“Spare a thought to the presentation of your script. It isn't hard to make it easy to read, and it's always worth the effort of rewriting and editing in order to make your story shine.” (Online)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/writing/tips_shortfilm.shtml

“So, in essence, before a series is commissioned for broadcast, the idea has involved the person to whom it first appealed; generally a script editor; the head of comedy; a comedy expert in entertainment commissioning; a channel scheduler and a channel controller.By the time it gets presented, a script will have gone through five or six drafts, had at least one informal read, then two days of rehearsal.” (Online)

http://www.robinkelly.btinternet.co.uk/cd.htm

http://www.robinkelly.btinternet.co.uk/cd.htm

http://www.scriptfly.com/articles/developscreenplay.php

“Analytical ApproachThis is where you develop every detail about your story

before proceeding to write the script. This approach goes hand-in-hand with the popular screenwriting books by Robert McKee, Syd Field, John Truby and Chris Vogler. The plot is worked out in intricate detail. Maybe index cards are used or a 40-page outline written. You don't write a single scene until you have every inch of the story developed.”(Online)

http://www.scriptfly.com/articles/developscreenplay.php

http://www.scriptfly.com/articles/developscreenplay.php

http://thescriptlab.com/screenwriting/story/development

‘ “The basic spine of any successful screenplay is character, objective, obstacles, and theme. A good story is about an interesting protagonist (character), who wants something badly (objective) and is having trouble achieving it (obstacles), and the story is worth writing because it illustrates some kind of universal message (theme).” (Online)

‘ “HOW DO YOU MAKE THE PLOT INTERESTING?You have an idea, you have worked out a broad structure, now take a look

at how you can write a script in an interesting way.The importance of conflictExamples include a problem to be solved; an obstacle to be overcome; a threat to be handled; a decision to be made; a challenge to be met.Decision making by principal charactersIt ceases to be a story and just becomes a succession of incidents if there is no decision making by principal characters on show.Consequence of action – cause and effectSomething happens, and as a result something else happens. You set up a situation and then see how the characters react to it.Creating empathyViewers like to know who to identify with; they like to know who they are cheering for.Plots to avoidIdiot plot – Script editors hate plots which only work if basically intelligent characters behave in a totally stupid way.Scenes that go nowhere – Every scene should move the story on. It should either advance the plot or illuminate the characters – but preferably both.Plots that lose tension – We must always want to know what is going to happen next”

‘How To... Write For Television’

‘How To... Write For Television’

‘How To... Write For Television’

‘The Art and Science of Screenwriting’

‘ “Let us start from the beginning. What are we after?Is it a premise? An interesting situation? A character? Some action? A dilemma? A social issue? An artistic expression? A post-modernist interpretation of angst or a large cheque?The first, simple, answer is: it could be all of these and many more besides. However, in essence the start of a screenplay’s development is an idea which the writer believes in.”

‘The Art and Science of Screenwriting’

‘The Art and Science of Screenwriting’

‘Media Magazine’

‘ ‘Adapting a book? That’s got to be easier than starting from scratchhasn’t it? There are already characters and stories to draw upon andthere’s the added bonus that all the Babylon books are lid-liftingexposés, so plenty of inside knowledge to be gleaned.”

‘Media Magazine’

‘ “Starting points there may be from the book, but there is also thedawning realisation that the readers will have pre-conceived expectations that need to be met.”