SHORT STORY | 'Backstory' - Gettin' A Piece Of The Action

I've got this idea for a film screenplay, titled 'BackStory' with a tagline of: 'They haven't lost the plot. They just wanna be part of it'.

TURL TIMES | 'Harvest' Nearly Comes A Cropper

The theme for this edition is 'Dreams'. There was no trouble coming up with an idea for a story, but after 6 drafts I was no closer to having any idea what I was trying to say.

REVIEW | 'A Fistful of Scripts', Theatre Press

An evocative and illuminating evening of new theatre

By Jennifer Coles

REVIEWED by Theatre Press, 8th December 2011

Firstly, I’d like to applaud Wise Works Media and Theatreworks for an evening like this. A Fistful of Scripts was a collection of new works presented as table reads for the benefit of their writers

SCRIPT | Getting Killed On The Big Screen

Wanna know 'How To Kill Your Favourite Character'? Maybe you can skip the book and just watch the movie.

This project is shaping up as my homage to 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' and 'Being John Malkovich' with a nod to 'Inception'.

ACTING | Something Must Connect Them 'Cos These Pretzels Are Makin' Me Thirsty!

While filming a TV Commercial this morning I experienced my very own Seinfeld moment.

ARTS | 'A Kind of Destiny' Wins Judges Choice

CONGRATULATIONS to the Judges Choice Winning Play 'A Kind of Destiny' by international playwright Sean McIntyre.

MEDIA RELEASE - ARTS | Birnam Wood Theatre Announces Arrival With 'Time's Arrow'

New theatre collective Birnam Wood Theatre announces itself to Melbourne's theatre industry with the global premiere of 'Time's Arrow', a full length play for the stage by Melbourne-based, international playwright Mark Andrew.

The story of an air crash survivor 'Time's Arrow' boards at La Mama's Carlton Courthouse, 8pm nightly from 1st - 12th November.

NEWS | Family Secrets Exposed In ‘Bomb The Base’

Richmond resident Christina Walls stars as ALICE in ‘Bomb The Base’, a contemporary tale that dissects complex personal relationships and global political alliances. The full-length stage production enjoys its global premiere this week at 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

NEWS | Mornington Local Scores Direct Hit At Melbourne Fringe

Mornington resident Dyllan Corbett stars as EDDIE in a contemporary tale enjoying its global premiere this week at 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival. ‘Bomb The Base’ is a full-length stage production that dissects complex personal relationships and global political alliances.

ARTS | Returning To Base

Homecoming story examines family secrets and global powerplays.

ARTS | Newport Playwright Touches Base

NEWPORT playwright Mark Andrew will see his new play performed for the first time when the cast of Bomb the Base hit the stage at the Melbourne Fringe Festival tonight.

MEDIA RELEASE | Silent Truths Explode In 'Bomb The Base' (2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival)

International Melbourne-based playwright Mark Andrew marks his 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival debut with 'Bomb The Base', a new play for the stage.

ACTING | Absence Makes The Bomb Grow Fonder...

I miss my agent!

ARTS | New Writer For 'A FISTFUL OF SCRIPTS' -- Wafik 'Fiko' Doss, Cairo

'A Fistful of Scripts' is delighted to announce that international playwright Wafik 'Fiko' Doss will be contributing his script 'The Heart of Rex' to an upcoming season in 2011 at Theatre Works, St Kilda.

ACTING | Auditions Hurt

With more auditions under the belt than ever, I’ve come to experience a wide range of approaches.

ACTING | ‘MONSTER PIES’ – Meeting And Cheating

I’d read the script. Now it was time to meet the director and my future on-screen ‘wife’.

ACTING | ‘MONSTER PIES’ Are Not Scary At All

It’s not every day an invitation lands in your lap asking you to accept a support role in a feature film without even auditioning for it!

EXTRA LIFE | Beware The Crazy Woman - Part I

My ‘RUSH’ING to be placed on hold brought me face-to-face with....

ACTING | Dad, Loner, Workman, Banished Uncle, Dead Cop

If I told you I've just finished filming 5 short films and a TV Ad in 4 and a half weeks...

SCRIPT | Yeah -- Well The Script Readings

'A Fistful Of Scripts' is building traction and momentum quickly slowly.

ACTING | 'RUSH'ing To Be Placed On Hold

Is the acting game easier than life in the real world? Based on today's events, one would have to say 'yes'.

EXTRA LIFE | 'This Is Them'...With A Little Bit Of Me

Melbourne Metro brings to life it's traveling public. 10 hours of filming on our own train set - just goes to show! um....something...

SCRIPT | 'This Is All'? -- No, It's Not!

Some really exciting late breakin' news has erupted out of Georgia, USA and it ain't from a bubblin' pool!!

NEWS | Tastes of Africa By Word Of Mouth

Word Of Mouth Intern Stephanie Reighart recently visited New Hampshire’s ‘Tastes of Africa’, to meet Mel and Damaris Hall who started catering in the Upper Valley 20 years ago.

NEWS | Outstanding Cast Announced For ‘A Fistful of Scripts’ [Season 2]

An outstanding cast for ‘A Fistful of Scripts’ [Season 2]. Full cast bio's are now available.

NEWS | 'A Kind Of Destiny' - Voyeurism At Its Best!

'A Kind Of Destiny' recently had a staged reading at Working Title Playwrights in Georgia, USA. Anyone who has fond memories of our Open Mic nights at Exeter College, Oxford is a chance to have their interest piqued by this development.

NEWS | Wise Words Media Speaks At Williamstown Literary Festival

I've been invited to present a workshop on screenwriting at 2011 Williamstown Literary Festival which takes place Friday 29 April - Sunday 1 May, 2011.

ACTING | Going The Distance With 'Shortbread'

Back in late February I moseyed on down to Moorabbin for an audition. Not long after I found out

SHORT STORY | How I Killed My Favourite Character

What would it be like to write from the point of view of a character who existed solely so you could kill him/her off? What would it be like to be that character? Guess what? I found out

NEWS | Wise Words Media Launches Another 'Fistful of Scripts'

A gathering of Melbourne's most talented and driven writers, actors and directors join creative forces again for an afternoon of script-readings at Theatre Works, Acland St Kilda, on Sunday 3rd April 2011 at 7pm.

Wise Words Media is pleased to announce another 'Fistful of Scripts'.

A Fistful of Scripts brings life to the written word for both theatre and screen by a gathering of Melbourne's most talented and driven writers, actors and directors. The artists will once again join creative forces for an afternoon of script-readings at Theatre Works, Acland St, St Kilda on Sunday 3rd April 2011 at 7pm.

CONFERENCE | 'Killing Time' - Case Study

One of the best seminar sessions came on Day Two. It was a case study of the recently completed TV series 'Killing Time' starring David Wenham.

Writer's Mac Gudgeon, Sean Grant and Katherine Thomson spoke in detail about how they approached this project.

CONFERENCE | Nicholas Myer - In Conversation

The first thing you need to know about US writer Nicholas Myer is that he is not a trekkie!

But he was the subject of a special guest appearance on Day Two of the AWG conference. The New York native brought a brusque form of humour that was a hit with all those assembled. He also brought razor sharp insight into his experiences writing and directing for films such as 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan', 'Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home' and 'The Human Stain'.

He is now working on a screenplay about Theodore Roosevelt with Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio.

CONFERENCE | Jimmie McGovern - In Conversation

This is the first in a series of articles that will share my experiences at the 2011 National Screenwriters Conference, held at Phillip Island in Victoria. Held in February, it was hosted by the Australian Writers Guild.

UK writer Jimmie McGovern was the subject of a special guest appearance on Day One. A native of Liverpool, he is responsible for TV shows such as 'Cracker' and 'Brookside'.

The article below is an extract of the discussion he had with that day's host.

NEWS | I Have A Dream...About Writer's Residencies

For some time my dream has been to live 4 to 6 months in a cheap country with decent internet facilities and just work on my writing.

Lately I have begun researching writer residencies in Australia and overseas.

NEWS | Writer Residencies

Lately I have begun researching writer residencies in Australia and oversea. A list of these appear below.

CONFERENCE | 'Ya Gotta Go See The Screenwriting Penguin'

Jake swore he wouldn't go see the penguin**. I'm off to the Australian Writer's Guild National Screenwriters Conference at Phillip Island next week. I won't be visiting fairy penguins with my Happy Feet.

Extra Life | They Came In Two's

Did you hear the one about Noah, an Ark and two acting gigs?

Jetting back into Melbourne from Hong Kong last week I half expected to be met at the airport by an Ark instead of a bus. I mean come on, see for your self. Yesterday the analogy took on authentic biblical proportions as I had not one but two calls for acting work.

NEWS | Holy Bat-Hamlet!!

This item is courtesy of Jill Patrick, Artistic Co-Ordinator of Working Title Playwrights, Georgia USA where I am an affiliate member.

NEWS | Montsalvat Artists In Residence Program 2011

The 2011 Montsalvat Artists In Residence Program has food for thought to sate every artistic appetite.

SHORT STORY | How To Kill Your Favourite Character

What would it be like to write from the point of view of a character who existed solely so you could kill him/her off? What would it be like to be that character?

SCRIPT | An Ego And An Id Walk Into A Bar...

What would happen if a writer's ego introduced an idea to a blank page?

SHORT STORY | The Circle Of Three

Two girls and a guy - although it sounds like an intro to the tag line for a dodgy remake of an 80's sit-com, it's not. No, really.

TURL TIMES | One Good Beginning Deserves Another

Issue One was just a practice run. Now it's the real thing with the writing chops of 15 writers on display for all to enjoy.