Susan Everett

Primarily a writeer that’s also directed 4 films

Writes screen plays for feature films

Write short stories and a novelist

Recently working on a super natural killer which Rankin is involved in

Just finished work on 2x 90 min tv film called justice truth – started out as a potential series for trial and retribution

Right now locked away being a novelist

Used to teach on a screen writing MA, last year and year before did a module called writing beyond the page, how to do stand up and how to write monologues

Still interested in the same things as a kid

Wanted to do art and English

Went to art college – in terms of being an artist it was the best year ever, at the same time as Damian Hirst

Was most interested in illustration with film on the side, and combinded both interest in art work and stories.

First couple of years really disliked her own work felt it was all crap, but suggests as long as you can take something even small from it and realize what your good at

ENTER COMPETITIONS

Didn’t win a competition but got shortlisted and people started recognizing her work. Easier to get an agent!

Got into desiging illustrations for cards etc.

Tried to research and learn her field.

Joined the Leeds community film project

Was acting at the time, and wanted to improve the scripts so tried to re-write it. Started writing scripts didn’t have a clue what she was doing but entered a competition and received a call from the producer of the competition and got asked to come to London.

Find what it is that keeps you going because people will kill your project

Glimmers of hope that reminds yourself of what your good at

Got to get used to things not happening!

Work at your strengths and push them!!!!

If you want to be taken seriously as a script writer, format properly! – need to know what your audience is.

1.     front page needs to be formatted properly

2.     can tell if you  can write after the first page

3.     can tell if your good after 10 pages

4.     put page numbers on

5.     usually between 90-120 pages

6.     10 pages represents 10 minutes, 100 pages = 100 minutes

Research, find out stuff!!! You have to dig underneath the surface to really find out information you want to write about.

Worked with the director or The Full Monty & 127 Hours. The director went to the location where the real person spoke with the director of what happened to him, to see the video recordings to really understand what happened.

Fascination by adoption

She was adopted

Was always telling herself different stories of what her life could have been like

Script editor is the writers sounding board, should have more knowledge then the writer. Tries to protect the write from the system. A writer needs to have someone who they can trust to help with the script and not re write it, unless it needs to be re-written.

Recommends reading scripts to help writing scripts

Dailyscript.com – feature scripts

Bbc writers room have lots of tv scripts

Research idea development, character development like an onion – when you peal the skin away you get deeper and deeper and find out more

May forget the story but a good character wont be forgotten.

Susan has her reoccurring themes. Quite dark, murders, people die, Asperger’s, super heroes, horses, obsessive characters.

If someones already invented characters and stories, you have to find what you love and hate about the characters . Even if the story has been written, then throw your personality in it.