Tag: scriptwriting

Freelance Journey

How to Become a Freelancer – March Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
Still recovering from my burns and still off work, meaning my main focus for the next few months is whatever is going to save me the most money, as statutory sick pay is not built for prolonged absences!

However, I am getting there (I now only need one nap a day, as opposed to last month’s three).

The date of The Legend of Aramelle podcast release has been pushed back to 5th April. Partly to allow me to edit them well while still recovering. Also because I have found someone to compose original theme music for the show and wanted to give them enough time to deliver.

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
The Legend of Aramelle podcast is recorded, sound effects are in place and apart from the music, the first episode is ready for release!

Troy script was entered into the Roadmap competititon, which has altered its closing date to 12th March. Am going to submit Troy into Oxford 42 as well, but have until April to do so.

The next competititon I am entering is my time-travel script which will be entered into Scribe Lounge Elevate by the end of March.

Once I’m recovered fully, I will have to make up some work on my other scripts. However, I don’t have any plans to enter those ones into any competitions for a few months, so am focussing on one script at a time while I’m healing.

Things Learnt:
Am getting better at layering sound in Garageband and the first episode really has a good sense of atmosphere when it’s needed: such as an angry horde of villagers chasing my main character and a river progressively getting louder as they near a waterfall.


Have also learnt the benefit of leaving scripts alone for as long as possible between editing. My usual method of working is to keep going back to a script until I reach a point I’m happy to send it to competitions. However, with my time travel script I hadn’t edited it in about a year and as such have been able to identify many changes to make!


From scenes that last time I edited them seemed like vital parts of the story, that I now realise can be altered or cut completely, to adding in scenes that fit the narrative past the pilot episode has been great. Also, turns out that leaving a script for a long time means I like editing it again, rather than finding it a chore.

Freelance Journey

How To Become a Freelancer – February Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
Apologies for not releasing this until there’s only ten days left of the month! Turns out January and February were full on in more ways than one!

First, the good bits: recorded the episodes of The Legend of Aramelle and am currently editing them for release from 8th March. Am also keeping track of the budget for the show so I can see how much money I have to make back before I would be able to do a second series.

Also found two new writing competitions that Troy script would qualify for – Roadmap and Oxford 42 – and received new notes on the pilot from my writing course, that I hope to work through before submitting the script.

Finally, I have had to stay at my mum’s since the middle of January, as I badly burnt my legs – note to everyone, check your hot water bottles, please – and after initially thinking the burns were extensive, but not too deep and that I’d be back in work after a week, I actually ended up having a 5 day stay in hospital and am still having to walk with crutches after a skin graft operation!

Unable to get into work (warehouses aren’t built for crutches), it should be the perfect time for me to write. However, it turns out growing skin is hard work. Doctors regularly tell me to make sure I’ve upped my calorie intake (I’m bad at eating at the best of times) and I’m still having to have around three naps a day, but the healing is happening!

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
The Legend of Aramelle podcast is recorded and apart from some sound effects that still need adding, the first episode is ready for release!

Troy script is being worked on ahead of two competition entries and time travel script will be one entered into Scribe Lounge Elevate this year.

Other scripts have fallen behind a little as I recover, but am not too worried as don’t have any set competitions to enter them in before at least July, so would rather focus on the ones that do have set competitions while my body heals!

Things Learnt:
Editing practice is going well, and am also learning to edit audio on Garageband for the podcast.
Have made a finance tracker for the podcast. Have found it very useful to track unexpected costs – such as having to get scripts printed for the cast on the day of recording and extra travel costs to reimburse after cancelled trains.


Have also recorded some – though not all – of the needed sound effects for the show and realising the best ways to record things like people falling over has been fun. The answer is, to avoid hurting your cast, to make them go near to the floor and bascially sit down hard on the floor, while saying “oof” or some such. Played back in context, it sounds pretty realistic!

Freelance Journey

How To Become a Freelancer – January Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
In December, I sent out the scripts for my podcast to the cast and booked the recording space for January

I also finally got that new computer, meaning I was able to download Adobe Premier and start practising editing (my previous computer was too old for such a program).

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
The rehearsal and recording spaces for The Legend of Aramelle podcast are booked and I am going to work on my Troy script on the writing course which starts tomorrow.

I have been working on my goldrush script as well as a screenplay about two sisters. I know where I want to go with them both now. However, editing has been slow as I have been concetrating on sorting things for the podcast. I hope to set aside a day each for both these scripts in January so I can get back up to speed with editing them.

I have also been practising editing on Adobe Premier, which has been fun to learn. I have been teaching myself with footage from the film course I’m doing. I’ve edited the footage in a variety of different ways to learn how to use editing to tell different stories with the same footage. Though I am still very slow at it, and it would be a lot easier if I had a separate mouse for my laptop rather than the trackpad, as I keep mis-clicking.

Things Learnt:
As I have more files to work on, I’m learning the use of keeping things properly stored. Though my file system makes sense to me, it’s rather difficult for anyone else to understand, so making it easier for others to find my files, if I am working with them on a project is definitely a useful skill!

I also signed up to WriterDuet – the full version. It’s a subscription and I would prefer to buy it outright, but I’ve found it the easiest way to organise all the podcast scripts. I was using Scrivener before, where I could either have one big manuscript or 12 different files – one for each episode!

Freelance Journey

How To Become a Freelancer – December Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
In November, I finalised the cast and recording dates for my podcast and we will record in January!

I also signed up to a screen-writing course in Brighton in January and had my interview for it, so January is looking set to be a busy month!

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
I finalised the scripts for The Legend of Aramelle podcast and have sent the scripts to the cast today!

I put in one of the first scripts I ever wrote – What Came Before – to the BBC. I admit it’s not a great script for competitions, hence why I haven’t entered it to the BBC before. However, I thought as I was writing the podcast scripts – which are too short at 15-20 minutes an episode – then I could either put in an old script, or put in my Gold Rush script before it was ready. Submitting What Came Before means I can still submit my Gold Rush script in their next submission window, when it will be better. As What Came Before is a small part of a very large story, I may as well submit it to a free competition as it’s likely to never be made until I’ve made lots of other things first!

In my interview for the writing course – I did reveal to the interviewer my plan for the Trojan Horse. It’s the first time I’ve told anyone and they said it was a fascinating idea. Apologies for not repeating it here, but one day I hope you’ll find out!

Things Learnt:
Am still learning sound on the film course and getting better at it. Yesterday we were filming a short film on the beach. In December. With both the waves, wind and seagulls to contend with, I was worried the dialogue wouldn’t be hear-able at all. I couldn’t do the boom mike operating myself as well as the recording so did have help from a fellow student. Meanwhile it was my job to make sure they were pointing it in the right direction, and what levels to put the sound at so the sea is in the background and the words are in the foreground! The director listened to some of the recordings afterwards and said they sounded perfect, so I guess I’ll keep learning!

I also helped to produce that short film. The director is interested in writing themselves, so I pointed out where things could be re-written or changed but allowed them to decide how to actually re-write them. I also got to write call sheets for everyone and went about getting permission from the council to film on the beach! I did have to ring the events officer directly when I hadn’t had an answer for a few days, but that was easy once I’d found their number!

Had to promise the council I’d give everyone a H+S briefing about the sea. So here I am telling everyone to not touch the sea!
Freelance Journey

How To Become a Freelancer – November Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
In October, I met with someone who is interested in helping me produce my fiction podcast, and we have begun pre-production on it!

I also managed to get onto the latest TallStoryPictures script callout and received feedback from it, as well as feedback from Bafta for my plague script.

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
I wrote some sides – mainly short monologues for The Legend of Aramelle podcast – and have already begun to receive some audition tapes!

This is the first time I have heard any characters I’ve created be performed back at me (not counting writers reading aloud my scripts) and I enjoyed hearing them so much that I spent my Friday evening making notes!
The auditions are still open until 13/11 if you would like to send in your own tape!

Received feedback from TallStoryPictures on my Troy script, though I had given them a version prior to me (once again) re-writing the beginning after a brainwave, the feedback was very useful. It made me realise that the script is worth pursuing still even if it’s not quite there yet. Plus I will take comfort in receiving the following feedback: “you’ve got a great knack for creating characters that immediately feel like flesh and blood.”

I also received feedback on All Plays Prohibited which I submitted to the Bafta film competition. Didn’t get shortlisted, but receving such detailed feedback makes me feel like it’s worth entering again and going back to edit that script again! Plus received a specific note that I have received on this script before, which shows people do enjoy reading it, even though I am aware it needs further editing! “This is a great idea for a film because it’s a storyworld that most people aren’t very familiar with, and one that’s placed in a traumatising situation we are all very familiar with (a pandemic).”

Finally am still editing my Gold Rush script, so it’s ready for BBC Writers room which opens in November. I’m putting it through the Full Script Group on Scribe Lounge, which hopefully will help me work on the ending.

Things Learnt:
Am learning sound on my film course; the subjects I most want to freelance in are: Screenwriting, Sound and Video Editing. Doing sound does take some getting used to. You are wired up quite heavily and have a microphone cable to drag around with you most of the time, too. It’s made slightly harder by the fact that I’m under five feet tall, so a boom mike usually ends up being twice my height.

However, I am getting better at managing the cables, figuring out the correct levels to record at for different scenes and setting eveything up at the beginning. I next need to learn how to put everything away again, safely, and remove all the cables on the first go. (They have various clips and buttons to make sure they stay in place, so just pulling them out isn’t an option!)

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 – April Update

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

Intro:
During the course of March, I have finished the first draft of two new screenplays and am now trying to edit them into some coherent form. One is about witches. It was only at the end of the first draft that I realised why in fact my main character is accused of being a witch. Before that, there was no logic to the story whatsoever. Not even 1600s Puritan England logic. There is now.

I have also signed up to the website the-dots.com which lists all kinds of jobs in the industry from sound production to video editing and more. I haven’t found anything I want to apply for yet, but am looking on a regular basis.

I have realised, as well, that in terms of editing-assistant work there is in fact a surprising amount of transferable skills with my current job of working with rare books. Editing assistant work often involves labelling shots, putting them in order, syncing sound and so on. My current job involves making sure all the information given to me by the valuer matches the book I have in front of me: from title and author, to edition and value. It is the same thing only with words instead of video and audio. All I need now is to make it clear in my CV that these are transferable skills!

So on to the update!

Scripts Update:
Have not managed to do work on my audio drama this mont. I will research budgeting for a podcast studio for a few days in April and I hope to be able to book one in May.

Also in April, I will have another read-through/edit of my screenplay about actors in the 1665 plague lockdown. I try to read through my work out loud every few months, just so I am not abandoning any works before anything is done with them! Plus, if I leave the work for a few months, I’m more likely to notice mistakes when I go back to it.

My pilot scripts of a re-telling of Troy, and time travel are now back in my hands and I will re-edit them in April. The Troy script is the one I am hoping to submit into the Scribe Lounge Elevate competition, so editing that will be my priority between now and June.

The time-travel one is still submitted into another competition that I am waiting to hear from.

The draft 0 of one of my three different screenplays is now complete. The arduous task of editing has begun! I am making progress with the one about a con-artist in the Californian gold rush – I just can’t seem to work out the ending it needs. Also, as mentioned at the top, I have had a break-through in the one about the Puritan witch trials (It’s the water!) so need to go back through and make sure that doesn’t just randomly come up at the end, but is laid down from the beginning. Finally, am still working on the draft 0 of an alternate re-telling of the Napoleonic Wars where women were allowed in the army and navy in the 1700s.

Editing for my two other scripts is still ongoing. The screenplay about two actors both up for the same role might do with some time being ignored in a drawer before I go back to it, but I’m still editing it at the moment. The pilot script about vampire highwaymen now has a one-page pitch for it! I am hoping the pitch will make it clearer how I can set up what is quite a lot of lore. I have been ruthless, however, and cut out an entire main character as I realised the story would be better without them. I was only keeping them in because I liked them. You really do have to Kill Your Darlings in editing!

The short film I wrote for my film course is shot and edited! Just under three minutes long. I’m very proud with how it turned out.

Things Learnt:
Have been doing research into some agencies as I want to start sending out query letters. I have been doing research into who I want to submit to and have a list.

I have a tendency to get very overwhelmed with these sorts of things – when anything becomes official I want to run a mile – so, to make it less overwhelming, I am giving myself the whole year to submit these query letters. I have 14 agents I would like to query overall. As long as I average two a month, I’ll be done by the end of the year. The worst that will happen is I don’t hear back!

Finally, I have been hearing a lot recently about the benefits of going to production companies over agents first as that way you can approach an agent by saying you have a production company interested already – making their job a lot easier. I am unsure if this is the right fit for me, but provided I don’t get overwhelmed, maybe in a few months’ time I can have a separate list with which I can approach both at once to see who bites first.

What are your thoughts on the ‘production companies versus agencies first’ debate?

Freelance Journey

Writing To Budget

Christy.E.SLeave a comment

As part of the film course I’m attending, we get the opportunity to film two short films – up to three minutes in length.

Naturally, I jumped at the chance to get a script made (Even if only three minutes) and happily mine was one of the two selected.

The lecturer for the course liked my idea because of its simplicity.

The short film only needed one actor (and a spider or fake spider), could be filmed all in one room (with a sound effect of someone rifling through kitchen cupboards needed at one point but done out of vision) and really that was it.

The script originally took place in an old cottage with multiple rooms, but seeing as there’s only one living-room set available, I did some re-writes so it could all take place in one room.
The lecturer noted that a lot of the scripts received are too ambitious for the budget of £0.00 that is available to students and it made me think.

I have often been told in screenwriting not to worry too much about how things are going to happen. If you need a fiery tornado in order to tell your story, then put in a fiery tornado in order to tell your story. How the fiery tornado gets made and put into the story is a problem for the director, editors and special-effects crew to actually make happen.

But what if that’s not an option to begin with?

Re-writing a script multiple times is something that writers have to do on a set. Re-writing scenes so they take place in different rooms if one isn’t available, different characters if an actor isn’t available. So surely that might also include taking out the fiery tornado if no-one can make a fiery tornado?

Re-writing the script so it can be done in another way, with fewer characters or suddenly take place in one room instead of three is an interesting exercise and tests my ability as a writer.

Sure I might need a fiery tornado to tell my story, but without one what will happen? Will the characters see the tornado outside the window, but it will be invisible to the audience? Maybe we hear about it on news segments or we simply see its aftermath?

It’s made me think that in future this will be a useful exercise to try with all of my scripts. How many ways can I think of to tell the story I need to? Therefore I can learn not only which approach works best from a writing point of view, but which one works best from a camera operating/directing/editing point of view, too, and they might not always match up!

Besides anything else, we discovered that the best way to film the (fake) spider falling into a mug of hot chocolate was to tie thread around it, put it in the mug in the first place and slowly pull it out of the mug from out of shot. We will then, in the editing process, reverse this footage so it looks like it’s falling in. Which means I have given everybody on the course the chance to learn how to reverse footage as a bonus lesson!

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.