Tag Archives: geoff holder

In which the Author gives a class on writing non-fiction…

Do you have the next A Year in Provence in you? What about another bestseller like The Suspicions of Mr Whicher? Did you know it is generally easier to get non-fiction published as compared to a novel?
My next bijou writing class will be on Saturday 7th November and will cover all kinds of non-fiction. Location: Gers, Southwest France.
Ideal for anyone interested in writing:
    Autobiography / memoirs / biography
    History of any kind
    Practical / how-to books
    Travel / Exploration / Guidebooks
    Arts / Culture
    Science / technology
    The paranormal / folklore / mysteries
    Social sciences
    True crime
    … you name it
We’ll cover:
    Universal basics of writing non-fiction
    Research, Illustrations, Copyright
    Structure, Narrative, Style & Voice
    Getting Published
Fee is €23 for the full day.
Your tutor is the author of 36 non-fiction books (and much more besides).
To book tel 05 62 09 91 19 or email geoffholder1@mac.com
WRITING NON-FICTION poster

Table Reads – Screenwriter seeks Advice and Protocol

Fountain pen on writer

I have two screenplays (horror and sci–fi) I want to take to market. Before I do so, however, I want to make sure they are the best they can be. Part of my plan is to use table reads – the perfect opportunity to discover some unspeakable dialogue or clunky exposition. I want to record the read on audio.

I’ve never done a table read. So, what I’m looking for are the protocols / best practice:

1) I can’t pay anyone, so what should I offer as basics (food, drink etc.)?

2) Other than the usual registering of the scripts, are there any legal issues? Should I ask everyone participating to sign a waiver saying they have no legal claim on the table read performance and recording, and/or a NDA? Any examples of relevant pro formas that do the job without being intimidating?

3) Scripts – distributed as hard copies or as electronic copies? Should I expect actors to print out their scripts or print them for them?

4) How should I cast for the roles? Invite people to contact me, send them a script sample, and listen to them over the phone? (For a table read it’s the voice that counts, not the physical appearance of the actor.) Or is there a better way? Skype? Something else? What would you prefer? Should I post a list of roles and ask actors to ‘pitch’ for one or the other?

5) I think I should start the read by asking everyone present to give their name, the name of the character they are playing, and a one-line description of the character, starting with the leads. Good idea?

6) Should scripts be marked up in any way? Or will actors do that themselves?

7) Should I ‘direct’ the read? Stop the proceedings and ask an actor to read in a certain way? Or let it flow?

8) Pre-read briefing for all actors around the table (for tone, style, etc.). Good idea?

9) Anything else I’ve missed?

And now it gets weird. Anyone ever done a VIRTUAL table-read, with everyone sitting at home?

The reason I ask is because I live in the middle of nowhere, in a country where few speak English.

I’m therefore wondering if the technology would allow me to do a virtual table read, with actors from around the world sitting in the comfort of their own homes. Anyone ever done anything like that?

Any thoughts you have will be greatly appreciated. geoffholder1@mac.com

In which the Author coaxes a screenplay out of its shell….

I’m currently coaxing a spec sci-fi feature screenplay to move from the 4th to the 5th draft. Then I’ll hopefully start on the marketing. Here’s a hint of what it’s about:

Digital Illustration of a Dragon

PS The website has been spring cleaned. You’d be amazed what I found behind the furniture. Anyway, it’s neater now, I think.

In which the Author writes his 36th book, guests on Stage 32, and aims for movies & graphic novels…

The site was down for a while recently, but now the internet elves have been fed and all is well. Apologies for the

communication breakdown.

In the interim, there have been a few developments here at Holder Towers.

Firstly I had a guest blog on the splendid film & TV website Stage 32, discussing writing scripts for corporate videos. My thanks to RB, Shannon and Andre at Stage 32 for facilitating this, and to all those who responded to the blog

and their kind comments.

Then I delivered the manuscript for my 36th non-fiction book, another on weird history. Further news on the

publication of this series later in the year.

I’m also delighted to announce that I’m collaborating with a talented illustrator on a vampire-themed bande dessinée (graphic novel). Once the 5-page sample is honed to perfection we’ll be pitching it to French BD publishers.

While all this is happening I’m continuing with the ProSeries screenwriting course at ScreenwritingU, which is superb. I’m slightly in awe of some of my fellow students and their abilities. Me, I’m working on a supernatural western

feature script for the course. I’m also taking a class on writing horror films with a Hollywood producer, which is the

bees’ knees. And I’m writing an entry for the Industry Insider Screenwriting Contest.

So, movies, graphic novels, weird history – exciting times ahead, girls and boys.

In which the Author delivers his first movie script …

I’ve recently delivered the fourth and final draft of my first commissioned movie script. It’s a ten-minute animation

called DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, and deals with the titular character’s resistance to Hitler from within Germany.

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer was perhaps the world’s most unlikely dissident – a conservative and highly intellectual

theologian from a comfortable upper-middle-class German family. If the Nazis had not come to power Dietrich

would have spent his life as a respected but obscure university professor in Berlin. As it was he resisted Hitler for

an amazing twelve years, firstly by attempting to prevent the Nazification of the German Protestant church, and

eventually playing a minor part in Operation Valkyrie, the German plot to assassinate Hitler. He ended his life in a

concentration camp just weeks before the end of the war.

To tell the story I’ve used a mix of history and humour, with a James Bond joke, a Terry Gilliam reference and even Adolf Hitler going door-to-door with a collecting tin: “I wonder if you’d consider supporting the Nazi party? Our

policies are the extermination of the Jews and the Gypsies, the subjugation of the whole of Europe and the

enslavement of lesser races. No? Perhaps you’d take a leaflet?…”

Writing the script was a powerful experience, mining Dietrich’s amazing life for episodes that could be used

visually and to show the humanitarian principles he stood for. I’ll confess to in being tears sometimes, especially as I was writing the last pages.

The script was commissioned by The Lives of the Dissidents project – my deep thanks to Patrick Lavery there for

this opportunity. Pending funding, the film will go into production in 2015.

In which the Author is a quarter-finalist in the Stage 32 New Blood scriptwriting contest…

blood list

It’s called RIDERS ON THE STORM. It’s a sci-fi destruction thriller themed round an alien invasion and the er…

somewhat unusual resistance deployed by we Earthlings. And the feature-length screenplay is one of the quarter

finalists in the New Blood scriptwriting contest run by Stage 32 and the Blood List.

This high-profile Hollywood scriptwriting competition describes itself thus: “Our exclusive panel of industry judges

are looking for scripts in all areas of horror, thriller, and suspense…  All finalists will be listed in a special section of The Blood List and be exposed to top industry execs.”

I’m quite pleased about this.

The full list can be found here. I’m under ‘G’.