Tag: freelance

Freelance Journey

How To Become a Freelancer – October Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
In September I submitted my time travel script to the Channel 4 Screenwriting scheme and have begun a Film-Making Diploma that takes place on Saturdays.

I also went to the TV and Film Meetup in London on 14th September, where I managed to make contact with an actor who is interested in my fiction podcast.

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
I met with an actor about my fiction podcast idea and have been advised by them that the next best step is to write some sides for potential auditions. I am hoping to do this within the next week.

Having someone else interested in the project has given me new drive for it and it is highly possible that I will be able to record the project in January!

Am also editing my Gold Rush script, so it’s ready for BBC Writers room which opens in November. The story is there now, it’s just the ending that still needs work.

Things Learnt:
Have begun to build myself a profile on fiverr for freelance work, as I think it will work better for me than Upwork’s system does. I am likely to be busy over the next month (all those general life things I’ve been mentioning for months are all coming to fruition before Christmas) but, once that dies down, I can give myself the Christmas present of a freelance profile!

What a good way to start the new year!

Freelance Journey

How To Become a Freelancer – September Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
In August, I received notes on my Troy script and have entirely changed the beginning point of the story as a result!

I have also signed up to a new Improvisation course starting in a few weeks’ time, and will be going to the TV and Film Meetup in London on 14th September.

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
I have the extract of my film script set dring the 1665 plague lockdown ready to submit to the BAFTA Rocliffe competition. I just need to check over all my corresponding materials and put them in the correct formats before submitting.

I finally got round to redesigning this website! Now have my own domain name (see above) and am slowly adding pages such as my new CV page.

The showreel page is still very much a work in progress and not yet live, but will be added to the site in the next few months.

In the meantime, proof-reading requests can be sent to me here. I really wanted this to be a pay-what-you-can service, and am still working on how to make sure this is set up correctly. So don’t feel like you have to go through the PayPal section to get a message to me. As long as I receive a message, I am able to work through any requests.

Have also finished Draft 1 of my Gold Rush script, and have plenty of time to edit it before December for the BBC Writers room.

Things Learnt:
Am still very much trying to save money for various life reasons at the moment, so won’t be able to update any of my software before Christmas at the earliest.

However, have begun to build myself a profile on Upwork in the meantime and will make the profile live later on this month.

Freelance Journey

How to Become a Freelancer – July Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
In June, I went on an Arvon course for screenwriting – though I still don’t have the confidence to drive to the place. Was able to get professional feedback on two of my WIPs and the first ten pages of Troy. Have therefore been making some changes to the beginning of Troy based on the feedback.

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
Am still dealing with a lot of admin tasks in all areas of my life, so the podcast drama is still on the backburner for now.
Did not get the promotion at work which on the plus side does mean I don’t have any extra responsibilities at work now and can continue to focus on my writing.
Submitted Troy – now renamed The Trojan War Diaries – into the Scribe Lounge competition. This was before the changes to the beginning so will have to see how well it does in that competition.
Have a much clearer idea of the story I need to tell with my Gold Rush script, too, so have been making edits and hoping to get that ready for submission to competitions by September.

Things Learnt:
Was told during the Arvon course that a good spec script needs drama on every page. Don’t hold things back for the second episode. Get them in the first!

Freelance Journey

How To Become a Freelancer

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
It may have been nearly two years since I last wrote something on here, but that doesn’t mean I can’t start up again now.

I am not a freelance writer. Yet. But it is where I would like my career to get to. I have a special interest in scriptwriting and can also do proof-reading, fact-checking and general feedback.

Wanting to be a freelancer is all well and good, but it’s a difficult thing to actually get there. The idea of not making the exact same amount of money each month so as to adequately budget and not starve/get evicted etc. is a frankly terrifying one.

So what is the best way to go about it? Right now. I don’t know, but I am trying my best to walk towards it and a monthly update post on what steps I’ve made towards that goal seems like a good way of keeping track of those steps and keeping this blog updated at the same time.

Each month I will write an update of where I am at with each of the scripts I am working on, what I have submitted in places, things I have learnt that others may find useful and other (AKA things I can’t fit in the other three categories).

Scripts Update:
Currently I have six finished episodes of an audio drama, that I am working towards making as a fiction podcast this year – children’s medieval fantasy is the genre. I just need to work out how to book a podcast studio and pay some actors and I’ll be off on this one!

Not currently submitted anywhere ( but has been in competitions in the past) is my screenplay about actors in the 1665 plague lockdown.

My pilot scripts of a re-telling of Troy, and time travel are both submitted into a competition and waiting to hear any news.

The time travel one is submitted into another competition also.

I am currently working on my draft 0 of three different screenplays: One about a con-artist in the Californian gold rush. One about the Puritan witch trials and one about an alternate re-telling of the Napoleonic Wars where women were allowed in the army and navy in the 1700’s.

I am editing another screenplay about two actors both up for the same role and another pilot script about vampire highwaymen.

I have also written a short (3 pages) for an evening class I am taking in film-making. Where I should get to make the short as part of the course. This script is about a spider.

Competitions:
Haven’t heard back from any competitions I’ve submitted to in the first two months of this year, but I am taking part in the Scribe Lounge Elevate competition where the deadline for submissions is June.

Things Learnt:
Have learnt the importance of budgeting, but am not yet very good at actually doing it…

Plus as I mentioned before, am taking a short course in film-making, and though I do have some knowledge of editing, I didn’t have any knowledge of actually recording film. The course has been fascinating from this aspect thus far. I have learnt that technically, film isn’t really moving – it’s just a bunch of photographs taken really really close together and then put next to each other, which our brain interprets as movement because of how we see – this can be demonstrated by just waving your arm up and down in front of a mirror, you see your arm at the top and at the bottom, but not really in the middle; in the middle, it’s a blur and your brain fills in the gaps, creating movement where it can’t see it.

So my scripts currently submitted to competitions might be creating movement that I just can’t see yet.