Adopt a playwright

For the second year OffWestEnd.com is running an 'adopt a playwright' scheme, inviting patrons to "buy time for struggling new playwrights to write".

The aim is quite simply to encourage new voices from every corner of our multifaceted society by buying them the time to write. We want to make sure that talented new writers from backgrounds that offer them little encouragement or financial support do not give up but are given a fair chance to prove themselves and take their place among our culture's storytellers.

Every year an Advisory Panel of 'talent scouts' and 'experts' will recommend and short-list new writers who show talent and need help. One writer will be chosen for adoption each year.

In The Guardian, Alfred Hickling considers the merits of the scheme.

Adopting a playwright is a fine idea. But if you really want to subsidise unpublished authors and out-of-work actors, you could always go down the established route and open a restaurant.

DVRs - the revolution that wasn't

Unusually, some good news for the TV industry: it seems that Digital Video Recorders, frequently predicted to have a devastating effect on commercial TV revenues by allowing viewers to skip adverts, seem to have had little impact.

From The Economist:

Families with DVRs [in America] seem to spend 15-20% of their viewing time watching pre-recorded shows, and skip only about half of all advertisements. This means only about 5% of television is time-shifted and less than 3% of all advertisements are skipped. Mitigating that loss, people with DVRs watch more television.

BAFTA TV Awards winners

Winners at last night's BAFTA TV Awards included:

• Single Drama - White Girl (written by Abi Morgan)
• Drama Series - Wallander (written by Richard Cottan and Richard McBrien, from the books by Henning Menkell)
• Drama Serial - Criminal Justice (written by Peter Moffat)
• Continuing Drama - The Bill ( see writing credits)
• Comedy Programme - Harry and Paul (created by Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse)
• Sitcom - The IT Crowd (written by Graham Linehan)
• Audience Award - Skins (created by Jamie Brittain amd Bryan Elsley)
  

Webby honour for Brothers McLeod

Sticks, a series of animations by the Brothers McLeod (including Guild member Myles), has been named an Official Honoree of the 2009 Webby Awards to recognise its "standard of excellence".

Guild members can look forward to an article by Myles in the next issue of UK Writer.

Here's the first Sticks. The other two are also available online.

Andrew Motion steps down

On the BBC News website the Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion, talks about his ten years in the role.

You wrote eight special poems while laureate. Are there any of which you're particularly proud?

Overall, I think of them as left-handed poems written by a right-handed poet. Some of them don't work at all well.

I tried to write something for Prince William's 21st birthday in the style of a rap, because I thought "he's a young person and I'll do it in a kind of humorous way" and I wish I hadn't done it really, I wish I'd stayed on the higher ground.

New ITC rates

The new rates payable to writers under the WGGB agreement with the Independent Theatre Council (ITC) has been announced. You can download the new ITC rates (pdf) from the Guild website.

Martin Baum on the phone-in experience

On the Writers' Guild wesbite, Martin Baum recounts the experience of taking part in Richard Bacon's BBC Radio 5 Live phone-in talking about his book, To Be or Not To Be, Innit – A Yoof-Speak Guide To Shakespeare.

There was another guest. A traditionalist who held a different view to mine who was sat on her own in an unmanned studio in Liverpool - and this taught me the valuable broadcasting lesson that out of sight is out of mind, especially if you’re not actually in the studio at the time of transmission. Unfortunately for the lady ’cross the Mersey, the balance of air time given was very much tipped in my favour.

What Guild members are getting up to

ABBY AJAYI wrote the episode of Holby City "Running on Empty" going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Tuesday 28th April.

SARAH BAGSHAW wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Tuesday 28th April.

MARK BURGESS'S radio play A King's Speech is going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Thursday 30th April.

RICHARD BURKE wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Wednesday 29th April.

MICHAEL CHAPLIN'S radio play Two Pipe Problems going out in two parts on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th April.

ANNA CLEMENTS wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Tuesday 28th April.

TIM DYNEVOR wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Thursday 30th April.

JEREMY FRONT wrote the episode of Murder Unprompted: a Charles Paris Mystery, staring Bill Nighy its going out on Radio 4 at 11:30am on Wednesday 29th April.

DIANA GRIFFITHS' radio play Therese Raquin concludes on Radio 4 at 9:00pm on Radio 4 at 9:00pm on Saturday 25th April.

DAWN HARRISON wrote the episode of Doctors "Someone to Watch over Me" going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Wednesday 29th April.

JANE HOLLOWOOD wrote the episode of Heartbeat "Looking for Isabelle" going out on ITV1 at 8:00pm on Sunday 26th April.

DEBBIE HORSFIELD wrote the episode of All the Small Things going out on BBC1 at 9:00pm on Tuesday 28th April.

KAREN HUGHES wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Monday 27th April.

JULIE JONES wrote the episode of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm on Wednesday 29th April.

DAVID KANE wrote the episode of Taggart "Grass" going out on ITV1 at 9:00pm on Thursday 30th April.

NICK KING wrote the episode of Doctors "Playing Away" going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Monday 27th April.

ROB KINSMAN wrote the episode of Doctors "Lucky" going out on BC1 at 1:45pm on Tuesday 28th April.

KAREN LAWS wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Monday 27th April.

JANE MARLOW wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Friday 1st May.

JIMMY MCGOVERN wrote the episode of The Street going out on BBC1 at 10:45pm on Wednesday 29th April.

DAVID NOBBS co-wrote the episode of Reggie Perrin going out on BBC1 at 9:30pm on Friday 1st May.

MOYA O'SHEA is performing in fellow Guild member Mark Burgess's radio play A King's Speech going out on 2:15pm on Thursday 30th April.

CHRISTOPHER REASON wrote the episodes of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 7:30pm on Tuesday 28th and Thursday 30th April.

HEATHER ROBSON wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Monday 27th April.

DAN TETSELL co-wrote the episode of Rudy's Rare Records "Take Me Home, Country Roads" going out on Radio 4 at 11:30am on Monday 27th April.

JOANNA TOYE wrote the episodes of The Archers going out on Radio 4 at 7:00pm from Sunday 26th till Friday 1st May.

Arts Council England to invest extra £44.5 million

From The Arts Council:

Arts Council England will invest an extra £44.5 million in artists and arts organisations over the next two years to help maintain artistic excellence during the economic downturn.

These counter-recessionary measures were announced by Chair Dame Liz Forgan, in a speech at an Arts Council sponsored seminar, Maximising the importance of arts and culture through the economic downturn, today 24 April 2009, in London...

The new funds have been made available by the Arts Council radically reducing its Lottery cash balances over the next two years.

Wired edited by JJ Abrams

The latest (US) issue of Wired magazine is guest edited by writer and director JJ Abrams.

As you might expect from the creator of Lost, it contains some hidden messages (none of which, apparently, work online).

Can a writer be too famous?

With The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown's follow-up to his global bestseller The Da Vinci Code, set for release later this year, Hillel Italie asks if fame can damage a writer's work.

"Lost Symbol" took far longer to complete than his previous books. In his increasingly rare public statements, Brown has lamented that he can no longer fly on commercial planes because of autograph seekers and expressed shock at the vehemence of the questions he faced while promoting the book.

Like other celebrities, he has learned the meaning of being sued. His most extended comments in the past few years came in a 69-page court statement he submitted for a copyright infringement case filed against him (and eventually rejected) in London.

"As soon as 'The Da Vinci Code' was published and had become a runaway success, I found myself in a firestorm of controversy," Brown wrote in his statement. "I had never experienced this kind of media attention, and it was very difficult at times (especially the criticism from Christians). Often at my book signings, I found myself interrogated publicly by an angry Christian scholar who quizzed me on details of Bible history from the novel."

Blue plaque commemorates Stewart Parker

From BBC News:

A blue plaque marking the birthplace of Belfast playwright and poet Stewart Parker has been unveiled by his niece.

Lynne Parker performed the ceremony at the house in Larkfield Road, Sydenham, in the east of the city where her uncle spent his early years.

Stewart Parker died in 1988 after battling cancer. He was 46 years of age.
Among the works for which he is best known are the plays Spokesong and Catchpenny Twist.

Update: Also, the winners of the annual Stewart Parker awards for new playwrights have been announced.

Rhianna Pratchett interview

On the Guild website I've put up the interview with video games writer Rhianna Pratchett that was the cover story in the most recent issue of the Guild's magazine, UK Writer.

How does writing a game story compare to say, a TV series or feature film?

I’d say it has a little more in common with TV writing, rather than film writing, because you’re trying to tell a story in a small space while executing scenes and establishing characters quickly and succinctly. That’s while still trying to squeeze colour, personality, imagination and good writing into the mix! Ultimately you’re not dealing with a linear medium, nor one in which the needs of story are particular well established or respected. That can be pretty challenging, even for experienced games writers. Understanding how games work and what gamers want from them is actually not something you can walk in from another medium and just know. You have to have had some experience of games and, ideally in my opinion, be a gamer yourself, even if it’s just casually. No one would expect to write a movie having never watched one or read a screenplay.

Gregory Burke's new play

In The Guardian, Mark Fisher talks to playwright Gregory Burke about his new play, Hoors

Until recently, Burke, now 41, was touting Hoors as the "disappointing follow-up to Black Watch" - displaying the self-deprecating humour typical of this man brought up in the tough expat naval community of Gibraltar, and in a working-class area of Dunfermline during the miners' strike. But he does have a point: it will be tough for Hoors to match the success of Black Watch, his riveting story of "The Gallant Forty-Twa", as the now-amalgamated Scottish regiment was known. Based on interviews with soldiers who served in Iraq, Black Watch hurtled its cast from a smoky Fife pool room to a world of bullets, bombs and brutal death. Last month, it picked up four Olivier awards, including one for best new play.

Today, Burke is feeling much more positive about Hoors, which opens at Edinburgh's Traverse next month before touring the UK: "I really like the script. It's funny and it's done all the things I wanted it to do." There are several reasons why Burke chose the play's title. "It's not a searing verbatim exploration of the sex industry. It's a metaphor. We're all whores. We all believe in what we believe at the time, and say what we want to get somewhere. How often do we reveal our true feelings?"

Martin Baum on Richard Bacon show

Guild member Martin Baum will be on the Richard Bacon phone-in programme on BBC Radio Five Live tonight from midnight, talking about his book,To Be Or Not To Be, Innit - A Yoof-speak Guide to Shakespeare.

The book, as those of you who read Martin's article in the Guild magazine last year will remember, was self-published and has become a huge hit that has attracted a massive amount of publicity - including an appearance on Richard and Judy.

JG Ballard 1930-2009

Writer JG Ballard has died at the age of 78. Best known for his books Empire Of The Sun and Crash, both of which were turned into high-profile feature films, Ballard described the majority of his work as "picturing the psychology of the future".

BBC News has a series of tributes from readers, and there are obituaries in The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph and The Times.

The Guardian also has tributes by fellow writers, including Michael Moorcock.

JG Ballard was one of my closest friends for 50 years. Together with Barry Bayley, who died last year, we "plotted" the revolution in science fiction which led to the so-called New Wave and he was a regular contributor to New Worlds, which spearheaded that movement

US deal brings movies to YouTube

It might still be best known for showcasing unlikely talent, but Google's YouTube is increasingly looking to establish partnerships with established content providers.

Last week, as Brian Stelter and Miguel Heft report for The New York Times, YouTube signed deals with Hollywood studios including Sony, Lions Gate and MGM (the content will currently only be available in the USA).

“We think the prime-time slot of the future is very much user-programmed,” Shiva Rajaraman, a senior product manager for YouTube, told reporters in a conference call Thursday. He said users could come home to a mixture of TV shows, music videos and amateur videos.

For Wired, Chris Snyder wonders whether the deal represents a fundamental shift in strategy.

The moves signal a significant evolution for YouTube away from its beginnings as a platform for homegrown video — roots that helped catapult the site to mad popularity while also creating friction with copyright holders over thousands of unauthorized video clips submitted by the YouTube community.

The changes will not impose download or streaming fees for premium content, although Google CEO Eric Schmidt hinted at the possibility down the road in an earnings call on Thursday. ("We do expect over time to see micropayments and other forms of subscription models coming," he said.)

Rather, YouTube said it will offer new technology, dubbed Google TV Ads Online, to insert ads in the middle of video clips, rather than just at the beginning or the end. It will also allow partners for the first time to use their own video players on the site.

What Guild members are getting up to

ROY APPS wrote the episode of Penelope's People "Divorcing Grandpa" going out on Radio 4 at 3:30pm on Tuesday 21st April.

PAUL CAMPBELL wrote the episode of Holby City "No Legacy So Rich" going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Tuesday 21st April.

JOHN CHAMBERS wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Wednesday 22nd April.

MARK CLOMPUS wrote the episode of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 8:00pm on Monday 20th April.

RICHARD DAVIDSON wrote the episodes of EastEnders going out on BBC1 at 7:30pm on Thursday 23rd and at 8:00pm on Friday 24th April.

BBC Radio 2 are re-running the entire first series of KRIS DYER'S On the Blog on Thursday nights at 10.30pm. It began on Thursday 16th April

LISA EVANS' adaptation of Melvyn Bragg’s best-selling story of romance and betrayal in 19th century Cumbria The Maid of Buttermere, has its last night at the Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, Cumbria, on Saturday 18th April.
STEVEN FAY wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Wednesday 22nd April.

MICHAEL FRAYN's play Alphabetical Order is now back at the Hampstead Theatre where it was first produced in March 1975. It transferred to the West End and won the Evening Standard Award for Best Comedy.

PETER GIBBS wrote the episode of Heartbeat "Return Crossing" going out on ITV1 at 8:00pm on Sunday 19th April.

DAVID GOODERSON'S play The Killing of Mr Toad which tells the extraordinary story behind The Wind in the Willows will be at the Finborough Theatre on April 19th,20th,26th,27th, and May 3rd,and 4th.

LUCY GOUGH wrote the episode of Doctors "Innocence" going out on BBC1 at 1:45pm on Tuesday 21st April.

DIANA GRIFFITHS'S dramatization of Theres Raquin is going out on Radio 4 in two parts at 9:00pm on Saturday 18th and at 3:00pm on Sunday 19th April.

JONATHAN HARVEY wrote the episodes of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm and 8:30pm on Friday 24th April.

DEBBIE HORSFIELD wrote the episode of All the Small Things going out on BBC1 at 9:00pm on Tuesday21st April.

ALEX JONES' play about global flooding finishes its tour with Oxfordshire Touring Theatre on 24th April.

ROBERT JONES wrote the episode of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency "A Real Botswana Diamond" going out on BBC1 at 9:00pm on Sunday 19th April.

JESSICA LEA wrote the episode of Hollyoaks going out on C4 at 6:30pm on Thursday 23rd April.

MIKE LEIGH's televised interview about his life and career with Mark Lawson will go out on Sunday 19 April at 10.30 pm on BBC Four

DOUGLAS LIVINGSTONE'S radio play Road to Durham staring Timothy West is going out on Radio 4 at 2:30pm on Saturday 18th April.

DAVID MCDERMOTT wrote the episodes of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th April.

JIMMY MCGOVERN wrote the episode of The Street "Twin" going out on BBC1 at 10:50pm on Wednesday 22nd April.

ROLAND MOORE'S one-act play Lonely Hearts has been selected as a finalist in the Congleton One Act Play Competition

PAUL MOUSLEY wrote the episode of Primeval going out on ITV1 at 6:55pm no Saturday 18th April.

MAEVE MURPHY'S new feature Beyond The Fire, which she has written and directed, will be showing at the London Independent Film Festival at the Curzon Mayfair on Wednesday 22nd April at 6.30pm. It has been nominated for Best UK Feature and Best Director and will be released around the UK by Met Film in June, kicking off at the ICA (date to be confirmed).

DAVID NOBBS' much-loved character Reginald Perrin returns to our screens next week and will star Martin Clunes and Fay Ripley. David co-wrote the first episode of the new series which will be going out on BBC1 at 9:30pm on Friday 24th April.

DEBBIE OATES wrote the episodes of Coronation Street going out on ITV1 at 7:30pm and 8:30pm on Monday 20th April.

JULIE PARSONS wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Monday 20th April.

ASHLEY PHAROAH wrote the first episode of the new series of Ashes to Ashes going out on BBC1 at9:00pm on Monday 20th April.

ALAN PLATER'S radio play The Gallery is going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Wednesday 22nd April.

PAUL ROUNDELL wrote the episode of Emmerdale going out on ITV1 at 7:00pm on Tuesday 21st April.

DAVID STAFFORD co-wrote the episode of Hazelbeach going out on 11:30pm on Monday 20th April.

TIM STIMPSON wrote the episodes of The Archers going out on Radio 4 at 7:00pm from Monday 20th till Friday 24th April.

SANDY TOKSVIG is giving an exclusive, after-dinner performance of her witty new show England, Shakespeare &St. George at the Holland House Hotel, Redcliffe Hill, Bristol, BS1 6SQ at 7:30pm for 8:00pm on Wednesday 22nd April.

NICK WARBURTON'S radio play Available Means is going out on Radio 4 at 2:15pm on Tuesday 21st April.

TOBY YOUNG will be the guest speaker at the Last Tuesday Society's lecture on Tuesday 28th April in the Romanesque splendour of the Tabernacle, Powis Square, Notting Hill. 6.30 for 7.00 pm. Tickets £10. Complimentary cocktails delightfully concocted by Hendrick’s will be served afterwards.

Royce Ryton dies

As The Stage reports, playwright Royce Ryton has died at the age of 84.

His best know work was Crown Matrimonial, which opened in 1972, and has enjoyed numerous revivals around the world.

Update (18th April): There's a nice obituary today by Michael Coveney in The Guardian.

Ryton was a burly man, with a mass of orange, curly hair. He was devoted to his family - he was married to the actor Morar Kennedy (Ludovic's sister) - and was incorrigibly camp in manner. His daughter admits that he had the most appalling taste in clothes, often wearing lots of red with plenty of glitter and frills. For much of the year, he went around looking like a Christmas tree but, like Quentin Crisp, he couldn't care less. He spoke in clipped, aphoristic sentences, a style he carried through in his work. Like Oscar Wilde, he was always "on" in public, and like Nöel Coward, whom he admired inordinately, he was given to a lot of finger-wagging, both on and off stage.

The Virginia Prize for Fiction

To celebrate 20 years as a small independent publishing house based in Richmond-upon-Thames, Aurora Metro is launching a new competition to encourage and promote new writing by women.

The Virgina Prize is open to any woman over 18 who has written an unpublished novel in English. The shortlist will be compiled in October 2009 and the £1000 prize will be awarded in November as part of Richmond’s Book Now! Literary Festival. The winning entry will be published by Aurora Metro Press in the following year.