Unproduced screenplays, the average now stands now at 444.4 arriving in the offices of Studios and Agents daily. A lot of hope comes attached but the reality is that they don't get near enough attention as they deserve and ultimately get rejected before the first 5 pages. This is such an epidemic with writers that we wrote an eBook. In the world of Major Studios and the Agencies two lists of unproduced screenplays have become very relevant. One is the "Black List", aka the best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood, and the UK equivalent is the "Brit List", and the 2010 edition of the latter has just been released.
This year the anonymous UK agent polled 80 industry players, asking them for their favourite screenplays. Due to the increased number of people taking part this year, a script had to receive 3 votes or more to appear on the list. Over 170 screenplays were nominated but only 35 made the final cut. These Scripts are unproduced, but only at the moment such as On Chesil Beach, which at one point had Sam Mendes set to direct. Devotchka is co-written by Gary Young, writer of Harry Brown, and has that film’s director Daniel Barber attached as well.
Unfortunately for the UK the lack of funding from the now axed UK Film Council will greatly affect the chances of some of these scripts going into further development. I know this first hand from sitting in their offices last year with a script in hand. The list:
11 VOTES
SEX EDUCATION by Jonathan Stern and Jamie Minoprio (Casarotto)
Producers: Ruby Films/BBC Films
8 VOTES
CHEERLEADERS by Ben Schiffer (ITG)
Producers: Cloud Eight Films
7 VOTES
HONOUR by Shan Khan (The Agency)
Producers: Dan Films/Parti Productions
SHADOW DANCER by Tom Bradby (Lucas Alexander Whitley (law) Agency)
Producers: Unanimous Pictures/Element Pictures/Wildbunch Production
SONG FOR MARION by Paul Andrew Williams (United Agents)
Producers: Steel Mill Productions
WELCOME TO THE PUNCH by Eran Creevy (ITG)
Producers: Between the Eyes
6 VOTES
BREATHE (aka BACK 2 JACK) by Claire Wilson (Casarotto)
Producers: Element Pictures
ENGAGED by James Condon (unrepresented)
Producers: Silvertown Films
THE ANIMATORS by Clive Dawson (ITG)
Producers: Qwerty Films
5 VOTES
A LONG WAY DOWN BY Jack Thorne (Casarotto)
Producers: Finola Dwyer Productions/Wildgaze Films
GRANNY MADE ME AN ANARCHIST by Ronan Bennett (Tavistock Wood) and Duncan Campbell (United Agents)
Producers: Origin Pictures/Easter Partisan/Film 4
4 VOTES
30 EGGS by Eoin O’Connor (Berlin Associates)
Producers: Treasure Entertainment
BLACKROCK (aka BAD DAY IN BLACKROCK) by Malcolm Campbell (Curtis Brown)
Producers: Element Pictures
FINISHING SCHOOL by Daisy Donovan (ITG)
Producers: Origin Pictures
LAST WILL by Geoff Thompson (Debi Allen Associates)
Producers: Steel Mill Productions
LETTERS FROM AMERICA by Gaia and Hania Elkington (United Agents)
LOVEFEST by Michael Cowen (United Agents)
Producers: Cloud Eight Films/Pathé
THE BRIDE STRIPPED BARE by Andrew Bovell (HLA)
Producers: Forward Films
VALERIO by Kelly Marcel (Casarotto)
Producers: 4DH Films
3 VOTES
3 MINUTE HEROES by Paven Virk (Alan Brodie Representation)
Producers: Mike Elliot
A LITTLE CHAOS by Alison Deegan (The Agency)
Producers: Potboiler
BROKEN by Mark O’Rowe (Curtis Brown)
Producers: Cuba Pictures
DEVOTCHKA by Gary Young (Sara Putt Associates) and Geoff Bussetil (ITG)
Producers: Peapie Films
ELFIE HOPKINS AND THE GAMMONS by Riyad Barmania (Alan Brodie Representation) and Ryan Andrews (ITG)
Producers: Size 9
FUMBLING by Stephen Prentice (The Rod Hall Agency)
Producers: DJ Films
GIRL’S NIGHT OUT by Trevor De Silva (The Rod Hall Agency)
Producers: Ecosse Films
JAMAICA INN by Patrick Harbinson (ITG) and Michael Thomas (Casarotto)
Producers: Hilary Heath/BBC Films
KARENFAN by Geoff Bussetil (ITG)
Producers: Peapie Films
MODERN LIFE IS RUBBISH by Philip Gawthorne (Curtis Brown)
ON CHESIL BEACH by Ian McEwan (The Agency)
Producers: Neal Street
PASSPORTS by Paloma Baeza (The Agency)
Producers: Focus Films
SUITE FRANCAISE by Saul Dibb (Casarotto)
Producers: Qwerty Films/TF1
THE LOVERS by Bridget O’Connor (Michelle Kass Associates)
Producers: Thomas Thomas Films
THIS LITTLE PIGGY by Corinna Faith (Curtis Brown)
Producers: Warp Films
WILLIAM AND HAROLD by John Hodge (United Agents)
