Mark Herman - Screenwriter

Writing from the heart, Mark Herman shares his insights into breaking out of that block and tips for keeping the house dust free.

He is famous for writing and directing Little Voice, Brassed Off and Blame It On The Bell Boy. He made his most recent film Purely Belter with Film Four Limited. The story is about a couple of young Geordie boys who set out on a seemingly impossible mission to raise £1,000s. They need the money for two season tickets to watch the Toon Army play football.

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What advice would you give to new screenwriters looking for that allusive original idea?
I always go back to the period when I had done Blame It On The Bellboy. It had flopped really badly and I couldn't get any work for about four years after that film. I spent the whole time writing, what I thought were very sellable, commercial ideas, but they never got made.