‘Hi Philip

Thanks for taking the time to talk over the notes today, all very useful and looking forward to getting stuck into the work we discussed.

 Also, just a quick note to say thank you for all your support and would you be so kind as to pass my thanks on to anyone you know who has purchased MAKING IT AS A SCREENWRITER.

As you know we rely on the kindness and generosity of individuals like yourself to promote the book and one of my personal goals was to raise £5000 for Childline. We have now reached sales amounting to £5001.18. So, this is both a personal thank you and also on behalf of the children and young people you have so generously supported.

Recently Childline was forced to close a number of bases across the country, due to cuts in funding. They have also seen a big increase in the number of calls so every sale of the book is particularly appreciated at this time.

Once again many thanks for helping me reach a personal goal and for supporting children and young people through Childline.’

Very best wishes
Adrian Mead
www.meadkerr.com

 Adrian is a writer I have worked with several times – on Waking The Dead for the BBC, and on a couple of projects at Carlton. Adrian has real talent as a writer and what he also does particularly well is selling himself as a writer. Adrian has one of the best agents in London (Cathy King, Independent Talent) but he’s not one for resting on his laurels or relying on her to get the work for him. Adrian is a brilliant hustler, in the nicest possible way! He is really excellent at generating new ideas, at pitching and at getting his foot in the door and keeping his ear to the ground (to mix my metaphors).

When I worked on Waking The Dead it was up to the writers to pitch ideas for the show – and it was really important that they had enough knowledge of the show that the ideas they pitched were really right for it. Adrian pitched three ideas that all would have made great WTD shows, so it was a no-brainer to commission him. His ability to come up with really strong ideas for the show, and sell them and himself in a meeting lifted him head and shoulders above other writers pitching for the show.

 And his book ‘Making It As A Screenwriter’ is different from other screenwriting books on the market in that it concentrates on carving out and sustaining a career as a screenwriter in the UK, rather than the craft of screenwriting. There are plenty of excellent books on the craft of screenwriting – and this link should give you more ideas if you need them!

 http://www.script-consultant.co.uk/category/recommended-screenwriting-reading/

But Adrian’s book stands out as a practical guide to working in the industry, and how to conduct yourself as a professional (or budding professional) screenwriter – and what makes the book of real value is that this is written by someone with first-hand experience who has demonstrated that his approach works. Which (incidentally) is equally true of Phil Gladwin’s more craft-oriented but also excellent ‘screenwritinggoldmine’ book.

 http://www.screenwritinggoldmine.com/how-to-write-a-screenplay

 It’s interesting that a lot of the better-known US screenwriting books, however good they are – and a lot of them are very good – simply don’t offer the extensive, current, first-hand experience of working as screenwriters that Phil and Adrian do.

 Adrian’s book is particularly worthwhile because all the profits go to ‘Childline’, a charity that both needs and deserves your money! Adrian is on the frontline of ‘Childline’s work, having volunteered for them for a number of years.

 http://www.meadkerr.com/making-it-as-a-screen-writer/

 I have also been working in the past couple of weeks with the excellent screenwriter Eddy Canfor-Dumas (Superstorm, Supervolcano, Kavanagh QC, Tough Love) on a fascinating project set in ‘Persia’ in the 1910′s – an epic \ adventure script with ‘Indiana Jones’ echoes. It’s great working on a script of such scale and ambition – particularly one as well-written as this, and Eddy very kindly wrote a testimonial for my script consulting service based on the notes I gave him -

 ’Hi Philip – written in the white heat of enthusiasm:

 It’s not often you get script notes that actually make your heart leap rather than sink, especially as a jaded professional, but yours were so brilliantly perceptive and helpful that I couldn’t wait to start on the rewrite – so thank you!

 Many thanks again.

 Eddy‘

 And here’s another testimonial I received a couple of days ago from a very talented new writer, Adam Roberts -

 Philip’s feedback was extensive. Unlike other feedback I’ve paid for, there was constant reference to how my script might fit into the current market. This was particularly useful and gave me an insight into what real, working script editors look for. Although I don’t recommend second-guessing what people might want, this kind of realistic feedback did highlight a few dos and don’ts, and made me consider other angles of my script.

 And that’s what you’re getting here: concise, well laid out, and thorough feedback from someone in the industry. Someone who’s read thousands of scripts and can put you on a realistic path to a better, more marketable script. He knows story.

 I really felt that Philip had read my script, and his feedback finished with a wonderful summary that pin-pointed specific points, page by page. Top stuff!

 – ADAM ROBERTS

   28.03.12

Finally this week a very exciting announcement about our Cardiff ‘The Authoritative Guide To Writing And Selling A Great Screenplay‘ course on April 21-22.

 As special guest on the 2nd day we’re delighted to announce we’ll be joined by NIKKI WILSON, series producer of BBC’s Casualty. Casualty, now produced out of the BBC’s new Cardiff studios at Roath Lock, is one of the BBC’s flagship drama shows and, at 52 x 1 hour episodes a year, also one of the UK’s biggest employers of screenwriters! To secure your chance to meet and pick the brain of this top BBC drama exec in a relaxed and open environment (we limit our courses to max. 20 delegates), sign up now (especially while the ‘early bird’ £197 discount price still applies) -

 http://www.script-consultant.co.uk/training/

 Until next week, good luck with all your writing,

 Best

 Phil

 PHIL SHELLEY

 www.script-consultant.co.uk

 March 30th 2012

The Pitch by Eileen Quinn & Judy Counihan

As far as I’m aware the only UK book specifically about pitching, treatments etc, and by people who work in the industry and know from personal experience what works and what doesn’t.

Conversations With My Agent by Rob Long

Gives a really good insight into the working life of a successful US writer. And it’s very funny.

Bambi vs. Godzilla : On the Nature, Purpose & Practice of the Movie Business by David Mamet.

A good section on ‘the screenplay’ – also ‘technique’, ‘genre’ and other interesting insights.

Monster : Living Off the Big Screen by John Gregory Dunne.

A fascinating insight into the work of a US screenwriter

Do The Right Thing by Spike Lee

As well as the screenplay, the book contains Lee’s journal about the writing and making of the film.

Going Mad In Hollywood by David Sherwin.

Autobiography by the writer of ‘If’ and ‘O, Lucky Man!’

Save The Cat! By Blake Snyder

A lot of this book did nothing for me – far too much structure that came across as formula, and a lot of the movies he references – eg Aladdin – don’t really inspire. But as with all these books it’s a question of cherry-picking – there are some gems in there if you look hard enough. In this book it’s the end section – his insights on various ‘rules’ of screenwriting that he’s formulated stumbled upon in his years as a screenwriter.

Regards

Philip Shelley

script-consultant.co.uk

As a script editor, I think some of the books are in fact far more useful to us on the other side of the fence than to writers themselves. They often provide a really useful framework for analysing and improving scripts – but trying to write a first draft to a whole set of prescribed plot points, act breaks and turning points is bound to sap some of the creative energy and turn the process into something more like grappling with a mathematical equation. And the likelihood is, once you’re satisfied you’ve hit all the requisite plot points, what you’ll be left with is something deeply unspontaneous.

Here’s a list of some of my favourite screenwriting books in no particular order:-

On Directing by David Mamet

Yes it’s called On Directing but it actually has some of the best insights of any book into the craft of screenwriting, particularly about telling stories through the cuts between scenes.

Adventures In The Screen Trade by William Goldman –

I was reminded of this by the South Bank Show on Goldman on Sunday night (26-4-09). More autobiography than screenwriting manual but packed full of good stuff nonetheless.

Image, Sound & Story by Cherry Potter;

particularly Part Three: ‘The Creative Process and telling Your Own Stories’. There’s a really good section in here on ‘Free-writing’ – the other side of the process from the formulaic, structure-heavy ‘rules’ in some of the (less good) US screenwriting books.

Story by Robert McKee.

Not as good as listening to the man himself – his three day talk is a brilliant performance – but there are a lot of really perceptive, fascinating ideas here. Also a lot of stuff you probably won’t agree with…

Screenwriting: The Art, Craft & Business of Film & Television Writing by Richard Walter.

Quite a basic introduction to screenwriting technique but very good nonetheless.

Story & Character : Interviews with Brtish Screenwriters. Edited by Alistair Owen.

There are many books consisting of interviews with screenwriters and this is as good as any.

- – - Part 2 of this blog on screenwriting books TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK… In the meantime it would be great to hear from all you screenwriters out there about:- whether you think screenwriting books serve a purpose, how they can be best be used to help your own writing processes and… which other screenwriting books you would recommend to your fellow-writers.

Philip Shelley www.script-consultant.co.uk