Peter Cox's Guide to Re-Writing

A few weeks ago Peter Cox came to gave us a talk. Quite frankly, and with no disrespect to any of our previous speakers, the feedback I got from that talk surpassed anything I have ever heard before. It was quite unanimously enthusiastic.

Prepare to be further excited, as Peter has sent me the notes he had for the night, which have since themselves been re-written. Makes sense, doesn't it? I won't say any more, other than that anyone interested in writing really ought to read, digest and think about the following. Really you ought bookmark this post, and go to it every time you write something. Before, during and after.

With no further ado:

Re-Writing: a non-judgemental, non-sentimental, non-subjective craft skill.

by Peter Cox

Introduction:

Clarify - the job of a dramatist is to act like a ‘Crazy Traffic Policeman’ – to make characters and their stories crash into each other. To reveal character and story through action.

Talk about the way humans / babies learn through ‘what happens next’? (ie suspense / story structure.)

Exercise / Ice breaker: All write down different ways of saying / expressing ‘The War is Over’ – can be images or gesture as well as words. Share them aloud. Instant rewriting – this creates an amazing range of choices taken – rewriting pure and simple

Move onto reasons for re-writing from different points of view in a creative team – this is not an exhaustive list. Some mainly apply to tv or film – most apply across all forms of drama.

Think of these things a writer’s Toolkit – not a personal attack

Producer Initiated:

Length – needs to be tighter / shorter to fit ‘the slot’
Cost (economic / location / character numbers / re-budget etc)
Story not strong enough or 'right' enough for demographic / medium
Believability / truth
Legal (defamation / good taste & decency / easily imitated behaviour eg showing how to tie a noose is not allowed)
‘Shite’ (Brookside producer’s favourite ‘note’ in first draft meetings – said regarding page after page of script.)
The F*ck Fairy (OFCOM Broadcasting Code) (the fairy who comes in the night and sprinkles a script with words that can’t be broadcast.)
Actor being sacked / ill / accident / pregnant / walking out
Changes required as a result of Casting

Director led:

Not getting under the skin of character enough
Cutting exposition
Saying too much
Needing to signpost more / or less
Learn the skill of ‘listening to the meaning’ of what they're saying – often director’s struggle to express their thoughts – because it’s not easy – listen for the deeper meaning of what they say – don’t expect an instant quick fix alternative.
Too much Research on the page
Don't yet care enough about a character
'They're not talking to each other'

Actor led:

Something missing - a scene between certain characters
Can be said with a look
Democracy / Devising processing
Poor punctuation / actors need to be able to breathe – think like a composer where the human voices are the instruments / orchestra
Punctuation affecting meaning – punctuation is your armoury of amazing weapons – deploy them well
Taking the curse off
Subtext unclear

Writer Initiated:

Pre- writing – first draft as improvisation / find a seed – germinate it – grow it

Active re-imagining – walk around script – different points of view
Structural – what happens when – story architecture – story arc
Functional – is each character doing their job for you – could two characters become one
Emotional architecture – individual arcs / contrast – complement
Create a new sub-plot to shine a light on or complement or contrast with main plot

Red pen, stopwatch and scissors – use them – don’t get carried away with your own cleverness / eloquence
Knowing when to come into a scene / get out of a scene
At dialogue level – rhythm / difference / unique voices
Balancing – humour / emotion / action / formal inventiveness
Refining the poetic unity of the whole play


Not enough........ suspense / what happens next / this is how humans learn
Not enough Dramatic Tension
Misplaced Relaxation of Tension
Opposed Forces not fully realised

Shutting yourself up
Timing / placing of entrances / exits
Moving one character's words to another – what is said, not just who says it
Research and revised / extended research
Negative checks – legal clearabce
Accuracy

Tying up loose ends
Turning a Closed Ending into an Open Ending / vice versa
Not yet found 'the pattern' of the play
Something needs foreshadowing
Not yet got the Cast Design right
Characters sounding to alike – work on Speech patterns / lexicon / vocabulary
Too 'on the nose'

Create a variety of ‘fellow writer’ voices in story development / the writing team in your head… let the offer points of view and opinion and alternative ways of writing something


Don't ask 'How good is my script?'
Instead ask, 'How can it be improved? / How can I make it better?'

Robots

Now that England have crashed out of the World Cup we can at last turn our minds to things theatrical, and what better way than to see a new play by a P-P newcomer, Philippa Tatham. She only joined us in April, gave a fine performance in David Carr's Meadowlands a few weeks ago, but this is her first play for us, 'Robots: A Farce for Revolutionaries' which is, she says:

"very loosely based on the doings of the young Bolsheviks in the 19th/early 20th century, although it is not specifically about anyone or even meant to be particularly realistic. As the title suggests, it is a farce, but pushed to the limits of the genre, to the point where it is not necessarily funny".

Does that whet the appetite sufficiently? July 5th, at the Green Man.

Virgin Shorts

It's that time again. Vote early, vote often. You do have to register, though you can watch for free.

First, here's Philip Philmar, in The Audition, a very short film made by Daniel Wilson. No relation, I think, to a very scary Japanese film I once saw of the same name.

Second, here's a film by Lexy Howe and two others, entitled Switch, a very short film made by Daniel Wilson. No relation, I think, to a fairly ghastly sounding Blake Edwards Edwards movie I have yet to see.

Third, here's Leanne Davis in The Conformers, which has little in common with the Bertolucci seventies' classic.

Fourth, Napoleon Ryan, in an animated piece, Train of Thought, which has everything in common with this film.

Summer Showcase

Okay, here's the gen. There will be a further reminder nearer the time, though it's pretty near the time now already. The place is, once again, the King’s Head Theatre, at 115 Upper Street Islington N1 1QN.

It starts at 7.30, and is on Sunday 18th July 2010.

The programme consists of three short stage plays:

TWENTY NINE by Peter Vincent, directed by Mark Fitzgerald: “A sick woman lives alone with her handicapped son. A serial killer arrives at the house….”

TANGO IN THE DARK by David Carr, directed by Lexy Howe: “A man, a woman, a dog, a car and the night. What could possibly go wrong?”

INTERVAL

BOOK LOVERS by Kevin Mandry, directed by Dimitri Devdariani: “A library…or a life? Which is better? And which would you pay most for?”

Tickets are £2 a head for members and their guests. If you are in the Industry you may get in free. Otherwise you pay at the door

If you are bringing guests please email Peter Thompson their names.

Peter Thompson, 020 8883 0371: P-P@dial.pipex.com

BAFTA and Stellar Network present Pitch Up! Call for Submissions

News just in from Leanne Davis:

Stellar Network and BAFTA are co-hosting which is open to all, not just those already established in the industry. It is a pitching event in which entrants go to BAFTA and pitch their TV idea to a panel which includes the controller of BBC Drama Commissioning Ben Stephenson, Channel 4 factual entertainment commissioning editor Alistair Pegg and Greg Brennan, Head of Drama at Tiger Aspect. There are prizes for the top 3 pitches and there is also the possibility that the best ideas could be commissioned (several have been in the past).

Let them explain:

How It Works

First of all we want to hear your idea. Get yours in by registering it through the Pitch Up! listing: go to the 26th July on the calendar to register it online.

The idea should be no more than 100 words long and should be a brief summary. It can be a drama, documentary, entertainment or features idea - anything goes. Be as concise as possible but always keep in mind what makes your idea DIFFERENT and ORIGINAL.

It's free for Stellar Network and BAFTA members and £5 for non-members. Only one idea per person permitted. The deadline for entries is 4th July, 2010.

We're as concerned as you are with protecting them: they will not be visible to the public, and if you like we can send you an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) by email in return. Just request one from Hannah at uk@stellarnetwork.com.

We will pick out the top 10 ideas, and then on the 26th of July we'll gather the lucky 10 at BAFTA to pitch to an exclusive panel which includes the controller of BBC Drama Commissioning Ben Stephenson, Channel 4 factual entertainment commissioning editor Alistair Pegg and Greg Brennan, Head of Drama at Tiger Aspect.

The panel will select the top three pitches, who will win a fantastic set of prizes. And, of course, there's always the chance that your incredible idea will be taken on by a member of our panel and might just end up on screen.

Even if you don’t get selected this time, you can still attend and benefit from the feedback the other pitchers receive. The event takes place on the evening of July 26th – more details coming soon!


If you would like to learn more about Stellar Network and hear about other stellar opportunities such as this one, join the mailing list by visiting

stellarnetwork.com

Plays Wanted

Email just in:

Critically acclaimed MokitaGrit Productions are launching a search to uncover the best in new-writing. New script competition 'The Script 2011' will be building on the already considerable reputation of MokitaGrit as one of the most prolific independent production houses in the UK.
We are looking for scripts with complex, engaging text and the potential for multimedia or mixed-media production. Submitted plays need to engage with contemporary society, either politically or culturally, and give a voice to strong and diverse characters. We are happy to accept scripts that need development.
The company will read all scripts. The top scripts as chosen by the full company, will be developed with the writers. They will then have extracts performed over a week. These performances will take place in front of an industry-led panel and a public audience in Spring 2011. The winner of the festival will be taken to full production by MokitaGrit, for which funding is already in place.
Entry into the competition is by hard-copy only. Please send scripts to MokitaGrit Literary Department, 33A Station Road, London RM3 0BS. Please include an email address for correspondence. If you would like your script returned please include a stamped, addressed envelope.
Closing date for entries is 11th September 2010.

07790310786
Artistic Director
Mokita Grit Productions

Mokitagrit.com

The Green Crow

Back in the mists of time Jan Harris won our coveted Playwright of the Year Award with Denial of Justice. Since then, she has also given us the Fan, which was showcased at the King's Head couple of years ago, as well as winning the coveted John Grange Cup for comedy of the year, Then There's My Daughter. Now she is back with an hour long stage play about another playwright, Sean O'Casey, who, whatever else you think of him, never garnered such accolades.

Called The Green Crow, it concerns a day towards the end of the life of the ageing Irish scrivener, when a young intruder ruffles his feathers. It's set in Torquay (?!) in 1964, and is a three-hander. But don't be expecting Fawlty Towers.

Monday June 28th, 7.45. Green Crow at the Green Man.

Be there.