I know it has been a while since I last touch base on this on-line dairy however quite a lot has been happening. Some important things that have happened include my attendance to a top Extended Supply Chain 2010 event held at the prestigious hotel, SOFITEL in Terminal 5 Heathrow. It was an opportunity to understand the collaboration that was going on in the supply chain industry to aid me in understanding further what other models were being used in making the idea of working together a reality.

I must commend the conference organisers CENTAUR as it certainly was carefully put together and it attracted some of the best talents in the UK and around the world in managing well known companies. What was striking was the recognition that after the downturn most companies have not taken for granted that essential preparation and a re-think of the strategies they have always had in place was no longer a luxury but a key ingredient to keep them in business. There was awareness that even within the changing market conditions there was still the need to have good leadership, innovative ways of doing the same things. They touch on things like dynamic alignment, successful integration among others.

On the bill were executives of Oracle, British American Tobacco, Disney, Asda, Electrolux among others who all took turns at leading various workshops

I had the opportunity to listen in on the workshop presentation by Cloe Zeng, Demand Flow Director at Electrolux and she certainly showed great skill in her delivery. She guided the participants in her workshop through the journey she took her company in building an award winning collaborative system (VMI) between her company and a key customer and challenged the sceptics that when you collaborate and share information with your customer that some years ago you would never have dreamt of sharing, you can actually increase sales and boost business. It was no surprise that as the only woman at the final session with everybody, she managed to pass on great nuggets on how to position for the upturn and homed in on the message of team-building, thinking outside the box and top management level buy-in as important blocs to build the future of successful collaboration. I also listen in on Turning Global strategy into a reality with British America Tobacco and thoroughly enjoyed it as well as the exchange between the business leaders.

In my mind, it was as though the batteries had just been jump-started for the industry. Most people who were doing their bit within their companies whilst the market was in turmoil to guarantee shared their experiences with those who wanted something new to add to what they already have. It was a mutual exchange of ideas and strategies as well as an in-depth exploration of what works and what does not. In the end, it was all agreed that almost every company that was represented had been affected by the recession but one thing was for sure, every single one was position for greater leaps in their industry as now they believe they have put their houses in order.

Will I go again, yes, no doubt. I may be studying now but the truth is that when one sees other business leaders put others in the spotlight and question their judgements and decision in business in a room, one can be sure that the top companies don't employ boys to run the company but rather "men" and they all do a fine job. No-one was under illusions, everyone in that room was a leader in on sphere or another and truly it was an honour to have been among them all. Workshop speakers like Cloe Zeng, Linda Belawich could all be proud of showing what capable leaders woman can be in the industry too.

I certainly wished that all industry professionals were at the event as there were quite a lot of good information available and in future I would recommend that consideration is given to a lot more formats for people to relive the experience if they want to and offer those that could not attend other workshops for genuine reason to still experience what happened through perhaps webcasting or possibilities of downloading the video of the workshops will be available.

THEY ARE ALL ATOMISED

I guess to some extent, I am beginning to understand the feeling of frustration that may go through the minds of people that may see to enter into the film industry. Everyone seems to be so into only their world. Encouraging people to share does not come so easy especially when it comes to their creative writing. I have hit some brick walls on the way of this discovery. Meeting Annette has put things in perspective. Nevertheless, the journey still continues and i can see myself making an appointment to go to Worcester to see Mr Davies. Perhaps he may be the man that can put the ball back in play. I was at the producers forum yesterday and i have discovered that screen writers forum in Birmingham is organizing an event that i must go. I hear all the movers and shakers will be there so perhaps the room will echo with what is missing in the industry. I have heard about convergence from the Producers forum so perhaps the industry has recognized that collaboration may be one of the ways forward. Watch this space!!!!

THE PEN AND PAPER WITH THE CREATIVE MIND IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SOFTWARE

Who says you can't face your fear and possibly come out better?

Well, like i indicated in my blog earlier, it was certainly a very hard challenge to face everything that will question my project in every way but it was something that i had to do.

My lecturer once said to me, everything is not black and white and sometimes they are grey areas and for me this project was about learning not to work with vague assumptions but also to give birth to understanding why sometimes you have to settle with a mixture of both black and white.

Lynn Davies warmly received me and allowed me to sit thorugh the second session. He was down to earth, knew his subject well and clearly had over 20 years of screen writing experience under his belt. Some of the time i felt completely out of my depth with the creatives and other times i caught up with them. By the time i left the place i had told myself that i do not a lot of refinement if i ever want to become a screen writer.

They were established writers, up coming writers, hobby writers and writers in the animation industry not to mention student writers too. I bought into a new world where laptops and software were not the greatest invention but rather creativity at its best with some direction, of course.

I certainly got the point about the fact that the purity of the creative mind can easily function if one is left with only a simple pen and paper, after all that was what the likes of Shakepeare had in their days and one can still see why the genuis of what they wrote continue to dumbfound the generation of today.

My view, i had learnt something that text-books can't teach you really well. When writers gather in one room to do the basic steps of writing, you can even hit gold in the power of creativity if it is simply writing a screen play out of a joke you just heard.

I intend to keep in touch with the writers that were willing to talk further about my project and i made some very interesting contacts so over all.

Eventhough i it was my first time in the Custard Factory, I kind of see myself making a few more trips to the places to check out what more the creatives are up to next. Catherine Edwards who kindly helped me get on the workshop at the last minute was very friendly and extremely helpful.

I am enjoying this journey of discovery and more importantly i am meeting really nice people as well and learning quite a lot in the process.

Now i have to work on developing further my networking contacts. You never know, they may hold the next story to Oscar Success.

I FACE MY FEAR

Today is my make or break day. I am going to meet Lynn Davies who is lecturing aspiring screenwriters. I intended to sell my idea of collaborative writing online to them however today's topic for the lecture is actually saying how screenwriting software can be counter productive to the creative process.
This will be a big challenge to what my project is about but considering i do not want to work with unrealistic assumption, i have decided to go. I got into the serminar which was already full by persistently banging the door.
I have to be there for the afternoon. I may not be able to hear all that Lynn Davies has to say in the serminar but i plan on an interview to see how my idea will go. If he signs up to be a Mega-editor then it will give my project a big boost as the serminar is being organised under the auspices of Screen West Midlands- SCRIPTONLINE.NET.
Wish me luck

Discovery

I have discovered that the NATIONAL ACADEMY OF WRITING which is a dedicated writing school runs its courses from Perry Barr BCU. This is interesting! The guy who runs it is called Richard Beard and he is a writer himself who has a personal blog that he has some stories. I guess i may have to talk to him to see if he will encourage his students to get on my project with their ideas. Wish me luck!!! I may learn a thing or two from him and if he gets on board, that is a big fish for my project.

THE CHALLENGE HAS BEGAN-

In a brief chat i have had with my Course Director, i have realised that i may have given myself three major routes that i will have to narrow down.
I am focused on doing something that will aid in me in my desire to get into screen writing and at the same time recruit lots of stories. Beyond this is the management of the relationship with the creatives in the film industry. Almost all of them are major challenges in themselves.
What i have been encouraged to start thinking is writing about the process. Hopefully in my tutorial on next week, i may be a few steps ahead.

My facebook page is blank now and it is already sending shivers through my spine.
I know that i have to start a massive recruitment excercise. Somehow it is beginning to dawn on me that i am always biting more than i can chew. Especially after seeing my other colleagues zoom in on one area. Why on earth i keep spreading myself i don't know.

Welcome

This is my journey into the unknown. As part of my production lab. I have set up my lab enviroment as a big blackboard collating stories that could potentially be turned into scripts for screen.