Lighthouse Scriptwriting
There was a time when the UK could be secure, even smug, that whilst we might be forever overshadowed in film production by the almighty Hollywood machine, when it came to good TV there was no competition. The Americans had overacted soaps and formulaic cop shows. The UK enjoyed innovative comedy and quality drama that had the courage to push the envelope on even the most controversial of topics. Well that was then. And this is now. Can we still be so smug? The rise of reality TV and the influx of edgy, freshly written US shows like Six Feet Under and The Sopranos, is cited by some as evidence that we can't. There's no denying the popularity of reality shows and the Americans have raised their game in recent years but is that really drowning out the voice of original British drama?
"No. In the multi-channel age there's more drama on TV than ever before," says Ben Stephenson, Channel 4 Drama Commissioner. "New writers with an original voice are always in demand because there will always be a strong audience for good drama. And for the most part, drama made at home. But getting your voice heard can be an uphill battle for those new to the industry. Which makes the work Script Naked is doing to help new writers break through all the more necessary."
Script Naked specialises in professional development for screenwriters. With funding from the freelance training fund (ftf) they recently piloted a 'writing television drama' scheme to help six new writers harness their original voice. The motto of the scheme is 'to learn to write good television...not mediocre television.' The course has two paramount priorities: developing professionalism and encouraging and liberating passion. The emphasis is on learning and then applying the successful techniques and methods used by producers and script editors when developing drama for the small screen. "You have to learn the rules, before you can break them." Sarah Flint, Programme Co-ordinator at Script Naked told us. "The course teaches writers both the industry framework and the craft of writing for television. And then we help them find their individual original voice. The one that will get their work noticed."
Spanning over four months, the course, which thanks to the FTF cost just £250 for freelancers (down from £1950), starts with the submission of a one page original idea for a drama series. The writers then worked with the tutor to develop their pitch and produce a ten page treatment. Philip Palmer, an experienced writer and script consultant whose television screenwriting credits include 'The Many Lives of Albert Walker', 'Rebus', 'and 'The Bill', is the course tutor. "The industry is fiercely competitive. Every script has to have a freshness, an energy and a clear flavour of the writer's original voice. We have designed the course to be as close as possible to what writers go through in the real world. All the writers are treated as if they are working on a commissioned show so we work them to the same tight deadlines with the same energy, adrenaline and pressure that they would get in that environment."
Having recreated the pressures and deadlines of the real world, the course then focused on getting the writers to work together as a team. One writer's series idea was selected as the basis of what would become the final series and everyone set about developing the narrative, characters and story arcs. Sarah Flint said: "Not only did they learn how to write as a team; they also learnt how to write as a team on someone else's idea, which requires detachment, professionalism and craft skills. We were very successful at creating a strong group dynamic with a genuine team ethos."
Many UK soaps have teams of writers, and more and more dramas, like Holby City, are moving towards such a system, but the approach is still more commonplace in the US. As is the cut-throat pilot season. Ben Stephenson of Channel 4 Drama who worked with the writers on the scheme, giving them feedback on the scripts as they developed, told us: "A huge amount is spent on producing hundreds of pilots every new season only to go on to commission 4 or 5 actual series. And it's those few diamonds in the rough that end up being popular over here. We don't have the money to do that and I don't think British audiences would like us for it anyway. But I do think we can learn from the Americans collaborative approach to writing." Philip Palmer agrees: "The US system is in a league of its own. Writers are worked to death because the bar is so high over there. In the UK we don't challenge our writers like that but we did try on the course."
The final stage of the course was feedback on the finished script. The writers took away experience of the industry, an insight into the rigours of series writing, new contacts and relationships and a sample script, which has had professional input, to use as a calling card.
The industry has always been fiercely competitive and writers, especially new ones, have always had a tough time getting their work noticed. The popularity of reality TV may not have made a writer's lot any easier but the nature of TV is to change with the demands of the audience. Interactive TV heralds yet more change. 'InYrShoes' is a budding soap, backed by a mobile phone company, that gives viewers control over narrative development, relegating writers to the backseat. It has yet to be picked up by a broadcaster but is a sign of the times. "It just means writers have to shout louder!" said Ben. "There can never be enough schemes like this one to help new writers break through but also give them the continued support they need. This scheme had the money and the infrastructure to do just that. There is a lot of talent out there held back by fear. Who want to quit working in the shop in Sheffield to write full time but that's a big leap to make. Everyone outside of TV thinks its something scary they can never be a part of but it's a simple fact that, whoever you are, if you have original writing talent you will be the most popular person in TV overnight."
