The life of a novelist is traditionally a solitary one - but the screenwriter must face a barrage of criticism to stand a chance of his/her work getting made. Screenplays are vital to the success of the industry, so is anything being done to encourage and protect writers? Making Movies spoke to three outfits who try to do just that.
ROCLIFFE PRODUCTIONS
In 2000, Farah Abushwesha graduated from drama school to find a dearth of new writing for young female actors, so she hooked up with a few actor friends, advertised for scripts on the Internet and put on a showcase in a North London pub. Four years later, with young producers Kerry Appleyard and Pippa Mitchell, and an informal army of eager volunteers, their company Rocliffe Ltd puts on monthly 'New Writing Forums', co-chaired by industry professionals from the likes of BBC Films, The National Film and Television School and Miramax.
How many members do you have?
We've gone from precisely eight members to six thousand in four years. We started around the same time as Shooting People and the internet has been really important for us.
How do your New Writing Forums work?
Writers who feel their work will benefit from a reading and some exposure send in a short extract. We select three scripts each month. On the evening, the writer and director meet at the pub at 7pm. We cast the reading from a pool of professional actors and spend the next 30 to 40 minutes rehearsing. At eight o'clock we let the doors open to the audience. It costs four pounds to watch, which covers our costs. You have to book on our website and we send you an invite. After a brief introduction, which describes what the film is about, the extract is performed. The co-chair gives their feedback and we then open it up to the audience for comments which usually makes for a lively, interesting and helpful discussion. After a Q & A with the co-chair we hit the bar.
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