The Road Was Long

What a weekend. What a week. What a month - or two.

The documentary footage went down very, very well and I had a totally amazing night at the Awards Ceremony; I'm not sure why, but I was quite weirded out by the whole evening but I guess it was seeing the exact same reactions and emotions I had experienced, rippling around the 300-odd people in the room as they watched the very footage I have now seen and mucked around with so many times. Needless to say, it was a very emotional night for everyone involved after such an intense period working on the whole project. A big shout out & well done to all those on the 'arrangement' side as well as my production side. The event wouldn't have been as successful without incredible communication, hard work and dedication all round.

And so...next on the list.

If you are a regular reader of this blog you will be aware of "0110", and whilst moving towards the latter stages of the recent documentary/interview footage editing, I was also slowly making headway with the early development of "0110: Twisted Tales and Glorious". I am very pleased to say we now have our Writing Team and what a top bunch of talent they are. I am thrilled to be starting work with them very soon, but more on all of them over at the 0110 website. Keep your eyes peeled here and there for a load of info coming your way very soon. In fact, the diaries have just been updated.

There's an awful lot going into the cauldron at the moment but until I've got my fresh newt tails and chameleon claws to add to the mix, you'll just have to hang around to see what the result is.

Well, that's it from me for now. Hope you're all having fun and you've located and freshened up your snuggly jumpers - make sure you don't catch the sniffles and stay cozy.

The Rainy Festival and Sunny Party

Today I was at the very sunny London 2012 Party in The Mall. It was a great day all round - but more on that tomorrow. I'll let the main terrestrial channels batter your senses with Olympic Fever first.

So, Mac is back from Apple Hospital and I'm back from Edinburgh - my wallet's a lot lighter but the penchant I developed for food and alcohol on the run has balanced the lost/gained...errrr...balance. But what the hell, it was a laugh. Literally. 

My festival-going activities were mainly planned within the walls of the Pleasance Courtyard (in the rain) but then carried out at many of Auld Reekie's sprawling comedy venues (in the rain). I am very glad to have seen David O'Doherty just before he won the main award at the If.comedy Awards (previously known as The Perrier Awards) and very due a win he was.  Any thirty-two year old man who can sit in front of a full house singing about text messaging, picking at a two foot piece of plastic and still deserve applause, is well worth a trophy as far as I am concerned.

I saw a good selection of shows - from stand up through to audience participation - and never had it struck me so strongly, how much a backstory matters to a performer - comedic, ensemble or  otherwise. These were the guys that 'worked' - they had a sense of a solid background precedence/backstory, whichever. The ones that didn't - well, they just didn't.  

It's perhaps a strange observation from someone who has been a performer all her life, but background research and backstory formulation is just something I do automatically when prepping a role.  Nothing used to crush me more when I would ask my director, "So if she did xxx, would I be right in thinking she would need to have experienced xxx in order to get to that psychological state? Possibly around the age of xxxx?" to be met with a blank stare and a shrug. Not a stare and shrug in the vein of, "Go create your own character; do your own work..." but in the vein of, "Don't ask me - I'm the Director".  Hmmmph.

So, the moral of this post?  Get your backstory straight - in your mind, if nowhere else.  At least that way, you will know where the characters came from, in order for them to go somewhere. And you never know, some random actor-type-peep may even ask you for your input one day. If they can get past the shrugging Director.   ;)

BAFTA Television Awards - Part 3

Another sterling quote from last night's BAFTAs.

"All that matters is the script, the script, the script" Sita Williams, Exec Producer "The Street" - Winner of Drama Series, British Academy TV Awards 2007

This morning, I received an email from "A Friend" informing me that my previous post containing the BAFTA winners was ever so slightly anal as I probably had all the results up before BAFTA did.

And?

I like the awards ceremonies, y'see, and I find they are always worthwhile attending - not to mention the laughs to be had at the 'aftershow' parties! I normally do try and get to both the Film and TV BAFTAs but bailed on both occasions this year - last night's, because I couldn't find a pretty enough tent to swathe myself in. Hey ho, there's always next year, and if I am lucky I'll make one of them without baby puke down my frock.


That is, of course, if I ever manage to get into a nice outfit again - after 6,000 complaints, Mars have withdrawn their intention to use rennet in their chocolate and ice cream and so will remain vegetarian. I was really relying on their use of rennet to put me off eating their products thus helping me battle the post baby bits.


Ah, well, I have a little while before I need to think about renting a perma-space in the gym.

BAFTA Television Awards - Part Deux

Well, quite a mixed bag this year, I thought, but well done to the Nominees and Winners all the same. I was a bit surprised 'Life on Mars' didn't manage to pick up more awards but it did win the public's vote and was up against stiff competition in all categories.

Special well done mention to Victoria Wood for her two awards for 'Housewife 49' (Best Actress & Single Drama) and Jim Broadbent (Best Actor) for his fab portrayal of Lord Longford in 'Longford'.

I am sure it'll be all over the place but here are all the runners, riders and winners:

Actor
JIM BROADBENT - Longford (Channel 4)
ANDY SERKIS - Longford (Channel 4)
MICHAEL SHEEN - Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa! (BBC Four)
JOHN SIMM - Life On Mars (BBC One)

Actress
ANNE-MARIE DUFF - The Virgin Queen (BBC One)
SAMANTHA MORTON - Longford (Channel 4)
RUTH WILSON - Jane Eyre (BBC One)
VICTORIA WOOD - Housewife 49 (ITV1)

ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
ANTHONY MCPARTLIN & DECLAN DONNELLY - Saturday Night Takeaway (ITV1)STEPHEN FRY - QI (BBC Two)
PAUL MERTON - Have I Got News For You (BBC One)
JONATHAN ROSS - Friday Night With Jonathan Ross (BBC One)

COMEDY PERFORMANCE
DAWN FRENCH - The Vicar Of Dibley (BBC One)
RICKY GERVAIS - Extras (BBC Two)
STEPHEN MERCHANT - Extras (BBC Two)
LIZ SMITH - The Royle Family: Queen Of Sheba (BBC One)

SINGLE DRAMA
HOUSEWIFE 49 - Victoria Wood, Piers Wenger, Gavin Millar, David Threlfall (ITV Productions/ITV1)
KENNETH WILLIAMS: FANTABULOSA! - Andy de Emmony, Ben Evans, Martyn Hesford (BBC Drama/BBC Four)
LONGFORD - Peter Morgan, Tom Hooper, Helen Flint, Andy Harries (Granada Productions for C4 in assoc. with HBO/C4)
THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO - Michael Winterbottom, Mat Whitecross (Revolution Films/C4)

DRAMA SERIES
LIFE ON MARS - Production Team (Kudos Film & Television/BBC One)
SHAMELESS - Production Team (Company Pictures/C4)
SUGAR RUSH - Production Team (Shine Productions/C4)
THE STREET - Jimmy McGovern, Sita Williams, David Blair, Ken Horn (Granada Productions/BBC One)

DRAMA SERIAL
LOW WINTER SUN - Greg Brenman, Adrian Shergold, Simon Donald, Rhonda Smith (Tiger Aspect Productions/C4)
PRIME SUSPECT: THE FINAL ACT - Andrew Benson, Philip Martin, Frank Deasy, Andy Harries (ITV Productions/ITV1)
SEE NO EVIL: THE MOORS MURDERS - Lisa Gilchrist, Neil McKay, Jeff Pope, Chris Menaul (ITV Productions/ITV1)
THE VIRGIN QUEEN - Coky Giedroyc, Paula Milne, Paul Rutman (A BBC Drama/Power co-production/BBC One)

CONTINUING DRAMA
CASUALTY - Production Team (BBC/BBC One)
CORONATION STREET - Stephen Russell, Tim O'Mara, Steve Frost, Kieran Roberts (ITV Productions/ITV1)
EASTENDERS - Production Team (BBC Drama Production Studios/BBC One)
EMMERDALE - Keith Richardson, Kathleen Beedles, Lindsay Williams, Piotr Szkopiak (ITV Productions/ITV1)

FACTUAL SERIES
ROSS KEMP ON GANGS - Clive Tulloh, Amelia Hann, Ross Kemp (Tiger Aspect Productions/Sky One)
STEPHEN FRY - THE SECRET LIFE OF THE MANIC DEPRESSIVE - Production Team (IWC Media, part of the RDF Media Group/BBC Two)
TRIBE - James Smith, Steve Robinson, Bruce Parry, Sam Organ (BBC/BBC Two)
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? - Alex Graham, Lucy Carter (Wall To Wall/BBC Two)

SPECIALIST FACTUAL
MUNICH: MOSSAD'S REVENGE - Anthony Geffen, Tom Whitter, Peter Miller, Calum Walker (Atlantic Productions Ltd/C4)
NUREMBERG: GOERING'S LAST STAND - Peter Nicholson, Simon Berthon, Dan Korn, Piers Vellacott (3BM Television/C4)
PLANET EARTH - Alistair Fothergill, Mark Linfield (BBC/BBC One)
SIMON SCHAMA'S POWER OF ART - Clare Beavan, Simon Schama, Basil Comely, Mark Harrison (BBC London Arts/BBC Two)

SINGLE DOCUMENTARY
BREAKING UP WITH THE JONESES - Ursula Macfarlane, Saskia Wilson, Dave Nath, Gregor Lyon (betty/C4)
EVICTED - Brian Woods, Deborah Shipley, Jeremy Wales, Katy Sheppard (True Vision/BBC One)
9/11: THE FALLING MAN - Henry Singer, John Smithson, Sue Bourne, Julian Ware (Darlow Smithson Productions/C4)
RAIN IN MY HEART - Paul Watson (BBC/BBC Two)

FEATURES
THE APPRENTICE - Dan Adamson, Sanjay Singhal, Martyn Smith, Sir Alan Sugar (TalkbackThames/Mark Burnett Productions/BBC Two)
THE CHOIR - Jamie Isaacs, Ludo Graham, Drew Hill, Sam Grace (Twenty Twenty/BBC Two)
DRAGONS' DEN - Helen Bullough, Dominic Bird, Paul Mackay (BBC Entertainment/BBC Two) THE F WORD - Production Team (Optomen Television/C4)

SPORT
THE BOAT RACE - John Watts, Tony Pastor, John McKenna, Phil Heslop (ITV Sport/ITV1)
F1: HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX - JENSON BUTTON'S FIRST WIN - Neil Duncanson, Gerard Lane (North One Television/ITV1)
CRICKET ON FIVE - Jeff Foulser, Gary Franses, Dylan Jane, Diana Keen (Sunset and Vine Productions/Five)
WINTER OLYMPICS - BBC Sport Production Team (BBC Sport/BBC Two)

NEWS COVERAGE
BBC TEN O'CLOCK NEWS - TERRORISM PLOT AT HEATHROW - BBC Ten O'Clock News Team (BBC News/BBC One)
CHANNEL 4 NEWS - NEWS FROM IRAN - Jon Snow, Deborah Rayner, Ben Monro-Davies, Martin Collett (ITN/C4)
GRANADA REPORTS: MORECAMBE BAY - Production Team (Granada/ITV)
ITV EVENING NEWS - THE ISRAEL/LEBANON CRISIS - Julian Manyon, Mark Austin, Geoff Hill, Rob Bowles (ITN/ITV1)

INTERACTIVITY
DISPATCHES - WAR TORN: STORIES OF SEPARATION - David Modell, Cassian Harrison, Oliver Doward (Dispatches/Channel4.com)
MELTDOWN AND THE BIG CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERIMENT - Frances McNamara, Jonathan Renouf, Paul Bradshaw, Tolu Aina (Supporting BBC Four)
THE SECRET POLICEMAN'S BALL - Clive Tulloh, Lisle Turner, Mike Agnew, Adil Abrar (Tiger Aspect Productions/4Laughs/C4)
TERRY PRATCHETT'S HOGFATHER - Aidan Conway, Giles Pooley, Rod Brown, Ian Sharples (Mob Film Company/Sky One Networked Media)

INTERNATIONAL
ENTOURAGE - Doug Ellin, Mark Wahlberg, Steve Levinson (HBO/ITV2)
HOUSE - David Shore (Heal and Toe Films/Shore Z Productions/Bad Hat Harry Productions in assoc. with NBC Universal Television Studio/Five)
LOST - JJ Abrams, Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof, Jack Bender (Buena Vista International Television/Sky One)
MY NAME IS EARL - Greg Garcia, Marc Buckland, Bobby Bowman (Twentieth Century Fox/C4)

ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
DANCING ON ICE - Production Team (ITV Productions/ITV1)
DERREN BROWN: THE HEIST - Derren Brown, Andy Nyman, Simon Mills, Ben Caron (Objective Productions/C4)
HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE MARIA? - Production Team (BBC Entertainment/BBC One)
THE X FACTOR - Richard Holloway, Claire Horton, Andrew Llinares, Siobhan Greene (TalkbackThames in association with SYCO TV/ITV1)

SITUATION COMEDY
GREEN WING - Victoria Pile, Dominic Brigstocke, Tristram Shapeero, Robert Harley (TalkbackThames/C4)
THE IT CROWD - Ash Atalla, Graham Linehan, Derrin Schlesinger, Ben Fuller (TalkbackThames/C4)
PULLING - Sharon Horgan, Dennis Kelly, Phil Bowker, Tristram Shapeero (Silver River/BBC Three)
THE ROYLE FAMILY: QUEEN OF SHEBA - Caroline Aherne, Craig Cash, John Rushton, Phil Mealey (Granada Productions/BBC One)

COMEDY PROGRAMME
THE CATHERINE TATE SHOW - Gordon Anderson, Aschlin Ditta, Geoffrey Perkins, Catherine Tate (Tiger Aspect Productions/BBC Two)
LITTLE BRITAIN ABROAD - Matt Lucas, David Walliams, Matt Lipsey, Geoff Posner (BBC Comedy/Little Britain Productions/BBC One)
LITTLE MISS JOCELYN - Gary Reich, Jemma Rodgers, Gareth Carrivick, Jocelyn Jee Esien (Brown Eyed Boy Productions in assoc. with Pozzitive Television/BBC Three)
THAT MITCHELL & WEBB LOOK - David Kerr, Gareth Edwards, Robert Webb, David Mitchell (BBC Comedy/BBC Two)

PIONEER AUDIENCE AWARD
CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER
DRAGONS' DEN
LIFE ON MARS
PLANET EARTH
THE ROYLE FAMILY: QUEEN OF SHEBA
THE VICAR OF DIBLEY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

THE ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP - RICHARD CURTIS
THE SPECIAL AWARD in honour of Alan Clarke - ANDY HARRIES

Congratulations to all! May your hangovers be large ones in the morning.

BAFTA Television Awards - Part 1

"Love your writers as much as your partners, children and pets. All hail to those who face the blank page every day." Andy Harries, British Academy TV Awards, 2007.

All hail to Andy Harries - congratulations and excuse me if they're not your exact words!