tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-344750062024-03-14T08:52:21.892+00:00stories my mother never told methoughts and stuff by writer Mandy LeeMandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-79854550755306228912013-06-29T13:21:00.001+01:002013-06-30T13:31:57.839+01:00www.mandyleewords.com - new beginnings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This will be my last post on Stories My Mother Never Told Me as I'm moving to pastures new at <a href="http://www.mandyleewords.com/">www.mandyleewords.com</a>. I've been meaning to set up a dedicated website for a long time but somehow never got round to it but finally it's ready (though still definitely a work in progress).<br />
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It makes it easier to find information on my <a href="http://mandyleewords.com/film-screen/">projects and scripts</a>, and there's a <a href="http://mandyleewords.com/news/">blog news</a> section for updates and potentially the odd ramble.<br />
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'Stories' will stay open, and I'm certainly not closing the door forever, but I hope you'll join me over at <a href="http://www.mandyleewords.com/">mandyleewords</a> for the future. You can sign up as a follower to be informed of updates, and I'll soon be migrating over some of my favourite blog links.<br />
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See you there. Gotta wear shades. Change is good.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-42623413278094309722013-04-03T20:07:00.000+01:002013-04-03T20:08:45.952+01:00Spring (allegedly)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a busy couple of months as I've caught up on things, and I've been very bad regarding blogging. There was nearly 2 inches of dust when I opened the rather creaky blog door. We have been going through the mill regarding the terrible weather - that's my excuse. Hell, it was snowing yesterday. April. Snowing. That's wrong.<br />
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Since the last time, I've finally (sound the trumpets!) finished my first full-length play for the stage. Developed and written on the Avalon Mentorship, a writing scheme with theatre company Siege Perilous, it's called TANTALUS, and is a 3-hander set in 1953 at the end of sweet rationing. That's all I can tell you at the moment. Or I'd have to shut you up. With sweets probably. Oh no I've said too much!<br />
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I'm really proud of the play, and very thankful to the whole Siege Perilous team, Tina, Andy, Caroline, and the actors involved with all the workshops for their great advice and support in helping me get there. Just finishing off a final polish, and then it's ready to be read.<br />
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My feature Masterbaker has been out getting read by some rather fantastic people whom I trust, so a rewrite is next. It's especially timely as in the meantime, it has been the lucky winner (1 of 3) of a serious script consult in a feature competition. Whilst the script benefited enormously from my time on the Playwrights Studio Scotland Screenwriting Residency - it was left a little unruly after my period of illness in 2012. It needs taming, and I'm raring to go now feedback has come in and I have renewed objectivity. I love getting my hands on a project that needs serious pruning after a break - scythe at the ready! Then it shall be ready to go to the ball.<br />
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Also in the interim, I was pleased to be shortlisted for a New Playwrights Award, with some positive comments about my work and ideas - rather thrilled to get on the shortlist, and congratulations to the awardees. In other playwriting news, I'm working on a collaborative theatre symposium later this month which will have its performance at the Traverse Theatre. Excited, me? Just a little!<br />
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Finally, this month sees my first anniversary of gallbladder-gate. RIP my little poisonous, painful and very sick little friend. I thank my lucky stars every single day that I had the NHS to help me in my moment/hours/days/weeks of need - and I still do as I get used to a rejigged digestive system. I hope it's able to survive whilst under the predatory government it currently finds itself in the UK.<br />
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<br />Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-72105949330824336352012-11-19T19:49:00.001+00:002013-03-09T21:21:58.014+00:00Different HatsHat number 1 (FILM - probably a baseball cap): I'm pleased to be working with award-winning London Director Deva Palmier on a few film projects. We've already collaborated on the script for a short film set in London, and she's also attached to direct a feature film I have in development, and another short I've written. We share a taste for the dark, real and quirky, and actually met on Twitter - ooh how moderne!<br />
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Hat number 2 (THEATRE - something with feathers): I also started the Avalon theatre mentorship a few weeks ago. We began with a group session then a 1-to-1 which was a lovely, relaxed way of getting the 6 mentees eased in. Both meetings have left me feeling much less daunted, but it's strange how accustomed I am to writing in screenplay format, and how a little alien, theatre format feels. It's not that it's hugely prescriptive or anything, just outside my comfort zone. But with mentor encouragement and advice I've started my first rewrite. The play is set in the 1950s, and has a small cast of just 3 (maybe 4 at max). It feels exciting to be writing an internal voice as part of the story, something which you don't usually get the chance to do in film. There's a little more time and space to 'play' with words and the rhythm of language which I'm enjoying immensely. I've not yet decided whether the internal voice will be voiced directly or narrated but I'm hoping that decision will become obvious as I get further on. It's an exciting process and feels hugely experimental which is a bit of a buzz. And great to be amongst a group of other writers.<br />
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Hat number 3 (post-production - definitely a fez, don't ask me why): My short LOVE CAKE is finally out of the starting blocks and ready to be sent out into the world where I hope it will find an audience. Currently buried in festival schedules and deliverables, and planning a social media strategy - more to come soon for those who are interested. In case you haven't seen the sticky little trailer, here you go. Hopefully coming to somewhere near you in 2013!<br />
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<br />Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-75727451686966065212012-10-29T14:23:00.000+00:002012-10-29T14:23:16.030+00:00It's good to shareFacebook. Blogging. Social media. I'm guilty, and conflicted. Where does the genuine desire to share end, and 'showing off' begin? Where does the joy of revealing an experience end, and neediness begin?<br />
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You remember the old days... you'd go and do something or see something interesting and you'd take a photograph to remember it or share it with friends and family. Not so much now. Instead, we shove ourselves in the frame and adopt the cutest pose we can to look the most acceptable we can to show off that we are at that amazing 'there'/doing something cool/talking to people we hope you're envious of/wearing something aspirational that you can't have or ever hope to have or wish you had. But we obscure the very experience we're trying to share by shoving our mugs into frame. Until eventually the wonderful something fades away, and we're left with just ourselves staring back at us, trying hard, hoping you don't notice.<br />
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<br />Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-53223019464425693502012-10-23T20:01:00.000+01:002012-10-23T20:01:08.491+01:00Enter stage right.....Avalon MentorshipWell my new birthday 'year' kicked off excitingly with the news that I've been awarded an Avalon Mentorship with theatre company Siege Perilous to develop my first full-length play for the stage, Tantalus.<div>
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I can't call the last year horrible, because it had some wondrous moments and terrific things in it, but my goodness, it was stressful. Beyond belief really. So, once I made it to my birthday, I'd already resolved that for the rest of 2012 I'd work on the film projects that I'm committed to, and only take on one extra thing, the thing my gut most wants to write - a full-length theatre play. I have a solid idea and the 'road' mapped out but it's daunting as stage-writing is relatively new for me. It's something I've been wanting to do for ages, even more so after having a taste of the stage when my short play was performed at the Traverse last year as part of Noisy Words, and enjoying the intimacy of watching the reading of an excerpt of my feature, Masterbaker also at the Traverse at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival. Getting a place on the Mentorship means I can take on the task with much-needed support and guidance, and I'm dying to get started. Our first meeting is next week in Edinburgh. I need a new pen!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">On a completely different tack, I watched Jane Eyre with Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender (hence gratuitous pic), and was really pleasantly surprised by it. I'm a fan of the book, and have my own favourites in previous film adaptations so didn't honestly think they could bring anything new to me. I was wrong. It's not a perfect film, mind you nothing is, BUT as I watched it, I began to realise that actually I think it may be my favourite version. Wasikowska played Jane with such quietly fierce determination you could see it blazing out of her eyes in just about every scene, even through her troubles and grief. And Fassbender brought out not only the troubled side of his character's history, but also the stultifying boredom of a man trapped in society as much as Jane is initially kept down in it. Expected to marry a woman of material substance and standing, but wishing instead, to be swept away by something passionate and 'real'. Of course it's very romantic with a whiff of eroticism as they try to resist each other, "whatever I do with this cage, I cannot get at you, and it is your soul that I want".... but it's also clever, well-written and looks beautiful. I'm going to have to watch it again. That's always a good sign.</span></span></div>
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Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-4938304115179269322012-09-16T16:25:00.002+01:002012-09-16T16:25:51.408+01:00Trailer for LincolnDaniel Day-Lewis is always worth watching, and this looks fascinating.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qiSAbAuLhqs" width="560"></iframe>Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-86169867631332372752012-09-04T13:31:00.000+01:002012-09-05T15:56:48.566+01:00Allowing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I visited an amazing garden at the weekend. It was bursting with the last-minute, leftover energy of August, all blossoming borders and overlapping drapes of leaves and flowers. And for a while I just wandered and didn't think at all about words or characters or plot-spinning. I just breathed in the colours and smells and listened to the mass drone of happy bees and hover flies. It reminded me of what a visual spectacle things can be when they relax and are allowed to happen, or of course in the case of this wondrous garden, they've been intricately planned and structured and only then, allowed to happen. Bit like a story. All the mechanics should be well-hidden, but in most cases, they're required to ensure the reader or viewer gets caught up in the wonderment of it all.<br />
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I'm writing a play for theatre as well as some film projects at the moment, and the different challenges of both mediums are proving quite inspiring if a little tough. My theatre-head still lacks confidence, but I'm going to try and plan it well, then just let it happen. Fingers crossed.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-37061525146922072812012-08-06T21:41:00.002+01:002012-08-06T21:41:18.203+01:00Lone Bird<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Are you a lone bird or a sociable sort when it comes to writing?<br />
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I've enjoyed writing with a co-writer this month, on a feature project set in India with a musical element. We're currently at a developed treatment stage and already have some interest. It's been a while since I co-wrote, and in this case it's been fun and freeing. It helps that my co-writer is someone I've known for a long time. That trust helps enormously when it comes to talking about what works and doesn't in a script. You have to be able to be totally honest without worrying about offending the other party, but also aware of how to feedback professionally, and be completely ready to have your own efforts critiqued in the same manner. I love it actually, and I also love writing alone - it's great to have the option to do both.<br />
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I'm also nearing the end stage of the rom-com feature that has been going through a serious development phase recently. It's taken longer than I hoped as it's moved on so far but I'm ready to see the end of it. I've been living with it for a long time.<br />
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There's an experimental script on the horizon where I'll be working with a London director that I haven't worked with before, but it'll come after that short break I was talking about, along with another opportunity.<br />
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I haven't forgotten.<br />
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I shall spend a little time laying like a vegetable and reading books I haven't got round to.<br />
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<br />Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-5181382560360359152012-07-19T10:57:00.001+01:002012-07-19T10:57:14.329+01:00Another bite at the cherry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Currently in the midst of transforming a 14-page treatment into a full feature script. I had originally hoped I could reuse and incorporate material from the previous much looser draft, but the work has changed so much it's not proving possible. A tinge of disappointment at first was tempered by the joy I felt when I realised the script really had moved on massively during its development process. Pleased about that. I'm aiming to deliver this draft before the end of July, then it's on with some script editing I've been offered, and a brand new spec I've been wanting to write for over 3 years now. What with other distractions and work and life, I've not been able to get into it, but August will be the time.<br />
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On a non-film note, I've been discovering the joys of having a pretty good camera on my phone. I'm terrible at remembering to take my camera out with me, and have kicked myself numerous times at missing interesting photo-opps. But then I discovered accidentally that my phone camera is pretty damn good which was unexpected as the previous one took photographs like a drunken sailor through sandpaper. I really like people but I don't take photos of them much as I'm usually too involved communicating with them. Objects however.... things you find on a walk... interesting feathers and wild cherries.... SNAP. And they prove inspirational too. I've started writing a short called The Week Of Interesting Feathers, inspired by those very things.<br />
<br />Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-21344600341432938262012-07-16T20:35:00.001+01:002012-07-18T11:53:24.733+01:00The Week of Interesting Feathers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two interesting feathers in one week (so far). Hoping for a third tomorrow. I haven't quite been able to totally kick creative writing this month as hoped due to workload, but have definitely scaled back. Enjoying having the opportunity to have a breather, and mull things over in my head rather than having to bash away constantly at the laptop to get things finished, and feeling like I'm working all the time. Also (in the main) embracing that long-forgotten thing called 'time'. Have hoovered the car, cleaned out the wardrobe, taken so much rubbish to the local dump, and am about to embark on the shed. I suspect by August all this 'calm' may start to get a little boring, but that's what breaks are for!Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-23772146184339662332012-06-29T21:25:00.002+01:002012-06-29T21:25:57.267+01:00La Luna and BraveI was lucky enough to see Brave today- and going to see it again tomorrow night at the official premiere. I'm not going to review it though as I don't want to spoiler but it was (almost) outshined by the tiny animation before, La Luna. Here's a gorgeous little clip. I adored it.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7CVtTOpgSyY" width="560"></iframe>Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-27365100261729146402012-06-29T21:12:00.002+01:002012-06-29T21:12:12.375+01:00One Of The Edinburgh Nine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tuesday night at the Edinburgh International Film Festival finally saw the special event, 'The Nine' which I've been involved in - multi-media presentations of excerpts of the 9 new features that have been developed over the course of the Playwrights Studio Scotland screenwriting residency, previously mentioned on this blog. I'm glad to say it went brilliantly and was totally sold out - there was even a queue for any cancellations. Each of the writers had the opportunity to work with a director and actors, and could also utilise stills, film and audio to best present an excerpt from their feature. I chose a section of my script (restaged a little for the theatre setting) to represent the tone of my feature and give a sense of the characters and world - it's a romantic comedy set in the world of baking. I also decided against a film or audio, but had a still image to again, give a flavour of the film. I spent an afternoon taking photographs of everything from cake cases to spatulas and wooden spoons but settled on the hearts. It was a joy to see the live reading, and I was nervous but then totally delighted to see that there were plenty of belly laughs from the audience at all the salient points. In fact there was more hilarity than I dared hope, particularly at the slightly rude points. </div>
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Now to finish the final draft on the residency and have an exit session with my mentor - then hopefully the rude cakes will be off into the world. The script has garnered some interest and I feel like the residency has really taken it forward so I shall be very happy and proud to send it out.</div>
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The EIFF 2012 has been a great experience - the culmination of a complicated few months for me which has ended in fun, friends and films. If I get a chance, I'll blog about my general EIFF experience, but for now it's time to start getting back to normal, with a few interesting things on the horizon.</div>
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<br /></div>Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-15809895442438342832012-06-01T19:47:00.001+01:002012-06-01T20:01:52.700+01:00The Nine: New Features from Scotland - 26th June<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Excited to announce that I'll be a part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2012 as part of the Special Events on 26th June. The event is The Nine: New Features from Scotland at the Traverse Theatre, which offers a presentation of extracts from 9 new feature films developed through the Playwrights Studio Scotland Screenwriting Residency, supported by Creative Scotland, with wondrous mentoring from Binger FilmLab. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm lucky enough to be 1 of the 9, and have been mentored by the Binger's fantastic Artistic Director Marten Rabarts. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Each of the extracts will have a performance aspect using actors (including James Antony Pearson of Control, and New Town Killers) and directed by some great directors. It's official now!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/films/2012/the-nine-new-features-from-scotland">http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/films/2012/the-nine-new-features-from-scotland</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Anyone else heading to the EIFF 2012?</span></span>Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-61777717179708372922012-05-28T18:50:00.005+01:002012-06-16T17:00:58.934+01:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a tough couple of months - I apologise in advance for even more misery but let's get it over with quickly like ripping off a plaster. After all the illness 'fun' and subsequent post-op complications, there's been a close family bereavement which wasn't unexpected but it's still shocking when it happens, and a disappointment regarding a long-term project. However I can't wait for June to start, and turn the corner. I'm well aware that everything has peaks and troughs, and I know this coming month has a few sparkly little diamonds already promised thank goodness. It brings the Edinburgh International Film Festival which I'm attending as a delegate thanks to the Network development scheme, and we have our final event there with mentoring sessions. I've also been lucky enough to be given a ticket to the opening film Killer Joe (looks verrrry interesting), and the chi-chi gala party. Also at the festival is a presentation event for a feature screenplay I'm working on, on another development scheme - more to come on that, but some very prestigious names have been rumoured as actors and directors to help stage the featured excerpts.<br />
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I've taken the giant hints the Universe has been sending me since February, so I've booked a week's holiday (my first in years) later in the summer and am going to take the whole month of July off from creative writing - you heard me right! A whole month! I will allow myself to scribble down one-line ideas, but no more. It's an enforced break, and I suspect it will be inspiring.</div>
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When your goals change, and the things you thought you were writing change, it's odd. But already I have a few things happening including a new idea for a Western which I've sketched out, and a short idea thrown up by a previous writing project.</div>
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And in July and August, I'm going to take my foot off the writing pedal for the first time in a very long while, and have a (non-writing) life. You see if I don't.</div>Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-27310679196761222242012-05-10T15:42:00.003+01:002012-05-12T11:03:05.197+01:00How nice to find out I'm on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5016985/">IMDB from writing Karen's story for the 3rd series of Persona.</a><br />
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Small victories and all that!Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-30803796785651847862012-05-06T19:39:00.000+01:002012-05-29T09:51:24.388+01:00Press the pause button (or someone else will)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I haven't blogged about it until now because it was difficult to know exactly what was going on, but I've been ill on and off for a reasonably long time, and more seriously so since the start of 2012. Resulting in, at the end of April, the removal of my gallbladder. As a 'fun' added complication I also had a kidney stone - a sign that my body really was saying "enough!".<br />
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Things in my life have been non-stop since the middle of 2011. Some fun things, some not so fun - but all ultimately stressful and eventful. There's a tendency to wish for excitement and for something to happen when you feel life is too plain or you're in a bit of a creative dip. I'm not blameless there. Sometimes I felt like I was missing out on opportunities and things that might pass me by and never come round again. And then I got busy. And I got some of the things I wanted, and other things I didn't, and they all had to be dealt with. And I got ill. But I kept putting off dealing with it. And then I got more ill and suddenly there was no way of avoiding it. I was waiting for surgery. Everything else just had to stop.<br />
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And you know what? Things went on without me, money got tight because I couldn't work as much as usual, and meetings were Skyped rather than face-to-face. Some things had to be cancelled or postponed, and some things were missed, never to come round again. And that was ok. Because in fact, some things were gained - both seemingly insignificant and important.<br />
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* I may have spent an extra day and sleepless night in hospital, hopped up on morphine in a near-empty ward with 2 complete strangers from Bonnyrigg, but I survived and I knew I'd get out. It quite unintentionally turned into inspiration for a new project. It wasn't fun but it was eventful, occasionally hilarious and one of the more bizarre experiences in my life so far.<br />
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* I've been introduced to the musical wonders, and they truly are wonders, of Ludovico Einaudi, thanks to a very thoughtful friend. And reintroduced to the wonders of Jeff Buckley, by another good soul.<br />
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* I've been able to spend wonderfully creative time with my niece and family, rather than always feeling like I should be working. I really do appreciate the chance to sit and share a crossword with my Mum.<br />
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* Now my wounds are healing, I can have a hot shower (bliss!), and eat something other than clear soup which was basically my diet for 2 months.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I'm well aware I haven't exactly had open-heart surgery, so I don't mean to dramatise the event itself. But for me, at this point in my life, it's been a bit of a wake-up call as to whether my priorities are lying in the correct place. I've got a few more weeks of healing to do, then things are going to change around here. For the better.<br />
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I know I'll be back busy before I know it, but I'm going to try to keep appreciating the 'small stuff', because it's that small stuff that is the glue that holds all our grand schemes and plans in place.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-87210299748973714002012-03-31T15:26:00.001+01:002012-03-31T15:29:00.850+01:00Smartphone drama Persona - Karen's storyOn Monday, series three of Persona launched - the drama for smart-phones, and I've created a story strand and the character of Karen for it. The drama unfolds in a series of byte-sized 3-minute app-isodes exploring lots of fun characters, delivered minty fresh to your phone every day - <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/persona-drama/id417940950?mt=8">you'll need the app which is free from iTunes</a>. Did I say free, I meant to say FREE!<br />
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<a href="http://phillbarron.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/persona-trailers-for-season-three/">Story editor and lead writer Phillip Barron says it all much more eloquently than I ever could here.</a><br />
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In the meantime, here's the teaser of some of Karen's best bits: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GuyVV3ETx4s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-90467624629543349912012-02-08T12:35:00.002+00:002012-02-08T17:01:17.733+00:00Happy New Year and Snap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhyphenhyphenPKLC1JhwDOTDhK2C73REBUoF1QufZGILhUpiEc86yjooFfi06wM8_m1TZ0JWuoCRaOf4x9xaxGfY9DQMKJPt17Ae4sQUEuPP5SeNccGjyH14ZSUMa9JhgYHSDtfQMjLahLJQ/s1600/oranges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="290" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhyphenhyphenPKLC1JhwDOTDhK2C73REBUoF1QufZGILhUpiEc86yjooFfi06wM8_m1TZ0JWuoCRaOf4x9xaxGfY9DQMKJPt17Ae4sQUEuPP5SeNccGjyH14ZSUMa9JhgYHSDtfQMjLahLJQ/s400/oranges.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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An excerpt from my short play, Snap (<a href="http://thegregorypeck.blogspot.com/2011/12/noisy-nights-traverse-theatre.html">mentioned here</a>) which I'm currently developing into a longer piece:<br />
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<i>Dev moves around the stage as if dancing. <br />
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DEV<br />
You are the thing that we value the least. Whatever you do. How careful you are. I will suspend all hope and tend the mainsail. I will unknot anything you tie tight, unleash what you keep the most secret, undo the wanting and keep you neat. Give me an inch and watch me flourish. I am the runt of the litter. They don’t tell you this, but I am the thing you most need if you are destined to live out a life worth anything. I am fucked and forward, and sad to be leaving but happy to go. I am what waits on the other side of what you least expect. <br />
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*SILENCE</i><br />
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Lots happened in the latter half of 2011 which I've yet to recap - I will do when I have a second, but in the meantime, a belated Happy New Year to you. Hope 2012 sees you and your creative endeavours flourish.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-74356829421906298282011-12-18T18:38:00.003+00:002012-05-08T14:48:48.222+01:00Noisy Words @ Traverse Theatre<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In the last few weeks, I also had the joy and frankly, nervous exhaustion (in a good way) as 1 of the 5 writers involved in the experimental and rather wondrous Noisy Words at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh. A collaborative event with writers, actors, musicians from the Red Note Ensemble and composers all working together to create works for the stage. Each of the writers was randomly matched with a composer, and the game was ON. In a relatively short but intense space of time, we experimented, edited, rehearsed, and eventually came up with 5 short plays (1 for each 'couple') complete with specially composed music. Then rather too quickly (eek), we were all in our seats in the Traverse watching the paying audience file in. I silently cheered after we had 3 audience members in the door, but by the time the show began, we were near to a full house (isn't it great to see that people still want to see experimental new writing!). <br />
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It was fantastic to see all the plays performed. I'd started writing about a mischief-maker, but in the end my idea expanded into an experimental piece about the Devil turning up in a suburban house, with the narrative 'driven' by a beautiful and rather haunting piece of music, my composer partner Dan came up with. It seemed to go down well, and the lady next to me (who I didn't know) prodded me in the arm afterwards and said it was her favourite - I don't care if she was lying. One of the really fantastic things about the event was the inevitability of it. Many things film-wise or art-wise can bring with them a raft of disappointments - you have to get used to working on things that never get made or get made and not edited, or get made and edited and not released. With Noisy Words, we were all aware that whatever we produced, it was going to be performed in front of a paying audience. I loved the experience - especially the chance to play around with language, and work live with a composer, musicians, director, dramaturg and actors. If Noisy Words comes up again, I can thoroughly recommend it. Thanks to the Traverse and particularly Jennifer Williams for the opportunity,<br />
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Merry Christmas blog-readers. I wish you tinsel and inspiration.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-25475339052464134392011-12-18T18:37:00.000+00:002012-05-23T12:11:14.039+01:00EIFF NetworkAnd it's official (finally!). Really excited to hear earlier in December that a project I'm screenwriting is 1 of the 9 UK features chosen to be developed on the development and mentoring programme, NETWORK (run by EIFF and Script Editor Kate Leys, and supported by the Skillset Film Skills Fund and Creative Scotland). <a href="http://www.eiffnetwork.com/participants/">More info here.</a> and the <a href="http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/uploads/NETWORK-Participant-Announcement.pdf">official press release is here. </a><br />
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This programme runs from November up to the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2012, basically the same timescale as the other feature scheme I'm on, previously mentioned <a href="http://thegregorypeck.blogspot.com/2011/11/fire-i-want-you-to-burn.html">here,</a> which is going to be something of a challenge but a very positive one. I see juggling ahead.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-14330467577110282712011-11-13T14:12:00.004+00:002012-01-17T12:05:50.673+00:00Fire. I want you to burn.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpzpw-PTGqxwMYaoFt9SJal_WWzbL336VBmmOeHkosLJAiNFM8xy909EZgfJU73H5outKDMefEY2rM-tRpp1u2f8zbCYBPMqQk_TGTyU2QjO0o4aPKpTGtrjbkJaUb6-xdwjEjw/s1600/misty+morn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="267" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpzpw-PTGqxwMYaoFt9SJal_WWzbL336VBmmOeHkosLJAiNFM8xy909EZgfJU73H5outKDMefEY2rM-tRpp1u2f8zbCYBPMqQk_TGTyU2QjO0o4aPKpTGtrjbkJaUb6-xdwjEjw/s400/misty+morn.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Last weekend saw my first residency at the previously mentioned Playwrights Studio Screenwriting Residency, with a glorious couple of jam-packed days high on a hill in a hotel in the west of Scotland. I met the other 8 participants, and we bonded happily over writerly chat, beer and enjoyed some fireworks provided by a party of (allegedly) shiny-suited 'apprentices' who were having a celebratory conference.<br />
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It's the first time I've been on an actual residency, so a few nerves, but they were thankfully groundless. On the downside I did get lost in Bonnybridge, but managed to navigate my way out by using that old 'which side of the river am I on' trick since my new fancy phone wouldn't allow me to use its map app. Over the course of the weekend, we had some group sessions, and met our individual mentors from the Binger FilmLab, who then spent time getting to the heart of each of our features - very perceptive, helpful, and seriously professional - I've come away with new goals, a path to follow regarding what I'm excising and changing, and what needs strengthening and consolidating in my script. But probably the most fundamentally important thing that I've taken from those couple of days, was the need to forget the restraints of writing a 'script' and to embrace the glorious adventure of writing a great story. Right now we're not developing projects for individual companies with restraints and restrictions - right now we're developing something (hopefully) wondrous that needs to fly off the page. Arty, ambitious words? Maybe, but I'll take the criticism. When I'm struggling to find time in between earning and all the other things that life chucks at you, I'm going to try and make sure that what I'm getting on to the page is inspired and as magic as I can make it. I have deadlines to hit for the next draft, and our next big meetup is due for February/March.<br />
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When I got back I found a family member had been taken into hospital, and 2 days after that, I had my first general anaesthetic for a small op. Not the most fun time, but it's given me new respect for the staff of the local hospital. Such professionalism (that word again). They even buy their own tea for the ward because the official stuff isn't 'strong enough'.<br />
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And then some more good news on a development scheme - more on this later when it has been announced officially. I have a meeting on Wednesday to start that ball rolling - exciting. And later in November I'll be working with composers and actors, over a weekend to stage a live performance play in a significant Edinburgh theatre - also exciting, if a little nerve-wracking!<br />
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Stay classy.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-21315113713327386122011-10-30T19:25:00.000+00:002011-10-30T19:25:00.842+00:00Playwrights Studio Scotland Screenwriting ResidencyLovely to get the good news that I've been awarded a Screenwriting Residency with Playwright Studio Scotland/Creative Scotland/Binger FilmLab to work alongside industry mentors over a series of residential workshops to develop my feature screenplay Masterbaker. The residency runs from November through to the 2012 Edinburgh International Film Festival - cannot wait!Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-78061690008932581262011-10-09T18:17:00.002+01:002011-10-12T16:57:39.927+01:00Since the summerAh September you've been a weird one. On the plus side, I saw Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and thoroughly enjoyed its 70s Gary Oldman goodness. It was wonderfully evocative of the period, and Oldman certainly gives a powerhouse minimalist performance, but I do have issues about the hurried ending, and too-easy tie-up of some of the story strands BUT it was an involving, smart and pretty much satisfying experience. In contrast I also saw Drive starring Ryan Gosling. Very different. VERY violent, but again, woo, worth the trip. Ryan Gosling was a bit of a revelation for me in the title role. He plays a sort-of child man in some respects, but this is counterbalanced by his obvious experience of extreme bone-crunching violence, and his ease in performing it on those he deems worthy of it. It has an odd quirky. stylised 80's feel to it that works perfectly for the film, and the sweeping night-time drive through neon-lit city streets evoked Bladerunner memories in me. The soundtrack is terrific, and I'm still thinking about whether Gosling's character was, became or once was a 'Real Human Being' as the song proposed.<br />
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And so to work things, I've been writing a treatment for a short set in urban London that was requested by a new London director; redrafted my graduation feature, Masterbaker (more on that later); sent a few projects into production schemes; and have redrafted my app-isodes for Persona, the smart-phone drama which has just been relaunched. Got a few more things in the pipeline, but they're all dependent on finance, except for a very dark idea which I am going to outline in October regardless! Gotta keep the fun factor - and though dark, this one already appeals to my autumnal mind.<br />
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Then October crept in, all sudden gusts and scattering leaves. And some good news - I'm currently longlisted with a feature in the Playwrights Studio Scotland Screenwriting Residencies scheme - early days but fingers crossed. Always nice to get a bit of approval on a project, particularly one that's at a relatively early stage - and this scheme sounds like a great opportunity to develop a feature with excellent industry support - I've put in my full draft now, along with supporting material so it's out of my hands - but good luck to whoever gets on the shortlist. Which brings me to the subject of schemes, and applying for things. I am getting pickier about what schemes I apply to - I imagine this will also extend to the festivals I submit to with finished projects. I get more rejections than successes - I would bet most writers have this ratio, unless they're either incredibly lucky, or perhaps don't apply to many. There's not much point in listing the rejections - you suck up whatever feedback (if any) you get and move on - but it is true that the more you get, the easier they become. Oh don't get me wrong - some still feel like a kick in the gut, and leave you winded and hurt for a few hours or even days - it's inevitable, but in general, it does get easier. Another thing that gets easier with time, is the acceptance that their opinions are just that. Maybe they've had their fill of comedies, had too many horrors, or don't like your style. Maybe they don't like your writing. Maybe they've seen a blood-spattered, alien-licking, religious version of Calamity Jane just TOO many times before. Maybe your project isn't very good. Maybe your script was one of the best they've read but you don't quite have the experience they're looking for. Maybe you were 11th on their list of 10 top scripts. You'll never know. I'll never know. So why worry?<br />
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One thing I do know, I've fallen back in love with cinema. Not films - I'll always be in love with films - I mean, with going to the cinema, the building that screens stories on a screen the size of a house. And I go when it's quiet. And it's just me and some random oddities (like me), and we're generally pretty respectful and don't eat hotdogs and crisps during the screening, or get all rowdy or check our phones. And we sit through the trailers and then slink into our seats and get really, truly involved with all those giant faces and tiny stories and meaningful glances. I love the convenience of DVDs, but sometimes you just can't beat the cinema screen for nestling you into the dark, and filling up your world for 2 hours. I'm planning weeks ahead now for hoped-for cinematic glories still to be released. See you in the aisle.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-32047628052901682042011-09-12T21:33:00.001+01:002011-09-12T21:34:27.355+01:00The Kid In The Front Row Film QuestionnaireFascinating questionnaire from <a href="http://www.kidinthefrontrow.com/2011/09/kid-in-front-row-film-questionnaire.html">Kid In The Front Row:</a><br />
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1. What film has been sitting on your shelf for six months waiting to be watched? <b>La Vie En Rose</b><br />
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2. What is the one film you know word for word? <b>There are 2 - Black Narcissus and Some Like It Hot</b><br />
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3. What screen character breaks your heart? <b>Winston Smith in 1984 - I love Orwell but the hopelessness is so bleak is breaks my heart every time.</b><br />
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4. If you could bring an actor back from the dead, and had to pair them on screen with a current actor (who is no older than 40), what would your combo be? <b>Gregory Peck with Audrey Tatou, ooh or James Dean with Saoirse Ronan.</b><br />
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5. How often do you check your phone in the cinema? <b>Never - although I check it about 3 times to make sure it's NOT on.</b><br />
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6. What film do you love which no-one else quite seems to 'get'? <b>Black Narcissus - most get sidetracked or put off by the 'nun thing'.</b><br />
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7. What is your favourite Al Pacino film? <b>Scarface</b><br />
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8. Why do they always manage to make us go one size bigger with the popcorn? <b>They don't, well least not with me - popcorn distracts but I don't mind you eating it as long as you're not too noisy</b><br />
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9. Share one memory from a cinema visit long ago. <b>I saw all the Herbie films as a little kid in red velvet seats in a rural cinema in the East of Scotland. It had a curving marble staircase, and at the time was the most glamorous place I'd ever been. They served square yellow blocks of creamy ice-cream at the interval - you had to manually jam them into a cone. They knocked the cinema down before I was a teen, and built flats on it.</b><br />
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10. Have you ever used a line from a movie, in your life, without anyone knowing you stole it? Give details. <b>I don't think I ever got away with it but I tried the line from Now, Voyager, "don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars". It was meant to be cheesy.</b>Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34475006.post-65610261805032216852011-09-10T14:32:00.004+01:002011-09-10T20:30:31.572+01:00Flung 9/11I usually post chirpy things, but now and again a subject makes me so angry I find myself typing and typing until something emerges that feels important to me. You might not agree, but be warned, this isn’t chirpy.<br />
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Millions of us have seen the photos of the so-called ‘jumpers’ (I hate the casualness of the term) from the burning buildings on 9/11 - those poor souls who died, falling hundreds of floors to the ground. You can’t avoid seeing the images - the still horror - but I’m not writing this to tell you that - most of you know, saw or subsequently learnt about the terrible nature of those events. No, I’m writing because I couldn’t not. Because I read an article this morning in The Mail and it made my blood boil, “The 9/11 victims America wants to forget: The 200 jumpers who flung themselves from the Twin Towers who have been 'airbrushed from history'”. <br />
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It details how some people consider those who jumped/fell to their deaths, to have died a shameful death. The thing is, I could normally put it down to media-stir - believing that no real right-thinking people could think such things. But they do. I’ve seen it in other articles and on documentaries and programmes. The belief that those who died and were classed as ‘jumpers’ were somehow letting the side down, engaging in a shameful way to end their lives. The article continues, “And in this country of intense religious fervour, many believe that to be a ‘jumper’ was to choose suicide rather than accept the fate of God — and suicide in whatever circumstances is considered shameful or, indeed, a sin that will send you to Hell.” <br />
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To many, those 'jumpers', those people, can’t be easily pigeon-holed. To consider their final decisions (in the main) is pretty hard - it’s painful to consider their lack of viable choices trapped in such a situation. It’s easy to ignore or sideline them, or allow religion to file them shamefully away. Many don’t want to deal with the pain and confusion. But we have to, because to ignore them is to forget them, and they deserve better.<br />
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It made my blood boil because those people were already in a man-made Hell of unimaginable proportions and whether they chose to leap out of that, were confused and fell, or just couldn’t physically stand the heat or choking fumes, they deserve not just our sympathy but our respect. I wonder if feelings would be different if these lone falling figures were on fire, or visibly distressed? I can’t imagine the panic in those buildings, and I don’t really want to - because there but by the grace of whoever you consider Holy, go you or I. These people were not somehow letting the side down by not really trying to get home (I’ve heard that view expressed). They abandoned a place of fear, pain and destruction because they had no choice, or were in blind panic or shock.<br />
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To suggest or hint that their way of dying is somehow shameful, is offensive in the extreme. To imply that they’re not just as much victims as all those others caught up in the melee, is disgusting. There’s no glory to be had in situations like this - there’s no one-upmanship. Really, when it comes down to it, no-one dies in a more heroic fashion than another in such a revolting situation - regardless of whether you were the one who perished in a staircase, cowered in a corner, maintained a stiff upper lip, or descended to the ground while the buildings dissolved. <br />
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Our job, if we have one, on 9/11 is to remember every one of those who did not survive the mass atrocity. That was the day they all breathed their last and fell to earth, each and every single, struggling, gasping, frightened, heroic, weeping, human one. I pity you if you’re one of those trying to demean the death of another living, breathing, human being. Especially if you're using religion to judge which deaths are more 'acceptable' than others. God forbid you ever have to make such a hellish choice.<br />
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Have some humanity. It is you who should be ashamed.Mandy Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14204690554388660931noreply@blogger.com0