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How To Survive In Screenwriting (Matt Leys Interview)
Matt LeysThis is a no holds barred inside downloadable audio interview with Matt Leys, British screenwriter. Matt's been in the business for well over a decade, and like all of us has ridden his share of the white water rapids. Here he talks specifically about the route he took into the business, and points out that he made a lot of it happen through being a real self starter - a lot of which anyone could do. He also gives out some gold advice for surviving when the going gets tough.

When I first heard this interview I was genuinely shocked. Matt is a great guy, and over the 40 minutes of this interview he really lays it on the line. Take it from me, it's rare to get a pro being so honest about the industry.

Matt has been a core writer on one of Britain's most popular and long running TV shows, he has collaborated with Jimmy McGovern on an TV episode that went on to win all sorts of awards, and he has shown massive initiative and a very unique approach to getting his work in front of the commissioning editors. 

Here in conversation with Sally Brockway, Matt talks about:

  • How he came from a boring office job and from believing he could never write a word to making your living as a screenwriter
  • How starting at the very beginning and being a self starter can take you all the way to making your own features
  • How working with a writing partner can pay huge dividends in an unexpected way
  • How picking the right film competition can kick start your career
  • How the film that never gets made can go on opening doors for you for years
  • How you need to keep a firm hand on your writing career and not get distracted by glittering deals on the table. 
  • How the practicalities of writing for long running shows can operate to derail your ideal writing practise! (This one is very funny!)
  • How writing the right part for an actor can give you real power against the execs

He also gives an account of:  

  • How good drama MUST attack those taboo corners
  • What it REALLY feels like to get massive rejection right at the heart of the industry - and how you move forward from it
  • A big mistake comedy writers make

And much, much more!

Just press the Play button to hear the interview in the site player:

Please feel free to download this file your computer and burn it onto CD, or drop it onto your MP3 player so you can listen to it at your leisure.

To do that just right-click here and save the file to your desktop.

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