Last week I made the decision to quit my day job in TV (props). I mean I hadn’t worked hardly at all over the last year anyway so it hasn’t felt much different as yet. But I realised it’s not getting better and I cannot put my family or myself through the struggle anymore.1/?
I think I might start a production company that concentrates on a wide variety of working class stories not just the ones written by people pretending to be working class.
Ok I’m doing it again but this time I’m limiting it to TV pilot scripts. Send me your scripts. I’ll read them and give you my thoughts as someone with 9 years in TV. What have you got to send me? Hit me with your longlines below.
#ScreenwritingTwitter
#screenwriting
I have been a screenwriter for 12 years or so and today i was at a massive production companies office and I got given two options!… either leave the building or they would have me arrested.
#ScreenwritingTwitter
#screenwriting
@robmanuel
I essentially did live in Travelodges and prem inns for about 7 years while working in Tv and not living in London. Not having a fridge becomes very shit very quickly ha!
Fucking sick of people telling “it’ll get going soon. Don’t worry” the industry is fucked!!! We are completely beholden to the US for everything and we just plod along like it’s all just fine. We need to change everything but we won’t because it’ll get busy again and so on.
I will carry on with my writing and my reading services in here but I will no longer fight against the odds to be working class and in TV. I’m surprised I’ve lasted this long. I’m skint I’m shattered and I’m done. The industry is a total mess 3/?
And it shows 0 signs of changing any time soon. The truth is that it’s a luxury to work in TV and one that only those with family money or from middle/upper classes. Also as someone from the neurodivergent community I’ve also struggled with what has felt like 4/?
My one piece of advice is: When writing Tv pilots, save nothing for episode 2. Because 99.999999% of pilots written will never have an ep 2. You’ll never run out of ideas. Or you will but that’s a problem for later on.
#ScreenwritingTwitter
#screenwriting
Also if anyone needs a half way decent podcast editor I am available for work. Also script reading notes and other writing business I’m about cheers and thanks for the love and support everyone!
Zero support or understanding. The industry doesn’t care about us it cares about getting the show on the road. I’m done with battling the productions for a decent rate and not free prep and wrap hours. I’ve battled to not be bullied and not let others be mistreated. 5/?
Going to read one script a week for free. So send me your log lines and I’ll pick the one that grabs me! If you need a fresh pair of eyes on your screenplay then get in touch!
#screenwriting
#screenwritingTwitter
As a “genre screenwriter” I have felt that being based in the Uk will always mean either pitching to the US or having to scale back most of my work to fit with the British drama style. However the last few days on here I’ve felt a little hope for us mad dreamers!
#screenwriting
If you’re struggling to generate ideas for genres tv pilots here’s a tip I picked up along the way. Watch episodes of The X-Files and steal the ideas from them and make your own series. You are welcome.
I have now written the first draft of a TV pilot in just under 2 weeks. This feels like the fastest one yet. It probably isn't perfect but it's 50 pages I didn't have on the 25th of June so I'll take it.
I have struggled for over a decade to scrape by and have sacrificed a lot to answer the question “what do you do?” With “oh I work in TV” not living anywhere near London and having two children and a wife with an equally freelance career, it’s time to say no more. 2/?
Submitted a new script to the BBC open call this time. I'm taking a risk (ha like there's a chance they'll be interested anyway!) in submitting such a raw script but fuck it why not!? Been a few days since my last rejection so good to set another one rolling.
#screenwriting
I started writing a
#novel
yesterday and I’m about 5 pages in so far. You fuckers didn’t tell me it was so much easier and more fun than
#screenwriting
!? You can just cheat and tell the audience what the character is thinking. None of this “show don’t tell” bullshit… Furious!
Had so many nice messages from people about how they can relate to what I said yesterday in my thread. I nearly deleted it about 45 times after posting it. But I’m glad it’s resonated with so many of you.
Finished a draft on another pilot. I’m not tweeting this to show off more to tell myself that I’m doing what I should and want to be doing. 4 x 55 page pilots now in my portfolio. Going to outline the next one soon because I can’t not do it.
#screenwriting
#screenwriter
Guys, I started a script competition in my own house and I’m sooo excited to finally reveal that I have…. Made the QFs!!! 🎉🎉🎉🍭
#screenwriting
#ScreenwritingTwitter
@GNev2
@tompeck
I read that and because they’ve used tour picture and your names I come away from it thinking you fly rather than using the train. If that’s not the case it’s misleading
Anyone needing notes and feedback on their tv pilots? Send me your longlines and I’ll pick 2 to read over the Christmas break.
#screenwriting
#screenwriter
You say one thing about the UK film industry and you find out there are thousands of others thinking the exact same thing. Wonder if maybe the audiences might enjoy a bit more British Genre in their cinemas?
Thanks for everyone taking part in
#ScreenPit
yesterday. Some very cool loglines and scripts out there. I've now stolen so many good ideas for scripts so I'm happy. HAHA SUCKERS!
@bronactitley
“The seas were angry that night in November. At what? Who could say but they felt that anger, believe me. All 13 souls were lost aboard the vessel.” Might be a nice one to chuck in if you feel like it?
Been watching
#Shrinking
and seeing the way everyone takes the piss out of Harrison fords character for wearing the fedora. Then it hit me that he played one of the most famous Fedora hat based characters of all time. Am I on the right track
@VDOOZER
?
Going to read one script a week for free. So send me your log lines and I’ll pick the one that grabs me! If you need a fresh pair of eyes on your screenplay then get in touch!
#screenwriter
#screenplay
Ok I’ve got an idea. Get a lot of people contact me for notes but for financial reasons they don’t end up hiring me to read their script. So for every 5 scripts I do a paid read on I’ll pick someone off a logline (reply below) to read and give notes to for free.
#screenwriting
2 days in and I’ve already read a script and sent thoughts to the writer. I’m not doing a script a day like last January because that nearly killed me. Trying a script a week. Much more achievable.
#screenwriting
#ScreenwritingTwitter
@Mollys_ADHD
It’s not our job to say who we are. It’s our job to be who we are and for others to experience it. I struggle with this too as most of the time I’m masking and being someone that fits in or is funny or helpful when more honestly “I’m shy and bored”. But you can’t say that!
🚨🚨Send me your scripts so I can give you great notes to help you make your
#script
better! I have limited space this week so get in touch either by DM or visit my website for details.
#screenwriting
She’s correct as ever. As a country we are a glorified staffed studio space for the US. We take no profit, we build nothing and we hope and prey that someone else will invest the money. We leave ourselves completely helpless and dependant on things totally out of our control.
In my humble opinion becoming a ‘hub’ for US production was never sustainable, put the industry at the mercy of things beyond our control and drove up costs so that U.K. productions became untenable
What we do now is tricky
🎬🚨I will read the first 10 pages of your script and give you notes and now I've made a cool new poster to advertise it!
#screenwritingtwitter
#screenwriting
JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! Someone actually came with the thing we've all been assuming they think. "you should be grateful" nah fuck that. I don't mind saying that I want to make money from my writing. We kind of, sort of need money to exist.
Sent something mediumly important out into the world today via email so of course I’ll be busy for the next 6-8 months refreshing my inbox. Cheers!
#screenwriting
Because I have somehow managed to gain hundreds of new followers let me introduce myself once again. I read scripts, pay what you can, I edit podcasts a bit, I bitch and moan about the unfairness of the tv industry that I recently quit (my day job) that’s about it…
@Paulina_Warda
It’s all impossible. If you work there’s no time or energy for creating and if you don’t work you can create but not eat. This is why creative industries are filled with generational wealth.
When a prod not only acknowledges receipt of your script, but tells you when (rough date) to nudge them if they haven't got back to you. 👏👏👏
#screenwriting
#screenwriters
I recently got called “Rather Brilliant” by someone very well connected, who read a few of my scripts. Yes this has gone straight to my head. Of course it has.
@sianharries_
Being serious though it is weird they have balance for lots of things that mean total shits get a right wing platform but when it’s the old kings n queens we are all “United in grief” I can assure you we are very much not.
The seven rules of screenwriting:
1 - Different colour fonts is what every exec is looking for. If you find a new colour that’s extra points.
2 - Never take a note without a fight. They will respect you for it eventually. Put your fingers in your ears if you need to.
3-…
🚨🥳🎖️To celebrate all of our combined "Failure" I am now offering this service to all who can prove they got rejected from the 2024 BBC Open call
#screenwriting
#bbcwriters
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Don't start a new pilot, rewrite the other 14 you have. Don't start a new pilot, rewrite the other 15 you have. Don't start a new pilot, rewrite the other 16 you have...
#screenwriting
My Twitter friends and family. I've got a Pilot script I've done as much as I can with for now so, would anyone like to take a look at it or do a swap with me? Drop me a DM. Cheers
Mud Blood and Beer - TV Comedy/Drama
After raiding and taking out a coven, a couple of Vampire hunters find a baby. Deciding to raise it themselves they must hide it from their former employers and learn that raising a Vampire is much harder than killing one.
#ScreenPit
@curlycomedy
@clhubes
My wife had a baby 2 weeks before I started working on this show in series 7. I was present at 7 births that year. One real and 6 pretend.
@CambridgeJames
@david_conn
@guardian_sport
They should but they shouldn’t be allowed to lie to uefa. They said submitted accounts and information to UEFA that wasn’t true! That’s why they are being banned. If I lie about my taxes and im
@found
out, I’m deep in shit. And rightly so.
Don't write another new TV Pilot. Don't write another new TV Pilot. Don't write another new TV Pilot. Don't write another new TV Pilot. Don't write another new TV Pilot. Don't write another new TV Pilot. Oh shit...
#screenwriting
@Scotterybarn
There’s no time to wait for the voice chip. We have to assume like all horrible billionaires Rishi wouldn’t bother talking to his minions. Classic Ethan using his enemy’s “strengths” as weaknesses. It’s the other Downing Street staff he needs to worry about.
The Script I have just started outlining is my most personal to date. I also think it might be the best thing I will ever write by far. Until the next one of course.
#screenwriting
#screenwritingtwitter
Thanks to everyone who’s sent me their
#scripts
this last year for notes! Let’s do it again. Send me your longlines and over the next month I’ll try and read as many as I can.
#screenwriting
#ScreenwritingTwitter
@MajorTomCom
No office could hold me. ADHD won’t let me tolerate a “boring” job either. It’s a tricky one this. Not going to lie. But glad I’ve done it now and who knows what’s happening in the future.
20 pages into writing my current script, so of course a really funny exciting shiny funny exciting idea comes fully formed into my brain and demands exclusive access all my creative muscle. Isn’t it just so fun to be a writer!?
I'm at page 94 of the 6/7th draft of this Romcom script now. Happy to be nearly done with this draft as although it's only taken 4/5 days, it's been a big old reshaping of the story and taken a lot out of me. Good to know I still have about ten drafts left before it's good. x