Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category

What’s Next For Stellar Network

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

You may have noticed changes at Stellar Network in the last year. For a while we’ve been thinking about what it means to be a freelance creative in a digital world, and through 2010 our events championed entrepreneurial thinking and the bringing together of people from across sectors.

We have always encouraged people to work together across theatre, film and television, so immersive storytelling seemed like the natural next step after our years of advocating that people transcend their sectors and take advantage of new digital tools.

So as part of the Stellar community, you won’t be surprised to hear that we’re very excited about the new wave of immersive stories- people coming together from traditional creative industries to work on stories that happens across different platforms, be they film, live performance, webseries, radio … and so on.

In future, collaboration and connection will be a huge part of the way we create and consume cultural content.  Immersive, interactive storytelling is a genre that’s exploding across the industries, and we’re putting our stake in the ground – we think it will shape the future for all of us.

To see why, look out for our Friday blog post which summarises some of the most exciting developments so far.

But what does this mean for the Stellar community? Well, this is an open playing field. The leaders of tomorrow are yet to be decided. Broadcasters, brands and production companies are desperately looking for ways to consistently access quality talent and content that works across multiple platforms.

We think that talent is already here – in our Stellar Network community.

So we’re now here to help you, the talented Actors, Writers, Directors and Producers from more traditional media, and get you connected with opportunities, training and conversations about the future of storytelling.

Ultimately, this is about you telling your story and getting it seen on as many platforms as possible, and Stellar Network is here to help you do that.

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.

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…)

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