case you do actually win one of those thingmejig electronic gizmos…
Good luck for Monday…yours, mine, wonder who the other 3 will be!
Gotta go start writing something for Sir Tony and Sir Daniel now…