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Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category

How do you put on a show about love at “London’s home of fearless new writing” ?

Friday, February 12th, 2010

A Valentine’s special from new Stellar member Tom Powis

Think politics, disorder, issues with a capital I. In fact, capitalize the whole bloody word. 503 seems synonymous with topical debate, 2009’s This Much Is True, for example. But can the fearless 503 show its lighter side?

Their new show Peter & Vandy, on which I have just been appointed Assistant Producer, certainly leans to the happier side of the human condition. About as close as 503 will ever come to RomCom, Jay DiPietro’s play is receiving its British premiere after huge success in New York.

It might seem like a safe bet, nice and comfortable and easy. But it goes against that age old axiom (which I may have just made up) that topical issues sell. This certainly seems to work best at 503 and with social/political/cultural “problems” come a whole host of potential marketing strategies. But how do you market a play where two people fall in love, then fall out of love and back in love and then back out of love, etc? This isn’t a deadly shooting on the underground or the conflicts in a gritty south London prison. This is worse. In Britain, Love and Happiness doesn’t sell.

But it’s my job to make it sell. This is going to be tough. I’ll hopefully be back with positive progress soon. Check it out at www.theatre503.com. Maybe I’ll just ask the writer to have a little rewrite. Perhaps Vandy is driven to psychosis after discovering Peter, now a premiership footballer, has been cheating and her brand new Toyota has been recalled?

Back of the net.

Tags: Blog, marketing, opinion, Theatre
Posted in Feature, Members, Theatre, Writing | No Comments »

Pitch Up 2009 – April 2nd

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Here’s an exclusive heads up about the latest edition of our successful TV pitching event, ‘Pitch Up’.

Once again, we’ve joined forces with the great people at Channel 4 to give you the chance to pitch to the people who matter.

The event will take place in the evening of the 2nd April. But to get there you have to send your amazing idea in. The standard was high last year but this time we’re prioritising ORIGINALITY and CREATIVITY. What haven’t you seen onscreen that you think would work brilliantly? How often have you stood in the pub and said “Why haven’t they made that?”

Now’s your chance.

Get your idea down, it needs to be 100 words or less. It can be a drama, documentary, entertainment or features idea – anything goes. Be as concise as possible but always keep in mind what makes your idea different.

Then go to www.stellarnetwork.com, click on the events tab and go to the ‘Pitch Up 2009′ section to register. Fill in your details and copy and paste in your pitch.

Each entry costs £5 for non-members, and it’s FREE for Stellar Network members

On the 2nd April our panel of execs will sit down and here the top 20 pitches LIVE. There’ll pick out their top 3 who will win a great selection of prizes, and might even see their idea on screen

We’ve managed to secure an incredible panel, including Alistair Pegg who commissions factual entertainment at Channel 4, Jago Lee, a vastly experienced executive producer, currently at Blink and Benjamin McGrath, who works in drama development at ITV.

Plus, we’re finalising some very special additional panelists – more details very soon!

The deadline for entries is 14th March – so get writing!

Posted in Events, Pitching, Television, Tom Sutton, Writing | No Comments »

Creating powerful movie scenes

Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

Afternoon. It’s time for another set of Top Tips on the art of screenwriting. This week’s tips are from a seminar I attended at the Screenwriting Expo in LA in November, given by Michael Hauge

The scene is all about creating an optimal emotional experience for the audience.

We do go to the movies to feel and not just to think after all.

So the big question is how do you create emotion?

If you check out the Bourne Supremacy and the scene inside the Italian embassy, where Jason Bourne is being guarded by an Italian policeman and a CIA agent attempts to interrogate him you’ll find it has everything on the following checklist.

If you don’t know the movie buy the DVD box set and watch the trilogy back to back – they’re all superb! Here’s where you can find a draft of the script online.

www.dailyscript.com/scripts/bournesupremacy.pdf

And remember, every scene must connect in some way to the hero’s goal.

Checklist – 10 qualities to have in every scene.

(more…)

Posted in Film, LA EXPO, Writing, screenwriting | No Comments »

How to sell your spec script to Hollywood

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

Afternoon. I’m Alexandra Denye, Stellar’s Administrative Director and I’m also a writer – screenplays, theatre plays, radio plays, short films you name it, I write it.

I recently went to the Screenwriting Expo in LA (Nov 12-16th) which was all I’d hope it would be. I learnt a huge amount about the craft and business of screenwriting. I attended over 20 classes ranging from subtext to a managing a million dollar screenwriting career. I networked like crazy and met lots of other writers and many professionals.

There was a star studded line up of seminars, interviews and panels including William Goldman (Butch Cassidy), Aaron Sorkin (West Wing), Nancy Meyers (Private Benjamin), Richard Price (Color of Money), Bill Marsilii (Deja Vu), Josh Olson (History of Violence), Jason Reitman (Dir. Juno), Melissa Rosenberg (Head writer on Dexter), Michael Hauge, Linda Cowgill, John Truby, Blake Snyder, William Martell and Syd Field.

I’m going to be posting ‘Top Tips’ from some of the seminars I attended and here’s the first from a seminar entitled ‘How to sell your spec script’.

It was given by Victoria Wisdom, who was an agent at Becsey Wisdom Kalajian for 14 years representing the writer/directors of Oscar winning films like The Usual Suspects and The Red Violin. Victoria also sold the hit CBS drama series Criminal Minds and repped the Oscar winners Ernest Thompson and Christopher McQuarrie as well as director Bryan Singer. Victoria recently became a manager/producer setting up the Hilary Swank starrer Labyrinths.

So she knows her stuff.

(more…)

Tags: expo, Film, network, screenwriting, stellar
Posted in Film, LA EXPO, Writing | No Comments »