Friday, March 30, 2007
The Long Distance Screenwriter
Adrian Mead is coming to Edinburgh! 'The Long Distance Screenwriter' is a one-day event on the 9th June in Edinburgh from MeadKerr. I've heard SO many good things about Mead's events both in Edinburgh and London, so I've bitten the bullet and signed up for this one - can't wait! A few of my fellow MA students are going too so should be useful and fun. You can read more about it here. Anyone else going?
Monday, March 26, 2007
Radio Play'sThe Thing
I spent the weekend finishing off my application for Channel 4's 'Radio Play's TheThing' which is looking for 15 minute Radio Plays to workshop. I love radio drama and thought this would be a good place to get me started. Unfortunately and rather disappointingly, since yesterday no-one can actually send in their applications as the Channel 4 mailbox seems to be full. I've tried a few times, and have heard from others who also have the same problem.
Maybe this wouldn't be quite so annoying if it was the sort of competition where all we had to do was answer a question, but no, this one requires real time and effort. If we've all gone to the trouble of putting an application together before the deadline (today at noon) then we should by rights be able to put that application in as per the Terms and Conditions of the competition.
Come on Channel 4, sort it out!
On a side-note - your enquiries number hasn't been much help either, or particularly reassuring.
Maybe this wouldn't be quite so annoying if it was the sort of competition where all we had to do was answer a question, but no, this one requires real time and effort. If we've all gone to the trouble of putting an application together before the deadline (today at noon) then we should by rights be able to put that application in as per the Terms and Conditions of the competition.
Come on Channel 4, sort it out!
On a side-note - your enquiries number hasn't been much help either, or particularly reassuring.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
it's the socks or me
The other assignment finished and submitted was a premise and outline for our Short Script Workshop. Our tutor is really making us work - great to finally be getting down to our own scripts and ideas. Last week we had a useful workshop where we were only allowed to make negative comments about each other's work but we had to offer constructive criticism to advise how problems could be solved. This was a bit butt-clenching initially, but got easier as we got into it, and I found it very useful. It threw up certain things that I had been worrying about - and when at least 3 people [picked up on some of them (of their own accord) it proved I was right to be worrying. Sometimes you get so tied up in a story that you forget the obvious. My protagonist lost her way but after redirecting her, I think she's safely back on track.
The final submission has changed enormously from my first idea and premise, and its all the more satisfying for having done so. When I have a (hopefully) good idea, I have a slight tendency to overwork things - it's a habit I'm trying to break, but I think it stems from worrying that I'll have no more ideas (I know its nuts). This class has shown me that you're basically never stuck for ideas - even if its just flicking through a newspaper or an old notebook. I've tested the theory, and so far its worked - so my fear of writers block seems to be subsiding a little. I've even started keeping an 'ideas book' which I'd have probably considered a bit naff a couple years ago, but now, nah it's already helped me out of one sticky situation. It's like having back-up, and back-up is gooooood.
On a completely random note - I've finally started my Physiotherapy course to help with my damaged shoulder (in a nutshell : large sheet of MDF, dropped it, broke my big toe in 2 places and damaged some complicated things in my shoulder). It's already proving helpful and I'm hopeful that with a few wrenching sessions, all will be on the mend. Talking of 'ideas' though - my physiotherapist was telling me that in his experience so far (he's english), scottish people seem to have a 'thing' about exposing their feet. Even the ones that have to strip down to their essentials, always leave their socks on... it's intriguing if a little disturbing - what are they trying to hide.....
The final submission has changed enormously from my first idea and premise, and its all the more satisfying for having done so. When I have a (hopefully) good idea, I have a slight tendency to overwork things - it's a habit I'm trying to break, but I think it stems from worrying that I'll have no more ideas (I know its nuts). This class has shown me that you're basically never stuck for ideas - even if its just flicking through a newspaper or an old notebook. I've tested the theory, and so far its worked - so my fear of writers block seems to be subsiding a little. I've even started keeping an 'ideas book' which I'd have probably considered a bit naff a couple years ago, but now, nah it's already helped me out of one sticky situation. It's like having back-up, and back-up is gooooood.
On a completely random note - I've finally started my Physiotherapy course to help with my damaged shoulder (in a nutshell : large sheet of MDF, dropped it, broke my big toe in 2 places and damaged some complicated things in my shoulder). It's already proving helpful and I'm hopeful that with a few wrenching sessions, all will be on the mend. Talking of 'ideas' though - my physiotherapist was telling me that in his experience so far (he's english), scottish people seem to have a 'thing' about exposing their feet. Even the ones that have to strip down to their essentials, always leave their socks on... it's intriguing if a little disturbing - what are they trying to hide.....
how not to knit a hit
Currently having one of those weeks where you get 1 thing finished and there are still 3 others jostling to get dealt with next. I'm just having a temporary breather after submitting 2 assignments for the MA course. First was a proposal for an interactive game in our 'Writing for Interactive Entertainment' module. I've gone for an action/adventure game which has turned out as a sort of weird futuristic amalgam of Lara Croft/Myst/Halo and Final Fantasy. I've never written for the gaming world before so it has been interesting to say the least - i have a feeling that I've spent too long going into the story world rather than concentrating on the mechanics, but I guess my mark and feedback will tell me that in good enough time. I'd love to see a pitch or proposal for a new game just to see how the professionals do it, as I have no idea if their format has any similarities to traditional drama pitching.
The one thing that did seem very odd whilst putting together the proposal, was the lack of a definite character image - if I had the skills, I think I'd have physically drawn or designed my character first as it would have helped flesh out the idea. I think the stumbling block has been that she's not 'real', and no matter how realistic she may be depicted in-game, she's still not 'real' - there's just no getting away from it. I tell you one thing though, she sure as hell won't be fannying around her world in a bikini or skimpy shorts.
I did a bit of research last night into games that have been banned or never made it through, and geeeeez there were some that frankly scared me half to death (and that's just looking at some of the screenshots) and also an inordinate amount containing strippers, scantily-clad college girls, and naked female wrestling - I kid you not! You also have to wonder at a game that gives extra points for kicking a prostitute character to death.... yeah yeah I know it's JUST A GAME, but there's a line... it's getting a little hazy but there is definitely a line. Maybe I need to be designing games that involve knitting - I doubt they'd sell but least I'd be sure no-one was going to run amok stabbing people with knitting needles.. hey there's an idea.. white van man I'm coming for you!
The one thing that did seem very odd whilst putting together the proposal, was the lack of a definite character image - if I had the skills, I think I'd have physically drawn or designed my character first as it would have helped flesh out the idea. I think the stumbling block has been that she's not 'real', and no matter how realistic she may be depicted in-game, she's still not 'real' - there's just no getting away from it. I tell you one thing though, she sure as hell won't be fannying around her world in a bikini or skimpy shorts.
I did a bit of research last night into games that have been banned or never made it through, and geeeeez there were some that frankly scared me half to death (and that's just looking at some of the screenshots) and also an inordinate amount containing strippers, scantily-clad college girls, and naked female wrestling - I kid you not! You also have to wonder at a game that gives extra points for kicking a prostitute character to death.... yeah yeah I know it's JUST A GAME, but there's a line... it's getting a little hazy but there is definitely a line. Maybe I need to be designing games that involve knitting - I doubt they'd sell but least I'd be sure no-one was going to run amok stabbing people with knitting needles.. hey there's an idea.. white van man I'm coming for you!
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
enraged from Edinburgh
Open note to white van/lorry man :
1) Start driving AT LEAST 2 feet from the back of my car or I will be forced to drive at 12 mph for the rest of the journey as long as I can get away with it.
2) Stop cutting into the perfectly calculated driving space that is between me and the car in front or .. well just BECAUSE.
3) Stop parking up across the wee drive at the front of my house for your lunch/coffee/oggle at The Sun so I can't get my car out. Next time you do it I will call Crimestoppers and suggest you might be building a nuclear bomb in the back.
4) Stop trying to force your way on to a motorway from a slip road without giving way to the traffic (ie - ME). If I can't move across to let you out then I CANT MOVE ACROSS TO LET YOU OUT - keeping coming until you're 1 inch from scraping my car will not encourage me to change my view.
Breathe
1) Start driving AT LEAST 2 feet from the back of my car or I will be forced to drive at 12 mph for the rest of the journey as long as I can get away with it.
2) Stop cutting into the perfectly calculated driving space that is between me and the car in front or .. well just BECAUSE.
3) Stop parking up across the wee drive at the front of my house for your lunch/coffee/oggle at The Sun so I can't get my car out. Next time you do it I will call Crimestoppers and suggest you might be building a nuclear bomb in the back.
4) Stop trying to force your way on to a motorway from a slip road without giving way to the traffic (ie - ME). If I can't move across to let you out then I CANT MOVE ACROSS TO LET YOU OUT - keeping coming until you're 1 inch from scraping my car will not encourage me to change my view.
Breathe
Friday, March 02, 2007
Karma and the legacy of Black February
I'm ill. It's karma getting me back for acting all superior when everyone around me was coming down with the same bug a few weeks ago. Karma (or Black February as I like to call it) is now also getting me back by nearly giving me a heart-attack with this mornings post. For contained within the numerous junk catalogues featuring giant slippers and the like, was a Sheriff Court summons from the 'person' who hit my car over a year ago. After I'd picked myself off the floor and finished hyperventilating, I called my Insurers who seemed awfully blase about it and said they had a whole department to deal with court things and not to worry as they'd sort it out. I REALLY hope it is as simple as that because I'd just got used to not getting those vaguely threatening 'no win no fee' letters all the time.
I'd never had a car accident before last year, so it's been a huge learning curve, not to say a slightly complicated one. I hope that's my 1 statistical car accident out the way and I hope to never have another the rest of my life.
I'm off to be ill for the rest of the day. I can't eat and am drinking only water so therefore I must indulge in some boring blogging, and potentially watch an episode of 'Misdomer Murders'. Maybe I could start a short script about being ill, getting a summons and desiring a chocolate ginger SO much that I took one out of the box to smell it earlier. Then again, maybe not.
Did I tell you I was ill?
I'd never had a car accident before last year, so it's been a huge learning curve, not to say a slightly complicated one. I hope that's my 1 statistical car accident out the way and I hope to never have another the rest of my life.
I'm off to be ill for the rest of the day. I can't eat and am drinking only water so therefore I must indulge in some boring blogging, and potentially watch an episode of 'Misdomer Murders'. Maybe I could start a short script about being ill, getting a summons and desiring a chocolate ginger SO much that I took one out of the box to smell it earlier. Then again, maybe not.
Did I tell you I was ill?
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