What we’re about
This group is partly about connecting screenwriters in Devon and Cornwall, but is also for anyone interested in writing screenplays, and especially in receiving and providing feedback on a completed TV or feature script. So there is no requirement to be in Cornwall or Devon (or even the UK!) to attend our virtual meetings, but note that any in-person activities will likely be based in Devon or Cornwall.
We currently have two main activities:
One is a monthly meeting (held via zoom) at which we provide feedback on one feature or two TV scripts. The idea is simple: the scripts are posted one week before the meeting for group members to read in advance, then at the meeting everyone provides constructive feedback to the author(s).
We also organize real world meetings, which at present are simply mixers (and typically occur in Plymouth on a roughly monthly basis), but in future these might involve group members meeting up during a writing festival. We may also meet in Exeter in the near future.
If any group member would like to host an in-person meeting, perhaps closer to their own area or in association with a particular event, I'd be very happy to chat about this! You can contact me at planetwriter at gmail dot com :-)
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- NEW DATE: Sat Nov **23rd** in-person social event at Plymouth's Caffeine Club.The Caffeine Club, Plymouth
Apologies for the late change in date!! For our next in-person meetup, we'll be meeting at the lovely Caffeine Club in Plymouth from 3-6pm on Saturday November **23rd**.
The venue: The Caffeine Club is located at 46 Tavistock Place in Plymouth and has a wide menu ranging from tea and coffee drinks (of course) to food and alcoholic beverages. So hopefully something for everyone, and you can have a late lunch / early dinner, a snack / cake to nibble or, or just a drink, as you prefer. It's also a really comfy place to hang out, with huge booths and big tables that are perfect for all sizes of groups.
How to find us: Look for Claire in a yellow fleece! We usually try to grab the large table inside on the ground floor, under a big yellow car with "Burger King" logos on the wheels (shown in the event photo). But if that's not available, there is a LOT of space available (on two floors, plus outdoor seating on both levels), so we'll simply post our location in the comments and/or event chat once we're settled.
How to get there:
Plymouth train station is about a 12 min walk from The Caffeine Club and is located to the northwest. Walking directions from the station [which can be modified to show bus directions too] can be found here.
Where to park if coming by car:
- There should be some street parking available in the area (mostly paid parking via an app, I think, although a small fraction seems to be free of charge).
- About a 6min walk east along Regent Street, you can find the (very small) Lipson Road car park, which I believe has free parking for up to 3 hours provided you register via an app [nb: it seems to not actually be on Lipson Road, but I was there a few months ago (though I parked elsewhere) and can confirm the place exists where shown on that link, and the postcode is PL4 8DZ if you want to double check! ;]
- The closest car park, about 50m to the east of The Caffeine Club, is the Regent Street car park (not verified by me, but possible charges are shown here). The entrance seemed to be closed last time, but hopefully that was temporary.
- The Drake's Circus shopping center's big multi-storey car park is about a 3 min walk away to the northwest (see possible charges here, same caveat).
- Monthly meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Screenwriting Group.Link visible for attendees
At this meeting we'll discuss a 1-hr TV drama script by Alan.
As always, please download and read the entire script ahead of the meeting, then come along on the day with your feedback for Alan.
"Mitchell" is a one-off, 1-hr TV drama based on a real series of events in the early 1960's, relating to Frank 'mad-axe' Mitchell and his "friends" the notorious Kray family. Neglected as a child, abused as an adolescent, and brutalised within the penal system for most of his life, Mitchell at last hopes to find freedom and a new life. You can download the script here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2o3v5occ52u4s6sifvp7i/Mitchellfilm.pdf?rlkey=9754p4y8gl22n4b51zzyacnn8&st=70j7yn68&dl=0
ABOUT GIVING FEEDBACK: We start each meeting by going around the group to do introductions, then to say what we most liked about the script, then to say what our biggest issues were. Please keep all feedback respectful and constructive, and please be sensitive to how your feedback is being received. We give verbal feedback on the script during the meeting but if you made written notes - e.g. on the script PDF - feel free to ask the authors for their contact info so you can send them those notes later. We also usually record the meeting and send the audio to the authors.
Code of Conduct for the Devon and Cornwall Screenwriting Group:
1. No group meeting may proceed unless an approved Moderator is available. If an approved Moderator is not present, the meeting must be postponed until a later date. This is to ensure that no one breaches this code of conduct at any meeting. The approved moderators at present are: Claire Newman and Jeff Cyrulewski.
2. Scripts presented for discussion by the group are the property of the author(s) and no group member may use, copy, or share any part of them without the explicit permission in writing of the author(s).
3. All group members must be respectful of one other (see “Guidance for Giving and Receiving Feedback,” below). [new as of March 2024] This also includes attending the online script discussion meetings if you RSVP 'yes', or changing your RSVP to 'no' if you cannot make it in the end. Any group member who is a no-show three times, without providing an explanation, will be removed from the group.
4. The group is welcoming to everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, political affiliations, socio-economic status, country of origin, or occupation.
5. The group is equally welcoming to those with no experience of writing scripts as it is to those who have written scripts professionally and had their work produced.
6. Authors whose scripts deal with certain topics should provide a “trigger warning” on the second page of the script. Examples include: rape and sexual assault, incest, sexual activity involving children, extreme violence, suicide, mental illness, extensive drug/alcohol abuse. No details are needed, and group members can choose to ignore this page if they want to avoid even minor “spoilers,” but for those who may be affected by such topics this will be very valuable.
Please also see "Guidance on how to give and receive feedback" here:
https://sites.google.com/site/planetwriter/dnc_code_guidance - Monthly meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Screenwriting Group.Link visible for attendees
At this meeting we'll discuss a 1-hr TV drama script by Alan.
As always, please download and read the entire script ahead of the meeting, then come along on the day with your feedback for Alan.
"Mitchell" is a one-off, 1-hr TV drama based on a real series of events in the early 1960's, relating to Frank 'mad-axe' Mitchell and his "friends" the notorious Kray family. Neglected as a child, abused as an adolescent, and brutalised within the penal system for most of his life, Mitchell at last hopes to find freedom and a new life. You can download the script here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2o3v5occ52u4s6sifvp7i/Mitchellfilm.pdf?rlkey=9754p4y8gl22n4b51zzyacnn8&st=70j7yn68&dl=0
ABOUT GIVING FEEDBACK: We start each meeting by going around the group to do introductions, then to say what we most liked about the script, then to say what our biggest issues were. Please keep all feedback respectful and constructive, and please be sensitive to how your feedback is being received. We give verbal feedback on the script during the meeting but if you made written notes - e.g. on the script PDF - feel free to ask the authors for their contact info so you can send them those notes later. We also usually record the meeting and send the audio to the authors.
Code of Conduct for the Devon and Cornwall Screenwriting Group:
1. No group meeting may proceed unless an approved Moderator is available. If an approved Moderator is not present, the meeting must be postponed until a later date. This is to ensure that no one breaches this code of conduct at any meeting. The approved moderators at present are: Claire Newman and Jeff Cyrulewski.
2. Scripts presented for discussion by the group are the property of the author(s) and no group member may use, copy, or share any part of them without the explicit permission in writing of the author(s).
3. All group members must be respectful of one other (see “Guidance for Giving and Receiving Feedback,” below). [new as of March 2024] This also includes attending the online script discussion meetings if you RSVP 'yes', or changing your RSVP to 'no' if you cannot make it in the end. Any group member who is a no-show three times, without providing an explanation, will be removed from the group.
4. The group is welcoming to everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, political affiliations, socio-economic status, country of origin, or occupation.
5. The group is equally welcoming to those with no experience of writing scripts as it is to those who have written scripts professionally and had their work produced.
6. Authors whose scripts deal with certain topics should provide a “trigger warning” on the second page of the script. Examples include: rape and sexual assault, incest, sexual activity involving children, extreme violence, suicide, mental illness, extensive drug/alcohol abuse. No details are needed, and group members can choose to ignore this page if they want to avoid even minor “spoilers,” but for those who may be affected by such topics this will be very valuable.
Please also see "Guidance on how to give and receive feedback" here:
https://sites.google.com/site/planetwriter/dnc_code_guidance - Monthly meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Screenwriting Group.Link visible for attendees
At this meeting we'll discuss a 1-hr TV drama script by Alan.
As always, please download and read the entire script ahead of the meeting, then come along on the day with your feedback for Alan.
"Mitchell" is a one-off, 1-hr TV drama based on a real series of events in the early 1960's, relating to Frank 'mad-axe' Mitchell and his "friends" the notorious Kray family. Neglected as a child, abused as an adolescent, and brutalised within the penal system for most of his life, Mitchell at last hopes to find freedom and a new life. You can download the script here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2o3v5occ52u4s6sifvp7i/Mitchellfilm.pdf?rlkey=9754p4y8gl22n4b51zzyacnn8&st=70j7yn68&dl=0
ABOUT GIVING FEEDBACK: We start each meeting by going around the group to do introductions, then to say what we most liked about the script, then to say what our biggest issues were. Please keep all feedback respectful and constructive, and please be sensitive to how your feedback is being received. We give verbal feedback on the script during the meeting but if you made written notes - e.g. on the script PDF - feel free to ask the authors for their contact info so you can send them those notes later. We also usually record the meeting and send the audio to the authors.
Code of Conduct for the Devon and Cornwall Screenwriting Group:
1. No group meeting may proceed unless an approved Moderator is available. If an approved Moderator is not present, the meeting must be postponed until a later date. This is to ensure that no one breaches this code of conduct at any meeting. The approved moderators at present are: Claire Newman and Jeff Cyrulewski.
2. Scripts presented for discussion by the group are the property of the author(s) and no group member may use, copy, or share any part of them without the explicit permission in writing of the author(s).
3. All group members must be respectful of one other (see “Guidance for Giving and Receiving Feedback,” below). [new as of March 2024] This also includes attending the online script discussion meetings if you RSVP 'yes', or changing your RSVP to 'no' if you cannot make it in the end. Any group member who is a no-show three times, without providing an explanation, will be removed from the group.
4. The group is welcoming to everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs, political affiliations, socio-economic status, country of origin, or occupation.
5. The group is equally welcoming to those with no experience of writing scripts as it is to those who have written scripts professionally and had their work produced.
6. Authors whose scripts deal with certain topics should provide a “trigger warning” on the second page of the script. Examples include: rape and sexual assault, incest, sexual activity involving children, extreme violence, suicide, mental illness, extensive drug/alcohol abuse. No details are needed, and group members can choose to ignore this page if they want to avoid even minor “spoilers,” but for those who may be affected by such topics this will be very valuable.
Please also see "Guidance on how to give and receive feedback" here:
https://sites.google.com/site/planetwriter/dnc_code_guidance
