Scriptwriters Launch Magazine at Cannes 2006

After launching the very first collection of pitches at Cannes last year, a group of European scriptwriters are unveiling a new quarterly in French, ‘Le scenario français,’ at this year’s Cannes Festival.

Cannes, France (PRWEB) May 6, 2006 -- Movie making is largely a question of stars, directors and budgets - or so you would believe if you read the press. Discussions about the future of movie-making center on this trio, while the fourth pillar – the script – is more quietly being recognised as the key element in future development. This is the context in which the new European quarterly magazine Le scenario français is being launched by a group of scriptwriters at the Cannes Festival.

Where would cinema be without the story? The question might seem facetious, but it is one that is never asked in the context of the changes in consumer attitudes, behaviour and the future of the business. Who are these people that create stories for European cinema and television? Every three months, Le scénario français will take a look at the storytellers: scriptwriters, directors and producers.

Through portraits and interviews, Le scénario français offers a view on the why and how of storytelling in audiovisuals. What stories attract investment? Who do writers actually write for? What are the real opportunities for getting a story to screen in Europe? “It’s odd that scriptwriting services have become a booming business in Europe,” notes writer and international coordinator Michael Leahy. “Yet producers are still saying they can’t find good writers and it’s recognised that very many movies – both in Europe and in the US – are going into production with scripts that require further development. What can writers do to remedy this and actually get better stories to the screen?”

In addition to its editorial content, Le scénario français is also putting the spotlight on new writers. “Another problem in the business is the bottleneck of script submissions,” says Leahy. “Producers get too many of them that are inappropriate.” Through pitches and synopses, some forty scriptwriters are presenting condensed versions of their stories in the magazine. To open the debate, generate contacts within the business or simply for the pleasure of reading.

Note for editors: Le scénario français is published in French by Planet Picture Presse, a company set up after publishing the very first collection of scripts and pitches ever presented at Cannes (in 2005) under the banner "101 scénaristes/101 New Scriptwriters".

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