In this fourth session on writing for performance our guest is Jeremy Herrin, who will be chatting to us about New Writing for theatre. Jeremy is Associate Director at Live Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne as well as running the New Writing department. He has directed productions at the National Theatre, The Royal Court, in the West End and at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg. He has also enjoyed directing short films and radio plays. Continue reading ‘New Writing for theatre’
Archive for the 'Scriptwriting' Category
Steve Chambers has written for theatre, radio, TV and film – his feature film Hold Back the Night won the audience prize at Cannes ’99 Critics Week. He has written episodes for Casualty and Byker Grove and adapted ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ for BBC Radio 4’s Classic Serial. He is currently developing a number of new ideas for broadcast and in development with a new feature film with NE film-maker Sarah McCarthy. A director of Bruvvers Theatre Co as well as New Writing North, he also works as a script mentor and teacher of dramatic narrative fiction. Steve was kind enough to answer some of our questions about writing for radio: Continue reading ‘Writing for Radio’
Did I tell you I’m having a short film made? My very first script has been included in the Stingers 6 programme with Northern Film and Media in Newcastle upon Tyne. FNA films in Gateshead are producing the film and Michael Steele will be directing. After a series of script consultations with various stakeholders, I am putting together the final touches on the script (more about this in a later post). Michael is busy casting and Zahra from FNA is hunting down locations and jumping through a zillion hoops. If all goes well, we should start shooting next month.
I wrote the script for ‘Not In My Name’ (working title, ‘Enemy Lines’ about a British soldier returning from Iraq and getting caught up in an anti-war protest) while attending a 10-week short film course at the Tyneside Cinema in Gateshead, run by Peter Dillon. Rather than setting myself up as an expert with one film not-quite-in-the-can, I asked Peter to tell us more about writing short films. Continue reading ‘Writing Short Films’
If you are in Newcastle on Friday 29 February, drop by Live Theatre to see Shortcuts, a marathon of 16 five minute plays. My play, ‘Pig Stew’, about three sisters who inherit a pig farm in Northumberland, will be one of the contestants. The audience have a chance to vote for their favourite short play. Starting at 6pm.
More good news on the play front is that ‘The Idol of Sarajevo’ is a semi-finalist in the Reverie New Generation Playwriting Contest in New York. The winner will receive a full staging in the big apple. Sarajevo has already been shortlisted for three other awards, so let’s hope this time it will be the bride and not just the bridesmaid.
For a list of play competitions - a good way to get yourself and your scripts noticed - check out Writernet
‘Melpomene’
at Northern Stage, Newcastle
‘It’s 1896 and marathon runner Stamata Ravithi is given the nickname ‘Melpomene’ (Muse of Tragedy) when she tries to run in the first modern Olympic Games. One woman’s determination not to be put down by men has inspired generations of female athletes to compete at the highest level. This modern Greek tragedy explores the relationship between sport, art and human potential.’ Continue reading ‘Melpomene’s First Run’
I’m really chuffed that my first screenplay, Enemy Lines, is going to be made into a film. And thanks to Peter Dillon, my tutor, for helping me on my way. Enemy Lines is a five-minute film short about a British soldier returning from Iraq to face a barrage of anti-war protestors. It has been selected to be filmed for Northern Film and Media’s Stingers 6 programme and will be screened in September 2008.
Continue reading ‘Screenplay success’
My stage play, The Idol of Sarajevo, has been shortlisted for the People’s Play Award. Winner to be announced at the end of December. If I win, I shall be blogging about my experiences in the run-up to the staging of the play in May 2008. So wish me well and watch this space! I developed this play on my MA in Creative Writing at Northumbria University.
For more free resources on writing for theatre visit:
- Writernet - free information and subsidised critiquing for UK-based writers
- Open University - free course on approaching plays plus excellent, value-for-money short courses for everyone.
- New Dramatists - resources for US-based writers.
Books I can reccommend include:
- Val Taylor’s Stage Writing
- Alan Ayckbourn’s The Crafty Art of Playmaking
- Stuart Spencer’s The Playwright's Guidebook
- Jeffrey Hatcher’s The Art and Craft of Playwriting
Most of my articles are written with years of experience behind me. But this is an exception. Only a year ago, I decided to start writing again for the theatre. As a fresh-faced, cellulite-free twentysomething, I wrote for an amateur theatre company in South Africa called Mirror Image. Now, ten years later and living in the UK I thought I would try going professional. Continue reading ‘Getting started in playwrighting’
Welcome to The Crafty Writer, published by Fiona Veitch Smith, a freelance journalist, author, playwright and writing teacher. This site is full of information and resources to help you on your journey to become a better writer. 
