Wednesday, 12 March 2014

HLF 2014 Tales from Mystic India & Industrial Scripts newsletter

The HLF event today at 7-8.3opm is:


ANNAPURNA INDIAN DANCE
Annapurna Indian Dance

Tales of Mystic India

Wednesday 12 March
7.00-8.30pm
University of Huddersfield

As part of Huddersfield Literature Festival, Annapurna Indian dance will be proudly presenting a mesmerising evening of choice stories and poetry oozing with rich philosophy and traditions.

Come and experience:

dancing, singing, drumming & storytelling

-  with storyteller Ian Clayton, dancers Santosh Menon and Abhinandana Kodanada, musicians Ramya Tangirala and Pratap Ramachandran and guest artist puppeteer Diana Bayliss
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Quayside (through Student Central), University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, HD1 3DH

£3 (Conc. £1.50).

Under 18s should be accompanied by an adult - please note, festival stewards cannot be asked to take responsibility for children and vulnerable adults.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

Huddersfield Literature Festival 6-16 March 2014



Here is the latest Industrial Scripts newsletter that I thought my followers may be interested in:


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Industrial Scripts is a London-based script development and training organization, founded by some of the UK's leading script analysts and sponsored by major film companies, delivering a wide range of script development, information and support services to writers and filmmakers from around the world.

INDUSTRIAL SCRIPTS NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2014
Dear Karen,
Awards Season has almost run its course - the BAFTAs in the bag and the Oscars on the way - but Festival Season is in full swing after Sundance and the Berlinale set the table for the year ahead, much like the February newsletter...
 
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PINEWOOD ANNOUNCES WELSH STUDIO DEVELOPMENT

Pinewood Studios announced plans for a new £90m studio development in Cardiff, a huge boost for our film industry, as the UK furthers its credentials as one of the premier international production locations. As this year’s BAFTAs showed with the somewhat controversial win for GRAVITY as Best British Film, the hidden economy of UK film production goes from strength to strength – with the upcoming STAR WARS sequels returning to their British home.
 
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BERLINALE ROUND-UP
Festival fever hit Europe as the Berlinale provided the warm-up act for Cannes' grand arrival - and Shia LaBeouf and Lars Von Trier continued their performance art promotional tour for NYMPHOMANIAC - everyone please remember that Shia LaBeouf is not famous anymore. Just as we'd learned how to spell and capitalise his surname correctly.
 
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Wes Anderson's THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL touched down in its natural European home, whilst Richard Linklater's BOYHOOD continued its Sundance buzz to become front-runner for the title of 'Indie Darling 2014'.
British film had much to celebrate - Yann Demange's Northern Ireland Troubles film '71 hooked audiences with its tale of a squaddie caught on the wrong side of the tracks.
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With the launch of our new website on the horizon, Industrial Scripts seeks applications from freelance writers to fill three positions;
Freelance Article Writer on the Industrial Scripts site (Role #1)
Freelance Article Writer on the WordsWorth Writing Store site (Role #2)
Freelance Article Writer on behalf of Industrial Scripts on other sites (Role #3)
Full details can be found here. Good luck!
 
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THE BEST INDUSTRIAL SCRIPTS ARTICLES... ABOUT SCREENWRITERS

Alongside our monthly shot of film intel delivered to your inbox, Industrial Scripts is rolling out articles on our news page mixing craft insight, industry analysis and some good old fashioned top-10 lists. Ahead of an exciting blog revamp, here's the best of our articles to date, celebrating the diversity of screenwriting talent - from Brits, to the Female Players, the Golden Oldies, and the Filthy Rich....
READ OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE
Jane-Goldman
"10 British Screenwriters Who Broke Into Hollywood"
Brit Screenwriting talent is well known on these shores – Simon Beaufoy, Richard Curtis, David Hare, Abi Morgan, Tom Stoppard, Peter Morgan, William Nicholson… the list is impressive. But what about Brit talent working in Hollywood? Industrial Scripts looks at British Screenwriters who have made the leap across the pond to make a name for themselves in La-La Land... read the full article here
 
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"The Top Female Screenwriters"
Which female screenwriters have conquered the box office? Can you name the multi-Oscar winning women writers? Which hot showrunners are lighting up your small screens?... read the full article here
David-Seidler
“10 Screenwriters Who Broke In Late”
Despite the image of the wunderkind screenwriter a-la Orson Welles or Diablo Cody, many screenwriters come late to the game, with a wealth of wisdom and experience. As an encouragement to those who remember a time before the internet, or to those who are wondering when their efforts will pay off, Industrial Scripts looks at famed Screenwriters who broke-in after their 40th birthday celebrations... read the full article here
 
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"The Best Paid Screenwriters in the World Right Now"
Screenwriting is big business for those at the top. With screenplays usually accounting for around 1-3% of a film’s sometimes nine figure budget, some screenwriters can start breaking ground on those holiday homes when the cheques clear. But just who are the top paid screenwriters on the planet right now?... read the full article here
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FD9
A new year brings a new version of the industry's standard formatting software - Final Draft 9 now in stock, with a wealth of exclusive bonus materials only available through Wordsworth Writing Software Store. Whether you're a new writer or a Final Draft old-timer, check out the new features and see just why professionals trust Final Draft...
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MCKEE PLUG
Robert McKee's STORY is the essential screenwriting tome - and the screenwriting sage brings his acclaimed seminar to London this Spring. The 2014 Story Seminar in London, England is fast approaching. You can register early as the event is usually sold out...
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Fans of maroon rugs, glitzy clothes and attention starved celebs will be thrilled to hear that Fashion Fest 2014 hits Los Angeles on Sunday March 2nd.
The esteemed sartorial gala celebrates the very best in haute couture, enlivened with scintillating, edgy, insightful questions...
REPORTER: Who are you wearing?
BUFFALO BILL: The senator's daughter.
Riding the coat tails of the event's success, some opportunistic film association has tactlessly wedged their annual awards bash onto the end of the night. The bare-faced shame of these PR savvy chancers knows no limits. Hopefully one day we'll all remember the true meaning of this red-letter day - fabulous fashionistas.
 
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Amusing Snippet of the Month: HONEST OSCAR POSTERS

 
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With the Academy Awards just around the corner, and the spend-a-thon campaigning for those precious undecided votes in full swing, it’s time for the annual truthful movie posters collection. This year’s highlights?
GRAVITY;
“Don’t Torrent it. Don’t watch it on your phone. IMAX: THE SHOWREEL”
BLUE JASMINE;
“Woody Allen’s best movie since the last time everyone said he’d made a good movie”
Perhaps one day the marketing bods will use self-deprecation in such glorious fashion - hey, it worked for Sochi's Closing Ceremony
 

OPINION PIECE

Are We Above the Law?
Screenwriting enthusiasts and Quentin Tarantino's THE HATEFUL EIGHT.
QT
The screenwriting world can be an odd, incestuous little clique, with esoteric conventions and traditions unto itself. And just as plane-spotting enthusiasts expect to dodge those pesky anti-terrorism laws with merely a nod to their binoculars, so too do screenwriting aficionados seek a kind of online sanctuary, all in the name of love of the craft. Snagging shooting scripts and distributing them is just a bit of harmless fun right? A photocopy of that hot script circling round the agencies is ripe for review online?
Of course, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. And that someone was Quentin Tarantino.
For those not in the know, QT’s latest script – THE HATEFUL EIGHT, a western following in the tracks of DJANGO UNCHAINED – was distributed by the writer-director to a select few people – and of course, it still managed to end up online. 146 pages of 70mm glory (the scientists among you will be fuming at the mixed measurements there). Plot details pored over. Casting rumours circulated. Loglines and fake posters created.
 
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Contrary to rumours, Carson Reeves has not applied for asylum with the Ecuadorean embassy...
So, were the perpetrators wrong to do this? Legally, yes. This is intellectual property with a clear author. The breach may not be so obvious as in the case of a leaked novel or album, in which readers and listeners prematurely experience the exact product which is to be released. Compared to the billions of cinema-goers, DVD junkies, Netflix addicts and late-night TV surfers, the number of people who consume screenplays in native format is negligible, and very few of the final audience for THE HATEFUL EIGHT would go within a country mile of a 146 page document, devoid of performances, soundtrack, direction, production design. Did it impact the financial performance of the film? Probably not – though it gave the copycat underbelly of the industry a head-start on the DVDs with similar titles and cover designs. Was it a breach of intellectual rights? Of course. Now, would Ikea be mad if blueprints for a new bookshelf were leaked to the public before their sleek cubes hit showroom floors?
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It’s that notion that the avid-script readers are not harming a script’s commercial prospects that is often called forth in their defence. It’s educational. We just want to know what’s out there. Why wouldn’t I want to learn from the master? I want to understand that journey from script to screen, to see what is changed in the production process. Should all scripts be made available to educate the screenwriting masses in this regard? Is it even educational, or is it a case of rampant fanboyism (or fangirlism), eager to be the first to get our hands on something new and shiny, like the queues for the latest Apple release (Pink Lady back in ’04 was crazy, but nothing like Jazz in ’01).
Ultimately, there is an author to every screenplay – and it’s their wishes which should be respected. This is not like Wikileaks serving a public duty and exposing the frauds and lies of governments. It’s feeding an ultimately selfish indulgence of a small community, which can be satiated with the plethora of legal, permissioned, post-release download scripts (the internet is awash with awards contenders at present). Sure, it’s not quite as exciting as reading a project years in advance. And to many on the outside of the industry, the exposure to the factory workings, feeling like an insider given access to a hot script like they were a development exec, can be a tempting experience. But the film community is small, and these leaks do have an impact. A spec script’s commercial prospects can die a death if every bulletin board has posted a review – would you want someone passing career judgment on your first draft? What if your top-secret twist was out there for every exec to read on Twitter? Perhaps it’s a case of ‘do unto others’ – and if you wouldn’t be happy with a hacker accessing your files and sending them to every agent, producer and actor in town, why be part of the feeding frenzy on someone else’s project?
Ultimately, this leak has not ended well - QT pulling the project due to the violation. Perhaps now it's out in the open, it can become an open-source script, free for amateur film-makers to shoot their own versions, culminating in a grand film festival which shows only one film - badly made THE HATEFUL EIGHT fan-pieces. Because, if the fanboys (and girls) aren't careful, that's all they'll be left with.
 
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WordsWorth Writing Store continues steady growth..

 
We are delighted to reveal that our sister company, WordsWorth Writing Store, which opened for business in early 2013, continues to build up steam with steady sales and customer interest.
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The store stocks a comprehensive range of storytelling and physical production software, available at the most competitive prices and with brilliant FREE bonus packs, unique to us, attached.
However what we're particularly pleased about is that we will be the first UK software company to provide ongoing phone support to our customers, so rather than tearing your hair out on hold to some call centre in Kenya we can call you back if something goes wrong.
Our best-selling product, predictably, is Final Draft screenwriting software, and to buy the software at a competitive price, just click here: http://writingsoftware.co.uk/software/final-draft
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Unheralded Scene of the Month: UP IN THE AIR (2009)

In our "Unheralded Scene of the Month" section, our consultants nominate a classic film or TV scene, which in their view hasn't received the admiration it deserves.
It might be a scene from a classic movie, which has been crowded out by other, more "showy" scenes and set-pieces. It might be a deleted scene which is outstanding in its own right but wasn't quite in-sync or critical to the final cut of the film. Warning: plot spoilers below.
Unheralded Classic: UP IN THE AIR
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The film: Jason Reitman’s follow up to JUNO was a timely look at the fallout from the economic crisis. A witty dramedy equal parts mismatched buddy road movie and rom-com, the film was famous for George Clooney laying himself bare (he plays an avowed bachelor having second thoughts) and a break-out performance from the excellent Anna Kendrick.
The plot: Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) lives the high life, flying all over the US as a corporate downsizer – telling people face to face that they have been made redundant – and boy, is business booming. Life on the road suits Ryan’s no-strings approach to life; in his 40s, unmarried, aiming for the grand goal of 10 million air miles – he even teaches a motivational seminar in how to cut yourself free from connections that might weigh you down in life. But his job is about to throw a spanner in the works in the shape of peppy rookie Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), who thinks firings by video link are the cost-saving future – and Ryan has to take her on the road to show her the ropes. On the way, he meets like-minded Alex (Vera Farmiga), a jet-setting businesswoman who just might offer him the perfect no-strings relationship.
 
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The scene: ‘How Much Did They Pay You to Give Up on Your Dreams’ – Ryan and Natalie fire middle-aged father Bob (JK Simmons) – but Natalie’s cold college intellect fails her as the meeting turns sour. Step up hotshot Ryan Bingham, who manages to convince a man who has just lost his livelihood that this is the exact opportunity he’s been waiting for. Reading deep meaning into a few small details on Bob's CV – a minor in college, some time waiting tables – he infers that the man once dreamed of being a Chef. “How much did they first pay you to give up on your dreams?”. With that, Ryan manages to talk down an irate man, and proves just why he’s the best at what he does.
You can watch the scene here
Why it's unheralded: In among Ryan’s musings on marriage and the chemistry with Alex, this scene of professional protocol isn’t quite so memorable. Understated, but vital to the film...
Why it's great: The scene skilfully establishes the premise of the picture with a demonstration of Ryan’s very unique talents. His potentially dislikeable position as a firer-for-hire could undermine the audience’s connection with the character and leave the entire film with a feel of ‘so what?’ – but by showcasing his skills, and seeing those skills result in a positive, his characterisation is significantly strengthened in the audience’s eyes. Without this scene, the whole film could fail. Falsely confident Natalie’s subjective academic take on the world is put to its first objective test as she flames out – score one for Ryan, as he seizes the initiative in their battle over the company’s future. Bob’s 180 degree spin embodies the power of scenes who represent meaningful change – as well as acting as a rallying call to the many watching the film who would have been in a similar position.
 
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SCREENPLAY SPEC-SPOTTER FEBRUARY 2014

 
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Information is power in the film & TV industries, so here is our vital burst of screenwriting-related intel for your mainframes!
Sony Picks Up SHADOW RUN by Joe Gazzam
Thriller pitched as SAFE HOUSE on a plane, as a virus outbreak leads to a prisoner exchange between a Russian Spy and a US Scientist who can cure the outbreak.
Columbia thinks their chances are better than 50/50 for a comedy smash
Columbia picks up a Christmas Comedy spec from 50/50 scribe – and will re-unite Joseph Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogen.
Million Dollar Baby – MENA sell for $1m
Ron Howard will direct Gary Spinelli’s MENA after Universal closes on deal for true life tale of pilot turned drug runner.
Universal’s pockets are deep – another $1m purchase
Pierce Brown’s RED RISING novel & script go for seven figures – tale of an uprising on Mars. After MARS NEEDS MOMS and JOHN CARTER OF MARS both flopped, are Universal playing with fire? Only time will tell.
Nicholls Finalist & Blacklist script lands deal
Stephanie Shannon sells QUEEN OF HEARTS to Oddlot – true life tale of author Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for ALICE IN WONDERLAND.
Fox purchases Spy Spec THE FORGER
Loyalties are tested. Identities are secret. Betrayals are commonplace. You know the drill – but great news as newcomer Alex Allrich makes his first sale – and a big one at that.
Short becomes Feature – proof that writing samples do work
Jonas Carpignano’s short A CHJANA to become feature MEDITERANNEA as Chris Columbus’ production company comes aboard.
Nu Image acquire action spec SECURITY
A security guard must protect a female witness from a gang of thugs in John Sullivan’s actioner.
Appeal of Greek mythology proves ETERNAL
Victoria Aveyard’s updating of Greek God mythology finds a home at Sony.
Fox picks up THE UNSEEN – short story turned into feature
Supernatural horror from John Connolly’s short story collection eyed for big screen.
 
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Anyway that's about all from us for another month, but just scroll down for details of our script development services and upcoming training courses, not to mention our exclusive Insider Interviews series.
The Industrial Scripts Team
 
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TRAINING COURSES

At Industrial Scripts we run premium, high-quality training courses which deliver serious value to participants. Our courses are tailored to suit the requirements of the industry, and are led by professionals with proven track records of success in their own individual area of the business.
For 4 years we've been running training courses in script reading, low-budget filmmaking and screenwriting. We currently run 3 courses:
HOW TO WRITE A SCRIPT - SCREENWRITING FOR BEGINNERS is our first screenwriting course and has been designed for creative individuals who possess great ideas for films or TV shows, but don’t know where to begin. It delivers a huge amount of information, condensed into one intense day, to participants new to screenwriting, new to writing, or both. Focussing on both the writing process, and the industry writers find work in, the course aims to heavily de-mystify the process by which people become professional screenwriters, and help new writers navigate the sometimes precarious early years of the screenwriter.
Next course date: Saturday 29th March 2014
Our EFFECTIVE SCRIPT READING 1-day training seminar continues to go from strength to strength, winning consistently stellar feedback from participants...:


 
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The course includes comprehensive contacts documents detailing all the paid script reading outlets in film and TV in the UK, and also offers attendees indefinite, ongoing email and phone support once the course is over. We can't turn you into a great script analyst overnight, but we can speed you up and save you a lot of time and effort in the process. Click here to book.
Next course date: Saturday 22nd March 2014
 
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EVERYTHING AMERICA is our new course dedicated exclusively to the business of working in the world's largest film and TV industry.
The course covers agents, managers, attorneys, VISAs, where to stay, where not to stay, the structure of the TV industry, the spec script market, and much much more. It's perfect for UK Producers, Writers and Directors with one eye firmly on America. Click here to book.
Next course date: Sunday 30th March 2014
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We formed Industrial Scripts to provide writers and filmmakers in the independent TV and film sector with high-quality, industry-standard script development services not usually available to them. Our consultants all have considerable experience working for and with the very best companies, and are currently very active in development (we don't believe in trading on past glories). We offer 15 different types of script development service, some are listed below, but you can visit our website to view them all...
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Project Selection Service - £39.99
"Should I spend 6...12...18...months of my life developing this project?" is a question that haunts many writers, who invariably have more ideas than man-hours. Here writers submit 10 loglines (without synopses), and Industrial Scripts will put them in order of excellence, encouraging writers to channel their efforts into promising ideas rather than, as above, wasting time and energy writing themselves to a dead end. This service also includes an overview (up to 250 words) on why particular projects merit more attention than others.



 
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Coverage Report - £124.99 * eligible for TALENT CONNECTOR
This report on feature-length scripts consists of 4+ pages of notes and feedback to help the writer move on to his or her next draft. This is most suited to writers either in the early stages of development (at 1st draft stage, for example) or right at the very end of the development process, when notes to help "tweak" the script are required, rather than offering substantial changes.
Detailed Development Notes - £269.99 * eligible for TALENT CONNECTOR
Our Detailed Development Notes service delivers an extremely detailed analysis of your feature script, together with lengthy suggestions on how to move forward to the next draft. These reports run to 12+ pages, and offer a truly forensic analysis of the script, which will leave you in absolutely no doubt of how to improve the project and move it forward.
Script Doctoring - Fees Vary * eligible for TALENT CONNECTOR
Through our resident Script Doctors we offer writers, producers and directors the opportunity to have their project re-written, doctored, polished, re-structured and significantly improved according to their requirements. Fees are by negotiation, to book any of our doctors to work on your project or to request a quote please contact us with as much detail as possible about your script, and your requirements.
DetailedDevelopmentNotes
 
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FROM THE BLAST FURNACE: "THE INSIDER INTERVIEWS"

 
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Industrial Scripts brings you The Insider Interviews - exclusive FREE content from leading industry professionals that you can't access, anywhere else. Click here to access these free interviews and either download them to your iPod, or read them online:
STORY Guru Robert Mckee
"Charlie Kaufman...what an as*...he's Mr. Theory! He's not an anti-theorist!"
Download the podcast...
Screenwriter Kevin Lehane (GRABBERS)
"I think the horror-comedy is a really tough genre...I wanted to write a monster movie, like TREMORS, or GREMLINS".
Download the podcast...
Head of Development Sophie Meyer (Ealing Studios)
"If I had to boil it down to one thing it would be "does it make you care?"
Download the podcast...
Writer-Director Ben Wheatley (KILL LIST, DOWN TERRACE)
"Short films are a waste of time...I thought if I was going to put in that much effort, I may as well try and make something I can sell..."
Download the podcast...
Screenwriter Jack Thorne (THE FADES, THIS IS ENGLAND '86, THIS IS ENGLAND '88, THE SCOUTING BOOK FOR BOYS)
"I wrote 12 plays before I had anything produced..."
Download the podcast...
Producer Richard Holmes (RESISTANCE, EDEN LAKE, WAKING NED, SHOOTING FISH)
“I thought to myself "this is filmmaking: doing something you don't want to do and for which you will probably be punished by God!””
Read more...
Film Journalist Nev Pierce (Editor-at-Large, Empire magazine)
"Interviewing directors is my favourite thing...it can be thrilling if you're meeting someone you admire...to sit down for 2 hours with David Fincher...I feel incredibly blessed to have that kind of opportunity".
Download the podcast...
Producer Gareth Unwin (THE KING'S SPEECH, EXAM)
"I'd done something a bit daft just through eagerness and I said to someone within The Weinstein Co. - "I hear I'm not in Harvey's good books anymore" and she said "Harvey doesn't have good books, there's just people he hates less that week!"
Download the podcast...
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Actor Tom Hiddleston (THE AVENGERS, THOR, WAR HORSE, ARCHIPELAGO)
"(when the THOR call) came in I was just about ready to sing and dance...it was the longest audition process I've ever been through...".
Download the podcast...
Literary agent Rob Kraitt (Casarotto Ramsay)
'I once sold a book to Tom Cruise - it was before he and Michael Mann made COLLATERAL. It was a big six-figure deal and doesn't happen very often.'
[at the time of recording Rob Kraitt worked for AP Watt]
Download the podcast...
Literary agent Nick Marston (Curtis Brown Group)
'There are these moments in agencies when one generation wants to leave and the other generation has to somehow find the money to take over... and in our case that came from the 'honey pot' of the Winnie the Pooh estate.'
Download the podcast...
Studio Executive Alexei Boltho (Paramount Pictures)
'A typical working day for me? Smoking cigars, that's about it really!'
Read more...
Screenwriter Stuart Hazeldine (EXAM, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, KNOWING)
'I had to keep the faith, and finally the phone rang and it was a big agent from ICM in LA saying he had read my two scripts and wanted to take me on...'
Read more...
Screenwriter David Scinto (44 INCH CHEST, SEXY BEAST)
'GANGSTER NO.1 is one of the best scripts we ever wrote, sadly in other hands it was ruined. Bastardised. Mutated. Amateur.'
Read more...
 
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Tuesday, 11 March 2014

HLF 2014 PechaKucha tonight 7pm and Feedbooks

Tonight at HLF2014 there is a PechaKucha event:


If you have never experienced PechaKucha before, you're in for a treat.



If you have experienced PechaKucha before, you're still in for a treat!



On Tuesday 11 March at 7pm, HLF2014 takes over PechaKucha Night

Moving, hilarious, thought provoking – an informal and fun evening of stories on the festival theme of ‘Remembrance’. Each presenter tells their story using a rapid pace presentation format of 20 slides, which automatically move on after 20 seconds.


Café Ollo, Media Centre, 7 Northumberland Street, Huddersfield HD1 1RL

Free, but booking required: http://pknhudds10.eventbrite.co.uk

No age guidance (under 18s should be accompanied by an adult)

Would you like the chance to shine?

We are looking for five more people to take part as presenters. Perhaps you are an aspiring author or simply someone with a story to tell - either way, we'd love to invite you to take part. Email huddlitfest@gmail.com or call our Festival Director Michelle on 01484 430 228 for more information.





 
 
Feedbooks

My fellow blogger Displacement Activity has asked me to let my followers know about Feedbooks,  that he says is a wonderful site with many, many terrific stories available to read (including modern and classic).

As well as readers being able to download stories to read, authors are able to post their stories to share with others.

For example, Eamonn, who also follows my blog, has three short stories at Feedbooks which you are welcome to download in EPUB form (for FREE) from this page:

http://www.feedbooks.com/userbook/33342/snowy

Monday, 10 March 2014

HLF 2014 Gwyneth Huges and Jim Crace review

Another fantastic evening at the HLF 2014 last night with two fascinating events. 


First, Gwyneth Hughes was in conversation with Michael Stewart.  Michael is a poet, novelist and creative writing tutor at the University of Huddersfield and Gwyneth Hughes is an award-winning writer of television screenplays who talked about her career from the Sheffield Morning Telegraph and Yorkshire Television, to directing documentaries and moving into drama. 

Gwyneth Hughes wrote the Granada Television drama Blood Strangers (2002), starring Caroline Quentin., Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith, a hard-hitting exploration of relationships, crime and prostitution and a fantastic clip was shown to the audience.  The story of this piece is still very much in the public domain with the recent publicity around the grooming of young white girls by older Asian men and Hughes revealed that she wrote this fictional drama without apportioning blame.  She had meant to write a small part for the Sheridan Smith character, but she just grew and grew as she was writing it.

Her powerful drama Mysterious Creatures (2006) was based on the true story of the Ainscow family who had for years tried to cope with and get state help for, their daughter Lisa, who suffers from Aspergers syndrome.  Brenda Blethyn and Timothy Spall starred as Mr and Mrs Ainscow who tragically took an overdose of sleeping pills and waded into the Atlantic ocean off Tenerife.  Wendy Ainscow survived but sadly, her husband did not.  The audience were treated to a clip of the drama where the couple agree to end their lives and slowly walk into the water hand in hand.  Powerful drama with Oscar-worthy performances, this was a true testament to the brilliance of Gwyneth Hughes' writing.  Hughes had many meetings with Mrs Ainscow whilst researching the story, who sadly continued to try and take her own life.

Her most recent film for the BBC, The Girl (2012), which told the story of Alfred Hitchcock's obsession with his leading lady, Tippi Hendren, was nominated for the Golden Globes, Emmys and Baftas, and won the Writer's Guild Award.  A clip was shown from the movie depicting the moment that Tippi is in the glass booth reacting to 'invisible' birds, when a prop bird on a wire smashes into the glass, shattering it all over her.  Obsessed with his leading lady, Hitchcock put her through five days of sadistic filming like this, because she had spurned his advances.

Hughes talked about the research she undertook for writing this screenplay and how she believed that even though Hitchcock was without doubt an amazing film Director, no-one should be treated this way.  Michael Stewart agreed and informed the audience that Hitchcock had famously said that actors were cattle and that sometimes he did what he had to do in order to get the shot.

The floor was then opened up to questions and she revealed that she hates it when a Director/Producer takes out one of her lines, or worse, when it is said in the wrong way that changes its meaning and when asked what she wished she had written the screenplay for, she answered Game of Thrones - good answer.






Multi-award winner Jim Crace discussed his long and successful career as a novelist with well-known critic Suzi Feay.  Jim Crace won three major awards for his first novel, Continent (1986), including the Whitbread First Novel award.  His 11th novel, Harvest (2013), was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.  Introduced as a real writer's writer, Crace joked that this meant that he sells no copies, just wins prizes.  He believes that this is because people are frightened of his books as there is lots to scare them. 

Being Dead (1999) was a novel about death and his publishers advised him that the title would cost him sales, but he felt that it was too stitched into the fabric of his book to change.  He sold 20 odd foreign editions of a Chinese edition in Taiwan and still gets cheques from sales there.  He found out that the title there translates as 'love on the beach.'

He revealed that there was no set rule for beginning a project, but with Being Dead he felt it was a comforting title as he wanted the novel to end 'and these were the ever ending days of being dead.'  He believes that Dylan Thomas did exactly the same thing.  When asked about the poetic cadence of his sentences, he said that he reads poetry but some time ago a Japanese maths and Cambridge linguistics professor got a grant to show the difference between prose and poetry, i.e. the mathematical formula, and 4 quartets by T S Elliot and his The Quarantine novel proved the test.  When ordinary conversations were tested, all spoken language is poetry.  He chooses the vocabulary and music of the sentence.

Crace had told Mariella Frostrup that Harvest would be his last novel and Suzi said that writers normally stop when they drop dead.  At the time Crace meant it, but he revealed there were various reasons.  Writers are socially disruptive to their partners and he wanted to give his wife a break from that (when people ask what he does he tells them he is in publishing in the supply side).  Also, he had tried to write an autobiography and had written 40k words but it had not worked.  He felt 68 was a good life of writing and that it couldn't last forever, people will eventually have had enough and he was also fit and well and happy in retirement and there were so many other things to do to make him a lot more happy.  Part of his ambitions have come true, but he hasn't stopped, so there will be more novels.  This was news was very well received by the audience.  He revealed that ideas for short stories and novels are still in his head and that the muse has not left him, but he still prevaricates.  For example, when his novel failed he had taken 18 months up to June and he had July to December to deliver Harvest (the novel that took its place).

He listened to an interview once on woman's hour that featured someone from the slush pile office and when asked if they read every book, she revealed that certain categories meant they wouldn't:

1) If the name of the main character is in the first line (e.g. Call me Ishmael from Moby Dick)
2) Exclamation marks (it would be bye-bye Westward Ho!)
3) Any novel written about or posted from Cornwall (Daphne Du Maurier, John le Carre).

Crace feels that landscape is always important in all of his novels and feels that the English landscape has its own narrative.  The novel he is working on at the moment is about poverty and he read an article about how soya bands are stealing lands in Brazil and it is having the same effect on them as it had in Britain when land was taken (The Guardian), so this gave him the why, when and reason for writing.

He also likes to write heroes who are not heroic and heroines who are not beautiful and that literary books are more of a risk  When he was first published, it was about giving him a career, not about profits as the big sellers would pay for the literary works.

From the things he has learned as a writer, he finished with sharing his golden rules of writing:

1) Don't be frightened of the blank page, be prepared to write badly before you write well as the writing is in the re-writing
2) Reading isn't absolutely necessary (if you only read to write it is rather like the snake eating its own tail).  Experience - first sources - living life is more important
3) Be ambitious.  If you set hurdles low, no risk is no excitement.  Really take risks, do something no-one else has done and be prepared to make mistakes.

He believes that you can teach creative writing and he gave an example of a Writing Group member that observed well but kept stating the obvious, so every time she did, the group made magpie noises (she had described the black and white magpies in her writing previously) and when she wrote a short story about the break up of a marriage, her final line was 'Bonfire at the bottom of the garden always emitting smoke' so when they made the noise, she came back and had changed the line to 'Bonfire at the bottom of the garden always knitting smoke.'  This sort of awareness can be taught, so he believes Hanif Kureishi is wrong.

#HLF2014    #GwynethHuges    #JimCrace

Sunday, 9 March 2014

HLF 2014 events 9 March - Gwyneth Hughes and Jim Crace

The Polari Up North event last night was fantastic.  Featuring Adam Lowe, VG Lee, Keith Jarrett and Mari Hannah, the event was hosted by Paul Burston.  The audience was treated to performance poetry, readings from books and poetry collections and lashings of good humour.

The HLF events taking place today are:


Our free Darwin exhibition is now open


Darwin & The Voyage

of HMS Beagle



is now on view at the Packhorse Gallery (upstairs at the Packhorse Centre) during opening hours.

Why not pop in next time you're in town?

While you're there, you can also pick up tickets for our Darwin event, taking place:


Sunday 9 March

2.30-3.30pm


The event includes a short talk by noted Darwin biographer, Professor James Moore, and an exciting performance, including sea shanties, music and dance, from the Andrew Mitchell Collective.


Tickets are just £2 (£1 conc)


You can also book tickets through this link:
 

http://www.thelbt.org/Darwin-Voyage-HMS-Beagle

Hope to see you there!
Huddersfield Literature Festival 6-16 March 2014


Gwyneth Hughes in Conversation Sunday 9 March, the award-winning TV screenwriter talks about her career and recent BBC film, The Girl, which tells the story of Alfred Hitchcock's obsession with Tippi Hedren.
 

Jim Crace In Conversation Sunday 9 March, a retrospective of the twice Booker prize shortlisted novelist, who has announced his retirement from writing.


 

I will be at both the Gwyneth Hughes and Jim Crace events, taking place at the University of Huddersfield, hope to see you there.

Saturday, 8 March 2014

HLF 2014 events today Manga Con, HWG Poetry Day and Polari Up North

Huddersfield Literature Festival 2014 events taking place today are:


Manga Con 2014 at the Huddersfield Literature Festival, Saturday 8 March

Huddersfield Manga Con

Saturday 8 March
11am-6pm
University of Huddersfield

It's back - and looks set to be even bigger and better than last year.

The Huddersfield Manga Con 2014 celebrates the literature, art and Japanese culture of Manga.

Manga is a form of Japanese comic book, popular across the world for its vast selection of genre and art styles.

Events and activities include:

• Stage events
• Cosplay contest
• Art contest • Raffle
• Manga, toy & food stalls
• Artists' alley selling arts and crafts
• Loli-lounge • Game room
• Literature activities
• How to draw/craft workshops

and much more.

Student Central, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, HD1 3DH

£5 (Children under 10 go free with a paying adult).

Under 18s should be accompanied by an adult - please note, festival stewards cannot be asked to take responsibility for children and vulnerable adults.

Visit the official Manga Con website
BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

Huddersfield Literature Festival 6-16 March 2014

Holmfirth Writers Group Poetry Day 9.15am - 3.30pm AGE 14+
Room HWG 07, Harold Wilson Building, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, HD1 3DH

Remembrance Day theme with a discussion about war poets Rupert Brook (1887 - 1915) and Brian Turner (1967 - ), followed by readings of their poems and then poetry writing.  Pay on the door.


First time north of Watford!
 

Polari Up North


Saturday 8 March 2014
The Blue Rooms & Byram Arcade, Huddersfield
Doors 7pm for 7.45pm start
Event ends 10pm, bar 'til 2pm
£5 (£2.50 conc)

 
Book your tickets from the LBT Box Office HERE
or call 01484 430528

Polari is based at the Southbank Centre and hosted by author and journalist Paul Burston with guest authors, poets and performers.
This evening’s Polari, in partnership with the Huddersfield Literature Festival, is the first in a series of national events planned for 2014 – and the very first time Polari has been held north of Watford!

With featured authors:
Mari Hannah
Adam Lowe
Keith Jarrett
and VG Lee

 
'London’s most theatrical salon' THE NEW YORK TIMES
'Lively, funny and inspiring – a gay-themed salon of interest to anyone remotely interested in literature, whatever their sexual bent' PATRICK GALE
'Always fun, always thought-provoking – a guaranteed good night out' SARAH WATERS
 
Winner of

Friday, 7 March 2014

Haworth Literary Festival weekend 14-16 March 2014

Had an excellent night at the HLF 2014 launch last night.  Jah Wobble was interviewed about his career in the music scene, including Public Image Ltd (PiL) and then 80s covers band Rubix Cube got everyone dancing the night away to classic tunes.  A great night was had by all.



HLF 2014 events taking place today are: 2-4pm There are Fairies in the Gutter and 7.45-9.30pm An Evening with Sunny Ormonde (The Archers' Lilian Bellamy).  To book tickets: www.thelbt.org boxoffice@thelbt.org or call 01484 430258.


Although it clashes with the Huddersfield Literature Festival, I thought my followers may be interested to learn about the Haworth Literature Festival 2014:


Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing

Friday 14th – Sunday 16th March 2014


The Brontë Society hosts its fourth literary festival weekend dedicated to celebrating and showcasing contemporary women’s writing.
Click on the links to book

Events include:

Friday 14th March

 7.30pm: Jackie Kay readings and writings

Saturday 15th March

10am - 4pm: Festival Fun at the Parsonage!

10am - 4pm: Louise Crosby: Creative Writing Workshop

12pm: Readings by Ilkley and Calderdale Young Writers

2 - 5pm: Jackie Kay: Creative Writing Workshop

7.30pm: Sarah Dunant: Blood and Beauty

Sunday 16th March

10.30am - 4pm: Drop-in Creative Writing

10.30am - 1.30pm: Rebecca Stirrup: Creative Writing Workshop

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Huddersfield Literautre Festival launch

The launch of the Huddersfield Literature Festival takes place tonight at The Rock Café, featuring John Wardle (AKA Jah Wobble of Public Image Ltd (PiL)) and 80s covers band Rubix Cube.

I will be at the event tonight and hope to see some of my followers there.  For tickets, click on the link below:


Jah Wobble at HLF2014

The legendary bass guitarist, singer, songwriter and poet

Jah Wobble


will be making an appearance at HLF2014.

John Wardle, known as Jah Wobble since he played in the original line-up of Public Image Ltd (PiL), will be lifting the lid on his life in the music industry and reading from his poetry at the festival launch.

After his chat with music journalist Dave Simpson, there will be live music from 80s covers band
Rubix Cube. Jah Wobble replaces Jazz Summers who was originally billed to appear at the festival launch.


Thursday 6 March
6.30pm-late
Rock Cafe

£5 Age guidance: over 18s
 


BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE
For more information

READ OUR BLOG

Huddersfield Literature Festival 6-16 March 2014