The last apple

Here's something else I spotted in my brief foray into the fog. It looked significant. Must be all those 'temptation' fables that rushed into my head when I saw it gleaming in a corner. If you click on the photo so you can see it larger, you'll see the apple is still properly attached without leaf or other means of support. In admiration at its sturdiness, I let it be - someone else can do the deed.

It's a real pea-souper today, Watson

It's foggy here, which makes everything assume an air of mystery and look a bit Sherlock Holmes.

I'm anaemic apparently - more updates as the results (blood) come in. Maybe I'll have consumption next or something else that sounds vaguely 18th century. Here are some pics I took this morning as I ventured out to draw water from the well, before thatching my roof.

Meme on Screenwriting books

It appears I've been meme-d by Chip here to recommend any useful film books hmmmm. Not sure about useful but here's the list of what I've currently got on my desk :

Misogyny in the Movies by Mackinnon - interesting book about gender politics mainly in the 70s. Particularly interesting about de Palma works. Found this one when researching my Valley of the Dolls' essay;

Feminism and Film by Mumm - this one also found during the VOTD research. Threw up a few interesting questions;

The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry - Still to finish this, but it's both intriguing and like sticking your head into a wonderful swirl of words;

101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters - this was a Christmas present, and a useful prop when you've got a block;

Teach Yourself Screenwriting by Raymond Frensham - this one was recommended by the MA course and it's proved really useful on the basic principles of writing - especially if you have any little niggles about something like structure or plot;

Writing Screenplays That Sell by Hauge - the first screenwriting book I ever bought. Scared the crap out of me at the time but also let me see for the first time that once you had your ideas, there was a 'way' to shoogle it into something resembling a script;

The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri - hard going but rather deep. I read it when I'm feeling cerebral. Useful;

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman - intriguing book that isn't about screenwriting but certainly pertains to character work and how you structure a convincing inner life for your puppets;

Story by Robert McKee - the infamous one! I actually rather like it - it talks a lot of sense, and was certainly a bit of a stalwart when I was getting restarted into this screenwriting lark again. Bit dry, but useful and I do still occasionally refer to it;

The Devil's Guide to Hollywood by Joe Eszterhas - if you want a macho expose - this is it, though perhaps 'macho' is me being a bit disingenuous as it's actually quite a revealing and honest book. Funny too. A great irreverent read;

The Screenwriter's Bible by Trottier - now this was one of my first ever Screenwriting books. I still remember feeling embarrassed buying it. Got me started though and it lays out all the things you need to know clearly and with numerous examples to follow.

Valentine's Day I spit in yer eye!

I hope you had a lovely one.

I spent mine giving blood, sitting in the XRay department of my local hospital, and getting prodded and looked at by medical students (not in a good way). Today I'm missing Uni, which is a pain, but necessary. Blah, we were getting a guest in the morning too, which makes it even more annoying, ahh well.

I will use today to work out some ideas for the script I'm about to start, I think it will have cakes in it. Also have to write a middle-of-run episode of my tv series to show it has potential, now that the pilot is out the way. Synopsis of the 6 episodes done, and character outlines complete. Keen to start this, which is a good sign as I feel like I have the story world filling my head.

Glad to be Lay(zee)

Glad to say the Doris Day baker & Metal-loving mechanic script has now been delivered, as has the 'Valley of the Dolls' assignment. Now that my tax return is in, and nothing MAJOR is urgently looming (except the need to earn a living of course), I'm currently experiencing the odd pleasure of a day off, my first in around 2 months. Mind you, haircut and dentist appointment looming (though not together, although hmm could that work?), but they are mere blips on my radar pffft, I spit on their insignificance.

Saw 'PS I Love You' - it wasn't very good, but Gerard Butler was very pleasing to the eye (eek I've gone a bit Jane Austen), actually so was Jeffrey Dean Morgan - in fact, good eye candy all round if you like celtic manliness. Entered a short story competition in which the finalists go on a writing workshop with Ian Rankin... can't be bad, and am currently polishing a short for another comp.

Used the wonderful Lucy's script reading services for the first time - helpful, clear and she talks in NORMAL language, none of this unintelligible scriptedegook. I recommend her, in fact, if I was less financially challenged, I might buy the company. Here's her script reading details.