Rantings & Ratings

Here's a little something from "Variety" this week - I found it mildly amusing.

"WRITER-PERFORMERS STAGE BALANCING ACTS
Hyphenates add fresh take to genres

In Britain, where a "season" of a show might easily be six carefully crafted episodes, it's commonplace to see a Ricky Gervais write every script and star in every episode. American TV, though, with its 20-plus episode seasons, has long adopted a tidy assembly-line approach: Writers work in the writers' room, actors on the set."

The report then carries on to state there is a whole new clutch of writer-performers in the U.S. battling away the hours both on set and in the writers' room - but the general worry is the length of day they work esentially doing two jobs...although, the outcome is proving good, regardless.

Well, after years of us being successful multi-talented multi-taskers, I am sure once the U.S. have got the hang of the UK-style, they'll be fine. Bless.

Other things to have caught my attention this week, other than the fact The Kid hasn't made an appearance yet?

I see the Ch4 documentary on Diana failed abysmally in it's 'mass ratings coup'. Whilst 6.2 million watched Surallan do his stuff on "The Apprentice", 3.8 million tuned in to watch "Diana - the Witness in the Tunnel" - not too bad, but I bet they were hoping for more - and they only received 2000 complaints - most of which were received before the programme went to air. That makes it alright then.

Did anyone really believe the documentary was going to reveal the real truth behind it all? Guys, there are some things we will never know. Ever. End of. And you can take that as you read it - conspiratorial, fait a complis, whichever.

And finally, last night's "Big Brother" managed to convince 4.6m to tune in to see the much publicised racist slur. What more can I say?

Pass me that self-labotomy kit - or a ticket to the U.S.

Whoosh...

And there goes another week. It's been a mighty busy few days or so.

I'm glad to say the short script is done, dusted and gone to the BSSC (many thanks to those who offered to read on the 'next' round on Pof3 but it was pretty much 'there'-ish - I will, of course, impose something else on you three in the not too distant future!), and much to my delight, the V+ Box seems to have had a word with itself and stopped turning everyone on TV a lighter shade of alien. It's always quite nice when technology sorts itself out.

On the other hand, I have been living in a bit of a bubble for the last few days and have not had the labotomy which would enable me to watch any BB on the aforementioned technology. But to top off all that bubble living, I have been having some major weird aches and pains which would suggest that The Kid is imminently about to make an appearance in the world - so, get the cyberchampers on ice, guys and gals.

This coming weekend is not only D-Day for me and The Kid, but it also features the most courses/masterclasses to be held over a few days, than I have ever heard of in my entire life.

If you are attending Adrian Mead's bound-to-be-brilliant course, "The Long Distance Screen Writer" or Paul Ashton's appearance & talk at the Women Writer's Network, or Vogler's "The Writer's Journey", or Living Spirit's "Making it in Hollywood", or Rona Munro's "Writing, A Survival Guide", or Channel 4's "Four Days in June" (although, strictly speaking this is on next week), then please do post a comment here or a link back to your blog so all those afflicted with the wretched scourge, "cannotmakeit-itis", can read about the fantastic day/days the panacea-discovering rest of you had.

Looking ahead to TV this weekend (and programmed into my V+ in case I go into labour - that would be typical), the first part of Danny Brocklehurst's much anticipated "Talk To Me" starts at 21:30, Sunday 10th June, ITV. You can read how the series came about here and more about the man himself, here. I'm hoping it's going to be a good one to watch.

Right, I'm off to play with the baby monitor or something.

Girl, Interrupted

I apologise for the lack of entries, but normal service will resume fairly shortly.

That is, after my BSSC short has completed and posted itself; after the V+ box stops turning my new TV picture green; after my back has stopped aching so much I can use my laptop for more than 5 minutes; after my successful labotomy which will allow me to watch Channel 4 after 8pm; after I stop moaning - no, I won't take that long.

I thank you.