Tonight I find myself watching the Bafta's, yet again.
I've seen Steven Moffatt take home an award for his writing, I've seen horribly written and performed links. I've seen award after award being given and accepted with over sentimental speeches about thanking everyone who got you there and even a couple of speeches that made you stop and think... Not always for the right reasons.
I've been lucky enough to receive nominations for pieces of work I've written. I'm not going to degrade them or put them down, because there are plenty of people out there that never have and never will have someone take in what they've done and like it so much that they'll put their name forward for an award. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but thank you for those who did. Even though we've never went beyond the long list last year, I have high hopes that this year we'll go one further. So on this occasion even before we find out our fate I'd like to thank the CEO of Misfits Audio Cap'n John, who has given me unequivocal support in my vision for the series of Star Rabbit Tracks and I hope I've repaid him. Just wait until series 3 starts with a major shift in gears. I've also got my fingers crossed for the future of In The Line Of Duty: The Vanguard Archives, because there are some lovely character moments in these prequels that will pay off in the bigger picture when the series starts. :)
But, anyway, you don't read this... although I'd love to know what they one guy from Saudi Arabia thought of my blog please comment next time you're passing through... because you want to hear about me going on about what may be happening. You want to know what IS happening.
Tuesday marks several firsts,
1) The first film I've written/produced/directed
2) The first film produced under the Nun With A Gun Manchester banner.
Ok, you were probably expecting more and to be honest so was I. But to be on the inside looking out it's another spoke on the bicycle of life. By the time half the year is out another 3 films will have finished principle photography, Dave Keys will have completed filming on Ghost story 'The Whisperers' and one or possibly two other shorts will also be completed (I keep these secret at this time because they remain the property of their writers up until their completion, upon which time I will snatch them with an evil laugh and wave them around like they are my own hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!
*cough* *cough*
Anywaaaaaaaaay, back to the beginning. My ambition is to one day walk the carpet at an awards ceremony and to pick up a winners bag. I'm quite relaxed, maybe a nice speech about my work mates, how Mrs Perry-Smith was kind enough to let me hijack her company, or Mr Baker for bringing the trio together in the first place. Can I thank Mr Abassi and Mr Alam for giving me my first taste of successful screenwriting. Maybe I'll get obscure and thank Ms Yourieff or Mr Busby. Maybe Mr Frandsen or Mr Reed.
Of course no award ceremony and no speech is complete without that obscure reference, and here's mine. Thank you to the special person who made me believe, who made me want to do better and be better and kicked me so hard that I got better. You are my island, my soul provider and my muse. I hope to one day be on that red carpet with you by my side. :)
Sunday 27 May 2012
Saturday 5 May 2012
Living Da Skreama De Shalka
Anyone remember the Scream Of The Shalka?
Wonder how many blogs have opened with that question. I don't ask it because its something that was so cultish that it should be forgotten and consigned away as a side step in the rebirth of Doctor Who from Geeky Anorak Fodder to mainstream Drama Juggernaught.
There are many people who have negative opinions about it, Richard E. Grant's take on The Doctor, being interesting, the twisty reveal of the Master companion being (*spoiler*). But it has a lot going for it if you like, urban darkness.
There's a line in a Big Country song that goes "Some people say you have to change to stay the same, I guess we tried so hard to stay the same we changed." I've never been one for change myself, I like settlement. In fact over the past two months I've probably felt worse than I have since the start of 2012. Having a regular pattern of 7 hours sleep when working nights was great, but then people left and the saviour was once again needed.
So in all this change what remains the same? 2nd year in a row Star Rabbit Tracks received a Parsec Award nomination... Basically what that means is that my second series DID NOT SUCK!! Jumping on board a series established by someone else and trying to stamp your own mark on it isn't easy, and I thank people who have enjoyed my eps, the recent few eps have been amazing to the point where even I was laughing at my own jokes.
And Of The Night returned from the dead (ironic with it being a Vampire Noir) episode 3 after a 2 year absence. And I still think its one of the finest things I've ever written. It holds a tender part in my heart and am very proud of the guys at Spiritblade for what they've done.
Did I also tell you that In The Line Of Duty: The Vanguard Archives is also a ratings success with regular downloads of over 100 a month from across the world? The series has grown through a lot of pitching and repitching with my collaborator Ben Reed. The formula is as follows. There are action sequences, but the characters are real with emotions and back story. Every little character has a tale and a connection. My favourite ep is the one where David Ault's Jack Anders carries the story on his own as the husband who has lost his wife, but (and this is a secret) Michael Hudson's performance as George Marcus a man who has lost his son was so good we decided to write him into the series full time.
My writing life will come full circle if Eric Busby releases the Byron specials I wrote for him. One of which was inspired by what someone described as a Twitercrush. she liked Mummies so Mummies appeared in the episode.
But all of this is old news revisited. This isn't the new news. I hear you cry, some of you say "Please stop blogging" some of you say "you ignorant arrogant pig" some of you even say "I don't get it" which I suppose is most of you. So for all those interested in what's happening I'll let you know...
The Soul Trilogy is a little set of short films linked by a narrow thread. I've been persuaded not to be such a protective, power hungry so and so and I've relinquished my arm to my London colleagues for their particular stories. casting, locations... Because I've been working on:
Manchester Nun With A Gun Productions...
TaDah! What do you think? I'm working on T-shirts as we speak. (No, I'm not kidding)
The first Manc Nun wit' Gun production is cast, semi located and I'm currently wooing a film crew and hiring an AD. I know that I'm not to everyone's taste, but hopefully I do things for what I consider the best intention. So on this occasion I will be stepping into the Ron Howard director's hat.
So, I work hard at the day job doing things I don't like, working long hours for extra money to finance the production that I do like, but that I'm doing a job I'm not sure about to get the vision I want...
Sometimes in order to get to where you want you have to take risks and do something you hate, to be hated and know that deep inside you're doing it for the greater good.
Wonder how many blogs have opened with that question. I don't ask it because its something that was so cultish that it should be forgotten and consigned away as a side step in the rebirth of Doctor Who from Geeky Anorak Fodder to mainstream Drama Juggernaught.
There are many people who have negative opinions about it, Richard E. Grant's take on The Doctor, being interesting, the twisty reveal of the Master companion being (*spoiler*). But it has a lot going for it if you like, urban darkness.
There's a line in a Big Country song that goes "Some people say you have to change to stay the same, I guess we tried so hard to stay the same we changed." I've never been one for change myself, I like settlement. In fact over the past two months I've probably felt worse than I have since the start of 2012. Having a regular pattern of 7 hours sleep when working nights was great, but then people left and the saviour was once again needed.
So in all this change what remains the same? 2nd year in a row Star Rabbit Tracks received a Parsec Award nomination... Basically what that means is that my second series DID NOT SUCK!! Jumping on board a series established by someone else and trying to stamp your own mark on it isn't easy, and I thank people who have enjoyed my eps, the recent few eps have been amazing to the point where even I was laughing at my own jokes.
And Of The Night returned from the dead (ironic with it being a Vampire Noir) episode 3 after a 2 year absence. And I still think its one of the finest things I've ever written. It holds a tender part in my heart and am very proud of the guys at Spiritblade for what they've done.
Did I also tell you that In The Line Of Duty: The Vanguard Archives is also a ratings success with regular downloads of over 100 a month from across the world? The series has grown through a lot of pitching and repitching with my collaborator Ben Reed. The formula is as follows. There are action sequences, but the characters are real with emotions and back story. Every little character has a tale and a connection. My favourite ep is the one where David Ault's Jack Anders carries the story on his own as the husband who has lost his wife, but (and this is a secret) Michael Hudson's performance as George Marcus a man who has lost his son was so good we decided to write him into the series full time.
My writing life will come full circle if Eric Busby releases the Byron specials I wrote for him. One of which was inspired by what someone described as a Twitercrush. she liked Mummies so Mummies appeared in the episode.
But all of this is old news revisited. This isn't the new news. I hear you cry, some of you say "Please stop blogging" some of you say "you ignorant arrogant pig" some of you even say "I don't get it" which I suppose is most of you. So for all those interested in what's happening I'll let you know...
The Soul Trilogy is a little set of short films linked by a narrow thread. I've been persuaded not to be such a protective, power hungry so and so and I've relinquished my arm to my London colleagues for their particular stories. casting, locations... Because I've been working on:
Manchester Nun With A Gun Productions...
TaDah! What do you think? I'm working on T-shirts as we speak. (No, I'm not kidding)
The first Manc Nun wit' Gun production is cast, semi located and I'm currently wooing a film crew and hiring an AD. I know that I'm not to everyone's taste, but hopefully I do things for what I consider the best intention. So on this occasion I will be stepping into the Ron Howard director's hat.
So, I work hard at the day job doing things I don't like, working long hours for extra money to finance the production that I do like, but that I'm doing a job I'm not sure about to get the vision I want...
Sometimes in order to get to where you want you have to take risks and do something you hate, to be hated and know that deep inside you're doing it for the greater good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)