Michael's Resignation

Is a new script I'm working on with a lot of other writers. A feature film drama that is planned to be made very differently, trying to help as many people in the process. We were all brought together by a man called Alex Cameron who pitched us the idea and gave us the outline of the story.

From that we were sent to Plotbot and told to start the project straight away. The plan is to get the final draft ready in the next two weeks and then the project will be passed over to Joby Stephens who will film it with his company Jam. The plot of the story goes as follows:

A traumatised ex-soldier who has begun a new life in the city as an office clerk breaks down after being made redundant as a victim of the “credit crunch” and after finding his fiancé having an affair with his boss, he's determined to exact revenge, revenge by filming himself ruthlessly slaughtering all his co-workers.

I'm so glad to be part of this crazy project and I'm sure so are the other 20 something writers that have got involved! The aim is to do a Hollywood-style movie on a scarily low budget and stick it to broadcasters who refuse to take chances on anyone other than famous writers. With plans for it to be completed towards the end of this year look out for the bloodiest massacre of 2008.

MAMA Youth

The MAMA Youth Project was registered as a Company in December 2006. A Youth’s Charity set up to provide pioneering training initiatives for young people from deprived backgrounds. They help you to understand the process of TV production giving you the input for the project and its down to you to create the output, which is “What’s Up”, a DVD created by young people and is distributed all over London tackling such subjects as music, fashion, news and current affairs of the UK’s youth culture.

I have been chosen to be part of the November episode which will be shot in October. It’s a tight schedule with only four weeks to shoot with a group of people I haven’t even met yet. But with the start date of the 6th of October to begin brainstorming, lets see what I can bring to the table.

UK Film Network Script Results

Like I said previously I don't think UKFN realised how many synopsises they'd get filling up their inbox, which resulted in filling up to over 150 screenplays (pushing towards 200) all edging to make it on to the big screen. This is something that I wish I could have chucked in a synopsis myself but because of being part of the project I was unable to let one of my little babies go into the wild a grow up and now I’m even more envious due to the fact that now there is defiantly a secured investment...

... I’m not saying how much but let’s just say enough to make any first feature debut directors lip quiver with excitement.

To keep up to date join the Facebook Group

SELF Collective

The South East London Film Collective is an independent collective of filmmakers that was formed about a year ago by a few students from Goldsmiths University. They hold a series of meeting throughout the year for other filmmakers in the area to come and join, it's free, and the idea is as a 'Collective' each member will help out with another member’s project whether it be by lending equipment or finding actors. The Collective has come up with its own group project that anyone can get involved with and now, after going to a few meetings, it's my turn...

... It's called Park Life. A series of short films (5min) that all have to be set in a park somewhere in South East London and all the shorts have to be IMPROVISED! What a great idea, no scripts just the actor's and the director creating the story as the crew capture the outcome. I'm going to be directing the 5th episode in the series based on young adults drinking in parks.

I’m touching this area because you get to an age where your too young for the clubs but too old for the play park, something I think we can all reminisce back to in a time in our lives.

UK Film Network...

...is an independent networking environment that extended from the UK Theatre Network. The idea is to bring together performers and filmmakers together giving advice and guidance through their information, now this:

Coming soon to a screen near you. The Big Picture is a project title for the next feature film by Production Company UK Film Network. The project was kicked off in September 2008 and aims to search for scripts, seek funding and investors, and then go into production. This group will be used to share the progress of the films with its readers.

That's from the Facebook group The Big Picture, now after the advert was sent out on the search for scripts a few writers have been in doubt about whether it is a scam. A member of the Triggerstreet UK thread so nicely put:

Anyone have any experience of this outfit? Their web site makes no mention of the competition. And, funding. For FIVE features? From where? Intriguing

Something you think would be mentioned on the website but I assure you it is not a scam. The stage that the project is in at the moment is building the foundation (scripts) and from the sounds of it UKFN underestimated how many people would actually send in a synopsis, making this a tight battle for the second round.

The selected scripts for the second round will be based on the ability of it being able to be made, how it fits in with the budget for the overall 5 scripts, and the audience the script fits i.e. making a return.

After the second round the 5 screenplays will be easier to see and the judges will make a selection. Even after that a budget list is made and fitting people into their places, all the data has to go back to the investors who will either say yes or no. but remember your scripts aren’t going to be stolen, they are still your rights, nothing goes underway until investment is sorted.

Period.