Trundled north for Dundee Comics Day yesterday, part of the local Literary Festival. Ran into lots of folk who used to work for me at 2000AD et al - Cam Kennedy, Robbie Morrison, Frank Quitely, Colin MacNeil, Jim O'Ready. Failed to catch up with John Wagner, which was a shame, but his talk was inspirational. Here are a few notes:
"Strong characters make strong stories. Events are fine, but you have to filter them through character. If you combine bad and good in the one character, that's always stronger. The reader can take them how they like. Judge Dredd is a genuine hero and a genuine villain. I had him do something heroic and villainous in every story.
"Short comics stories have three stages - beginning, middle and end. The beginning introduces your characters, and establishes their objectives. In the middle stage your characters succeed or fail by their own means at achieving their objectives. For the ending, you need a surprise or twist of some sort to wrap the story up.
"Character is about how they react to things, it comes out in the choices they make. You try and garner reader empathy through their choices. Emotional depth is such a personal thing. It much easier to write emotional stories on your own. Working at DC Thomson, nothing was ever good enough. But it's good to fight complacency."
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Watch my Nina and the Neurons episodes via iPlayer
My 4th and 5th episodes of Nina and the Neurons: Brilliant Bodies were broadcast this week on CBeebies. Thanks to the wonders of iPlayer you can catch up with them here and here. [And they'll be repeated on CBeebies and the BBCHD channel a lot - alas, no residuals for me.] Want to know how the show's written? Read this post from last month.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
If you've ever struggled with the Scottish accent...
...imagine how hard it'll be for Scots trying to make voice recognition devices like Siri on the new iPhone. Witness this from ace Scottish sketch show Brunistoun [via @SimonNRicketts]. Repeat after me: eleven! Eleven! Eleven!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Bad writing habits: complications ≠ complexity
Like most writers I know, there are some bad habits and default settings that do me no good. I know what my strengths are, and tend to accentuate these when developing a new project. For example, I'm not bad at plotting and love cutting between story strands. Which is all well and good - but not when it impacts on characterisation.
So what is my worst writing habit? What do I lapse back into doing if I'm not careful? Complications over complexity. Instead of having the courage to dig deeper into my characters' emotional turmoils and dilemmas, I'll throw in some extra plot points. Another strand of narrative to keep everyone too busy to feel anything.
But this breakneck tendency robs my characters of the chance to be themselves. If everyone's too busy with crisis management, they don't have time to confront how they're feeling. Stories become a headlong rush to the next plot point. There's no room to breathe, to reflect, to react. Result? Empathy fail. We just don't care.
I'm rewriting one of my calling card scripts at the moment and - sure enough - the first draft's guilty of choosing complications over complexity. I discovered this by taking it for a walk on Saturday, talking through the different character strands. That helped me identify who's story the episode was [not an unimportant discovery!].
Talking the script through from the characters' perspectives made something else apparent: I had an entire plot strand that could be jettisoned to no detriment. It was a cunning wheeze of a story that slipped from one character to another before resulting in a big, set piece finish. But it didn't belong in this script.
So I've deleted it. That only cut five pages but seems to have lifted a weight from the whole thing. It's left much more room to concentrate on the central characters - what they're going through, what they're feeling and how their reactions help drive the plot forward [rather than them jumping through hoops in service of the plot].
I also discovered another problem: scenes with a generic POV. You want each scene to be written from one character's point of view - ideally, the character with most at stake at that moment. [Stakes needn't be life or death, just important for them.] Writing from their POV, seeing them battle to do something, helps create empathy.
The good news is I have done that in some scenes, just not all of them. Plus writing every scene from a character's POV is not always easy in a first draft. Often you're still figuring out who the characters are, how they talk, react, interact. A first draft helps you discover those facets that only become apparent during the writing.
So my job for the next few days is pulling apart my first draft, winnowing out the extraneous plot complications. I'll be looking to replace them with character moments, little glimpses into how they're feeling. And I'll be digging into their heads and hearts to re-envisage from their POV. Should be exciting. Onwards!
So what is my worst writing habit? What do I lapse back into doing if I'm not careful? Complications over complexity. Instead of having the courage to dig deeper into my characters' emotional turmoils and dilemmas, I'll throw in some extra plot points. Another strand of narrative to keep everyone too busy to feel anything.
But this breakneck tendency robs my characters of the chance to be themselves. If everyone's too busy with crisis management, they don't have time to confront how they're feeling. Stories become a headlong rush to the next plot point. There's no room to breathe, to reflect, to react. Result? Empathy fail. We just don't care.
I'm rewriting one of my calling card scripts at the moment and - sure enough - the first draft's guilty of choosing complications over complexity. I discovered this by taking it for a walk on Saturday, talking through the different character strands. That helped me identify who's story the episode was [not an unimportant discovery!].
Talking the script through from the characters' perspectives made something else apparent: I had an entire plot strand that could be jettisoned to no detriment. It was a cunning wheeze of a story that slipped from one character to another before resulting in a big, set piece finish. But it didn't belong in this script.
So I've deleted it. That only cut five pages but seems to have lifted a weight from the whole thing. It's left much more room to concentrate on the central characters - what they're going through, what they're feeling and how their reactions help drive the plot forward [rather than them jumping through hoops in service of the plot].
I also discovered another problem: scenes with a generic POV. You want each scene to be written from one character's point of view - ideally, the character with most at stake at that moment. [Stakes needn't be life or death, just important for them.] Writing from their POV, seeing them battle to do something, helps create empathy.
The good news is I have done that in some scenes, just not all of them. Plus writing every scene from a character's POV is not always easy in a first draft. Often you're still figuring out who the characters are, how they talk, react, interact. A first draft helps you discover those facets that only become apparent during the writing.
So my job for the next few days is pulling apart my first draft, winnowing out the extraneous plot complications. I'll be looking to replace them with character moments, little glimpses into how they're feeling. And I'll be digging into their heads and hearts to re-envisage from their POV. Should be exciting. Onwards!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Rugby World Cup 2011: the final is very nearly here
Fingers crossed, 24 years of hurt ends tomorrow in NZ. Do it for Christchurch, guys.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
BBC Scotland drama and comedy notes
Scottish members of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain met with BBC Scotland at Pacific Quay in Glasgow last night [Tuesday, Oct. 18th 2011]. Present were TV drama executive Gaynor Holmes [GH]; radio drama development producer David Ian Neville {DN]; and Owen Bell [OB], who works in comedy development across radio and TV. Many thanks to Julie Ann Thomason for organising the session. Here are a few notes:
GH: BBC Scotland’s been marked for growth as a creative hub, looking to work more directly with talent such as writers. It feels like a good time to be making drama in-house at BBC Scotland. Drama has been largely protected from cuts.
OB: A lot of Scottish TV comedy's made by an indie, The Comedy Unit. There’s a push for ideas from both the Comedy Unit – and beyond. The rest of Scotland should be represented as well, we’re looking to work with indies from other places.
Comedy drama tends to have two different lengths for TV and radio. On TV comedy dramas tend to be 45-60 mins. On radio there are 30 mins, some 4 x 15 mins slots. {OB defined comedy drama as having characters who develop, an over-arching narrative – whereas sitcom characters don’t tend to develop, don’t learn from their mistakes.}
More than anything else, BBC1 wants to find a studio-based pre-watershed sitcom, something to replace My Family – that’s a definite priority.
DN: BBC Scotland radio drama produces work in-house, working directly with writers. The bulk of dramas are made for Radio 4 across all the slots – Afternoon Play [45 mins]; Saturday Play [60 mins]; classic serial; Women’s Hour Drama [5 x 15 mins].
Producers work directly with writers. They want to see radio scripts, not theatre scripts or screenplays. Original work, first and foremost. The Afternoon Play – eclectic, often contemporary. It’s where most new writers start in radio drama.
Radio Scotland also commissions eight 30 min plays a year, all contemporary. Across the stations radio drama runs serials and returning series, but singles are its staple diet.
GH: BBC1 is a big, broad church. Drama has to be emotionally complex – appeal to heart and head. BBC2 drama has more authored pieces, often by writer-directors. Issue-led, with big, robust ideast. BBC3 – broadly appealing for an 18-35 audience.
Returning drama series are far more likely to get away. We tend to look at a treatment first from more established writers. From emerging writers we’ll want to see a script, to make sure they can write. Established writers can approach direct or send work via their agent. Unagented writers need to go via the BBC writersroom.
DN: For radio drama, the key is having a story you’re burning to tell. You’ve already through the idea. It should be an obsession for you.
GH: BBC Scotland’s been marked for growth as a creative hub, looking to work more directly with talent such as writers. It feels like a good time to be making drama in-house at BBC Scotland. Drama has been largely protected from cuts.
OB: A lot of Scottish TV comedy's made by an indie, The Comedy Unit. There’s a push for ideas from both the Comedy Unit – and beyond. The rest of Scotland should be represented as well, we’re looking to work with indies from other places.
Comedy drama tends to have two different lengths for TV and radio. On TV comedy dramas tend to be 45-60 mins. On radio there are 30 mins, some 4 x 15 mins slots. {OB defined comedy drama as having characters who develop, an over-arching narrative – whereas sitcom characters don’t tend to develop, don’t learn from their mistakes.}
More than anything else, BBC1 wants to find a studio-based pre-watershed sitcom, something to replace My Family – that’s a definite priority.
DN: BBC Scotland radio drama produces work in-house, working directly with writers. The bulk of dramas are made for Radio 4 across all the slots – Afternoon Play [45 mins]; Saturday Play [60 mins]; classic serial; Women’s Hour Drama [5 x 15 mins].
Producers work directly with writers. They want to see radio scripts, not theatre scripts or screenplays. Original work, first and foremost. The Afternoon Play – eclectic, often contemporary. It’s where most new writers start in radio drama.
Radio Scotland also commissions eight 30 min plays a year, all contemporary. Across the stations radio drama runs serials and returning series, but singles are its staple diet.
GH: BBC1 is a big, broad church. Drama has to be emotionally complex – appeal to heart and head. BBC2 drama has more authored pieces, often by writer-directors. Issue-led, with big, robust ideast. BBC3 – broadly appealing for an 18-35 audience.
Returning drama series are far more likely to get away. We tend to look at a treatment first from more established writers. From emerging writers we’ll want to see a script, to make sure they can write. Established writers can approach direct or send work via their agent. Unagented writers need to go via the BBC writersroom.
DN: For radio drama, the key is having a story you’re burning to tell. You’ve already through the idea. It should be an obsession for you.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Searching for a sense of career perspective
It can be hard to see the wood for the trees when you're in the middle of a writing plateau [or in the grip of a mixed metaphor, come to that]. Right now, I'm between projects. I don't have any pressing deadlines, so it's up to me to motivate myself forwards. As is my habit when I get stuck, I tend to look back and see how I got here.
Six years ago I was starting my screenwriting MA at Screen Academy Scotland, and set up this blog to chart my progress on the course. I had no broadcast credits, no agent and a limited grasp of screenwriting. I'd written a dozen audio dramas and had many novels published, but I really wanted to write TV drama - hence the course.
Five years ago I was halfway through my MA. My first radio play had been broadcast by the BBC. I did my first try-out for the Scottish continuing drama series River City. I was being mentored in screenwriting by Adrian Mead, thanks to the Scottish Book Trust's excellent scheme. Felt like I was making some progress.
Four years ago I graduated from the course as a Master of Arts in screenwriting, with distinction. My script Danny's Toys won a prize at the Page International Screenwriting Awards in Los Angeles. Got my first rejection letter from River City. Decided to focus my efforts on the BBC continuing drama series Doctors instead.
Three years ago I was struggling to get much forward momentum. I'd done a successful trial script for Doctors, and been invited on its mini-academy, but couldn't get a story of the day pitch accepted. Had a lot of other plates spinning, but wasn't making much progress turning opportunities into commissions. A bit frustrating, it was.
Two years ago I was down to Birmingham to see my first ep of Doctors being filmed. I had joined the faculty at Edinburgh Napier University as a part-time lecturer on the innovative new MA Creative Writing course, and we'd just welcomed our first cohort. Things were on the up after the disappointments of 2008. Progress at last.
One year ago I was writing my third ep of Doctors for broadcast. I'd also had another radio play on the BBC, was finding some interesting work writing for games, and had been taken on by an agent, Katie Williams at the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency. There was even the possibility of delving into children's TV writing.
So, where am I now? Definitely made some breakthroughs in the past year. Wrote five eps of Nina and the Neurons for CBeebies. Got a story pitch banked at Doctors which should turn into my fourth ep at some point, but also had a load rejected. Got a foot in the door at River City, although my celebrations proved a wee bit premature.
It feels strange, not being on a deadline after weeks, months, even years of near constant work. I've got lots of projects I want to write - new pitches for Doctors, two features I'm eager to develop, two TV drama pilots that need a thorough rewrite, even an idea for an original series of novels. The challenge is which to prioritise.
I'm bouncing between all of them in my head, not making much progress with any of them. The luxury of choice is not something I cope well with, just as I'm shit at taking compliments. But it's time to make a choice. If each of us is the hero of our own life story, there's nothing worse than being a passive protagonist. Onwards!
Six years ago I was starting my screenwriting MA at Screen Academy Scotland, and set up this blog to chart my progress on the course. I had no broadcast credits, no agent and a limited grasp of screenwriting. I'd written a dozen audio dramas and had many novels published, but I really wanted to write TV drama - hence the course.
Five years ago I was halfway through my MA. My first radio play had been broadcast by the BBC. I did my first try-out for the Scottish continuing drama series River City. I was being mentored in screenwriting by Adrian Mead, thanks to the Scottish Book Trust's excellent scheme. Felt like I was making some progress.
Four years ago I graduated from the course as a Master of Arts in screenwriting, with distinction. My script Danny's Toys won a prize at the Page International Screenwriting Awards in Los Angeles. Got my first rejection letter from River City. Decided to focus my efforts on the BBC continuing drama series Doctors instead.
Three years ago I was struggling to get much forward momentum. I'd done a successful trial script for Doctors, and been invited on its mini-academy, but couldn't get a story of the day pitch accepted. Had a lot of other plates spinning, but wasn't making much progress turning opportunities into commissions. A bit frustrating, it was.
Two years ago I was down to Birmingham to see my first ep of Doctors being filmed. I had joined the faculty at Edinburgh Napier University as a part-time lecturer on the innovative new MA Creative Writing course, and we'd just welcomed our first cohort. Things were on the up after the disappointments of 2008. Progress at last.
One year ago I was writing my third ep of Doctors for broadcast. I'd also had another radio play on the BBC, was finding some interesting work writing for games, and had been taken on by an agent, Katie Williams at the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency. There was even the possibility of delving into children's TV writing.
So, where am I now? Definitely made some breakthroughs in the past year. Wrote five eps of Nina and the Neurons for CBeebies. Got a story pitch banked at Doctors which should turn into my fourth ep at some point, but also had a load rejected. Got a foot in the door at River City, although my celebrations proved a wee bit premature.
It feels strange, not being on a deadline after weeks, months, even years of near constant work. I've got lots of projects I want to write - new pitches for Doctors, two features I'm eager to develop, two TV drama pilots that need a thorough rewrite, even an idea for an original series of novels. The challenge is which to prioritise.
I'm bouncing between all of them in my head, not making much progress with any of them. The luxury of choice is not something I cope well with, just as I'm shit at taking compliments. But it's time to make a choice. If each of us is the hero of our own life story, there's nothing worse than being a passive protagonist. Onwards!
Ultra-rare deleted Star Wars scene revealed
This gem featured here on Vicious Imagery years ago, but with George Lucas still dickering about with Star Wars [3D can't be far away - sigh] it deserves a reprise.
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