The Green Light Award

Just came across this competition via Lucy Vee on LinkedIn called Green Light. It's for ten minute scripts, max 5 characters, one location and they guarantee production of the winner, after they've optioned it for £500. The Early Bird deadline is May 1st and entry by then is £15.

I hadn't come across it before but it might be worth a shot? Apparently it is an annual writers award - I think they changed their name this year - which is hosted by the London Screenwriters’ Festival and open to all writers across the globe.

They say the primary goal of the award "is to assist writers by guaranteeing that their work is produced. We do this by purchasing the option on the winning script (£500 / $800 approx) and actually making it with an award winning team of professional film makers and actors".

They also provide professional script development prior to production as well as setting up a lunch with the winner and a top industry literary agent (UK based so if you can't make it, you can do it by phone). The winner also receives a free ticket to the London Screenwriters Festival 2011 (valued at £300).

Might be worth a shot?

The url is, and yes I know it's massive!!: http://www.linkedin.com/news?viewArticle=&articleID=350022389&gid=2902715&type=member&item=42052711&articleURL=http://t.co/wiySxe0&urlhash=BFis&goback=.gde_2902715_member_42052711

How to Sit While Writing the Masterpiece

Since we have no choice but to spend hours with our heads bent over notebooks and scripts that we need to edit, or on the computer, this might be a useful site to look at. After years of miscellaneous treatment for my right shoulder, I came across it after my osteopath suggested I look up office ergonomics online.

The site I found was www.ergonomics.com.au.

Some of it I knew, as will you - the feet flat on the floor bit for example - but other bits, I didn't. Apparently the top of the monitor should be higher than eye level. I have never managed this, given my desk has been in many rooms, the desk itself has been many sizes and shapes and the computer keeps changing. But it seems obvious.

Now I just need to find something to sit it on!

I can't influence how well the work I do on the computer will be received, or how fantastic it will be (!?) but at least I can try to set the computer up right so I don't exacerbate existing muscle damage!

How to sit:
http://www.ergonomics.com.au/pages/400_useful_info/420_how_to_sit.htm
Home office set-up: http://www.ergonomics.com.au/pages/400_useful_info/430_useful_applications/433_home_office_setup.htm

All Hale to the Scots...

Happy Rabbie Burns' Night everyone.

I dare you to print out one of his poems and make everyone you share a meal with tonight recite a verse in turn. Much whiskey permitted for older participants! (It helps!)

To get you started, the first verse of To a Mouse, written in 1785 when he was 26.

Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty
Wi bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murdering pattle.

Aimee Richardson: Punky Down syndrome media star...

http://downsdad.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/aimee-richardson-punky-down-syndrome-media-star/trackback/

Aimee and Punky on RTE 1 tonight!

Aimee Richardson, the voice of 'Punky', the central character of my series, is going to be interviewed on the Saturday Night Show on RTE tonight.

Aimee has done a fantastic job and is also an ambassador for Down Syndrome Ireland, who have been behind the idea from the series since I first approached them in 2008/9 after I'd got some Irish Film Board development money.

At that stage, I wanted to make sure I was hitting the right tone with the series and they set up meetings for me with lots of Mums and their children. You have no idea how much research goes into a series like this!!!

Now it feels real...

The first three episodes of PUNKY are finished their sound edits beautifully; the title sequence is perfect, and now all the other episodes - at different stages of completion/ development are all falling into line behind.

They look fantastic, so congrats to all involved, especially to Monster Animation and the fantastic animators, and very especially to producer Gerard O'Rourke who had the vision to know this series would work...

A Writer's Skillset - part 2: Time Management

If the first skill is the Art of Making Time/ Making Do with Time, the second is managing it.

This is my task for 2011. I'm productive enough but I know I waste time and that's frustrating. I'd like to do other things and there never seems time. I'd like to finish projects I've put on hold for ever and see if they work. I'd like to get the projects that nearly there over the edge and furrowing out success for me in their different fields...

Time Management. Nobody mentioned un-sexy beast this when we dreamed of writing, did they?

I used to be great at it. Scarily great.

I blamed it on 13 years as a freelance journalist taking on far too much work for a whole range of very different people. I think I was pretty fantastic at it right up until I got pregnant. Even then it hung on, this wonderful skill I never fully appreciated, until my daughter was about six.

Since then, as life has become more full and interesting, my work schedule has become increasingly erratic. Heavy working periods when I achieve a phenomenal amount - I recognise them because my daughter wonders aloud why I've suddenly turned into a workaholic - and the scatty periods when not nearly enough seems to get done and time passes too quickly.

So 2011 is where I take control again. I will will check emails twice during my working day. I will keep the tasks that don't require all my brain or that are fun for when I have finished a body of work in another area, such as script-editing, story development, writing. I will make sure I have time to do mad brainstorming so my new idea will grow, and that I get projects finished ahead of deadlines without neglecting everything else. And I will have a new body of work to start sending out.

I will designate pockets of time each day/ week for
1. research, networking, reading scripts and blogs and websites full of tips (except the ones on procrastination!);
2. for chasing work and hounding my agent;
3. to read the projects I completed last year and do what needs to be done so they can be send off demanding respect and production/ publication!
4. And I will write every time there are five or ten minutes when I can without finding reasons why there isn't any point because five or ten minutes isn't enough.

And when the allotted spans of time are up in each area, I will switch, and switch again. The idea is that variety will ensure that when i return to each segment, I am hungry for the work.

And since part of this 'new me' is to do a blog once a week, you'll be able to see if it works!