For Beadle and other aspiring film makers, this 2-day course, given by Dov Simens, a Hollywood film instructor, looks interesting. It's in London on 18-19 June: http://dovsimensfilmschool.com/london.html

No excuse now, Beadle, not to make Widthways...

Adele.

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According to the Daily Mail, simens seems to be Silverelli's ideal man: "Roughboy Simens, a former Green Beret in Vietnam, is the guerilla training guru to the future kings and queens of independent filmmaking."

Thanks Adele

Do you think this a better approach than pitching directly to Spielberg?

I feel you are uniquely suited to making Widthways yourself. You don't need Stevie S.

Don seems to cover a lot of information in two days. This approach seems to work for many, according to his pitch, but I don't think it would be very useful for me. I need a bit more time for reflection to learn anything worthwhile.

It would be interesting to see, though. Ex First Lieutenant Don S-S (!) 'stalking the stage, voice rising ...' ("Men who mean/Just what they say/Men who wear/The Green Beret")

Kind of a boot camp for the aspiring film maker, perhaps.

I would like to have gone to that other guy's bash - whassisname - the one who did the day-long 'horror' session. That looked more like my cup of C-rations.

But good luck to all punters with £295 plus VAT who enlist. Charming juxtaposition, though - brash Hollywood in an English Heritage setting.

Joe

Joe, the "other guy", Robert McKee, was a knockout and his Story course took place at the same venue. I'm still trying to crack novel writing so won't be going to the film school this time, but it could be something for the future.

As for the Green Berets, my dear departed granddad was in the Commandos during the war, which may explain my fascination with men like this...

Adele.

thanks Adele - Robert McKee, that's the chap.
I thought his stuff was meticulously planned, with good examples. I thought it might be useful for a novelist - I've no intention of writing screenplays or becoming 'best boy' or casting-director's catamite...

Joe