“I can say without hesitation that this book is an invaluable resource.“

– David Puttnam

We Have Some Notes… The Insider’s Guide to Notes, Script Editing and Development is published by Bloomsbury, in association with the British Film Institute (BFI).

The book provides insights and practical advice on how to make notes, script editing and development a successful, rewarding and harmonious creative process. Award-winning writers and directors share their expertise and advice, along with behind the scenes stories, to reveal what is, and what isn’t, useful. The book also includes ‘top-tips’ from distinguished ‘note-givers’ – producers, commissioners, development executives and script editors.

The writer and director interviewees are drawn from across the UK and Irish film and television industry, to provide a range of perspectives. They are: multi BAFTA winning writer and showrunner Russell T Davies (Doctor Who, It’s a Sin, Queer As Folk); Oscar winning screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire, The Full Monty); multi BAFTA winning television writer and director Sally Wainwright (Gentleman Jack, Last Tango In Halifax, Happy Valley); Oscar nominated, BAFTA winning screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917, Last Night In Soho, The Good Nurse); BAFTA winning writer and director Amma Asante (Belle, A United Kingdom, Mrs America); triple Oscar nominated animation writer and director Tomm Moore (Wolfwalkers, The Song Of The Sea); BAFTA winning writer and director Michael Pearce (Beast, Encounter); BAFTA nominated writer and director Lone Scherfig (An Education, Their Finest, Italian For Beginners); multi award-winning filmmaker Ben Wheatley (Free Fire, Kill List, A Field In England); multi award-winning filmmaker Corin Hardy (The Nun, The Hallow, Gangs Of London); British Independent Film Award winning writer, director, actor and script editor Alice Lowe (Sightseers, Prevenge, Timestalker), multi BAFTA nominated writer and director Edgar Wright (Last Night in Soho, Shaun of the Dead, Baby Driver) and BAFTA winning writer and director Lynne Ramsay (You Were Never Really Here, Morvern Callar).

Note-givers kindly contributing advice include Oscar winning producer David Puttnam, Director of BBC Film, Eva Yates, Chairman of Film4 Daniel Battsek, multi BAFTA winning producer Nicola Shindler, Oscar nominated producer Pippa Harris, BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore and former Channel 4 Controller of Film and Drama, awarded a BAFTA for Outstanding Contribution to Film, Tessa Ross.

The book also includes an interview with former BBC producer and script editor and Channel 4 drama commissioner, Peter Ansorge, which provides some history and context of the evolution of notes and script editing in the UK industry, as well as advice. Inter-chapter sections pose key questions, such as “What’s one thing never to do if you’re giving notes?” and “How do you deal with rejection or critical notes?”

For more information about the book, and special offers, you can subscribe to Bloomsbury’s Film and Media Newsletter or follow We Have Some Notes… on Instagram