Scriptwriting and development

This scriptwriter development programme is based on the premise that European films deserve a stronger place in the national and international market. Six day workshops are held in March and September each year in Chateau Beychevelle, near Bordeaux. Applicants must submit their script to a local agent for screening. Scripts passing this pre-selection process are forwarded to a selection committee in Paris. After the seminar, participants will develop their script over a period of three months. At the end of the process, Equinoxe will help the writer to find a producer. During and after the workshop, a considerable amount of energy and care is given to the selected scripts by an impressive team of advisers, which includes a number of major Hollywood players. Contact: Gerard Berger, Association Equinoxe, Tel +33 (0)1 53 53 44 88 or e-mail equinoxe@aol.com

EURODOC Script

The objective of Eurodoc Script is to improve the quality of documentary scripts intended for the international market, paying particular attention to the treatment and to European diversity. Six days in Brussels in November, plus a follow-up session four months later.
Contact: Anne-Marie Luccioni, Eurodoc, Tel +33 (0)4 67 60 23 30 or e-mail eurodoc@wanadoo.fr

INITALIZE FILMS

Film development organisation for writers, producers and directiors who want to develop screenplays. Also runs screnwriting courses in the UK and several European cities.

contact: Ian Davies, ian@initalize-films.co.uk

LONDON SCRIPT CONSULTANCY

Professional support for scriptwriters. Consultancy services include script and treatment analysis and one-to-one script development sessions.

1 Penpoll Road

London E1 1EX

Tel +44 (0)20 8510 0674

www.scriptconsultancy.com

MOONSTONE
Founded in 1997 in consultation with the Sundance Institute, Moonstone supports the work of European independent screenwriters and directors of vision, through its programme of advanced project-based development and training.

The Screen Labs: Arranging three Screen Labs a year - one Filmmakers' Lab and two Screenwriters' Labs - Moonstone facilitates the sharing of skills, talents, practical knowledge and creativity which can help bring a promising film project into successful fruition.
Free from the pressures of production, the residential Screen Labs present a tremendous opportunity for experienced screenwriters and directors to explore and develop their projects with the invaluable assistance of expert Advisors, selected with the help of the Sundance Institute. As filmmakers of international distinction, the Advisors bring with them not only a wealth of creative and industry experience, but also a genuine desire to impart this knowledge onto the next generation of European cinema.
Continued Support: Upon completion of the Labs, Moonstone continues to invest in projects, co-ordinating further liaison between participants and Advisors, producing an annual Project Catalogue for distribution to producers and financiers, and undertaking promotion at international film events - including annual networking sessions at the Edinburgh, Cannes, and Galway Film Festivals.
Who can apply?: The Labs are open to feature film writers and directors from throughout Europe. While practical development and training play a significant part in the overall process, Moonstone selects only the most innovative, exciting and original writers and directors whose projects are sufficiently advanced and are likely to appeal to an international audience. Applicants must have a proven extensive track record.

Moonstone International
67 George Street
Edinburgh EH2 2JG, UK
Tel +44 (0)131 220 2080
Fax +44 (0)131 220 2081
info@moonstone.org.uk

NORTH BY NORTHWEST

Formed in 1996, Copenhagen-based North by Northwest offers four programmes aimed at improving scriptwriting, editing and development in Europe. 'Classics' looks at techniques for feature films and TV drama, while 'Kids Stories' uses the same approach for children, youth and family audiences. 'Seven Samurai' targets tutors who use scripts in their teaching, and 'East of Eden' targets writer-producer-director teams from the new EU member states. The courses are structured as workshops over a number of months.

PILOTS Television scriptwriting workshop
At PILOTS, participants work intensively on their project with experienced tutors, benefit from the expertise of internationally renowned specialists and meet other European scriptwriters and producers. Each morning, a guest specialist talks about one aspect of scriptwriting or production followed by a question and answer session. In the afternoons, participants have a two hour session with their tutors. The guest speaker will also meet with each group to discuss their project. The rest of the afternoon may be used for writing, using the PILOTS library, videotheque and screening facilities. In the evening, there is a screening of a film or programme relevant to the lecture of the following day.

ROCLIFFE NEW WRITING FORUMS

Created in 2000 as a platform for new writing and a networking event. The formula is simple yet original - 5-8 minutes of four different scripts, rehearsed for 30-40 minutes with a director, the writer, and actors who are cast on the night. No one sees all the scripts in advance. The scene is then performed to an audience of actors, writers, directors and producers, who then give the writer feedback on his or her work. After each scene the cast become the audience and another scene is performed. Takes place monthly in London.

THE SCREENWRITER'S STORE

Latest versions of all major script formatting, production and story development software.

157-168 Blackfriars Road

London SE1 8EZ

Tel +44 (0) 20 7261 1908

THE SCRIPT FACTORY
The Script Factory is one of the UK's leading script development organisations, staging performed readings, preview and discussion events, and training activities, all focusing on screenwriting. It offers a variety of services to support writers.

"Probably the biggest problem with films right now can be traced back to the way they are scripted and the processes of script development. What the Script Factory is doing is confronting this problem head-on." Mike Figgis

Script Factory initiatives include:
Writers' Passage
A six-month support programme for new screenwriters.
SCENE
A programme of live screenwriting events staged at premier international film festivals (in 2002, these included Berlin, Edinburgh, San Sebastian, Gothenberg, Rio and London). Highlights of previous SCENE events have been Masterclasses from screenwriters including Richard Curtis and Frederic Raphael; workshops offering tips for writers ranging from how to get the best from agents, to the tricks of co-writing; and a series of 'creative discussions' involving writers, directors and their teams including Frank Cottrell Boyce, Julien Temple, Dominik Moll, Kerry Fox, Jonathan Glazer, Duncan Kenworthy, Lee Hall, Charlotte Rampling, Tom Tykwer and Graham Swift.
Development Feedback Service
Industry-level script reports on screenplays, including extensive coverage of premise, structure, character and the technical aspects of a script.
Masterclasses
Script Factory Masterclasses, in association with United International Pictures, give a unique insight into the hearts and minds of some of the world's greatest screenwriters and filmmakers. During recent years, The Script Factory Masterclasses have been given by Mike Figgis, John Madden, Lynne Ramsay, Shawn Slovo, Anthony Minghella, Robert Altman, Wes Anderson, Saul Zaentz and Lasse Hallstrom.

The Script Factory
The Square
61 Frith Street
London W1D 3JL
T +44 (0)20 7851 4890
F +44 (0)20 7851 4858
general@scriptfactory.co.uk
www.scriptfactory.co.uk

SHOOTING PEOPLE

Shooting People is a very large UK Independent Filmmakers Network that connects together over 35,000 people (growing by 300 new people each and every week). They enable people to cast and crew up over 200 independent projects a week and to communicate with each other for advice and support. It costs just £20 a year to be a full member with a lesser, free service available for people to check it out first if they want.

Shooting People runs networks with daily or bi-weekly email bulletins for:

The Filmmakers Network

The Casting Network

The Screenwriters Network

The Animation Network

The Documentary Network

The Music Video Network

SOURCES 2

An advanced training programme offering intensive script development workshops and consultancy sessions for professional screenwriters and teams of writers with co-writers, producers or directors. The programme consists of three parts: A one week workshop with participants working in small groups, a three month rewriting period, supervised by experienced script advisors, and a one day follow-up session. Participants will undergo training in the craft of screenwriting, storytelling, script analysis, genres and styles, development of structure and characters. Intensive group work and individual surgeries will focus on the development of participants' projects. The general programme includes lectures, pitching sessions for writers and producers, film screenings, film analysis and discussions. Finally, a leading screenwriter or other professional will give a lecture to share their "sources of inspiration" with the participants. Contact: Dr Renate Gompper and Marion Gompper, Tel +49 30 88 60 211 or e-mail info@sources2.de

SCREENPLAY COVERAGE.CO.UK

UK screenplay coverage and story notes from a professional reader.

info@screenplaycoverage.co.uk

SCRIPT FEEDBACK
The Script Feedback service is currently being piloted by the First Film Foundation to assist new filmmakers based in the UK and Ireland in developing feature film and TV drama projects.

First Film Foundation co-ordinates a body of freelance readers to provide written reports on any full-length feature or short film, or TV drama script submitted to them. The fee for the service is £45 or £25 (incl. VAT) depending on the length of the script. In most cases they can provide a report within four weeks of receipt of the script. At this stage they can only provide reports on full-length drama and shorts scripts and not treatment or non-drama projects.

All readers have previous industry reading experience and have all read scripts for other organisations - generally independent production companies, distributors or broadcasters. First Film Foundation assesses and monitors all readers on a regular basis. All scripts are handled in confidence and First Film Foundation and its readers will not pass scripts or information on scripts to any third party. Unfortunately it is not possible to pass on the identity of the reader or to discuss the report with them.

ScriptWriter magazine

Edited by Julian Friedmann and published six times a year. Recent articles include:

Claire Lees Ingham on adaptations
The Script is Not the Film: Mark Travis on the relationship between directors and writers
A look at the success of the US drama series Six Feet Under
Zara Waldeback does scene analysis
So Why Aren't I a Successful Comedy Scriptwriter? by Ian Cruikshanks

WRITERS COPYRIGHT ASSOCIATION
The WCA-UK is a dedicated organisation which helps writers to establish the date of creation of their literary work and, as such, to enforce and protect their copyright. They are also building a large free resource base for writers.
The WCA has been created out of the high demand in the UK for a script registration service. The organisation has been set up by writers for writers, with a dedicated legal team consulting on our behalf.

Copyright Protect your work. It's proof you wrote it, and wrote it first.

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