GUIDELINES FOR ADAPT TO FILM Background Movie adaptation is big business with adaptations outnumbering original screenplays and taking the lion s share of the box office*. Bestsellers such as The Girl on the Train are immediately snapped up to become some of the most eagerly anticipated cinema releases, but there are very few opportunities for filmmakers to explore this particularly specific craft. With Adapt to Film Broadway is partnering with experienced script and talent development executives Anna Seifert-Speck and Caroline Cooper Charles to deliver an exciting new programme for film professionals interested in adapting source material for the screen. Adapt to Film is funded with support from Creative Skillset, BFI Film Forever and the National Lottery. Please read these guidelines carefully before submitting your application to ensure that your skills and experience are relevant for this programme. What is it? Adapt to Film is a professional training programme for up to 10 professional writers or writers/directors that addresses the challenges of adapting different types of source material for the screen. Through three residential modules accompanied by mentoring it will provide practical strategies for turning novels, short stories and films, plays, biographies, blogs, journalistic articles and other factual writing into feature-length screenplays. Participants apply with source materials and an adaptation proposal. Over a period of 5 months they will then be guided through an analysis of the source material, finding the screen story and writing a detailed treatment and sample scenes. The final module provides an opportunity to hone presentation skills and pitch the adaptation project to financiers, distributors, sales companies and other relevant industry professionals. What will be covered? There will be 3 x 2 day residential modules that will take place in Nottingham and London. Full details are given in the Key Dates section below. In between these modules participants will receive remote mentoring support via Skype, email and telephone. * 1994-2013 1
Throughout the course of this initiative, each selected participant will: Learn to seek, identify and explore good source material for adaptation Consider how best to develop that material into a viable and engaging story Deepen their understanding of the basic cornerstones of storytelling and how these specifically relate to adaptation Enhance their ability to adapt from varying source materials Apply this knowledge through active development exercises, utilising their own source material Develop their networks and relationships with producers and other creative talent Better understand the legal issues and implications when optioning work Explore the potential for audience building and crowd-funding Produce a treatment and key sample scenes for an individual adaptation project Increase their awareness of market factors influencing the success (or otherwise) of adapted material Refine their project pitching and overall presentation skills Be introduced to a range of financiers, distributors and sales companies Who can apply? Adapt to Film is open to writers and writer/directors based in the UK. We will select up to ten (10) core participants and adaptation projects. Applicants should have demonstrable credits/publications in relevant disciplines (film, literature, theatre, journalism, biography). They should also have a proven basic knowledge of screenwriting and will be required to provide a screenwriting sample as part of the application process. This programme is suitable for those planning to adapt a short film into a feature but is not appropriate for directors who intend to write a script for the first time, or for writers with no demonstrable previous screenplay experience. If the proposed source material is a short film then it must have been screened at or accepted to one of the film festivals listed on the British Council Key Festivals List** or BAFTA Recognised Festivals List***. Producers may also participate in the second two modules of Adapt to Film, but only if they are formally attached to one of the writers and adaptation projects selected for the programme at the time of application. The primary applicant for the programme must be the proposed writer of the adaptation. ** http://film.britishcouncil.org/docs/201617keyfestivalsli_1474391407.pdf *** http://awards.bafta.org/sites/default/files/images/short_film_recognised_festival_list_2015_16.pdf 2
Applicants must have identified material for adaptation that will form part of the application and assessment process. You or your attached producer must be able to either: Demonstrate you have already secured the rights to the source material you are planning to work on; or Provide written confirmation that you have the ability to secure those rights and the funds to do so; or Establish the source material is out of copyright and/or has no underlying rights issues; or Confirm you are the creator of the original material and hold all the necessary rights. Please note that we will ask for evidence of the above as part of the application process and applications which are unable to include this information may be deemed ineligible. Fees and Participation, What is Included? Contributions are required from participants and will be charged before the first module. Writer and Writer/Director Fee: 350 As well as the workshops and mentoring provision the following are provided to the selected writers and writer/directors as part of the programme: Welcome dinner on the first night of the programme 2 nights accommodation for each of the 2 residential modules in Nottingham 1 night accommodation for the residential module in London Two breakfasts, two lunches and one evening meal at each residential module Travel bursaries contributing to the cost of the journeys to Nottingham and London are available and there is access to further childcare support where applicable. In addition a flexible bursary fund has been established to assist with option or option renewal fees for original material. Producer Fee: 100 or 50 (Early Bird) A producer may be included as an additional participant only where formally attached to an application submitted by a writer. 50 Early Bird Rate applies only for applications received before Friday 28 th October 2016. 3
Please note that the writer must submit the application by Friday 28 th October naming the attached producer on the application form for the early bird rate to apply. The producer will be invited to actively participate in Modules 2 and 3 of the programme and receive lunches and evening meals alongside the writer. However, they will be responsible for making independent travel and accommodation arrangements and covering all associated costs. Key dates Early Bird Deadline for Applications : Final Deadline for Applications Friday 28 th October 2016, 5pm Sunday 6 th November 2016, Midnight Notification of Selection Friday 11 th November 2016 First Module (2 days) 26 th 27 th November 2016, Broadway, Nottingham Includes welcome dinner on Friday 25 th November and accommodation for writers on Friday 25th and Saturday 26 th November Second Module (2 days) 28 th 29 th January 2017, Broadway, Nottingham Includes accommodation for writers on Friday 27 th and Saturday 28 th January Third Module (2 days) 12 th & 13 th March 2017, London Includes accommodation for writers on Sunday 12 th March Please note that the dates and locations may be subject to change but you will be asked to confirm your full availability for the above as part of the application process. Application process Please ensure you allow adequate time to apply in order to avoid disappointment. Regretfully, applications made after the Final Deadline are ineligible and cannot be 4
accepted. Any applications submitted after 5pm on 28 th October will not be eligible for the Early Bird rate for producers and if successful will require that producer fees are paid at the higher level. Please complete an application form online at https://broadway.typeform.com/to/y1eprh. As part of this application, you will be required to supply the following key information: A short summary of the source material (maximum 3 pages) Evidence of your rights to the source material (or ability to attain them) A 10 page screenwriting sample Your biography/filmography/cv A one-page writer s statement outlining your intentions for the source material, specifically why you feel it should be adapted and its audience appeal as an adaptation proposition Assessment and Selection Stage 1: Eligible applications will be read and assessed by Broadway s Development Director and the Adapt to Film Programme Producers. We may also use external assessors depending upon the overall number of applications that we receive. Applications will be assessed against the following equally weighted criteria. Craft: your screenwriting ability as evidenced by your 10 page screenwriting sample Track record: as a storyteller or re-teller as evidenced by your biography / filmography / CV Creative vision: as evidenced by your writer s statement responding to why you feel the source material should be adapted and its audience appeal Stage 2: Following assessment, up to ten participants (along with associated producers where applicable) will be selected and successful applicants will be notified by 11 th November 2016. Contacting Us Please feel free to contact us if you have any queries on any aspect of the Adapt to Film programme. In the first instance, please send an email to adapttofilm@broadway.org.uk with details of your enquiry and stating Adapt to Film in your subject header. 5