Zombie Bashed Storyland

The winner of this year's RTÉ Storyland competition is:

Zombie Bashers, written by Stephen Shields and directed by Conor McMahon.

Galway Pitching Award 2010

The Galway Film Fleadh Pitching Award is now open for submissions.

The pitch should be a 500-word story idea for the screen, and each entry is reviewed by a panel selected from the film industry. The best five are short-listed.

The five writers are contacted and invited to present their pitch to a panel of judges. This takes place in front of an audience during the Galway Film Fleadh.

The winner of the competition receives €3,000, and the attention of the industry.

The deadline for applications is Friday 18th June 2010 and further details are available on the website. Each entry must be accompanied by a €30 fee.

Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award

Each year the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation awards the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award.

The competition is designed to motivate non-American novice writers under the age of 30, and to offer them the recognition and encouragement that might lead to a successful career in television scriptwriting.

The winner will be flown to New York City to be presented with an award and a US$2,500 prize at the International Emmy World Television Festival on November 20, 2010. The winning script will be read by actors in front of an audience at the Festival, and the winner will be invited to take part in the red carpet festivities at the 38th International Emmy Awards on November 22, 2010.

To enter, you will need to create a completed half-hour to one-hour English-language television drama script suitable for a family audience.

The deadline is 1 July 2010, and an application form can be downloaded from the web site.

Coming Up in Belfast

Northern Ireland Screen has teamed up with Channel 4 and Touchpaper TV to host a special Coming Up event in Belfast on Wednesday 19th May.

Coming Up is the only talent scheme currently in the UK where emerging film-makers have the opportunity to make an authored drama with a guaranteed network broadcast.

Ben Stoll, Channel 4’s Coming Up commissioning editor, Elinor Day and Emma Burge, Touchpaper producers, will be in Belfast along with local writer Ronan Blaney, who wrote Boy one of the successful 2010 Coming Up films. Three of this year’s diverse 30 minute films will be screened, including Boy.

Applications are now open for Coming Up 2011, after the screening Ben will explain what Channel 4 is looking for. Emma and Elinor will discuss how the production works and Ronan will speak about his experience of the scheme. There will also be time to network following the event.

This is an excellent opportunity for writers and directors who are trying to break into the film and television industry.

The event is free of charge and Northern Ireland Screen strongly encourage all local writers, directors and emerging short and feature film makers to attend. Places are limited so please contact ursula@northernirelandscreen.co.uk as soon as possible to secure a place.

Date: Wednesday 19th May
Time: 6.00pm
Venue: Moviehouse Cinema, Dublin Road
Contact: ursula@northernirelandscreen.co.uk

Further information on Coming Up can be found here.

Give me Direction II

After the success of last year's event, Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board announced yesterday the return of the screenwriting event Give Me Direction, which will be run in association with the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.

This year the focus of the conference will be on interrogating the topic of comedy in filmmaking. The two day event will be held on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th June in Dublin.

Further details of the event and the release date for tickets will be announced shortly.

Dublin Scriptwriters Group

Ever thought about joining a writers' group?

Being a writer can be, by its nature, a fairly solitary existence so being part of a group can be invaluable. As well as the companionship, it is also important to have someone (who isn't your mammy) with whom you can share your writing, get (honest!) criticism from and bounce ideas off.

The Dublin Playwrights and Screenwriters Group (apologies for the long title) is one of two groups which meet every two weeks in Filmbase in Temple Bar, Dublin, to discuss our stage and screen writing projects and generally chat about what's going on in the writing world. If you think a group would be helpful to you and your writing, we would like to invite you to come along to one of our meetings to see if you would like to join.

You can get in touch with us through the IPSG (info@script.ie or 01 6709970) and we can arrange for you to come to the next meeting.

Happy writing!

Paul FitzSimons
Group Co-ordinator
Dublin Playwrights and Screenwriters Group

Dublin Arts Bursary

Dublin City Council is looking for applications for its Arts Bursary of €4,000, which can be used to fund studies at an advanced level or the development of work/ professional skills.

Artists, resident in Dublin City Council’s administrative area, can apply for a Bursary in Visual Arts, Music, Dance, Drama and Literature. One Bursary will be awarded in each discipline.

Application forms, guidelines and criteria may be obtained by contacting:The Arts Office,Dublin City Council,The LAB, Foley St, Dublin 1.
Tel: 222 7850 or email: maura.carty@dublincity.ie

Deadline for receipt of applications is 5pm Friday May 14th 2010. Only applications in hardcopy form will be accepted.

Application forms and information on how to apply are on the web site.

BBC Writers Academy

Applications are now open for the BBC Drama's Writers Academy

Outline

The training you receive from BBC Drama’s Writers Academy will give you the specific skills required to write for some of the BBC’s most popular series such as Doctors, EastEnders, Holby City and Casualty, and a springboard to write across all the BBC’s drama output.

To be eligible for this scheme, writers will have already had at least one professional (paid) drama commission in film, television, radio or theatre.

The Writers Academy will train up to 8 writers a year, over a period of twelve months.

Course Breakdown

The course will break down as follows:

Introduction to Writing for Continuing Drama Series

This is a 3 month training course in writing for Continuing Drama Series which will consist of a number of workshops and lectures accompanied by intensive writing exercises and analysis.

During this period each writer will write a broadcast episode of Doctors.

The training course will be lead by John Yorke, Controller, Drama Production and New Talent, and other industry experts from all areas of drama production.

Course participants will be required to attend classes at the BBC premises in Elstree for three days per week, and one day at Television Centre in London.

Some expenses will be paid for writers based out of the London area for this period.

Writing for Broadcast

After you have completed the initial training and the Doctors script, your work will be assessed. If you have reached the required standard for production on Continuing Drama Series you will begin the next phase of the training.

Writers will rotate across Casualty, Holby and Eastenders in turn, writing a broadcast episode, spending a maximum of 12 weeks on each show.

At the end of the 12 months, each writer will have written for each of the four shows.

Core team & HQ

The course will be run and administered from BBC TVC in London W12 and BBC Elstree Studios. The course will be overseen and run by a Course Producer.

The deadline for applications is: May 5th 2010. More information and how to apply is on the web site.

The Daisy Chain

Horror feature film The Daisy Chain, written by acclaimed screenwriter and Guild member Lauren MacKenzie, is opening on Friday 16th April at the Omniplex cinemas in Dublin (the Savoy), Cork and Galway.

Directed by the critically acclaimed director of Song For A Raggy Boy, Aisling Walsh, and starring double Oscar-nominee Samantha Morton, The Daisy Chain is a supernatural thriller of obsession, superstition and fear.

The film was also nominated for Best Irish Film at the 2009 Dublin Film Festival.

The Engine Room Pitch

FÁS Screen Training Ireland is running a two-day course called The Engine Room Pitch starting on the 20th of May 2010 in Dublin. The course tutors are Christina Burnett, Micheal O'Meallaigh and Niamh O'Connor.

The cost of the course is €150.

Application Procedure:
Please apply online attaching a CV and a one page proposal for a doc/factual project. You can attend either as a pitcher with project, or as an observer. All projects which are submitted by the deadline of Wednesday May 6 will be considered and those which are selected to pitch will be notified in advance of the workshop.

Participant Profile:
This workshop is aimed at producers, directors, researchers and development personnel who wish to refine their proposals and explore the commissioning process.

Course Profile:
THE ENGINE ROOM PITCH is a unique 2 day project development and pitching workshop for documentary/factual filmmakers seeking Irish and international commissions and market intelligence. It is also an exceptional networking opportunity.

Created by leading international pitch trainer Christina Burnett of Wide Eye Pictures, THE ENGINE ROOM pitch formats have been successful in the UK, Brazil and Abu Dhabi. Intense, friendly and focused, the workshop develops real projects which are then presented to two commissioners for feedback. MEDIA Desk Ireland will also give an introduction to the funding, training and opportunities available at international festivals and markets.

Creative Thinking in May

FÁS Screen Training Ireland is running two separate day-long courses on Creative Thinking Techniques on the 5th of May 2010 and on the 6th of May 2010 in Dublin, which will be taught by Pam Relton.

The cost is €100, and the deadline for online applications is the 20th of April 2010.

Participant Profile:
This one day programme is aimed at all sectors of the film and television industry.

Course Profile:
Participants will hone their creative thinking techniques.
Topics will include:

• Creative thinking techniques
• Ideas generation
• Six thinking hats
• The Disney Strategy
• This course is supported by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board.

Writing Short Films

Filmbase is running its popular "Writing Short Films That Get Funded" course again from 23rd - 25th April.

Making a successful short film is very often a springboard to a career in feature films, documentaries and TV drama. Competition for short film funding under the various Irish schemes, including the Filmbase/RTÉ Awards, is incredibly high.

COURSE AIM:
To give writers and producers expert guidance in crafting their short film scripts to the standards required by Filmbase/RTÉ and other funders and to improve the quality of entries for Irish short film schemes.

TUTOR:
Mary Kate O Flanagan is an award-winning screenwriter and experienced tutor and script consultant. She regularly reads and shortlists projects for schemes across the European film industry.

COURSE CONTENT:

• Finding a visual correlative for the theme of a short film
• Develop an idea from conception to production-ready script
• Avoiding the most common pitfalls and how to rewrite
• Examining what makes short films effective

Cost: €220 waged / €180 unwaged
Deposit: €60 required (non-refundable)

FilmOffaly Bursary 2010

FilmOffaly, Offaly's Film Commission, in association with Filmbase, is pleased to announce the FilmOffaly Award 2010.

This funding initiative aims to foster creative, resourceful filmmaking in the county. FilmOffaly are looking for unique, original stories by talented new filmmakers, professional and novice alike. The only stipulation is that the filming must take place in Offaly! There will be one award to one successful applicant.

The winning applicant will receive:

• €8,000 towards the cost of their production
• A premier in Tullamore Omniplex Cinema
• 1-year’s Filmbase membership to the Writer, Producer and Director of the winning film
• A 50% discount on production equipment and/or editing facilities from Filmbase for the project
• Filmbase's production insurance to cover the shoot

The closing date for the receipt of completed applications is 3.30pm on Friday, 14th May 2010.

Further information on how to apply is on the web site.

2010 Digital Shorts in NI

Northern Ireland Screen has announced the recipients of this year's Digital Shorts scheme:

• A Cross to Bear - written and directed by Ryan Tohill
• Hardy Hands - written and directed by Chris Baugh
• Of The Sea - written and directed by Paul Hamilton
• Ring Theory - written and directed by Joe Campo

The four films will be produced by Villi Ragnarsson of RedRay Films in Summer 2010.

Northern Ireland Screen and The UK Film Council’s Digital Shorts scheme is a year long programme which aims to seek out and develop new filmmaking talent and enable them to make innovative short films using digital technology.

Writer's Seminar

An intensive five-hour writer's seminar will be held at the New Theatre, 43 Essex Street, Temple Bar by the novelist and playwright Paddy Kelly at 11am on Saturday the 10th of April.

The seminar/workshop will cover all aspects of creative writing based on and around character and storyline development in the novella, novel, stageplay and screenplay formats. Participants are encouraged to bring with them a current project of their own with a view towards developing the project to which ever level they seek.

The cost is €60 Euros and includes a three course lunch at Ciao Bella Roma.

To register please email paddy.incanto@gmail.com or ring 085 729 5190.

Adaptation Course

The éQuinoxe Germany International Screenwriters Workshops aim to get the best possible result out of strong stories with an inherent cultural identity, and enable talented screenwriters to learn from the best in the business.

In April 2010, éQuinoxe Germany brings its International Screenwriters Workshop to Connemara, and FÁS Screen Training Ireland, in association with MEDIA Desk Ireland and MEDIA Antenna Galway, is delighted to support two local industry Masterclasses as part of the éQuinoxe Germany programme.

One course is Adaptation OR Anatomy of a Screenplay, and takes place on the 25th April 2010 in the Lighthouse Cinema, Dublin.

Course Profile:
In this screenwriting masterclass, award-winning Australian screenwriter and playwright Andrew Bovell will discuss his writing process, and deconstruct his screenplay for “Lantana”. Bovell will also discuss his San Sebastian award-winning screenplay “Blessed”, and thriller “Edge of Darkness”.

The masterclass will begin with a screening of “Lantana”, and will cover the following:

• The writing process
• Structure
• Narrative Shape
• Principles of adaptation
• Unconventional and conventional script structures.

The masterclass is free, the application deadline is Tuesday 13th April 2010, and applications are processed online.

Deconstructing Dracula

The éQuinoxe Germany International Screenwriters Workshops aim to get the best possible result out of strong stories with an inherent cultural identity, and enable talented screenwriters to learn from the best in the business.

In April 2010, éQuinoxe Germany brings its International Screenwriters Workshop to Connemara, and FÁS Screen Training Ireland, in association with MEDIA Desk Ireland and MEDIA Antenna Galway, is delighted to support two local industry Masterclasses as part of the éQuinoxe Germany programme.

One course is called "Deconstructing Dracula", and will take place on the 16th of April, 2010 in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway.

Course Profile:
This masterclass will explore how award-winning screenwriter Jim Hart adapted "Dracula" for Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 screen adaptation of Bram Stoker’s horror classic.

Following the screening of "Bram Stoker’s Dracula", Hart will deconstruct the structure and introduce his “Hart Chart”, a tool for optimizing script structure, and explain how he came to develop it after working with Francis Ford Coppola.

• Getting to the heart of the source material
• Idea to screen – how to stay true to the core of the idea
• Structure and Character

The masterclass is free, the deadline for applications is Tuesday 13th April 2010, and applications are processed online.

Filmbase Discounts

Current members of the Irish Playwright and Screenwriters Guild can now avail of a generous 15% off Filmbase membership.

The screenwriting software program, Final Draft 8, now on sale to Filmbase members at €195, and places still available on the one day training on Saturday March 27th.

Final Draft 8, the latest edition of the number-one selling word processor
specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodes and stage plays is now on sale to Filmbase members. New features include Scene Navigator, Scene Properties Inspector and page count management.

The special Offer for Filmbase members is for the standard version with licenses for 2 installations for just €195, and an Educational version with 1 license for just €165.

If you would like to purchase Final Draft 8 then call into Filmbase reception or
contact Gordon on gordon@filmbase.ie or 01-6796716.

Filmbase is also running a one-day Final Draft 8 training course.

Final Draft 8: A Comprehensive Introduction

Intro (10:30am - 1pm) This course is suitable for screenwriters, script editors,
directors, production managers, line producers, AD's and is designed to introduce beginners to the wide range of options available in Final Draft including those used in the production office and the new features of version 8. For anyone considering buying Final Draft, this is a great opportunity to try out the features of this software.

Tutorial (2pm - 4pm) After lunch students will receive further instruction and can practice on the software and have their questions answered by the tutor.

Tutor: Francois Farrugia (MovieSoft)
Date: Saturday 27th March
Venue: Multimedia Training Room, Filmbase

Cost: €60 for members / €75 for non-members.

Introduction to Screenwriting

Alan Keane is offering a two-day Introduction to Screenwriting seminar on Saturday, March 27th and Sunday, March 28th, in the Smithfield/Stoneybatter Area in Dublin City.

Screenwriting is a notoriously difficult career to get ahead in and all too often people make the plunge with little knowledge as to how the industry works and what's exactly required to get yourself noticed. This 2-day seminar will act as a crash course in understanding the principles involved in great writing. It will help you to become aware of the skills and craft you'll need to create unforgettable stories that will get you noticed by readers and also help get you an agent.

TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE:
* Format
* Style
* Dialogue writing
* Visual Grammar
* Three Act Structure
* The craft of writing a scene
* Characterisation and the arc of transformation
* Genre
* What the readers are looking for - An industry perspective
* How do I get my first break?

Cost of the seminar is €95.

To register your interest email scriptreadingireland@gmail.com or contact Alan at: 086-1972270. There is also a Facebook page for the event.

Golden Blasters Script Competition

The Irish national science fiction convention, Octocon, has issued a call for scripts for its inaugural short script competition.

It's looking for fantasy, science fiction or horror short scripts, less than twenty pages, and in the usual format.

The fees for the competition are on a sliding scale depending on when the script is submitted:

May 31, 2010
Earlybird Deadline €10.00

July 31, 2010
Regular Deadline €15.00

August 31, 2010
Late Deadline €20.00

It has also issued a call for submissions for fantasy, science fiction and horror short films (under 15 minutes) for its second Short Film Competition.

The films that are short-listed will be screened at this year's convention (October 16-17), and will be judged at the event. There will be two awards: the Silver Blaster (audience award) and the Golden Blaster (jury award).