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Assassin

How To Package Your Feature Screenplay (aka 6 Things To Put In It)

“The Package” is basically a set of notes that goes out with a feature screenplay, usually sent by a producer, either to help make the film or for some other reason (ie. secure distribution). As far as I know, there is no “industry standard” for these documents, but I’ve found they usually run between 5 and 10 pages, though I have seen much longer. In my job as a script reader and script editor, I come across packages most often via funding and investment opportunities: filmmakers will come to the places I am reading for and ask for money, so… Read More »How To Package Your Feature Screenplay (aka 6 Things To Put In It)

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How To Attach Named Talent To Your Screenplay

I get asked a LOT about by Bang2writers about named talent “attaching” to a spec screenplay to make it more marketable. Produced stuff makes this look easy, yet as spec screenwriters and filmmakers soon discover, it’s NOT. Here’s my 2p’s worth: i) Star Power is real. Yes, yes it’s very easy to slag off the notion of “star power” or even argue the toss over who IS a star: Danny Dyer is the classic example. Yet regardless of what you think of Danny’s previous output, Danny has a MASSIVE fanbase of lovers AND haters (1 million Twitter followers now!!) and he has… Read More »How To Attach Named Talent To Your Screenplay

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4 Great Gifs from ASSASSIN

So we’re gearing up for ASSASSIN’s release next week (March 9th, 2015; pre-order HERE) and we’ve got some great stuff going up online. Here’s some .Gifs, created especially from the movie, exclusive to Bang2write – please share, far and wide! Don’t forget, you can watch ASSASSIN’s trailer HERE, as well as a a clip exclusive to Britflicks, HERE. Follow as @AssassinFilm on Twitter and LIKE the official FB page. Grab the chance to win a copy of ASSASSIN via these two great contests: FromPage2Screen Caption Comp (deadline Monday March 9th) Britflicks Super Easy Q Comp (deadline Sunday March 15th)

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7 Screenwriting Lessons From Crime Movies

So, unless you’ve been hiding under a rock IN outer space for the last two years, you’ll know I’ve been involved in helping make JK Amalou’s ASSASSIN – which is OUT NOW. Find it on iTunes, in all good DVD stores, on Sky Demand and other VoD services, or CLICK HERE. Crime movies are big business in filmmaking and screenwriting in general: the spec pile is FULL to bursting with murderers; hitmen; gamblers; bank robbers; mafiasos; gangsters and more! What’s more, love ’em or hate ’em they’re here to stay cos drama is CONFLICT and these geezers bring bagloads with… Read More »7 Screenwriting Lessons From Crime Movies

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5 Screenwriting Hard Truths (Or The Best Way To F*** Up Your Screenplay)

I’m proud to welcome my collabro JK Amalou back to B2W today to share with his thoughts on what REALLY sells your writing “off the page”, which is a great concept! Like I always say to Bang2writers and screenwriting students, I can read great writing whenever I want so how are you going to differentiate if you want to make a SALE? Even if you want to write samples, you STILL need to differentiate from the rest in the pile!! Read it and weep, spec screenwriters … and take the first step towards harnessing the power of concept by contacting JK today,… Read More »5 Screenwriting Hard Truths (Or The Best Way To F*** Up Your Screenplay)

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Unusual Characters Make Great Drama OR 5 Reasons I’m Loving Eastenders Right Now …

Danny Dyer as Mick Carter in Eastenders – download the criminally underrated DEVIATION screenplay, here! As anyone who follows me on Twitter knows, I’m a big fan of both Eastenders and Danny Dyer, so to see the two of them combined is a real treat for me. And I totally loved last night’s episode when Johnny “came out” to his father Mick (played by Danny Dyer), which set Twitter alight. I’m not surprised; it was really poignant and well drawn. Make sure you catch up on the iPlayer, especially if you’re cynical about Danny’s ability to convey emotion. You’ll be… Read More »Unusual Characters Make Great Drama OR 5 Reasons I’m Loving Eastenders Right Now …

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Happy New Year!

So, 2013 happened. And it was a much, much better year than 2012 in many ways. WHAT HAPPENED: 1) I had my first novel published: Bauchentscheidung (“Gut Decision”) in January. This was the German Language version of my YA teenage pregnancy novel, THE DECISION: Lizzie’s Story. It was amazing to see my own name on the front of a book at last, even if I couldn’t read the words inside! (Weirdly however, flicking through I still sort of got it! haha). As a result I was invited to two workshops in international schools in Frankfurt, which was a really interesting… Read More »Happy New Year!

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#LondonSWF 2013 – On My Way!

So I’m off on my travels all day today to London for the fourth annual London Screenwriters’ Festival! Tonight I’ll be at the networking and registration drinks. Come and find me and practice your networking skills or pitches on me. That’s right – I ASKED FOR IT, C’MON! But before you do, watch out for these pitch killers or I’ll blast a klaxon in your face! FRIDAY Tomorrow, in the morning I will be in the Final Draft Marquee, ready to answer delegates’ questions as an LSF Roving Expert. There is a whole fleet of us, you can’t miss us:… Read More »#LondonSWF 2013 – On My Way!

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5 Reasons I Got Involved In ASSASSIN

  1. It has not one, but TWO savvy female characters … As regular Bang2writers know, my passion is for female characters who have agency of their own and pull their weight in the narrative. Unlike many gangster films where females are purely there for decoration, Chloe and Alex both contribute to the story and are absolutely essential to the plot beats. As writer/director JK Amalou says, “The female characters play a bigger part in our story than is usual in films of this type.” 2. … But there are no patronising gender politics. I obviously read a lot of… Read More »5 Reasons I Got Involved In ASSASSIN

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Writing, Selling & MAKING Thriller Screenplays

Delighted to say our next movie, ASSASSIN goes into production TODAY so to celebrate, I talked to its writer, director and producer (not to mention my ol’ mucker) JK Amalou about our fave genre. Enjoy … What are your three favourite produced Thrillers and why? The granddaddy of the modern thriller: PSYCHO (1960). Many people classify it as a horror but it’s first and foremost a thriller. Look at the first half: Marion Crane steals the money, goes on the run, avoids the police or detection. Then this unreal plot twist happens: she is killed. The hunter (Norman Bates) now becomes… Read More »Writing, Selling & MAKING Thriller Screenplays

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