Looking Back to Go Forward

Hello little ones - what's been happening around here, then? I've tried my best to keep peeking in on you all, but it has proven a bit difficult. Anyhow, here I am albeit for a little bit.

I've come over all reflective during the last week (the thought variety, not the mirroring type) whilst trying to tie up loose ends on various things that have been left all untidy in the far corners of Tenacious Towers North Wing. That's where I tend to pop bits and pieces, y'see - the 'to be confirmed / continued / finished / burned / useless exes' - that kind of thing, and every now and again I have to remove the dust sheets, sift through and tidy up. Because I have been fairly busy of late, ["Hark!" I hear you cry. "I had no idea - you should have said..!" ;0P ] I had to sit down and go back to January no less, in order to clear the decks for the next six months. I had so much shredding to do as a result, but it was fun to go through the last half year in draft form. But where, in God's name, has this year gone, I ask you? In a strange way, I don't feel as though I have achieved much at all, but to tell you the truth, I suppose I have now definitely started laying foundations for the way ahead.

The year started on a real high, having had my short, "Perfect", selected for development by Screen East for Digital Shorts. Although we went through the highs and lows together, my Little Miss Perfect insisted on not behaving herself and caused a lot of headaches and heartache, before falling at Becher's Brook and bailing out of the process. Disappointing as it was at the time, it was actually a blessing in disguise, as following fast on the heels of that news was the early development of my 360 degree cross platform programme outline, "Tweet the Dice", and "#twitstunt", the first snippet of filming for the feature documentary side of the same project. Now at a stage where I can start putting the final pieces of the project puzzle together and getting it 'out there', it's been a fascinating research process so far and I'm looking forward to the next step - I am sure we'll chat more about it at another point.

Before I had even finished the final title graphic for "#twitstunt" I had two short films chomping at the bit and went straight into preproduction on "Runner" and "Hostile" with the aim to shoot two shorts in two days. What I essentially wanted to do though, was shoot for four films in two days: a very short cut for Virgin Media Shorts and a looser cut of around five mins for each film. I planned my production days accordingly and we all pushed through the shot lists and schedules like lightning - a totally brilliant couple of days from what had developed into an amazing month in general. With the short versions of both films complete and in competition, and the long assemblies teetering on their edit, I have been enjoying the fun of writing again and two feature treatments have now gone out to find a home this week, one stateside and one closer to home, so I hope something comes of at least one.

On assessing people, places and events over the same period, quite a lot has been and gone too. One best boy buddy upped and left for the heat of Australia, whereas another just upped and left this mortal coil forever, which was really tough. From the sublime to the ridiculous, the untimely departure of my i-Phone made me realise that no-one actually uses their phone for just plain conversation anymore - we all seem to text, IM or email each other - and due to that fact, unless I've been at my 'puter, I have hardly communicated with anyone over the last fortnight. It's very odd. On the up side, I've been on various filmmaking courses and talks to brush up on old skills and learn new ones; attended the excellent "The Story Engine" in Darlington (more on that here); plus I've also gotten to know a ludicrous amount of new folks since January - some of whom have become very special and trustworthy friends already. Then of course, there's The Kid. He turned two a couple of weeks ago and upon being put up to the 'big boys' class at nursery, led a mini revolution up the slide with his girlfriend, causing them to be separated for influencing all the three-year olds to run riot. That's my boy. He also knows which are my films now too - which is very cool. "Hostile" seems to be his favourite at the moment because the bass in the surround mix nearly blows up Tenacious Towers, but I think he actually prefers battering his drum kit along to the music from "Runner". And oh, how I love that...

Even though I promised myself I would, I haven't managed to get to see many shows so far this year, which is really rather rubbish - so that's something I need to start rectifying very soon. However, my summer of music started for real just last night, nose being tickled by Brandon Flowers' feathery jacket in Hyde Park. The Killers really were rather good and the evening was everything I liked an outdoor concert to be.

All this aside, I have to admit, I'm looking forward to a bit of 'me' time in the near future, and so after I complete a little bit of work in Spain very soon, I have decided to give myself a tad of a break in that very place, to refuel before the next wave of production starts in late July, when I will be once again, gearing up to sign cheques and shout 'action'.

So, have I laid my foundations for the right path? No idea, buddy. Only time will tell. I'm just really enjoying the ride.

Catch you soon.

'Tis the Season for a Birthday

Hello scrumptious ones

As my post title has reliably informed you, the very busy Birthday season is just about to descend upon Tenacious Towers.  

Next week, I will be cyberbrating none other than this little Blog's 2nd Birthday, ah, and what a fantabulous two years it has been!  I'll be stocking up on a right nice selection of cakes and pastries for next Friday, so please feel free to pop by for a cuppa, gin & tonic and a nibble when the fancy takes you. I was hoping to have clocked up 10k hits by the official day (19th) but I guess I will have to be happy with nearly 9,000, and when you consider the total drivel that makes up the majority of content on this blog, that is pretty much a miracle in itself.  I know some sites get 9k hits a day, but I am quite happy with my figure, thank you.

So, I am thinking if it's the Blog's 2nd birthday, that means it is also two years since the Bloomsbury Bloggers met en masse and formulated individual - but intricately connected - global screen domination plans.  The rest is, as they should say, literary history.  How far we have all travelled in two years.  Super stuff.

I must say I am very happy and excited to be part of such a posse of particularly talented people. It's a group that grows steadily by the month and offers a sense of 'you are not alone' in The Great Quest for Ultimate Artistic Satisfaction - or even just a hint of where the colour of money is glistening, of course...

So, Blog Birthday aside, it is also my *very own* Birthday tomorrow.  It's going to be a bit of a strange one as I'll be on my total lonesome due to one reason or another - but fear not for the Tenacious One, for I shall have a trusty bottle of something sparkly, a draft shot list and a step outline nearby to keep me company. Strangely enough, in an odd twist of Fate, I only just realised I am actually going to be a year younger than I thought I was ! How very funny!

Staying on the positive side of life is my short, "Perfect", which I understand has now gone to Lifesize/UKFC for comment. It's not long until final D-Day when the green light button is pushed or not - but I do hope and pray that little green glimmer shimmies in my direction. Only time will tell. This week also saw a lot of voiceover work come in for me and the design completion on my site, Brave Soldier Films, which, as with all these things, is a work in progress being updated as and when.

Right, I'm off to select my vintage from the cellars to make sure it is thoroughly chilled for midnight. I bid you a wonderful weekend when it arrives at your door.  Shall catch up with you soon.

Onwards.

Madness

Hi all

As I suspected, last week was a furious furore.  I don't have much time to dither over posts this week either, but in a nutshell:

Short re-write.

Feature Outline magically writes itself overnight.

Read magic Feature Outline, decipher writing, type up.

Short re-write.

Put magically written Feature Outline in drawer. Adios amigo, for a while. Dust - do your worst.

Travel to Darlington to attend The Story Engine, brilliantly organised by Ian Fenton.

Work in hotel bar, socialise with blog buds, Le Arnopp et Le Turner.

Attend first brilliant day of aforementioned festival.

Sh*t hits fan via email.

Tear apart Short film idea.

Huff. 

Drive Producer up wall.

Return to Festival seminars.

Lose all form of concentration.

Drive Producer up wall.

Return to hotel, take long shower.

Stomp around a lot like a child.

Tear apart Short film idea again.

Drive Producer up wall. Again. He's now on ceiling.

Network on a microcosmic basis with aforementioned blogbuds, joined by Chris Parr, Le Moran & Le Lemon and their prettier halves.  

Return to hotel room and work solidly until about 4am.

Breakfast before 8.15am telecon to Script Editor. Couldn't eat. Wasn't hungry anyway.

Absorb Script Editor notes.

Get ready to return to Festival & seminar I'm late for.

Decide to watch TV instead.

Kick self up arse.

Check out of room & carry on working on new beat sheet in bar (it was closed, I may add)

Make decision to quit festival whilst I'm on a roll - Simon Beaufoy will have to wait to meet me another time.

Return to festival for lunch, have quick chats & say goodbye before heading to the station home.

As leaving, start conversation with Really Interesting Bloke who agrees to be the subject matter of a long term Feature Documentary me & WorkGalBud are pulling together. F'cking A.

Leave for home with a spring in my step.

Work like a possessed demon on the train home.

Batter commuters out of way in haste to get home and charge MacBook.

Work like an even bigger demon, flat out all weekend.

New beat sheet, new character breakdowns. New, new, new everything.

Realise my rib is very sore after just being a bit sore last week, and trapped nerve in leg is getting worse.

Find out I have two ribs out of place - have them realigned. Trapped nerve eased with painkillers.

Weigh myself - have lost 7lbs in a week.  Joy.

Carry on with new new new everything.

Wait with bated breath.

Realise it's all good.

Onwards and upwards.

Laters, sweeties.

Hi - Bye

Hello little ones

I was just popping by to pick up a change of clothes and thought I'd stick my head into the cyberscribe for a peek. Looks like you have all been behaving impeccably. How very dull.

Well, I shan't be lingering I'm afraid, as I still have lots of working ground to cover on one thing or another plus there's an extremely busy week ahead of me, zipping here, there and everywhere. I tell you, lords and ladies, blink and you'll miss me. I also am lead to believe, from the pages of my diary, that I have a zillion deadlines looming around me, so I shall have to be extremely work clever / time smart this week, for sure. 

Well, once again - you know the rules.  But this time, at least give me something to "Oooooooh" at when I get back.

Have fun watching The Oscars but don't eat too much popcorn.  You'll only get a sore stomach again.

Stay true to The Tenacity.

Onwards.

Imperfection

Hello all

Just to let you know I am signing offline for a little while-ette. I have a vast amount of stuff to do and have just received my notes on my film, Perfect, which quite frankly reflect it is far from it's title.

All these online ditherings are too much of a distraction for now. Play nicely people.

Shall see you all on the other side.

;)

Oooh, Hello There

Well hello there, you sweetest little things.

I think I may have been bleating the same mantra for a while now - you know the one? The b-u-s-y mantra? Well, last week and the weekend have proven to be the mere tip of the iceberg, I tell you, but it's all good and that's all we need concern ourselves with, isn't it, sugar?

I started writing some deeply disturbing work a little while ago - really not my usual 'type' of stuff at all which generally tends to be quite disturbing dressed up as something cosy. No, this is deeply disturbing, stripped bare naked. Although it's quite a revelation to be writing like this,  I have no idea where these torrents have come from; but that's enough about that for now otherwise I may have to delete your memory and re-boot.

So my Digital Shorts script, "Perfect", is now with Screen East for comment. I do hope it goes down well as that would be pretty fantabulous, however, I am sure there will still be work to do. It ain't over 'til it's over, and all that, but I have been working on my creative vision for the piece, basically just settling on the final look and feel I would like to create. It's all very, very exciting to be honest and I love it. I'm quite besotted with this film now, which is really weird. I liked it a lot before, but now I is livin', breathin' and eatin' it, man. Tasty.

I have also had a little reminder of looming pre-production for a horror shoot that I'll be co-directing on - it had been put on the back-burner until a more opportune time and so that time will be fast approaching in the Spring/Summer. More about this at a later date, methinks.

Well, other than mentioning the fact I squeezed in a little voiceover jobette this morning, that's all there is to say, then.  

I hope you all had a wonderfully lush weekend of Valentine's squishiness and here's to a super-duper week ahead.

Onwards sweeties. Always onwards.

The Week That Now Was

Well hello there, you little bundles of fun.

It's been a busy week - there's no denying that.  

Having only just vaguely recovered from the brain drain exhaustion that was due to the exceptionally brilliant Digital Shorts training last week, I then launched a full attack on my project in general - resulting in a much tighter incarnation of "Perfect".  I am really very much liking this one. This one feels good and we're on target. Nice. Love it. Bloody superb.  

I have also had quite a few meetings to run through various ideas for cast, crew and general logistics. Everyone needs a wonderful Producer, I tell you. (But I have to say that, right?) Arf. ;) 

So, all in all a totally knackering week - which, of course, included a fellow scribey drinkie session. As usual, a great night had by all and it was lovely to catch up with the usual suspects Arnopp, Beckley, Barron, Campbell, Colgan, Lemon, Perry & Turner. I even met some lovely new suspects this time too, which was all very exciting as they hadn't heard any of my shit before. Fantabulous, I tell you.

Have a super weekend all. 

Bale Me Up

So there's been this massive furore about Christian Bale's behaviour last year on set of "Terminator: Salvation" flick - I'm not going to re-write the whole saga here as it's all over the place - but both Will Dixon and Trevor B. Cunningham have written very succinct posts on the matter.  As both of the above say, we really don't know any of the circumstances surrounding this outburst so can't presume who was in the 'right' or in the 'wrong'.  

But here's one thing I do know and know well: film sets and TV studios are highly charged places and people lose the plot all the time.  As an actor, you are standing there under hot lights, channelling your brain to the scene ahead,  getting into your zone - with make-up 'rearranging' and wardrobe prodding for the twentieth time in two minutes - then light meters are being waved in your face and tape marks stuck hither and thither, then suddenly, silence descends and it's your time to pull it out of the bag.  You enter your 'deep zone' and the world before you is now from the pages of the script. Then a train whizzes by or the trainee make-up girl drops her brushes with a resounding clatter.

"Cut - that'll do for a rehearsal.." 

Everyone, breathes again, scuttling to alter what seems like every single detail.  Director makes a few points, make-up are back with their powder and brushes, you find your opening mark and go again.  You run a few solid takes here and there.

Then the magic happens. No trains, no clatters, no line fluffs, no stray hairs, no shadows, no masking - pure visual gold - and just as you are 'there' at the end of the scene, some fucker is having a play fight right in your eyeline...to be honest they could just be picking their nose. Same effect.  End of magic. Time to flip.

And that's how easy it is.

I'm off on my Digital Shorts training course for the rest of the week now.  I now know exactly what we'll be doing and I am really looking forward to it - as well as cr*pping myself at the same time.  A bit of edge never did anyone any harm.

I shall report back next week.

Ta-ra.  Onwards.

Shorts, Longs and In-Betweens

It's been a funny old week, as it has kind of imploded on itself.  Don't ask me to explain why - it just has.

I was glad to have made the screening of David Lemon's very funny and brilliantly crafted feature, "Faintheart", earlier in the week.  If anyone ever needs a filmic example of the Hero's Journey, then this is your DVD. 

Well, I'm totally thrilled at nailing my beat sheet at last, and was even more happy to send off my [latest and greatest?] re-write to my Script Editor and Producer.  Yes, you read that right - "Perfect" now has a Producer and he's that Dan Turner bloke. He begged me nicely, so I said he could join in. Only joking, Dan, I know you read my ramblings here and I'm very glad to have you on board... ;)  

All in all, the project feels like it's coming together now - it's starting to feel a bit more real, which is creeping over me like a strange, uneasy calm.  Although I have spent quite a bit of time sourcing possible music, design, locations etc, there's nothing I can do about any of it until I get the big thumbs up; but to me, all these areas are of huge importance and have really helped focus my mind on the end result of the script.  I also finally found the picture I have been searching for in the Tenacious East Wing loft - this is my creative reference point for half of the scenes in the film and from which I can create a solid foundation for the "look". Ooooh, lovely. Anyway, all I have to do now is make "Perfect" all so spiffingly - well...um...perfect - that Screen East and UKFC have to select it to go into production. Oh crap. April seems so near yet so very far away.

So, here I am feeling like I'm twiddling my fingers to be honest.  I have read through my rewrite and changed a couple of words, but there's no point in going to town on it until I have notes back from Script Editor and Producer who are both reading it over the weekend. They have a copy each, by the way, just in case you thought I was making them share...

I am half tempted to start outlining my new feature idea but I need to finish off my final bit of research first - that should take precedence this weekend. However, before I tally-ho off, I have was memed by Miss Read earlier in the week.  She tasked me with: If you could go back to live in any one year from your lifetime, which one would you choose?

I am an eternal optimist, thus being a firm believer that the best is still to come, although this is not to say what has passed hasn't been good.  However, if I had to choose a year then it would be 1977. Jeez, most people probably weren't even born then, but I was - but only just as I was very, very young.

I have a strong memory of this particular year because it was so damn hot and I remember spending the whole summer in shorts and t-shirts, usually running around all day playing in the searing heat with the dogs, cats and chickens and then when it became too hot, I would beg, borrow or steal a home made lemonade and head for my den.  "The River Dell", as I named it, was very special. I had to climb up a little DIY ladder hidden behind the summer house to get over the fence at the end of our the garden, and then I was in a magical world of pixies, elves, fairies and witches, all hidden under the cooling canopy of the trees. There was a trickling brook which dried up in the height of summer (especially '77), but the ground was always damp enough to make mud pies - albeit dry-ish ones.

If I wasn't in the Dell then I was up the tree at the front of our house as it was perfect for watching into the distance for Mum or Dad coming home, visitors arriving after a long journey or just the local farmer, shotgun slung over his shoulder, whistling at his sheepdog whilst walking through the late afternoon haze across the drought ridden corn fields.  I also vividly recall the smell of my Dad's aftershave and my Mum's perfume when they were getting ready to go out to do a gig or go to a party.  More than anything, I guess there were no worries, no cares, lots of barbecues, parties and laughter, and both my Mum and Dad were just a cuddle away.

This was also the summer Elvis died - a day I remember so clearly. I took ages to get dressed that morning as I had been having a shorts & t-shirt dilemma - honest! I had been given an outfit as a present which had come from America - matching pale green shorts and t-shirt  - but they had butterflies all over, which was just too girly for me. I had decided to give the outfit it's premiere and remember walking into the lounge all ready for my Mum or Dad to make comments on how lovely the butterflies were, but they didn't - they just sat at the table in the kitchen, listening to the radio, stunned. 

Mum told me what had happened and in a typical child-like fashion I replied "Oh. That's sad. Did we know him then? Did he come to one of your parties or did you go to his?"  Mum and Dad laughed so much but I didn't understand why. I think I just stole some of Dad's toast with lemon and lime marmalade on and went out to check on my sweetcorn growing in the garden. Ah, special times. 1977 - I'd see you again.

I tag: you, dear reader.

Plugs and Points

Hello little ones.  Been a bit busy again, but all is fine in love and war.

Earlier in the week, I was delighted to bask in Potdoll's reflected glory when I went to see her stunning short film which was playing with three others at BAFTA.  Although I have seen many incarnations of the film over the past six months or so, it was fantastic to see it all 'done' and meet the team.  It was a truly superb piece.  Well done, Potters! The other three films were also very strong, and I was totally amazed at how different they all looked, felt, sounded etc. Having now embarked on the Digital Shorts scheme myself, seeing as many of last years' shorts has been an important task for me and I really enjoyed my evening at BAFTA.  In fact, it was such an extremely interesting night that I ended up *just* catching the last tube home - which is always a great relief, as cabs tend to charge me in the region of £70 to come back to Tenacious Towers, which is a total nonsense for living two whole miles out of 'London'. The cabbies obviously see the Turrets from a distance and add on a few tenners.  B*stards.

The following night saw me back at BAFTA again - this time to hear a talk by Panavision on their new Genesis camera which, taking into account it's capabilities, just totally blew me away.  I never thought I would ever, ever get excited about the difference in a true 4:4:4 RGB array to a standard Bayer pattern, but there I was gasping with glee at the end result.  Urgh.  I can hear my physics master snarling, "Told you so..." in the back of my head now...pr*ck.

I managed to come away from both evenings clutching a vast array of business cards from designers through to post production facilities, all showing varying amounts of interest in my short, which is always a nice thing.  

The latest version of the short screenplay (which may be undergoing a name change soon) was sent off to my Script Editor and should have greeted him upon his return from holiday, and so I am just finishing my novel edit before I start throwing that at people to read and he throws my screenplay back at me.  I managed to write a lot of notes for a new feature too, but I want to leave those to fester for a bit.

On a more "must mention that" note, I just watched the trailer to "Faintheart", penned by the tremendously talented, David Lemon. It will be showing at loads of cinemas country-wide on Tuesday 27th Jan, so get yourself over to David's blog where he lists all the locations and then go see his film.  You have been warned.

Also a shout out to those of you who are music lovers and like to be ahead of the game with regard to new bands etc. Tim Shaw on Absolute Radio has been running a "let an unsigned band play on radio" type comp, and I am thrilled to say my cousin's band, Cameron James and Tim Nash, is top of the leaderboard at the moment.  Damn right, too! Cameron is an extremely talented singer, writer and guitarist and they both have a beautiful folk-rock sound.  You can hear their radio stuff here and vote for them here.  And whilst I am in the plugging mood...my other cousin's band, Short Warning, are currently on tour if you fancy catching a bit of the harder rock stuff...

Make cheques payable to me. I thank you.

Onwards.

Attack of My Clone

My 'festive period' bank statement just dropped through the door with a thud, and when I opened it I was absolutely furious to find out that whilst I personally had been quite sensible over Christmas, some little a**wipe had weighed up the clever/dumb balance, and been on a spending spree with my card details.  Urgh.  I hate things like that.  

Luckily I am one of those people who checks their statements with a fine tooth comb and my bank have been very helpful so far.  It's a really horrible invasive feeling though, especially when doubt creeps in as you realise you are filing a fraud claim..."I really can't remember spending those amounts at that place on that date at that time, but I will of course check all my records...". Just in case. 

So peeps, I suggest you take a long hard look at all your post-Christmas statements upon their arrival.  With finances being the way they are at the moment, I am sure I'm not the only one with odd spurious purchase stuck on here and there.

On a brighter and more work-like note, over the weekend, me & Red Pen completed our editing of 'Taking the Fast Lane" and made a few more changes to "Practice", which is all good news.  I spent the best part of a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning taking lots of possible exterior location photos in addition to searching for a view that has become extremely elusive - but I think I have spotted it. I think. I am now happy I may have found my exterior location and although I'm a long way away from all that, at least I can visualise how the scene may, or may not, work.  Up until this point, the exterior scenes have always been a mixture of real and 'make-believe' places in my nonce, so it's nice to be able to look at the words on the page and apply them to the actual location.

I'm off to a screening of shorts tonight, which I am really looking forward to.  I'm a total mixture of excitement, interest and nerves due to my general interest in other people's work and the fact that one of the shorts was directed by the beautifully brilliant Potdoll.  I was lucky to see lots of early footage of this fab film, and so I can't wait to see the full finished product - but I feel so nervous on her behalf!  Eeeeek - as she herself would say!

Right - lots to do , places to go, people to see.

Onwards.

Week End

What a week it's been - I have totally neglected my little blog-baby this week, haven't I?  I really haven't stopped though - hell, I couldn't even make it to the SWF launch thingy (notes as written up by Sir Arnopp of Pokery) on Tuesday night, as, even that early in the week I didn't know my toosh from my whatsit.  But all this busy, busy, busy hasn't had a good effect on my well-being though, as I've been fighting a nasty case of popping-ears-sniffy-nose-gritty-eyed-golf-ball-in-throat-iritis. Yuk.

Well, I am now at re-draft number 4 of the first draft of my digital short, "Practice" and have managed to squidge in a light, first pass edit of my novel, "Taking the Fast Lane". Red Pen and I have been having a ball all week, so we have. I love the moments we share. Just so - inky.

I am going to make up a mood board for "Practice" tomorrow as I want to start conveying my vision graphically as well as literally - I am also likely to stick it up on the wall above my desk so every time I walk into/out of the room, I will see it and know whether it is 'right' or not. I also have an ever-evolving plot for a new feature rattling around my head - which is actually annoying me a bit at the moment as it keeps getting in the way, and therefore notes of which will more than likely be jotted down over the weekend to clear some brain space.

I have hardly even visited the Tenacious Towers' Entertainment Suite this week - all I managed to squeeze in was "Unforgiven" (ITV, Monday, 21:00) the new three parter written by Sally Wainwright (and I'm totally hooked), last night's ep of "Hustle" (BBC1, 21:00) (I am just loving the new team dynamic), and the "Doctors" episode on Wednesday afternoon (BBC1, 13:45), penned by the very talented Mr Campbell - and IMHO, an excellent job he made of it, too.  

And so, on to next week. It's going to be very, very busy from the outset with quite a few meetings, screenings and talks to attend, in addition to the many more rewrites (probably) and gazillions of emails and telephone calls in relation to the many more rewrites (likely). In fact, between now and April is pretty busy.

It's a strange thing, but even though I feel as though I have been squeezed through a mangle backwards these last seven days, I am still very happy/excited about the way it's all going. Probably just as well.

Onwards.

Beats, Outlines & Dreams

Oooh, it's been a strange few days.

Over the weekend, I located my Very Important Pile of research and character notes and was thrilled to find the info I yearned for, but then that old devil, "thinking", kept gnawing away at me and I wondered if the script really needed a re-injection of some of this stuff anyway.  After reading everything from beginning to end, I stuck the files in a drawer, picked up my screenplay and whilst cross referencing, began my new readjusted beat sheet and rough outline. Nine pages of notes later, I felt I knew these characters more than I knew myself.

Having written a lot of stuff yesterday - and obviously with it all playing heavily on my mind - I slept really badly last night. I had a heavy battle of imaginary wills in my dreams and it left me feeling like a tightly wound up coil this morning. I woke up in a very bad mood (yes, I know...it's hard to believe, huh?!?) ready to burn every copy and trace of the story, as I felt as though I didn't even know what it was all about anymore.  A real-life case of losing the plot.

By early mid-morning, I had relegated myself from my desk to the sofa. With my notes from yesterday, a hot drink and some scene-creating music I set about going back to basics.  I reckoned, if I couldn't sum up the flow in six statements then I had some serious sh*t to cover. But I did, and so I didn't. Phew. I have also been taught a rather valuable lesson in finding the median course and not being too hell-bent on ticking every single box. Although all advice and points of view have to be taken into account, the piece still has to have my intrinsic voice and style - otherwise it's not the piece that was commissioned: someone else should be doing it, surely?

All that aside, tonight I managed to print off my new draft from which I had lost, gained, reassessed and redressed. I'll have one last read of it before I go to bed tonight and although I know I'll wake up knackered again tomorrow, I can be sure my subconscious has sorted out a lot sh*t for me during the night. I only hope I haven't lost my voice in it as I'm sure I'll have a zillion re-drafts to go.

I trust your week is shaping up nicely.

Onwards.

And The Beat Goes On...

Well hello there, m'dears.

It has been another very busy week here at Tenacious Towers. All go - I tell you, all go.

Earlier in the week I had my first DigiBytes meeting with my charming Script Editor. We had a really constructive first meet and discussed enough to get my ass totally in gear for development mania.

In a way, I was dreading the meeting, in case I had to go back to Absolute Square One with the entire script, but as it happens I felt all the notes given were - and are - completely do-able. On reflection, however, I suppose I will be going back to the beginning again as I need to reassess the beats in order to clarify a couple of things along the way, thus making the final reveal and plot twist pack even more punch than they do at present. 

Under any other circumstances (or perhaps another of my screenplays) I would possibly be feeling a little bereft in this situation but thanks to a lot of what my Script Editor and I spoke about (and more than likely his professional diplomacy), I was immediately alerted to the issues at hand: a long while back, during a mass page count purge I had managed to remove 50% of one character's arc without realising it. Well, ok - maybe not as much as 50%; let's say 20% for arguments' sake - but enough, all the same. I am still mulling over various angles in my mind before I set myself on to the task, but having slept on it now for two days, I still feel perfectly positive about it all - which must be a good thing, right?  

All I have to do now is locate my VIP (Very Important Pile) which contains the earliest drafts and character assassinations...I mean, outlines...of this screenplay. I know the VIP is somewhere in the Tenacious East Wing Attic but I have acres of square footage to cover amongst all the old taxidermy, cobwebs and dustsheets - and only one pair of hands. Perhaps I will take the hounds up with me for a search and retrieve mission? It would be so much fun - all that dust and their wagging tails; 'Mrs D', the domestic, would have hours of huffing, puffing and tutting with her feather dusters come Monday. 

Have a superb weekend, dears, and keep warm.

Onwards.

Farewell 2008 - Hello 2009

And so here we are - I can now gaze back at 2008 in its totality and raise a glass to what has quietly turned out to be a refreshingly marvellous year.  It's not been an easy-peasy 12 months at Tenacious Towers, that's for sure, but then where would the fun and sense of achievement have been if it had all been too effortless?

I am glad to say I have made more friends and contacts this year than I have lost, and lost more kilos than I have gained, so that's got to be a good thing; I have created more and written more this year than I ever have, including of course my experimental short film, "three" and my NaNoWriMo effort, "Taking the Fast Lane", which looking back on the experience really is recommended for anyone with a dose of writer's block, creative collapse or even penetrating procrastination. Not that I was actually suffering from any of the aforementioned afflictions mind you - I just felt like a challenging change. Last but not least, I have of course, been selected as Writer/Director for Screen East's DigiBytes scheme and start my script development in the first week of January 2009. I am really excited about the whole project and can't wait to get into the swing of it all; I know it's going to be really hard work but I can't wait! I am living, breathing and sleeping my short, "Practice is Perfect" and I keep having comedy moment panicky dreams about it. Here are a few recent horrors:

1) Staring at the shooting script, forgetting everything I have ever learnt about filmmaking / writing / performance, 

2) Not being able to find the set (!), 

3) Walking onto set and just shrugging and grinning at everyone as they await my instruction, 

4) Realising the actors are in the wrong costumes waaaaay into the shoot, 

5) Having agreed the lighting design for the Digital shoot, finding out, as we wrapped, we had been shooting on 35mm and no-one had bothered to tell me...

Oh, I could go on, but I won't as I am [nervously] laughing too much about the difference in size of a Film camera to a Digital camera.

I have approximately a three month period of development and only then do the successful five (out of seven) projects get chosen to go into pre-production and onto shooting.  You'll not be catching my ass near any laurels having a rest until I know what's what, that's for sure - it's so not over 'til the fat lady sings.  Or Screen East/UKFC say yes. Whichever comes first.  

And on that note, my dearest near and far friends, family, colleagues and e-stalkers, I have work to be getting on with. 

I wish you an ebullient Hogmanay and bid you an effervescent 2009.  

Onwards as always.