Newsletter April 2007


	SCRIPT is the West Midlands agency for dramatic writers.

SCRIPT NEWS - APRIL 2007

SPECIAL FEATURES

In our latest special feature Ali Oxtoby talks about her experiences with Brummiewood.

WRITE LIVE 2007 - GET ATTACHED TO THE REP AND SEE YOUR WORDS ON STAGE!

Script and Birmingham Repertory Theatre are working together to offer a variety of exciting opportunities for West Midlands based playwrights...

You could:

Be selected for the Birmingham Repertory Theatre's Attachment Scheme for Playwrights

Have your work developed by Script through mentoring and showcasing

Deadline for applications: 11th May 2007

Click here for full details.

OPPORTUNITIES, TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS...

STAGE...

KING'S CROSS AWARD

The King’s Cross Award for New Writing honours the most outstanding achievement by an emerging playwright and is open to writers resident in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
The winning playwright will win a £2,500 cash prize. The winning play will be awarded with a staged rehearsed reading by professional actors to an invited audience. Several winning and shortlisted writers from previous years’ Awards gained a literary agent as a direct result of their involvement in the contest, and several of their plays have since been mounted in London and beyond.
For more information visit: www.thecourtyard.org.uk
Deadline extended 1st May 2007

VERITY BARGATE AWARD 2007
Soho theatre and Writers' Centry have announced the launch of the 2007 Verity Bargate Award

Every two years Soho Theatre launches a national competition to find the best new play by an emerging writer. The winner will thrill London audiences with their imaginative, daring and relevant work

The winner will be given £5000 (in respect of an exclusive option), a residency at Soho Theatre and the chance to have their play producedat Soho Theatre. Plays must be full length and unproduced. Entries are limited to one per writer.

For more information visit: www.sohotheatre.com

Deadline: 6th July 2007

LIVE THEATRE'S SHORT CUTS

Live theatre is currently closed for refurbishment, but they are still inviting scriptwriters to showcase their work through the online Short Cuts intiative.

Following on from the theatre's popular open access Short Cuts nights, the online platform allows a writer to submit their script for comment and feedback by other writers.

For more information visit: www.live.org.uk

INSPIRING WRITER SOUGHT

Immediate Theatre seeks script for up to 20 youngsters (13-19yrs) that explores the effects of conflict in a way that is pertinent to their lives. The group, recruited from East London's BMER communities present a wide range of abilities and who are at risk of being socially and/or educationally excluded. We are looking to engage a skilled writer with experience of this group who will help the young people to realise this project.

Further Details: 020 7012 1684

ONE MINUTE PLAYS WANTED

Screaming Media presents:G160, the World's only Interactive, International Theatre Festival.

For more information visit: www.screamingmediaproductions.com

THEATRE IN THE POUND

The Cockpit Theatre run a monthly scratch night to enable new plays to be seen and developed. Theatre in the Pound is principally a not-for-profit night. The audience pay only £1 for their tickets!

For more information visit: www.cockpittheatre.org.uk/pound

or email:pound@cockpittheatre.co.uk

COMPOSER SEEKS LIBRETTIST

Composer Charles West - whose work ranges from Choral and Orchestral works to Jazz - is looking for a librettist interested in creating a light-hearted, satirical musical, possibly akin to a Savoy Opera. Charles has theme ideas of his own and is open to other ideas. This is a non-commisioned work so he is looking for a passionate librettist who would work with him to creat a piece which would sell itself.

Contact: cghwest@yahoo.co.uk

A NEW SEASON AT ARVON

The Arvon Foundation have just published their list of courses for 2007. Courses run from April until December and have a maximum of 16 students a week. All courses are resitential and run from Monday afternoon to Saturday morning. Courses cost £475 which includes tuition, food and board.

For more information visit www.arvonfoundation.org

ALL FEMALE THEATRE WORKSHOP

Iris Theatre is a new theatre company that is looking to produce several new productions in 2007 and are looking for new plays.

For more information visit: www.iristheatre.com

MCLELLAN AWARD 2007

Scripts are being accepted for McLellan Award 2007 Play Competition. Plays shouldb e 60-90 minutes long and be in any form of Scots of dialect and be acpable of being performed buy no more than 5 actos. The prize is £100 and a production of the play by Netshell.

Deadline 15th June

For more information visit: www.mclellanfestival.com

‘PROTECT THE HUMAN’ PLAYWRITING COMPETITION
Amnesty International has teamed up with theatre company iceandfire to create Protect the Human, a brand new playwriting competition aimed at exploring individual stories of displacement and conflict. The competition is for full-length plays, with the winning scripts receiving rehearsed readings at The Soho Theatre in London (during Amnesty’s Protect the Human week in October). The overall winner will also receive £500, which will be increased to a standard commission plus dramaturgical support should the play go into full production. The competition will be judged by a panel which includes Dan Jones of Amnesty, Sonja Linden of iceandfire, director Rufus Norris, playwright Simon Stephens and Nina Steiger of Soho Theatre.

Initial submissions should be sent between 1 and 14 May.

For more information: www.iceandfire.co.uk/protectthehuman

SCRIPT WRITER WANTED FOR MUSICAL COLLABORATION

I have written a musical play titled “PLAIN JANE” which is a light hearted musical revolving around a Fashions Store telling of the loves and laughs and woes of the proprietor and staff working there and of some of their customers.
I Know I sound cranky but shortly I will reach the age of 75 and there would be no greater joy in my life just to hear or see some of my work published or performed
The musical was written by me some time ago and when I took it around to agents there was quite a lot of interest shown and at times I had a lot of difficulty getting my work back.
I have run a fashion business for over 54 years and never found the time to promote myself which is what I am trying to do so now.
The music is on a disc sung by professional singers with a detailed synopsis but I need a good script writer with lots of imagination to collaborate with me and add the necessary humour and update the play.

Can you help?

Contact: betty.freedman@btopenworld.com
See Betty at her website www.doreenfashions.com

NOT/APPLICABLE SEEKING SCRIPTS

Not/Applicable is a newly emerging and exciting theatre company that exists to promote performance which goes against the status quo. Not/Applicable aims to make fresh new work that challenges an audience's preconceptions.
They are currently seeking new scripts to read with the view to mounting a production of a new full-length play in a small-to-mid-scale London theatre in late 2007. They will consider all genres of script and are particularly interested in work that is new and challenging.
Unfortunately Not/Applicable are unable to enter into correspondence regarding the plays, and therefore ask that you only send plays that are ready for production.
Find out more about Not/Applicable on their myspace page.

Email scripts: notapplicable-theatre@hotmail.co.uk

Deadline: 31st May 2007

RADIO...

bloc - ECSTASY MONOLOGUES

Writers' website bloc are looking for original and entertaining monologues between 800-1000 words, suitable for broadcast, on the theme of Ecstasy. From religion to raving, from sex to childbirth, the word ecstasy conjures up many images. What does it mean to you?

For mor information visit: www.bloc-online.com

WATSON'S WIND UP

a topical weekly radio show broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland, is inviting submission of topical sketches drawn from the week's news.

Rules: Sketches must relate to that week's news.

Ideally sketches should have Scottish slant but not essential for bigger news stories

Deadline: midday on Thursdays (for recording Fridays and airing Saturdays)

Duration of sketches: 20 seconds to 2 minutes

Send to: philipdiffer@comedyunit.co.uk (put your name on every page of material)

SCREEN...

BRITISH SHORT SCREENPLAY COMPETITION (BSSC)

The BSSC is now accepting submissions for their sixth annual competition and it will be the biggest and the best. This year for the first time the BSSC will not produce one winning screenplay but THREE winners will go into production. No other screenwriting competition in the world offers a bigger prize package to one winner let alone three!

Early deadline: 27th April 2007

Final Deadline: 22nd June

For more information visit: www.kaosfilms.co.uk

PENGUIN FILM COMPETITION

This summer, Penguin Books, publish The Missing a thriller about a killer and the games he plays with the CSI agent trying to capture him. To launch it, Penguin is running a competition for all budding film-makers. All the entrants need to do is create a gripping 30-40 second trailer of suspense and terror, which leaves the audience desperate to know more about The Missing. The winning trailer will be shown this summer at London's Odeon Leicester Square for one week.

For further information visit: www.themissingbook.co.uk

SUBCULTURE FILMS SEEKS SCRIPTS

Newly formed production company Subculture Film is looking for a number of scripts to take forward to their private investors. Subculture is looking for dialogue/story-driven scripts from £150,000 budgets to £1.5million.

As well as your script, a treatment or story (no longer than 6 pages) should be included.

Please post your script and treatment to: Subculture Films, 95 Herkomer Road, Bushey, Herts, WD23 3LS

To find out more go to: www.subculture-films.com

COULD YOU MAKE IT AS A TVDRAMA WRITER

The Insider’s Guide To Writing For TV
Adrian Mead's classes are brilliant - exciting, informative and
inspirational. Nobody does it better!
Alanna Knight Crime Novelist

ARMENIAN DRAMATIC ARTS & SCREENWRITING PRIZE

The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA) announces the inauguration of its annual contest for a play or screenplay based on Armenian themes. The winning writer will be honoured with a $10,000 award in the Fall of 2007. The contest will be administered by the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance, which will establish a panel of noted film and theatre professionals to select the winning script. Scripts must have an Armenian theme, but writers are not required to be of Armenian descent.

For information about the Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance and how to contribute to its important mission, please visit the website: www.armeniandrama.org

or call: 001 617-871-6764

Deadline: 15 May 2007

PAWS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GRANTS 2006/7

£5000 is available for leading writers. The PAWS (Public Awareness of Science and Engineering) organisation has made some fundamental chances to its approach to supporting writers and producers with new TV drama ideas that feature science and technology.

Applications for research and development grants are invited until May 2007

For more information visit: www.pawsdrama.com

BBC WRITERS ROOM

BBC writersroom identifies and champions new writing talent and diversity across BBC Drama, Entertainment and Children's programmes. Always a useful place for resources and information.

Website: www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom

SUSTAINED MAGIC CALL FOR WRITERS

Sustained Magic is asking for submissions from East Midlands based writers.

For more information visit: www.sustainedmagic.com

EVENTS...

SCREEN FORUM ACTORS:DIRECTORS

Screen Forum is a regular meeting of practitioners and agnecies who are involved in screen based creative industries. April's forum with focus on acting; specifgically working with actors

For more information visit: www.light-house.co.uk

GRANTS FOR THE ARTS ROADSHOW IN WEST MIDLANDS

If you are an artist or an arts organisation, or if you use the arts as part of your work, funding could be available for you.
We provide Grants for the arts for activities that benefit people in England or that help artists and arts organisations from England to carry out their work.
To find out more about the opportunities come along to a Grants for the arts Roadshow at a venue near you. Each event includes a presentation by Arts Council England officers and a question and answer session.
Thursday 17 May, 4-6pm - Chelmsley Wood Library Theatre
Monday 11 June, 11am-1pm - Rugby Museum and Art Gallery
Wednesday 18 July, 11am-1pm - The Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent
Wednesday 26 September, 10-12noon - Birmingham Voluntary Services Council, Digbeth
Wednesday 17 October, 11am-1pm - Worcester Porcelain Museum
Booking is essential for these events. To reserve a place, contact: Mathew Hanratty on 0121 631 5737

Or email mathew.hanratty@artscouncil.org.uk

Or visit: www.artscouncil.org.uk

B-THEATRE PRESENTS PILOT

B-Theatre presents PILOT: a unique evening of entertainment where performers are given the opportunity to share their work as it developers and teh audience get to tell them exactly what they think...

Artists appearing: Talking Birds, Jack Oldersha and Kindle Theatre, Augusto Corrieri, Search Party and The Plasticine Man.

12 April 7pm, The Theatre, The Custard Factory

For more information visit: www.b-theatre.co.uk

ART GOES POP in WOLVERHAMPTON

Wolverhampton's New City Playwrights (NCP) are reprising their big success "Art goes Pop!"
The show is six playlets, a new one each hour, on the hour. Specially written for the Art Gallery's fabulous new Pop Art wing each piece focuses on an art work.
King Kong, Warhol's "Jackie", Peter Blake's "The Beachboys" our actors relate to them all in ways that are funny, sad and shocking. Be there or be square!

Date: Saturday 21st April, 11-3pm

Location: Wolverhampton Art Gallery

ANIMATE!TV
Five films to be commissioned from UK-based artists and animators for television.
animate!tv seeks proposals from UK-based artists and animators for risk-taking and experimental films for television. Five films will be commissioned, with budgets up to 20k.
Deadline for proposals 27 April 2007.
For more information visit: www.animateonline.org

FOR FREE ANIMATION TECHNIQUES COURSES
Are you interested in developing your animation skills? Are you over 19, unemployed and residing in the West Midlands?
Light House is offering a selection of FREE animation techniques courses throughout 2007 and 2008.
For more information visit: www.light-house.co.uk/training.htm

CAMBRIDGEWORDFEST WORKSHOP

Dramatic Writing with Fraser Grace
A one day playwriting workshop with the theme Crime of the Day. Inspired by crimes large and small, participants will write in groups and solo. Some of the results will be shown in the Criminal Acts production at 9 pm. Aided and abetted by Fraser Grace, whose plays include Perpetua - about the bombing of a US abortion clinic, Gifts of War - a play for one (Trojan) woman and Breakfast with Mugabe, 2006 John Whiting Award winner for best new play.
Saturday, 28 April, as part of cambridgewordfest literary weekend
10.30 am - 4.30 pm, Anglia Ruskin University (Helmore building), East Rd, Cambridge.
Cost: £35/£32 concession
For further information see www.cambridgewordfest.co.uk
Bookings telephone: 01223 300085
Free online booking: www.adctheatre.com

BUY TICKETS FOR SCREENWRITERS' FESTIVAL 2007
See Diana Ossana, Anthony Horowitz, Shawn Slovo...
Hear about 'The Screenwriters Manifesto' and 'Diversity in FIlm'
Talk with agents, producers, developers and sales agents about your script.
Tickets are now on sale for the Screenwriters' Festival 2007 at the Manor by the Lake at Cheltenham Film Studios, Cheltenham UK.

Dates: 3rd-6th July 2007

Visit: http://www.screenwritersfestival.com/

GETTING YOU & YOUR SCRIPT A ONE2ONE MEETING WITH THE DEAL MAKERS
Selling a Spec Script can be very hard work. You could have the best idea and a full script, but you still can't get anyone to read it. Well, the Screenwriters' Festival is here to help. We want to get YOUR script into THEIR hands, someone that can maybe help develop it and, hopefully, eventually get it made.
Cost: £68 (and purchase tickets to Screenwriters' festival 2007)
Closing Date: 11th MAY 2007
For more information visit: www.screenwritersfestival.com

GENERATION FESTIVAL

The Generation Festival is the Birmingham Repertory Theatre's international season of the freshest new writing for, with and by young people (aged 12-25), which continues on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th April.

Beyond Belief, Friday 13th April, 3pm
Old Rep, Station Street

360 Monologue: L'Essence, Friday 13th April, 5pm
The Door

360 Monologue Double Bill
Saturday 14th April, 4.30pm
The Door

For all shows, please contact the Box Office on 0121 236 4455. Book a full priced ticket for any 2 Generation shows and get a 3rd ticket free. (Tickets £3.99/ Concessions £2.50)
For more information visit: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/thedoor/

ADVANCED SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP
Castano del Robledo, Spain 2007
This residential workshop is for writers who have already written a first draft of their screenplay and have received some feedback and development from one of our previous courses or from another similar course or organisation, or through a producer, script editor, or script report. The aim of the advanced workshop is to help writers to take their script to the next level .

For more information go to: www.euroscript.co.uk/workshops.htm

or call: Anne Woods on 07803 369 414

DEALING WITH WRITING - KENT

Classes, workshop and weekend residencies lead by the playwright Noel Greig. Based in Kent.

For more information visit: www.dealingwithwritnig.com

JIM ELDRIDGE WORKSHOPS

Jim Eldridge is an award-winning script writer with 35 years experience. He runs affordable writing workshops in Bowness on Solway in Cumria. Each is limited to 10 people and costs £29 for the day.

Next workshops:

Sunday 29th April: Scriptwriting for Film and TV

Saturday 12th May:Writing Drama and Comedy for Radio

13th May: Developing Characters and Stories

For more information visit: www.jimeldridge.com

WRITING ON HOLIDAY - IN TURKEY

Dave Simpson and Diane Whitely run writing holidays at their villa in Turkey where you can combine sun and scribbling. Course coming up include:

May 21-28 - Starting to Write Drama

June 18-25 Writing for Television

For more information visit: /www.writeonholiday.co.uk

BLOGS

WRITERS GUILD OF GREAT BRITAIN

Provides up-to-the-minute information for writers.

Visit: writersguild.blogspot.com

GUARDIAN THEATRE

Features responses to the newspaper's main articles, critics, playwrights and directors on all aspects of theatre.

Visit: blogs.guardian.co.uk

OTHER NEWS

APPLYING FOR AN ARTS GRANT?

If you're about to apply for an arts grant - do download and read these helpful guidelines.

For more information visit: www.writersguild.org.uk

ARTS COUNCIL DEBATE

The Arts Council England want to hear your views on five key questions that they believe should be the subject of a national debate.

What do you value about the arts?
What principles should guide public funding of the arts today?
What are the responsibilities of a publicly funded arts organisation?
When should an artist receive public money?
Should members of the public be involved in arts funding decisions?

Visit: www.artsdebate.co.uk to have your say

Consultation period ends on 11 May 2007

NEW WRITING NORTH'S SHINY NEW WEBSITE!
New Writing North’s website has a lovely new look, and as time goes on we will be adding more features to it to make it even more informative and interactive.

As you know, we’ve always been pretty hip with the kids (cough), and now we have got an RSS feed facility. Don’t worry, I didn’t know what it was either. Basically, it’s a way to receive regular updates from us. There’s an explanation on the homepage of the site but you should also see an orange and white symbol on the right-hand side of the address bar. If you click on this, you get the option to subscribe to our publicity releases and newsletter. If you subscribe, a new drop-down menu will appear on your browser, and every time there is new NWN information it will automatically update – you don’t need to do anything else. We have no plans at the moment to stop sending the newsletter out by email too, but if you have friends who want to sign up, this is an alternative way to do it.
Eagle-eyed users will also notice that we are planning to do some pod-casting eventually, although this will be explained further when it happens!

Visit: www.newwritingnorth.com

WONDERING HOW TO FIND AN AGENT?

If you're looking for advice on how to approach an agent, and which are the best to target, then ScriptScout have just added a new article to their website with everything you need to know.

For more information: www.scriptscout.co.uk

ARE YOU HAVING AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE?
MTV are making a documentary about YOUNG LOVE in the UK and we want your stories. MTV are planning to follow a selection of young people for a new one hour documentary.
We want to look at love from all angles and we are looking for a young people with interesting stories or experiences relating to love – this is a monster subject but if you’ve got a killer tale then let us know.
We also want to find people who have had interesting experiences around this subject. If something around this issue affects you then let us know.
For information contact: love@mtvne.com

LOOKING FOR ACTORS?

Equity are keen to help publicise work which can be done through their Equity meetings which occur once a month. Also through the monthly newsletter (deadline is usually 20th). They can also send a direct request to those members that have email and this can be sent anytime - which can be handy for short notice. Equity will only promote work that is paid at the correct rate and on a contract.

Contact Equity secretary: Su Hallcroft on email: birminghamequity@blueyonder.co.uk.

X PRESS BOOK PUBLISHING MENTOR SCHEME

Are you enthusiastic about writing? Do you have a fascinating tale to tell but you’ve never been published?

Britain’s most prominent publisher of African-Caribbean literature, The X Press, with support from Arts Council England, West Midlands, and Birmingham City Libraries will be publishing an anthology of brand new and exciting short stories in 2007.

Previously unpublished writers from the African-Caribbean, Asian or Chinese communities in the West Midlands region, are invited to submit vibrant and innovative stories from 2,000 to 4,000 words on any theme, use your imagination to weave a compelling, creative yarn aimed at readers aged 16 to 25.

Deadline: May 31st

Email your stories to: ava.ming@birmingham.gov.uk

DO YOU HAVE SOME NEWS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE SCRIPT MEMBERSHIP? If so, then e-mail info@scriptonline.net by the end of the month and it will go into the following month's Newsletter.

DISCLAIMER

Script asks you to note: These listings are drawn from varying sources, all current at time of publishing.

Script endeavours to investigate and validate all information and opportunities listed here. We advise you to make contact with companies before submitting scripts.

ARCHIVE

To view previous editions of Script News, please click on the links below

April 2005

May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005