Red Planet

Just sent my Red Planet entry off (I always leave everything to the last minute) I think it's a good story, and I'm pretty chuffed with the opening scene, but I've done a lot of background work on some characters, and not so much on some others and I think maybe that shows. Oh yeah, and I've only written fifteen pages and not the whole thing, although it is all worked out. Not sure when I'm going to get the time to finish it, mind. Part of me says just leave it - like a sort of dare - wait and see if you've got on the short list, then finish it in a few days of amphetamine frenzy, chances are pretty slim after all.

Met the director today and he really gave me something to think about, well a lot of things. He has really hacked at the script, and taken the prospective scene headings we did last week and fashioned them into a kind of template which he wants to stick to. I wasn't too sure, well actually I was a bit stunned, but I listened to what he had to say - there were some iffy things, but no bad ideas, and (keep it to yourself) some bloody brilliant ones.

I came away feeling a bit deflated though, and I think it was because I'd just listened for 90 mins to someone telling ME about MY play! But you just can't be like that, and none of it was forced on me - now it's my turn to take those ideas and come up with my own version.

Like I say, he's given me a lot to think about.

Theatre Of Death

Going to meet the director again at the Playhouse tomorrow to see if we can work out how to re-organise the play. I've spent the last week cutting it into different narrative strands. Because it's a docudrama it's hard to know what to leave out, so in the first draft I left everything in.

Last week, in the empty twilight of the Courtyard Theatre (the only room we could get) we agreed narrative headings, then started having a sort of paper fight as we tried to take bits of the play out and put them in the new headings. But no matter how fast we were throwing bits of paper at each other, the paper mountain play didn't seem to be getting any smaller. "Fuck this," said Al, "let's do it on computer."

It was then I noticed that nearly all the upturned seats had names on 'In memory of ... ' etc. Like rows and rows of tombstones. Never noticed that before, well you wouldn't would you? Unless it was your Jack you were sitting on, so to speak - talk about dying on stage.

Blackburn In The Rain

Started a film scheme last Saturday in Blackburn, finaced by NW Vision (I am from Liverpool). I've only been to Blackburn twice (the first time was for the interview) and it's pissed it down on both occasions. It all added to the L S Lowry look of the place but I hope it's not a trend as the films have to be shot in the city.

I was taken on as a writer/director, but learnt that it would be either/or and no-one would be both. There are fifteen of us, but only five films will be made. Writing workshops take place in the morning and directing workshops in the afternoon, so some of us are writers only, and the rest are writer/directors (there are no director/directors) and depending on how we do, five will be writers, five directors, and the other five, script editors, or 1st AD's on the other movies - I think. Competitive huh? And complicated.

I am the only one who has come any distance as all the rest are Lancashire locals, but they all seem sound, and a good mix, we are all going to be helping with each others films so we will have to get on, but we really gelled together with the directing set-ups we had to do, and that was just the first day so I don't think it will be a problem.

I've made three short films in the past year and two of those were with film schemes, I know eventually if I'm serious about directing I'm going to have to get into finding a producer and financing and all that, but regional film schemes are a good way of finding your way into it as they provide a lot of support, with equipment, actors, mentoring etc.

Anyway, my back is slowly improving. The prescribed painkillers completely knocked me out at first, but I don't even them notice now, which probably means that I'm completely hooked - for ever. Although at least I can have a piss and wipe me bum without it hurting (too much)

Ah the simple pleasures of life!

Oh no - not another scriptwriting blog!

I've been meaning to start this blog for ages, but as I haven't got a computer of my own and have to go to the library, computer time is precious. But now having sold my first play, I should have the dosh to buy a comp and also have something worthwhile to blog about.

Also - I've gone and done me bloody back in! Two weeks ago, I was at home, getting ready to go out, when twang! The wind-up elastic band in me back (not sure of the medical term) just snapped. Agony? You know that bit in 'The Devils' where Olly Reed has his knees smashed in ...? Nowt. Compared to this.

Getting better now - I can actually walk, and even stand up (for short periods) Thankfully, the library is only a five minute walk from my house, although, this being Leeds, it is at the top of a bastard steep hill - funnily enough (Ha! Ow!) it's much worse on the old broken lassy going downhill.

It is something we need to be aware of though. I thought I was doing everything right, sturdy chair with back support - James Moran posted about his back problems, and the way he wrote sounded like a US army prisoner stress position - but the end result is the same. So er, be careful out there, in your armchair.

Shit - I really didn't want to start this blog with a moan.