Screenwriting

1999 – Present I have worked as a freelance screen and radio writer since 1999, supplementing this income through employment with the organisations below. June – July 2010 Examiner for English Literature I.G.C.S.E. with Cambridge International Exam Board P/T May 2004-~Present Examiner for Key Stage 2 & 3 English SATS, the proposed Single Level Tests and G.C.S.E English Literature with Edexcel and QCDA P/T May 2002-Feb-2006 Fund-raiser / Volunteer Development Worker; Solihull Action Through Advocacy P/T Duties included training, supporting and supervising volunteers in all aspects of Advocating for an individual with learning difficulties. Securing funding for the continuation of the organisation through liasing, researching and successfully applying to funding bodies such as Trust Funds the Local Authority and Charitable Bodies. May 2003-0ct 2003 Creative Writing Tutor: MAC (Midlands Art Centre) Project for Young Asylum Seekers P/T During this course we took students from page to screen in the writing and production of a short film about their experiences. Mar 1999-Feb 2001 Resettlement Worker: Shelter P/T May 1996 – June 1997 Tutor in A-level English Literature: Cloisters Agency P/T Apr 1996-July 1997 Women’s Resettlement Worker: Coventry Cyrenians F/T Apr 1995- Mar 1996 Refuge Worker & Counciller: Andover Crisis CentreF/T While a student I took temporary positions in various administrative roles in several of the banks based on the island. WRITING EXPERIENCE: SWEETHEART BINGO, my first feature length screenplay; a comedy, was developed as part of the Moonstone International Screenwriter's Lab. The screenplay was optioned by Norma Heyman (producer Dangerous Liasons). Subsequent commissions include, the development of a feature length drama, CAMBRIDGE CURRY, for Asian Pictures International; a feature length comedy for I-dream Productions; a series of comedy sketches for BBC radio 4 (after winning the Writing for Radio competition at the Leicester Comedy Festival); an original drama, TIAAN, for BBC radio 4, which was broadcast in February 2007, and a series of monologues for the stage. In addition, my writing partner and I were awarded a grant, by the U.K. Arts Council to research and write a radio play about The Jalianwala Bagh Massacre, and interview writers about their writing methods, and subsequently produce a blog. Our feature comedy, TIDE’S UP, was selected for ‘Regardes Croises’; a Franco-British development programme, linked to the Dinard Filn Festival. We have also developed two interactive animation T.V. series for children, BALTI TOWERS and UNA THE TUNA, resulting in commissions to work on the development of Ragdoll Production’s, highly successful pre-school show, ‘In the Night Garden.’ We have also written, produced and directed several short digital films on a low/no budget basis. Our last film, WASTELAND, set on area of land in Birmingham soon to be built upon by Tesco, was chosen for the Official Selection of the San Francisco Short Film Festival. In addition, my years working as a freelance writer have demanded numerous other skills including strong team-working, exciting pitching skills, excellent communication and organisational skills, the ability to meet often extremely tight dead-lines, excellent self-motivation and practical skills such as computer literacy (MAC & PC), including Excel, and accurate research methods. OTHER SKILLS Digital Video Editing on Final Cut Pro