Stepping up a gear! [Adrian Mead, Philip Shelley & CBBC]

Good evening all!

I'm writing this blog after having watched one of the most heart-rendering finale's of one of the most impressive dramas of recent times: Torchwood. This week's roller-coaster of a ride proved to be a fantastically plotted, well-executed 5-parter that had the nation gripped. Ratings soared higher than ever and the outcome was shocking. Amazing writing. But it's hard to ignore the anger of the fans at the revelations: anger that was unfairly directed at one of the most talented new screenwriter's on the block - James Moran.

A well-loved character died during the 5-parter and Jack's likeability rating plunged as he killed his own grandson to save the nation's kids. It was tear-jerker material. The rage directed at one of the writers though over the loss of characters... I'm just flabbergasted by it quite frankly. Screenwriters (as us fellow scribes well know) have an incredibly hard job to do. That job is to create exciting, scintillating shows, and if that means being contraversial, contraversial they will be.

The plot will determine the fate of the characters, and if the death of one of the characters means the plot can move forward, then a character must simply go. I won't ramble on any further on this subject as there are many views expressed on James' blog. He'll be posting about it all over the weekend. We can all learn a lot from that man. He and the team did an amazing job on Torchwood - they must have done if they pulled in millions of viewers and provoked such a reaction from the public! I expect to see the team receiving glitzy awards for their efforts in the coming year :)

"Onwards and upwards"

That was my motto of the day after I discovered I hadn't got through to the CBBC masterclass. I did, however, receive an email informing me that my entry had got through to a second reading by the writersroom team, which was a real boost to my confidence  and an encouragement. Not that I need it. And I don't mean that in an I'm-brilliant-so-I-don't-need-validation kind of way. I mean it in the sense that this week has been, well, life-changing concerning my screenwriting career. Don't get too excited. I haven't scored a writing gig or anything. But personally, within myself, I've stepped up a gear and reached another level with my screenwriting.

Since Adrian Mead's course last week and subsequently reading his ebook, I have felt so incredibly invigorated. If I was enthusiastic, motivated and determined before, I'm flying so high now I could burst through the roof and head-butt the stars.

I didn't actually think much about the competition throughout the week. It was strange because many fellow screenwriters who entered were on tenterhooks, but for me a strange sort of calm engulfed me. Adrian's instilled a lot of wisdom in me and I think I channelled that into my creative mind this week. I know that I have a lot of hard work to do in order to improve my writing and make it as a successful screenwriter and the only way I'm going to achieve that is by working bloody hard at it. Writing, writing and writing some more.

Entering competitions is just a part of it - in fact, it's the "basics" as Adrian would say. We should constantly be writing and entering competitions alongside developing our portfolio. If we win, it's a bonus, an extra line on our CV and a possible gateway to gaining an agent and work experience in the industry. But there's no use at all putting your writing on hold, pacing the room in anticipation and wasting all your energy on "hoping" you'll win. As Adrian says: "Don't hope, make it happen".

OK, so we can't make ourselves win competitions, and we can't help but hope to win things - who wouldn't! We're only human after all. But what I took from that statement was the fact that we can't ride all our hope on competitions alone. We need to work really hard alongside competition entries to make ourselves the best and the most skilled that we can possibly be. A competition isn't instant success - it's a way of showcasing your talent. Talent is all very well in a competition, but if you can't then match it with an excellent portfolio of work outside of those competitions, you may struggle to prove your worth.

With this in mind, I'm not feeling discouraged at all by not getting through to the masterclass. If anything, I'm even more determined to improve my writing and get some really excellent scripts written. 

"If you want to succeed you need to be proactive, not reactive" - Don't let competition results affect your goals. Be proactive and keep working hard at your portfolio of work! You can do it!

Insight into being a script editor/producer, with Philip Shelley

Phillip Shelley was a guest speaker on the Adrian Mead course last week. As promised, here are my notes, which may have some of Adrian's points of view amidst them - unfortunately I didn't mark out who said what during the talk!

• When working on a successful show like Waking The Dead, it's important to come up with a vision for the show that will keep regular viewers watching whilst also attracting new ones.
• It's the script editor's job to find writers for TV shows: Philip found them for Waking The Dead.
• Writers will be asked to pitch an idea for a story: this is what Adrian Mead had to do
• You really need to get your head around previous episodes in order to do this, no good in having storylines repeated!
• A writer may have to do several pitches.
• Writers are more often than not being asked to pitch verbally these days, otherwise it's a one and a half page pitch. You must be concise. Never go over that limit.
• The process from commission to result is about 6 months.
• For a soap it is about 3 months.
• When reading your script, script editors want to be reading a page-turning script that makes them want to continue to the end and find out what happens.
• It's all about finding that story that you really want to tell.
• Of course, it's wise to find out what the broadcasters actually want - you can research this easily on the internet.
• You can send spec scripts to script editors - spec scripts are useful for getting you work.
• Don't send feature script editors TV scripts.
• You can, however, send feature scripts to TV script editors.
• Only send in perfect work to  script editors as you only get one chance! It needs to be so polished that they are only able to nitpick!
• Unless there's a reason not to do so, start a script with the lead character.
• Don't poorly execute your script! Make sure you get the presentation right and for goodness sake use your spell-checker!
• You will need to write a covering letter.
• In the covering letter you should talk your background and what writing you have done.
• A covering letter should be brief though - no waffling.
• You should ideally have an agent before you approach script editors.
• Get a good agent!
• As a writer you need to hold onto your vision, but you mustn't ignore script editor's advice/directions!
• If you're not willing to change your script then TV writing isn't for you. 

You can read Lucy's version of the talk with Philip Shelley here.

If you'd like to learn more about how not to annoy a script reader/editor and how to wow them, read the following blog articles:

Lucy's "How to beat the reader"

Notes on William Akers' talk in London

Well, that's another mighty long blog entry! Yet I have so much more I want to talk about! It will have to wait until next time... 

Until then, happy writing, and don't forget to continually set yourself goals! My goal this weekend is to radically re-draft my family drama script, "Letting Go", into a much better structured screenplay. 

And if you want a dose of my motivation and determinism, I can't encourage you enough to buy Adrian Mead's "Making It As A Screenwriter". All proceeds go to Childline. BUY IT! You won't regret it.

Screenwriting: Career or Hobby? [Adrian Mead's Career Guide]

What a fab day!

Not only did I meet the lovely Lucy Vee, David Bishop and Laurence Timms in person, I also got to network with other screenwriters, pass out my unique (improvised/temporary) business cards and learn exactly what I should be and need to be doing to get into the industry.

Here's a couple of pics of my unique business cards (my sculpture degree show postcards with details written on in coloured pens) which will soon be replaced with proper snazzy business cards from www.moo.com.

In my blog title I ask the question whether screenwriting is, to you, a career or a hobby? This was something we addressed today in the course. There's a clear difference between those who want to make it professionally as a screenwriter and those who do it simply because they enjoy doing it.

• The main question is: Are you willing to take the next steps - send work into prod co's, make contacts, go to meetings, pitch ideas and so forth? If you're not, then screenwriting, for you, is just a hobby. 
• If you do want to do all these things but can't for some reason, then what is it that is holding you back? You need to identify what it is and work through it so that you can take the next steps to becoming a professional screenwriter.

It's important to understand why you want to be a screenwriter:

• Are you doing it for the money, the fame/glamour, the validation (being told you're good at writing), through the need to communicate or through love of the process of screenwriting? If it's just for the money, the fame or the validation, then you're doing it for the wrong reasons. If it's for the love of the process and the need to communicate then that's brilliant - you're ahead of the pack! Of course, good money comes as a bonus! ;)

Are you doing enough writing? There's really no excuse...

• There's no such thing as writer's block. There's depression and personal issues, but never writer's block.
• You can make time to write no matter how busy you are (even if you jot things down for 5 mins whilst sitting on the toilet). No excuses!

How much does hope play a part in your career strategy?

• Don't hope things will turn out alright, make them turn out alright!

Distractions

• When you are on your computer or watching the television, ask yourself: "Am I wasting time or am I investing it?" 
• Allocate time for social networking, but don't let the internet distract you from your writing at other times (hard, I know!)

Networking

• Get in there and introduce yourself to people. It's just a friendly chat: You need only say your name, what you do and what you're working on at the moment. Take an interest in what the other person is saying and swap business cards!
• Business cards are pretty essential. I knew they would be so I improvised mine, but I shall be making some of my own using www.moo.com. Adrian Mead tells us that business cards should be smart, simple and to the point. No wackiness.

Getting an agent; Are you ready?

• You need to have something to sell; the product.
• Agents not only need to sell the work but you, too. 
• Are you ready to step up to the next level?
• Can you hold your own in a meeting?
• Can you articulate yourself regarding your script?

Pitching

• You need to contextualise your script.
• Ownership - make it your story. No boring "It's about a girl who meets a guy who is struck by lightening"... They'll be much more interested if you tell them about the inspiration.
• You can slightly stretch the truth.
• Unique access - you need a unique selling point (a USP - see next point). 
• What does your script say about the world right now?
• Put some energy into your pitch.
• Believe in it.
• Clarity - be really simple/concise.
• If you are pitching to a group of people, it is a good idea to bring something visual in to support your pitch, such as a mood board, photos and handouts, too.
• Producers often want to see a 1-page pitch on paper, although verbal pitching is becoming far more popular as it is quicker. You must make a 1-page script as good as can be. There's more information in this in Adrian's e-book, "Making it As A Screenwriter"

USP

• Why should anyone pay you to write scripts rather than someone who's just finished a screenwriting degree, or someone who's already an established writer?
• What's going to make you stand out?
• Adrian has worked as a hairdresser and a bouncer before, so he's got a good working knowledge of nightclub activity and life in the salon. 
• What's yours? We discussed our USP's in the course. One person said they worked as a telephone operator for the emergency services and that calls often sparked ideas for situations in screenplays. Another said that working as a teacher of English to speakers of foreign languages allowed them to catch a glimpse into different cultures. 
• A USP could also be something you have great knowledge of. It could be a subject you're particularly knowledgeable of or something you're familiar with from your past/current experiences. I personally am familiar with mental issues such as OCD, having suffered myself as a child.
• How can you use your USP to your advantage? How can it enrich your writing and make you stand out in the crowd?
• What if you don't have a USP? You can get one! There's lots of things you can to to widen your experiences. Adrian works for childline, through which he has learnt a great deal about children and their lives/problems. You could join a group/activity, volunteer somewhere, or simply research a particular topic.

What should you be writing?

• Feature films. There's no harm using a feature film as your calling card - the script you use to show off your skills. Even when you're aiming to work for TV, feature films are accepted. Be as bold and drastic as you like in a feature film calling card script - don't worry about budget or limitations, just go for it and show what you can do. A calling card is "the big one" but is also the one that will never get made!
• Low budget scripts for collaboration - make them with some friends!
• Children's scripts are hot at the minute - but don't think you can wing it - do your research
• Adaptations are also hot at the minute - not book adaptations, but adaptations of things such as fairytales, Greek Myths and Roman stories. Contemporise them. Bring them into the 21st century - modernise them for today's world.
• No-one wants period pieces anymore unless it's a calling card script.
• Police and Medical dramas are always wanted, despite what you might think about them being out of date. There's a phrase: "Old wine in a new bottle" which basically symbolises the repackaging of an old idea/formular into a glossy new show.
• Diversify by writing for online shows, theatre, games, radio and so forth.
• Make them! Why not create a web show or put on a play?

What should you be doing?

• Do things other writers aren't doing
• Don't just send scripts within England, send them to International prod-co's as they will often have a larger budget and more desire for scripts (in English) due to lack thereof in their location.
• Go to every script/film event you can.
• Network - meet producers/directors after screenings - talk to them and give them your business card!
• Think about indirect ways of approaching producers. Speak to people who know the directors/producers.
• Send scripts to DOPs - they often aspire to be directors and may be able to recommend you to the producer if they see potential in your script.
• Don't pester producers - be polite and courteous.
• Really do your research on prod-cos and producers/directors before approaching them... Watch their films, get to know their work. Find out what their first ever film was - often their "love project" - the one that started their careers. Often a good talking point as they were most probably passionate about it.
• Work your way back - Who makes the films of the genre you are writing for? Who's worked with them? What have they done before?
• Make sure you're going to the right people - nothing worse than pitching a rom-com to someone who produces horror flicks!
• Don't criticise without knowing all the facts.
• There's always a story behind the story.
• The industry is tiny - connections everywhere. It takes minutes to gain a bad reputation!
• You should already be writing for next year's anticipated competitions as well as this year's (Red Planet, BSSC, BFSC, Coming Up, etc). 

Setting Goals

• Setting goals - today we set three goals for ourselves - one short-term (to be completed in a week's time), one mid-term (to be completed in 3 months' time) and one long-term (to be completed in a year's time). You should be making goals and figuring out how you can achieve them.
• Concentrate everything into reaching those goals.
• Set yourself deadlines.
• Take action. Knowledge is nothing without action.
• Seek help from others.
• Regularly check on your progress.
• It's all about achieving.
• There's never any "failing" as you learn all the way.
• Be committed.
• You won't commit until you take the big "no way back" action.

The big "no way back" action

• Inform your family of your plans to be a screenwriter.
• A supportive partner is essential. 
• When you make it into TV writing you won't be able to keep the day job. It'll be full-on.
• Could you afford to lose the day job?
• Do you need to down-size to free up money and lower living costs?
• If you're serious about screenwriting then you need to take action. 
• Call/email/meet up with the people who can get you where you want to be.
• In the current climate it is the ideal time to be making short films. 
• Everyone needs to be working and making stuff.
• Be brave and bold even if you have little or no money.
• Invest in yourself - are you willing to?
• How are you going to sell yourself?

Fear

• Deal with fear.
• What's the worse that can really happen?
• What's the best that can realistically happen? This one will clearly outweigh your answer to the previous question.
• Think about how things will be if you don't make an effort to do things.
• Say to yourself "I can handle this" and face your fears.

Dealing with rejection

• Put any good feedback you receive into a file
• When you are feeling down after the fifth rejection in a day (it's happened to Adrian before!) get out the file and read all the positive stuff as a pick me up.

As you can see, we covered quite a lot in the course today. A lot more than this, in fact... I have *tried* to keep it all as brief as possible to help you think about yourself and where you stand with your screenwriting. A lot of the things we covered really made you think hard about screenwriting as a career and all that's involved. Adrian's career strategies were fantastic and we all left feeling really positive and motivated to take the next steps.

We also had a talk by Phillip Shelley, a script editor/producer. I will blog about what he had to say in my next entry. In the mean-time, I hope these notes from the course today are useful to you, that they will help you examine what stage you are at in your screenwriting career and will motivate you to take your career to the next level!

CBBC script sent & New look for my blog!

Good afternoon!

What a lovely sunny and warm Saturday it is after all the dark and gloomy rain-storms yesterday. It's perfect for a BBQ and a BBQ I shall be having with my family before watching Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, as we haven't yet seen it!

What a busy few weeks it has been. A frenzy of script-writing ensued as myself and fellow hopefull CBBC scriptwriters worked our hardest to complete our scripts so as to send them off in good time. This is the first time I've documented my progress writing a script using everyone's favourite social networking tool, twitter. As Katie McCullough spoke of on her blog, twitter turned out to be such a supportive place to document your progress as there were always fellow writers/twitterers on there, working on their entries and giving each other encouragement. 

With over 375 followers now on twitter, I'm finding it such an inspirational place. Most of the people I follow are fellow screenwriters, novel-writers, poets, film-makers, book lovers, artists and so forth.Yesterday I wrote:

"My plans for non writing-related relaxation this weekend are becoming less likely as you writing tweeters are so damn inspiring! Thank you!"

But it's not only other creatives who are inspiring me; I am inspiring others!

I was amazed to receive several messages from fellow writers thanking me for inspiring them to write more! I even got a mention over at Johnathan Bart's blog!

It felt so good completing my CBBC script. After scrapping my original script I had to think fast. Although I came up with an idea pretty soon, I had a whole world and the characters within it to craft and I'd set myself just a weekend to do it in! It's not that I only had the weekend - there were evenings, too, but I was aware that I needed to get down my first draft as soon as possible if I were to stand any chance of gaining feedback for that draft, then feedback for the second draft, too. 

I struggled on that weekend - the Friday and Saturday were spent developing my ideas and planning my pilot script, leaving Sunday for the big-write! It was not easy... It felt like I was researching, writing and proofreading an essay the day before a deadline (not that I've ever actually left anything that late before - I'm far too sensible!) But I kept my cool and within 8 hours I had my first draft!

I was very lucky in that I had a fair few willing critics for my first draft. Neil Baker, Paul McIntyre, Stephen Woodcock and Antonia were all in the same boat as me and all provided some excellent, detailed feedback in return for my critique of their CBBC script entries, as did Laurence Timms and David Thomson, who kindly critiqued my second draft. I must say, standards were incredibly high. This will be one tough competition!

For those of you curious as to what my kids show was about, this is how Laurence Timms described my script: 

"An action thriller set in a dystopian future.

Ten years into the future, Britain is under the grip of the Grey Army led by the shadowy General. The adults and children over 16 have been deported to who knows where; maybe America, maybe Russia, nobody is sure. Many of the remaining children are co-opted into the Grey Army for enforced training. All, that is, except a few stragglers. Some in hiding, some in 'tribes'.One such tribe is The Hunters, a small band of kids using whatever they can find in abandoned shops to survive and stay alive."

What amazed me with the critiques of my script was that each and every reader commented on different aspects. Each of them noticed problematic areas that the others didn't, which proved extremely useful when compiling all their criticisms and suggestions together to form my re-write plan. As a result, I ended up with a script that was so much more enriched thanks to receiving such varied and detailed feedback.

So I'd like to thank you all for your fantastic input and to wish you all the best of luck with your entries - I'd be surprised if none of us got through to the next round!

Best of luck to anyone else who is entering, too!

On a similar note, and to conclude, I'd like to share a link to Scott Myers' blog, Go Into The Story. He is running a series of articles called The story behind script coverage: "How to Write Coverage" which is incredibly useful for those of you who, like me, would like to learn more about how to write professional script coverage!

Now, where's that steak and those sausages...

Good Pressure & Good Screenwriting Advice

I've always been the kind of person who thrives under pressure. I always seem to be at my happiest when I'm busy, and pressure can be good sometimes by kicking you into action and making you be productive.

As you all know by now, the CBBC Q&A session on Monday made me realise that my completed script just wasn't what they were looking for. So I needed to start all over again. This was stress-inducing due to there being less than 2 weeks to complete and send it. I managed to come up with an idea pretty quickly - lightbulb flash occured at work one day - but I was unable to mull it over properly whilst I was so busy working. 

I also had a few other projects on the go - namely completing 4 wepisodes for a comedy web-show that I promised to send to the producer/director as soon as possible. On Wednesday evening I was incredibly tired - so much so that I joked I needed toothpicks to prop open my eyes - but I battled on. I worked from 6-11pm and completed the wepisodes, which were read and critiqued the next day ready for my touch ups Thursday evening. 

Despite being really tired, I felt so good after that writing session. It's so easy to succumb to being lazy and just read or watch the television or a dvd, but one thing I've really come to realise recently is that you have to be motivated and dedicated if you want to make it in this business. I know that the business won't come to me - I have to go to it. And if that means trudging through a muddy field until I reach the green pastures then that's what I'll do. 

The only way to become a successful screenwriter is to work your arse off at it. James Moran's latest blog post talked about his dedication and hard work. It's incredibly inspiring and I'd like to quote a few of the things he said to back up the point I'm making about dedication:

"I know how fortunate I've been - but I made that luck happen by working my arse off, and I continue to work my arse off to sustain it."

We all experience, and need, times when we chill out and relax. But we must be careful not to succumb to it too much. We'll never get anywhere in this business unless we work our arses off to make it happen and to then sustain it.

"Never stop moving, plotting, always have a backup plan, always think three moves ahead."

Here, James was talking about having several projects on the go at once. It's all very well expending all your time and energy on one competition script or one feature film that's been your "baby" for years, but what you really need in this business is to have ideas - lots of them - and the energy and dedication to get all of them moving. James is involved in many different projects all at once. I myself have many projects on the go with my writing partner alongside my own personal projects and projects for competitions.

"I'm currently doing my research and preparation, figuring out the format, coming up with pitches for my own stuff and for established characters, making contacts and working out who to approach. It's scary, different, and out of my comfort zone, which is why I really want to try it."

Here James was talking about delving into a new discipline - scripting for comics. He knows he needs to research his craft - and we must do the same with our screenwriting for TV and film. Having been to the CBBC Q&A I realised just how important it is to stay on top of the game, learn new things and to network. It may be daunting at first, but if we really want to be a screenwriter, then we'll jump in at the deep end in order to make it work.

"If you're not trying new things, scaring yourself, and making mistakes, then you're not learning anything."

I particularly love this quote. It tells us that we need to go for things - no hesitation. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. We'll learn so much by doing - and do we must.

"It sometimes feels like I haven't achieved anything solid by the end of the day, because none of it involves scripting or outlining. But it's all crucial, and needs to be done if I want to move forward."

This highlights just how important learning the trade is. You may be able to write a decent script, but do you know what to do afterwards? I'm planning on learning a lot about succeeding in screenwriting as a career at Adrian Mead's "The Screenwriter's Career Guide" on the 4th July.

"Ultimately, we're all in control of our own lives, and nobody else can get you where you want to be."

This means there's no time for procrastination! Want to be a screenwriter? So do it! Write, write and write some more. Learn, network, make contacts. We can all achieve our dreams if we are passionate enough about them.

With all this in mind, I feel fairly confident about my CBBC script still. So I only have a few days to do it in... No biggie... Professionals sometimes have very tight deadlines - certainly a lot tighter than the time we are given to complete competition scripts in. I know I can do it, so I'm gonna give it my all!

It wasn't until Friday evening that I sat down to think about my CBBC script and develop my idea. I had a world, the main characters and the baddies sorted, but I got stuck on the motives for both the goodies and the baddies' actions.

Pitching your idea to loved ones is always a good exercise, so I tried it with my fiancé today, who loved the idea but couldn't come up with any ideas for some more backstory and the motives of all the characters, good and bad, as groups.

I'm so close to completing my pilot episode plan now and it's incredibly exciting. I've passed on my outline/pilot plan so far to Neil, who will give his views and suggestions and will no doubt, as usual, spark off a string of lightbulb flashes in my mind that will set me on the road to completion. This evening I shall mull over the remaining obstacles in my plot. Tomorrow is my big write-the-script day. Exciting!

And what of my comedy web-show wepisodes? The producer/director loved them! Filming is due to happen at the beginning of July, so all going well, I may have my first ever writing credits soon! 

Screenwriting for CBBC - Detailed Notes

Good evening! 

Yesterday was a fantastic day in London with Neil Baker and Katie McCullough. I also spotted Piers Beckley (although I couldn't be 100% it was him and was consequently too shy to approach!) and we missed Jason Arnopp, too, who scarpered off quick sharp afterwards to attend to some writing that needed doing. I do hope to meet both Piers and Jason properly next time!

Today the CBBC Q&A has been "the talk of the screenwriting town". It was a really informative session and although a lot of it was common sense, there were some real nuggets of wisdom thrown in and some juicy tips.

The session made me realise that my current idea lacked some crucial elements they were after - Firstly, it wasn't really very exciting - it's a one-off emotional drama. Secondly, this competition isn't just about showing how good you can write - like a writing sample - It's the new ideas and potential characters/series' they are after. So I have decided to start all over again! I had a lightbulb flash at work today and have thus come up with a brilliant new idea, that I hope will remain brilliant as I begin to develop and write it!

So without further ado, I shall reproduce my notes (with my added waffle) for you!

The Vision

--Expanding the imagination of kids
--Educate and inform through entertainment
--Help children find their place in the world
--Sustenance – providing quality shows that kids will remember well into adulthood. What shows do adults still talk about today over a pint in the pub?

I know that I still feel impacted by shows such as “Aquila”, “Byker Grove”, “Grange Hill”, “Earthfasts” and “The Demon Headmaster”. Even recently, having watched “Press Gang” for the first time, I felt impacted by it. I was disappointed when all of them ended. I wanted more. 

--Competition. There are over 15 kids channels across the world, including Disney and Nickelodeon... How can we achieve unmissable storytelling and produce really memorable shows?

Character

--You need to get inside kids' heads. You need to know them inside out.
--Kids shows need to be child-driven. Rooted in a child's world.
--The kids are the heroes – they're the ones who need to solve the problems, not adults! 
--You need solid characters
--Characters with depth – can you see into a character as though “peeling away the layers of an onion”

--Be careful with labelling characters and generalisation– OK, so Matthew is a geek? What kind of geek? A food geek? A sports geek? Specify!

--There's always a pretty character, a clever character, a rebellious character... But what makes them different?

Budget

--Small cast
--Need a good dose of adult/alternative scenes in children's shows, because kids are only allowed to work for a certain amount of time – adult/alternative scenes are needed to economise the usage of the child stars.

--Child actors are more prone to being off work ill. Enough cast is needed so that in the event of a re-write, the writers will have characters who can fill in.

--Sets/locations are limited. In Dr Who, the baddies can blow up the world. In MI High, the baddies can blow up the school...

--You may be limited in sets but you can push the boundaries. You have to be careful what you show, but you CAN show things like accidents/immoral behaviour. The main rule is, where you show bad behaviour or accidents brought about by bad behaviour, you must show the CONSEQUENCES. So, if a kid sets fire to something, they have to get caught and get into trouble. Even in a seemingly simple event such as falling out of a tree – it's got to hurt/do damage!

Ideas

--Inventive
--Captivating
--The worlds of the kids in the shows are exciting and different
--Not everything is always as it seems...In “Bo & The Spirit World” kids end up in a spirit world and have to collect tokens in order to save the lives of their parents. This show gives a nod to House of Flying Daggers and anime. So you can hint at/talk about life and death and have such issues looked at

--You can take risks – such as making a show scary – but be careful not to make it so scary that it would need a warning

--Although you can take risks, be aware that some risks may be turned away. However, if you have taken too big a risk, but the producers particularly love your characters, they may develop them with you

--Kids TV is limitless – kids have big ambitions for stories - storylines can go anywhere and be   as obscure as you like! 

--You can't always explain everything .Example given for this and the above point was that of a scene in Grange Hill, where a girl looks after her ill mother and her brothers and sisters by herself, scared that if she tells anyone the social services will get involved. They do turn up, and that's where the episode ended. A little girl was asked “What do you think happens next?” and she took the adventurous approach of “They ran away and snuck onto a train, but then the ticket inspector came along and because they didn't have any tickets they got chucked off the train, and then they found a cave...” and it goes on like that. We, of course, and the older kids, will know that the social worker will put the children into care. 

--There needs to be a juxtaposition between action/excitement and emotion

--The best ideas come from writers who want to explore a particular genre/area and really know what it's all about!

--You need a solid/unusual concept

--Most kids shows fall into the following genres: Action adventure, modern morality, Narnia, comedy, multi-cultural. Try not to do them all at once!

--Kids audiences are on average 12 years old, so try to stay away from relationships.

--High action is liked. The clips we saw were from The Sarah Jane Adventures and MI High. Both scenes were high in doing rather than saying – and were all the more powerful for it!

What they want in particular for the competition?

--They're looking for new writing talent, new ideas and potential series'. The impression I got was that they want the ideas more than just an example of how you can write for children. It's the ideas and potential that will catch their attention

--Really fresh perspectives, new and delightful characters and new voices
--New perspectives/outlooks on growing up
--Cultural/social perspectives - Insight into different social/cultural lives

--In an ideal world, every child in an audience would feel represented. This isn't easily or realistically achieved, but the more we open the eyes of the children who watch kids TV to the world around them, the more accepting they will be of those around them 

--Mental illness is something that hasn't been covered much before – but be careful – do your research and do it right. 

--Comedy/drama is always liked.
--Sports-oriented shows aren't really wanted at the moment
--They would like something that could be developed further – so potential for a series

--Something that kept coming up time and time again was the phrase “Will I love the character and want to get to know them better?” If you can create an interesting, likeable/loveable character that will stick in the minds of kids and producers alike, you're onto a winner!

--They're not too keen on multi platform concepts, because often writers can get caught up in technology and the different ways stories are communicated to a mass-market than they are in choosing the best method to communicate their particular story. It's the story they are looking to commission, not the different way in which it is shown.

Writing it

--Don't use lots of dialogue. Actions speak better than words. Plus the kids find it easier to remember shorter lines!

--Length depends on format, but the usual screenplay format (not new page per scene) should come in at no less than 28 pages and no more than 32. 

--Read your script out loud afterwards, calculating the time for action, too, and see if it fits within the time-frame

 
--Do number scenes. It's handy for reference when discussing/developing
--A good tip is to prepare your world and your characters well before you begin to write – you can lose your way with the story otherwise

--Make sure you write from a child's perspective, or at least respect how they will perceive it
--Is the way you have written it appropriate for the audience tonally?
--Be very clear on the relationships between characters
--Be very clear with action and description – make your intentions very clear and never assume others will “get” what you mean.

--Make it clear how your dialogue should be delivered. There are so many ways a line could be said – spell it out!

--Don't over-write though, such as giving directions. You will just annoy producers if you try and be director as well as writer!

--If you can't captivate them in the one script then they're not fussed
--First 10 pages essential. Hook the reader! Don't forget that action/excitement can be good to catch the interest of viewers. What'll happen next?!!!

--Is your show as magical as seeing snow falling for the first time?

--Is it as exciting as waiting for Christmas eve to be over with so that Christmas day can ensue?

--Is it as thrilling as a roller-coaster ride?

Interesting thought...

“Some writers write anything in order to get on TV, whereas some actually have something to say”.

Which category do you fall into?

Entering the competition:

--They only want a script. No loglines/synopsis' or what have you

Other advice for writing/submitting work for the CBBC:

Comedy

--Comedy is incredibly difficult – it's either funny or it's not, you've either got the skill or you haven't!
--Most welcome to write sitcoms
--Children's comedy must be about more than just silliness – characters need depth too
--Cliché can be your friend – it may be a no no in drama, but cliché can actually work for comed
--Example given was Phoebe from Friends – the character is grounded as person but exaggerated to the limit = comedy!

Adaptations

--With adaptations you want to match the voice of the author so as not to disappoint the fans

--Have to be inventive within that to come up with new possibilities.

--Likewise, when you write for an existing show, you need to identify the tone and emulate it.

--Similarly, when you write a script you need to set a tone so that other writers can adapt to it.

--It's very rare that a new writer will be commissioned to write the whole of the series they conceived of. If you're lucky enough to have a series commissioned, other writers will be brought in to work with you and they need to be able to adapt to the tone you have set.

Pitching

--You need to know how to pitch
--You need a point of difference – what makes your idea special?
--You need to know how to express this in a pitch
--You also really need to know where your show is going – can you see beyond the pilot?
--You need to know what's on kids TV if you want to write for children – be prepared!

Etiquette for pitching ideas 

--You should be able to sum it up in a sentence – what's it all about?
--500 words is the limit to pitch your idea. Not 501, 500! Eek!

6-figure salaried job working for Sir Alan? No thanks! I'm a writer...

It's certainly been a busy week...

Last Saturday I went to Collectormania, where I was able to meet the gorgeous Nathan Fillion and get a really nice photograph of him signed. Now, this would have been an amazing opportunity to talk to a really nice guy who, I've been told, really takes an interest in screenwriters. So I had it all planned, you know...

Chelle: Hi! It's lovely to meet you!

Nathan: Hi there, it's nice to meet you too!

Chelle: My screenwriting partner and I really admired your performance in Firefly...

Nathan: Oh, you're a screenwriter! That's great, what sort of things do you write?..

...And so forth. But I got a bit... Starstruck. It went more like this...

Nathan: Hello, and who are you?

Chelle: I'm Michelle, it's lovely to meet you!

Lady: Do you want the photograph personalised?

Chelle: Oh no, just an autograph please because it's for both of us (glances at fiancé)

Nathan: Oh, well, I can certainly do that... (signs whilst I grin cheesily as fiancé does his best to get a quick shot of me next to Nathan)

Chelle turns back to Nathan. Awkward silence.

Chelle: Thank you very much! (Gets photo and turns to leave, then remembers fiancé, who introduces himself to Nathan and shakes his hand before joining me).

Alas, it was a short but sweet visit, but we were understanding as it was late in the afternoon and it had been a very long two days for Nathan. He seemed a little tired and was probably cold and fed up by then. We were, in fact, lucky to have met him at all. Our ticket number was way above 600 and by 4pm it was only at 500 or so. Our friends told us they managed to get in the queue early by approaching the ticket guy and asking nicely, so we tried our luck...

Anyhow, after that exciting if not slightly disappointingly fleeting meeting with such a handsome actor, we finished off our rounds of the stalls. I came away with 4 books. They're all fantasy/sci-fi genre, which I don't usually go for, but they looked rather good and were FREE. Although I gave £2 as a donation (money goes to charity). They are:

• Prisoner of Fire by Edmund Cooper
• The Frozen City by David Arscott & David J.Marl
• The New Gulliver by Esmé Dodderidge
• Shadowbridge by Gregory Frost

Goodness knows when I'll get round to reading them... But alas they are there ready and waiting!

This week I read Sight Unseen by Robert Goddard. I was meant to be reading Peony In Love but picked up Sight Unseen from my shelf in curiosity and, before you knew it, I was 100 pages in and loving it! You can read my review at www.goodreads.com/sofluid

This week I'm reading Melissa Gilbert's memoir A Prairie Tale. I'm really enjoying it so far and am eager to continue!

This week I also made good progress with my CBBC script, which I had critiqued by three of my fellow screenwriters and am now ready to write my second draft.

I managed to outline and bash out my first draft within a few days. It wasn't as easy as it sounds, though - Before I'd even begun I felt like my idea wasn't exciting or original enough. I also feared the 30-page limit (I've never been very good at keeping within page limits and word counts) and half-way through I began to think that maybe the story I was working on for the CBBC might be suited better to the Sir Peter Ustinov Award script...

However, these problems were overcome throughout the week. My initial fear that my story wasn't original or exciting enough was soon put aside as a lively discussion with Neil made me feel really passionate about it again. The new ideas and developments that arose in the process also served to strengthen the plot. It's amazing how much an idea can mould into something masterful through something as simple as a discussion.

I used to be the kind of person who kept everything to myself, always afraid of telling people my ideas incase I jinxed them, or they got stolen, or perhaps even laughed at. But in the year that I have spent blossoming as a scriptwriter, I've learnt to cast aside these fears and approach the whole process in an entirely different way.

I now discuss my ideas with other screenwriters, which usually results in my legendary "light bulb" explosions of ideas that cascade over my projects. I have a network of fellow aspiring screenwriters (currently Neil, Paul and Stephen) who I share my work with, gaining critiques and support/inspiration and offering the same in return. Even *attempting* to describe the plots of my stories to the fiancé is a help. As Aladdinsane pointed out, it's not easy to pitch ideas. Not easy at all. But every little bit of practice helps...

I soon dispelled my concern over the CBBC script's destination... An idea sparked up during a conversation with Neil, which then multiplied into a succession of ideas that rapidly assembled themselves in the formation of a U to the S to the T I V to the O to the V oh yeeaah! So I was clear on my two very different stories.

Then came the 30-page limit. I finished 2/3rds of my outline in 15 pages, but I knew that the second half would be an emotional rollercoaster and couldn't be rushed. The pressure was still on but, miraculously, when I finished and converted the script to pdf it came in bang on 30 pages! I was really pleased with myself!

I've also been outlining my Ustinov Award idea this week, but have crashed against a wall. Ouch! Hopefully I can carefully carve a whole in it through which I can climb. And soon!

It's now the weekend and I'm absolutely exhausted. Just booked my driving theory test this evening (which will take place at the beginning of July) and I am also seriously considering booking tickets to Adrian Mead's "The Screenwriter's Career Guide" day course in London, which will take place on the 4th July. In fact, I'm more than considering it, I'm practically on the verge of throwing my money at it through cyber-space.

On Monday it is the CBBC Q&A session in London. I shall be meeting up with Neil early on and we'll be enjoying the day in London before the session in the evening. I'm sure that a) we will come away with multiple geeky purchases, notably *second-hand books yay!* and b) we will enjoy some screenwriting chatter over tea and snacks in a café. We've a lot of projects on the go and it will be good to talk about them face to face.

We shall also be meeting the lovely Katie McCullough there. I'm a celebrity over at her gaff. I got a mention in her videoblog! Yay! Katie has been shouting praise for twitter from her videoblog rooftop and I must say that I agree with her views. Twitter, so far, has been such a wonderful place to meet fellow screenwriters, novel writers and people who share similar interests to me. Logging on and being able to share in people's writing progress via their twitter status updates makes you feel kind of warm and fuzzy inside. You know you're not alone and that there are other determined individuals out there striving to write, just like you. So thank you, Katie, for the shoutout! I feel really happy to have met Katie and many other talented writers through twitter. And if you've come to my blog from twitter and have managed to read this far without getting bored, then I thank you! I always enjoy checking out fellow twitterer's websites and blogs. There's just not enough time in the day though to fully enjoy it all!

I'll leave you all with something to think about...

Last week, when watching The Apprentice, I felt, like I have in the previous series', like I could be in the finalists' position (this year the finalists were Yasmina and Kate): I would make a good Apprentice. I have the energy, the enthusiasm, the drive and the sharp thinking... I even have the raw entrepreneurial skills. But this year something didn't quite sit right. I didn't feel as compelled to jump up and say "Next year I'll definitely enter!" Why?

I realise now that I truly want to be a writer. If I was given a 6-figure job like Yasmina's, I would not be a happy bunny. The job he gave her didn't sound exciting at all. But how do you define exciting? I like a personal challenge, and to that end I really enjoy my current job. But even if I were offered a challenging, exciting role of my preference with a 6-figure salary, would I take it? No.

My passion lies within writing. There's nothing that excites me more than creating a story and putting it down in screenplay or novel form. I'm willing to work really hard at it until I get my break. I don't think Yasmina feels passionate enough about electronic signage to work at it for free, do you? I think it's the money that is attractive and the challenge of doing the job well enough for Sir Alan.

This week, I realised that I'd be happy no matter what job I was doing, so long as I had time to concentrate on my writing. My current job is perfect. It's a challenge and I enjoy it. I enjoy the workplace and I get on well with everybody there. They know about my passion for writing and they take an interest. I am committed to my job, but I am also permitted to be committed to my writing, too.

The question I pose to you is, would you choose a 6-figure job you are only partially interested in and give up your writing in the process? Or would you be happy working for a modest amount, or even a pitiful amount for that matter, in order to continue working at your dream; to become a writer? I know what my choice would be. 

Good Reads & Screenwriting Events

Good evening all!

Thought I would use the time spent watching BB10 productively by writing a blog post at the same time. It's interesting seeing what characters BB10 are throwing into the mix this year (great inspiration for screenplay characters!) but I shan't be watching any more after tonight's show. I'm far too eager to write and read and have far too little time to do that in as it stands. I'm afraid the only TV shows I watch religiously at the moment are Home and Away, Hollyoaks, Ashes to Ashes and The Apprentice.

Last weekend I finished reading Nicci French's The Safe House. I'd never read any of (his/her) books before (the name is actually a pseudonym for a writing team) and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the setting up of the mystery and the unravelling of it, coupled with the believable protagonist, Sam. I personally didn't find it too predictable, but I was annoyed with the irony of Sam so willingly taking up water sports when the novel had already set her up with a fear of water. I also felt the ending was a little disappointing. After an exciting revelation, the antagonist was "let off" so to speak. Very unsatisfying. No explanations, no regret, no showdown, nothing...

I'm currently also reading Lolita (still) but that's my slow-read. The next novel on my list is Lisa See's Peony In Love. I loved Snowflower and The Secret Fan so this one is bound to be a treat also.

This week I joined www.goodreads.com. I have been using a similar book-logging thing on facebook, but I find it a bit annoying, especially having to log into facebook and find the application before posting my reads and reviews. So, upon lovely Kirsten's recommendation, I signed up. It certainly seems like a good site. I'm sure I'll get used to it. I'm actually tempted to import all the books I already had on my facebook application so that I don't lose that sense of satisfaction when you see the numbers stacking up! Miss Read and David Thompson became my first friends on there not long after. If you'd like to be my friend on Goodreads, feel free to add me. The name's Sofluid!

Now, this week via the ever-addictive twitter, Antonia informed us all of a fab opportunity to attend a Q & A session with the head of CBBC Drama Steven Andrew in conversation with Kate Rowland. Perfect timing for all of us who are entering the CBBC contest.

Being held in the early evening on a Monday, I felt I wouldn't make it to London in time after work. The lovely Piers Beckley was having none of it, though. "Can you not start work and leave work early that day?" Well, you can't argue with that, can you? So, I went a step further. I now have the whole shiny day off work to come and enjoy London - Let's hope the sun is shining, too!

The tickets are free and the event starts at 5pm (June 15th). Just send them an email to get your place on the guest list! Neil is also coming along, so I'm looking forward to meeting him properly at long last! Anyone else thinking of coming along?

This evening I also sent off my CV in the hope of being a volunteer at The Screenwriters Festival, which will take place from the 26th to the 29th October. Martin Adams told me about the scheme last year and how he enjoyed volunteering there. Unfortunately I can't afford to go as a paying guest, so I have to earn my keep - but I don't mind. It'll be worth it to meet some of you lovely bloggers, let alone participate in some of the fabulous events going on there over those few days! Fingers crossed they accept me!

Here are a few other opportunities that some of you may be interested in:

• Adrean Mead's The Screenwriter's Career Guide, July 4th, London
• Script TENacity workshop, June 27th, Wolverhampton

I'm also attending Collectormania in MK this Saturday! Personally, I'm hoping to see the gorgeous Nathan Fillion (of Firefly stardom) and the daddy of comedy quotes Philip Glenister (of Ashes to Ashes)! Lets hope I get a look in!

Last but not least, I had a light bulb idea today. Not one regarding my writing as such, but one which combines the day job and learning about screenwriting. Listen to the fabulous interviews conducted by Sally Brockway whilst you work! Find them at The Screenwriting Goldmine here. They really are very useful and inspirational!