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Gender Inequality In Film: 5 Key Findings

Gender inequality in the film industry has been a hot topic for a good while now, but especially in recent weeks. Over the past nine months, Stephen Follows researched gender inequality in the UK Film Industry. Stephen is an award-winning writer and producer, so we can feel assured he knows exactly what he’s talking about. Check out his full report HERE, plus the many projects he’s been involved in, HERE. You can follow him on Twitter as @StephenFollows (and you should!). So Bang2writers! I read Stephen’s whopping 140 page report, not to mention a stack of other articles and discussion. Stephen himself also… Read More »Gender Inequality In Film: 5 Key Findings

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Course Success! All About My Script Reading Class

Script reading course success ‘Lucy is a total rock star, down to earth, fun but highly knowledgeable.’ Philip Lawrence, Writer Delighted to say my recent workshop for LondonSWF, BREAKING INTO SCRIPT READING was a huuuuge success! Unbelievably, 100+ delegates turned up and I had a blast teaching the course. Everyone was so switched on, asking brilliant questions and taking to the exercises with such enthusiasm, sharing their insights and POVs with the class. More new script readers already ‘Potential Script Readers can’t afford to not attend this course. Lucy gives a great but realistic view of the script reading/editing world… Read More »Course Success! All About My Script Reading Class

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4 Top Tips For Entering Short Film Contests

A great post from Rob at Eastleigh Film Festival today, reminding us there are plenty of traps your short films can fall into and how to avoid them … As a script reader, I read A LOT of short film screenplays for both contests and individuals and can relate to every single one of the points he raises! SERIOUSLY. So don’t drop these clangers in your next short script writers and makers – also, make sure you check out EFF’s Industry Day, happening Sept 25th (you don’t have to live in Eastleigh to go, I’m told!). Over to you, Rob… Read More »4 Top Tips For Entering Short Film Contests

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Don’t Second Guess: Find Your Audience

Writer thinks, “I’ll write a script. It’s gonna be great.” S/he completes the script. Sends it off. Reader gets it at some initiative/contest/literary agent’s/whatever. Reader thinks, “What a mess. This writer hasn’t a clue what he or she is doing. PASS.” Reader sends it back. Writer decides s/he is going to ADVANCE next time – whatever it takes. S/he does a ton of research. Sees where s/he went wrong in the first instance when it comes to format. Thinks, “This must be it now”. Sends it off. Reader gets said script and says, “Craft is OK, but story/structure/character/dialogue/delete as appropriate… Read More »Don’t Second Guess: Find Your Audience

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What does PASS, CONSIDER and RECOMMEND mean on script reports?

Download sample script reports HERE. As everyone knows, being a script reader/editor turns you twisted and well, like this:  It’s one of the hazards of the job. We’ve all got psychological problems from the ill-focused scenes and 2D characters, sexual problems from all the ill-advised sex and rape scenes, concentration problems from the… what was I talking about again?? OK, OK I’m playing to stereotype. Really we’re all average Joes/Jos who WANT to pick up a script and find it to be good, great even. But no one would be surprised to hear this happens very infrequently. Sometimes, there will… Read More »What does PASS, CONSIDER and RECOMMEND mean on script reports?

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We Luv Short Shorts

Many thanks to Dave Herman, who asks about the business of finding a producer/director for your short film. So let’s fast forward the writing part. You’ve got a short: it’s amazing. Now what? As Dave rightly points out on my Facebook group Bang2writers (join here), there is a well trodden path into TV and Film (FYI, “well trodden” doesn’t mean “easy”), yet short film *feels* a lot more like a free-for-all. Where do you even start getting that film OFF the page and rendered as image? First off, I can only tell you how I’ve done it and what’s happened.… Read More »We Luv Short Shorts

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Guest Post: The Story Engine 2010 pt 3 by Helen Bang

Here’s Helen’s final set of notes from The Story Engine. Enjoy!———————————The Future of Shorts Panel: Rebecca Mark Lawson, Samm Halliday, Dany Stack, Carol Machin With the scheme-based model of short film making on the verge of changing, the panel discussed success stories and speculated on how the future might look. Rebecca – has the shorts contract with the Film Council, Digital Shorts, etc.Samm – producer of drama for cinema and gallery installationsDanny – filmmaker and screenwriterCarol – Northern Film and Media There was a bit of discussion on the history of shorts, eg. the 10 minute, £10K films. Other schemes… Read More »Guest Post: The Story Engine 2010 pt 3 by Helen Bang

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Three Things: Scheme & Competitions

A few opportunities for you to consider. Have a good weekend!———————————-SOUTH WEST VOICES Hot on the heels of the Northern Voices scheme, The BBC Writersroom and South West Screen have launched South West Voices. They’re looking for new voices and new ideas for television from writers based in the South West of England; twenty writers will be picked for a workshop in May, followed by a lucky 8 who will develop their ideas for potential commission. To enter, you need to complete an online application form and send your email receipt with your sample script and a one page pitch… Read More »Three Things: Scheme & Competitions

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Virgin Media Shorts: Ask Last Year’s Winners A Question!!

Matt from Virgin Media Shorts has been in touch with the blog and asks if any Bang2writers out there have questions for the winners of last year’s contest, Phil Sansom and Olly Williams, who won with their short The Black Hole. So: if you’re interested in what winning a competition like Virgin Media Shorts can do, then Matt would be delighted to pass on any questions you might have about how they spent their money (all £30k of it!) , what help and opportunities the UK Film Council have provided them, or maybe even what approach they take to scripting?… Read More »Virgin Media Shorts: Ask Last Year’s Winners A Question!!

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WTF? ON FILM # 7: Wilderness

SPOILERS GALORESo at the weekend I found the Brit movie Wilderness in a bargain bin. I was surprised to see it, I’d never heard of it before – especially since it starred horror/gore fave Sean Pertwee and was directed by Michael J Bassett, who directed one of my fave Brit movies ever, Deathwatch. One of the critics on the back of the DVD box hailed it as “Dog Soldiers meets Scum with a side order of Lord Of The Flies”. What’s not to like there?! Add that to the fact The Hub has worked with young offenders, it seemed the… Read More »WTF? ON FILM # 7: Wilderness

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The Story Engine, Notes, Pt 2: Agents & Pitches

Here’s Helen’s excellent insights again – this time featuring the Blogosphere’s very own James Moran and some VERY interesting stuff about agents and pitching. Enjoy!————————————————————————————————- Screening: TORCHWOOD – SLEEPER Writer James Moran gives a live commentary to his episode of the popular sci-fi series. Followed by Q+A. Has carved out a niche in horror/sci fi He wrote Severance but got pigeonholed after this. However then Dr Who was relaunched. He wrote the Fires of Pompeii episode. Sleeper for Torchwood as well as writing for Primeval, Spooks Code 9 and Spooks. It’s cheaper to blow up a car than have several… Read More »The Story Engine, Notes, Pt 2: Agents & Pitches

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The Year In Review

An interesting year for me, 08. I started with high hopes: I did a trial for a well-known TV show last November and was told in January I was successful. This is it! I thought – Now the commissions will roll in. Then… Nothing happened. Still, nothing has happened. But apparently something *will* happen eventually, so watch this space. Talking to one chap who’s done much of the TV circuit “off-Beeb” as he calls it (ie. any channel except Aunty), he’s had to wait two years or more before now. Two years! Yikes. Still, done one I guess. What’s a… Read More »The Year In Review

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