Newsletter March 2007


	SCRIPT is the West Midlands agency for dramatic writers.

SCRIPT NEWS - MARCH 2007

SPECIAL FEATURES

In our latest special feature Writernet invite you to join the Arts Council Debate and access your inner activist...

BIG SCREEN VISIONS WRITERS PITCH TO PRODUCERS
The five writers currently on our screenwriting initiative, Big Screen Visions, were given the opportunity to pitch their ideas at the Producers’ Forum meeting in Birmingham last month. The Producers’ Forum is a one-stop shop for industry professionals from both inside and outside the region who wish to engage in film production in the West Midlands. There was a strong contingent of producers at the meeting in February which was billed as a ‘writers’ night’.
The Big Screen Visions writers pitched and were then grilled by the producers about their ideas. This was a valuable experience for them and has helped to develop essential industry skills alongside the intensive script development workshops and mentoring they are currently receiving on the course. The five Big Screen Visions writers are: Marie-Paule Graham, Nicola Jones, Paul Kemp, Jacqui Rowe and Debbie Sutton.
For more information about Big Screen Visions go to the Screen page.
For more information about the Producers’ Forum visit www.producersforum.org.uk

TAKE 5 - LISTEN ONLINE

Listen to the rehearsed readings of five monologues selected from the Script/Raw Edge Monologue Competition.

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.

Last month's special feature "Going Potty from Page to Stage" highlighted Scripts wonderful play reading service. Many thanks to Charlotte Goodwin who was the reader mentioned in the article.

OPPORTUNITIES, TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS...

STAGE...

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

SIX MINUTE THEATRE
You become a mother. The world ends. You miss the bus. You change your mind. A lot can happen in six minutes.
Total Beast's Six Minute Theatre is a competition looking for original new dramatic works no more than six minutes in length. These can be complete plays or self contained scenes from longer plays.
The winner will receive a prize of £200, and the best entries will be performed at a special event in London in 2007.

Entry fee £5

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

Deadline: 20th March 2007 (extended)

RAW: RHYTHM AND WORDS
The New Writing/New Work Department are looking for submissions for their monthly pitch parties.

The title RAW: Rhythm and Words in Theatre emphasizes the fact that Contact’s new writing department will concentrate on all forms of writing for theatre – including lyrical writing, and experiments with other artists, as well as plays.

To find out further information: /www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/

email punamramchurn@contact-theatre.org.uk
Deadline: Ongoing

KING'S CROSS NEW WRITING AWARD 2007

Playwrights can send up to two unpublished and unperformed scripts. Entry fee £5 per play. Winning entry will be contracted to the Courtyard Theatre. Visit www.thecourtyard.org.uk

Deadline: 2 April 2007

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

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

NEWWRITING NEWWORLD FESTIVAL SEEKS SCRIPTS
The NewWriting NewWorlds Festival is currently accepting scripts for this year’s new writing festival at Gilmorehill, as part of the Glasgow West End Festival. Plays selected will receive development with the festival dramaturgical team and a full production at the NewWriting NewWorlds Festival. Scripts should be less than 30 mins long, require no more than six performers and should have minimal set and staging. Three copies of the play, along with a covering letter, should be sent to Suzi Simpson, Artistic Director, NewWriting NewWorlds 2007, c/o Winters, Flat 0/1, 25 Belmont Street, Glasgow, G12 8ER.

Email: newwriting_newworlds@yahoo.co.uk.

RADIO...

THE RADIO PLAY'S THE THING - CHANNEL 4 AND 4TALENT

Channel 4 Radio and 4Talent are launching the first ever commercial radio nationwide search for new radio playwrights as part of the channel’s The Play’s The Thing initiative. The competition will give four aspiring writers the opportunity to have their words brought to life, with their scripts professionally produced and broadcast on Channel 4 Radio.

submit your entries via www.channel4.com/theplay

Deadline:Monday 26 March, 2007

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...

COMING UP

COMING UP is the only talent scheme currently in the UK where emerging film-makers have the opportunity to make an authored drama with a guaranteed network broadcast. Now in its seventh year, IWC and Channel4 continue their commitment to innovation, experimentation and new voices.

We will make up to 8 challenging and individual films from the best fresh talent in the UK. Each film will be for a half-hour hour C4 slot and we are looking for:

Bold ideas, Strong voices, Originality, Ambition, Wit, push boundaries in a way that wouldn’t / couldn’t be done in mainstream drama, contemporary, can be shot in 4 days on a limited budget

This is not an entry level scheme.

For more information and to download the application form, visit: www.iwcmedia.co.uk/television/drama_prog_1.html

Deadline: 22nd March 2007

REEL TALENT

The Reel Talent Short Film Award is now open again for the second year running. Offering £10,000 each to three short filmmaking teams, plus support to get their films made, Reel Talent is sponsored by the Audi channel this year, and is in partnership with The Hospital.

Deadline: 16th March 2007

For more information visit: www.reeltalentaward.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

The Insiders Guide To Writing for TV is aimed at anyone who is interested in a career as a professional drama writer in TV. The class attracts a wide range of attendees everyone from brand new, aspiring screenwriters to award winning short film-makers, novelists, playwrights and journalists. It always receives excellent reviews.

Date: Saturday, 17th March 2007

Location: Holborn, London

For more information: www.meadkerr.com

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

EURO SCREEN STORY COMPETITION 2007

Now in its 11th year, the Euroscript Screen Story Competition 2007 is an opportunity for screenwriters to develop their scripts in a rigorous script development programme. They are looking for writers with powerful story ideas and original voices. To enter you need to submit a two page prose outline of the story plus ten pages of a sample script (which must include a mixture of action and dialogue).

For further information log onto :www.euroscript.co.uk

Deadline: 31 March 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

LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT WRITER WANTED

Performed Simon Gross is looking for a freelance writer to work on several light entertainment projects for television and the theatre. He is working on a new act based along the lines of variety and light entertainment and takes inspiration from great comedy variety icons.

For information about Simon's own production company see:

www.sgproductions.co.uk or see his personal website:

www.simongross.co.uk

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...

LOCAL WRITERS ON THE RADIO
In Form by Louise Ramsden and Tim Jackson.

Produced by Peter Leslie Wild and Rosie Boulton
Two drama documentaries looking at musical form, focusing on pieces by Saint Saens and Beethoven.
12 and 19 March BBC Radio 4 at 2.15

Any of the above can be heard for a week after broadcast on the BBC's excellent listen again service.

SARAH WOODS' SOAP

Sarah Wood's Beautifully observed comedy put a pair of star-crossed lovers into a world of soap-style plotlines and familiar characters...

Sarah is currently writing a new community play BOX for the Birmingham Rep. She previously ran Birmingham Univerisity's Mphil(B) in Playwriting.

March 2nd-24th March, The Roayl and Royal & Derngate

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

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

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

THE MEDIA VAULT

New funding is now available so that media vault continues to support the region's existing and start-up media businesses.
The courses are only available until the end of March 2007.

For more information go to: www.mediavaultonline.com

or email: stephen.houston@tic.ac.uk

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 which runs from Tuesday 3rd to Friday 6th July 2007 at the Manor by the Lake at Cheltenham Film Studios, Cheltenham UK.

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

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

NEXT STAGES - DRAMATURGY AND BEYOND - MANCHESTER

An opportunity to celebrate and reflect on a diverse ecology and to consider: where do we go from here?

29-31st March, Manchester Metropolitan Univeristy

For more information visit: www.hlss.mmu.ac.uk/nextstages

PLAYMAKER - GLASGOW

A day of activity, writing, reading and disuccsing plays

Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Saturday 24th March 09.30-16.30

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

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

OTHER NEWS

TRINITY PRIMARY SCHOOL, WOLVERHAMPTON

This proposal is for a cross curricular Creative Partnerships project working with pupils from year 2 at Trinity C of E Primary School in Wolverhampton.
We want to explore the Seaside – this will include planning and organising a trip to the seaside, recording our experiences and bringing evidence home with us. We then hope to stage an event at school to share the outcomes with other pupils and families. We also plan to link this experience to our annual summer fair which is held at school in June every year and will allow friends and families to see how this project has inspired us.
We expect the work will take place in the summer term but want to appoint people to work with us and our teachers in preparation. We are open to your ideas about making this a really memorable experience and hope to learn lots of new skills – we would like these to link to speaking and listening, literacy, numeracy, humanites and art and design. We hope you will suggest other ways of working to make this topic come alive.
The budget for your part of the project to cover your time and all materials is around £3,000 so we hope you will have some really exciting ideas.
Please let us have expressions of interest with a bit about you, the sort of work you have done, why you like the sound of this project and the name of a referee.
Deadline: Friday 2nd March
Contact: jeremy@dialoguemedia.co.uk

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

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: Monday April 30th

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