Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Sherlock Holmes: Yep, he's always like that
To celebrate the success of TV drama Sherlock [devised by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, based on Arthur Conan Doyle's much-loved Holmes stories], BBC Worldwide created this clip showcasing languages from a few of the 180 countries that have bought the show. New series starts New Year's Day on BBC1. Can't wait!
Zooey Deschanel & Joseph Gordon-Levitt do a duet
A New Year's Eve treat for 500 Days of Summer fans, via @LuCorfield [a.k.a. Freya Wilson in Doctors, also seen in Rev, Threesome, Candy Cabs, et al.]
It's nearly 2012: Writers, time to get your freak on
With the end of 2011 looming like a big, looming thing, here's a selection of blog posts about writing from the past year. Each one seems to have been of use to someone along the way, so I hereby offer a dozen of them in one big selection box.
1. Don't wait for an engraved invitation to write.
2. How to deal with notes - good, bad and ugly.
3. Why confidence is the signpost of better writing.
4. Why coping with rejection doesn't get any easier.
5. Why much of your writing is unseen and invisible.
6. My journey from writing novels to screenwriting.
7. Rejected? Again? Just shrug and move on.
8. Why complications do not equal complexity, fool.
9. When's the right time to get yourself an agent.
10. Writing for Nina, the Neurons and pre-schoolers.
11. John Wagner's words of wisdom about story craft.
12. Lessons learned during a very long writing quest.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Brideshead Revisited 2: This Time It's Interiors
Earlier this month I was lucky enough to revisit Castle Howard, a stately home in Yorkshire used as the filming location for Brideshead in two versions of Evelyn Waugh's much-loved novel, Brideshead Revisited. My camera died while snapping outside the house, so these interior shots come via Hipstamatic on my iPod Touch. Enjoy...
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Endeavour: The origins of Inspector Morse
In a couple of weeks ITV will screen Endeavour, a new Inspector Morse spin-off commissiioned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Morse's first TV appearance. Endeavour stars Shaun Evans as Detective Constable Morse, helping the search for a missing school girl in 1965 Oxford. In essence, this is Inspector Morse - The Early Years.
Sadly, many of those who first brought Morse to life on TV are no longer with us - producer Kenny McBain, screenwriter Anthony Minghella, actor John Thaw. But the new, one-off drama will feature composer Barrington Pheloung's irreplacable music, and the script's by Russell Lewis, who wrote for Morse and storylined the Lewis spin-off.
It'll be fascinating to see how Endeavour rises to challenge of emulating Morse in a period setting. Neither Colin Dexter's original novels nor the TV incarnation were hardcore police procedurals, so the absence of forensics, mobile phones or the web in 1965 won't radically alter how Morse and colleagues solve the central mystery.
I imagine ITV is crossing fingers for a big, fat hit in terms of ratings. The Lewis spin-off is approaching the end of its natural lifespan, with the sixth series due to transmit in Spring 2012 bringing the number of episodes made up to 23 - not far short of the 33 Morse TV tales. Endeavour would be a natural successor for Lewis.
Why do I care about all of this? I've been an enthusiast of Colin Dexter's original novels and the TV adaptation of his characters for decades. So much so, I've even written a book about them, The Complete Inspector Morse. The newly published fifth edition even manages to sneak in a preview of the forthcoming Endeavour special.
So when ITV broadcasts Endeavour on January 2nd at 9pm, I'll be watching. Hoping it does justice to Dexter's characters, and to the rich legacy left behind by the likes of McBain, Minghella and Thaw. Hoping they used Pheloung's Morse-coded theme music. It's more than a decade since we had a new Morse on TV. Here's hoping for a cracker.
Kiwi Music: Ladi6 - Walk Right Up
Visiting my home country of New Zealand back in June, I was gobsmacked by the stunning variety of great music bubbling up around the country. Thanks to the internet, Kiwi groups and singers can reach out to audiences round the world - no more tyranny of distance to overcome. Here's the first in a series of cool Kiwi sounds to savour.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Street Chant garage up New Zealand's anthem
Some countries have brilliant national anthems - the Marseillaise for France, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau for Wales, and so on. New Zealand? Not so much. God Defend New Zealand is a sod to sing in its traditional arrangement. So here's Kiwi garage band Street Chant offering their own version. Wonder if this could get played at the 2012 Olympics?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Revisiting Brideshead [a.k.a. Castle Howard]
Spent a long weekend in Yorkshire earlier this month and couldn't resist a visit to Castle Howard, the stately home used for both the TV and film adaptations of Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited. Had an hour to kill before the house opened, so walked the grounds and took lots of photos. A startlingly blue sky that morning!
Cheer up, Frank Miller! Try watching this.
The 1960s Batman TV series titles, rendered in Lego. Love it.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
This morning's sunrise...
Couldn't resist filming the striking sunrise this morning. Excuse the wobbly handcam, but it was a mite parky outdoors. The music is 'Space Love' by Leila, in case you're wondering, which I randomly bought one day after hearing it played in Tower Records at Piccadilly Circus. [Yes, that was during the last millennium. Deal with it.]
My report card for 2011: Part Two
Near the end of every year I set myself goals for the twelve months ahead, as a means to focusing my efforts forward and not getting distracted by shiny yet irrelevant opportunities. Setting goals is good, but you also need to check their success or failure for them to have any real meaning. So, what were my key objectives for 2011?
1. Write a new calling card TV drama script.
2. Get at least one new commission for Doctors.
3. Secure a commission for children's TV.
4. Write a feature screenplay.
1. Write a new calling card TV drama script. Yes, I did this. It's called The Specials and focuses on special constables in Edinburgh, exploring why anyone would volunteer to help the police. Public service is the commonly stated reason, but what really motivates someone to risk their life for little reward and plenty of hassle?
I started on this in August 2010, but got no further than a draft scene by scene before paying jobs swamped the project for six months. I returned to The Specials in March this year and produced a decent first draft. Lots of unresolved issues, a bit all over the shop in tone, no obvious A story, but still a decent first draft.
Having gathered feedback, I started the second draft in October - but the offer of a commission to write my fourth ep of Doctors took precedence [along with end of term marking duties at my part-time teaching job]. I'll be spending the rest of this year [all 11 days of it] and the start of 2012 writing and polishing the second draft.
It'd been a long while [too long] since my last original, 60-minute TV drama pilot so I'm very happy with the way The Specials is progressing. I don't expect it will ever get made, but I'm working hard to make this script the best possible showcase of what I can do as a writer, pushing myself to dig a bit deeper. Hopefully it shows.
2. Get at least one new commission for Doctors. This proved a lot harder than I had expected. At the start of 2011 I had a bunch of story pitches awaiting consideration at Doctors. Some had been there a while, so I wasn't busting a gut to add to them, especially with numerous other active commissions keeping me super busy.
Then my story pitches started getting read - and rejected. One after another they got nixed, until I only had two left on the pile. I added a fresh candidate and it fell as well, unhappily duplicating the plot of an ep already commissioned. [Such is life.] I was starting to despair of ever getting another story pitch banked.
I arrived in New Zealand for three weeks' holiday to an email from my lovely script editor to say one of my two remaining pitches had been rejected - but the other had been banked. Get in! That eventually led to this month's commission for an ep due to be broadcast in May 2012. Took a while, but I definitely nailed this 2011 goal. Phew.
3. Secure a commission for children's TV. This was a bit of a cheat. At the end of 2010 I was verbally offered five eps of Nina and the Neurons, so having this as a goal for 2011 was a bit cheeky. But verbal offers and actual commissions are two different things, as bitter freelance experience has shown me over the years.
Happily, the verbal did turn into a commission in this case. I heartily recommend working for CBeebies. Not the best paid work in the world [especially for in-house productions], but the staff are so friendly and helpful. This is another goal soundly achieved, and writing for Nina gets me kudos with nieces and nephews. Bonus!
4. Write a feature screenplay. Sigh. Epic fail on this front, for the umpteenth year in succession. I've been not writing a feature for what seems like forever. I even enrolled on a feature film writing night class at Screen Academy Scotland this year to ensure I stopped putting this goal off - but the class got postponed to 2012.
It's not that I'm short on ideas for features. I've got two very different concepts that have haunted me for years, itching to be written. But there are more obvious career benefits to creating a new TV drama calling card, so the feature urge gets sidelined for more pressing goals. Yet again, this task is a rollover. Tsk, tsk.
Final judgement: three out of four ain't bad. I achieved a lot of other things as well, even if some of them didn't turn out as expected [or wanted]. But three of my four goals were met and matched, that's a decent effort. So, what goals do I wish to pursue in 2012? Let's start with the obvious, my rollover objective from 2011.
1. Write a feature screenplay. The night class mentioned above in due to start in January, so I should have a first draft feature screenplay by September. Not sure whether it will be Red Room or M. Foxglove [both working titles], but one of them will be at least 90 pages of screenplay before the end of 2012.
2. Submit at least six new story pitches to Doctors. This BBC drama series doesn't guarantee commissions, not unless you're a core contract writer [which I'm not]. So I can't say I'll definitely get a new commission in 2012 - that's beyond my power. But I can improve my odds my submitting lots of new story pitches.
3. Develop a new TV drama calling card script. Still need to finish draft two of The Specials, and my old calling card deserves one final rewrite. Throw in the planned feature, pitches for Doctors, sundry unforeseen projects, and it's quite a full slate. But I need to start a new calling card, at the least. These things take time.
4. Pursue opportunities in children's TV. This lacks specifics, but I'm at the very early stages of a collaboration in this area that might bear fruit. Plus there could be another series of Nina in 2012 I might squeak myself on to. And I've a neglected project called The Silly Ayles that needs some development care and attention.
5. Pitch two radio drama projects. I've never been active enough pursuing openings in radio drama. It's a brilliant medium, one where I've made a few minor in-roads. And I've got two ideas that could make interesting, yet very different radio drama projects. So that's my final goal for 2012 - turning those into worthwhile pitches.
And that's more than enough goals for 2012. History suggests I won't nail all of these, but I won't be happy with achieving less than three out of five. And who knows how real life and unknown opportunities will intervene over the coming twelve months. But that's my plan for the coming year. Now to make it happen. Onwards!
1. Write a new calling card TV drama script.
2. Get at least one new commission for Doctors.
3. Secure a commission for children's TV.
4. Write a feature screenplay.
1. Write a new calling card TV drama script. Yes, I did this. It's called The Specials and focuses on special constables in Edinburgh, exploring why anyone would volunteer to help the police. Public service is the commonly stated reason, but what really motivates someone to risk their life for little reward and plenty of hassle?
I started on this in August 2010, but got no further than a draft scene by scene before paying jobs swamped the project for six months. I returned to The Specials in March this year and produced a decent first draft. Lots of unresolved issues, a bit all over the shop in tone, no obvious A story, but still a decent first draft.
Having gathered feedback, I started the second draft in October - but the offer of a commission to write my fourth ep of Doctors took precedence [along with end of term marking duties at my part-time teaching job]. I'll be spending the rest of this year [all 11 days of it] and the start of 2012 writing and polishing the second draft.
It'd been a long while [too long] since my last original, 60-minute TV drama pilot so I'm very happy with the way The Specials is progressing. I don't expect it will ever get made, but I'm working hard to make this script the best possible showcase of what I can do as a writer, pushing myself to dig a bit deeper. Hopefully it shows.
2. Get at least one new commission for Doctors. This proved a lot harder than I had expected. At the start of 2011 I had a bunch of story pitches awaiting consideration at Doctors. Some had been there a while, so I wasn't busting a gut to add to them, especially with numerous other active commissions keeping me super busy.
Then my story pitches started getting read - and rejected. One after another they got nixed, until I only had two left on the pile. I added a fresh candidate and it fell as well, unhappily duplicating the plot of an ep already commissioned. [Such is life.] I was starting to despair of ever getting another story pitch banked.
I arrived in New Zealand for three weeks' holiday to an email from my lovely script editor to say one of my two remaining pitches had been rejected - but the other had been banked. Get in! That eventually led to this month's commission for an ep due to be broadcast in May 2012. Took a while, but I definitely nailed this 2011 goal. Phew.
3. Secure a commission for children's TV. This was a bit of a cheat. At the end of 2010 I was verbally offered five eps of Nina and the Neurons, so having this as a goal for 2011 was a bit cheeky. But verbal offers and actual commissions are two different things, as bitter freelance experience has shown me over the years.
Happily, the verbal did turn into a commission in this case. I heartily recommend working for CBeebies. Not the best paid work in the world [especially for in-house productions], but the staff are so friendly and helpful. This is another goal soundly achieved, and writing for Nina gets me kudos with nieces and nephews. Bonus!
4. Write a feature screenplay. Sigh. Epic fail on this front, for the umpteenth year in succession. I've been not writing a feature for what seems like forever. I even enrolled on a feature film writing night class at Screen Academy Scotland this year to ensure I stopped putting this goal off - but the class got postponed to 2012.
It's not that I'm short on ideas for features. I've got two very different concepts that have haunted me for years, itching to be written. But there are more obvious career benefits to creating a new TV drama calling card, so the feature urge gets sidelined for more pressing goals. Yet again, this task is a rollover. Tsk, tsk.
Final judgement: three out of four ain't bad. I achieved a lot of other things as well, even if some of them didn't turn out as expected [or wanted]. But three of my four goals were met and matched, that's a decent effort. So, what goals do I wish to pursue in 2012? Let's start with the obvious, my rollover objective from 2011.
1. Write a feature screenplay. The night class mentioned above in due to start in January, so I should have a first draft feature screenplay by September. Not sure whether it will be Red Room or M. Foxglove [both working titles], but one of them will be at least 90 pages of screenplay before the end of 2012.
2. Submit at least six new story pitches to Doctors. This BBC drama series doesn't guarantee commissions, not unless you're a core contract writer [which I'm not]. So I can't say I'll definitely get a new commission in 2012 - that's beyond my power. But I can improve my odds my submitting lots of new story pitches.
3. Develop a new TV drama calling card script. Still need to finish draft two of The Specials, and my old calling card deserves one final rewrite. Throw in the planned feature, pitches for Doctors, sundry unforeseen projects, and it's quite a full slate. But I need to start a new calling card, at the least. These things take time.
4. Pursue opportunities in children's TV. This lacks specifics, but I'm at the very early stages of a collaboration in this area that might bear fruit. Plus there could be another series of Nina in 2012 I might squeak myself on to. And I've a neglected project called The Silly Ayles that needs some development care and attention.
5. Pitch two radio drama projects. I've never been active enough pursuing openings in radio drama. It's a brilliant medium, one where I've made a few minor in-roads. And I've got two ideas that could make interesting, yet very different radio drama projects. So that's my final goal for 2012 - turning those into worthwhile pitches.
And that's more than enough goals for 2012. History suggests I won't nail all of these, but I won't be happy with achieving less than three out of five. And who knows how real life and unknown opportunities will intervene over the coming twelve months. But that's my plan for the coming year. Now to make it happen. Onwards!
Monday, December 19, 2011
My report card for 2011: Part One
Freelance writers don't tend to have personal development reviews or appraisals. In lieu of that, each year I like to look back over my progress, identify where things were awry [in the hope of learning from my personal history], and set out some goals for the twelve months to come. Feel free to move on if this doesn't interest you.
Let's start with what I have achieved during 2011. After two years away, I wrote my 41st issue of costumed hero the Phantom for Egmont Sweden's Fantomen comic. That was fun and I wouldn't mind doing some more, but other things have kept me busy.
Completed work on Fate of the World, an award-winning strategy game published by Red Redemption. I'm an occasional visitor to the world of computer games writing. The money can be great, but I wouldn't that to be my only creative outlet.
Had a short film script optioned, but it didn't get made. The story was logistically ambitious [a.k.a. a nightmare for the director], so I wasn't that surprised when it didn't come to pass. Such is life.
I was among ten scribes chosen for the Write Foot Forward coaching scheme, led by the irrepressible Jo Calam. This proved an invaluable punt up the posterior and helped me identify a particular weakness in my writing. If you need the help, I heartily recommend Jo as an enthusiastic coach for creative talents.
Wrote five episodes of Nina and the Neurons: Brilliant Bodies, a science show for pre-schoolers on CBeebies. That was an education in writing to tight constraints, and an exciting new challenge. I've had nibbles of other opportunities in this field and it's an area I'd like to explore further during 2012.
My agent Katie Williams shifted this year and took me along to The Agency. She's done me proud in the time we've been working together, so I was happy to move with her. I know it's just a quirk of the alphabet, but having my name appear on the same page as Alan Bleasdale and Peter Bowker is a moment to cherish. [Daft, I know.]
Been teaching 2.5 days a week on the MA Creative Writing course at Edinburgh Napier University. Now on to our third cohort, the course is building a strong reputation for its love of genre fiction and the unique writing graphic fiction module. Plus we banned workshops, challenging an orthodoxy that's stifled such courses for decades.
What else? I ventured back to non-fiction prose with a 5th edition of The Complete Inspector Morse, published in October by Titan. Hopefully it sells enough to justify The Complete Inspector Lewis, which I'm eager to tackle. Can't wait to see the young Morse special Endeavour, due on ITV in January to mark 25 years on Morse on TV.
After five and a half years of trying, I finally got commissioned to write for the BBC Scotland drama series River City. Unfortunately, I couldn't nail the tone and characterisation wanted, so that experience didn't end well. Such is life.
After not applying for several years, in 2011 I added my name to the hundreds who wish to join the BBC Writers' Academy. I made it through to the very long list but didn't get selected for the workshop shortlist. I might apply once more in 2012, but I'm probably getting a bit long in the tooth for the Academy now. We'll see.
On a happier note, I've just been contracted to write my fourth episode of the BBC1 drama series Doctors. The script is far from locked, so I won't say much more beyond the fact it's called Fragile Strength and is scheduled for broadcast May 8th, 2012.
So, that's a look back over what's been keeping me busy this year. Also managed to squeeze in a three week trip home to see my family in New Zealand; went to Milan for 48 hours in September to experience Fashion Week; Carnoustie to teach teenagers about writing for comics; and Stirling for the 360 Narratives weekend event.
In part two, I'll compare my achievements to my state goals for 2011; plot a course for the year ahead; and set specific goals I want to achieve during 2012. Onwards!
Let's start with what I have achieved during 2011. After two years away, I wrote my 41st issue of costumed hero the Phantom for Egmont Sweden's Fantomen comic. That was fun and I wouldn't mind doing some more, but other things have kept me busy.
Completed work on Fate of the World, an award-winning strategy game published by Red Redemption. I'm an occasional visitor to the world of computer games writing. The money can be great, but I wouldn't that to be my only creative outlet.
Had a short film script optioned, but it didn't get made. The story was logistically ambitious [a.k.a. a nightmare for the director], so I wasn't that surprised when it didn't come to pass. Such is life.
I was among ten scribes chosen for the Write Foot Forward coaching scheme, led by the irrepressible Jo Calam. This proved an invaluable punt up the posterior and helped me identify a particular weakness in my writing. If you need the help, I heartily recommend Jo as an enthusiastic coach for creative talents.
Wrote five episodes of Nina and the Neurons: Brilliant Bodies, a science show for pre-schoolers on CBeebies. That was an education in writing to tight constraints, and an exciting new challenge. I've had nibbles of other opportunities in this field and it's an area I'd like to explore further during 2012.
My agent Katie Williams shifted this year and took me along to The Agency. She's done me proud in the time we've been working together, so I was happy to move with her. I know it's just a quirk of the alphabet, but having my name appear on the same page as Alan Bleasdale and Peter Bowker is a moment to cherish. [Daft, I know.]
Been teaching 2.5 days a week on the MA Creative Writing course at Edinburgh Napier University. Now on to our third cohort, the course is building a strong reputation for its love of genre fiction and the unique writing graphic fiction module. Plus we banned workshops, challenging an orthodoxy that's stifled such courses for decades.
What else? I ventured back to non-fiction prose with a 5th edition of The Complete Inspector Morse, published in October by Titan. Hopefully it sells enough to justify The Complete Inspector Lewis, which I'm eager to tackle. Can't wait to see the young Morse special Endeavour, due on ITV in January to mark 25 years on Morse on TV.
After five and a half years of trying, I finally got commissioned to write for the BBC Scotland drama series River City. Unfortunately, I couldn't nail the tone and characterisation wanted, so that experience didn't end well. Such is life.
After not applying for several years, in 2011 I added my name to the hundreds who wish to join the BBC Writers' Academy. I made it through to the very long list but didn't get selected for the workshop shortlist. I might apply once more in 2012, but I'm probably getting a bit long in the tooth for the Academy now. We'll see.
On a happier note, I've just been contracted to write my fourth episode of the BBC1 drama series Doctors. The script is far from locked, so I won't say much more beyond the fact it's called Fragile Strength and is scheduled for broadcast May 8th, 2012.
So, that's a look back over what's been keeping me busy this year. Also managed to squeeze in a three week trip home to see my family in New Zealand; went to Milan for 48 hours in September to experience Fashion Week; Carnoustie to teach teenagers about writing for comics; and Stirling for the 360 Narratives weekend event.
In part two, I'll compare my achievements to my state goals for 2011; plot a course for the year ahead; and set specific goals I want to achieve during 2012. Onwards!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Like a bit of ska? Then you'll love The Yoots
This New Zealand ensemble - an offshoot of Fat Freddy's Drop - plays old Maori folk songs in a ska style. Joyful music to counteract these cold winter days.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Little Adolf: Unintentional, unfortunate, uncanny
Douglas Adams on why Sunday afternoons suck
In the end, it was the Sunday afternoons he couldn't cope with, and that terrible listlessness that starts to set in about 2:55, when you know you've taken all the baths that you can usefully take that day, that however hard you stare at any given paragraph in the newspaper you will never actually read it, or use the revolutionary new pruning technique it describes, and that as you stare at the clock the hands will move relentlessly on to four o'clock, and you will enter the long dark teatime of the soul.
Thursday, December 08, 2011
"Ohmygod! Trampoline! Trampoline! Ohmygod!"
The home video above popped up on Facebook today, a byproduct of the Scottish windstorm dubbed #HurricaneBawbag by the Twitterverse. Now the clip's up on YouTube for everyone to savour. Altogether now: "Ohmygod! Trampoline! Trampoline! Ohmygod!" UPDATE: Sadly, it seems this work of [unintended?] genius is no longer available for public consumption. Shame.
See me exhort women to have more, err, sex
Last year I appeared as sex therapist Dr Buddy Love in Asexual Healing, written and directed by Martha Appelt. Her wry tale of love, lust and disappearing genitals will be featured in the Glasgow Short Film Festival next February. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer above or check out the Asexual Healing page on Facebook. Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Friday, December 02, 2011
Recut Trailers: in the style of Fincher's Dragon Tattoo
Trend of the week on YouTube is cutting new sizzle-reels for favourite films in the style of David Fincher's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo trailer. The Muppets (!) did it first, now everyone's at it. Here are a few of the better efforts - enjoy!
Thursday, December 01, 2011
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