Friday, February 23, 2007
Small Screen Gothic
Got my marks back for that damned Market Analysis I've been moaning about interminably for what feels like months - and wonder of wonders I got a D1 for it (that's Distinction in the weird marking system). I was seriously worried about that module because I wasn't able to get the primary interview I desperately wanted and researching figures and percentages bores me rigid, but there you go - never say never! I studied the area of Gothic drama on UK terrestrial tv which was interesting in itself as I'm working on a gothic drama at the moment separately from the Uni work - though somewhat disheartening as few original gothic or gothic-inspired dramas make it through the system. By far the majority that do are adapted from classic and/or famous literary sources like 'Dracula' or Jane Austen. Still, it's about building a portfolio at the moment.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
thinking outside the box
Been working hard this week so haven't had much chance to blog. First off I've been researching and photographing vintage clothing for my day job, whilst also earning a buck doing some online things.
Secondly, and not least, I've had stuff to do for Uni including an idea for the 'Writing for Interactive Entertainment' module and then work for the 'Short Script' module. The Interactive module is quite exciting for me because I'm into it, but I have too many ideas buzzing about for my project - I've already outlined a childrens game, an adult game channeling some Twin Peaks-type vibes, and a fantasy type adventure quest game for all... hmmm... I need to choose something specific TODAY argh.
For the Short Script module we're working on shortening and updating our premises, which has been more difficult than I thought - we're down to 40 words this week which has been interesting. So far mine is :
*Chair of Structures and Fire
Bored in a suffocating marriage, a fantasising housewife seeks solace in a one-off affair. She’s unaware her current lover wants forever though, until one fateful hothouse day when she’s presented with a dead husband as an unexpected special surprise.*
We also randomly swapped newspaper and magazine articles last week and have to come up with a 500 word outline for a film based on the 2 articles we ended up with. I ended up with a magazine photo of a soppy looking woman in a cafe, and an article about the increased gang wars and bloodshed in Tokyo - whereas I have knowledge of (occasionally) being a soppy looking woman in a cafe, I have nil knowledge of Japanese gangsters - however it has been both frustrating and also rather enjoyable, as we're being forced to think outside our own 'boxes'. I've written a piece called 'Good For Nothing' about a woman who wants to be a showgirl, but spends her time cleaning a brothel until her Japanese step-brother goes missing and she's forced to travel to Japan to unravel the mystery amidst Japanese Yakuza (gangster) culture. I'm under no illusion that its any good but it was sort of fun.
Secondly, and not least, I've had stuff to do for Uni including an idea for the 'Writing for Interactive Entertainment' module and then work for the 'Short Script' module. The Interactive module is quite exciting for me because I'm into it, but I have too many ideas buzzing about for my project - I've already outlined a childrens game, an adult game channeling some Twin Peaks-type vibes, and a fantasy type adventure quest game for all... hmmm... I need to choose something specific TODAY argh.
For the Short Script module we're working on shortening and updating our premises, which has been more difficult than I thought - we're down to 40 words this week which has been interesting. So far mine is :
*Chair of Structures and Fire
Bored in a suffocating marriage, a fantasising housewife seeks solace in a one-off affair. She’s unaware her current lover wants forever though, until one fateful hothouse day when she’s presented with a dead husband as an unexpected special surprise.*
We also randomly swapped newspaper and magazine articles last week and have to come up with a 500 word outline for a film based on the 2 articles we ended up with. I ended up with a magazine photo of a soppy looking woman in a cafe, and an article about the increased gang wars and bloodshed in Tokyo - whereas I have knowledge of (occasionally) being a soppy looking woman in a cafe, I have nil knowledge of Japanese gangsters - however it has been both frustrating and also rather enjoyable, as we're being forced to think outside our own 'boxes'. I've written a piece called 'Good For Nothing' about a woman who wants to be a showgirl, but spends her time cleaning a brothel until her Japanese step-brother goes missing and she's forced to travel to Japan to unravel the mystery amidst Japanese Yakuza (gangster) culture. I'm under no illusion that its any good but it was sort of fun.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Hello I'm MJ and I'm an occasional whiner
How pathetic was my last post!!?!?
I'm ashamed of it now, but am going to choose not to edit it out of existence as I think that might be even MORE pathetic of me. On reflection, I was having a bit of a rotten writing day when I wrote it, but pffft today I am shiny and positive and PFFTTTTT I will re-edit the novel over the next few months then choose some agents and send out a few sample chapters and/or synopsis to see if anyone is interested (thanks to optimistic_reader for her advice). Anyway, the novel was a sort of by-product of my screenwriting so it's not the be-all-and-end-all.
Went back to Uni yesterday - oh so nice to be back after all the holidays we've been given. Hell, who ever heard of a student complaining about having holidays, but as part-timers we all cling on to our weekly one-day as a sort of writerly beacon every 7 days. It's SO nice to have moved on to our 2nd trimester leaving the Business stuff behind somewhat (yes I did learn a few valuable things which will no doubt hold me in good stead but my god, some of it was LOOOOOOOONG and seemed awfully Producer-orientated). This Trimester sees us looking at 'writing for interactive entertainment' and also a Script workshop, and both look like they're going to be much more enjoyable and useful.
The interactive module is appealing to me as I'm a bit of a computer geek on the side - I taught myself to code on a ZX Spectrum (and from the class I discovered so did Miss Read - geeks rule!), and now do a bit of mucking about with Dreamworks and Flash on my Mac when I have a spare min. I've started sketching out a concept for a game and look forward to the rest of this module.
In the afternoon we're having script workshops. We've also been cropped down to a tiny class of about 14 or so, and it feels exciting to be moving forward with our own creative works.
I'm ashamed of it now, but am going to choose not to edit it out of existence as I think that might be even MORE pathetic of me. On reflection, I was having a bit of a rotten writing day when I wrote it, but pffft today I am shiny and positive and PFFTTTTT I will re-edit the novel over the next few months then choose some agents and send out a few sample chapters and/or synopsis to see if anyone is interested (thanks to optimistic_reader for her advice). Anyway, the novel was a sort of by-product of my screenwriting so it's not the be-all-and-end-all.
Went back to Uni yesterday - oh so nice to be back after all the holidays we've been given. Hell, who ever heard of a student complaining about having holidays, but as part-timers we all cling on to our weekly one-day as a sort of writerly beacon every 7 days. It's SO nice to have moved on to our 2nd trimester leaving the Business stuff behind somewhat (yes I did learn a few valuable things which will no doubt hold me in good stead but my god, some of it was LOOOOOOOONG and seemed awfully Producer-orientated). This Trimester sees us looking at 'writing for interactive entertainment' and also a Script workshop, and both look like they're going to be much more enjoyable and useful.
The interactive module is appealing to me as I'm a bit of a computer geek on the side - I taught myself to code on a ZX Spectrum (and from the class I discovered so did Miss Read - geeks rule!), and now do a bit of mucking about with Dreamworks and Flash on my Mac when I have a spare min. I've started sketching out a concept for a game and look forward to the rest of this module.
In the afternoon we're having script workshops. We've also been cropped down to a tiny class of about 14 or so, and it feels exciting to be moving forward with our own creative works.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Now what....
Here's a question..... I've finally finished the novel I've written - it's adult fiction - but now what? It felt sort of satisfying to finish it and then I started getting an odd sinking feeling in my stomach as I realised that writing and finishing it wasn't enough - I want people to read it - so now what? Do I start sending out chapters to agents in the hope that they'll like it? I should say that I've read loads of advice, books, websites, etc about this whole thing but hmmmm it seems sort of distant now. Some of them say 'yes send it out everywhere', whilst others say 'you don't need an agent', and yet more say 'pick one agent and let them have it for 6 months before sending to another one'. Anyway I've written a book - its got a proper beginning, middle and end - I've done what all the advice says, ie - stop bitching and promising and wondering and just WRITE IT. So I have.. now what?
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Shoes for all
I'm in a trivia frame of mind rather than a writing one today. As some of you know, I wear a vintage clothing hat sometimes when I'm trying to make a living, and today I got a catalogue for an upcoming auction of the MOST fabulous shoes (I know, a million cliches spring to mind about women.. shoes... shoes.. credit cards...shopping bags hidden underneath the stairs... etc) but these aren't just shoes no, they are ART. And in fact as if to PROVE my 'shoes are not just for Christmas but are art too' point, some of the lots by the designer Jan Jansen are available as a single shoe - a single 'here is a beautiful shoe and you must put me in a perspex box and admire me as art and not think about cramming your size 6's into me and sullying me' object d'art. You can view somre more crazy 60s and 70s shoes here.
I'm not buying any no, no way but I will dream about the green ones forever.
It's a quiet news day but...
It is indeed a slow news day BUT I have 2 things to report - I now have a fringe and more importantly I have a new mug (as you can see) which replaces the sadly deceased 'pink poodle wearing sunglasses' one.
On an even less interesting note, I have the cold BLAH. I feel the need for chocolate shortbread.
As you were.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Dream topping
I saw Dreamgirls last night. It wasn't one of those films I really fancied but a friend had a spare ticket and hmmm it was interesting. It had some GREAT bits (Jennifer Hudson's character in particular is fantastic - strong and fiesty and believeable - and what a voice) but quite a lot of dodgy uneasy bits too.
Eddie Murphy is a bit of a revelation - on stage he's all flash and James Brown sass but off-stage he gives a generally underplayed, rather knowing performance as his character finds himself at the mercy of music trends; Beyonce is gorgeous and sufficiently wide-eyed then progressively more cynical as her (rather thin) story progresses; Danny Glover is an impressively world-weary promoter with a conscience, and whilst Jamie Foxx is convincing he doesn't dazzle in a role that could've been much more fleshy (the cynic in me thinks that his role was deliberately down-played to let Eddie Murphy deliver a much showier performance). Some of the musical numbers are really enjoyable and fabulously over-the-top with tons of sequins and glitter as befits the 60s and 70s, but some of the musical set-pieces that seek to be 'conversations in song' don't work and had the audience shifting uncomfortably as they seemed to go on an interminably LONG time.
To sum up, 'Dreamgirls' is ambitious entertainment, and worth going to see for the sheer spectacle and ambitious scope of the film. Certainly worth seeing for Jennifer Hudsons powerhouse voice and sincere gutsy interpretation of what is at best, an unoriginal role. But it doesn't deserve a 'Best Picture' in any shape or form as the plot gets confusing in the second half and it all gets a little messy as it tries to tie up all the individual story strands.
Jennifer Hudson deserves all the plaudits though - as does the costume department for some truly fabulous frocks!
Eddie Murphy is a bit of a revelation - on stage he's all flash and James Brown sass but off-stage he gives a generally underplayed, rather knowing performance as his character finds himself at the mercy of music trends; Beyonce is gorgeous and sufficiently wide-eyed then progressively more cynical as her (rather thin) story progresses; Danny Glover is an impressively world-weary promoter with a conscience, and whilst Jamie Foxx is convincing he doesn't dazzle in a role that could've been much more fleshy (the cynic in me thinks that his role was deliberately down-played to let Eddie Murphy deliver a much showier performance). Some of the musical numbers are really enjoyable and fabulously over-the-top with tons of sequins and glitter as befits the 60s and 70s, but some of the musical set-pieces that seek to be 'conversations in song' don't work and had the audience shifting uncomfortably as they seemed to go on an interminably LONG time.
To sum up, 'Dreamgirls' is ambitious entertainment, and worth going to see for the sheer spectacle and ambitious scope of the film. Certainly worth seeing for Jennifer Hudsons powerhouse voice and sincere gutsy interpretation of what is at best, an unoriginal role. But it doesn't deserve a 'Best Picture' in any shape or form as the plot gets confusing in the second half and it all gets a little messy as it tries to tie up all the individual story strands.
Jennifer Hudson deserves all the plaudits though - as does the costume department for some truly fabulous frocks!
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