List of Seven

Lord Beckley of Piersville kindly tagged me with this meme, as apparently I haven't done it. I'm sure I did, but that would have been last year and it is now this year...so...

List Seven Songs I'm into Right Now.

1. Melting Pot (Mari Gordon-Price & Derek Griffiths - Hi Summer) - a pretty un-PC song now, but bloody lovely piece of 70s London for you. Oh, and by the way it's my very own yummy mummy singing (spot the family resemblance!!) with kids TV favourite, Derek Griffiths! So go on, watch it for the warm fuzziness of late seventies schmaltz.
   
2. The Unforgettable Fire (U2 - The Unforgettable Fire) - I love, love, love this song almost as much as the drummer, Larry Mullen Jnr. *swoon*. I turn into a thirteen year old when I see him. *swoon*. It's sad. *swoon*. Him and his syncopation are God, and I'm going to see them play in the summer! Yay. It'll be just me, him, the rest of the band and a few other people kicking around Wembley. Perfect.
3. Kids (MGMT - Oracular Spectacular) - brilliant ear candy album, adore their sound.
4. Grounds for Divorce (Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid) - will be seeing them play later in the year. V coolios.
   
5. Not Fair (Lily Allen - It's Me, Not You) - have never been her biggest fan, but this track and video make me laugh out loud and that has to be a good thing.
   
6. King of Rome (Pet Shop Boys - Yes) - the lyrics just blow me away with a depth of emotion quite often hinted at in a lot of songs, but never really musically realised as well.
   
7. Use Somebody (Kings of Leon - Only by the Night) - I have loved KoL for a long, long time and am seeing them live this year also. I adore all of the tracks on this album, however, I chose this one based on the video as it never struck me just how much Caleb Followill looks like Stephen Dorff and that, sweetpeas, is a grand thing. 

Oh, you know, I could go on and on and on - so many songs, so little time. I am also totally (re)loving Blur and The Killers earlier stuff at the moment as I will be seeing them both live in 2009 too! 

Well, doesn't my life sound like a veritable music fest waiting to happen? How extraordinary! How fun! How I really must get back to work, now. It's been great, pop-pickers.

Onwards with a trill, schweeties.

 

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.

Scribo-Meme

I have been memed by both Adaddinsane and Lucy.  It's only the Fourth Day of the New Year and we're on Meme Number One already. It's gonna be a busy year, folks. Here goes:

When it comes to writing, what do you know you're good at, and what aspect of writing are you worst at? (Procrastination is not permitted as either part of the answer.)

In all reality, I find this quite hard to answer, and I have had to really think about it! But here goes...

Generally, I think I am pretty sound at sniffing out a decent premise, plot and creating a solid arena. Researching and creating the whole What, Where, Who, How and When is damn great fun, in my opinion, and therefore, I also love creating characters and their reasoning. Whether I pull that off is another thing - so this aspect lies in both the good and bad camps!  

Stuff I'm not too hot on?  Well, I'll probably be able to divulge far more after my initial script development meeting next week, but I used to have major structural issues with my features, although I *think* I have managed to get better at that with practice and better planning. I also hope I have got better at rounding the raggedy edges of my characters but there's still always going to be room for improvement - ad finitum. However, I still find myself shuffling into the dangers of expositional verbosity at times...especially my thriller stuff, for some reason. There is always SO much to reveal of the past in order to piece together the future. Yes, yes, yes. Show: don't tell...I know. I know.

Anyway, that's it from me. I duly tag Oli, Piers, Phillip and Steve - oh, and while you're here, lads, answer my previous post question if you have a couple of minutes! It has become quite interesting. Cheers! Enjoy.

Ta-ra & Onwards.

It's Snowing...

As I watch the fluttering snowflakes falling outside, this seems a very appropriate moment to carry out the tag order served by Elinor...

List the top five ways you distract yourself when you should be writing and then procrastinate some more by sending it to all those other writers who should really procrastinate more often (so we can all catch-up!).

Here they are:

1. Watching snow falling/drifting (if not outside my window then via Alpine webcams) - a creative, visual release
2. TV - could be seen as indirect research
3. Gardening - it does actually help me rationalise plot holes/issues
4. FaceAche - doesn't help anything
5. Doing these memes/tags - ditto
   

Anyone who is reading this, hasn't completed the task and wishes to procrastinate - consider yourself tagged.

As for me - having been gardening most of the day and now in front of the TV completing this tag, I'm just going to check into FaceBook and then watch the snow fall again. :0)

Song Meme

I have recently been infected with the song meme by both luscious Lucy (who I think may have created this one?) and the contagious Mr Campbell . 

Instructions are as follows: “Find a song that sums up what you think it means to be a writer and post the lyrics on your blog and why you've chosen it. NB: It doesn't have to be your favourite song, it just has to express how you feel about writing and/or being a writer. It can be literal, metaphorical, about a particular form or aspect of writing - whatever you want. Then tag 5 others to do the same (reprint these instructions).”

My original choice was "Right Said Fred" (Rudge/Dick) as there is nothing like popping the kettle on every two minutes when you're meant to be writing. However, not only did that Mr Campbell pass on his meme bugs, he snaffled my choice before I managed to write this post. 

Now, unlike Mr Campbell and other scribes, when I write I listen to music virtually all the time - the songs become kind of like a soundtrack to the piece I am putting together, I guess. But that didn't help me out with this meme, so I have really had to think long and hard about it.

I suppose my final choice underlines the depth of emotion with which I fall in love/in hate with the writing I undertake at any time - that all encompassing magnetic draw of pen to paper, fingers to keyboard; the waking dreams about scenes that work and the nightmares when they don't; the feeling of absolute hell-bent necessity to spend time with the words already on the page or cajoling those about to be written.  It's like the hottest of illicit affairs, and the product of all those long nights is the finished written project - the baby, if you like.  

Anyway, if you haven't done this yourself yet, then consider yourself memed, buddy.  Here's my choice!  

Over and out. x

The Man with the Child in His Eyes (Kate Bush)

I hear him, before I go to sleep
And focus on the day thats been.
I realise he's there,
When I turn the light off and turn over.

Nobody knows about my man.

They think he's lost on some horizon.
And suddenly I find myself
Listening to a man I've never known before,

Telling me about the sea,
All his love, til eternity.

Ooh, he's here again,
The man with the child in his eyes.
Ooh, he's here again,
The man with the child in his eyes.

He's very understanding,
And he's so aware of all my situations.
And when I stay up late,
He's always waiting, but I feel him hesitate.

Oh, I'm so worried about my love.
They say, no, no, it wont last forever.
And here I am again, my girl,
Wondering what on earth I'm doing here.
Maybe he doesn't love me.
I just took a trip on my love for him.

Ooh, he's here again,
The man with the child in his eyes.
Ooh, he's here again,
The man with the child in his eyes.

And here's the video:

Time Out Meme

I seem to be going round in circles with my rough edit mainly because I changed editing software half way through: never a good idea.  I was extremely impressed with Apple's service though - I ordered my software at around 3pm on Wednesday and it arrived less than 24 hours later.  Very coolios.

Now I am getting to grips with all the functionality of the aforementioned software, Final Cut - and there are a lot of functions to get my tired little head round - but all in all it seems to be going ok though. I think. I have sat in on so many edits over the years I can dream-walk through all the correct mouse clicks and visualize the perfect requirement - if only I knew where they were in the menus and what they were actually called to begin with.  "The thingy that makes it go all fadey and frizzly" is a strange way to explain a cross dissolve but as I said, I'm getting there. I doubt any whizzy-dizzy editors would agree, but I'm trying!

In order to rest my Final Cut brain cells a little, I have thought up a new little meme, so here goes; copy and paste this info into yours and off you go...

"Name the last ten (10) programmes/films saved onto your hard drive/ Sky+/ Virgin+Box/ video / other media recording drive and then tag five more people to do the same."

Mine are:

1. In the Night Garden
2. Top Gear
3. Imagine...Annie Lebovitz
4. Rough Guide to Ultimate Escapes
5. Saturday Kitchen
6. Blade: Trinity
7. This is England
8. Rough Guide to Urban Adventures
9. The Ipcress File
10. Gordon The Garden Gnome

I have only stuck the links in mine in case you are really bored today. 

Right then, here are my lucky lot: I tag Potdoll, Lianne, Lucy, Mark, Arnopp & Beckley.

Musical Chairs

I was recently-ish tagged by the lovely Lianne and delicious Dog.  

The rules are: "List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to".

Well I have two seconds spare, so here's my top seven:

1. California Soul (Marlena Shaw) - I just love this song.  One I will never tire of, it has an intangible warmth that belongs to the sands of Malibu.
   
2. Shot You Down (Audio Bullys) - great when you're on the cross trainer in the gym...
3. Like Toy Soldiers (Eminem) - jus' like it, right? You got a problem with that, bro'? ;)
4. In Taberna: In Taberna Quando Sumus (Orff/Carmina Burana) - kicks.  Just when you think you know where it's going, it doesn't.
5. Cloudbusting (Kate Bush) - an eternal fav. Now and again when it rains, I put this on, stare out the window and h-o-p-e.
6. Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? (Moby)  - just beaut.  Like a little girl's first pair of pale pink ballet slippers.
7. First It Giveth (Queens of the Stone Age) - the syncopation does it for me every time.

Oh my, I really could go on and on and on.  I have so many 'seasonals', 'emotive boxes' and 'forever favourites' - perhaps I should knock up a list of my own and start meme-ing y'all out there...mmmmm, I'm off to think about that.

In the meantime - I think everyone in cyberland has been tagged already with this one so I won't re-tag. However, if you haven't been 'done' by this one, then please consider yourself well and truly tagged.

I'll be returning with another meme soon. Perhaps. Or not.

Oh dear...

Well, if it was a long time before, then it's a whole lifetime ago now. My last update, that is.

Up to my toots in dirty nappies and winning the tally on arguments with everyone in the medical profession - yep, that's me. I have been delicately informed that this first child of mine has been a "baptism of fire" and "the next one will be so much easier - you wait and see". Yeah, well folks, you can wait and wait and wait cos The Colic Kid is The One and Only as far as I am concerned. Far too much hassle and worry, these little sick uns.

ANYWAY. Moving on.

Whilst I was sleeping (in blogland perhaps; in reality - I just wish), I was tagged with a meme by that lurvly Bishop man...however, anything that requires more than 2 minutes of my time (apart from sh*tty nappies, my bed covered in baby puke at 4am and a cat disgruntled 24/7 by the lack of sleep...shame...) will have to wait a tiny little bit. Perhaps over the Bank Holiday weekend I will have five minutes to consider this little meme.

In the meantime...VIRGIN MEDIA! WHY IS MY F*ING TV SERVICE NOT WORKING - AGAIN - YOU BUNCH OF MONEY STEALING, INADEQUATE, RIP OFF SHYSTERS?

Ahem...my son is most irate at the lack of Teletubbies and I am most annoyed at anything that makes my son irate...you know, anything for an easier life...like knee caps. Comprendez? Good.

Lost the plot. Again. Til the next time: have a good Bank Hols one and all. Mwah, mwah.

x

You're It!

With gracious thanks to the delightful and erudite Riddley Walker I have been honourably been tagged with a meme of my Five Goals. With my utter lack of concentration at the moment, these have taken a considerable amount of energy to produce and I would probably revise them at the drop of a hat, but here goes...in no particular order:

1) Pay off my mortgage. What more can I say? With interest rates teetering on the brink of rip-off city once again and echoes of Black Monday making me shudder, I just want rid of the darn millstone for once and for all.

2) To be wholly 100% happy with who I am and what I am trying to achieve in life. Not much to ask, but a tough one. This also includes getting to grips with fear of failure and like my tag mate, to stop being scared.

3) To complete, stage and then finish the film development of my co-written full scale musical. I have been informed in the past that the musical is "a biggie: extracted from a similar mould as Les Mis" and will need "large amounts of moolah and a BIG theatre to do it justice - and, oh, it would make a fantastic film too". The only part left to finish of the stage version is the final Requiem Mass (large parts of which are indeed in Latin), which has been left for superstitious purposes. The screenplay has a fair bit of work to be done on it. Sir Cam, Sir Andy or anyone with a few mill sitting in a Mega Maxi ISA / offshore account, do drop me a note. Let's do lunch.

4) To have my pet screenplay - the one I keep coming back to and obsessing over again and again - produced and OUT THERE. There is so much being said in the screenplay, sometimes it scares me rigid. I often wonder if I wrote it subliminally as there are chunks info in it that I don't remember researching.

5) To ensure all those around me are healthy, hale and hearty; if they're not, at least try and cheer them up a bit with some ridiculous anecdotes.

Wow, that really took a lot of thinking - I could actually go on right up to number ten, but I 'm not going to. Now it's my turn to tag some other peeps - remember to keep the links going guys.

Here goes:

Lucy Vee - Bang2Write
Lianne - Light & Shade
Potdoll - My Forehead is Bleeding
Jackson - Pillock's Pad