Just back from Cheltenham Screenwriters’ Festival and having mixed feelings about the two-day event. It started off very promising; the B&B was squeaky clean with the obligatory nosey parker ‘house keeper’ husband, ugly boxer dog, complementary toiletries and noteworthy cooked breakie. Day one’s highlights included speakers such as Tony Jordon (East Enders, Life On Mars), David Thompson (Head of BBC Films), ‘The Perfect Ten Pages’ with The Writers’ Room’s Paul Ashton and a live commentary of Severance with director Christopher Smith.
I wish I had utilised my time a little better in the afternoon – I sat through a ‘legal and business issues’ session for over an hour and between falling asleep and trying to take in a vast amount of jargon I realised I should have been in the ‘Write with a Pro’ session. Never mind, I’m sure the law handout will come in handy one day…
I felt a little intimidated by all the elite of the industry; boy do they let you know their presence! But, having said that, there were an equal number of people just like me, curious to get into the industry but without the credentials just yet. I met a comedy director/writer (Paul) whose just written and directed a series in Wales, a lady called Yvonne Mellor, whose a producer in Leeds and a lovely lady called Kate, who quickly became my new friend, as we on the same level of newbie-ness.
After Severance I wanted to chat to Chris Smith, but he had to leave straight after the viewing. I did ask a question (over a microphone handed to me), which sounded a bit like this, “Tim McInnerny told me you might be getting involved in the Hammer Horror franchise – is that true?” I think Chris was surprised to hear me mention Tim’s name, and said he thought he recognised me! I haven’t met Chris before, so this was a bit weird, but it’s a shame we didn’t get to talk any further. I think I will ask Tim for Chris’s email soon, to see if I can work on a project with him.
In the networking event later on I realised that an awful lot of people were there to blow on their own trumpets and a number of them exuded unappealing arrogance and spoke loudly about “MY LATEST FEATURE…WHICH HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED BY…” I began to relax a bit because it all seemed nicely fake and very show biz. The FREE wine and canapés helped to soften the blow of my ridiculously overpriced lunch - £10.50 for a scrap of salad and a char grilled piece of Halommi cheese! Frea and David were long gone; so I had a great time with Yvonne and Paul, listen to their industry anecdotes. Just as it was getting dark I thought I’d better get a move on and find a bus back into town. As I walked up the path to the Manor, it started to rain and I had to ask the security guard where to get back onto the road.
As I found the main road from the studio, a taxi slowed down and someone’s head emerged from the window. It was no other than Menha Huda (director of Kidulthood), who I’d listened to earlier in the ‘Funding Hidden Subjects’ seminar. He’s beautiful! He asked if I wanted a lift into town, which I accepted, of course. We talked about insignificant things, I was a bit drunk and think I may have talked too much to make up for my nerves…but he was lovely and we drove straight past my B&B. The taxi driver got to the end of the road and stopped, I tried to give Menha my business card, but he thought I was trying to pay for the taxi! He said to give my card to him tomorrow, and I got out the car and walked back up the road. What a sweet guy, I’d love to work with him, or interview him – but unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to speak to him again the next day. So, I guess if I want to follow it up, I’ll have to do some research and go through his agent or something…
Wednesday started with a seminar on low budget film production, with Ed Blum (Scenes of a Sexual Nature), and Jake West (SFX wiz and director). It was inspiring to see the quality of the features they had made with such little money. The message they were trying to get across is that if you have a very strong story and make a huge effort to mesh well with the cast and crew – every one will be happy and the film will be made to a high standard. A live commentary of episode 4, series 1 of Life on Mars with Ashley Pharoah followed in the marquee. I’ve only seen one episode of L.O.M before, and wasn’t that thrilled, but this one was a corker! Ashley didn’t intrude too much on the narrative, but the things he did comment on were insightful. Themes/structure/character facts were explored and a number of the audience asked poignant questions at the end of the commentary. I was particularly moved by the composition of the music to help carry certain themes and I think the cinematography had a filmatic quality. But, maybe that was just the big screen?.....
In the afternoon I listened to Mia Bays talk about producing her Oscar winning short Six Shooter, and then the star of the show emerged in the marquee – Bill Nicholson. Bill is the granddad you’ve always wanted, I’d be more than contented to listen to him tell stories about his film career all day. He’s a ‘real life’ writer, meaning he likes to take real life stories and dramatize them for film. He wrote Gladiator and he’s working on a number of new projects including a film on Nelson Mandela. Bill’s speech was uplifting and exciting – he doesn’t believe in over-researching a project and says that at long as you keep you subject by your side when you write, you will be true to them and if they’re at the screening, they’ll understand why a bit of artistic licence can help to produce a well-rounded story.
Then the worst part of the festival – FEVER PITCH. To think that Frea, David and myself and most of the lovely people I met there all enter the comp and didn’t get picked is a tragedy when you look at the ten that disgraced the stage that night. Poor doesn’t even come close to describing the quality of the pitches, I have to admit about half way in, I had my head in my hands – no more clapping for me… I know that the market is all about horror and comedy or the derivative zom-com, but these ideas did not vaguely challenge the genre. I may be a bit bitter, but there were 600 entries – I want to know who picked the short list and if they were awake when they drew it up.
Here’s a brief over-view of the pitches in order of ‘merit’, a kind of ‘what not to wear’ of the film industry:
1. BLOODY FAMOUS (A zom-com with vampires that are rock stars)
2. THE FLEABURT INHERITANCE (Dark comedy involving thespians)
3. HUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM (Creep, but with comedy and stoners)
4. THE BOUNTY HUNTER (Noir thriller set in Manchester)
5. 8 MISTAKES (Police thriller in the style of Seven)
6. GOD’S LONELY MAN (Political drama involving one legged hero in Afghanistan)
7. 24 LITTLE HOURS (Romantic comedy with Cinderella story)
8. DRIVING BEIJING WILD (Comedy involving taxi drivers at the Olympics)
9. EMMA AND THE CASTLE (Comedy with lingerie designer moving to a castle)
10. D.N.A (Six part comedy drama where a Dog Naming Association that names dogs for celebrities, and other animals, “with drugs and stuff…”
So, what do you think? Cream of the crop? I hope not….
No. 10’s my personal favourite – I couldn’t stop laughing when he tried to justify making it into a SIX parter! Maybe it would suit a two second sketch or a two part kids show – but SIX PARTS!!!!
Now I’ve off loaded my rant, I’ll go back to the end of that day. We all left the marquee with our jaws touching the floor and headed to the bar. This time the drinks were not free and there were no tiny canapés floating around – more disappointment… A vast majority of the congregation seemed to disappear after the pitching, and the bar was too big and cold to want to sick around in. Kate and I knocked back a few vodkas and followed the crowd to the Harvester next door to the Manor.
It was a bit more cheery in there, but it was last orders and the grumpy barman wouldn’t even give me a straw for my G&T! They threatened to confiscate our drinks if we didn’t hurry up and drink up, so we were out in the cold again. Kate and I waited for a bus back into Cheltenham, but gave up and forked out for a taxi. We got lost finding the B&B, spent some time wondering around aimlessly, then found the street and snuck in, went to bed on a completely empty tummy.
I will definitely be going next year, hopefully staying for the four-day event if I can get the funds. I will have a polished script or two to distribute and I will make much more of an effort to swat up on the guest speakers so I know who’s who and what they do. I found that I’ve missed out a bit this year because I didn’t know enough about peoples biographies, so if I find some common ground, it’ll be easier to network with the right people. I will need to be more forthcoming, determined and confident about my work. Just speak to whoever I need to and not worry about my status, if I don’t try, I’ll regret it later…
Saturday, 7 July 2007
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
FASHIONISTA SISTA
I’ve just sent off a pitch to The Ecologist, a profile idea for a piece on my rising star fashionista sista. Since my last entry, Lilli has been offered freelance work from River Island, one of her garments has been selected to be sold at Selfridges, and some more of her work is being shown at a graduate design show, again, in London.
It’s mad how much interest her design work and ethics has attracted. How many twenty-two year olds can say that the leading fashion houses in the UK have approached them before they’ve even received their degree certificate? I don’t know any! She can play them to her advantage, demanding good, ethical practice for her services. The angle for my profile (if it’s accepted) is that Lilli is going against the gain of the industry to show that fashion can be ecologically friendly and still elegant and profitable.
She is adamant that she will not accept freelance work from any corporate companies unless they agree to her work ethic of sourcing organic yarns and natural dyes made in the UK by people paid more than the minimum wage. She also insists that some profits should go to charities or community projects. A brave step for a young graduate, but one that she hopes will make a difference to production in the UK fashion industry.
I’m looking forward to writing about her triumphs, and if The Ecologist doesn’t take it…well, there will be other outlets. It would be illogical not to push her profile at this stage, and I’m so close to her that I’m practically her PA! Maybe she’ll employ me when she hits the big time.
I’ve got another prospective interviewed lined up with an actor called Nicholas Boulton. He’s my next-door neighbours son, and he’s just been paid a ridiculous amount of money to play the lead villain in a Scandinavian film called Arne. He’s also had a part in Doctor Who, and regularly lends his voice to afternoon plays on BBC Radio 4. He’s a rising star, and apparently he’s very popular with the ladies! He’s living in Brighton, so I’m going to email him after I’ve got the first draft of my script in hand.
This time next week, I’ll be hob-knobbing with the film industry in Cheltenham, can’t wait…it’s pitching time again.
It’s mad how much interest her design work and ethics has attracted. How many twenty-two year olds can say that the leading fashion houses in the UK have approached them before they’ve even received their degree certificate? I don’t know any! She can play them to her advantage, demanding good, ethical practice for her services. The angle for my profile (if it’s accepted) is that Lilli is going against the gain of the industry to show that fashion can be ecologically friendly and still elegant and profitable.
She is adamant that she will not accept freelance work from any corporate companies unless they agree to her work ethic of sourcing organic yarns and natural dyes made in the UK by people paid more than the minimum wage. She also insists that some profits should go to charities or community projects. A brave step for a young graduate, but one that she hopes will make a difference to production in the UK fashion industry.
I’m looking forward to writing about her triumphs, and if The Ecologist doesn’t take it…well, there will be other outlets. It would be illogical not to push her profile at this stage, and I’m so close to her that I’m practically her PA! Maybe she’ll employ me when she hits the big time.
I’ve got another prospective interviewed lined up with an actor called Nicholas Boulton. He’s my next-door neighbours son, and he’s just been paid a ridiculous amount of money to play the lead villain in a Scandinavian film called Arne. He’s also had a part in Doctor Who, and regularly lends his voice to afternoon plays on BBC Radio 4. He’s a rising star, and apparently he’s very popular with the ladies! He’s living in Brighton, so I’m going to email him after I’ve got the first draft of my script in hand.
This time next week, I’ll be hob-knobbing with the film industry in Cheltenham, can’t wait…it’s pitching time again.
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Out in the sticks...
I’ve made the move back to the sleepy backwaters of my homestead. There should now be NO DISTRACTIONS, no noise, nothing to stop me writing the first draft of my screenplay by next week. The last few weeks have been impossibly testing for my self-motivation. I’ve managed to put together the first ten scenes of Torn, but various social engagements and move-related issues have arisen in between.
First there was Lilli’s final show at Graduate Fashion Week in Battersea Park. A glorious and proud moment for my sister, to see her beautiful knitwear come to life on professional models in front of a huge audience was truly inspirational. She was nominated for the knitwear award at the Gala show – and won it the following day, judged by none other than Victoria Beckham and Zara Rhodes.
Lilli has worked extremely hard to reach this peak – she’s got strong ideas and a very opinionated view on the fashion world in general. She’s not interested in the glitz and glamour, but she is determined to change peoples’ views about sustainability and eco-consciousness in the industry. I want to write a profile piece on her and submit it to an industry mag and maybe a newspaper supplement, with a kind of ‘rising talent in eco fashion’ angle.
I don’t quite know how it’ll work with us being sisters, but I’d really like to give it a go. It would give her some unabashedly honest publicity and get her message across: recycled knitwear can be incredibly elegant and sustainable. Here’s a link to Lilli’s proudest moment to date – holding her prized award surrounded by models wearing her creations: http://www.gfwlive.com
Seeing such talent in London last week made me feel like I should have pursued a more visual medium at degree level. All I had to show at the end of my three years was a bunch of essays, a website and two dissertations. I think that’s why film appeals to me so much now. It’s taken me some time to get used to writing visually, but I am a visual thinker, so it’s just going to be a case of putting the two together.
So I intend on setting up a makeshift office in the covered gazebo at the end of the garden, surrounding myself with scene breakdowns, cats, character files and a good supply of reading material…it should be the perfect atmosphere for creativity. I’m going to miss Falmouth, it hasn’t quite hit me yet – that I can’t just wonder down to the beach, or pop into town for a coffee. When I got into the van that held six-years-worth of belongings yesterday, I got this hideous feeling in my stomach, like I hadn’t eaten for days or something. There’s no point in mulling over it, because I need to move on and although I love Cornwall to pieces, there isn’t quite enough going on to warrant me starting a new career there.
I’ve spent too much time in the sticks, I’ve grown in the shadows, and I’m ready to test the water further up country. My long term plans are to go wherever the job takes me, as long as it’s something inspiring. I want to write screenplays on the side, shorts that I can work on with my friends and enter into festivals next year. Ideally I’d like to work in-house as a features writer, but failing that I’d be more than happy to do some copywriting or PR.
First there was Lilli’s final show at Graduate Fashion Week in Battersea Park. A glorious and proud moment for my sister, to see her beautiful knitwear come to life on professional models in front of a huge audience was truly inspirational. She was nominated for the knitwear award at the Gala show – and won it the following day, judged by none other than Victoria Beckham and Zara Rhodes.
Lilli has worked extremely hard to reach this peak – she’s got strong ideas and a very opinionated view on the fashion world in general. She’s not interested in the glitz and glamour, but she is determined to change peoples’ views about sustainability and eco-consciousness in the industry. I want to write a profile piece on her and submit it to an industry mag and maybe a newspaper supplement, with a kind of ‘rising talent in eco fashion’ angle.
I don’t quite know how it’ll work with us being sisters, but I’d really like to give it a go. It would give her some unabashedly honest publicity and get her message across: recycled knitwear can be incredibly elegant and sustainable. Here’s a link to Lilli’s proudest moment to date – holding her prized award surrounded by models wearing her creations: http://www.gfwlive.com
Seeing such talent in London last week made me feel like I should have pursued a more visual medium at degree level. All I had to show at the end of my three years was a bunch of essays, a website and two dissertations. I think that’s why film appeals to me so much now. It’s taken me some time to get used to writing visually, but I am a visual thinker, so it’s just going to be a case of putting the two together.
So I intend on setting up a makeshift office in the covered gazebo at the end of the garden, surrounding myself with scene breakdowns, cats, character files and a good supply of reading material…it should be the perfect atmosphere for creativity. I’m going to miss Falmouth, it hasn’t quite hit me yet – that I can’t just wonder down to the beach, or pop into town for a coffee. When I got into the van that held six-years-worth of belongings yesterday, I got this hideous feeling in my stomach, like I hadn’t eaten for days or something. There’s no point in mulling over it, because I need to move on and although I love Cornwall to pieces, there isn’t quite enough going on to warrant me starting a new career there.
I’ve spent too much time in the sticks, I’ve grown in the shadows, and I’m ready to test the water further up country. My long term plans are to go wherever the job takes me, as long as it’s something inspiring. I want to write screenplays on the side, shorts that I can work on with my friends and enter into festivals next year. Ideally I’d like to work in-house as a features writer, but failing that I’d be more than happy to do some copywriting or PR.
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Free Rein
Eight months into the course and we're kind of on our own now... just a tutorial for feedback on our portfolio next week, and three tutorials with Colin spread over the summer to monitor progress of my screenplay.
I feel ready, I know I can motivate myself, but I will miss the day-to-day interaction with my fellow prof. writers. In three weeks I'm moving back to Somerset, leaving behind me six years of Cornish life, love and friendship. Not only have I got emotional attachments to this town, but I've also picked up a lot of material baggage. I hate baggage, but I have to cart it back with me for when Luke and I move into our own place.
I'm looking forward to a summer of hard graft, with some hard partying sprinkled into the mix. First thing to look forward to is the Screenwriters' Festival in Cheltenham, a two day event for new writers which I've been lucky enough to get a bursary for. South West Screen are paying £143 of the fee, so I'll only need to put in £60 plus accommodation. I'm going with two Prof. writers and we'll no doubt get into some mischievous shenanigans. We all intend on pitching our screenplays, which by then should be in the second draft stage, and probably worth a look...
There will be an array of producers, directors and other industry professionals to approach, who knows - one of us might get an offer! I'd be happy with a few more contacts to add to my collection, but, you know - if they want to make my movie...
Then a week after the festival it's off to Serbia for Exit Festival. A European road trip with my sister, boyfriend and friends, followed by a music festival set in a fortress - what more could you ask for?
I also want to carry on writing features, the Julien Temple idea at the forefront of my list of course. I'm in the process of trying to sell two other features, but the BBC Homes & Antiques feature editor is on holiday for two weeks and the Red editor hadn't read my pitch when I phoned yesterday. I don't know if I can wait two weeks, so I might sell the sixixis idea to another design mag. There is also a script editor in Bristol that I would like to interview for www.bloc-online.com.
I found out at the weekend that The Times Culture mag also ran a feature on Tim McInnerny - what a coincidence! I pitched my idea to them at the same time as The Stage, so maybe my pitch spurred one of their staff writers to follow suit... the content is not identical, but I can't help feeling cheated somehow.
For those of you who didn't pick up a copy of my piece in The Stage, here it is in PDF format.
file:///Users/hollywicks/Documents/Clippings/McInnerny_Profile%20.PDF
I could only find three copies in Falmouth, my parents couldn't get any in Bridgwater or Taunton, so it's lucky the editor was willing to give me the PDF copy.
I feel ready, I know I can motivate myself, but I will miss the day-to-day interaction with my fellow prof. writers. In three weeks I'm moving back to Somerset, leaving behind me six years of Cornish life, love and friendship. Not only have I got emotional attachments to this town, but I've also picked up a lot of material baggage. I hate baggage, but I have to cart it back with me for when Luke and I move into our own place.
I'm looking forward to a summer of hard graft, with some hard partying sprinkled into the mix. First thing to look forward to is the Screenwriters' Festival in Cheltenham, a two day event for new writers which I've been lucky enough to get a bursary for. South West Screen are paying £143 of the fee, so I'll only need to put in £60 plus accommodation. I'm going with two Prof. writers and we'll no doubt get into some mischievous shenanigans. We all intend on pitching our screenplays, which by then should be in the second draft stage, and probably worth a look...
There will be an array of producers, directors and other industry professionals to approach, who knows - one of us might get an offer! I'd be happy with a few more contacts to add to my collection, but, you know - if they want to make my movie...
Then a week after the festival it's off to Serbia for Exit Festival. A European road trip with my sister, boyfriend and friends, followed by a music festival set in a fortress - what more could you ask for?
I also want to carry on writing features, the Julien Temple idea at the forefront of my list of course. I'm in the process of trying to sell two other features, but the BBC Homes & Antiques feature editor is on holiday for two weeks and the Red editor hadn't read my pitch when I phoned yesterday. I don't know if I can wait two weeks, so I might sell the sixixis idea to another design mag. There is also a script editor in Bristol that I would like to interview for www.bloc-online.com.
I found out at the weekend that The Times Culture mag also ran a feature on Tim McInnerny - what a coincidence! I pitched my idea to them at the same time as The Stage, so maybe my pitch spurred one of their staff writers to follow suit... the content is not identical, but I can't help feeling cheated somehow.
For those of you who didn't pick up a copy of my piece in The Stage, here it is in PDF format.
file:///Users/hollywicks/Documents/Clippings/McInnerny_Profile%20.PDF
I could only find three copies in Falmouth, my parents couldn't get any in Bridgwater or Taunton, so it's lucky the editor was willing to give me the PDF copy.
Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Don't Call Me Darling
For anyone who's interested, my profile on Tim McInnerny is out on THURSDAY May 10.
I'm very nervous, as they've already changed my title from Goodbye Percy, Hello Iago to Don't Call Me Darling. I will not get paid until the end of next month, but the editor is giving me a little extra for the boxed out tips I added.
I'm very nervous, as they've already changed my title from Goodbye Percy, Hello Iago to Don't Call Me Darling. I will not get paid until the end of next month, but the editor is giving me a little extra for the boxed out tips I added.
Strummer Review on Stranger Website
Stranger have just published my review of the Strummer film on the feature page of their website, here is the link:
http://www.stranger-mag.com/features/
http://www.stranger-mag.com/features/
Sunday, 6 May 2007
Strummerville
Bridgwater. Not necessarily the first place you think of as a location for a film premiere. But, luckily for me, the director of Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten, Julien Temple holds a place in his heart for my hometown. Not only does Julien admire the (often) misjudged merits of Bridgwater, but so did the subject of Julien’s documentary film. Joe Strummer lived out his final years in the county and Julien wanted the first British premiere to be in the town that meant something to Joe, because he had a connection with the town’s rebellious attitude.
The Bridgwater Palace (a former cinema-come-nightclub) played host to the film, packed with an eclectic mix of die-hard fans, close friends of Strummer’s and a wealth of music enthusiasts. I went along with my sister and we took our seats (bar stools) in the gallery and observed the gathering crowds. The film took off at a startling pace, Julien’s trademark sketchy collage technique proving a little too distracting. The sound was at a level that complimented the Clash’s brash music, but tended to drown out the voices of the narrative thread.
That aside, the documentary was a visual treat, including a vast array of archive footage and suitably punky animation. Strummer himself narrated, from the outside looking into the world created by his close friends, associates and fellow band mates. The majority of these informal interviews were conducted around campfires, a motif that ran through Strummer’s life. The fires represented a communal space, a place where people lose their inhibitions and talk openly into the flames.
These campfires, set up in the cities that Strummer frequented around the world are a strong hinge for the film and prove to be an imaginative format for the documentary genre. The pace of the film thankfully slows in the second half, as Strummer’s life itself took a decidedly less-frantic turn, marking his departed from the punk scene. There were some moving, honest contributions from Strummer’s pre-fame circle of friends, many of whom were fecklessly dumped when Strummer famously switched from a hippy to a punk – seemingly over night.
Strummer’s contradictory behaviour was no secret, and although it was a constant source of irritation to those close to him, it also added to his creativity and his menacing lyrics. There were sound bites from Strummer’s American devotees, including Johnny Depp, Bono, John Cusack and Martin Scorsese. The American’s looked a but too buff in their suites and sunglasses to contribute any resonating quotes; and unsurprisingly, it is Strummer’s Cockney associates who reveal all the most memorable anecdotes. The picture drawn from Temple’s latest directorial foray is not one of a close friend patting a slightly jaded rock star on the back; it’s a honest and frank journey through the life of a complicated man with possibly too much ambition and not enough decorum to pull it off on his own.
As a documentary, Strummer: The Future is Unwritten is a frantic race through every stage in Strummer’s life and career – with rare footage from his early childhood and a strangely familiar voiceover from the man himself to narrate the film, and it is Strummer’s soothing tones that close the film at approximately two and a half hours. A long stretch for someone sitting on a bar stool, but probably bearable in a luxury Odeon seat, with state-of-the-arts surround sound. No doubt the London premiere will be much more glitzy affair, but in the raw, edgy enclave of the Palace – what mattered was that Strummer’s legacy lives on in a place that inspired a director and his subject.
I enjoyed the film, but found the sound distracting, and it was irritating that there was no name captions for any of the contributors – a bit too much work involved in trying to fit names to faces and what relationship they had to Strummer.
Determined to speak to Julien, I approached him with trepidation. There really was no need to be worried; he was very forthcoming – accepting my proposition for an interview straight away. I got his email address, and asked what his schedule was looking like. I know he’s going to be busy with the London previews, but he said to contact him in the two weeks. I want to talk to him about his involvement with a project to restore the dejected Bridgwater town hall. He’s managed to persuade the council to inject two million into a venture that will see the hall transformed into a multi-media centre and gallery. Julien has big London connections, and his close friend Damien Hurst wants to put his name to the gallery.
What a flying start for a slightly downtrodden town, with a misleading reputation. I want to get involved in this project, and I think meeting Julien will not only provide me with a wealth of material for a reportage style feature, but it will also (if I can get a high-profile publication interested) provide the right kind of recognition for the project and the town.
The Bridgwater Palace (a former cinema-come-nightclub) played host to the film, packed with an eclectic mix of die-hard fans, close friends of Strummer’s and a wealth of music enthusiasts. I went along with my sister and we took our seats (bar stools) in the gallery and observed the gathering crowds. The film took off at a startling pace, Julien’s trademark sketchy collage technique proving a little too distracting. The sound was at a level that complimented the Clash’s brash music, but tended to drown out the voices of the narrative thread.
That aside, the documentary was a visual treat, including a vast array of archive footage and suitably punky animation. Strummer himself narrated, from the outside looking into the world created by his close friends, associates and fellow band mates. The majority of these informal interviews were conducted around campfires, a motif that ran through Strummer’s life. The fires represented a communal space, a place where people lose their inhibitions and talk openly into the flames.
These campfires, set up in the cities that Strummer frequented around the world are a strong hinge for the film and prove to be an imaginative format for the documentary genre. The pace of the film thankfully slows in the second half, as Strummer’s life itself took a decidedly less-frantic turn, marking his departed from the punk scene. There were some moving, honest contributions from Strummer’s pre-fame circle of friends, many of whom were fecklessly dumped when Strummer famously switched from a hippy to a punk – seemingly over night.
Strummer’s contradictory behaviour was no secret, and although it was a constant source of irritation to those close to him, it also added to his creativity and his menacing lyrics. There were sound bites from Strummer’s American devotees, including Johnny Depp, Bono, John Cusack and Martin Scorsese. The American’s looked a but too buff in their suites and sunglasses to contribute any resonating quotes; and unsurprisingly, it is Strummer’s Cockney associates who reveal all the most memorable anecdotes. The picture drawn from Temple’s latest directorial foray is not one of a close friend patting a slightly jaded rock star on the back; it’s a honest and frank journey through the life of a complicated man with possibly too much ambition and not enough decorum to pull it off on his own.
As a documentary, Strummer: The Future is Unwritten is a frantic race through every stage in Strummer’s life and career – with rare footage from his early childhood and a strangely familiar voiceover from the man himself to narrate the film, and it is Strummer’s soothing tones that close the film at approximately two and a half hours. A long stretch for someone sitting on a bar stool, but probably bearable in a luxury Odeon seat, with state-of-the-arts surround sound. No doubt the London premiere will be much more glitzy affair, but in the raw, edgy enclave of the Palace – what mattered was that Strummer’s legacy lives on in a place that inspired a director and his subject.
I enjoyed the film, but found the sound distracting, and it was irritating that there was no name captions for any of the contributors – a bit too much work involved in trying to fit names to faces and what relationship they had to Strummer.
Determined to speak to Julien, I approached him with trepidation. There really was no need to be worried; he was very forthcoming – accepting my proposition for an interview straight away. I got his email address, and asked what his schedule was looking like. I know he’s going to be busy with the London previews, but he said to contact him in the two weeks. I want to talk to him about his involvement with a project to restore the dejected Bridgwater town hall. He’s managed to persuade the council to inject two million into a venture that will see the hall transformed into a multi-media centre and gallery. Julien has big London connections, and his close friend Damien Hurst wants to put his name to the gallery.
What a flying start for a slightly downtrodden town, with a misleading reputation. I want to get involved in this project, and I think meeting Julien will not only provide me with a wealth of material for a reportage style feature, but it will also (if I can get a high-profile publication interested) provide the right kind of recognition for the project and the town.
Monday, 23 April 2007
Here's the man himself
Here is Tim in the Globe rehearsal room, for those who still don't know who he is, or don't believe I've met him...
Nearly there
I've been slaving away at Tim's profile all day now, and I think it's nearly ready to become someone else's property. I wonder what they'll do to it - how much, or how little will change. I've sent a copy for Tim to check over for mistakes, but I don't think he checks his emails, so I won't hold my breath.
The editor at The Stage said to include Tim's top tips for aspiring actors in a box out, and I've been trying to get hold of him to ask some more questions. But I know that he's in the thick of Iago's consciousness and probably isn't thinking about anything else right now. So, I've chopped and changed the piece so that I've got Tim's top tips for playing Iago instead - just in case he doesn't call me back tomorrow.
I also hammered out my business feature this afternoon, and it seems to look OK. The transcript took me a few hours, but I high-lighted all the bits of relevance and wrote a good plan first, and that made it easier to write. It has a good narrative thread, mainly because it's another profile, so it's kind of in a chronological order.
Luckily enough, this profile was easy to set up, as I knew Tom Raffield, (co-founder of sixixis) from my undergraduate days and we quickly settled an interview on Friday. It was lovely to catch up with him and talk about his booming new business (bespoke wooden furniture design). He's just won a the Laurent-Perrier design award and that included a grands worth of prize money and a trip to Champagne. It's amazing that someone the same age as me is enjoying such success, and receiving an enormous amount of press coverage...Vogue, all the national papers, international magazines...but, he says he's still not rich.
It seemed strange that I was on the industry side of the conversation, it was so obvious that Tom had been asked all these questions a hundred times before - he was on auto-pilot. Weird, but it was fun to have a good gossip about the media industry and how it all seems to be run by affluent middle-aged women and people only interested in the next big thing. I hope I can get his profile published, but it's going to be difficult to find a publication that he hasn't featured in...
The editor at The Stage said to include Tim's top tips for aspiring actors in a box out, and I've been trying to get hold of him to ask some more questions. But I know that he's in the thick of Iago's consciousness and probably isn't thinking about anything else right now. So, I've chopped and changed the piece so that I've got Tim's top tips for playing Iago instead - just in case he doesn't call me back tomorrow.
I also hammered out my business feature this afternoon, and it seems to look OK. The transcript took me a few hours, but I high-lighted all the bits of relevance and wrote a good plan first, and that made it easier to write. It has a good narrative thread, mainly because it's another profile, so it's kind of in a chronological order.
Luckily enough, this profile was easy to set up, as I knew Tom Raffield, (co-founder of sixixis) from my undergraduate days and we quickly settled an interview on Friday. It was lovely to catch up with him and talk about his booming new business (bespoke wooden furniture design). He's just won a the Laurent-Perrier design award and that included a grands worth of prize money and a trip to Champagne. It's amazing that someone the same age as me is enjoying such success, and receiving an enormous amount of press coverage...Vogue, all the national papers, international magazines...but, he says he's still not rich.
It seemed strange that I was on the industry side of the conversation, it was so obvious that Tom had been asked all these questions a hundred times before - he was on auto-pilot. Weird, but it was fun to have a good gossip about the media industry and how it all seems to be run by affluent middle-aged women and people only interested in the next big thing. I hope I can get his profile published, but it's going to be difficult to find a publication that he hasn't featured in...
Friday, 20 April 2007
First Offer
It's all starting to make sense now.
I've been given an offer for my Tim McInnerny profile - by The Stage Magazine. At last I've broken through the icy exterior of the media industry. And it wasn't too difficult. On Wednesday night I wrote a couple of pitch letters and sent them off very late (Stranger, Cornish World, Times Culture and The Stage), in the vague hope that I might get one reply. Then went to bed feeling anxious and unsure if I was really going to get anything out of the pitches.
But when I opened my emails yesterday morning, I was ecstatic to find an email from Chris at Cornish World, saying they were interested in one of my pieces. The other email was from the editor of The Stage, Brian Attwood - saying he wanted me to make amendments to the McInnerny profile, but was definitely interested in publishing it. How unusual is that - to get such a rapid response direct from the editor, the day after a pitch, when I said I'd call him on Monday! My confidence has been re-instated, and I feel like I'm getting a good handle on the industry.
I probably won't get much money for the feature, but I don't care - I want to see my words in print. The big bucks will come later...I've got another feature I can submit to The Stage soon after this one, probably another profile. Two days after I interviewed Tim, I interviewed his partner Annie Gosney in Somerset. (She's friends with my parents and agreed to an interview at her sister's house in North Curry.) Annie is a prestigious theatre producer and set designer. She also organizes fancy parties and writes books. She was a brilliant interviewee, very forthcoming and exciting to listen to.
So, I'm thinking that I will pitch it with emphasis on her inventive skills for props and stage mud (you'll have to read the feature to find out...). Its fantastic that I've got the material for two features, just from a chance encounter at a party, but I guess it has to start somewhere.
And, I found out from Annie the day after my interview with Tim that he missed twenty minutes of a Man United match because our interview over-ran! Apparently he has season tickets and they scored three monumental goals in the first half hour...oops! Oh well, I guess it shows he's a true gentleman.
I've been given an offer for my Tim McInnerny profile - by The Stage Magazine. At last I've broken through the icy exterior of the media industry. And it wasn't too difficult. On Wednesday night I wrote a couple of pitch letters and sent them off very late (Stranger, Cornish World, Times Culture and The Stage), in the vague hope that I might get one reply. Then went to bed feeling anxious and unsure if I was really going to get anything out of the pitches.
But when I opened my emails yesterday morning, I was ecstatic to find an email from Chris at Cornish World, saying they were interested in one of my pieces. The other email was from the editor of The Stage, Brian Attwood - saying he wanted me to make amendments to the McInnerny profile, but was definitely interested in publishing it. How unusual is that - to get such a rapid response direct from the editor, the day after a pitch, when I said I'd call him on Monday! My confidence has been re-instated, and I feel like I'm getting a good handle on the industry.
I probably won't get much money for the feature, but I don't care - I want to see my words in print. The big bucks will come later...I've got another feature I can submit to The Stage soon after this one, probably another profile. Two days after I interviewed Tim, I interviewed his partner Annie Gosney in Somerset. (She's friends with my parents and agreed to an interview at her sister's house in North Curry.) Annie is a prestigious theatre producer and set designer. She also organizes fancy parties and writes books. She was a brilliant interviewee, very forthcoming and exciting to listen to.
So, I'm thinking that I will pitch it with emphasis on her inventive skills for props and stage mud (you'll have to read the feature to find out...). Its fantastic that I've got the material for two features, just from a chance encounter at a party, but I guess it has to start somewhere.
And, I found out from Annie the day after my interview with Tim that he missed twenty minutes of a Man United match because our interview over-ran! Apparently he has season tickets and they scored three monumental goals in the first half hour...oops! Oh well, I guess it shows he's a true gentleman.
Tuesday, 10 April 2007
The Accidental Actor
Proceeding a few days of anticipation and subtle cajoling, I persuaded Tim to give my assistant photographer (and beloved sister) Lilli and I the opportunity to meet him at Shakespeare’s Globe for a bit of a photo session. But of course, it didn’t quite go to plan. The Othello rehearsal ran over by forty-five minutes and then the Globe stage was booked, so we had to take photos in the rehearsal room instead.
Which really wasn’t as bad as it sounds; because the room was spacious and there were a few props we could use to make it look more like a theatrical space. He’d obviously had a hard day (they’re only two weeks into rehearsals), and I got the feeling we needed to move things along swiftly. After Lilli had done her stuff with the camera, I suggested we buy Tim a drink – he really looked like he needed it! So we vacated to a pub near by.
The Thames looked beautiful as the sun set and throng of foreign kids idled beside us – we looked for an outside table to soak up the atmosphere, but hundreds of others had the same idea. Tim insisted on buying us both a G&T and we settled at a less-than-ideal table by a frosted glass window. The first ten or fifteen minutes of the interview were a bit strained, Tim seemed a little on edge, but he soon relaxed and settled into his answers.
I started with questions about the production of Othello and how rehearsals were going. He was very forthcoming and gave an in-depth analysis of the play and his character, Iago. Who incidentally – has the most lines (other than Hamlet) in any of Shakespeare’s plays. Iago is one of Tim’s biggest challenges yet, but one he says he’s determined to crack. It was interesting to hear Tim say that if there wasn’t a certain amount of fear involved in a role, it wasn’t worth pursuing – he wants to be constantly pushed by his character.
And for a man who never intended to be an actor – this speaks volumes. It was fascinating to discover that Tim only discovered his talent when his geography teacher secured him a place at the National Youth Theatre – without him even knowing! But it was obviously a push in the right direction, because he hasn’t looked back from the day that he reluctantly accepted a role in his first school play. Before he got the acting bug, Tim wanted to be a poet/novelist/tennis player, shying away from anything collaborative. To reach such a level of professionalism in the fickle entertainment trade is some feat, and the relative obscurity he came from only adds to the endearment of his rise to fame.
We also talked about his role in Severance and how he’d love to work with director Chris Smith again, and his love for working on radio and animation voice-overs. The only question he wouldn’t answer was about future projects. Understandably he doesn’t want to jinx himself by saying, “yes, I’m playing the lead in the latest Tarentino and then back to the theatre for Macbeth.” But it left me really wanting to know what he’s been offered. It must be big, if he’s worried about getting his own hopes up.
Tim had to rush off just after an hour into the interview – I had many more questions, but had plenty enough material to go home with. I think it went well, it was just a shame that the location wasn’t ideal and that Tim had had a heavy day of draining rehearsals. But it wasn’t just him who was drained. I got up after a measly three hours sleep (I always worry myself out of sleep the night before a big day), to catch the 7.01 from Penmere.
Why did I wear THOSE SHOES? Bearing in mind I’ve only ever worn my T-bars under a layer of alcohol cushioning, I didn’t realise that even before I’d left the train – I was going to be in agony all day. And to add insult to injury, I had to stand up in the train from Taunton to London because (of course) everyone and their cousin were travelling home after an Easter weekend away. I can’t even be bothered to moan about public transport, I did enough of that in the radio workshop last week…
Lilli was in the same league of pain as me, except she had socks on and so avoided the sweaty, squeltchiness entailed with bare feet and early summer heat. We hobbled around like a pair of cripples, trying our hardest to look sophisticated. We had a little light relief at lunch in the park, but by the time we’d walked to Trafalgar Square – we were gagging to find a Boots for some kind of blister/ball-of-foot assistance. We bought two pairs of insoles and found a quiet spot to load them up.
Only they didn’t make the slightest bit of difference.
I started to feel guilty that we hadn’t done anything with our day, so we got on the tube to Tate Modern. But when we got there all we could do was sit and watch as we regained consciousness in our lower extremities. If we’d have been in trainers our day would have looked remarkable different. We probably could have taken in at least two exhibitions, done some shopping and avoided most of the tube stops. I just had to go and ruin both my feet and my capacity to travel as normal.
I was so worried about this discrepancy that I started to think it would affect the interview and my performance as interviewer. Needless to say, it didn’t actually make any difference to the interview, but bloody hell – we still had to get back to Paddington and then to bed… in…those…heels. Those wretched but oh-so-beautiful heels…I officially no longer wish to suffer in the name of fashion or professionalism!
Which really wasn’t as bad as it sounds; because the room was spacious and there were a few props we could use to make it look more like a theatrical space. He’d obviously had a hard day (they’re only two weeks into rehearsals), and I got the feeling we needed to move things along swiftly. After Lilli had done her stuff with the camera, I suggested we buy Tim a drink – he really looked like he needed it! So we vacated to a pub near by.
The Thames looked beautiful as the sun set and throng of foreign kids idled beside us – we looked for an outside table to soak up the atmosphere, but hundreds of others had the same idea. Tim insisted on buying us both a G&T and we settled at a less-than-ideal table by a frosted glass window. The first ten or fifteen minutes of the interview were a bit strained, Tim seemed a little on edge, but he soon relaxed and settled into his answers.
I started with questions about the production of Othello and how rehearsals were going. He was very forthcoming and gave an in-depth analysis of the play and his character, Iago. Who incidentally – has the most lines (other than Hamlet) in any of Shakespeare’s plays. Iago is one of Tim’s biggest challenges yet, but one he says he’s determined to crack. It was interesting to hear Tim say that if there wasn’t a certain amount of fear involved in a role, it wasn’t worth pursuing – he wants to be constantly pushed by his character.
And for a man who never intended to be an actor – this speaks volumes. It was fascinating to discover that Tim only discovered his talent when his geography teacher secured him a place at the National Youth Theatre – without him even knowing! But it was obviously a push in the right direction, because he hasn’t looked back from the day that he reluctantly accepted a role in his first school play. Before he got the acting bug, Tim wanted to be a poet/novelist/tennis player, shying away from anything collaborative. To reach such a level of professionalism in the fickle entertainment trade is some feat, and the relative obscurity he came from only adds to the endearment of his rise to fame.
We also talked about his role in Severance and how he’d love to work with director Chris Smith again, and his love for working on radio and animation voice-overs. The only question he wouldn’t answer was about future projects. Understandably he doesn’t want to jinx himself by saying, “yes, I’m playing the lead in the latest Tarentino and then back to the theatre for Macbeth.” But it left me really wanting to know what he’s been offered. It must be big, if he’s worried about getting his own hopes up.
Tim had to rush off just after an hour into the interview – I had many more questions, but had plenty enough material to go home with. I think it went well, it was just a shame that the location wasn’t ideal and that Tim had had a heavy day of draining rehearsals. But it wasn’t just him who was drained. I got up after a measly three hours sleep (I always worry myself out of sleep the night before a big day), to catch the 7.01 from Penmere.
Why did I wear THOSE SHOES? Bearing in mind I’ve only ever worn my T-bars under a layer of alcohol cushioning, I didn’t realise that even before I’d left the train – I was going to be in agony all day. And to add insult to injury, I had to stand up in the train from Taunton to London because (of course) everyone and their cousin were travelling home after an Easter weekend away. I can’t even be bothered to moan about public transport, I did enough of that in the radio workshop last week…
Lilli was in the same league of pain as me, except she had socks on and so avoided the sweaty, squeltchiness entailed with bare feet and early summer heat. We hobbled around like a pair of cripples, trying our hardest to look sophisticated. We had a little light relief at lunch in the park, but by the time we’d walked to Trafalgar Square – we were gagging to find a Boots for some kind of blister/ball-of-foot assistance. We bought two pairs of insoles and found a quiet spot to load them up.
Only they didn’t make the slightest bit of difference.
I started to feel guilty that we hadn’t done anything with our day, so we got on the tube to Tate Modern. But when we got there all we could do was sit and watch as we regained consciousness in our lower extremities. If we’d have been in trainers our day would have looked remarkable different. We probably could have taken in at least two exhibitions, done some shopping and avoided most of the tube stops. I just had to go and ruin both my feet and my capacity to travel as normal.
I was so worried about this discrepancy that I started to think it would affect the interview and my performance as interviewer. Needless to say, it didn’t actually make any difference to the interview, but bloody hell – we still had to get back to Paddington and then to bed… in…those…heels. Those wretched but oh-so-beautiful heels…I officially no longer wish to suffer in the name of fashion or professionalism!
Monday, 2 April 2007
The Green Light
It's all settled. I'm meeting Tim McInnerny for an interview in London on the 10th of April.
After a couple of days trying to get hold of Tim (why are actors so illusive?), I have finally arranged my first star interview! I'm taking my sister alone to take photos (she's an ace photograph and cheap too), and I'm hoping to get some shots at the Globe, where he is rehearsing for the part of Iago in Othello (ready for production in May.) But I won't hold my breath, after a day of playing a villain with the most lines of any Shakespearean play, I'm sure Tim will be pretty desperate to get away from the place...
I must now concentrate on my research and drumming up some business for the finished feature. I'm going to pitch it to one of the weekend supplements, probably the Times or the Observer. It going to be tricky, but with such a big name and such a topical subject, I'm feeling quietly confident about it. I may ask Christina to help me decide the best way to go about selling it, because I don't want to make any mistakes.
I'm now back in Falmouth after a fabulous two weeks work experience in Bristol. I went to a production company situated by the docks (next door to Aardman and the ss Great Britain). Calling The Shots are a micro indie, which means they have a small team of dedicated staff, with a real passion for reaching the voice of the local community. Obviously they aim for the big commissions, but the terrestrial broadcasters don't seem to want to spend much money on the indies. Which is a shame, because the quality of their work, and the issues they specialise in are more interesting than most of the crap you see on TV today.
In my first week I read a pile of scripts and wrote reports for each of them. I enjoyed this immensely, and it was great to see what makes a good script and to look at a script with the production values and budget allowances in mind. I had to consider if the writer was worth working with, if they had the right 'talent' for CTS, and if I thought the script was worth pursuing. At the end of the week I was researching funding and commissioning opportunities in the UK and Europe, which benefited CTS and opened my eyes to the current trends in commissioning.
I also went to the Watershed to help film an interview with Sue Lion, who is the managing Director of the Encounters Short Film Festival. I got her business card and I will be taking part in the festival in November as a volunteer. I won't get paid and accommodation won't be included, but it'll be a grand way of meeting a bunch of actors/producers/commissioners/directors.
In the second week I helped edit a live script, which was being put into production as we were working on it. We made a few alterations and then I was asked to do some archive research and sourcing contacts for the project. In the middle of the week I went to Gloucester with Marina to film part of a documentary with an animator whose been commissioned by Channel 4. As the week drew to a close, I felt a bit sad - I was really enjoying my time there, really felt like I was beginning to fit in.
Steve took me to a Media Networking event in a really posh bar on Park Street - I felt so very out of place. I really don't like this side to the industry - hob-knobbing for the sake of finding a connection. But, Steve introduced me to some lovely people, including a script editor for Channel 4, Abigail Davies. She was very enthusiastic and impressed with the cheap business card I gave her, complaining that she still wouldn't know what to put on her business card! I got her email, and I want to try and get an interview with her at some point for bloc-online.
On my last day, Jeremy and Marina took me out for lunch, and we discussed the placement. They have offered me some copy writing work, and have told me to get in contact with them when I move to Bristol. Lovely people, really honest and down-to-earth. I hope to work with them again some day soon.
After a couple of days trying to get hold of Tim (why are actors so illusive?), I have finally arranged my first star interview! I'm taking my sister alone to take photos (she's an ace photograph and cheap too), and I'm hoping to get some shots at the Globe, where he is rehearsing for the part of Iago in Othello (ready for production in May.) But I won't hold my breath, after a day of playing a villain with the most lines of any Shakespearean play, I'm sure Tim will be pretty desperate to get away from the place...
I must now concentrate on my research and drumming up some business for the finished feature. I'm going to pitch it to one of the weekend supplements, probably the Times or the Observer. It going to be tricky, but with such a big name and such a topical subject, I'm feeling quietly confident about it. I may ask Christina to help me decide the best way to go about selling it, because I don't want to make any mistakes.
I'm now back in Falmouth after a fabulous two weeks work experience in Bristol. I went to a production company situated by the docks (next door to Aardman and the ss Great Britain). Calling The Shots are a micro indie, which means they have a small team of dedicated staff, with a real passion for reaching the voice of the local community. Obviously they aim for the big commissions, but the terrestrial broadcasters don't seem to want to spend much money on the indies. Which is a shame, because the quality of their work, and the issues they specialise in are more interesting than most of the crap you see on TV today.
In my first week I read a pile of scripts and wrote reports for each of them. I enjoyed this immensely, and it was great to see what makes a good script and to look at a script with the production values and budget allowances in mind. I had to consider if the writer was worth working with, if they had the right 'talent' for CTS, and if I thought the script was worth pursuing. At the end of the week I was researching funding and commissioning opportunities in the UK and Europe, which benefited CTS and opened my eyes to the current trends in commissioning.
I also went to the Watershed to help film an interview with Sue Lion, who is the managing Director of the Encounters Short Film Festival. I got her business card and I will be taking part in the festival in November as a volunteer. I won't get paid and accommodation won't be included, but it'll be a grand way of meeting a bunch of actors/producers/commissioners/directors.
In the second week I helped edit a live script, which was being put into production as we were working on it. We made a few alterations and then I was asked to do some archive research and sourcing contacts for the project. In the middle of the week I went to Gloucester with Marina to film part of a documentary with an animator whose been commissioned by Channel 4. As the week drew to a close, I felt a bit sad - I was really enjoying my time there, really felt like I was beginning to fit in.
Steve took me to a Media Networking event in a really posh bar on Park Street - I felt so very out of place. I really don't like this side to the industry - hob-knobbing for the sake of finding a connection. But, Steve introduced me to some lovely people, including a script editor for Channel 4, Abigail Davies. She was very enthusiastic and impressed with the cheap business card I gave her, complaining that she still wouldn't know what to put on her business card! I got her email, and I want to try and get an interview with her at some point for bloc-online.
On my last day, Jeremy and Marina took me out for lunch, and we discussed the placement. They have offered me some copy writing work, and have told me to get in contact with them when I move to Bristol. Lovely people, really honest and down-to-earth. I hope to work with them again some day soon.
Sunday, 18 March 2007
First Brush With Celebrity
So it was Nancy’s sixtieth birthday last night, and my first one to one encounter with a celebrity. Mum wasn’t sure if Tim McInnerny and his partner Annie were going to be there, because it was the first dress rehearsal of Annie’s new play in London. But, lucky for me, they arrived somewhat fashionably late. I didn’t feel as anxious as I first thought, but I wasn’t sure how to approach him and when to go for the kill and ask him if he’d give me an interview.
Mum was hastening me to introduce myself and get on with it, but I wanted to wait till he’d settled into the swing of the party. So I had a glass of sparking pink and felt less than comfortable in my borrowed red silk dress and mum’s original croc stilettos. They were too big for me, but suited the dress so well I had to forget the pain. I’d stuffed so much cotton wool in the toes that my poor feet felt thoroughly trapped. I sat and ate a Mexican feast at a table with dad, Tim, Nancy’s son Henry and his girlfriend. At this point I begin to feel at ease, but still didn’t feel it was the right time to approach the subject of the interview.
Paul and Nancy hired a projector for the night and we watched the classically cheesy cult movie Flash Gordon. (Something everyone could relate to in one-way or another.) We had a proper interval at half time, with ice cream and wafers. It’s hilarious to be aware of the ‘in jokes’ after so many years of viewing Flash purely as a fantastic rollick through space. Just as spectacular as I remember from my childhood, but now added with a thick layer of sexual innuendo and tongue in cheek humour. The special effects barely look dated, and the wardrobe department must have had all their Christmases in one go sourcing the whacky costumes (and painting Ming’s eyebrows.)
After the showing I felt the time dissolving, and quickly gravitated to mum and dad, who were chatting to Tim. I waited for my time to open a conversation, and asked him what it was like working on Severance. He was only too happy to divulge a fair few anecdotes about the experience, his relationship with the production team and the trials of filming in Hungary. At last I had engaged him, and although I was dying on my feet in those ridiculous heels, I was making headway. I couldn’t decide when to ask him about the interview, but when he told me about his casting in a new production of Othello at the Globe, I thought that would be a good angle for an interview; Tim goes back to the theatre.
So I said, “Would you be interested in giving me an interview sometime?” and then, “Is it ok to take your details?” To my immense relief, he said, “yes” to both. I wonder if the red dress had made an impression, or was it just my natural charm? So anyway, I got him to write down his number and email and he said something like, “lets do lunch sometime…” So I think as soon as I’ve got my work experience out of the way, I’ll give him a call and arrange a day trip to London. I was nicely surprised at how approachable Tim was, and how interested he was in what I was doing. He even said he’d be interested in reading my script! (Note that I never use exclamation marks, but I thought it was highly appropriate here.)
I know I was pretty lucky for it to work out like that, but it wasn’t quite as hard as I thought it was going to be. I hope he will follow up his promise. But if he’s too busy, I could always interview Annie, as I’m sure she’s got her fair share of stories to tell. Either way, it’s another name to add to my contacts book (yuck, that sounds so shallow.) I don’t know if I could make a full time living out of this, but it is kind of fun and involves a lot of careful planning (which I’m getting better at) and working out the best time to strike in the hope of turning a few tiny cogs in the media machine.
Mum was hastening me to introduce myself and get on with it, but I wanted to wait till he’d settled into the swing of the party. So I had a glass of sparking pink and felt less than comfortable in my borrowed red silk dress and mum’s original croc stilettos. They were too big for me, but suited the dress so well I had to forget the pain. I’d stuffed so much cotton wool in the toes that my poor feet felt thoroughly trapped. I sat and ate a Mexican feast at a table with dad, Tim, Nancy’s son Henry and his girlfriend. At this point I begin to feel at ease, but still didn’t feel it was the right time to approach the subject of the interview.
Paul and Nancy hired a projector for the night and we watched the classically cheesy cult movie Flash Gordon. (Something everyone could relate to in one-way or another.) We had a proper interval at half time, with ice cream and wafers. It’s hilarious to be aware of the ‘in jokes’ after so many years of viewing Flash purely as a fantastic rollick through space. Just as spectacular as I remember from my childhood, but now added with a thick layer of sexual innuendo and tongue in cheek humour. The special effects barely look dated, and the wardrobe department must have had all their Christmases in one go sourcing the whacky costumes (and painting Ming’s eyebrows.)
After the showing I felt the time dissolving, and quickly gravitated to mum and dad, who were chatting to Tim. I waited for my time to open a conversation, and asked him what it was like working on Severance. He was only too happy to divulge a fair few anecdotes about the experience, his relationship with the production team and the trials of filming in Hungary. At last I had engaged him, and although I was dying on my feet in those ridiculous heels, I was making headway. I couldn’t decide when to ask him about the interview, but when he told me about his casting in a new production of Othello at the Globe, I thought that would be a good angle for an interview; Tim goes back to the theatre.
So I said, “Would you be interested in giving me an interview sometime?” and then, “Is it ok to take your details?” To my immense relief, he said, “yes” to both. I wonder if the red dress had made an impression, or was it just my natural charm? So anyway, I got him to write down his number and email and he said something like, “lets do lunch sometime…” So I think as soon as I’ve got my work experience out of the way, I’ll give him a call and arrange a day trip to London. I was nicely surprised at how approachable Tim was, and how interested he was in what I was doing. He even said he’d be interested in reading my script! (Note that I never use exclamation marks, but I thought it was highly appropriate here.)
I know I was pretty lucky for it to work out like that, but it wasn’t quite as hard as I thought it was going to be. I hope he will follow up his promise. But if he’s too busy, I could always interview Annie, as I’m sure she’s got her fair share of stories to tell. Either way, it’s another name to add to my contacts book (yuck, that sounds so shallow.) I don’t know if I could make a full time living out of this, but it is kind of fun and involves a lot of careful planning (which I’m getting better at) and working out the best time to strike in the hope of turning a few tiny cogs in the media machine.
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
Meeting McInnerny
How ironic is this - I've been invited to a party (with my parents), by their friend, whose sister just so happens to be married to no other than... Tim McInnerny. And if I remember correctly, I was only writing about him here on this blog last week. What a fabulous chance to get drunk with him and persuade to give me an interview. I'd be very stupid not to jump on the opportunity.
I want to ask him about being the bit-part player, how it feels to have been in many a big movie, but never quite reaching lead man status (apart from Severance I guess). I've done some research, and I found out that McInnerny left Black Adder because he was worried about being type cast - but pretty much every role he's played since then, he's been a slightly different reincarnation of Percy. A bumbling, classically eccentric English man. Not that there is anything wrong with that, he suites that character to a tee. But I can't help wondering if he craves a bigger role, or if he just waiting to take himself and us by surprise? Maybe he's secretly craving to play a serial killer or Doctor Who, I can't wait to ask him what he's got up his sleeve. There must be something there, waiting to rustle some Hollywood feathers.
I'm back in Somerset for three weeks, two of which will be spent in Bristol, reading scripts for Calling The Shots. I'm also supposed to be reviewing a gig at the Bridgwater Palace (band called Babyhead), and working on my MA proposal. There's also bloc (www.bloc-online.com) artwork to create, business cards to make and two features to culminate. It ain't gunna be easy, it certainly ain't gunna be much of a 'break', but I'm quite used to working like Paul Daniels on speed now - so I won't complain.
My parents friend John is a bit of a geezer, he knows people who know people and he's a bit of a media bitch. I asked him last night, if he'd give me Julien Temple's (Big Film Director) number, but he declined - saying he thought he'd have enough press by now! That's fair enough, but should I persist with it? I know another of mum and dad's friend's who'd quite happily divulge that information. I want to get as many interviews as possible whilst I'm in the hood, and there are certainly enough eccentric characters to go around there.
I've met Julien before, when I was very young - but now as my interest in film seems to be becoming more than an obsession, it would be amazing to talk to him about what he does best. He's got a new film out soon, about Joe Strummer from the Clash (who he was good friends with), so it would be a highly topical interview. But maybe John's right, maybe he's too busy to talk to a (semi) professional writer, who happens to be the daughter of a friend of a friend. I'll going to give it a go, but I've got a feeling it may have to wait till I've found my feet in the world.
But, you know - Tim McInnerny will certainly do for now, and maybe he's got a host of famous friends he's dying to introduce to me....
(Excited face) My website www.hollywicks.co.uk is now live on the internet, so go have a look - now.
I want to ask him about being the bit-part player, how it feels to have been in many a big movie, but never quite reaching lead man status (apart from Severance I guess). I've done some research, and I found out that McInnerny left Black Adder because he was worried about being type cast - but pretty much every role he's played since then, he's been a slightly different reincarnation of Percy. A bumbling, classically eccentric English man. Not that there is anything wrong with that, he suites that character to a tee. But I can't help wondering if he craves a bigger role, or if he just waiting to take himself and us by surprise? Maybe he's secretly craving to play a serial killer or Doctor Who, I can't wait to ask him what he's got up his sleeve. There must be something there, waiting to rustle some Hollywood feathers.
I'm back in Somerset for three weeks, two of which will be spent in Bristol, reading scripts for Calling The Shots. I'm also supposed to be reviewing a gig at the Bridgwater Palace (band called Babyhead), and working on my MA proposal. There's also bloc (www.bloc-online.com) artwork to create, business cards to make and two features to culminate. It ain't gunna be easy, it certainly ain't gunna be much of a 'break', but I'm quite used to working like Paul Daniels on speed now - so I won't complain.
My parents friend John is a bit of a geezer, he knows people who know people and he's a bit of a media bitch. I asked him last night, if he'd give me Julien Temple's (Big Film Director) number, but he declined - saying he thought he'd have enough press by now! That's fair enough, but should I persist with it? I know another of mum and dad's friend's who'd quite happily divulge that information. I want to get as many interviews as possible whilst I'm in the hood, and there are certainly enough eccentric characters to go around there.
I've met Julien before, when I was very young - but now as my interest in film seems to be becoming more than an obsession, it would be amazing to talk to him about what he does best. He's got a new film out soon, about Joe Strummer from the Clash (who he was good friends with), so it would be a highly topical interview. But maybe John's right, maybe he's too busy to talk to a (semi) professional writer, who happens to be the daughter of a friend of a friend. I'll going to give it a go, but I've got a feeling it may have to wait till I've found my feet in the world.
But, you know - Tim McInnerny will certainly do for now, and maybe he's got a host of famous friends he's dying to introduce to me....
(Excited face) My website www.hollywicks.co.uk is now live on the internet, so go have a look - now.
Thursday, 8 March 2007
Severance
Watched a cracking good British film last night - Severance. I don't remember hearing anything about it when it was released, the promotion team can't have had much to work with, and what a shame. But now on DVD, I hope the word gets round - we need more British ballsy movies like this. Set in Eastern Europe, the plot centres around a group of employees sent on a 'team building' weekend that goes horribly wrong when they end up in the wrong place in the wrong part of the country.
Oh course, the mixed bag of characters play off each other perfectly - an array of oddballs straying just far enough from their stereotypes to be highly entertaining and empathetic. Tim McInnerny leads the team as the hapless, bumbling fool, blissfully ignored by Danny Dyer's perfectly portrayed 'geezer' - the rebel with an alternative motive to turn the trip into a drug fuelled orgy. But, unfortunately - something gets in the way. And that something involves lots of killing, blood, arguing and general unpleasantness.
What starts as a comedy 'fish-out-of-water' flick darkly moves into a serious horror. But the laughs still roll in thick and fast, with light relief generally provided by Danny Dyer. The third act may go on a little too long, but the action and clever plot devices make this a romper-stomper. Only two of the characters make it out alive, as the narrative gravitates full circle - and the irony of their situation is revealed.
Witty, potent and suitably gory, Severance's strongest hook remains, (for me) with the sterling cast of predominantly British actors and their lovable characters. And when the McInnerny character stumbles across a mine his company made, he's faced with a lose-lose situation. His demise bids the others some much-needed get away time, but you can't help wishing he had a few more minutes of screen time, along with the others that perished long before him.
Oh course, the mixed bag of characters play off each other perfectly - an array of oddballs straying just far enough from their stereotypes to be highly entertaining and empathetic. Tim McInnerny leads the team as the hapless, bumbling fool, blissfully ignored by Danny Dyer's perfectly portrayed 'geezer' - the rebel with an alternative motive to turn the trip into a drug fuelled orgy. But, unfortunately - something gets in the way. And that something involves lots of killing, blood, arguing and general unpleasantness.
What starts as a comedy 'fish-out-of-water' flick darkly moves into a serious horror. But the laughs still roll in thick and fast, with light relief generally provided by Danny Dyer. The third act may go on a little too long, but the action and clever plot devices make this a romper-stomper. Only two of the characters make it out alive, as the narrative gravitates full circle - and the irony of their situation is revealed.
Witty, potent and suitably gory, Severance's strongest hook remains, (for me) with the sterling cast of predominantly British actors and their lovable characters. And when the McInnerny character stumbles across a mine his company made, he's faced with a lose-lose situation. His demise bids the others some much-needed get away time, but you can't help wishing he had a few more minutes of screen time, along with the others that perished long before him.
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