We don’t know jack about TV September 24, 2009
Posted by James D Hartland in BBC, BBC Writer's Room, Seminars, TV, Television, Training, UK Film Council.5 comments
I attended another two days of seminars his past week, and as ever they were about feature films. I must have gone to 20 such events in the past few years, all about feature film writing, all provided for free from my local screen agency.
The problem is, here in the UK, everyone agrees that TV is where a writer stands the best chance of making a living from their craft, and that even if you did go on to make films you would probably work on a TV show at some point.
So where are the TV seminars?
I’d like to think I’m almost an expert on film structure by now, in part because I have gone to so many of these seminars; but I couldn’t begin to tell you what is the best way to deal with character development over several series of a TV show, or what is the best way to structure an episode into acts or sequences to best maximise the format; other than using my gut instinct of course. It seems to me like there is a massive training shortage on this sort of thing.
At least from my perspective.
Maybe if I was in a different part of the country there would be loads of this training, but here in the North East there hasn’t been diddly. The BBC do a couple of mentoring schemes for writers based in the north, but that is kinda too little too late because by the time you get on one of those schemes you are already a really good writer well on your way to being a professional.
Where are the grass roots training schemes? Why aren’t there more seminars that do “TV drama structure 101″. The BBC or who ever could get 100 writers at a time and tell them everything they need to know to go away and write a nicely structured show. I mean this is essentially what these Film seminars are aimed at doing, just raising the grass roots level of knowledge on how to write a good feature film. They don’t set out to turn you into the finished article.
It just seems crazy to me that I know shit loads more about how Hollywood writes its scripts than I do about my own country’s TV, which like I say, is most writers’ best chance of making a living as a screenwriter.
I guess the problem stems from there being a Film Council to oversee the development of the Uk Film industry but there’s not really a TV Council over seeing the development of Television in the same capacity. But there are some funding bodies out there providing training for Television so there’s no excuse for why I should be able to go to 20 film seminars and only 1 TV seminar in the same time period.
That said, my own personal lack of knowledge on TV writing also stems from the bias of screenwriting books to deal with feature films. I must own 20 books on films but only one or two that are applicable to TV. In fact I can’t really remember anyone ever recommending me a single TV book to pick up. Everyone just reads books about feature films it seems.
In fact, consider this a shout out… anyone who knows a good book about writing TV drama leave a comment below. Realising there is this training gap I’d really love to go away and learn all about TV writing.
Stinger Screening June 28, 2007
Posted by James D Hartland in Digital Shorts, Directing, Events, NFM, Screen Agency, Short Film, Stingers, The Badass, UK Film Council, UK Film/TV industry, Writing Samples.add a comment
The other day I attended the premier of this years Stinger films. Notable for one of the films being mine! In fact not only did I write it but I also directed it.
(Stinger = Northern Film and Media’s name for their local branch of the nationwide UK Film Council funded Digital Shorts scheme. Northern Film and Media being the North East’s local Screen Agency.)
For those people reading this blog in the UK who have aspirations of becoming a professional in TV or Film then getting in touch with your local Screen Agency and finding out about schemes like the Stingers is essential. Screen Agencies are wonderful resources. They can offer all sorts of free training, job opportunities, funding, career advice, and much much more. Go contact them!
Anyways, so it was the premier of my film; The Badass.
The event was held at the Gate cinema in Newcastle, which was a pretty typical cinema, although the screen did seem huge when I walked into the room, knowing that soon enough my little HDV short film would be shown on it.
15 Short films had been commissioned this year as part of the Stinger scheme, some with 3k budgets and some with 10k budgets; and all these films were shown back to back. (Badass was a 3k film).
As with previous years, some films were good, and some were bad. I’d like to think my film was somewhere nearer the good side! People did come up to me afterwards and said they enjoyed my film but I’m generally cynical of such statements because I don’t believe anyone would tell me it stank if that’s what they thought.
Truth be told I wrote the Badass 2 years ago and I wouldn’t say is representative of what I am capable of writing these days (You can check the script out on my writing samples page), so if it did stink… well I am better now!
I’d also be the first person to hold my hands up and say I am not the words greatest director. In fact, off the back of doing this film I basically decided that rather than be a screenwriter with aspirations to also maybe direct, I am now comfortable to be a screenwriter and nothing more.
I think everyone starts off wanting to direct, and the sooner you can realise what it is you actually are actually going to do in the industry then the sooner you can start learning your craft and making a living from the industry. This is an interesting topic in and of itself, so I will perhaps come back to it in another blog. But now back to the screening —
The screening was notable perhaps most of all for one thing. They showed all the films in 4:3 aspect ratio. Which for you none techie people means they showed films in old fashioned square vision rather than widescreen, despite the fact all these films had been shot in widescreen. Just about every one I spoke to afterwards was annoyed that all their hard work had been diminished by a lousy projection. People also seemed to comment on the picture being way darker than it should have been, something I kinda picked up on during my film but not to the point that it made me think the look of my film had been ruined.
After the screening all the writers, directors and producers hung around and got their pictures taken. I squinted every single time the flash went off so I hope I don’t look like an idiot in the pictures. I’m a short arse so I was at the front of all the pictures, so any idiot faces being pulled will be easy to spot.
After that there was a party in a nearby bar. No free booze was provided, nor was there any free food which upset my parents who were very hungry. I wasn’t expected to be fed so it was OK. I’d rather they spent the money on films than on sausage rolls.
If I can moan about one thing of the party it would be to say that the music was way too loud. In what was basically a forum for people to network and catch up and generally discuss stuff, having to shout in each others ears to be heard was somewhat frustrating. I attended last years party in a different bar and while it was loud I certainly don’t remember having to shout over music to be heard. I’m not really an out going party person anyways, I’m a writer for christs sake!! So for me having to shout to be heard is more than just an annoyance, its a hindrance to actually talking to anyone.
If anyone at NFM ever reads this blog then please note… no loud music at these things in the future!!
That about wraps up my thoughts on the night. I cant really go into which films I liked and which I didn’t because I might offend people with my comments, or just offend them by having really lousy taste in films!
Here are some stills from the Badass for your viewing pleasure. These are just DVD dumps so it will look way better in its native format.
Also… the picture at the top of the blog… that’s not a still from the film its a photoshop job by a friend 
Busy little bee June 24, 2007
Posted by James D Hartland in Career, Horror, Personal, Romcom, UK Film Council, Writer's Lifestyle.add a comment
My apologies for not writing anything lately. The truth is I haven’t really thought about my blog hardly at all over the past few weeks. I did start writing a big long theory based post but I decided to ditch it, and hence there’s been no updates.
I guess this lack of blog posts is because of my new found busy schedule. After working more or less on one project since the start of the year I have now decided I am far enough along in that feature film’s development that I can start some new projects.
The other week I started work on a horror feature film, and in addition to getting my basic plot beats down I have been watching a whole bunch of horror films. It is making me realise just how fond of schlock I can be, since even a fairly pants horror movie can still be entertaining.
I’m pretty pleased with the speed of which I was able to get the basic structure down for the horror film after it taking me months to get to a similar place with my romcom, though obviously there is still a long way to go. Especially since I have yet to come up with any logical explanation for the sci-fi element of this horror film, or to put it another way; I’ve got a kick ass hook, but no reason to explain why this hook should happen besides the fact it’s kick ass.
The other thing that is taking up my time is a new short film I’m writing for a particular UK Film Council scheme. I’m a bit concerned that the budget might become an issue with this film, which is kinda making me think stuff like “well I can’t have that scene take place where I want it to because that’s a whole other location”; but whatever, I’ll just write it and see what can be changed later.
Both of these projects are in addition to also working on the romcom (which I’ve been working on since time began it seems). I’m hoping to reach another landmark in that films development in the next month so it’s not like I’ve taken my foot off the accelerator with this film.
So there you go… a short insight into what I have been getting up to lately. I’m off to a screening of the Film Council short I directed last year in a couple of days, so my next blog will be about that no doubt.
Anyways, I now must get back to the writing. I’ve promised myself I’ll get this short film finished today.
The Badass March 1, 2007
Posted by James D Hartland in Close Encounters, NFM, Short Film, Stingers, The Badass, UK Film Council, Writing Samples.add a comment
“The Badass” was one of the first shorts I wrote and got me into the final 8 nationwide of Close Encounters’ Mini Masterpieces scheme, and was later commissioned as part of the Film Councils Digital Shorts scheme.
Visit the Writing Sample page to check it out.
Learn some theory biatch! December 14, 2006
Posted by James D Hartland in Books, Comedy, First Draft, Rants, Rewriting, Syd Field, Theory, UK Film Council.1 comment so far
I wanted to write a blog entry about the importance of learning screenwriting theory because of late I have read a number of scripts in my work as a script editor which have highlighted to me the lack of basic understanding people have of what it takes to make a good story.
Screenwriting theory is a big topic to cover, so where to start?
Firstly I wanna say that I do think that the more theory you learn the better your writing will be, and the quicker you will improve as a writer. Having had the privilege to go on several very informative writing courses I can say without hesitation that I simply could not write or edit scripts to any where approaching the standard I do today had I not learnt the basic of what makes a story work and what doesn’t. I was lucky to learn the basics of writing on a course devised by Phil Parker who also did the screenwriting course at the National Film and TV school, and I cant recommend him enough as someone to listen to and learn from. His particular methodologies for assessing what works and what doesn’t are some of the best tools a screenwriter can employ in my opinion. But regardless who is teaching you, and who’s methodologies you are learning, theory should help you write better stuff and isn’t that what everyone wants to do?
I would agree with what McKee writes in his book ‘Story‘; that people who shun theory by saying it is just a way of creating by-the-numbers, dull works, are doing so in the same way an every teenager shuns to the rules of society around them. They do so, not because these rules are wrong, or need changing, but because they are unsure about their identity as a newly fledged adult (or writer), and trying to move away from the established way of doing things is the easiest way for them to identify themselves as an individual worthy of attention. And just like becoming a mature adult, becoming a mature writer is accepting that things are generally done a certain way because that is the best way to do them.
I do NOT however believe that theory alone will make a good writer, and I think a lot of these people who stump up their £250 to go on a weekend seminar are mostly wasting their money because this is what they secretly hope their money will buy them. They hope to learn the magic formula to turn their crap script into a good one.
(I for one believe that screenwriting seminars, while undeniably helpful just don’t represent value for money when you are a struggling writer. You can buy the same guys exact lecture in the form on a book for less than £10 on Amazon, and in many respects a book is better anyways as you can go back to it time and time again.)
I think people should realise that theory above all else is an editing tool. It wont make you come up with ideas that don’t stink all of a sudden, but what it will do is tell you when your idea does stink, and tell you specifically why it stinks so that you can do something about it. Once you realise this then theory becomes a wonderful tool, its the thing that keeps you sane.
I have recently written a first draft of a feature film which at the moment sucks. But I’m not worrying that it sucks because I know why it sucks, and exactly what needs to happen to remove the suckyness. The theory wont tell me specifically what I need to write in the second draft, it wont do the work for me; but what it has given me is a map of where I need to make changes. Now its just up to me to use my skill as a creative person to fill in these changes with wonderfully entertaining original stuff, that’s the hard part of being a writer, but not nearly as hard as it is stumbling in the dark with no idea what needs changes, while also trying to write the “majestic stuff”.
OK, so now I have gotten what I think of theory out of the way I can talk a little about what the main theory mistake is that I come across.
Firstly I am going to say that I used to make this very same mistake when I first started writing, so I can very much identify with this mistake. But through learning as much as I can I have been able to combat this problem.
What is it?
Basically its the problem of writing a whole bunch of stuff happening rather than a story.
What I mean by this is that a story has story beats – we are introduced to a hero who’s life is either perfect or its terrible, but either way something happens to disrupt this world and the character has to go on a journey, either emotionally or physically, and the problems which the hero faces on this journey results in the hero learning something about himself.
The problem comes when inexperienced writers fail to implement these story beats and instead just have a bunch of things happening one after the other. I”ll often read scripts where are the equivalent of this.
- A character is seen to be bored.
- For no reason what so ever the character decides to walk to the shops.
- The character buys a mar bar and then bumps into a friend.
- The two of them talk about the weather.
- The protagonist comes home again and eats his Mars bar.
Essentially this is just a bunch of stuff happening. And bunches of stuff do not make for engaging and interesting stories. It could be that instead of talking to a friend about the weather the hero instead talks to a lollipop lady about the football, it wouldn’t make any difference because it was just a bunch of stuff happening.
I am forever telling the writers I edit that the problem with their script is that there is no outside force to motivate the character to go on the journey in the first act, or that there isn’t any obstacles to them achieving the goal, or that the character has zero growth and learns nothing from his experience, or that the ending is in no way a resolution to the events that came before it. Essentially they have a bunch of stuff happening rather than specific, calculated story beats that work together to create an engaging story.
In the example above with the Mars bar is a really banal situation, but I have read script with really far out there concepts that fall in the same trap. They maybe have a really outlandish journey across outerspace fighting aliens, but the whole first act sets up that they like to go on outlandish journeys every weekend fighting aliens, and as a result they come home again having learned nothing about themselves. That’s just not a story, its a bunch of stuff! The stuff happening might be interesting in and of itself, but there needs to be more than that.
I attribute this problem as a failure to understand the basic principles of what makes a story engaging. Namely conflict, and character growth. The sooner a writer can realise that a bunch of stuff happening doesn’t make a story the sooner they can write really interesting, engaging scripts.
A note to writers: Even short films need some sort of character growth, even if it is just going from being constipated to not being constipated. You gotta have some change in there!
So how does a writer go about really getting it down and making sense of what is a story rather than a bunch of stuff? Like I have mentioned above, its a case of reading books. Its really that simple; become well read in screenwriting.
I am always really surprised at just how many aspiring writers I meet who have read 1 or 2 books at most. Im even more shocked when they say that all the books are the same so once you have read 1 you have read them all.
I find that that every new book I read I am learning something new, or at very least, I am gaining a better understanding of something I already knew through further examples and a new perspective on the same things. I find some books are great for characters, others are great for plot, some will hit you over the head with one specific point like the use of dramatic irony, or the use of sub plots, but either way I am learning all the time.
I am planning to compile a list of some of the books I have found helpful, not only as a writer, but in other film disciplines as well, in the next few days. So keep an eye on that for some suggestions of which books to look out for.
Then get yourself on Amazon and order a bunch of them and get reading! The sooner you apply what you have read to your work the sooner it will improve. Like I say, knowing theory wont write the script for you, but it will help you identify what works and what doesn’t, and since writing IS rewriting, knowing these things are going to help you no end.
But what ever you do, don’t write a bunch of stuff, write a story!
