INAUGURAL ANIMATION NETWORKING EVENT:places limited

Should have mentioned that you need to let me know if you want to come along. The Screening Room isn't huge and we want to make sure that everyone has a chance to mingle and talk. Email me or let me know via this blog/ Facebook/LinkedIn if you want to attend, Lindsay

INAUGURAL ANIMATION NETWORKING EVENT

Animators need writers and writers who like to write animation scripts need someone to bring them alive.

Here’s an opportunity to informally meet your counterpart and, hopefully, strike up relationships that might lead to new, creative and wonderful work in animation

On Monday 30th at 7pm in the Screen Directors’ Guild Screening Room in Temple Bar, The Screen Directors Guild of Ireland (SDGI) and The Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild (IPSG) are inviting writers and animation directors to the first ANIMATION NETWORKING EVENT.

The idea is that animation directors and writers interested in or already writing in animation can meet in comfort, with a cup in their hand and get to know each other. The hope is that various collaborations and partnerships may form that will lead to interesting work in the field. It came about from a Screen Training Ireland gig when I broached the subject of where, as a writer, I could submit animation scripts. There didn’t really seem to be anywhere. Most companies create in-house and if you can’t draw, it can be hard to get a writing paw in the door.

And we need each other. Take PUNKY. I could have rattled around with that idea for years. As I have done with lots of other animation ideas and scripts. But for Monster Animation deciding to put their creative juices into it, it would still be an idea on a page. This, as a writer is frustrating. (Okay, basically, I wish I could draw!) To date, it’s turning into a very successful series that is on the verge of selling internationally in five countries that I know of, won the Producer of the Year Award for Gerard O’Rourke and has been nominated for two IFTAs.

But it seems to be crucial to develop ideas with the animation directors of companies, for the simple reason that if they are employed by a company, they need to be involved in most ideas produced by that company. Bringing a written idea from outside is difficult.

Surely for animators who need new ideas, who haven’t studied screenwriting or find it less interesting than drawing, it must be equally frustrating.

So this new group will meet on a regular basis. All animation directors and writers working or interested in working in animation are welcome; if you can’t make this one, let me know you’re interested and I’ll put your name down for the next one.

Could be fun!! Could be an interesting way to meet fellow writers and animators!! Could be the start of something amazing!!

ARCHANGEL in Dublin for one night only

A fantastic cast is gathering tonight in The Lab, Foley Street to do a rehearsed reading of the pilot script for my tv series, ARCHANGEL. Can't wait!

Last night's read-through was great fun; even some faces in the cast that I hadn't met for over 20 years. Same happened at the new York reading in September. Small world full of talent.

Tonight's event is organised by Anna Olson Nugent and Paul Nugent, as was the reading in the New York Rep... Here's hoping this is a further step towards the series getting made!

NaNoWriMo - satisfying but tough to do!

Back on target. Edging towards the 26,000 word mark on this the 16th day of National Novel Writing Month.

It's hard. Harder than I expected, but easier too. Harder to keep going but more enjoyable when you do. It has reminded me of why I write - because I love words!

Having a meter ticking over helps. I love calculating my new daily 'score' of words - I think I do it every few pars on some days. In 'stats', you can calculate your wordage by day and see what day, if you continue at that pace, you will finish; also how many words you need to write every day to reach the goal of 50,000 words by November 30th. (I think we may have a few extra crucial hours too, it being calculated in American time!)

Probably it appeals to the geek in me that needs numbers going upwards to feel the progress. Unless it's a Visa bill. Not so good when it keeps getting higher.

I took for my template a first draft screenplay that isn't working. Without really referring to the script except for snatches of dialogue that I then rewrite completely, I have just gone with the flow and I type up whatever seems to present itself. Chain of consciousness. A conscience suddenly talking. A monologue on why people fall in love. A foray into the background of a character and questions he asked that weren't answered when he was four and a half.

It's one of the most refreshing, tiring and satisfying exercises in that my other projects are also getting the benefit because my brain is being forced to create without worrying about whether it is any good. I find the words are flowing more freely on the other work I have to do, that I'm editing more clearly, that I get through work that has to be done without agonising over how long it will take.

But of course I have a sneaky hope it might be okay... if not in this draft (no, definitely not in this draft) then in the future. At least I will have the bones of a novel to pick over.

As for the screenplay, part of me is thinking the novel is better for the story while another part is seriously hoping that by writing it up as a novel, I can force the structure of the story to heal itself...

Jameson Dublin International Film Festival/ Untitled

What a mouthful!

Okay, we have till Monday to submit a one page synopsis, a logline and CV for a new feature idea to the Irish Film Board/ JDIFF for their UNTITLED competition. The theme this year is 1916, which really stymied me for a while but I have pulled an idea roughly together that would be such FUN to write. They want lateral thinking, but it has to be historically accurate - tell that to Neil Jordan re Michael Collins!

But here's my problem - they lure you in with this competition called UNTITLED. But then you have to give it a title. Is that a carrot/ stick thing? As I am woefully disastrous with titles,it would be so nice if they didn't need one...

Anyone want to swop synopses before the weekend and give mutual feedback???

Here's the link to the information too: http://www.irishfilmboard.ie/irish_film_industry/news/Deadline_for_Entries_to_the_Successful_Screenwriting_Competition_UNTITLED_Extended_to_November_14th_/1778

NEW dedicated PUNKY blog...

http://punkyandhercreator-lindsayjsedgwick.blogspot.com/

I have so many files of articles and pictures and feedback from around the world that I've decided to make a home for it all. Also, she's out there now, knocking on receptive doors and looking for international homes so it's a way of celebrating her progress as she goes.

Please comment - and let me know your own personal story - if you have one - of PUNKY.

And if you're looking for another animation series, let me know cos I may just have the perfect one for you!

Serendipity - grab hold and don't let go.

Well, the haze has shifted and the revised ARCHANGEL script has travelled cyberly to a producer in New York who knows Dick Wolf (Miami Vice, Law and Order etc) and has contacts in CBS etc. He was at the reading on Monday 26th September and really liked the writing.

Who knows where it might lead? There's a portfolio of other material ready to trail in its wake if anything does. And I have a feeling it will, in some form.

After all, he only came to the reading because an actor, Con Horgan, invited him along. I met Con at a party on the 52nd floor of an apartment block on 39th Street the night before (Sunday). (What a view!)

It was a party for the First Irish Festival in New York hosted by the Irish Consul and I was only there because I went to a series of readings the day before run by Origin Theatre Company and met George Heslin - who heads that company and created First Irish five years ago. He invited me along. (I'll be sending him scripts too, theatre this time, that he might pass on to other companies.)

But I was only there because a friend of mine (Suzanne Geraghty) was performing part of her piece at this event and introduced us.

And this only happened because I arrived in New York on the Friday - torrential rain - for the reading of my script on Monday at the Irish Rep Theatre. This event was occurring only because an actress called Anna Nugent had liked the script enough to set it all up...

And she only saw the script because I met another actor for coffee in Galway in July - Gary Hetzler - who voiced my first animation character, WULFIE, in 2008. I'd made contact again with a Cork director who wants to make Archangel the week before and mentioned the frustration on having a producer and a director and yet being unable to move it forward.

Gary had a (greyhound, apparently they sleep 18 hours a day) and a good friend in New York who was campaigning to get her own Detective series...

So I sent it off as soon as I got home.

I didn't know anything would happen in this chain of events before I booked. It all fell into place once I had.

And I nearly didn't make it to Galway for the Fleadh - to pitch feature scripts - at all.

So chin up, these waves of serendipity are out there waiting to pick you up. Enjoy the ride!