I head off for the Screenwriters' Festival today, stopping at Edinburgh, Stansted, London and Swindon en route. Tomorrow I shall be visiting galleries in London, soaking up some culture and seeing if the work of Vilhelm Hammershoi is as impressive on canvas as it looks on the page. Up bright and early Tuesday to hit Cheltenham, on stage before lunch, followed by fun and games thereafter. Back home late Wednesday, so chances are I won blog again until Thursday.
You know the rules by now: you break it, you pay for it; play nice with the other kids; and don't forget to write. Onwards!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Emmy longlists; no alarms, some surprises
The Academy of TV Arts & Sciences in America has announced 10-strong longlists of contenders for drama and comedy Emmy awards. I'm happy to see quite a few of my favourites on the lists, though there's no guarantee they'll make the five final in either category. Emmy voters are embracing the exceptional dramas to be found on cable, but persist in praising shows past their peak. Here are the lists:
BEST DRAMA SERIES
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey's Anatomy
House
Lost
Mad Men
The Tudors
The Wire
Great to see The Wire finally getting a little Emmy love, while inclusions for Mad Men and Damages are no surprise. Lost bounced back with a strong season despite the writers' strike, taking the place of sophomore slumper Heroes. But longlist appearances by Boston Legal and the once-compelling Grey's Anatomy defy easy explanation. Missing in action: The Shield, Breaking Bad and Battlestar Galactica.
BEST COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds
30 Rock won last year and had another strong year. Flight of the Conchords has that shiny new favourite mojo working, while Family Guy could be the first animated series to crack the best comedy nominations. In fact, I can't argue with many of these choices, though Ugly Betty lost its sheen for me, another sophomore slumper. Missing in action: Desperate Housewives, The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother.
BEST DRAMA SERIES
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey's Anatomy
House
Lost
Mad Men
The Tudors
The Wire
Great to see The Wire finally getting a little Emmy love, while inclusions for Mad Men and Damages are no surprise. Lost bounced back with a strong season despite the writers' strike, taking the place of sophomore slumper Heroes. But longlist appearances by Boston Legal and the once-compelling Grey's Anatomy defy easy explanation. Missing in action: The Shield, Breaking Bad and Battlestar Galactica.
BEST COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds
30 Rock won last year and had another strong year. Flight of the Conchords has that shiny new favourite mojo working, while Family Guy could be the first animated series to crack the best comedy nominations. In fact, I can't argue with many of these choices, though Ugly Betty lost its sheen for me, another sophomore slumper. Missing in action: Desperate Housewives, The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Cheltenham comic shop signing next Tuesday
Next Tuesday I'm among guest speakers at the Screenwriters' Festival in Cheltenham, talking about the similarities and differences between creating comics and screenwriting. Afterwards local comic shop Proud Lion is hosting a signing from 2pm. It's part of an outreach programme by the festival organisers, though a mid-week signing is unusual for any comic shop, unless you've got a big name guest like Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman. Anyway, all the details are above.In other news, it seems I did Kiwi tennis players a disservice, suggesting there was nobody from my native land competing at Wimbledon this year. Marina Erakovic is in the ladies' singles drawer, and won her first match on Tuesday. She plays Germany's Julia Goerges on court six this afternoon, after the Brit pairing of Bogdanovic and Marray try to upset the men's doubles second seeds.
Erakovic was born at Split in what is now Croatia in 1988, but her family emigrated to New Zealand six years later. She's the first woman from NZ to reach the second round of a grand slam in twenty years, beating her doubles partner Michaella Krajicek in the first round. Fingers crossed she gets a bit further. Seems an awful long time since Kiwi Chris Lewis reached the final of the men's singles - quarter of a century, to be precise. [He got pasted by McEnroe.]
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
BBC writersroom roadshow visits Edinburgh
Went to the BBC writersroom roadshow in Edinburgh last night. It was staged downstairs at Traverse 2 at the Traverse Theatre, an austere and gloomy space for such an event, but Kate Rowland did her best to bridge the divide. Kudos to her for heading north on a dreich day, especially having spent the previous few days reading the Sharps longlist. [Two of the 25 scribes chosen for next Monday's Sharps workshop were in attendance, including Screen Academy Scotland student Ronnie - congratulations Ronnie!]
So, what did the BBC's creative director of new writing have to say? She outlined the functions and working processes of the writers' room, stressing that its main role was finding and nurturing great new talents. Few spec scripts sent in ever get made, but the best writers are identified, encouraged and showcased to other departments within the BBC. Some 10,000 scripts arrive each year, with screenplays and radio plays the most frequent submissions.
The first ten pages of each script are read. The vast majority [90-95%] go no further, receiving a standard rejection letter. The rest get a full read and feedback letter. If they show sufficient merit, the writers are encouraged to submit another script to the writers' room, and so on. This process enables the BBC to keeps tabs on emerging talent, monitor their progression. So, what do you need to nail in your first ten pages to reach that stage?
1: Character is everything. 2: Get the story going ['be emotionally bold']. 3: Medium and format ['is this the right way to tell your story?']. 4: Coherence ['does it make sense? does it hang together?']. 5: Emotion ['does your story, do your characters engage?']. 6: Surprise. 7: Structure is key. 8: Exposition and expression ['one of the biggest, most common faults is bad, expositional dialogue']. 9: Passion ['and honesty']. 10: Be yourself ['don't imitate'].
Kate also provided one of the simplest explanations of a writing flaw known as NCI [no clear image] - 'don't write what an actor can't show]. She encouraged everyone to read their own work out loud. Avoid on the nose dialogue. Create characters with flaws, contradictions, don't be obvious. Always think about your script as if you're reading it for the first time; what impact does it have on a new reader? Your spec script should speak to you, what you believe.
Spec scripts do sometimes jump from the slush pile to radio, but it's only happened once that a script sent to the writers' room has been made into a film by the BBC. Kate describes short films as being like a poem; at their best they can be a stunning piece of work - but they don't tell you if a writer can pull off longer form drama. Names get noticed, the writers' room is all about finding new talents.
Kate was surprised to hear the writersroom website asks people submitting the first episode of an original series to also include detailed breakdowns for subsequent episodes along with characters breakdowns. She believed that should be changed, writers need only send their first episode script and a page that shows they've thought beyond that first episode. Otherwise, anyone submitting a spec series script must do disproportionate extra work.
She outlined the shadow schemes run by the BBC to nurture new talent, such as new writers, radio comedy writers, the EastEnders shadow scheme. Radio 4 wants more series to complement its range of one-off plays, so a shadow scheme was run where eight writers were taken away for a week to develop new ideas. In general, the BBC wants more comedy-drama, particularly radio. The writers' room gets scripts from agents, not just unsolicited material.
Kate acknowledged how closely the BBC comedy departments for radio and TV work together. The same doesn't happen with drama, few radio plays migrate to BBC TV. But last year four former BBC radio dramas were presented in theatre as stage plays. Kate wants to see more scripts about modern Britain. Not all scripts need to have contemporary settings, but they need to resonate with contemporary audiences. They must be ambitious and entertaining.
Kate said the Sharps longlist had run to about 50. It uncovered writers the BBC team had never hard of before. There were a lot of scripts that got very close. The writers room will be letting people know once the dust settles. Kate said they are looking to see if some regional workshops can be staged, spinning out of Sharps.
She also talked about the BBC Drama Writers' Academy. Twenty-five people are being invited to a masterclass. From them 16 will be interviewed and eight chosen. Those selected for the academy will have their travel and accommodation covered, the first time this has happened. Apparently, this is in addition to the four hundred pound a week. It will make the academy more affordable for those who don't live within commuting distance of London.
All in all, it was an interesting and worthwhile event that attracted quite a cross-section of people. I expected it to be fuller, but only spotted the announcement last week myself. Hopefully future roadshow will be trailed a little further in advance so more people can take advantage. If you do go to a roadshow, don't be afraid to talk to Kate afterwards. She's very approachable and friendly, happy to talk and answer any questions you have.
So, what did the BBC's creative director of new writing have to say? She outlined the functions and working processes of the writers' room, stressing that its main role was finding and nurturing great new talents. Few spec scripts sent in ever get made, but the best writers are identified, encouraged and showcased to other departments within the BBC. Some 10,000 scripts arrive each year, with screenplays and radio plays the most frequent submissions.
The first ten pages of each script are read. The vast majority [90-95%] go no further, receiving a standard rejection letter. The rest get a full read and feedback letter. If they show sufficient merit, the writers are encouraged to submit another script to the writers' room, and so on. This process enables the BBC to keeps tabs on emerging talent, monitor their progression. So, what do you need to nail in your first ten pages to reach that stage?
1: Character is everything. 2: Get the story going ['be emotionally bold']. 3: Medium and format ['is this the right way to tell your story?']. 4: Coherence ['does it make sense? does it hang together?']. 5: Emotion ['does your story, do your characters engage?']. 6: Surprise. 7: Structure is key. 8: Exposition and expression ['one of the biggest, most common faults is bad, expositional dialogue']. 9: Passion ['and honesty']. 10: Be yourself ['don't imitate'].
Kate also provided one of the simplest explanations of a writing flaw known as NCI [no clear image] - 'don't write what an actor can't show]. She encouraged everyone to read their own work out loud. Avoid on the nose dialogue. Create characters with flaws, contradictions, don't be obvious. Always think about your script as if you're reading it for the first time; what impact does it have on a new reader? Your spec script should speak to you, what you believe.
Spec scripts do sometimes jump from the slush pile to radio, but it's only happened once that a script sent to the writers' room has been made into a film by the BBC. Kate describes short films as being like a poem; at their best they can be a stunning piece of work - but they don't tell you if a writer can pull off longer form drama. Names get noticed, the writers' room is all about finding new talents.
Kate was surprised to hear the writersroom website asks people submitting the first episode of an original series to also include detailed breakdowns for subsequent episodes along with characters breakdowns. She believed that should be changed, writers need only send their first episode script and a page that shows they've thought beyond that first episode. Otherwise, anyone submitting a spec series script must do disproportionate extra work.
She outlined the shadow schemes run by the BBC to nurture new talent, such as new writers, radio comedy writers, the EastEnders shadow scheme. Radio 4 wants more series to complement its range of one-off plays, so a shadow scheme was run where eight writers were taken away for a week to develop new ideas. In general, the BBC wants more comedy-drama, particularly radio. The writers' room gets scripts from agents, not just unsolicited material.
Kate acknowledged how closely the BBC comedy departments for radio and TV work together. The same doesn't happen with drama, few radio plays migrate to BBC TV. But last year four former BBC radio dramas were presented in theatre as stage plays. Kate wants to see more scripts about modern Britain. Not all scripts need to have contemporary settings, but they need to resonate with contemporary audiences. They must be ambitious and entertaining.
Kate said the Sharps longlist had run to about 50. It uncovered writers the BBC team had never hard of before. There were a lot of scripts that got very close. The writers room will be letting people know once the dust settles. Kate said they are looking to see if some regional workshops can be staged, spinning out of Sharps.
She also talked about the BBC Drama Writers' Academy. Twenty-five people are being invited to a masterclass. From them 16 will be interviewed and eight chosen. Those selected for the academy will have their travel and accommodation covered, the first time this has happened. Apparently, this is in addition to the four hundred pound a week. It will make the academy more affordable for those who don't live within commuting distance of London.
All in all, it was an interesting and worthwhile event that attracted quite a cross-section of people. I expected it to be fuller, but only spotted the announcement last week myself. Hopefully future roadshow will be trailed a little further in advance so more people can take advantage. If you do go to a roadshow, don't be afraid to talk to Kate afterwards. She's very approachable and friendly, happy to talk and answer any questions you have.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sharps - bad news, good news
Bad news - looks like my entry for the BBC's Sharps initiative didn't make it to the final 25. The chosen few have been invited to a one-day workshop, while the other 575 await their 'thanks but no thanks' email. We can expect comments about the high standard of scripts, impossible choices, etc. All most people want now is an indication whether they made it to a second read. If you don't make the cut, platitudes are like squeezing lemon juice on a wound.
Good news - I have a script I'm really proud of. It's not without flaws [not convincing by Sophie's dialogue, some of the action text is still too herky-jerky for my liking], but I reckon The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies has got potential. Never get made of course, but with some polishing it'll make a grand addition to my portfolio of original material. I might even enter it in a competition or two over the next twelve months, cash permitting. Let it be seen.
Bad news - Wimbledon's started, an unhelpful distraction for a sports lover like me. there being no Kiwi players in the drawer [at least, none that I'm aware of], I'll be supporting all the Brits instead. That means I could be distracted until Thursday or even Friday, given the Plucky Brit Loser[©] tradition at Wimbledon. Far better for me if all sports events took place outside business hours, I'd get more work done. Discipline, that's what I need.
Good news - had a lovely weekend visiting nieces and nephews. Even caught the sun a bit yesterday, so I've migrated from blue to pasty white on the forehead. My current crop of Comedy Facial Hair proved a hit with the youngest in-law. Even survived another trip through Terminal 5 at Heathrow, although the plane did sit round for an hour once it was loaded due to high winds somewhere. Wales, perhaps. Still, home before midnight. Bonus.
And finally - congratulations to all those whose Sharps scripts got them an invite to London for next Monday. And for the vast majority of entrants who didn't, time to move on. You should already have started work on your next script. Stick your Sharps entry in the drawer for a month or two, forget about it for a while. Come back to it in September when the passage of time has endowed you with some objectivity. You'll be amazed. For now, onwards!
Good news - I have a script I'm really proud of. It's not without flaws [not convincing by Sophie's dialogue, some of the action text is still too herky-jerky for my liking], but I reckon The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies has got potential. Never get made of course, but with some polishing it'll make a grand addition to my portfolio of original material. I might even enter it in a competition or two over the next twelve months, cash permitting. Let it be seen.
Bad news - Wimbledon's started, an unhelpful distraction for a sports lover like me. there being no Kiwi players in the drawer [at least, none that I'm aware of], I'll be supporting all the Brits instead. That means I could be distracted until Thursday or even Friday, given the Plucky Brit Loser[©] tradition at Wimbledon. Far better for me if all sports events took place outside business hours, I'd get more work done. Discipline, that's what I need.
Good news - had a lovely weekend visiting nieces and nephews. Even caught the sun a bit yesterday, so I've migrated from blue to pasty white on the forehead. My current crop of Comedy Facial Hair proved a hit with the youngest in-law. Even survived another trip through Terminal 5 at Heathrow, although the plane did sit round for an hour once it was loaded due to high winds somewhere. Wales, perhaps. Still, home before midnight. Bonus.
And finally - congratulations to all those whose Sharps scripts got them an invite to London for next Monday. And for the vast majority of entrants who didn't, time to move on. You should already have started work on your next script. Stick your Sharps entry in the drawer for a month or two, forget about it for a while. Come back to it in September when the passage of time has endowed you with some objectivity. You'll be amazed. For now, onwards!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Tenacity pays off - but not always with money
Yesterday I sent out an invoice for some paid work. Nothing remarkable in that, I'm a freelance writer, part of the job. But it was the invoice I'd raised in 37 days. That means it's more than five weeks since I've done any paying work. It's not that I haven't been busy, just not on the usual bread and butter jobs that keep my bank manager happy and fund my iTunes habit. So what have I been doing?
There's my script for Sharps, that consumed a lot more time than I was expecting. But I'm pleased with the results, and believe it's a good addition to my portfolio of original material. I've developed a plethora of characters and written a detailed synopsis for what may become my 20th novel. That's now with an editor, awaiting their response. All going well, that should pay dividends later this year.
Wrote and pitched new ideas for The Phantom, a long-running comics character published by Egmont Sweden for which I write five issues a year. Again, they should lead to paying work over the next month or two. Wrote two quick pitches for one set of audio dramas, and developed a full-length plot synopsis for another - time will tell whether they win me work. Pitched ideas for a TV gig.
Massively revised the final project I wrote for my screening MA and submitted it as a sample script with my BBC Writers' Academy application. Watched many, many hours of Doctors, EastEnders, Holby City and Casualty as research for same. Applied for another scheme tied into the Guardian's television festival in Edinburgh. Nudged along projects sat in various inboxes. In short, I pimped my writing.
My financial reward for all of that effort? Thus far, zero. Less than zero, in fact, because bills still need paying even when money isn't coming in. But those five weeks are an investment in my future. As a freelance writer you've got to believe in yourself, but you've also got to keep challenging yourself. You've got to make sacrifices to achieve success, it won't be handed to you on a plate.
A kindly soul sent me a piece about breaking through, the moment when someone goes from knocking on doors to having those doors opened for them. There was no single factor, no magic formula, no one key that unlocked opportunity. The only common factor was tenacity - keeping going when the going gets tough. Keeping going when others would have given up, when a steady income and creature comforts beckon.
Sometimes, just sometimes, you get a nice surprise that makes all the effort, sacrifice and scraping by seem worthwhile. I got an email this week inviting me to take part in something that could help open doors for me. [Don't ask, because I can't say.] I didn't know this opportunity existed, hadn't applied for it. But the invitation came, and it repaid every moment of those five weeks.
Right, I'm off visiting, and still have plenty of work to do before heading for the airport. Have a great weekend and good luck to all those awaiting a response on their Sharps entry. Onwards!
There's my script for Sharps, that consumed a lot more time than I was expecting. But I'm pleased with the results, and believe it's a good addition to my portfolio of original material. I've developed a plethora of characters and written a detailed synopsis for what may become my 20th novel. That's now with an editor, awaiting their response. All going well, that should pay dividends later this year.
Wrote and pitched new ideas for The Phantom, a long-running comics character published by Egmont Sweden for which I write five issues a year. Again, they should lead to paying work over the next month or two. Wrote two quick pitches for one set of audio dramas, and developed a full-length plot synopsis for another - time will tell whether they win me work. Pitched ideas for a TV gig.
Massively revised the final project I wrote for my screening MA and submitted it as a sample script with my BBC Writers' Academy application. Watched many, many hours of Doctors, EastEnders, Holby City and Casualty as research for same. Applied for another scheme tied into the Guardian's television festival in Edinburgh. Nudged along projects sat in various inboxes. In short, I pimped my writing.
My financial reward for all of that effort? Thus far, zero. Less than zero, in fact, because bills still need paying even when money isn't coming in. But those five weeks are an investment in my future. As a freelance writer you've got to believe in yourself, but you've also got to keep challenging yourself. You've got to make sacrifices to achieve success, it won't be handed to you on a plate.
A kindly soul sent me a piece about breaking through, the moment when someone goes from knocking on doors to having those doors opened for them. There was no single factor, no magic formula, no one key that unlocked opportunity. The only common factor was tenacity - keeping going when the going gets tough. Keeping going when others would have given up, when a steady income and creature comforts beckon.
Sometimes, just sometimes, you get a nice surprise that makes all the effort, sacrifice and scraping by seem worthwhile. I got an email this week inviting me to take part in something that could help open doors for me. [Don't ask, because I can't say.] I didn't know this opportunity existed, hadn't applied for it. But the invitation came, and it repaid every moment of those five weeks.
Right, I'm off visiting, and still have plenty of work to do before heading for the airport. Have a great weekend and good luck to all those awaiting a response on their Sharps entry. Onwards!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
BBC writersroom coming to a city near you
Don't know if other scribes based in Scotland are already aware of this, but the BBC writersroom is going on tour with a roadshow and first stop is Edinburgh next Tuesday. Here's the official announcement, cribbed from the BBC writersroom site:
BBC writersroom Roadshows
We're coming to a town near you!
Ever wondered what happens to your script when you send it in? Exactly how we assess your work and what we're looking for? What grabs us and what puts us off?
Here's your chance to put your questions to the people who assess up to 10,000 scripts a year for the BBC. You can also bring your script to hand in to us in person - but please make sure it meets our guidelines.
The first roadshow is at the end of June in Edinburgh:
5pm - 6.30pm, Tuesday 24 June 2008
Traverse 2, Traverse Theatre
10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh EH1 2ED
The event will be hosted by Kate Rowland, the BBC's Creative Director, New Writing. Places are limited so we're running a guest list - to add your name to the list please email writersroom@bbc.co.uk.
We'll be taking the roadshow around the country in 2008, so watch this space for details of further events.
Planned locations include:
* Belfast
* Birmingham
* Brighton
* Bristol
* Cardiff
* Leicester
* London
* Manchester
* Sheffield
No room for horror in AFI's top 10 film genres
The American Film Institute has issued another one of its movie lists, provoking howls of protest and plenty of disagreement. No doubt that's part of the thinking behind the lists, to get more people talking about film and the merits of different movies. [The fact the AFI ignores all non-American films is ripe for another debate, but the clue is probably in the institute's name, right?] Anyways, the new list is actually made up of the top 10 films in ten genres.
It's the choice of genres that has irked people this time around. Here's the list: animation; fantasy; gangster; science fiction; western; sports; mystery; romantic comedy; courtroom drama; and epic. First off, let's deal with what the AFI has deemed to be film genres. Animation - fine. Fantasy - hmm. Gangster - there's probably enough great gangster movies to justify this, but have you ever since gangster listed as a genre on any DVD rental site?
Science fiction - fine. Western - no argument. Sports - this one will jar for many people, but I agree with its inclusion. There are some brilliant sports films [Raging Bull, Rocky, The Hustler, Breaking Away, Bull Durham are all on the AFI's list], and they tell unique stories that can range from comedy through drama to tragedy. Sports films are a particularly American phenomenon [try naming 10 great British sports films] so I'm the AFI on this.
Mystery - fine. Romantic comedy - okay. Courtroom drama - huh? Now I love good courtroom dramas [The Verdict, To Kill A Mockingbird and Twelve Angry Men all make the AFI's list], but aren't they merely a sub-genre of mystery? Or crime? For that matter, why have mystery as a genre instead of crime? The final AFI genre is epic. Epic? Surely epic is a measure of scale, not a specific kind of storytelling with its own constraints and audience expectations.
The ten films chosen as the best of this alleged genre are either historical tales [Lawrence of Arabia, Saving Private Ryan, Schlinder's List] or Biblical adaptations [The Ten Commandments]. Would you call Schlinder's List an epic? Isn't Saving Private Ryan really a war film? Having an epic as a genre feels like a feeble attempt to include a disparate clutch of movies that didn't fit into any of the other genres selected by the AFI.
Having considered the ten genres the institute did include, the other question to ponder is what got left out. No place for horror? What about war? The list of the disappeared and ignored goes on - espionage, thrillers, film noir, musicals, biographies, silent, spoofs, etc. I'm suggesting they all should have made the list, there were only ten places. But do epics and courtroom dramas deserve to be included ahead of horror, war or musicals?
Proof of the old adage that you can't please all the people all the time. You can see the AFI's list for yourself here.
It's the choice of genres that has irked people this time around. Here's the list: animation; fantasy; gangster; science fiction; western; sports; mystery; romantic comedy; courtroom drama; and epic. First off, let's deal with what the AFI has deemed to be film genres. Animation - fine. Fantasy - hmm. Gangster - there's probably enough great gangster movies to justify this, but have you ever since gangster listed as a genre on any DVD rental site?
Science fiction - fine. Western - no argument. Sports - this one will jar for many people, but I agree with its inclusion. There are some brilliant sports films [Raging Bull, Rocky, The Hustler, Breaking Away, Bull Durham are all on the AFI's list], and they tell unique stories that can range from comedy through drama to tragedy. Sports films are a particularly American phenomenon [try naming 10 great British sports films] so I'm the AFI on this.
Mystery - fine. Romantic comedy - okay. Courtroom drama - huh? Now I love good courtroom dramas [The Verdict, To Kill A Mockingbird and Twelve Angry Men all make the AFI's list], but aren't they merely a sub-genre of mystery? Or crime? For that matter, why have mystery as a genre instead of crime? The final AFI genre is epic. Epic? Surely epic is a measure of scale, not a specific kind of storytelling with its own constraints and audience expectations.
The ten films chosen as the best of this alleged genre are either historical tales [Lawrence of Arabia, Saving Private Ryan, Schlinder's List] or Biblical adaptations [The Ten Commandments]. Would you call Schlinder's List an epic? Isn't Saving Private Ryan really a war film? Having an epic as a genre feels like a feeble attempt to include a disparate clutch of movies that didn't fit into any of the other genres selected by the AFI.
Having considered the ten genres the institute did include, the other question to ponder is what got left out. No place for horror? What about war? The list of the disappeared and ignored goes on - espionage, thrillers, film noir, musicals, biographies, silent, spoofs, etc. I'm suggesting they all should have made the list, there were only ten places. But do epics and courtroom dramas deserve to be included ahead of horror, war or musicals?
Proof of the old adage that you can't please all the people all the time. You can see the AFI's list for yourself here.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
From six hundred shall twenty be chosen
Just got an email from the BBC writersroom, confirming receipt of the script I submitted for it Sharps opportunity. Entries have now closed, with close to 600 screenplays about 'the nation's health' submitted. From these twenty people will be chosen and invited to attend a one-day workshop in London at the end of this month. [Eight of them will be asked back for a week-long residence at the end of July, the lucky devils.]
I've no idea if my script does itself justice, whether it'll stand out among so many or if it'll intrigue the reading team enough to get me an invitation to London. Numerically speaking, I've got a one in thirty chance of making the cut, but the chosen few are picked on merit, not at random. Whatever the outcome, I've got a script that makes a strong addition to my portfolio and I enjoyed writing something entirely from my own imagination.
I'll keep you posted on whether The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies makes the cut. Best of luck to everyone who submitted to Sharps - may the best scripts win.
I've no idea if my script does itself justice, whether it'll stand out among so many or if it'll intrigue the reading team enough to get me an invitation to London. Numerically speaking, I've got a one in thirty chance of making the cut, but the chosen few are picked on merit, not at random. Whatever the outcome, I've got a script that makes a strong addition to my portfolio and I enjoyed writing something entirely from my own imagination.
I'll keep you posted on whether The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies makes the cut. Best of luck to everyone who submitted to Sharps - may the best scripts win.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
2000 AD artist runner-up for BP Portrait Award
Mighty congratulations to 2000 AD artist Simon Davis, who's won second prize in the world's most prestigious portrait competition, the BP Portrait Award. The winners were announced last night in London, with Simon getting eight thousand pounds in prize money for his piece, Amanda Smith at Vincent Avenue. Nearly 1,750 artists from around the world submitted to the competition, with 55 works [including Simon's] now on show in the National Portrait Gallery. Simon's become a noted portrait artist in recent times, but has been working on comics like iconic British weekly 2000 AD for fifteen years. I think I might have given him his first sequential storytelling work, back when I was editor of the Judge Dredd Megazine. If memory serves, Simon approached me for work. Like a lot of artists in the early 90s, he was great at painting but needed to develop his storytelling. Still, there was definitely something there.
I gave him a one-off to illustrate, part of the Plagues of Necropolis series designed to offer newcomers an opening. Simon seized his chance and was soon drawing episodes of warped future western Missionary Man for the Meg. But he blossomed when given the job of illustrating the bullet-riddled adventures of hitmen Sinister Dexter, becoming the definitive artist for the long-running series.
His superheroic version of Tony Blair in B.L.A.I.R. 1 got splashed across the news in 1997, much as the recent appearance of Gordon Brown in Captain Britain made all the papers. Simon's illustrated hundreds, perhaps thousands, of story pages for 2000 AD over the past 15 years. He's among the last of a dying breed, an artist who still uses paints to tell comic strip stories, but class endures. I couldn't be more pleased he'd getting wider recognition at last.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Sometimes, a scribe's gotta do
Having spent most of the past two weeks nurturing my Sharps entry, it's time to do some paying work. Devoting as much time as possible to speculative writing bears results in the long run, but it sure don't pay the bills here and now. This week I shall be knuckling down to work that brings more immediate rewards. As a consequence, I won't be attending the 2008 Edinburgh International Film Festival, which begins Wednesday. Apologies to friends who had work in the EIFF.
Postings to this blog will also be less visible over the coming fortnight. Heading south on Friday to visit in-laws, not back until late Sunday. The following Sunday I'm going down to That Fancy London for more visiting and what not, en route to the 2008 Screenwriters' Festival in Cheltenham. I'm a guest speaker at the festival on Tuesday, July 1st, and probably won't return until late the following day. Between now and then, I hope to be busy. Onwards.
Postings to this blog will also be less visible over the coming fortnight. Heading south on Friday to visit in-laws, not back until late Sunday. The following Sunday I'm going down to That Fancy London for more visiting and what not, en route to the 2008 Screenwriters' Festival in Cheltenham. I'm a guest speaker at the festival on Tuesday, July 1st, and probably won't return until late the following day. Between now and then, I hope to be busy. Onwards.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Music Meme Madness [Blame that Lucy]
Got minx Lucy at Write Here, Write Now memed me with the music madness thing. Instructions: "List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to." So here they are...
The Bucket - Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra. A cover of the Kings of Leon song, rendered on a dozen or more ukuleles by a loose Kiwi ensemble, often including half of HBO comedy superstars the Conchords. This one's just for fun.
Love Song - Sara Bareilles. The latest in an everlasting line of female singer-songwriters, this stands out because she's written a bouncy pop song about how she doesn't write bouncy pop songs to demand. See, Alanis? That's irony.
Overture - Bjork. From Selma Songs, her tie-in album for the controversial film Dancer in the Dark. Moody, oppressive, full of foreboding and suchlike. Perfect writing music for those moments before the trouble gets all overt. Creepy. Doomy. Aces.
15 - Rilo Kiley. Country rock strangeness [with horny brass] about dubious lust. Much better than Don't Stand So Close To Me by the Police for being witty, not trying to rhyme Nabokov and featuring the line, 'He was deep as a graveyard.' Class.
When I Am Through With You - The VLA. Chosen as theme tune for the cracking TV legal drama series Damages, this sounds better than most things U2 have released since the turn of the millennium. And it's free to download from myspace. Nice.
I'll Kill Her - Soko. Quirky, quirky, quirky. Tells a real story, can't help making you smile. Bitter, twisted and cut as all get out. I know nothing about Soko, but she wins props from me for this ode to odious ex-lovers. Go kill him, girl.
Un Bel Di Vedremo - Puccini. Heart-rending aria from the opera Madama Butterfly, subsequently butchered by Malcolm McLaren in the 80s [shame on you, Malkie]. Provided the soundtrack while I was writing The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies.
I'm supposed to memed seven more bloggers with this, but suspect most people on my blogroll have already been tapped. Still, here goes: I tag James Swallow, Pete Kempshall, Joel Meadows, Paul Scoones, Barry Dewar, Laura Anderson and Stuart Perry.
The Bucket - Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra. A cover of the Kings of Leon song, rendered on a dozen or more ukuleles by a loose Kiwi ensemble, often including half of HBO comedy superstars the Conchords. This one's just for fun.
Love Song - Sara Bareilles. The latest in an everlasting line of female singer-songwriters, this stands out because she's written a bouncy pop song about how she doesn't write bouncy pop songs to demand. See, Alanis? That's irony.
Overture - Bjork. From Selma Songs, her tie-in album for the controversial film Dancer in the Dark. Moody, oppressive, full of foreboding and suchlike. Perfect writing music for those moments before the trouble gets all overt. Creepy. Doomy. Aces.
15 - Rilo Kiley. Country rock strangeness [with horny brass] about dubious lust. Much better than Don't Stand So Close To Me by the Police for being witty, not trying to rhyme Nabokov and featuring the line, 'He was deep as a graveyard.' Class.
When I Am Through With You - The VLA. Chosen as theme tune for the cracking TV legal drama series Damages, this sounds better than most things U2 have released since the turn of the millennium. And it's free to download from myspace. Nice.
I'll Kill Her - Soko. Quirky, quirky, quirky. Tells a real story, can't help making you smile. Bitter, twisted and cut as all get out. I know nothing about Soko, but she wins props from me for this ode to odious ex-lovers. Go kill him, girl.
Un Bel Di Vedremo - Puccini. Heart-rending aria from the opera Madama Butterfly, subsequently butchered by Malcolm McLaren in the 80s [shame on you, Malkie]. Provided the soundtrack while I was writing The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies.
I'm supposed to memed seven more bloggers with this, but suspect most people on my blogroll have already been tapped. Still, here goes: I tag James Swallow, Pete Kempshall, Joel Meadows, Paul Scoones, Barry Dewar, Laura Anderson and Stuart Perry.
My favourite James Bond book cover
James Bond is a pop culture evergreen. I suspect most people's first exposure to 007 came via one of the 20+ films made that feature the character. He's an icon who has survived bad parodies, bad actors and bad movies. Sometimes Bond will lapse back into obscurity for a while, such as the first half of the 90s before the film Goldeneye introduced Pierce Brosnan as the new screen Bond. Much like Doctor Who, 007 is a hardy perennial that will always return.
Of course, Bond did not start on celluloid. The character was originated by author Ian Fleming, appearing in more than a dozen books in the 50s and 60s. I'm not sure if I saw a Bond movie before I'd read one of Fleming's novels, my memory of childhood is not that accurate. My older brothers introduced me to a lot of things early in life, including the original Bond novels. They used to buy paperback editions from secondhand book shops, and I read 'em too.
The thing that stood out most strongly about those well thumbed tomes were the covers. My brothers searched out the 1963 Pan Books paperbacks, which reissued all 14 books with specially commissioned covers. Some were better than others [I've always thought the Diamonds Are Forever cover was especially - and ironically - lacklustre], but the best are mini-masterpieces. Above are two I like, and below is my favourite. I'd pay good money to have it as a poster.
Of course, Bond did not start on celluloid. The character was originated by author Ian Fleming, appearing in more than a dozen books in the 50s and 60s. I'm not sure if I saw a Bond movie before I'd read one of Fleming's novels, my memory of childhood is not that accurate. My older brothers introduced me to a lot of things early in life, including the original Bond novels. They used to buy paperback editions from secondhand book shops, and I read 'em too.
The thing that stood out most strongly about those well thumbed tomes were the covers. My brothers searched out the 1963 Pan Books paperbacks, which reissued all 14 books with specially commissioned covers. Some were better than others [I've always thought the Diamonds Are Forever cover was especially - and ironically - lacklustre], but the best are mini-masterpieces. Above are two I like, and below is my favourite. I'd pay good money to have it as a poster.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
That's what he's talking about
After twelve glorious weeks, the BBC's version of The Apprentice is over. [Sad to say, I missed the first week, being on holiday in New Zealand at the time. Swings and roundabouts.] My two favourite candidates made the final, and the immensely likable Lee won through to claim a job with Sir Alan Sugar. A shame for runner-up Clare, but she'll not be short of offers after her efforts. Best of all, the person I wanted to win won, the first time in four series. Nice.
In other news, I've managed to skin my left knee. Again. Did just before Christmas running down Chambers Street in Edinburgh, the first time since my days of flying off bicycles as a boy. Did it again last night, trying to stop a boundary in the annual east versus west Biggar Cricket Club match. Ouch. On the plus side, I scored a boundary for East Biggar before getting bowled, and took two wickets with my slow moving dobbers. Alas, West won. Again.
What else? Finished the third draft of my script for the BBC writersroom's Sharps opportunity. Thanks to Lucy, Lucy and Laura for reading the previous incarnations and offering feedback. The script's come n leaps and bounds thanks to their comments. No idea if it'll get anywhere with Sharps, but that's out of my hands once I stick my script in the post today.
The best thing about writing The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies was it got me writing again. Not that I don't write something almost every day of my life, but this was a new project, one all of my own devising. I've spent most of this year working on speculative efforts based other people's characters, scenarios and creations. The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies was all my own work [with Lucy, Lucy and Laura acting as creative midwives].
Up to now, my most successful script has been Danny's Toys, a quirky tale that came unbidden from my imagination. I'd no idea what to do with the story, and knew it would almost never get made. But I wrote it anyway, just for the joy of writing and because it was a story I wanted to tell. The results got me a good grade for my MA, won a first prize at the Page International Screenwriting Awards in LA last September and placed in the BlueCat Screen Lab contest.
I think The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies might have come from the same place as Danny's Toys. They feel like siblings, quite different but with familial similarities. Both bear the trademarks of my most personal works: tragic tendencies, touches of tyranny, fear and pain, moments of humour and magic realism. I doubt The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies will get made, but I'll proudly add it in my script portfolio. That's what I'm talking about.
In other news, I've managed to skin my left knee. Again. Did just before Christmas running down Chambers Street in Edinburgh, the first time since my days of flying off bicycles as a boy. Did it again last night, trying to stop a boundary in the annual east versus west Biggar Cricket Club match. Ouch. On the plus side, I scored a boundary for East Biggar before getting bowled, and took two wickets with my slow moving dobbers. Alas, West won. Again.
What else? Finished the third draft of my script for the BBC writersroom's Sharps opportunity. Thanks to Lucy, Lucy and Laura for reading the previous incarnations and offering feedback. The script's come n leaps and bounds thanks to their comments. No idea if it'll get anywhere with Sharps, but that's out of my hands once I stick my script in the post today.
The best thing about writing The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies was it got me writing again. Not that I don't write something almost every day of my life, but this was a new project, one all of my own devising. I've spent most of this year working on speculative efforts based other people's characters, scenarios and creations. The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies was all my own work [with Lucy, Lucy and Laura acting as creative midwives].
Up to now, my most successful script has been Danny's Toys, a quirky tale that came unbidden from my imagination. I'd no idea what to do with the story, and knew it would almost never get made. But I wrote it anyway, just for the joy of writing and because it was a story I wanted to tell. The results got me a good grade for my MA, won a first prize at the Page International Screenwriting Awards in LA last September and placed in the BlueCat Screen Lab contest.
I think The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies might have come from the same place as Danny's Toys. They feel like siblings, quite different but with familial similarities. Both bear the trademarks of my most personal works: tragic tendencies, touches of tyranny, fear and pain, moments of humour and magic realism. I doubt The Woman Who Screamed Butterflies will get made, but I'll proudly add it in my script portfolio. That's what I'm talking about.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Discovered: the fifth Charlie's Angel
If you live in the UK you can now download episodes of fondly remember American TV shows from iTunes, including first season episodes from I Dream of Jeannie, Starsky & Hutch and Charlie's Angels. The pilots for the latter two shows are available for free, so I downloaded the very first edition of Charlie's Angels, just for a laugh.First aired in March 1976, this hasn't aged well. The pilot is 73 minutes long [not counting the ad break that would have peppered its broadcast], with enough plot to fill 50 minutes tops. TV drama is a hell of a lot faster paced these days. Throw in wafer-thin characterisation, cheesy staging and lacklustre acting - well, this has kitsch value now, not much more. But two faces stuck out.
Oscar-winning actor Tommy Lee Jones plays a supporting role, this callow, youthful incarnation displaying none of the world-weary gravitas he brings to the screen now. But even more surprising is the presence of a fifth Angel. Obviously, there's the three women providing the glamour, and crusty Bosley back in the office for comic relief. But the original ensemble had a fifth member - Woodville.
The character's played by David Ogden Steirs, not long before he joined acclaimed sitcom MASH as Boston stuffed shirt surgeon Charles Emmerson Winchester. In the Charlie's Angels pilot Woodville goes out on assignment with the women, getting in scrapes and offering what assistance he can. His presence is both bizarre and superfluous - so it's no surprise the character didn't become a series regular.
Grud. Wonder who's in the Starsky & Hutch pilot?
Monday, June 09, 2008
Sharps first draft done; weird roast lamb urges
My current shampoo describes itself as Rosemary Mint. It's lovely stuff, even if all I have for hair at the moment is a millimetre of stubble on my planet-sized bonce. However, it does have one weird side effect. The aroma of mint is so strong, combined with a hint of rosemary, that it's making me crave roast lamb. Lamb's never been the cheapest of meats and with food prices soaring, it's madly expensive right now, so my craving go unsatisfied. Such is life.
On the plus side, I've finished the first draft of my entry for the BBC writersroom opportunity called Sharps. Most anyone can enter, so long as they don't have a TV drama writing credit for anyone longer than 15 minutes. That eliminates everyone who's script an episode of Doctors, for instance, or any other continuing drama series. So that makes Sharps effectively an entry level opportunity. As a consequence, I expect there'll be a lot of entries submitted.
Curiously, I'm eligible to submit to Sharps but was also qualified to apply for the BBC Drama Writers' Academy, thanks to my 15-minute radio play. Like everyone else who applied, I got my holding pattern email from the BBC on Friday. All the applicants' sample scripts are being read, expect further communications by Monday July 14th. Nice of them to keep us all updated, I appreciate that. But this does raise a question, one that's been backing my noodle.
Writers' Academy applications closed on May 12th this, and everyone will get a final response by July 16th - nine weeks later. Fair enough, these things take time and there's probably a lot of people in the loop. The Sharps scheme deadline is next Monday, June 16th - but successful applicants chosen for a first stage masterclass will be notified by Friday June 20th, according to the web page.
That's only four days later. Sixty-three days for the Writers' Academy, only four for Sharps? Yikes. Speed reading at its finest, folks!
On the plus side, I've finished the first draft of my entry for the BBC writersroom opportunity called Sharps. Most anyone can enter, so long as they don't have a TV drama writing credit for anyone longer than 15 minutes. That eliminates everyone who's script an episode of Doctors, for instance, or any other continuing drama series. So that makes Sharps effectively an entry level opportunity. As a consequence, I expect there'll be a lot of entries submitted.
Curiously, I'm eligible to submit to Sharps but was also qualified to apply for the BBC Drama Writers' Academy, thanks to my 15-minute radio play. Like everyone else who applied, I got my holding pattern email from the BBC on Friday. All the applicants' sample scripts are being read, expect further communications by Monday July 14th. Nice of them to keep us all updated, I appreciate that. But this does raise a question, one that's been backing my noodle.
Writers' Academy applications closed on May 12th this, and everyone will get a final response by July 16th - nine weeks later. Fair enough, these things take time and there's probably a lot of people in the loop. The Sharps scheme deadline is next Monday, June 16th - but successful applicants chosen for a first stage masterclass will be notified by Friday June 20th, according to the web page.
That's only four days later. Sixty-three days for the Writers' Academy, only four for Sharps? Yikes. Speed reading at its finest, folks!
Friday, June 06, 2008
Less is more, but often means more work
Spent the week writing my entry for the BBC Sharps scheme. It's been challenging because I've chosen to tell much of my story visually, rather than rely to heavily on dialogue. For examples, one of the main characters hasn't spoken yet, and they're in almost every scene. That's forcing me to find other ways of communicating the character's emotional journey, abandoning my usual storytelling crutches. The whole thing could fall flat on its face as a consequence, but I'd rather failure trying something new than retread old habits and tropes.
A lot of TV drama - particularly in continuing series - is akin to radio with pictures. Most soaps you don't need to watch the TV to follow the story. Just listen to the dialogue and sound effects, you'll get 99% of the information you need. Every now and then I'll watch an episode of EastEnders with the sound muted, to study the visual storytelling. Such is the strength of acting and directing, the emotional content of a scene is clearly apparent.
When I read a script professionally, I make sure I read every word of it at least twice. But when I'm reading a script out of personal interest, I've a bad habit of simply skimming the dialogue. Somebody doing that with my Sharps entry may struggle, due to the silent nature of the protagonist. Indeed, there's only five lines of dialogue in the first three pages - and three of those are in Polish.
Writing a script with so much action text runs the risk of filling the pages with black ink. Too much black on a page looks oppressive, potentially off-putting to readers. I contemplated using vertical writing on the script, where the action text is stripped down the page. That's fine for a punchy, kinetic story but my Sharps entry leans more towards magic realism and gothic fairytale than brute force and bullet ballets.
Crucially, I'm trying to strip my script down to the bare essentials. Just offer enough information to create a moving image in the reader's mind, without cluttering the pictures they see. That means writing and cutting, rewriting and cutting again. Less is more, but achieving less means a lot more work. Nobody said writing was easy [if they did, they lied]. I want this script to gleam, to shine - and that takes a lot of extra polishing. Onwards.
A lot of TV drama - particularly in continuing series - is akin to radio with pictures. Most soaps you don't need to watch the TV to follow the story. Just listen to the dialogue and sound effects, you'll get 99% of the information you need. Every now and then I'll watch an episode of EastEnders with the sound muted, to study the visual storytelling. Such is the strength of acting and directing, the emotional content of a scene is clearly apparent.
When I read a script professionally, I make sure I read every word of it at least twice. But when I'm reading a script out of personal interest, I've a bad habit of simply skimming the dialogue. Somebody doing that with my Sharps entry may struggle, due to the silent nature of the protagonist. Indeed, there's only five lines of dialogue in the first three pages - and three of those are in Polish.
Writing a script with so much action text runs the risk of filling the pages with black ink. Too much black on a page looks oppressive, potentially off-putting to readers. I contemplated using vertical writing on the script, where the action text is stripped down the page. That's fine for a punchy, kinetic story but my Sharps entry leans more towards magic realism and gothic fairytale than brute force and bullet ballets.
Crucially, I'm trying to strip my script down to the bare essentials. Just offer enough information to create a moving image in the reader's mind, without cluttering the pictures they see. That means writing and cutting, rewriting and cutting again. Less is more, but achieving less means a lot more work. Nobody said writing was easy [if they did, they lied]. I want this script to gleam, to shine - and that takes a lot of extra polishing. Onwards.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Replace 'eye' with 'hit' to rate the film Bullseye
I've just heard the sound of a barrel's bottom being scraped. According to online retailers, the 1990 film Bullseye is scheduled for release this September. Starring Michael Caine and Roger Moore, this piece of excrement is among the most dire feature films released in Britain. Five years ago I wrote a book about the movies of Michael Caine, covering everything from Zulu to The Actors. I watched all 80 movies twice. Bullseye was one of the worst.It's unspeakably bad, a comedy without jokes, humour or any other redeeming feature. Cheap, tawdy, hapless, hopeless - none of those words encapsulate just how bad Bullseye is. Piss poor probably sums it up best. Unbelievably, John Cleese makes a cameo appearance near the end in a role entitled Man on the Beach in Barbados Who Looks Like John Cleese. That's one of the better attempts at hilarity in this steaming pile of turds. Avoid Bullseye like dysentery.
When I was working on my Caine tome, perhaps only half of the 80 films were available on DVD. The rest I had to hunt down as long out of print VHS tapes from places around the world. Several proved to be pirate copies, recorded off air from obscure cable channels in the dead of night, but flogged as genuine releases on eBay. Since I wrote the book in 2003, nearly all Caine's films have had a DVD release in various regions.
The misguided decision to unleash Bullseye on an unsuspecting public leaves just seven films out of circulation as DVDs. One of these, The Debtors, never got a cinema release after the movie's sole financial backer decided it shouldn't see the light of day - so I'm not holding my breath on that one. That leaves six. Surrender was a late 80s rom-com featuring Caine and Sally Field. It's no great shakes but entertaining enough in a slight way.
Number five? The Marseilles Contract [a.k.a. The Destructors] stars Caine and James Mason in a mid-70s Euro-pudding thriller about hitmen and the criminal underworld. It hasn't aged well, but has moments. Four: Hurry Sundown - a bizarre mess about civil rights in the Deep South, wherein Jane Fonds seeks to seduce Caine by fellating a saxophone. Believe it or not, a clip appears in Austin Powers: Goldmember. A kitsch classic that outstays its welcome.
Three: Zee & Co [a.k.a. X, Y & Zee] - a campfest from the early 70s with Caine locking swording with Elizabeth Taylor in screaming harpie mode. So naff it verges on genius. Two: The Honorary Consul [a.k.a. Beyond the Limit] - a powerful adaptation of Graham Greene's novel somewhat spoiled by the wooden presence of Richard Gere. Caine would have greater success twenty years later in The Quiet American, but this is well worth a look.
But my most wanted Caine film on DVD has to be Gambit, a charming 60s caper co-starring Shirley MacLaine and Herbert Lom. The Coen brothers were contemplating a remark earlier this decade, but opted to make a mess of The Ladykillers instead. Light as a cloud, Gambit is a cheerful confection that deserves to find a new audience on shiny disc, in my humble opinion. Why somebody would choose to excrete Bullseye on to DVD remains beyond my comprehension.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Summer 2008 TV: why should we care?
The new few weeks and months look a particularly barren period on British TV. Summer has long been the silly season, when warm weather attracted people outside and ratings tumbled. Schedulers traditionally filled our screens with repeats and make-weights, burning off shows that couldn't sustain an audience elsewhere in the year. That changed in the year 2000 when Big Brother hit the UK.
The reality TV show was a smash hit, aided and abetted by the absence of any worth watching on the other main channels. Big Brother's popularity grew each year, until other broadcasters felt obliged to launch spoilers, rival reality shows that might steal Channel 4's thunder. [Anyone remember Celebrity Love Island? Try not to, you'll be happier.] But Big Brother's popularity waned as it became a vehicle for wannabes hoping to become Z-list celebrities.
So the prospect of Big Brother 9 filling our screens this summer? Bleurgh. But there's more bad news. Euro 2008 is about to start, a football tournament that will dominate the primetime schedules on BBC1 and ITV for weeks to come. Unfortunately for both broadcasters, none of the home nations have qualified for Euro 2008. There's been attempts to goose audience interest but, frankly, who cares? Unless you love football, there's nothing at stake. Bleurgh.
What does that leave if you don't have cable or a Sky dish, and can't get Freeview where you live? DVDs. This summer I will mostly be watching DVD of TV shows. Just finished the first two seasons of the genius that is Friday Night Lights, and that was preceded by most of The West Wing. Got seasons three and four of The Wire to watch, along with most of Homocide: Life on the Street. But wouldn't mind something more upbeat to offset all the sturm and drang.
It's worth pointing out I'm skint, so spending a lot of money buying boxed sets isn't much of an option right now. But I could subscribe to a DVD rental service like LoveFilm, which offers TV series on DVD as well as films. So, I'm looking for suggestions of great viewing as a Summer 2008 alternative to football and Big Brother. Maybe a desert island DVD selection? Post your eight favourites in the comments section, if you feel the urge...
The reality TV show was a smash hit, aided and abetted by the absence of any worth watching on the other main channels. Big Brother's popularity grew each year, until other broadcasters felt obliged to launch spoilers, rival reality shows that might steal Channel 4's thunder. [Anyone remember Celebrity Love Island? Try not to, you'll be happier.] But Big Brother's popularity waned as it became a vehicle for wannabes hoping to become Z-list celebrities.
So the prospect of Big Brother 9 filling our screens this summer? Bleurgh. But there's more bad news. Euro 2008 is about to start, a football tournament that will dominate the primetime schedules on BBC1 and ITV for weeks to come. Unfortunately for both broadcasters, none of the home nations have qualified for Euro 2008. There's been attempts to goose audience interest but, frankly, who cares? Unless you love football, there's nothing at stake. Bleurgh.
What does that leave if you don't have cable or a Sky dish, and can't get Freeview where you live? DVDs. This summer I will mostly be watching DVD of TV shows. Just finished the first two seasons of the genius that is Friday Night Lights, and that was preceded by most of The West Wing. Got seasons three and four of The Wire to watch, along with most of Homocide: Life on the Street. But wouldn't mind something more upbeat to offset all the sturm and drang.
It's worth pointing out I'm skint, so spending a lot of money buying boxed sets isn't much of an option right now. But I could subscribe to a DVD rental service like LoveFilm, which offers TV series on DVD as well as films. So, I'm looking for suggestions of great viewing as a Summer 2008 alternative to football and Big Brother. Maybe a desert island DVD selection? Post your eight favourites in the comments section, if you feel the urge...
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
The agony of establishing unique house styles
Back when I worked as a journalist [shortly before the dawn of time], newspapers had their own style guide. These were strict rules on how copy should be written by reporters. I spent several years at New Zealand's biggest selling paper, The New Zealand Herald. At the time it had a rigid, conservative style, so a quote might appear something like this: 'The economy continues to struggle,' said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Honorable Sir Robert Muldoon.
Style guides were so important the company that owned the paper even printed them into a little blue book. Each new arrival on the reporting staff got given a copy, and was expected to know and apply it to their work. Took a while, but you got the hang of it eventually. Of course, this was several centuries ago when we wrote our stories on manual typewriters and a fresh sheet of carbon paper was preciously guarded. Like I said, before the dawn of time.
Nevertheless, I always recall that little blue book when I start a new writing project. Finding the house style of a particular script or novel is never easy. Not only do you have to channel your own, unique voice as a writer, you also have to discover the vocabulary that suits your story. I spent all of yesterday writing just a page and a half of script for my BBC Sharps entry. It's not that I don't know what happens in my story, that's all planned.
No, most of the day was spent finding the appropriate prose style for my script. This is a highly visual story, where dialogue takes a back seat. Therefore the prose I chose for my action text is crucial to establishing the mood and propelling the plot. On a punchy, violent story I'll go for terse, crisp words. This story's more lyrical, with splashes of magic realism, so it needs a different style, words and phrases that match the tone and intent of my tale.
Where blazing sunlight might have done the job in another script, here I find myself reaching for warming bolts of afternoon sun. When noises might have deafened or drowned out words, this script features a chaotic symphony of sound and fury. Even though I only wrote a page and half yesterday, I woke up this morning feeling more confident about the day ahead, a new house style within my grasp. If only the story came with its own little blue book.
Style guides were so important the company that owned the paper even printed them into a little blue book. Each new arrival on the reporting staff got given a copy, and was expected to know and apply it to their work. Took a while, but you got the hang of it eventually. Of course, this was several centuries ago when we wrote our stories on manual typewriters and a fresh sheet of carbon paper was preciously guarded. Like I said, before the dawn of time.
Nevertheless, I always recall that little blue book when I start a new writing project. Finding the house style of a particular script or novel is never easy. Not only do you have to channel your own, unique voice as a writer, you also have to discover the vocabulary that suits your story. I spent all of yesterday writing just a page and a half of script for my BBC Sharps entry. It's not that I don't know what happens in my story, that's all planned.
No, most of the day was spent finding the appropriate prose style for my script. This is a highly visual story, where dialogue takes a back seat. Therefore the prose I chose for my action text is crucial to establishing the mood and propelling the plot. On a punchy, violent story I'll go for terse, crisp words. This story's more lyrical, with splashes of magic realism, so it needs a different style, words and phrases that match the tone and intent of my tale.
Where blazing sunlight might have done the job in another script, here I find myself reaching for warming bolts of afternoon sun. When noises might have deafened or drowned out words, this script features a chaotic symphony of sound and fury. Even though I only wrote a page and half yesterday, I woke up this morning feeling more confident about the day ahead, a new house style within my grasp. If only the story came with its own little blue book.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Screen academy drinks offer life snapshots
Three years ago, I'm not sure I'd ever heard of Screen Academy Scotland. The new faculty at Edinburgh's Napier University was running the first year of its Masters in Screen Production Development, and prepping a new MA in screenwriting. Two years ago I'd completed the first half of my part-time screenwriting MA, and the first intake of full-time screenwriting students had finished their two terms of tutorials and modules with just their final projects to write. To celebrate we all went to a hotel bar near the university where drinking, talking and laughter was had in abundance.
Thsi time last year the second helping of full-time screenwriting students reached the same point - and so did the first class of part-timers, including me. Back to the same hotel bar, and a merry time was had by all. Well, another year's passed and I got an invite to revisit that same hotel bar last Friday. It was a chance to catch up with some of my former classmates, alongside the current part-timers and full-timers on the screenwriting MA course.
I'd met quite a few of them before. Several were on the TAPS continuing drama workshop I attended in Cardiff last September [they all got through to the second round, I didn't - such is life]. Plus I was invited back this academic year as alumni speaker to give a student's eye view on the research methods module. On Friday several students told me my talk had been useful, so that was gratifying. If I helped one person pass the highly academic module, it was worth the effort.
Had a fun, raucous time on Friday night and drank three pints of beer in one sitting - something I haven't done for a long, long time. Aside from the obvious sense of deja vu, it gave me a chance to reflect on how far I've progressed over the past three years. I've had a radio play broadcast by the BBC, won an international screenwriting prize in Los Angeles and learned more than I thought possible about writing.
But I've still got so much to learn, and so much I want to achieve. Getting my first TV drama commission, that will be a big breakthrough when it comes. With hard work, inspiration and a little luck that should lead to further TV writing gigs. Hopefully I can use those to convince an agent I'm worth representing. It's not that I expect the agent to get me more work, but not having an agent excludes you from opportunities I'd dearly love to pursue.
What am I doing to achieve my goals? Writing, writing and more writing. Working hard to break through with a particular TV show. Applied to the BBC Writers' Academy, and will spend this week writing the first draft of my entry for the BBC writersroom Sharps initiative. Meanwhile, I'm also trying to keep the wolf from the door with paid writing work. It's a difficult juggling act to pull off. How little money can you survive on? How much longer should I pursue the dream? Well, I ain't nearly near scaling back my ambitions yet.
Sometimes everyone writer feels like giving up. Other times, success feels so close you can also taste it. Right now I'm near the tasty end of spectrum. That could be self delusion but hey, I'm a writer - I make things up for a living. What else did you expect? Right, time to get to work. Onwards.
Thsi time last year the second helping of full-time screenwriting students reached the same point - and so did the first class of part-timers, including me. Back to the same hotel bar, and a merry time was had by all. Well, another year's passed and I got an invite to revisit that same hotel bar last Friday. It was a chance to catch up with some of my former classmates, alongside the current part-timers and full-timers on the screenwriting MA course.
I'd met quite a few of them before. Several were on the TAPS continuing drama workshop I attended in Cardiff last September [they all got through to the second round, I didn't - such is life]. Plus I was invited back this academic year as alumni speaker to give a student's eye view on the research methods module. On Friday several students told me my talk had been useful, so that was gratifying. If I helped one person pass the highly academic module, it was worth the effort.
Had a fun, raucous time on Friday night and drank three pints of beer in one sitting - something I haven't done for a long, long time. Aside from the obvious sense of deja vu, it gave me a chance to reflect on how far I've progressed over the past three years. I've had a radio play broadcast by the BBC, won an international screenwriting prize in Los Angeles and learned more than I thought possible about writing.
But I've still got so much to learn, and so much I want to achieve. Getting my first TV drama commission, that will be a big breakthrough when it comes. With hard work, inspiration and a little luck that should lead to further TV writing gigs. Hopefully I can use those to convince an agent I'm worth representing. It's not that I expect the agent to get me more work, but not having an agent excludes you from opportunities I'd dearly love to pursue.
What am I doing to achieve my goals? Writing, writing and more writing. Working hard to break through with a particular TV show. Applied to the BBC Writers' Academy, and will spend this week writing the first draft of my entry for the BBC writersroom Sharps initiative. Meanwhile, I'm also trying to keep the wolf from the door with paid writing work. It's a difficult juggling act to pull off. How little money can you survive on? How much longer should I pursue the dream? Well, I ain't nearly near scaling back my ambitions yet.
Sometimes everyone writer feels like giving up. Other times, success feels so close you can also taste it. Right now I'm near the tasty end of spectrum. That could be self delusion but hey, I'm a writer - I make things up for a living. What else did you expect? Right, time to get to work. Onwards.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)