I recently read Dreamland, her television pilot about a British doctor who is recruited by a secret military hospital to care for the casualties of an intergalactic war. This script proved that she's not only a fantastic script reader, but also an extremely talented screenwriter. There's loads of useful advice here, so I hope everyone enjoys the interview.
First of all, tell us about yourself. How did you get into screenwriting?
I’m a 24 year old script reader and writer from the sleepy city of Durham. I first got into screenwriting thanks to the BBC writersroom website. When I was 13 they had a competition and the medium intrigued me. At that clueless age, my script was terrible. I did, however, receive a very kind and encouraging letter from writersroom urging me to continue writing. I forgot all about it and it was only discovering that letter lost in a drawer many years later that I rediscovered my passion for the craft of screenwriting.
What’s your writing method? How much do you outline?
My method varies from script to script. Pre-writing can often involve more writing than the actual script. Sometimes I write diaries from the POV of the characters as well as an outline and tons of research. Other times, I just use index cards for a first draft and then write a treatment after. For television episodes though, outlining is the number one rule. For those, I create a detailed outline and a series bible and usually have notes stacked everywhere.
How do you balance writing with the everyday demands of life?
I’m quite lucky that I have plenty of time for writing due to only part-time work commitments. Learning the craft takes time and a lot of new writers fail because they don’t put the time in or give up before they reach the end. So I’m quite lucky I've had the time to write.
Tell us about Script Oddity, your new script reading service. How did you get into script reading?
I’ve been reading scripts for years and giving feedback to fellow writers and was told adamantly by several that I was really good at it. I mainly wanted to shift to reading in a more professional manner to improve my writing. Reading produced and unproduced screenplays is nothing compared to reading for a production company where I provide coverage reports. My eyes were truly opened in this area. As for Script Oddity, I wanted to provide a professional and affordable service and writers are always welcome to contact me for advice.
You’ve read hundreds of scripts. In your experience, what’s the biggest difference between amateur scripts and professional scripts?
Here’s the thing – quite often what is amateur and what is professional is muddled. There are so many great writers out there but so few great scripts. I look more for passion than whether it looks amateur or professional. One of the worst scripts I’ve read was by a screenwriting guru. Quite often the scripts by amateur or first time writers lack consistency; they start out strong, or have a unique premise but lack of understanding for plot and structure is often what lets the script down.
In your opinion, what makes a good script?
Passion to tell the story. It always shines through. I can forgive spelling mistakes and clichéd characters if the story is told with passion and conviction. Passion for what you do will always shine through because if you’re passionate about the story and the story is worth telling, then that in itself is worth its weight in gold.
What does the future hold for Claire Yeowart?
A career in screenwriting, hopefully! I’m about to sign my first option on a horror called Hell’s in Store, so fingers crossed it goes all the way to the big screen. One can only hope.
Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring screenwriters?
There’s loads of advice out there and I could talk forever about my own experiences but the two things I would say are:
- Don’t stop learning.
- Never give up.
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