Feeling Festive? Get in the habit.
It's that time of year, LSF. London Screenwriter's Festival is less than a month away and you're mid prep. You've scribbled one pagers, you've polished log-lines and you're planning to pitch, party and plan your Oscar speech... but wait... you've forgotten something, that little something called baby steps.
Most of us - myself included - head to London with big dreams of meeting a producer who will adore our script concept, option us and throw a bundle of cash at us as they frolic off into the hills spinning their camera like Julie Andrews if she wasn't worried about major concussion, seven kids (in curtains) and an absentee husband.
So, what do I mean by baby steps?
Well, you could have the best idea ever, an all singing all dancing script that would make Maria's eyes water worse than Liesl fancying her on screen Dad but... and here's the kicker. if you have no network, or track record to your name, why should some poor over-worked producer even look at you, let alone your screenplay?
This is where competitions and networking come in.
Now, I must admit, being a stay at home Mum and occasional temp, it's not easy to round up the cash for competitions, or to attend all the posh soirees down 'souf', however if you are clever you can find ways and means to suit your budgie... budget. Yes, you can be proactive and still be cheap, or indeed, frugal.
For networking, start off by chatting to fellow writers on FB and twitter. Then once you're no longer a Billy no mates, head over to Linkedin and connect with fellow scribes there.
For competitions, start with BBCwritersroom. They have an excellent online site that gives you all the most recent opportunities and their windows for comedy and drama etc, open a couple of times a year. One of my scripts reached last 15% which isn't brilliant but out of 3,600 odd to get into the last 600, or so, I was dead chuffed.
If you've not done it already join Film Freeway. They give you a profile page where you can show what you've done with your film, or writing career and it will list any projects you submit, like a free IMDB of sorts. This can be public, or simply for festivals to see.
If you go through the festival options, you'll discover that many of these are hugely expensive to enter and often get more expensive as time passes. If you scribble down a few of the more affordable ones, try to enter for the early-bird deadline. This way, it makes it cheaper for you.
Most sites recommend entering Bluecat, the Nicholls Fellowship and Shore Scripts etc but if you are on a budget, there are other festivals out there too. Film Freeway also have a deals section, so sometimes you can bag a discount for the festival you like too.
This is my first year having a bash on the festival circuit (I entered the magnificent seven, or forgotten seven - depending on how things pan out) and it's important to know that there are some festivals that are just for film and others that do sections for screenwriting. Make sure you know which is which so you submit to the right one for your script, or film. It seems a silly thing to say but it's really easy to make a mistake. Make sure you download a project, or you're entry will be incomplete and invalid. There are often different options for shorts and features, so check that out as well as the pricing can vary.
I discovered that there was one competition you could enter for one dollar, while at the higher end of the scale it can get closer to one hundred to enter. If you do your homework, there are competitions that are around ten dollars to go in for, (about £7.50), which is not too costly if you are starting out and just want to try your luck. Yep, that old chestnut luck. Hard work is everything but that wee bit of luck is the icing on the cake.
So, once you've got more laurels than a nun at a singing competition and a network of decent peers happy to stow you over the mountains when necessary, then you are on your way to making a decent showing at any festival.
Now I'm feeling festive, how about a sing-a-long a 'Sound of Music' followed by a bit of Bing.
No. You're writing?
Never mind got in the habit to network!
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