The Bloodline Script

Some readers may recall my blog on The Royal Film Performance (see side bar) of A Bunch Of Amateurs, in particular my comments about the gestation period of the script (seven years). The original writers got to the point where they needed help to polish the script and two further writers (including Ian Hislop) were brought in to complete the project. It must have been difficult for the original writers to dilute their involvement but at least it got the film made. I’ve reached a similar position with The bloodline feature, insofar as the Director designate is not satisfied with the ReWrite and believes another writer (one he has worked with before) will be more in tune with his vision for the movie. So do I give up ownership of The Bloodline in order to retain the Director or stick with my vision and start the search for a new Director (and possibly Producer!)? Answers on an email to brokenarrowfilms!

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Art

Have you eaten all those mince pies yet? Any turkey left? Maybe some Christmas pudding is sitting at the bottom of a bowl? No? Well, you must have had a good Christmas but at least you have around 360 days to get rid of the calories! At my age of course, I try to be careful… but usually fail. This year, to take my mind off food I’ve put together a video of some of my artwork. I hope you enjoy it.


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X Factor

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas, my Producer Paul Dawe (Blue Rider Films) most decidedly did! Paul was part of the X Factor team and was obliged to attend the show's rap party in the VIP suite of London’s most fashionable night club, Movida in Shaftesbury Avenue. As you can see he was forced to get up close and personal, with some of the talent show contestants, due to the body press in the VIP area. It’s a hard life but someone has to live it! Come on Paul, go and give Julian a squeeze and get his report on The Bloodline ReWrite!!

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Christmas Greetings

The warmest of Christmas greetings to one and all from brokenarrowfilms. It's been some time since I held a paintbrush in my hand, therefore, todays illustration is of a painting completed a few years ago. Enjoy!

Oliver Cat

Yesterday Oliver Cat died at the grand old age of 19 years (all but 2 months), his owner (my wife) is sad but stalwart. Oliver will be remembered, particularly because the day! Happy birthday Diane! Merry Christmas everyone.

The Crooked House

I’ve now completed twenty-three pages of The Haunting Of Becky Thomas and its legs are still in place (see earlier blog “The Writer’s Mantra” on side bar). I took a break from writing to watch a ghost story I had recorded from BBC 4. Sabina Sattar of Gone Fishing fame (see Gone Fishing blog on side bar) was the Production Designer on the Tiger Aspect’s production of “The Crooked House”. If you missed it you can get it on the BBC iplayer, but the next episode is tonight at 22.30hrs.

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Unavoidable Sex?

A possible apology to my regular readers? My wife noticed a problem with the Christmas video that I directed you to a few days ago. Once the video has stopped running you are given options to run similar videos on YouTube… she found that these so called “similar” videos are rather rude and softpornish! If you enjoy softporn then “no problema”, if not don’t blame me YouTube make the selection not me!

You must know about buses and bus stops, well yesterday I mapped out another ghost story! This time a generic short (ie one that they can “play” around with and ring the changes) for my friends at FrameOnFrame. I’m not expecting anything to come of my one-page pitch but it was fun to send some creative fertiliser in the direction of FrameOnFrame!

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Shakespeare & Charles Babbage

I’ve heard from Claire Barker (FrameOnFrame) that after many months of rumination over Babbage she is now pushing out of the quicksand of research and onto the lower slopes of scriptwriting. Good luck to her. Having just finished a reread of The Cogwheel Brain (by Doron Swade) the penny dropped as to why I felt some sympathy for Babbage. The Book covers Babbage’s struggles with Difference Engines #1&2 and his even more challenging Analytical Engine, it then covers a modern reconstruction of Difference Engine #2 by the Science Museum. Babbage’s story is about human nature, the struggle to progress, the thirst to understand our world and the need to be greater than we are. When I was at secondary school I chose to take on the building of a pendulum clock for my science project. Every lesson I worked frantically on the project, arriving early, leaving late. The net result was an A. And how far did I get with the clock? I hadn’t finished the cogs! Each had to be hand made from solid brass and filed to a specific shape. Long after I should have finished the project my teacher finally took the pieces from me saying “You’ve done enough… no one could ask for more effort… go on off to the playground”. I’d forgotten the A, but if someone had stopped Babbage after DE #1 and said “Well done… you’ve done enough… take an A”. Then he may have had a happier more rewarding (in terms of recognition) life and been able devote his great brain to projects that would have had a direct impact and linkage to our time. Effectively Babbage’s failure to stop developing and follow-through any engine build condemned British research and development into mechanical and then electromechanical calculation into the wilderness of inactivity for around 100 years. Not until the 1940s did the threat of Adolf Hitler act as a driving force for building arguably the world’s first computer. Babbage’s story is a Shakespearean tragedy of what might have been.

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Merry Christmas

Hi everyone the video below is actually an advert for some 3D Animation software (iclone), but it is great fun, so enjoy. I use the software from time to time but I haven't mastered it yet..

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The Writer's Mantra

Some blogs ago I said that I was going back to do some more work on my WWII project (Caen). Well, regular readers will know that this did not happen. What they won’t know, is that it still hasn’t happened! Why? The latest excuse is my new ghost story, now called “The Haunting Of Becky Thomas”. So why have I chosen this action when it means yet another partially completed script will be added to my portfolio? The answer is “legs”, yes legs. I’m not sure if THOBT has any and the only way to find out is to follow the story. So far I’ve written 16 pages of a script (based on a one-page pitch) and it looks like the idea has legs for a one hour (42minutes!) TV Drama at least. Now I can relax as the next 30 pages are already mapped out in my head and it’s simply a matter of transfer. And the WWII project? I’ve completed a full 20-page outline of the story and 31 pages of the script so I know all about its legs! If you find this confusing then a word or two about my writing methods may help. I write in one of three ways the first is the most traditional (eg WWII project) I get an idea, I research the idea, a story begins to form and I write a 20 page outline. I then convert the outline (which is effectively scene headings with notes) into a script. This is usually the case if I can see the legs! Alternatively a random idea will pop into my head, sometimes this is a complete story with legs so I go straight into script writing. However, if the legs and/or ideas are unclear I’ll write a one-page pitch to clarify the idea. If the legs are clear I’ll write an outline, if not I’ll start the script and keep going until I can see the legs. I’m not recommending these methods to anyone else, but what I would say is that the sooner you get the full story on to paper the better, once it’s there you can go back to it as often as possible until you have your first draft script. At this stage it’s a good idea to put the script aside, when you eventually go back to it you will see the flaws better. Working on multiple projects allows you the opportunity to put work aside whilst still crafting your skills and moving forward. Clear?

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Plugging Away

It’s very easy to become seduced by the film industry, the apparent glamour is there for all to see but behind this is the hard slog, the dedication and sacrifice. At the weekend my feature film Producer Paul-Dawe, my short film Producer/Editor Jack Marshall and myself were all at the same Christmas party. So what did we do? Yes, that’s right, we sneaked off to Paul’s study/studio to watch Jack’s first edit of Intruder and his first edit of A Question Of Content. It would have been so easy to start the next edit then and there, but fortunately Paul’s computer (he is also a professional editor on such programs as the X Factor and Time Team etc.) was having nothing of it! Eventually we were discovered and returned to the party. When you have “day jobs” it’s important to steal every moment you can for your projects and Jack (who is in that position) now has some pointers for his next midnight editing session. If you’d like to know more check out his blog. By the way we discussed my film pitch at the party (see previous blog) and I told Jack that he should put his views (he hates it!) on his blog, which he has done. As a writer it is almost inevitable that you will become defensive about your work, but it is vital that you take praise and criticism in your stride. For example my wife (who’s judgement I rely on and who would never lead me to develop a dead-end theme) loved the pitch and thought that it could be one of my best stories, my Producer would like to see more before committing himself to a firm opinion. No doubt if I pitched to ten people I would get ten different views. The important thing is to listen to learn and apply and ultimately have faith in your ability (“Never give up, never surrender”, Galaxy Quest). O and the reason Jack hated it? He hates ghost stories… all of them!

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More Pottering About!

To continue… I’m not a great fan of biopics as they often need to distort the truth extensively to produce dramatic effects or are so close to reality that a documentary would be better. Of course the more ancient the events the easier it is to get away with the former approach and the less meaningful a documentary would be (unless we are talking about the “giants” of history) to ordinary members of the public. However, I’m going to bang on about Miss Potter… having checked the real history it would appear that except for a few minor adjustment (eg the fact that Beatrix Potter had already started the process of a self-published a book) the film kept to the facts and still managed to entertain. Here the writer had the advantage of her drawings, and animating these was a masterstroke. Well done! I wish all the luck to Claire Barker of FrameOnFrame who is trying to develop the Babbage biopic feature. I haven’t consulted on this project for some time now but I have not been idle. Today I sent the outline of an idea for a micro-budget feature to Jack Marshall. He’s already got one of his own ideas under development so if you’d like to know more check his blog from time to time.

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Pottering About

Let me first confess that I do not own a home theatre system, this is largely a matter of choice as I love the whole “real” cinema experience, so my opening paragraph or two may not mean that much to those who have made the investment. No matter, have you ever seen a great film at the cinema and waited expectantly for the DVD only to find that it is disappointing when viewed on your TV? Often this is due to an over busy screen, cinematic effect (eg “jumpy” photography) or an obsession with wide-screen long shots of admittedly beautiful landscapes. Rarer is encountering an enjoyable film at the cinema, only to find that the DVD experience is absolutely great! The reasons for this are perhaps less clear, but I suspect they relate to the performance of the actors and a good balance between “spectacle” and drama. Well, I have just seen an example of such a film… Miss Potter in my view qualifies as a prime example, so make sure you don’t miss it. The screenplay was written by an American Richards Maltby Jr whose talent I’d really like to have!

On The Bloodline feature film front, I’ve heard from Julian Richards, our Director designate, that he has finished filming his Documentary and should be able to report on the ReWrite by the end of the month… all readers fingers crossed, please! At the weekend I should get my first view of my short A Question Of Content, the version edited by Jack Marshall… so more finger crossing please! You can catch his blog here.

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The Royal Film Performance

Regular readers will recall that my wife & I attended The Royal Film Performance this year with Jack Marshall. Newcomers can read 18/19 November blogs here. Well, Jack has found a YouTube video of the event and sharp eyed views will spot us between minutes 7.55 - 8.00.


Enjoy!

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Caught The Fish!

Yesterday my blog, in praise of Chris Jones' short Gone Fishing, was rather prophetic in that today I learnt from his blog that "we" had won yet another award (aptly in the shape of a fish!). The Bahamas Film Festival may not be the largest in the world, but as a place to bump into "movers" from across the pond it seems ideally placed. Good luck Chris... "Onwards and upwards" (as he would say) to the Oscars next year. My only concern is that he may be running out of shelf space for the awards... so Chris, if you read this blog I'd like to let you know that I've got a corner into which I could place the Oscar, if you find you don't have room...? and I'll even collect it from your Earling Studios office, if you like...? What an offer!

Looking at my own short A Question Of Content Jack Marshall tells me that he has made some good progress with the re-edit and hopefully I should be able to see the results next weekend.

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Gone Fishing

As an Associate Producer and featured Extra on the short Gone Fishing it is gratifying to see the film doing so well. The filmmaker Chris Jones has a very interesting blog which I recommend every wannabe filmmaker read. Having watched his latest video blog I'm going to recommend to Jack Marshall that we take his short Intruder to the Bahamas film festival next year!

Other News

Jack is still editing my short A Question Of Content so keep watching this space!
My feature project ReWrite of The Bloodline is still with Julian Richards our Director disignate.
However, I've not been idle as I've just produced a brief project evaluation on an idea suggested by Paul Dawes (Blue Rider Films) my Producer.

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CD & CB

Regular readers will recall my minor consultancy role on the Babbage project, which is being developed by FrameOnFrame. What they may not know is that this was because of my devotion to the works of Charles Dickens (a contemporary and dinner party friend of Babbage). Remarkably I have never read his unfinished work of 1870 The Mystery Of Edwin Drood. Yesterday I put this right when I finished the version completed by Leon Garfield. First published in 1980 this version adds 19 chapters to the original 22 chapters and includes an early Sherlock Holmes (who first appeared 17 years after the original Drood was printed!), an induced ghostly possession and multiple personalities. Not quite what I think Charles would have done at the time but a pretty good stab at completing a work, which has been analysed to “death” over the last 138 years! If fact in my view the first 12 chapters of the original does not represent the best work of CD but he was seriously ill at the time. Even so he still managed to pull off half of what could be the worlds first whodunit? And the Babbage project? That appears to be “off-line” at the moment so no news there I’m afraid but watch this space!

Progress?

Hi, for the few following this blog you will know that I have had "Print" quality issues with my short A Question Of Content.

For new comers this relates to the equipment we used, which was a Canon Digital Camera with an M2 attachment which gave the print a 35mm effect. The problem was that the image is recorded upside down and my Adobe Premiere 6.5 editing s/w degraded the print when flipped! The good news is that Jack Marshall Cambridge Film International may have found a solution. He tried flipping some of the footage using AVID and he tells me that the results were satisfactory... the down side is that I don't have AVID and Jack is up to his neck in editing his own short Intruder ! So watch this space!


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A Mixed Bag

I’m still waiting for the Director designate’s feedback on The Bloodline feature ReWrite, so in the mean time I’ve been corresponding with Jack Marshall over the theme music for the short A Question Of Content. I feel that this will either make or break the project (assuming we get the “print” quality issues fixed!).

Never one to throw moral stones around the greenhouse of life, I've been driven (see below) to share with you an experience I had involving BBC radio 4. A recent Feedback program had a segment discussing a stand-up comedy program aired at 6.30pm. I was driving my car at the time (hence listening to R4!) so the prog was a background noise until a BBC brass hat come on the air to defend a smutty joke that had been transmitted. Well his condescending tone to the listeners who had complained nearly sent me into a spin! So much so that I was “driven” to do something I rarely do…. ie I sent them a “discussed of Tunbridge Wells” email. The email read:-

“I cannot believe how out of touch the BBC management are with reality. This evening I listened to the patronising head of comedy tell your audience that he knew best and that his checks and balances were just fine. Now, I have no problem with a suggestive joke (even if it implied sex with a dog!) after the watershed, but to allow the same joke at 6.30pm is simply outrageous. Even if children did not get the point, their parents would have and they were likely to have felt uncomfortable. This was not even acknowledged by the remote man at the top! But what if just one unprepared parent was asked an awkward question by their child, is it the BBC policy that this child and parent are forced to face the issue at the BBC’s pace and timing? Are the BBC reduced to a chase for the greener grass of outspoken comedy at the cost of it’s home farm sensitivities as a public service?”


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