Talent Campus 9.0 hit me and rolled me over like tall waves when I was a 9 year old, for me to come up for air and laughing in disbelief! A bigger group, with great variety and diversity and people from all walks of life and at various different levels in their writing/producing.
It takes everyone a little while to drop their guard and overcome the ‘what am I doing here?’ And comparing yourself to others’ achievements. We’re all on the same boat and after we start talking to each other, we realise we’re all feeling and thinking the same thing.
The activities on Saturday morning that help us put things into perspective and be mindful, but not averse to risk. Some people take it quite seriously, whilst others see it as a fun game to win. Reveals, reversals and bis surprises from the people we’ve just met and make us reconsider our first impressions.
A special treat on Saturday afternoon, with a surprise guest speaker, we get played the trailer for one of their main projects and I’m there, frozen thinking, it can’t be… it might be a producer or somebody else, it can’t be. Talent Campus give a warm welcome to CHARLIE BROOKER!!! OMFG! The thrill of it and controlling myself not to fanboy all over him.
Charlie is very grounded, pretty honest and a friendlier version of his Screen Wipe personna. He shares anecdotes and memories of both early and recent Black Mirror. His creative process and his career. The main take back is that each career and inspiration and how ideas come to, is unique!
Despite the success and track record, he still has that negative, doubtful voice that we’re all so very aware of. But it is both refreshing and encouraging to hear by his own admission, that Charlie has it too! He is funny and engaging and encouraging. The secret is to work, work an work. We will make things happen through graft and often through the people we meet along the way.
A really fun session that filled us all of determination and energy to continue ploughing and learning as we go!
Later the following week, we had Anthony Horowitz come to give a chat to us. I was familiar of his YA Novels (Alex Ryder), recent murder mystery series and BBC’s ‘9 bodies in a Mexican morgue’. His career is further, deeper and wider spanning than I was aware of! From being a book author an getting a break on the Robin Hood show with Jason Connery, his first TV writing gig!
He has created so many successful shows that are household names in the UK and abroad and I only found out that day! And there was me thinking I was a walking IMDB!
Massive take back for me was ‘we don’t know anything’ and ‘nobody knows what they’re doing’ so you have to keep on at it and write. Because that is the only way you get better at it! By his own admission, he is a very lucky writer who writes only what he is passionate about and only stories that he loves. He has worked so hard and consistently for many years to be able to do this and it is a joy.
He gets excited and his speech speeds up as he tells us anecdotes or advice. As he reminisces about his preferred book title for his latest novel, which wasn’t the published title. His passion is contagious and energising. He personally isn’t ruled by routines, he’d rather walk the dog for inspiration, than stare at a blank page. Talk to people, listen to the world and the stories come to you!
Go out there, absorb the world and write and write and write. And make sure you love and hate your characters and what they go through, but you have to believe in your story and your characters for it all to work, for your voice to come through!
Amongst the many speakers, these two were massive names, know and respected globally and not only did we spend a couple of hours with them, but they showed us that we are all on the same boat. They made us feel part of this amazing effort and desire to share our stories. And that’s what I continue to work towards and remembering this, brings a spring to my step!
Hector is a screenwriter who tries to laugh in the face of adversity, but doesn’t always have the last laugh.
