Just Passing By

I drooled a little bit into the 0110 diaries. Apologies.

Normal service will hopefully resume here soon, after a little shoot. In the meantime, please don't fight over all the same toys again. Thanks.

Happy Hol-ee-dayz

Am early-ish and sharp-ish round up to the end of the week, as Tenacious Me is off to Edinburgh for a week of catching up with some new shows, talent and literati, plus lots of old friends.

If you are in Edinburgh yourself this coming week for the TV/Book/Fringe/Festival, then shout my name really loud in Princes Street. Failing that, leave a note here and I may force myself away from watching, listening and talking just long enough to check in.

If you haven't caught my short film yet and would like to, here's the link, but all that aside, the usual blog absence rules apply. Play dirty. Get drunk. Tell silly stories. Tell on eachother. Upload it to YouTube.

Anyone want a deep-fried mars bar brought back?

Working Girl

I'm beginning to believe I live a very surreal life.  Scrub that.  I do live a very surreal life.  Take the previous day as an example.  

In the last 24 hours I have interviewed Kris Marshall, Robert Webb, Ella Smith, Neil LaBute, Joanna Page (I also competed with her for oxygen stakes due to similar high levels of hyperactivity), chatted to Alison Steadman, Gok Wan, Ruth Jones & Mackenzie Crook to name but a few, nodded a 'smiley nod' or two to the very kind paps who let me stick my microphone into their pics, arrived home in one piece, managed around 4 solid hours' sleep, then proceeded to wipe/pick weetabix/scrambled egg/bread/milk off my clothes/out of my hair at various intervals, moments of which were also interspersed with changing nappies and cleaning up fur balls.  Confused?  Hell, I hardly know where I'm at these days, let alone you.

Let me explain.  It's all down to my new 'job' - at least the interviews and chats are, not necessarily the food/nappy/fur ball stuff which are all down to The Kid and Cat respectively - at least I think it was in that order.  I digress.  Anyway, I am now presenting & interviewing for Theatre 24/7, an online theatre channel who cover previews/premieres of West End musicals and plays.  

So, after 'Marguerite' last week, last night was the turn of 'Fat Pig', written and directed by Neil LaBute and the second in his trilogy of plays.  There was certainly a clutch of hardcore crits there last night so I'm sure the reviews will be going to press soon (if not already).  Personally I really enjoyed the show - funny but uncomfortable, self-conscious but brazen - however, I'm not the critic here, just the talky girl. All I'll say is go see it for some terrific writing and classic performances.

And on that note, I'm now going to put in a classic performance of a person sleeping heavily. Not like a baby, I'll add - whoever coined that phrase should be shot.  Or given a baby to look after for a night or so.

Until next time.

BBC Unproduced Writer Opps

Just a very quick note in response to all the lovely emails I have received asking for information about the BBC's impending opportunity for new, new writers as mentioned in my previous post!

I don't actually work for the BBC so I'm afraid I can't answer any of your questions other than they are "onto it" and announcement will appear soon via their website.  I will of course update here as soon as I know anything too!

Hope all's well in cyberscriboland.

x

Matthew Graham & Ashley Pharoah Q & A

Sorry for not posting these last night - I wanted to be fully awake to check them against my very random notes once again.  I hope the following are as accurate as possible, bearing in mind I became far more absorbed in listening to them than note-taking! 

If you were there and spot any major inaccuracies, please do let me know...

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Matthew Graham & Ashley Pharoah's Q & A session hosted by Kate Rowland at the Soho Theatre, 14th April 2008.

[KR - Kate Rowland; AP - Ashley Pharoah; MG - Matthew Graham; LoM - Life on Mars; AtA - Ashes to Ashes.]

KR - When did you make the decision to take Gene Hunt forward into a new era?

AP - At the end of LoM John Simm - as everyone knows - didn't want to do anymore, but BBC asked us to revisit going forward, by which point Gene Hunt had become a 'legend'.

KR - What concerns did you have with the characters?

AP - We only decided they were a good thing when the series was running.

MG - The universe was created: we had a three year plan, going forward to AtA Series 3; in the bigger plan, the bigger the mystery.

KR - Where do you start building [any] series?

AP - Endless conflict; a basic premise; but it has to have legs.

MG - To write Series 1 Ep 1 is not difficult, but to write Series 3 Ep 6 is very hard.  The stories are a delivery mechanism for the characters which is true for a lot of shows.  It is the character moments people want to re-live.

AP - In 1981 there was so much going on in world policing; the Brixton riots and the Scarman Report; so much happening in the world of music and clothes. 

KR - You transported a group of characters and the public into an era; how difficult was it to plot their changes?

AP - You don't actually know much about the characters, but that doesn't matter - they're in someone's imagination.

MG - Or are they?!?  This series is re-establishing them; we have plans for them.  AtA was written in such a way that you didn't need to be familiar with LoM to understand it.  It can stand alone.

KR - It's very character driven -- 

AP - It's quite unusual as the characters get their voices as POV - it's Sam Tyler's vision

MG - Gene was hard to find the balance as it is tempting to have him crack a joke/sarcastic remark with every line. He's actually a very smart guy, and he doesn't realise. You have to find the reality within the show. [example of 'The Street' given as heightened reality].  Rules change; establish the character; establish the world and world rules.

AP - It's the chance for each writer to tell a story that is important to them about the 80s/era.

MG - The writers take ownership of the show; their voices are added to the tapestry; they tell stories, shape the show.

AP - It's my favourite part - round the table, chucking ideas around.

MG - You come up with ideas again and again - it's like you keep throwing your head on the chopping block to be chopped off.

KR - You are also Exec Producers this time.  How has that affected you as writers?

AP - I try to put my writers hat on.  It's been ok so far but 'Bonekickers' will be the first real test.

MG - It's been a very steep learning curve; learning how to balance producing and writing.

At this point the conversation focuses on 'Bonekickers', due to air on BBC1 in May/June 2008

KR - Perhaps you'd like to explain a bit about 'Bonekickers'

MG - it's about a team of archaeologists based in the West Country.  Each week they are involved in an historical mystery.  The context of the dig is investigated as there is always a modern threat tied into it.  Bit of a cross between CSI and The DaVinci Code.

Then back to Ashes to Ashes.

  

KR - Did you have fears about changing the protagonist's gender in AtA?

AP - It brought a fresh conflict; she [Alex] already has knowledge of their world. Keeley [Hawes] did a fantastic job with what is actually a very difficult character.

KR - How do you keep the writing fresh?

MG - We thought of AtA as a different show; the music, colour palette etc

Q - Do you have the whole series written when being commissioned?

MG - When being commissioned for a 6 parter, we have 1, maybe 2, episodes written plus the Series Bible.

Q - How many writers do you have in the Team?

MG & AP - We have 8 episodes; we write 2 each and then the other 4 eps are written by other writers.  We have worked with, for example, Mark Greig, Julie Rutterford & Chris Chibnall. They all cut their teeth on previous drama writing.  

Q - How would a new writer break into LoM/AtA etc?

MG - LoM wouldn't be the kind of place to start as a new writer - no slack cut; no time for mistakes.  The pressure is too intense, the egos are too large!  As a new writer you would be far better to apply [for example] to the BBC Drama Writers Academy where you can be developed as you work on Doctors/Eastenders/Casualty/Holby. You are working in a slightly protected environment.  They try to nurture writers - whereas on AtA we don't have the time to nurture people; you could end up having a very bad experience and that could really set you back.

AP - As our company [Monastic] becomes more established we would like to be a writers' company.

Q - Do you share the writing?  How do you work together?

MG & AP - We devise the shows together and then write our own episodes.

A few comments were then made about their past frustrations (not being able to have influence when they wanted) but also that was part of learning the craft.  MG commented on a writer needing to have confidence to write well and recommended writing for ongoing series to build that confidence and hone skills.

Other than the audience being reminded of the closing date for this year's BBC Drama Writers Academy (12th May 2008), Kate Rowland also announced the launch of a *new* opportunity which is aimed at those writers who do not qualify for the Drama Writers Academy.  This will be a residential mentored week during the summer for 8 writers and the info launch date will be 24th April 2008...watch this space, I guess.

Whooooppeeee Dooooop

I've got a ticket. I've got a ticket. And I'm going. Yes, I'm going.

Call me sad, but I was the really sad one when I realised I had totally forgotten to email Auntie about putting my name on the list for Matthew Graham & Ashley Pharoah's Q&A next week.  But lo and behold, if a lovely lady called Amy hasn't gone and granted me admission just for being at the top of the waiting list!  Wickedy-woos.  So, that means I can hopefully catch up with all 'me bloggy girlz' (and boyz) - send me a mail/leave a comment if you are going.  It would be great to catch up! 

So, not only did I manage to win at the National again (I only placed first, second, third and fourth nag...), I get to go hear about 'Bonekickers' too, which I have to admit, I am most intrigued about...

:0)

Belated Happy Birthday

My oh my, these posts have become very few and far between, of late, but I guess there has been an awful lot going on.  I hang my head in shame as I even missed my Blog's First Birthday - a total bloody disgrace that.  Hell, I nearly forgot my own Birthday this year too.  Let's hope I don't miss The Kid's First Birthday...but not much chance of that, I don't think.  Mmmmm.  Let me see.  Missed Birthdays: if I have missed yours and didn't send you e-flowers via Facebook, please accept my deepest, most sincere apologies.

So, The Kid.  Lots of Bloggites out there have been asking after him - well, he's fine and dandy, thanks - I'll update you all with a piccy of him soon.  He had a ball with his Grandparents whilst the slopes were duly carved up by his Parents. The snow, skiing and food/drink were great and I even managed to get a bit of recce stuff done and shoot a few location reminders for an outline I have been working on for a while.  Lovely.  But to return home on my Birthday (which is why I nearly forgot it)?  Bummer.  To return home on my Birthday to The Kid teething very badly?  Double bummer.  So, after his nasty rash/fever/high temperature/drowsiness panic, trip to the docs, investment in Calpol shares (now, of course, kept behind the counter), I am proud to announce last Thursday's arrival of The Kid's Very First Tooth, which is closely being followed by The Kid's Second Tooth, and what razor blades the little blighters are.  I am so glad he has his milk from a bottle.

Moving on.

So, what else has been happening, then?  Oh, my.  I don't know where to start as there really has been an awful lot!  I have been making tentative steps back towards "selling my wares" again, which has been very strange.  After such a long time off camera, it feels a mighty bit odd (and a little displaced) getting back into the swing of castings etc again.  In fact, it is almost quite amusing, in a "You know what?  If I don't get this job it really isn't the end of the world!" kind of way, because The Kid will still stick his fingers up my nose and giggle when I am feeding him his bedtime bottle, no matter what.  Grounding - I believe that's what it's referred to as.  However, as luck would have it, I have been granted a lovely (and very exciting) opportunity starting in the not-too-distant future.  I can't reveal much at the moment but I can say it will be on screen and I am really looking forward to it!  I promise an update soon...

I hope life is treating you all very well.