SCRIPT INDUSTRY EXPERT Q&A: Yvonne Grace of ‘Script Advice’
Script brings you behind the scenes to get to know our family of contributors on a more personal level. Meet UK’s Yvonne Grace, the woman behind the TV Writing Tips & Tricks from Script Advice.
Script brings you behind the scenes to get to know our family of contributors on a more personal level. We're launching our Script Industry Expert Q&A series with UK's Yvonne Grace, the woman behind the TV Writing Tips & Tricks from Script Advice.
Yvonne Grace is an award-winning Television Drama Producer with 20+years experience in Script Development, Script Editing and Drama Production for the BBC, CITV and ITV. She Script Edited EastEnders for the BBC, Produced My Dad’s A Boring Nerd for the CITV (winning Best Children’s Comedy Drama), Produced Holby City for the BBC (which was BAFTA nominated) and Executive Produced Crossroads for ITV. Her Script Consultancy Script Advice delivers workshops, provides online TV writing training and develops writer talent, and she authored the book Writing For Television; Series, Serials and Soaps.
What was the first movie you ever remember seeing or the one that made the most impact on you as a child?
Bambi. I thought I was going to die from the shock of Bambi’s mother being shot. I was also taken by how graceful and strong at the same time, Bambi’s father was. I sort of fancied him which made me feel odd as he was a Stag after all... and I was only about 7 at the time...
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
Meet Me At St Louis
What word or scenario do you never want to see in a screenplay again?
Where the girl doesn’t realise that her cute, but not overtly attractive male best friend, should in fact be her husband and not the dishy achiever she is currently hooked up to.
What profession did your parents want you to have?
Mum thought Journalism, but Dad did once suggest I would do well in the Army...
What profession, other than your current one, would you like to try if you could have a do-over?
Campaigner
What drew you to the entertainment industry and specifically, why did you want to help writers?
I am a story nut. I think all the time in terms of scenarios and snatches of dialogue. It’s a nightmare being me sometimes - I have whole screenplays running in my head and sometimes find it hard to separate what really happened from what I thought should have happened... So I suppose what drew me was the written word; why writers write like they do, and when I realised I wasn’t an actress (although I did have a good bash at that one) it was the script that ultimately hooked me in for the long haul.
Tell us something we don’t know about you.
I am a frustrated singer. I can belt out a good Blues/Jazz song and my favourite singer is Billy Holiday.
What do you wish you knew about the industry before you jumped in?
That it is full of people who are much better at the politics than I ever will be.
If you could impart only one piece of knowledge onto writers, what would it be?
You need to find your voice. Only that will separate you in the end. Find what it is you want to say and say it as simply as you can, in your voice.
If you could go back in time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what advice would you give?
You are gorgeous just as you are, and ginger hair is a God send. You know what is best for you; be grateful for advice but don’t let others sway your decisions.
Finding the humour in a crappy situation is really a very good skill. surrounding yourself with people who also have this knack, may mean you will live longer.
Follow Yvonne on Twitter @YVONNEGRACE1, join her Writer’s Group Script Advice Writer’s Room on Facebook, and visit her website for more information. Bookmark Yvonne's monthly Script column!
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Top screenwriting and film publication, founded in 1989, published by Active Interest Media. Twitter: @scriptmag
