Blog from a hot tin roof

Prequel

Welcome one and all...

The film business is a funny old game.

Nothing new you might say, but so many talented writers and film folk struggle to be seen amidst the throng, struggle to see their babies grow up, struggle to find the men in suits or struggle to raise the money to bring their film projects onto the big or small screen. Do you see a bit of a theme going on here? Yep, you've got it, the common denominator... struggle.

That doesn't mean to say that 'it' whatever 'it' is cannot be done, it just means that you have to be more proactive, forward thinking, inventive, cheeky or just downright fecking fearless when looking for ways to see your project through.

Finding out about how you can put your work in front of decision makers or people who hold the power in terms of helping you make things happen is, contrary to popular myth not an impossibility. It is all about connectivity, as a friend has recently found out when a book that was published back in 2006, has just been picked up an optioned with money attached to the film rights; this came about through a conversation over a breakfast networking event. You see, you never know who is queuing up next to you for their bacon and eggs..

In 2006 I was writing a series of articles for an arts magazine about the real independent filmmakers living along the South coast, people who spend every waking breath either living, eating, talking about or dying film and everything in-between. I was astonished to find so many talented folk living in my own backyard and I thought 'Wouldn't it be great if I could bring all these people together and provide agencies, funders and organisations who could help them to see their projects come to life'; you will note I often talk to myself.

With a bit of ignorance and a lot of gaul, I set about securing support and raising the all important jamoola and put on a film networking event and have done so every year since 2007. They have been a huge success and many projects have seen the light of day or fit into the work in progress category.

Some of the organisations who have supported the event are South West Screen, The Writers' Guild of Great Britain, UK Trade and Investment, Creative Dorset, UnLtd, Poole Arts Development, Lighthouse (Poole Centre for the Arts), HSBC, Southbank publishing, A & C Black, The Enterprise Pavilion, White Lantern Film and ArtsMatrix.

I would strongly urge any writer to break free from the confines of their room and their mind and get along to any film or writerly networking events that encourage collaborative interaction.

I hope you will join me and come along for the ride and I promise to post and share opportunities that may just help film folk put a bit of flesh on the bones of their ideas...