It's here: "How To Be Dead"

It is finally Halloween - and as promised, here is the "How To Be Dead" pilot.

We really hope you enjoy our general silliness and want more, so in the meantime, please feel free to keep on re-watching this pilot episode if you really do enjoy it. You may not realise, but the numbers and analytics behind all this really do matter - it shows us where you are in the world and if we've done something right (or wrong - but hopefully not!).

So...like it? Then 'Like' it, please. Then tell your friends, family, colleagues and enemies to log in, click along, watch it and 'Like' it too - obviously, if they don't like it then don't hold them hostage or anything because that would be a bit silly. Do also feel free to leave a comment or just say hello - Death does get lonely and likes a good read when he's quiet...

Lx

Ready. Deady. Go.

Here we are then: the time is almost upon us, and How To Be Dead is ready to be born.  Of course, no-one will see it until it goes live next Wednesday, 31st October; no-one that is except me and Dave, who will probably drive ourselves utterly bonkers with stupid irrational nit-picky quibbles that do not qualify for any time spent thinking about them. But we will.

I hate this 'calm' period.  

This is the bit where we've all done as much as we can but no-one has seen it. It's the ultimate diet part of production when 7lbs falls off for no apparent reason. It's the time when I struggle to sleep for more than 3 hours solid at any given point. It's the "Should I have done xyz?" era.

Hey ho, it'll all be fine. After a nice cup of tea.

Talking of tea - if you are at the London Screenwriters Festival pre-reg drinks tonight, we'll be chatting on the 'Break on Through' panel. Do say 'Hi' if you're there. Failing that, we'll both be around and about the festival most of the weekend anyway. See you there.

Lx

Alive with Death.

Personally and professionally, 2012 has been an utterly mad roller coaster year - I can't believe it is nearly October to be honest, and more to the point, I have survived with my sanity still intact*.

So here I am, still at Tenacious Towers (even though the physical address has changed, we took the turrets and spooks with us), still working my ass off and still juggling The Kid's social agenda - and it's all good.

The end of this February saw the release of "Deviation" closely followed by "Hard Boiled Sweets" in early March, and due to uncanny stuff, I had the pleasure of having not one but TWO features playing at the same time in London's Leicester Square. That was mighty strange and quite cool, however, I was a bit naffed off as I couldn't get both cinemas in the same photograph. Next time I must ensure these uncanny things to happen next door to each other - makes for a better photo opp, y'know?

The summer of 2012 will always remain the Summer of Readjustment in my mind. Moving house, unpacking, packing, dashing off on partial holiday/partial work related stint in Spain, unpacking again (suitcases and house), six weeks' worth of washing, funky day trips to London with The Kid, making dinosaurs out of paper and wood (with The Kid), attending what seemed to be a continual flow of music festivals and car-related days out (with The Kid), trying to build furniture/garden stuff with one screwdriver and a small hammer (with The Kid) - closely followed by big hissy fits (me), tears (me) and the eventual purchase of B&Q's entire toolkit stock (me). A busy summer. And then 'we' went back to school and my 'real' work sleeves got rolled up.

During the early summer months, a brilliantly funny piece of writing by the delightful Dave Turner, was deposited into my mucky hands. Having asked me for some 'Producer' advice, Dave and I had a little drinkie meeting and by the end of it we had agreed to make the Pilot episode for this exceedingly funny new series. With both of us juggling work commitments, children and their poxy summer holidays, we decided to wait until the little bastards darlings went back to school thus giving us some peace to create.  No sooner had the younger generation started back in education, I dusted down my Director's hat which I placed at a jaunty angle to my Producer's hat, and off we went: the result being "How To Be Dead".  Having just wrapped on the pilot filming, I am still on a high about it all. We had the usual issues of people hearing the word "FILMING" and an onslaught of ££££££ signs popped into their eyes, but other than the odd awkward/greedy/rude/illiterate bastard, everything was bloody marvellous.

The cast and crew couldn't actually have been more talented, happy to be involved and lovely to work with if they had tried, and just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the whole Post team turn out to be utterly wonderful too.  Who knew? It is amazeballs.

The Pilot Episode will be streamed from the website on 31st October 2012 (very aptly, that is Halloween, in case you'd forgotten), with the teaser trailer coming out a few weeks before.  It's a bit of a tight turn around for the team but everyone is embracing it with open arms, which is really very lovely and quite touching.

I do hope you will watch the trailer and the Pilot when it comes out - I shall pop back here to remind you closer to the time**.  The "How To Be Dead" Pilot promises to be very silly and a lot of fun and in my estimation totally deserves a series on TV, let alone the web.  But we shall see.  Until then...

Lx

* debatable fact, I realise...
** or you can follow HTBD on Facebook and The Twitter or even the man himself

News, Writers & Booze

Hello, you hungover polar bear, you.

As usual, it's all go here at Tenacious Towers. I had an extremely lovely, whizzy, busy day yesterday which resulted in a clear, pristine vision for the up and coming music video, tied up most of the loose ends for the shoot next week and had lots of helpful and poignant discussions in relation to various future projects.

I topped off my productive and constructive day with the carnage that always is The Meeting of The Writers, where I was most pleased to see the gorgeous Helen Smith who I haven't chatted to for an absolute age (although we managed only, "Hi!" "How are you?", "When are we going to go out next?" and then "Bye") and also finally meet fellow blogger and Twitterer, Kevin Lehane. Being totally committed to my work/training schedule, I was most amused to observe the whole evening from a very alcohol-less water angle, which was fun, but unfortunately my secret is now out. Everyone knows I am as mentally unhinged sober, as I am drunk. *sigh*  I always liked to blame the gin, red wine or the alcoholic beverage du jour for my hyperactive stupidity and now I can't. *nuts*

Talking of unhinged, many writerly bods were trying to glean some information about "Project Mute" - most of which they know I can't divulge at the present time.  I have to point out, I'm not being precious about it: I am genuinely unable to disclose much info as funding and deals are relying on discretion. I can say it's a multi-platform, multi- layered project with both short, medium and long term angles, and I start shooting some footage next week.  It will stretch my boundaries, abilities, and to some degree, mental attitude, in the most intangible manner - but it's going to be totally blinding fun for those who choose to take part in the mission.

So before I disappear back into my burrow of paperwork and research again - a quick shout out.

Virgin Media Shorts scheme is up and running again for this year. I will be entering a little something into it, as will my delightful colleague and buddy, Potdoll.

Check out the website of the wonderfully talented and delightful DoP, Stephen Murphy.  I had the pleasure of meeting up with this lovely man to discuss projects and I am thrilled at the prospect of working with such a like-minded, enthusiastic artist in the not-too-distant future. Check him out, watch his showreel, hire him (but don't clash with my dates, thanks).

The jolly decent chap of scribes, Sir Paul of Campbellness, has not just his ep of "Eastenders" being tx'd next Tuesday (21st April) but then straight afterwards, his ruddy ep of "Holby" is on too. Now, please, just take a breath and bow to the man's sheer ability to place the correct bungs in the correct scheduling pockets. He is truly a legend amongst men. ;)

Best of Oirish to Sir Stack for his shoot next week and also the best of Engerlish to the Splendid chaps who are up at full tilt next week also! May the sun shine on your shoots - unless you need no sun, of course.

And finally...well done to Tony Jordan who selected the following people to join him for a workshop soon.  He'll be a lucky man sharing the room with Dave Turner, Jason Arnopp, David Bishop, William Gallagher amongst others, I tells ya.

Right. Lunch time over. Back to storyboards and locations. Ta-ra.

Onwards.