the bullhead giveaway

i have been fortunate enough to have worked on nine feature films that have made their way into cinemas across the globe and with another three being released this year and two more going into production, i am very happy with the way my career has been going. there has, however, been one thing missing – i have never had one of the films i have worked on be released theatrically in my homeland britain.

that changes tomorrow (friday feb 1) with the uk release of the belgian film ‘bullhead‘, oscar nominated last year for best foreign film. you can read more on my ‘bullhead’ adventures here and here.

to celebrate this, i am offering three writers who follow me on twitter a free, 2-hour, one-to-one consultation on a script of their choice. my speciality is features, but i will also be happy to look at tv pilots, tv episodes, shorts and webseries.

the selection process

to begin with, send a logline and a one-page synopsis to me – philATscriptguyphilDOTcom – and i will begin selecting those that interest me.

for the second phase, i will ask for the first ten pages of your script, and after reading those i will select the three successful scripts.

after reading the three scripts, i will then get in touch to arrange a mutually convenient time to chat.

note:- do NOT send complete scripts or the first ten pages unless i ask for them. if you do, they will be deleted without opening, although your logline and one-page will still be eligible.

there are some conditions, but i’ve tried to limit them as best i can.

i) the offer is only open to those who follow me on twitter

ii) scripts should be no more than 150 pages

iii) scripts should be properly formatted (if you’re unsure, check here for the basics), and as a pdf file

iv) scripts must NOT be in development at a production company or similar

v) as a writer, you will have had no more than one feature film been released theatrically (anywhere in the world)

vi) all genres are allowed – i like any genre as long as they are written well!

vii) the consultations will take place via skype

viii) scripts must be in either english or danish

ix) the scripts should be completed drafts – anywhere from the 1st draft to the 100th!

the deadline for the logline and one-page synopsis is sunday february 17th at 23.59 gmt

if you have any questions, feel free to contact me at philATscriptguyphilDOTcom or via twitter.

best of luck to you and i look forward to reading some great work

happy writing

phil

scriptguyphil.com

my films of 2012

it is now the time to take a quick look back at last year and list the movies of 2012 that i enjoyed the most.

i don’t like ranking films as such (although, as usual, i do have a favourite), and i don’t restrict the list to 10 films – last year there were only seven films, this year there were twelve that i loved!

so without further ado, here we go…

favourite cinema films — in chronological order

tinker, tailor, soldier, spy

written by bridget o’connor & peter straughan

a sharp, subtle spy drama that was as intense as it was exciting. an amazing script that takes a complicated and dense book and turns it into an elegant and concise screenplay.

attack the block

written by joe cornish

a horror comedy with an underlying social message where the script makes you side with, and become emotionally attached to, what seems to be a band of thug teenagers. pure entertainment.

shame

written by steve mcqueen and abi morgan

a deeply felt character study of addiction and loneliness, with a script that gets into the souls of the two main characters.

the raid: redemption

written by gareth evans

one of the most explosive action films i have ever seen. the script may not be deep, but it did just enough to be emotionally engaging and made sure that the fight sequences also developed character and story.

martha marcy may marlene

written by sean durkin

another sublime character study that looks at brainwashing both within a cult and within a family unit. the script is beautifully downplayed.

sleep tight

written by alberto marini

an intimate thriller that would have made hitchcock proud, the script balanced dark humour and disturbing chills to perfection. a scene in the middle with the main character trying to get out of an apartment is probably my favourite scene of the year.

killer joe

written by tracy letts

another dark comedy with disturbing elements, the script takes some terrible people and makes them fascinating to watch.

we need to talk about kevin

written by lynne ramsey & rory kinnear

a gripping look at a mother/child relationship told in a truly fascinating way. the script was sparse and intelligent, yet provocative when it needed to be.

take shelter

written by jeff nichols

this is a masterful film that will stay with me for a very long time. a powerful, yet delicate script with beautifully written characters full of nuance and depth.

weekend

written by andrew haigh

an intense and tender romance. the writing and performances are incredibly natural and get you right under the skin of the characters. it avoids cliches and preaching and simply concentrates on the way that two people can fall in love.

take this waltz — **my favourite film of 2012**

written by sarah polley

a beautiful and delicate film. truthful in the sense that i saw parts of myself in all the main characters, which made the emotions very real. a script filled with emotional pull, this is the film of last year that made me engage with the story and characters more than any other – it had a very strong impact on me, which is why it is my film of the year!

ernest et celestine

written by daniel pennac

a true joy! beautifully animated, it was touching, hilarious and completely captivating. the script was simple and effective, with just enough anarchy to balance its tenderness and its fun.

other notable films seen at the cinema this year —

50/50 (will reiser)  –  moneyball (steven zaillian and aaron sorkin)

young adult (diablo cody)  –  magic mike (reid carolin)

ted (seth macfarlane & alec sulkin & wellesley wild)

grabbers (kevin lehane)  –  looper (rian johnson)

favourite films seen on the small screen —

the good, the bad, the weird (jee-woon kim, min-suk kim)

agora (alejandro amenábar & mateo gil)  –  away from her (sarah polley)

stake land (nick damici, jim mickle)  –  girlwalk//allday (no credited writer)

sound of noise (ola simonsson, johannes stjärne nilsson)

the guard (john michael mcdonagh)

 

these films were my favourites because the stories and characters engaged me on an emotional level to a very high degree – and that is what i hope for every time the lights go down, or crack open a new script for that matter!

to catch my mini-reviews throughout the year you can join me on twitter and facebook.

i hope 2013 is your best year yet, so until next time…

happy writing

phil

scriptguyphil.com