Opening Shot

If last week was the Ghost of Christmas Future, this is the Ghost of Christmas Past. Fraser and Tom interview Jonny Blair, who did the two-year Directing course at the National Film and Television School. In retrospect, what does he think are the pros and cons of film school?  Show NotesAD Guild - https://adguild.uk/Jonny Blairs Short Films - https://vimeo.com/jonnyblair

Tom and Fraser discuss Tom’s biggest bugbear - there simply not being enough hours in the day to procrastinate as much as he wants to. What’s the most effective time waster? YouTube videos, trawling other filmmakers’ work, giving yourself WAY too much to do? The boys discuss their favourites.

Part Two of our double bill. Fraser and Tom get stuck into Story Outlines, Series Bibles and Treatments. What should be in them, what makes a good one, and when should you be putting them together? And yes, you should listen to Part 1 first.

Every funding deadline wants something different - be it loglines, synopses, outlines, treatments. In their first double bill, Fraser and Tom take you through Tom’s deep dive research into what funders and festivals are looking for in these documents. In the first installment -  taglines, loglines and synopses.

Tom and Fraser have made a few shorts and a few commercials and they’ll likely make a few more. But in this episode they discuss why they’re ready to make that big jump to features. Why is Present a good choice for a first feature, why make shorts first, and why do they want to make a feature at all? And why have they left this crucial episode to Episode 5..?

Sometimes deadlines are just what you need to give you the impetus to get started on something. Or maybe you’ve got a script you can dust off and shake up for a particular fund. Tom and Fraser discuss four different funding tracks that Tom is currently exploring, in relation to how deadlines can be a positive influence in moving your projects forward.

Fraser and Tom discuss the difficult process of collaboration - when, how, with whom - with Tom’s co-Writer on TV pilot Strawberry Filter, Rupert Clague. They’ve been writing solidly for two weeks, and learned a whole lot. Also discussed - writing to a deadline and working remotely during lockdown.

As Tom’s old mam always says - don’t put all your eggs in one basket. The boys discuss the importance of juggling multiple projects simultaneously, while introducing you to the different projects that Tom is currently in some stage of developing.

Fraser and Tom introduce themselves, discuss who they are and what they do, and most importantly - what is Opening Shot going to be about. You know the drill - why this, why you, why now. A nice easy one to get you started.

Sometimes deadlines are just what you need to give you the impetus to get started on something. Or maybe you’ve got a script you can dust off and shake up for a particular fund. Tom and Fraser discuss four different funding tracks that Tom is currently exploring, in relation to how deadlines can be a positive influence in moving your projects forward.