Hi There,

And welcome to this weeks’s blog \ newsletter! Before we get started on the serious business of my SCREENWRITING POLL, a couple of thoughts…

Best TV drama (OK so it’s a documentary) of the week – 56 Up. Absolutely compelling viewing – watch out for the 2nd ep. this Monday ITV 9pm.

The Leveson Inquiry continues to provide the most amazing dramatic raw material – an exercise in sub-text-laden dialogue (see Rebecca Brooks’ teasing \ mocking references to LOL – and Charlie Brooker’s laugh out-loud column about it -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/13/you-lose-touch-with-popular-culture?INTCMP=SRCH).

Brooks, Murdoch and the News International camp have politicos across all the parties running around with their pants on their heads. Politicians have been so supine in the face of the Murdoch empire for so long that Murdoch now holds all the aces. The revelations about Jeremy Hunt’s goings-on are just a shot across the bows – a warning from NI not to get too close, if the Tories want to hold onto power. In my opinion the only person who emerges from all the shabby hypocrisy with any credit is Gordon Brown – the one individual who had the balls to tell the loathsome Brooks what he thought of her.

And now Brooks has been charged by the CPS I’m sure NI will launch a few more missiles!

OK enough of the off-message politics – but what wonderful, character-driven drama this is! And with villains so dark, so scheming and morally unscrupulous they’re barely credible!

Before we get onto the highlights of your fascinating responses to my SCREENWRITING POLL questions, I have been wrestling with the very tricky question of who is THE WINNER!

Seriously, the response has been really gratifying both in terms of the numbers of you who have sent me your thoughts but more particularly in how interesting and articulate your answers have been – thank you very much indeed to everyone who has entered.

The screenwriting tips, in particular, are wonderful – such a range of perceptive, smart and practical ideas. BUT you’ll have to wait a few weeks for them!

SO the winner…

HONOURABLE MENTIONS go to -

Adam Roberts, D. James Newton, CJ Percy, Stella Macdonald, David Bishop, Jo Overfield, Ed Griffiths and Kat Prizakis. (I could go on)

But the WINNER is…

TANIA MERRITT.

Congratulations Tania – and thank you for your fascinating thoughts!

This week’s question – of which today’s newsletter is only PART ONE. There were so many fascinating answers that I have decided to give you the 2nd half of the highlights next week.

But if you’re looking for some inspirational viewing, you’ve come to the right place…

What are the best 2 DVD BOX SETS that will inspire screenwriters?

‘The Wire – the excellent weaving of urban tapestry. Anders Thomas Jensen – The Collector Box – bright aburdist storytelling.’

‘Being Human series 2 takes the concept of the series and puts a slightly different spin on it. Whereas in the first (and subsequent) series, the overarching threat to our heroes has been supernatural in nature, in season two it is very much human. This allows the writers to work in religious undertones and powerful themes of redemption that I found resonated more effectively than when the baddies were ‘otherworldly’. As far as movie screenwriters go, I think one of the most underrated is definitely Sylvester Stallone. To me, he is someone who has mastered the art of epic Hollywood storytelling, and his work as a writer is never better than in the uplifting saga of the Rocky Anthology. From the classic underdog story of the original, to the redemption stories of Rocky III and IV, through to the outstanding coda of Rocky Balboa, Stallone sends his mythic hero (along with various mentors, buddies and opponents) on a thirty-year character arc of growth and maturity, while at the same time keeping him true to his loveable, pseudo-philosophical (and slightly punchy) roots!’

‘Breaking Bad: Season 2 – possibly the greatest television drama of all time, but I don’t want to oversell it. Vince Gilligan’s creation is a masterclass of nuanced characterisation and intelligent writing. Newcomers should really start from the beginning, but the second season buys you more episodes and there’s a brilliant through-line of foreshadowing that will blow you away when you look back at some of the episode titles.

The Twilight Zone: Season 5 – a timeless classic full of wonder and imagination. Rod Serling’s original set the bar for what television could be way back in the 1960s. You could pick any season really, but this is the one where William Shatner goes nuts on a plane. If you’ve never seen the series before, you’ll start noticing where lots of contemporary genre shows and films get some of their ideas from, and get a few more of the jokes in the Simpsons Halloween specials.’

‘The Killing (Danish). For its instructional lesson in not relying too heavily on the dialogue to convey an emotion. Mad Men. Purely for the stylishly memorable (yet often times banal) one-liners. Less is more.’

‘Seinfeld – any season. Iconic comedy that is steeped in the best ever writers mantra: ‘no hugging, no learning’. Also any box set of Coen Brothers movies – doesn’t matter which – for the purest storytelling and immaculate dialogue in which every ‘um’ and ‘ah’ is scripted (try to get more recent releases with director commentaries – genius). Worth studying the entire Coen canon to see how they have developed – it’s not all good, but it is all interesting.’

‘For those who want to write comedy you must have the Seinfeld box set. No other sitcom compares and there are three reasons for that. Firstly, the characterisation. Whether it’s the leads or the recurring minor characters each are wonderfully crafted. Secondly, the dialogue. It’s quickfire, not at all expositional. It’s hilariously funny too. Finally, plot. Seinfeld was a rare sitcom as it consistently took three bizarrely disparate storylines that would inevitably intertwine as they reached their climax. Genius.

For those writing drama look no further than Spooks. Spooks was edge of the seat stuff and consistently broke the rules in killing off heroes and heroines alike. It appealed to the thinker and to the action lover alike. Each episode built tension upon tension, crisis upon crisis. Scenes would average seconds not minutes to heighten the pace.’

‘Don’t hate me but these Swedish / Danish dramas are just too good.

First, I would choose The Bridge, currently showing on BBC HD. The multi-layered story telling which at first, you are unaware is happening. The interconnection between seemingly unrelated stories is a revelation and one which I personally love as they begin to connect together. As we unfurl the story, it’s actually becoming much more political, yet next week we know that it may move away from what seems to be an objection to the political agenda of cutbacks and service restriction to another currently unrevealed reason. The no holds barred attitude; it’s all just there, on the screen. Does it make it real, in many ways yes and it is more honest in the story telling because of it. The brutality, drug taking, sex, nudity, murder, mental illness. The constant manner in which we label such shows is actually becoming increasingly tiresome; gritty, edgy, dark, humourless; it is all of these things and none of these things. It’s just out there and all the more honest because of it. The completely emotionally devoid lead female character, Saga. Her moral compass is skewed, and we are never quite sure whether we like her or not. It is ironic that she actually makes me laugh out loud at her responses. In the real world you would try to get away from such a person yet she is somehow compelling to watch.

Scott and Bailey – Now you think I have lost the plot! The first female lead drama I have ever liked. A female led drama where men are the sideshow; the murderers, the adulterers, the two faced bitches…. I love it. Every female in the show is a drama on her own for whatever reason, yet all somehow are connected to men. Again, there is an honesty that may pass some by, but it shows that when you have a female led drama that there is indeed, drama. Every possible personal issue is thrown at them and shows that women are an extraordinarily fertile ground for creating stories when done correctly. As the daughter of a retired police forensic scientist and the sister of a currently serving CID Officer, there are a couple of things about this show that are actually exceptionally clever. The first is the interview process; Lesley Sharp has to be the most terrifying interviewer of all time, yet she never raises her voice, bangs her fists or threatens the accused. Which is actually exactly how the police are trained to interview…? None of this angst ridden, threatening, screaming, abusing of detainees is real yet it appears in every show that features a man as the lead? For the sake of drama…? Ms Sharp has demonstrated that this is simply not the case. Food for thought me thinks. The second is the real lives that intertwine with the professional life. It is said that every police officer is only one degree away from a criminal, in the six degrees of separation process. This show proved it.’

‘My first is ‘The West Wing’. For the past decade the USA has been going through a golden age of screenwriting (even by their high standards!), the West Wing was at the forefront of this trend and seems to me a master class in character driven drama without ever once going for the ‘plot fist’ option. It seems unbelievably authentic and almost indistinguishable from the real thing – perhaps the highest compliment one can pay to a drama series. One can almost taste the sub-text in every exchange and the inherent difficulties in running a modern democracy are laid bare without the show ever getting ‘preachy’.

My second is ‘Monarch of The Glen’ (MOG). Rightly or wrongly we seem to have ended up with prime time television that is predominantly safe, middle of the road and not very challenging. MOG was a superb example of this but given that at present it is all that seems to get commissioned, budding screenwriters need to know how to write for this gentle type of drama and how to keep it entertaining week after week without going for the clichéd birth/death/marriage option(s). It is also another reminder about the importance of character led stories and how if writers ‘invest’ in their characters the plotlines will follow.’

‘MAD MEN series II – Because of the developing friendship and understanding between Don Draper and his former secretary now copywriter, Peggy Olson, (Elisabeth Moss). The episode in which Don keeps Peggy working late because he does not want to face the news of a long time friend’s death is brilliant. Peggy, who does not know of his loss, is annoyed and furious with Don – she was going to meet her family for dinner and announce her engagement. By the end of the episode, Don has had to face his friends’ death; and his and Peggy’s relationship has moved to real friendship and understanding. Peggy meanwhile realises that the man she was about to become engaged to, is not, after all, the man for her and ends the relationship… All in about 50 mins!

Second box set: Dr WHO SERIES Two : Russell T Davies. Stephen Moffatt, Billie Piper and David Tennant. Family drama at its absolute best. Comedy adventure with pathos, surprise wit and charm. Russell T Davies grounds his plots (mostly) in real emotion and the growing friendship between The Doctor and Rose.’

‘THE HOUR Series 1 written by Abi Morgan. A lot of recent period dramas seem to rely on the romantic retro production values, gradually leaving you with a vague sense of deja vu and the horrifying notion that what you’re watching isn’t “high-brow” drama at all but Eastenders with corsets. On the other hand I thought The Hour was about refreshingly realistic characters and the 1950s newsroom angle with the dark espionage subplot was original and gripping.

SPACED Series 1-2 written by Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson. Each episode is like a Hollywood movie spoof on a shoestring budget; it’s hilarious and engaging because you recognise yourself in the characters (for me in gun-toting Mike) and the ridiculous situations that arise out of sheer boredom.’

‘State of Play and The Sopranos.

Sopranos. A few years ago there was a celebrity quiz that formed part of an annoying C4 magazine show (whose name escapes me). In it, the interviewer asked the z lister to choose their favourite from two similar things i.e. Beckham or Ronaldo, Ferrari or Porches, Sinatra or Mathis (that’s Diner -ed.) Similarly, in the box set world, there is the choice – Sopranos or The Wire? Although theWire’s vast canvas of Baltimore and its Shakespearian all of life is there drama is sublime; The Sopranos edges it for no other reason than the backroom at Bada Bing – I feel that not only am I actually in that space, I want to be there.’

Thank you all so much – Happy writing – and Happy viewing!

Get onto those DVD Box Sets (personally I’m working my way through the sublimely plotted THE BRIDGE before they remove it from BBC iplayer on May 26th).

Plenty more in the same vein next week…

All the best

Phil

PHIL SHELLEY

www.script-consultant.co.uk May 18th 2012

Hi there,

Thank you so much to everyone who emailed in answers to last week’s poll. The response has been fantastic – in terms of both quality and quantity. It’s made for a really interesting week reading all your different thoughts – and has given me a lot of viewing to catch up on!

At the risk of tantalising all those who have already entered – I will give the rest of you one more week to enter -

(see http://www.script-consultant.co.uk/2012/05/04/screenwriters-poll/  for details)

and I will be announcing the winner of this ‘competition’ next FRIDAY MAY 18th. It’s proving to be a very hard task to pick one person out of so many outstanding entries.

It’s certainly made writing this newsletter \ blog very easy for me the next few weeks – as I will be going through each of the 4 questions in turn, giving you a sample of the more interesting responses to each question. I’m sure you’ll find the responses as fascinating and enjoyable as I have; and the ‘screenwriting tips’ (q.no.4) are going to be a screenwriting master-class in themselves.

I should warn you, because there were so many great answers, that this week’s newsletter is more like a small book than a newsletter \ blog – but it’s a great overview of the stars of UK screenwriting. And if you think there’s someone who’s been shamefully overlooked, please let me know!

Philip.shelley@script-consultant.co.uk

Before we get down to it -

‘The Authoritative Guide To Writing And Selling A Great Screenplay’ London June 16-17‘

I’m delighted to announce that our special guest on this course will be top London literary agent Tanya Tillett. Tanya works at the highly reputed Knight Hall Agency and represents an exciting mix of very talented writers. Knight Hall represent some of the top screenwriters in the UK – writers like Simon Beaufoy, Simon Nye, Jeremy Brock, Martin McDonagh and many, many others – Tanya will be able to offer some real insights into the current market and work possibilities for UK screenwriters.

There are still a few places left if you’d like to book -

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

OK – so onto the BIG QUESTION of the week -

 Who (do you think) are the TWO most interesting screenwriters currently working in the UK and why?

 ‘Toby Whithouse (Being Human) and Paul Cornell (Doctor Who), for exactly the same reason: They tell brilliant, coherent stories and they both know the strengths and weaknesses of the television medium incredibly well.’

‘Jack Thorne (The Fades, Cast-Offs, The Scouting Book For Boys) is one of the most amazingly talented, unique and versatile writers in the country, without a doubt. Whether it’s for TV, radio, theatre or film, he writes with such heart and truth and emotional resonance. I’ve been lucky enough to read a few of his scripts and his voice just leaps off the page. His work is a genuine inspiration, and he’s already created something special for every medium. He makes it look effortless, when of course it’s anything but. Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files, Millennium, Night Stalker) has the distinction of being a highly-established American writer working in the UK. With his new show HUNTED for Kudos/BBC1 he has set-up a US-style writers’ room which we very rarely see over here. He has spoken about his efforts to change the way the payment system is set-up to incentivise more series creators to work this way, and it sounds like a really exciting, positive thing for writers. If successful, it could reinvigorate the industry over here and maybe one day put British TV writers on a par with our US counterparts.’

 ’Hugo Blick for his strange, flawed masterpiece ‘The Shadow Line’. Nathan Parker for Moon. Don’t you dare leave us for Hollywood, Nathan!’

‘Steven Moffat – I would choose Steven when it comes to television because of what he’s done with ‘Sherlock’. It’s been a long time since there was such a buzz about a TV show and while a lot of credit needs to go to Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman it’s the writing that makes it so compelling. The other reason why ‘Sherlock’ proves that Moffat is the best TV screenwriter in the UK (ahead of Paul Abbott and Russell T Davies) is shown through the collaboration with Mark Gatiss, unfortunately to the latter’s detriment. Gatiss wrote ‘The Hound of the baskervilles’ in the last three episode series and it wasn’t a patch on the other two. Take a bow, Mr Moffat … and please, please write more things more often.

Abi Morgan – Abi must get the nod when it comes to features (Yes, I’m unashamedly defining ‘interesting’ as ‘prolific’ and ‘successful’ but why not?). Having penned ‘The Iron Lady’ and ‘Shame’ as well as ‘Birdsong’ (for TV, but clearly a feature in form) she has shown an incredible range of ability, as well as consistently compelling work.’

‘Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah. My one true love – sci-fi. Not out there on the moon sci-fi, but the maybe/maybe not sci-fi. It takes a rare breed to be able to bring sci-fi to the screen and make it successful; Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes, and in the case of Matthew Graham, Last Train Home remains one of my absolute favourite mini-series. Eternal Law may have missed the mark, but in the spirit of the question, I for one can’t wait to see what comes next.

As MG and AP are a writing team, may I take the liberty of having a second (third) writer? Charlie Brooker for Dead Set and Black Mirror. In the case of the latter, I just know someone somewhere said ‘I don’t get it’ and I love it for that alone. Brave, odd, different, yet you could look at the principle of screenwriting: follow the story. It didn’t matter that the content wasn’t the norm, the basic story could have been transported from each episode, given a different setting, (maybe lost the pig (!)) but at the end, the whole basic story flowed in the same way every other story flows. Writers should try to watch it by simply breaking down the story and watch it with new eyes. It’s a fascinating experience. Again, what comes next?’

‘Paul Abbot and Stephen Poliakoff.
Paul Abbot: essentially because of the range of his work and its gritty
realism. Each piece seems different to what came before but the sense of realism & authenticity is never lost. Also seems to be one of the few screenwriters today taking risks in the subject matter.
Stephen Poliakoff: I have chosen this screenwriter for all the wrong reasons: I have watched all of his work (read the scripts when I could get them) but have never managed any one of them in a single sitting. I find his work tedious, dull, incomprehensible and unbelievable – try as I might I could never ‘enter’ the world I was watching. However, Stephen Poliakoff generally gets two or three big, prime time commissions every year and his work is always featured in the ‘must see’ recommendations in the television guides. I therefore think it must be me at fault so I will go on trying to learn from this obviously highly successful screenwriter.’

‘MATTHEW GRAHAM and ASHLEY PHARAOH – because LIFE ON MARS was so utterly innovative (going back to the past) and yet familiar – cops/and seventies!. Because it re-created a classic unorthodox good guy whom everybody loves – SWEENEY’s JACK REGAN in Phil Glenister’s shoes. Yet also managed to make his antithesis – PC Sam Tyler (John Simm) credible too.’

 ’Stephen Poliakoff. The way he sets up a seemingly mundane situation and gradually reveals the labyrinthine true nature of things – the hidden horror and passion of timid, secretive British people – is magical without being sentimental and extraordinary while still being believable. Like Stephen Poliakoff with blockbuster budgets, Christopher Nolan sets up intricate, mensa-mind plotlines, drawing the viewer in to his cinematic puzzles. Even if you wander off and get lost in them, the way he involves the audience in the worlds he creates by throwing us into the story regardless of the narrative timeline and giving us the evidence to piece together is much more exciting than sitting slumped and semi-unconscious at the cinema going “I knew he was going to do that” through a mouthful of popcorn.’

‘Danny Brocklehurst and Paul Abbott. Paul Abbott is the best script writer in this country – he takes diverse ideas and melts the concepts together – look at ‘ Hit and Miss’ – a transvestite hit man. Brilliant. Also with his writers studio he is giving something to new writers to aim for. Danny Brocklehurst – fantastic – look at his work on Exile and The Accused. Read one of his scripts – they are works of arts.’

’1. Johnathan Harvey (Coronation Street). Pitch perfect camp northern whimsy interspersed with strong character based storylines, Harvey captures the essence of the Street in every line of dialogue. Like all great artists or sportsmen, the knack is to make the difficult look easy, and Harvey manages this with every episode. It is popular to dismiss soap as an inferior stepping stone to greater things, but writing for ten million people every week is for me the pinnacle of tv scripting.
2. Sally Wainwright. (Scott and Bailey) Admittedly assisted by the best actress ensemble on telly right now, what makes this series stand out above any other derivative cop drama, is the way Wainwright shifts the mood from the incident room to the bed and living rooms of the main characters. Fully rounded and complex, Scott and Bailey, together with DCI Gill Murray, embark on each case with ultimate professionalism whilst carrying around their own feminine foibles, just hidden under the surface. Popular tv at its best.’

‘— I’ve gone for a veteran from TV and a relative newcomer in film. In my opinion comedy is the strongest sector of British TV production, and Graham Linehan has consistently performed in this sector for two decades now. The IT Crowd was the funniest show to come out of the UK in the new millennium. In film, Paddy Considine has set the bar very high for feature writing debuts with Tyrannosaur. Nuanced characters and complex emotions in a tale that resonates with current social concerns, all building to an ending that is both surprising and consistent with the characters’ journeys.’

‘Martin McDonagh, blurring theatre and film.Paul Greengrass, blurring film and reality.’

‘Abi Morgan’s just had the sort of year that happens rarely in the life of any creative artist, where everything she touched seemed to turn gold, much as Peter Morgan did a while back [note to self, change surname to Morgan]. She co-wrote the stunning Shame with Steve McQueen, made Thatcher almost human in The Iron Lady, and created one of my favourite British TV drama series of 2011, The Hour. Plus she had a new play on stage in Edinburgh and who knows what else. I’d happily maim for a fraction of her talent, versatility and discipline. Hugo Blick not only wrote but also directed and produced another stunning British TV drama first broadcast last year, The Shadow Line. Intelligent, shocking, thought-provoking, funny, moving and more [in my humble opinion]. Blick’s background may be comedies such as Operation Good Guys or Marion and Geoff, but The Shadow Line was TV drama at its finest. How he didn’t get a writing nomination from the BAFTAs – albeit in a year spoilt for choice – still baffles me. If you haven’t seen The Shadow Line yet, you’ve missed a treat.’

‘David Wolstencroft. Jed Mercurio. I’m not sure if these two writers count as “currently working in the UK” but Wolstencroft’s Spooks and Mercurio’s Bodies was for me, the epitome of great series drama.Their writing doesn’t treat the audience with contempt, dumb down or fall off the pace. You can really hear the writers’ voices in both of these dramas, they are uncompromising and remain true to themselves.’

 ’I think TWO of the most interesting screenwriters working in the UK today are Mike Leigh and Abi Morgan. Mike Leigh because he writes British characters brilliantly, he understands everyday people and everyday concerns. He manages to capture idiosyncracies perfectly, he also sets his characters in a real Britain with real British people that we are familiar with and can relate to. Nuts in May, Grown Ups and High Hopes are my favourite. I aspire to write characters like Leigh, to be able to gage the balance between humour and drama, I’d consider that a rare talent, like he is. I would definitely consider him one of the most interesting screenwriters we have today.
Abi Morgan is my second choice, she first came to my attention through The Hour. I admire the fact that she usually chooses difficult and challenging subject matter, she also writes within a British environment and tackles modern-day Britain very well. It’s inspiring to have more British female screenwriters on the horizon, and to have had Abi Morgan’s work receive such critical acclaim. Like Leigh, she has made the transition from TV to film screenwriting with success and I find this inspiring also. Plus regardless of Mad Men fever, The Hour was an exciting, new and bold piece of British television. I find what Abi chooses to write about very interesting.’

‘Only two? I can only pick two? This is hard, but I have to narrow it down to Jason Arnopp and James Moran because they both keep very interesting blogs full of what to do and what not to do from a practical been-there-done-that perspective and they’ve both been very nice to me on twitter. Also their nightly posts about horrible things to ponder just before bed make me laugh… and have nightmares. It’s all good.’

‘Tony Grisoni ( Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Brothers Grimm, Red Riding trilogy): I love TG’s work because he has both a brilliant imagination which he deploys for directors like Terry Gilliam and the best take on the noir genre in Britain today. His adaptations of the difficult David Peace ‘Red Riding’ novels for me broke new ground for British television, showing us a grim contemporary thriller story with all the savagery and authentic ugliness uncomfortably close to home that American TV series so often do much better. RED RIDING is one of the few recent British TV productions I’ve bought on DVD for that reason. And – Charles Sturridge (Brideshead Revisited, Longitude, Shackleton): CS has been in the business a long time but he still writes and directs incomparable TV, the kind the Americans wish they could do. The recent SHACKLETON showed he’s still top of his form for me and I remember being blown away (pun sort-of intended) by LONGITUDE. BRIDESHEAD REVISITED is still the benchmark for quality drama and adaptation more than thirty years after it was made.’

‘OK, for services to British drama – and TV in general – I’d have to say Russell T Davies. His work on reviving “Doctor Who” (with the fantastic and versatile Mr Eccleston), for me, not only showcased the potential for TV to be more cinematic – bolder! – but also provided great drama. Read any of Russell’s scripts from the first series and it’s a master class in great drama, coupled with spectacle and vision. His legacy, if you like, has spawned other great series – like “The Sarah Jane Chronicles” (a gleaming diamond amongst a bit of rough – evidence great children’s TV isn’t dead). It’s thanks, in part, to Russell that other writers get to be involved with ideas and shows that might of been seen as “too high concept” before, such as “Being Human” (another great show). My next choice, and someone more recent and actively writing today, would be Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Their two stand out shows, “The Office” and “Extras”, not only stand up as great comedy, but also great drama. There are moments there that are at once funny, cringe worthy, horrid, but also poigniant. Moving. And when David Brent tells Finchy to “FUCK OFF” in the final episode, there’s an active sense of getting behind a character we laughed at, hated, and ultimately felt sorry for. In one expletive, we understand David Brent at a deeper level. So before I go all mushy, I will say “Life’s Too Short” was shit. It really was. It felt very much like lazy, lazy writing. And lacked heart. Relying on only one gag. He’s short! OK, what else?’

‘Abi Morgan and Mark Gattis. Abi has a wide breadth of work and a career path to die for. Her credits range from Peak Practice to Shame and she is wonderful at developing character driven drama – which is the best drama. Mark has also had a varied career (what does that tell you about screenwriters??) Sherlock is wonderful, his Dr Who episodes stand out and I will never forget the very small low budget The First Men In The Moon. Again someone who is character driven but is effortlessly able to put his characters into the throws of any action. Both of these writers have a common thread through their success – they started small and grew and developed their writing skills. They honed their craft and are capable of producing fantastic stand-out work.’

’1. I’m going to be predictable and say Steven Moffat, not only for the revamp of Sherlock which I was ever so sceptical about but I love it, to turn such well known classic stories into something current and exciting is a gift. Also there is his work on Dr Who, I was never a fan of DR WHO until the David Tennant years and Steven Moffat’s episodes were both light and deep with the right mix of funny and tension in them. Hi scripts are exciting to read, too. 2. Neil Cross for the Luther series, short, sharp and exciting writing, also did great work on spooks (the few episodes I saw of his)’

‘a) Julie Gearey who penned ‘Prisoners’ Wives’ on BBC one recently. Every episode had me in tears, and it was usually Harriet’s story that did it for me. b) Ronan Bennett who wrote ‘Hidden’ – again, another BBC one hit. A sexy, stylish, contemporary, multi-layered thriller. The last episode, I barely dared to take a breath.’

‘Ronan Bennett – Top Boy (Channel Four) The way he sets the pace of story was so eloquent and his subject matter heartbreaking with a unique twist. Sam McBain/Jesse Armtrong (Fresh Meat) A strong comibination of great humour and fantastic story telling, the perfect balance of drama and comedy.’

Happy Writing!

 Phil

Phil Shelley

www.script-consultant.co.uk

May 11th 2012

Hi There,

This week a slight departure…

A poll \ quiz \ competition – WITH A PRIZE AT THE END OF IT!

I want to ask YOU for your opinions -

-      Who (do you think) are the TWO most interesting screenwriters currently working in the UK and why?

-      What are the best 2 DVD BOX SETS that will inspire screenwriters?

-      Tell us ONE undeservedly over-looked, under-rated movie or TV show that we should catch up with?

-      And give us ONE SCREENWRITING TIP that works for you.

Email your responses to me at:

philip.shelley@script-consultant.co.uk

In the next few weeks I will share some of the more interesting answers with you, as well as my views on the above…

AND the most interesting response I get to these questions will win themselves EITHER (your choice):-

 - a FREE, full script consultation \ feedback from me (worth £120)

 - OR a FREE PLACE on my next ‘How to Pitch’ course (London June 30th)

 - OR £100 off a place on my next two day screenwriting course (London June 16th \ 17th)

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

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

I’ve been asked (and am very happy to do so)  to let you know about a new initiative set up by Gareth Howard, with whom I’ve worked.

This is  www.litfactor.com

- in Gareth’s words, ‘in essence it’s a way for writers to submit their work to agents more efficiently, and also to help agents find new writers. Lots of these are for books, but also screenwriters and playwrights.’

Definitely worth having a look if you’re seeking representation.

One other website \ blog that came to my attention this week – Patrick Griffiths’ excellent movie review / discussion site -

http://blug.talkinganimal.co.uk/

 This will point you in the direction of a lot of cracking and often under-rated movies. And is a very entertaining read.

 And finally…

If you don’t already know about it, my course-running colleague, screenwriter PHIL GLADWIN, is running his own script competition, with excellent prizes and a judging panel of industry luminaries. See -

 http://awards.screenwritinggoldmine.com/

Until next Friday – have an enjoyable and productive week,

Happy Writing!

 Phil

 Phil Shelley

 May 4th 2012

Hi There,

 A mixed bag this week…

 What is DRAMA?

 If you wanted to learn how drama works there were two (non-fiction) events that I was really struck by this week -

 Apologies to all you football haters out there but, if you want some fantastic, dramatic story ideas then you should look no further than Tuesday night’s Barcelona v Chelsea match. It had the lot – triumph for the underdog defying great odds; the panto villain (John Terry – for an added twist on the side of the underdogs!); a fallen hero redeemed – for now (Fernando Torres – not only has he forgotten how to score, he’s forgotten how to celebrate – poor chap looked thoroughly bemused) and the twisting tale of two managers – the now triumphant but not so long ago unemployable Roberto Di Matteo – and the soon-to-be unemployed God of pure football Pep Guardiola.

 What a wonderful dramatic confection it was, so many rich, compelling stories in 2 hours of entertainment!

 2nd best drama of the week : Rupert Murdoch at the Leveson Inquiry. He really said nothing of much note during his two days on the stand but this was the best example you could get of sub-text. His burning contempt for the whole set-up, his defiance, his determination to deflect the blame onto the shoulders of anyone who wasn’t a Murdoch, shone through every word and gesture. Appalling but compelling. And what’s the betting he has the last laugh? I’m sure Jeremy Hunt thinks he already has…like ‘The Godfather’ but more chilling…a wonderful example of how seemingly tedious dialogue can actually produce a great scene – it’s about the story, about what’s really going on under the surface, not necessarily about what is actually said.

 The Syndicate – was it good? Hmm. It had some great moments. But for me it was essentially plot-driven rather than character-driven. I felt a little bit manipulated by it rather than completely involved. OK so who am I to be telling Kay Mellor how to do it? But what it said to me was: let your characters dictate your story not the other way round.

A film I caught up with last week, one of those many excellent films of which all trace disappears within about 10 days of its initial UK theatrical release, The Messenger – really strong premise \ set-up. Excellent acting by Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Samantha Morton. And a great script. Bleak, but compelling.

 It’s true though – so many good feature films disappear without trace in the UK – superseded by so much multiplex pap. The UK distribution system needs a serious shake-up in my humble opinion!

INTERN NEEDED

 I’m looking to hire a part-time marketing/PR intern, someone to help promote the screenwriting and pitching courses I run with screenwriter Phil Gladwin.

 We’ve been promoting the courses ourselves so far, and though it’s been fun, it’s not really our area of expertise. We’re going to be doing courses every couple of months, and we want someone to work alongside us on the marketing.

 We think this means that, among other things, you will be:

 - Based in the UK, preferably in or around London so we can meet semi-regularly.

 - Able to give us a regular, sensible, witty, informative presence on social media.

 - Happy to liaise with our existing publicity partners.

 - Capable of getting us regular press coverage in traditional press/media.

 - Able to research partnership and funding opportunities.

 We’ve got ideas, but we also want to hear your perspective.

 If you’re interested then email me before 5th May:

 Philip.shelley@script-consultant.co.uk

 Include a CV with work experience and background, interests, and some links to relevant work you may have done.

Generally we’re looking for a creative, active person, rather than a Blue Chip CV. We’re most interested in hearing about any existing public profiles you have helped build, or finance you have helped raise.

If you’re one of the likely candidates we’ll ask to meet you for a coffee in central London. At that meeting we’ll give you a particular task to see how you manage it.

After seeing what happens with that we’ll select the best candidate to go forward.

Our next courses -

 ’The Authoritative Guide To Writing And Selling A Great Screenplay‘ London June 16-17,

 ’How To Pitch‘ London June 30th.

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

 Until next week,

 Happy Writing!

 Phil

Phil Shelley

April 27th 2012

Hi there,

This week an interview with screenwriter MELISSA BUBNIC.

Melissa was on the 2011 Channel 4 screenwriting course. Originally from Australia, her background is in theatre writing – she got onto the C4 course with a wonderful stageplay Stop. Rewind; and she has gone from strength to strength since the C4 course -

When did you start writing? What started you writing? What were your initial inspirations?

I decided to be a writer when I was 8. I’ve always loved the power of stories to take you into a completely different world and care about people you’ve never even met. My favourite kind of stories are those that make you laugh, rip out your heart, and leave you elated and heartbroken and warm and sad all at the same time.

Did you start off initially as a playwright? How did you get into screenwriting? Do you have a preference for one medium over the other? If so, why?

I did a course at uni where I wrote, directed and produced my first play. I was hooked. I loved it. It was amazing to me that I could create a world and characters, get my mates to act in it, put it on a stage with three chairs, and people came and saw and liked it. Participating in the Channel 4 Screenwriting Programme was my first real attempt to write for television. I love television and film and want to make a career in this industry, but you can do quite amazing things on stage and go really out there to bizarre strange places and when theatre works, it’s amazing.

What would you say are the differences for a writer from Melbourne to London?

There are more opportunities here, and much more to see and experience. The London theatre scene is probably 9 times larger than the whole Australian theatre scene. There are no programmes like the Channel 4 Screenwriting programme. I had been desperate to get into TV writing in Australia and couldn’t find my way in at all.

Please can you tell us something about the course you did at Goldsmiths, how you got onto it, what you got from it, how useful it was?

I felt my career was stagnating in Australia. I was working the same admin job trying to motivate myself and feeling like I wasn’t getting anywhere. I looked intodoing a course overseas where I could get a scholarship. UK-based friends told me that Goldsmiths was a great course, I got a scholarship, and that was that. I loved the course. It was wonderful to focus on writing for a year, constructing stories, analysing what works, arguing over what doesn’t. It was an opportunity to create characters and stories that have had a longer life than just the course.

Please can you tell us about the script that got you onto the C4 course. And can you tell us about what the C4 course involves, what it did for you?

The script that I submitted for the C4 course was Stop. Rewind. It was a play that was commissioned by a Melbourne-based theatre company and had a very successful season there, and is now about to be published and tour Australia. The play is a comedy about a group of co-workers who are forced to examine what it is they really want, and what they are prepared to do to get it.

The C4 course involves two weekends – one weekend to kickstart the programme, the final weekend to celebrate the work created and discuss next steps. During those weekends, writers are paired with a couple of script editors and need to develop a concept for an original TV drama series or serial, and write the first episode.

With the support of my script editors, I developed an original concept and pilot script for a series. The spec script has opened many doors. First, it got me meetings with several TV production companies, an option agreement with Clerkenwell Films, and a shadow writer place on TV show Shameless.

How did you get an agent in the UK? Do you have any tips for writers looking for a literary agent?

I had met my literary agent, Lily Williams from Curtis Brown, when she came and addressed a group of us at Goldsmiths (I’m represented by Lily Williams, Ben Hall and Jessica Coleman from Curtis Brown). I followed up after the course and sent her my work. My tips are to research various agencies and get a feel of who you would like to be represented by. Which writers do you respect and who are their agents? Don’t feel deflated if they never get back to you! Agents are very busy and have multiple priorities. Have work that you are proud of and send it to them. And have more than one script. The first question I was asked after Lily read my first script was send us more. Your agent needs to know that you are serious about a career in writing if they’re going to take you on.

How useful is it to have an agent? What do you expect from your agent? What does your agent do for you?

It is very useful to have an agent. The meetings I’ve had with production companies have all been brokered by my agent. And every time I meet with someone in the industry, they seem to take me more seriously when I say I’m with Curtis Brown. But having an agent doesn’t mean you can take it easy. I still have to be proactive – no one is going to care more about your career than you. I pursue all opportunities. I expect my agent to have my best interests at heart, to be a sounding board and give me advice, and to do their best to help me establish a career.

Did being on the C4 course have a positive impact for you as a writer?

Most definitely. Without the support of script editors, and the panic of a deadline, I doubt I ever would’ve created a spec script. That script has been the door to many other opportunities. Also, it put me into contact with other great people who’ve also provided invaluable advice and contacts (and friendship too).

What work have you been doing since the C4 course?

The script I created for the C4 course was optioned by Clerkenwell Films. We’ve been commissioned by Channel 4 to develop the concept further. I’ve finished writing a sitcom. I’ve been commissioned by Sydney Theatre Company to write an adaptation for performance later this year. And I’ve just been appointed as a shadow writer on TV show Shameless.

What work do you want to do in the future? Do you see your future as playwright, screenwriter or both?

My dream is to create my own TV series. I love TV. Of all cultural media, TV is the one that I use the most and have always done. But I love theatre too and I think some ideas just work better in plays than in films or TV.

What tips do you have for new screenwriters without a credit trying to break into the industry?

It’s really, really hard. But don’t be discouraged. If you want to do this, you can. Some tips… You need to write. You need to create scripts. You can’t get an agent, or a meeting, or anything if you don’t have a body of work behind you. You also need to be proactive. Seek out opportunities, take chances. And I’ve found it very reassuring to have a day job in admin. It’s not the most glamorous or exciting, but it’s steady pay at 3 days a week. It’s something I can count on. I’ve never subscribed to the idea of a starving artist. Starving sucks. And I don’t feel creative when I’m stressed about paying the rent. If you have other skills that can help you with an income, that’s a great thing. If you can teach, or tutor, or work in a bar, or have something that means you interact with other humans outside of the industry, that’s a good thing.

How does the screenwriting process differ from stage-writing?

The biggest difference I noticed is that in screenwriting, you need to know everything that happens before it happens. That’s a treatment. I’m very poor at plot. I like dialogue and characters and have always found the ‘But what happens?’ question very hard to answer. In TV, things have to happen or an audience won’t stay with you. It’s required me to think differently about creating stories, and hopefully will instil a little discipline that will benefit me in both screen and stage.

How do you respond to the whole process of responding to notes, getting notes on your scripts?

I’m always hungry to be better so find it really helpful when someone gives me some clues on how to achieve that. At the same time, people can give notes that aren’t helpful (ie. you walk away unclear of how to improve things.) I have a couple of ‘go-to’ people whose opinion I value but more importantly, I know that they can give me notes in a way that makes sense to me, so I walk away feeling empowered because I know what to do next.

Do you have tips for writers for the process of writing, and for generating new ideas?

I’m sure almost all writers already do this but I believe in writing down your thoughts, scraps of ideas, overheard dialogue etc. When I was trying to come up with ideas for the C4 course, I went through old notebooks and was struck by a couple of lines I had scrawled about a family birthday celebration a few years ago. It became the opening scene of my script.

Do you often have more than one project on the go? If so, how do you juggle projects?

Staying organised. Having a good calendar system!

Melissa – thank you so much for this – really interesting and insightful for writers trying to break into the UK film and TV industry.

Good luck to Melissa and all of you with your writing!

Phil

PHIL SHELLEY

April 20th 2012

‘The Authoritative Guide To Writing And Selling A Great Screenplay.’

 April 21-22 Cardiff.

 Next weekend Phil Gladwin and I are taking our comprehensive two day screenwriting course to Cardiff. This is the 5th time we have held the course. We have a great time running it – it’s really enjoyable meeting such a range of talented screenwriters from all walks of life and all parts of the UK – and also staying in touch with many of the writers after the course, swapping information and screenwriting tips through our closed ‘screenwriters studio’ Facebook page, which seems to have generated a momentum of its own, and become an invaluable screenwriting resource.

 As you’ll see from the testimonials on our websites, the course has been very well-received so far.

 It’s not too late to book – and we will keep our ‘early bird’ option of just £197 (as opposed to the full price £229) open until midnight this Sunday April 15th…

 As a taster for the course, our special guest NIKKI WILSON, series producer of BBC’s Casualty, now based in Cardiff, very kindly agreed to do a short interview, sharing some fascinating thoughts about screenwriting and screenwriters -

 How many writers do you employ a year at Casualty?
It varies, but on average around 25-40

 How many hours of the show is there a year?
48 last year, 43 this year and 44 next year

 How many script editors/story liners/researchers do you manage at the moment?
1 script producer, 1 story producer, 3 script editors, 1 assistant script editor, 1 story assistant, 1 researcher (plus a team of medical advisors)

If you’re building a career as a screenwriter in the UK, how important is getting hired by Casualty, (and long running drama series in general)?
Long running dramas are a great way for writers to cut their teeth and find out where their strengths lie. All the shows are quite different and require different skills. For Casualty we need writers who can create robust guest stories with 3-dimensional characters which can weave with the serial stores for our medics. The soaps require more in-depth knowledge of the regular characters and their voices.

 Where do you find your new writers?
We have a constant dialogue with literary agents who send us sample scripts from clients they think would be suited to the show. We also run our own shadow scheme where brand new writers are given a chance to work with a script editor to write a half-hour episode of the show. We have given several brand new writers an episode of the main show after writing a successful shadow scheme script. On top of this we have 8 episodes a year written by writers from the BBC writers academy, many of whom go on to write further episodes.

 What’s the best way for a new writer to attract your eye? Write a brand new original spec script? Or write a terrific spec episode of Casualty?
Definitely write an original script about a subject that you’re passionate about.

 Have you any tips for new writers trying to launch themselves?
Write about subjects that inspire you. Don’t write just one spec script and rely on this to open doors – keep writing, write something every day, and keep notes on people/subjects that interest you. Make a conscious effort to meet people from all walks of life and talk to them about their lives – inspiration can come from the most unlikely of sources. Don’t watch American dramas and steal story ideas!

  Thank you very much to Nikki…

 Happy Writing to you all! And we hope very much to see you in Cardiff or – if not – in London on June 16th \ 17th!

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

 Phil

 PHIL SHELLEY

 April 13th 2012

This week’s newsletter is a somewhat brief affair – it’s a holiday! But I just thought I’d share with you some of the writing that has inspired me over the last few months:-

Tim Dowling – maybe it’s his age, gender and general outlook – but I love this guy’s writing. Every Saturday in the Guardian magazine. And I’ve just finished his novel The Giles Wareing Haters Club – very, very funny and well-observed.

Black Mirror – the best new drama series on TV in the last year. Courtesy of Charlie Brooker & Jesse Armstrong.

AND incidentally – if you like police \ crime novels then Jesse’s father DAVID ARMSTRONG has written a cracking series of books featuring the same police characters – the best of which is the excellent SMALL VICES – a book I’ve been trying to persuade TV execs for years to commission so far without success! (Ridiculously this book is now out of print – but still available via the internet!)

Breaking Bad – working my way through the box-set, now up to series 2, ep.5. This is wonderful. Imaginative, compelling and completely original.

Moneyball – another cracking Aaron Sorkin script – this guy can really write. Very interesting and, in my opinion, not entirely successful ending to this film. For me the real ending happens 10 minutes before the actual ending!

This is England ’88 – that this has found a successful home on mainstream UK TV should give us all optimism!

Michael - harrowing but absolutely gripping Austrian feature film about a child abductor – cinematic story-telling at its best.

The Kid With A Bike – wonderful Belgian film. Could have been mawkish in the extreme but the honesty of the story-telling and performances shine through.

Friday Night Dinner \ Rev – two of the best ‘sitcoms’ of recent years (although neither are trad sitcoms, in that they’re not shot in front of a studio audience). If I’m ever in need of a laugh, then it’s straight onto 4OD for the umpteenth viewing of series one of FND. Can’t wait for series two. And ‘Rev’ is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. In its understated way, this is utterly original.

Goldfish Girl by Peter Souter – a wonderful radio play.

NB I would love to know what you have been watching \ reading and would recommend! There’s so much good stuff out there that it’s impossible to keep up with it all…Please share with us via the website!

 To finish -

I have a couple of excellent writer interviews up my sleeve to share with you in the next few weeks – with TV writer Adrian Mead, who shares his insights about carving out a career for yourself as a screenwriter; and Australian writer Melissa Bubnic, who was on the 2011 Channel 4 screenwriting course, and talks about her fascinating experiences starting out as a screen and theatre writer in the UK.

Finally a quick reminder that my Cardiff screenwriting course with Phil Gladwin is now only two weeks away – this is the last week of the ‘early bird’ rate and we do still have a few places available.

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

Happy Writing and have a great Easter Weekend!

Phil

PHIL SHELLEY

April 6th 2012

Part of the enjoyment of my script consultancy is working with writers at all levels of experience. Recently, among many others, I have been working with some more experienced writers on a couple of really interesting projects. (I’ve been meaning to update the script consultancy testimonials page of my website for some time – and this is a start!)

‘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