Deadline: 21 May 2012
Welcome to Mini Operas, ENO’s global search for new creative talent. We’re after the most creative, innovative and interesting writers, music makers and film makers out there, whatever your level of experience or knowledge.
THE SCRIPT COMPETITION
Writing for opera doesn’t have to be scary. That’s why we’re swinging the Coliseum doors open and handing the chief job over to you – yes, you!
To ignite your imagination we’ve enticed three of the most inspiring writers to provide Mini Operas’ seed stories: Will Self, A.L. Kennedy and Neil Gaiman.
Neil Gaiman’s Story- The Sweeper of Dreams
A.L. Kennedy’s Story – On Paper
Will Self’s Story – The Death of a Government Inspector
Here’s what we want you to do. Read the three seed stories and pick the one that interests you most. Then write a script for a 5-7 minute opera based on that story. When it comes to inspiration, anything goes: a single word, title, a mood or even a character name.
In May we’ll pick 10 scripts to go through to the next round. Those scripts will become the seeds that we will ask people to compose a soundtrack for in the next competition. Remember that your writing will be set to music by someone else and that words can take a lot longer to sing than to read, so less is definitely more.
At the end of the Mini Operas competition we’ll choose three lucky people to participate in a new mentoring scheme with Jeremy Sams, Nico Muhly or Leo Warner.
But for now, just get writing. You’ve got until 21 May to write your own script and enter it via our online form.
If you’re stuck on how to approach them, don’t panic. Our resident author Tamsin Collison has written us an example for each story. You might choose to do something completely different – it’s up to you. We’ll be adding more expert help to the site so come back soon for further inspiration.
WHAT IS MINI OPERAS?
Mini Operas is a three-part competition from ENO that aims to find new creative talent for opera. We’re out to find creative and innovative writers, composers and filmmakers.
WHO CAN ENTER?
Absolutely everyone. As long as you have a story to tell – whether that’s in words, music or pictures – we want to hear from you, whatever your age, whatever previous experience you have and wherever you live in the world.
You can enter as an individual or as a group; we just ask that you seek a parent or guardian’s permission to sign up if you’re under 16.
BUT I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT OPERA. WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?
Part of our aim in creating Mini Operas is to question and perhaps even redefine what “opera” can be. That’s why we’re not putting any restrictions on what you create and send in to us. We’ll be posting examples of how you could approach each competition along with lots of expert advice, but anything goes. So as long as your piece is your own original work created specifically for Mini Operas and hasn’t already been published elsewhere, we want to see and/or hear it.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
Like we said, we want to identify new creative talent and shine a light on it wherever it might be. People around the world will see your work including our judges and mentors, who include visionaries such as Terry Gilliam, Nico Muhly, Jeremy Sams and many others.
IS THERE A PRIZE?
In addition to being a major platform to getting your work seen, at the end of Mini Operas we will select three entrants who we think have special talent and could benefit with close personal help from some of the industry’s best people. Jeremy Sams, Nico Muhly and Leo Warner have each kindly agreed to mentor one of our three winners for an academic year. You’ll get to discuss and develop your work with one of the most exciting people in your field.
OK, ALL CLEAR SO FAR, BUT HOW WILL THE WHOLE THING WORK?
Here’s Mini Operas in a nutshell:
We have three excellent writers who’ve each kindly given us a story that will serve as the seeds for the whole run of Mini Operas. We want you to read their stories and choose one you want to base your own script on. Then write a script for a 5-7 minute opera and enter it into the competition.
We’ll choose 10 winners whose scripts will go through to the composing competition, where we’ll ask all you music-makers out there to write and record a soundtrack for the script of your choice. What you compose is up to you – it might be anything from a piece for orchestra to the sound of traffic outside your window, or anywhere in between. Just make sure it’s your best effort at setting the words to music as you think best fit.
Round three works the same way: 10 winning soundtracks will go through and then we’ll ask filmmakers to visualise the soundtrack and script in some way. Again, it might be live action, animation or something else – it’s up to you.
We’ll come out the other end with 10 film winners.
CAN I SUBMIT MY PIECE IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH?
No. All work must be in English.
WHEN EXACTLY DOES MINI OPERAS OPEN AND CLOSE?
Mini Operas is made up of three linked competitions so there are six dates to keep in mind:
The scriptwriting competition comes first. It opens on 26 March 2012 and closes to entries on 21 May 2012. Soundtracks are next – that competition opens on 4 June 2012 and closes 23 July 2012. Finally, the filmmaking competition is open from 6 August 2012 to 24 September 2012.
WHEN WILL THE WINNERS BE ANNOUNCED?
Our scriptwriting winners will be announced here on 4 June 2012. Winners in the music making competition will be revealed on 6 August 2012. And the lucky 10 filmmakers who make it through will be named on 8 October 2012. Winners of our mentorships will be announced in October 2012 (date tbc).
IS THERE A WORD LIMIT FOR THE SCRIPT WRITING COMPETITION?
No. We want you to write a script for a short opera around 5-7 minutes in length. Now that’s slightly difficult to quantify, but if you have a look at the examples we’ve made, you’ll get an idea of what we’re looking for. Bear in mind that they’re only examples and you might choose to write something much shorter. Be sure to give the composer who comes after you enough to work with but generally speaking, less usually really is a bit more.
IS THERE A LIMIT TO HOW MANY PIECES I CAN ENTER?
No, you can enter as many scripts, soundtracks or films as you like.
I’M FINISHED! HOW DO I SUBMIT MY ENTRY?
For the scriptwriting competition, we want you to post your finished script to your blog and then come back to the Mini Operas website to tell us who you are and where we can find your script. Don’t worry if you haven’t got a blog already – they’re easy and free to set up. You can use any blog you like, but www.wordpress.com, www.blogger.com and www.tumblr.com are ones we particularly like.
THE SCRIPT JUDGES
Neil Gaiman Author, Contributor, Judge, Script Judge
Neil Gaiman is the bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Anansi Boys and Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett); the Sandman series of graphic novels; and the short story collections Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things. He is also the author of books for readers of all ages including the Newbery Medal winning novel The Graveyard Book, in addition to the bestselling novels Coraline and Odd and the Frost Giants. He is the winner of numerous literary honors, including the Hugo, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy Awards.
A.L. Kennedy Author, Contributor, Judge, Script Judge
A.L. Kennedy is a writer of novels, short stories and non-fiction. An Associate Professor in Creative Writing at University of Warwick, her novels include Looking for the Possible Dance, So I Am Glad, Paradise and 2007’s Costa Book of the Year, Day. Kennedy has produced eight short story collections including Tea and Biscuits, Original Bliss and What Becomes, and three non-fiction publications: Life & Death of Colonel Blimp, On Bullfighting and Luwak Care and Breeding. In addition, her screenwriting credits Stella Does Tricks and Dice received critical acclaim, as did her selected radio plays, notably Confessions of a Medium which was broadcast as the Saturday Play on BBC Radio 4 in 2010.
Will Self Author, Contributor, Judge, Script Judge
Journalist, critic and fiction writer, Will has penned both novels and short fiction including the critically acclaimed The Quantity Theory of Insanity which won the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize; How the Dead Live which was shortlisted for the Whitbread Book of the Year; and 2010’s Walking to Hollywood. During his career he has pursued a career as a cartoonist for the New Statesman and has even tried his hand at stand-up comedy. He has made many appearances on British television, notably as a panellist on Have I Got News For You and a regular on both Shooting Stars and Grumpy Old Men. Will was appointed Professor of Contemporary Thought at Brunel University in February 2012.
SUBMITTING YOUR SCRIPT
Excellent – you’ve written your script and you’re ready to send it in to us. Here’s what you need to do to submit it to the competition.
First, post your script to your blog. If you haven’t got a blog, they’re quick, easy and free to set up. We particularly like WordPress, Tumblr and Blogger but you can use any one you like. Next, fill in the form below to tell us about yourself. Please be sure to use the same user name if you send in more than one piece.
We’d also like you to write a very short description of your script – just a sentence or two that sums it up – and include that below. Finally, enter the web link direct to your script on your blog.
Once we’ve received your script we’ll post it here on the Mini Operas site so be sure to check back and share your entry with your friends.
The scriptwriting competition closes to entries at 17:00 GMT on 21 May 2012 and winners will be announced on 4 June 2012.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For submissions: via the submission form here
Website: http://www.minioperas.org