'Air' by Steve Turnbull - February 2009

Contacted by Steve to read and provide notes and feedback on his 30 min children's script.

UPDATE: Steve's 'Monsters' script (see below) short-listed for Red Planet Competition.

More details on both soon.

'Monsters' by Steve Turnbull - Sept / Aug 2008

Screenwriter Steve Turnbull contacted me ahead of the Screenwriting Festival in Cheltenham, and asked if we could meet up for a chat about a project he was working on. Later in August he sent me the first 10 pages of his Sci-Fi live-action drama script 'Monsters'. The plan being for me to help Steve prepare the pilot script ready for submission to the Red Planet 'First 10 Pages' Competition in September.

Needless to say, Steve wouldn't thank me for going into great detail about his script, but it was a good first draft with loads of potential. Steve had created a credible near future world and an large and interesting set of characters. However because he was setting up a complex Sci-Fi world, with an intricate backstory and set of rules that he needed to get across to the audience, the first 10 pages of the script were struggling with the subtle balancing act of: Exposition vs. Story. He had so much to explain and set up, that it was literally getting in the way of and slowing down the story.

I worked with Steve over several drafts of the script (as the September Red Planet deadline neared) and I think he did a great job speeding up the opening of the story, and coming up with inventive strategies to help deliver the exposition economically.

The deadline for the competition has now passed - so fingers crossed for 'Monsters'.

The 3rd Screenwriters Festival - Cheltenham July 2008

This years Screenwriters Festival at Cheltenham was my first, but having listened to some very inspirational speakers and having met some great fellow writers, and all in the wonderful setting of The Manor by the Lake, I have a feeling I will be back next year for some more.

I'm not going to go into great detail about the festival at this point, but will leave it to the capable hands of Screenwriting and SWF bloggers: Danny Stack and Steve Turnbull to give a more detailed picture of the three day event.