Yes, it's the Incorporate an Indy Quote or Slightly Modified Indy Quote meme. Not really a meme just a little game to play.
So, yes. Thank goodness I'm not dead.
Why should I be? You may ask. It has to do with my inconsiderate neighbour, in the flat below, who insists on listening to TV late into the night (specifically, 00:40 on Thursday nights) and preventing me from sleeping. He actually went away for two weeks. It was bliss.
He returned on Sunday evening but didn't do the TV thing.
But last night. Last night.
Last night I was actually drifting off at 11:30pm because his TV wasn't too loud. Then a song came on that he liked, so he turned it up. And left it turned up. Incredible. He did stop at about 00:20 this time which would not have been so bad but for one little thing:
I'm in the last week of preparing the Comedy Central UK website for launch. There's a lot to do, it's not desperate but it will be tight. I need to be able to think clearly during the day. I need sleep.
So I got stressed, I got really really stressed. The noice stopped but I had got so stressed that I still couldn't sleep. It was a vicious circle: every minute that passed worsened the situation because I Had To Sleep. But I couldn't. Until 3:30am.
Reluctantly, today, I decided I needed to do something about it. I had never seen my neighbour. I knew he was male. But nothing more. I needed to confront him and get him to stop it.
You know how it is. You run through a million scenarios, you try to decide what's the best thing to say. Luckily words are something I have some skill with and I'm reasonably good at dealing with people - and I know that the majority of people are decent. But there was always the chance that he wasn't one of the decent ones. There was a chance there would be a bad reaction.
I needed to use the magic words: "Can you help me?" These are the most powerful words on the planet, it is only a tiny minority of people who don't respond to that request.
I planned it out: Arrive at the house. Don't go to my flat because then I'll chicken out. Make it the first thing to do. (I did some reading up on handling this sort of situation, it is recommended you try to handle it when the problem is not happening.) Knock on his door (rather than ring from outside), which will slightly discombobulate him: if I'm knocking directly on his door then I'm either another tenant or a landlord. When he opens the door, introduce myself as the person upstairs and ask for his help.
After that, improvise. But don't be accusative. (Tricky for me, that one, I find the accusatory tone slips out easily.)
So that's what I did. And that's how it played out, action for action, word for word.
To my surprise he was in his 40s, I was expecting 20s-30s, and quite civilised. I explained the problem with me having to get up early. I asked if I was disturbing him at all (apparently not). Then I accepted his excuse ("the walls are really thin" - actually they're not) so he could save face. He said he'd keep the noise down, so I thanked him.
And hugely relieved at not being dead, I came to my room. I hope that handles it.
In other news: the daughter has an audition at Bristol Old Vic tomorrow - journey time over 4 hours one way, for 15 minutes. As previously mentioned this is her number one choice, especially when she found out that some of her favourite actors went there (like Gene Wilder, oh yes).
However something far more important happened for her today. In this audition she has to sing a short song unaccompanied. When the daughter was in Primary School she tried out for the School Choir and the headteacher told her she was not good enough. She was crushed and from that point has never really believed she could sing - only good enough for big choirs. We did pay for her to have some professional singing lessons at one point but they were short-lived for various reasons.
Anyway we had suggested that she get a music teacher at college to give her a lesson just to give her some pointers. She arranged it and finally got the lesson today. She was given some coaching on her breathing which she appreciated - but the teacher also told her that she had a beautiful singing voice!
She's floating. Finally the words of that stupid man, ten years ago, have been erased.
The wife and I are so happy. Next Monday the daughter is in Oxford for another audition and a couple of weeks later at RADA. Both of those involve hours of work, in groups and singly. Bristol Old Vic obviously want to make it just like an audition for an acting job.
And that's the end of the news.
So does any of this have to do with screenwriting - my story about the noise problem can be analysed to see which story elements exist. An exercise for the reader.
What's on the turntable? "The Book" by Sheryl Crow from "Sheryl Crow". Another superb songwriter, in a similar vein to Joni Mitchell, evoking powerful situations where the listener can see the story.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Searchamafacation #2
So let's see what people have been searching for on this lil ole blog in the last month...
The weirdest search that resulted in a visit: "it was dawn when the skull wept blood."
So what's next on the writing front, as Charles asked?
Which needs to compost for a week or two; Unit X feedback will arrive at the end of the week; and I need to write a treatment for Running - but I'm not ready for that yet.
One thing that's been preying on my mind is my "make me a million pounds in 3 years" website. My business partner is getting a little peeved. So I think I'll give my evenings over to that until I get the Unit X feedback.
What's on the turntable? "Ballet Volta" by Sky from "Sky 2" yum.
- Me! (32 times)
- Red Planet (17) - no surprise there. My daily visits are typically in the 30-40 range, when there's a Red Planet blog they shoot up to 80-100.
- Being Human (16), popular show and I've mentioned it a few times.
- Celtx (10) - my script-writing software of choice. It's free (-ish).
- Go Go Google Gadget! Progress Bar! (9)
- Joint fifth: BBC's Merlin (9)
- Tiddly Pom - those immortal words by Winnie-thar-Pooh.
The weirdest search that resulted in a visit: "it was dawn when the skull wept blood."
So what's next on the writing front, as Charles asked?
Which needs to compost for a week or two; Unit X feedback will arrive at the end of the week; and I need to write a treatment for Running - but I'm not ready for that yet.
One thing that's been preying on my mind is my "make me a million pounds in 3 years" website. My business partner is getting a little peeved. So I think I'll give my evenings over to that until I get the Unit X feedback.
What's on the turntable? "Ballet Volta" by Sky from "Sky 2" yum.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Fun script done
There you go, Which made it to 13 pages in the end, in the first draft anyway.
Got stuck at one point and realised that it wasn't working with just the two groups because they are both good guys and there was insufficient plot to have them at each other's throats. Instead I brought in a bad guy from the Sarah Jane Adventures to be the cause of the trouble.
I'm pretty pleased with it as it stands, obviously it needs going through a couple of times and smoothing out. I expect there are additional emotions I can bring out. I also need to see if I can fit in "There's no place like home" comfortably - I really want it and there is one character that can say it but it didn't fit the flow at any point.
Joy joy feeling. Be well, citizen.
What's on the turntable? "I close my eyes and count to ten" by Dusty Springfield
Got stuck at one point and realised that it wasn't working with just the two groups because they are both good guys and there was insufficient plot to have them at each other's throats. Instead I brought in a bad guy from the Sarah Jane Adventures to be the cause of the trouble.
I'm pretty pleased with it as it stands, obviously it needs going through a couple of times and smoothing out. I expect there are additional emotions I can bring out. I also need to see if I can fit in "There's no place like home" comfortably - I really want it and there is one character that can say it but it didn't fit the flow at any point.
Joy joy feeling. Be well, citizen.
What's on the turntable? "I close my eyes and count to ten" by Dusty Springfield
Saturday, March 28, 2009
InkTip addendum
Now that is interesting. I mentioned InkTip in this blog including how they emphasised that they really were international (even if mostly US).
Their regular free newsletter popped into my inbox yesterday, I don't always read them in detail but this time I did and see what I found:
What's on the turntable? "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen ... We're not worthy!
Their regular free newsletter popped into my inbox yesterday, I don't always read them in detail but this time I did and see what I found:
Andrew Bellware of Pandora Machine has acquired 'Clonehunter' by InkTip scribe Eric Steele after discovering it on InkTip ... Regarding the script, Andrew said, 'I read Eric's script and knew immediately that I wanted to shoot it' ... Although [Eric] has optioned [...] work before, this is [his] first sale. Based in the UK, he had this to say about listing with InkTip: 'It doesn't matter where in the world you are or who you know. Instead you are judged solely on the strength of the material. That for me is the greatest thing about InkTip.'So there we go. I don't suppose they put that in just for me (or you). I guess I have decided ... as soon as I have some space on a credit card I shall give InkTip a test.
What's on the turntable? "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen ... We're not worthy!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Onwards and upwards
If I hadn't been trapped in Reading this evening, I probably wouldn't have got around to entering Monsters for the Cheltenham Screenwriters Festival ScriptMarket competition - you know, the one where there was a big question about how many words should be in the synopsis.
It turns out that the right number was 250 words. So I took my off-the-cuff 230 words and edited it into present tense and pruned it back to 195 words. Then added other essential material, like a bit of setting; I kept adding and cutting with the word count wavering between 200 and 245 words, once reaching the giddy heights of 247. More items were removed as non-essential, giving me more space to fill in emotion and ensuring that the protagonist was clearly acting as a causative element of the story.
The final act was where the story flow seemed to jump in a complete non-sequitur right in the middle. Not good. In the actual script it all flows but, because of what had been chopped out, there was this discontinuity. So there was more pruning which freed up enough words to allow me to make the flow clear.
Done.
Then there was 50 words to explain why I wanted to talk to agents (as opposed to directors, producers, financiers and so on, which I could also choose). But let's be focused: I know that the probability of Monsters being produced is minimal. No matter how much I love it. It's a spec script. So why bother meeting with producers, directors and financiers? What I need is an agent to help me sell myself. I can come back to Monsters another day.
This is probably the most expensive script competition to enter in the world.
Except, of course, you do get 4 days of one of the most brilliant screenwriting experiences you could possibly have. With an opportunity to make zillions of contacts.
I probably give the impression I find it easy to talk to people and network.
That would not be true. Writing is easy. I've had lots of experience in writing so can write in a very relaxed and friendly tone (had you noticed?). Face-to-face is another matter. Having said that you need only adopt a "oh what the hell" attitude and just do it anyway.
Anyway, that's SWF'09 out the way for the time being.
I'm also contemplating whether to enter Unit X for the Scriptapalooza TV competition - trouble is you have do this complicated Brad-binding thing that they like in the States - and they probably want it on foolscap - quaint. And I'd have to send hard copy from the UK. Question is: Can I be bothered?
Mind you, it would be amusing to have success with Unit X in the States, it being a US series written by a Brit. Just like my mate Roger Ellory and his brilliant US thrillers. Hm, I've just noticed, from the photo of Roger on the Sky Arts Book Show, that he's started to sport a beard and moustache just like mine. He may be more successful than me, but That's My Facial Hair Design.
You can tell I'm bored, can't you? It's too late to start writing now and I'll be up at the usual time tomorrow to go to work so that this website will be launched on time in full working order.
Right. I shall do a little reading and then it's off to bed.
Nighty-night.
What's on the turntable? "The Morning Fog" by Kate Bush from "Hounds of Love" (extended edition with great extra tracks of which this is one)
It turns out that the right number was 250 words. So I took my off-the-cuff 230 words and edited it into present tense and pruned it back to 195 words. Then added other essential material, like a bit of setting; I kept adding and cutting with the word count wavering between 200 and 245 words, once reaching the giddy heights of 247. More items were removed as non-essential, giving me more space to fill in emotion and ensuring that the protagonist was clearly acting as a causative element of the story.
The final act was where the story flow seemed to jump in a complete non-sequitur right in the middle. Not good. In the actual script it all flows but, because of what had been chopped out, there was this discontinuity. So there was more pruning which freed up enough words to allow me to make the flow clear.
Done.
Then there was 50 words to explain why I wanted to talk to agents (as opposed to directors, producers, financiers and so on, which I could also choose). But let's be focused: I know that the probability of Monsters being produced is minimal. No matter how much I love it. It's a spec script. So why bother meeting with producers, directors and financiers? What I need is an agent to help me sell myself. I can come back to Monsters another day.
This is probably the most expensive script competition to enter in the world.
Except, of course, you do get 4 days of one of the most brilliant screenwriting experiences you could possibly have. With an opportunity to make zillions of contacts.
I probably give the impression I find it easy to talk to people and network.
That would not be true. Writing is easy. I've had lots of experience in writing so can write in a very relaxed and friendly tone (had you noticed?). Face-to-face is another matter. Having said that you need only adopt a "oh what the hell" attitude and just do it anyway.
Anyway, that's SWF'09 out the way for the time being.
I'm also contemplating whether to enter Unit X for the Scriptapalooza TV competition - trouble is you have do this complicated Brad-binding thing that they like in the States - and they probably want it on foolscap - quaint. And I'd have to send hard copy from the UK. Question is: Can I be bothered?
Mind you, it would be amusing to have success with Unit X in the States, it being a US series written by a Brit. Just like my mate Roger Ellory and his brilliant US thrillers. Hm, I've just noticed, from the photo of Roger on the Sky Arts Book Show, that he's started to sport a beard and moustache just like mine. He may be more successful than me, but That's My Facial Hair Design.
You can tell I'm bored, can't you? It's too late to start writing now and I'll be up at the usual time tomorrow to go to work so that this website will be launched on time in full working order.
Right. I shall do a little reading and then it's off to bed.
Nighty-night.
What's on the turntable? "The Morning Fog" by Kate Bush from "Hounds of Love" (extended edition with great extra tracks of which this is one)
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