Wednesday, 8 January 2020

McKee Seminars and scriptwriting competition, deadline 29 January 2020

With a scriptwriting competition and seminar dates, here is the latest information on upcoming McKee Seminars:

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2020 Golden Globes Success Stories
Congratulations to all our 60+ nominees and 11 winners!
The 2020 Golden Globes was another great success for McKee Seminar graduates, with 60 + nominations across 9 categories.
Every awards season, McKee alumni are among those recognized as the best in the storytelling world. Join us at a seminar this spring to master your craft and become a part of this growing collective of award-winning creatives.
Just a few of the Golden Globe nominees
and winners involving McKee alumni:

JOKER
JOJO RABBIT
TOY STORY 4
SUCCESSION
FLEABAG
THE IRISHMAN
FROZEN II
KILLING EVE
THE CROWN
CHERNOBYL

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What Do Audiences Want From Your Story?

Every audience wants the anthropological pleasure of entering a world they do not know. They want to part the leaves of the jungle and discover a glimpse of something they've never seen before. In other words, you don't go to the storyteller to learn what you already know.
Audiences go to the writer with this prayer: "Please let this story bring me an experience that I've never had before, that I could never have."
But if it was as simple as discovering the unknown, then why don't audiences just read or watch non-fiction? The answer is simple. They want to enter a world they don't know, but discover characters that are human beings at heart just like them.
The audience wants to discover themselves.
Characters possessing a core humanity that resonates with their humanity allows the audience to empathize, and therefore live vicariously. These are the stories that travel around the world and last.
What audiences crave from storytelling is something that is culturally-specific, and universally human.

The principles of story are universal.
Master them at a
McKee STORY Seminar this spring.


"Story is waiting for newer voices, and it's up to all of us to contribute. Mr. McKee's leadership is a marvelous bridge."

— Zillah Glory, Actress/Writer (NYC Story Alummus, Fall 2019)


 

McKee's 2020 Spring Seminar Schedule
LOS ANGELES
NEW YORK
LONDON
( STORY ) Mar. 26-28
( LOVE STORY ) Mar. 29
( STORY ) Apr. 16-18
( TV DAY ) Apr. 19
( STORY ) May. 14-16
( COMEDY ) May. 17

Professional, Student and Repeater discounts available.
(Contact mariah@storylogue.com for details.)


 

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Judging Your Own Writing

Robert McKee teaches how writers must retain some objectivity about their own writing in order to judge whether a story is working or not.


 

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A Message from Our Friends at Gotham Writers

Get an early start on that New Year's resolution to write and treat yourself to a Gotham Writers class! Gotham Writers is a creative home where writers develop their craft and come together in the spirit of discovery and fellowship. With classes starting now in NYC and Online, there's never been a better time to write. Check out their wide array of classes: http://bit.ly/1S6EEvi


 

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We're looking for the top drama writers - is that you?

Final Deadline is January 29
Enter your script here

Winner Flown to LA and set up on meetings with top industry executives & producers behind Oscar-winning A Star is Born, Berlin, I Love You, To The Stars, Oscar-winning Crazy Heart and more!
 
ALL 10 finalists' loglines and bios will be sent out to
500 industry executives in an exclusive Stage 32 look book!

What Can I Enter? 

We are accepting all feature length dramas. No matter the size of your project's budget, whether you write indie or studio, it doesn’t matter. Our judges simply want to find the most talented writers and the most interesting drama projects from around the world.

What Do the Top 10 Writers Receive? 
Grand Prize Winner
The Grand Prize Winner will be flown to Hollywood and sent on private one-on-one meetings with executives from MGM, First Friday Entertainment, Schemers Entertainment, Disrupting Influence, Informant Media and many more!
Top 10 Finalists
All Top 10 Finalists will have their screenplay title, logline & writer bio sent to over 500 development executives, producers, managers & agents who work with Stage 32. If an executive requests the script or a meeting, we will facilitate!
 
Feedback Option
For an additional fee of only $49 you can receive 1-2 pages of coverage from our industry readers on your screenplay. Just check "coverage" upon checkout.  Enter your script here!
 
Unprecedented access. Better exposure. More reads. Real success!



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"The alternation between tension and relaxation
is the pulse of living. In some stories it's salient,
in others subtle."


— ROBERT MCKEE —

Make it a Happy New Year

Help your partner, friend or family member stick to their New Year's writing resolution by giving them the rite of passage for all creatives, McKee's STORY Seminar.
Contact mariah@storylogue.com for information on seminar gift certificates.


 

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Bundle Up For Winter!

Need a gift idea this holiday season? Order STORY, DIALOGUE and STORYNOMICS as a bundle through the McKee Store using the promo code winter2019 and receive $15 OFF.
Already own STORY and want to complete the set? Use promo code 2for55 and SAVE $10 on DIALOGUE and STORYNOMICS together.
This offer ends December 31st, 2019.


 


Mastering the Rhythm and Tempo of Story
Two fundamental principles control the momentum of your play, novel, film or TV show.
Rhythm is set by the length of scenes. For example, a typical feature length film contains forty to sixty scenes. This means, on average, a scene lasts two and a half minutes. If the average length of scene in your script is five pages, your story will have the pace of a postal worker on Valium.
On the other hand, tempo is the level of activity within a scene via dialogue, action or a combination. A character staring out a window coming to a vital life decision may have a low tempo, an argument in a courtroom, a high tempo.
A well-told story balances rhythm and tempo to accelerate pace. Like music and dance, story is kinetic. We want to use the power of storytelling to hurl the audience toward act climaxes because scenes of major reversal are generally long and tense.
Pace must be shaped by the writer, for if we don't, the editor will.

Master the Pace of Your Storytelling
at a McKee Seminar Next Spring.

LOS ANGELES
NEW YORK
LONDON
( STORY ) Mar. 26-28
( LOVE STORY ) Mar. 29
( STORY ) Apr. 16-18
( TV DAY ) Apr. 19
( STORY ) May. 14-16
( COMEDY ) May. 17

"McKee's STORY Seminar has really clarified a lot of concepts I'd been confused about. I feel like I can write good, engaging story with a lot more confidence now."

— Jeannie Stivers, Writer (Los Angeles STORY Alum, Fall 2019)

Professional, Student and Repeater discounts available.
(Contact mariah@storylogue.com for details.)


 

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The Rhythm of Story

Robert McKee teaches how writers can manipulate rhythm and tempo by mixing up the length of scenes in a story, in order to progress and accelerate the telling to a satisfying climax.


 

A Message from Our Friends at InkTip


Whether you're looking for scripts or have some of your own, InkTip can help you. 393 movies have been made from scripts and writers found on our site.


 

Follow McKee Seminars:
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Tuesday, 7 January 2020

Cleckheaton Writers Goup meeting Minutes 6 January 2020

Cleckheaton Writers Group met for the first time in 2020 last night at Cleckheaton Library 5.30-7pm where Gemma, Janet, Karen, Kathy and Cassie were in attendance, Mandy, Sarah, Daniel, Lisa, Sam and Alice having passed on their apologies.

Following on from the sudden death of our dear friend, CLF Treasurer and CWG member Pauline over Christmas, members reflected as we looked at the inspiring laminate she prepared for the group before Christmas. The laminate reads: It is impossible to be wrong, write what you want, don't judge yourself as you write, allow yourself the freedom to write badly, weird is good. We will be displaying this laminate at each meeting in her memory. Karen assured members that she will let them know funeral details once the family confirm them.

The minutes from the last meeting were passed (thank you Kathy) and WIP updates given: Karen has applied for a playwrighting course with WYPH (was not accepted), a FREE Jericho Writers annual membership (not chosen), entered Rowan Coleman Writers Retreat twitter contest (not successful), entered Phoebe Morgan twitter crime writer critique competition and submitted Digital Heroin to the Chicken House open submission day on 2 January. She has also been reading and planning for her Golden Egg course and for her 2020 submissions/writing/publishing goals. That day, she finished editing her picture book story My Grandma is a Vampire! which she had brought along to share. Gemma also entered the Rowan Coleman Writers Retreat twitter contest (not successful) and has been researching agents/publishers for her novel. Janet has written a new poem which she brought along to share, Cassie has written a few short stories as part of her U3A course and Kathy has sadly been unwell.

CW comps/workshops/events: Karen passed around the latest Writers Magazine which had details of writing competitions and informed members of the Retreat West micro fiction competition for January. It is 100 words (not including the title) inspired by the black and white photograph on the site (Karen has passed the link to interested CWG members). She also mentioned the Screen Yorkshire Film & TV Craft Courses (one week left to apply) for those interested in screenwriting (Karen has passed the link to interested CWG members). Gemma informed members about the Psychology of Character workshop £40 for the day, a Writers Retreat and the New Writing North Awards (now open for entry).

Feedback sessions: Karen shared her picture book story My Grandma is a Vampire! explaining the suggested story illustrations. This was well received by all  with Cassie commenting that as a retired teacher, she could imagine reading a story like that to her former pupils. Karen will be sharing this story with her York SCBWI group in January and then hopes to start submitting. Cassie shared her short story 'Denzel Bone' with the group explaining that the U3A exercise was to use description using the senses. It was a vivid story, some members feeling like they were there. Janet shared her poem with the theme 'looking back.' The poem was well received and the group encouraging Janet to enter this into a competition.

Writing Challenge: For those members that wish to write something for the next meeting, the challenge theme is 'New Year.'

The next meeting will be on Monday 20 January at Cleckheaton Library 5.30-7pm. Meetings fortnightly thereafter and new members always welcome.





R. I. P. Pauline Scatterty


Monday, 6 January 2020

Things to do this week in London

In my regular feature, here are some ideas of things to do this week for those of my followers who live in or near to London:







Country and Town House






10 Things to Do in London This Week
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1. Join the Veganuary movement and trial delicious vegan cuisine with JAE at Hovarda

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2. Catch the last of London’s open ice rinks and skate without the crowds  

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3. Start 2020 on a positive note at Carousel’s uplifting pop-up: four days of talks, Q&As and workshops focused around all-things wellness

😂
4. Your antidote to January blues: comedian Chris Redd at Soho Theatre

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5. Get your ‘new year new me’ sweat on with a high intensity (but seriously fun) spin class in the city

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6. In with the old, out with the new; clear out all your old clobber and sustainably swap your pre-loved garments with Swish & Style at Round Chapel, Clapton
  🔍
7. Visit Concealed Histories at the V&A, the first UK exhibition to explore the Gilbert Collection in the context of its ‘troubling history’

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8. Dry Jan doesn’t have to be dull. Head to one of these C&TH recommended bars for your booze-free fix

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9. Take to the ice at Alexandra Palace for a Dirty Dancing vs Grease skating spectacular with Club De Fromage on Ice

🎦
10. Sam Mendes' latest film is one to watch. Catch 1917 at Hampstead's Everyman Cinema, out on the 10th


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