Novel Progress Part 2

Bit of a slow week, the total is now 2788 words. The urge to go back and rewrite as I'm going along is proving too much much of a draw which is why my number count is so low. I have to stop myself, I know, but that's easier said than done.

The Over Sensetive.

I made a comment on someones facebook page. They have now band me and erased me from their Facebook friend's list and also twitter.

Some people don't deserve my friendship. The comment I made was not derogatory in any way. In fact here it is to the best of my memory. "I'm single." My response, "Thank god there's not two of you." Not exactly rude is it? Funny? What's your opinion?

Being depressed I know about being over sensitive, but then there's being sensitive and over sensitive. You have to find the right balance, this person obviously hasn't.

Some people need to take a deep breath and not take things so seriously.

Dom

A Tale Of Two Novels

For months...nothing, not an idea, not a word, not even a single letter. Then I start a novel and a week later I have another fantastic idea ambush my head while I'm laid low with the flu, and I start a second one. Two novels being written simultaneously. That's what I said....written. Not thought about, not hoped for, not imagined, but actual fingers to keys typing. We have a double word count going on, people.

I think there is light at the end of my tunnel of darkness and its name is SIX!

Writing.

Started my novel. 1664 words down and a lot more to go. It's nice to be writing again.

Hello?

I really should write something new, but the darkness is still upon me.

Hopefully soon ;-)

Guest Post: Adrian Mead

The ever lovely and helpful Adrian Mead sent me this email, so I thought I'd print it in full as it's so good and extremely helpful.

"Sounds like you have taken all the right steps to address your situation and there isn’t much I can offer you other than saying well done for being so open and taking action. Known lots of very happy and successful folk who have learned to manage these sort of episodes.

Depression gets used as a term for many things. Perhaps others reading this may have experienced some of the feelings you have talked about.

If you or someone you know is feeling down and de-motivated it’s important to recognize those feelings are real and valid because that is what they are experiencing. The following is worth considering.

Ask yourself these questions -

MOTIVATION

Why do I want to be a writer?

What exactly do I expect to gain from this activity?

If you are not enjoying the process it may be because your motivation is out of balance and skewed towards a transient or often unquantifiable goal – such as validation from others or fame.

AVOIDING THE SLIP INTO SELF DOUBT

All humans experience self doubt – with writers it’s easy to focus it on your writing and career.

It’s hugely important that you quickly stop the slide into self doubt or feeling down. Having a positive feedback file at hand with reviews, clippings and emails that praise your work is an extremely powerful tool."

(I'd agree with that. I do indeed have such a folder and it's good to read those comments now and again.)

"ARE THINGS REALLY THAT BAD?

Your feelings are real and valid because that is what you are experiencing. However, and I know this is an oft quoted one but it’s true, go volunteer to help others. There are people with way greater challenges than you and I. Works for me."

(Again, good advice. I like to help those less fortunate than myself so last Saturday I was tea/coffee/food bitch for Lucy, at her first ever Script Reading seminar.)

"TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR DIET

Cut out all junk food, dairy and all booze for three months. You’ll be shocked at the difference this can make. Don’t believe me? Try it and prove me wrong."

( I quit the booze for two weeks, and even that little amount of time made a huge difference.)

"YOU MUST EXERCISE!

Commit to exercise every day -

Hit stuff!!! Join a martial arts class.

Got a family and reckon you haven’t got time to exercise? Then take the baby buggy and a back pack filled with books on a 20 mins very brisk walk in the morning!"

(I take my son and dog for a walk at least once a day, twice if I have the energy to keep up with them.)

"Try Dancing/crawling/singing with your kids in between writing breaks or to their favourite DVD. You will feel good, they will have a great time.

Every time you think of raiding the fridge between writing breaks do 10 press ups, 10 sit ups, 10 squats instead.

Buy a punch bag or stand up target. Great for dealing with rejections and stress

Commit to doing something every day!

HATE EXERCISE?

Join a choir – lots of folk find this hugely beneficial.

Join a dance class. Your wife/girlfriend will most likely love the new man in you.

Or if you are single it will be a great chance to meet the opposite sex!

TOP UP THE CREATIVE TANK

Take yourself on a weekly date to art galleries, movies – even a read of the papers and a coffee in the garden – but do it every week.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is a great manual for ideas like this.

MANAGE YOUR TIME: DON’T SPEND TIME, INVEST IT

Make a plan.

Whenever you approach the computer, TV, etc ask yourself “What return am I going to get “. Don’t spend time. Invest it.

“What return am I going to get “.

See the brilliant Jim Lawless book Taming Tigers for lots of great strategies on time management and inspiration.

SET GOALS

Most powerful motivator there is. Achieving a goal gives positive feedback and helps you maintain your motivation."

(I set daily goals, cleaning the house, doing the washing, or anything like that and if I've completed at least half of my list I feel I've had a productive day.)

"YOU MUST DO THIS and stick to them.

Set daily goals in your diary. Ring fence time and stick to it.

For your career and personal life set -

Short term.
Mid term
Long term goals.

Set deadlines for each. Stick them up where you can see them!

SURVIVAL KIT

Go download the E book MAKING IT AS A SCREENWRITER. www.meadkerr.com"

(If you don't have it already, get it. It's an invaluable thing to have.)

"PRINT IT OUT and keep it next to your computer. You can feel good about supporting Childline and taking control of your future at the same time

Positive feedback file. Start building it now. Keep it next to your computer at all times. Soon as doubt creeps in reach for this.

Stick your list of goals with deadlines up on the wall next to the computer.

FINALLY

If all this talk of goals and time management seems like too much hard work, well the truth is that you probably enjoy writing as a hobby. That’s great, but don’t confuse an enjoyable hobby with the goal to become a professional writer. It requires a massive, daily commitment to your craft and a well honed and highly active career strategy to become a professional writer.

It’s easy to fall short in your efforts and assume that your lack of success is due to a lack of talent. Enjoy your hobby and stop worrying about “making it” or get seriously committed.

None of the above is meant to trivialise the illness of depression or the feelings of others. As I said earlier, your feelings are real and valid because that is what you are experiencing. If you stick to the suggestions above and still feel down and unmotivated you should seek professional help – as Dom has done. It’s important to talk to people."

Cheers, Adrian.

Write Some More

While I've been suffering from the depression, and even though I haven't been writing, my brain has still been ticking over.

Second Skin, my entry to this year's Red Planet Prize, has been floating around in my head ever since I didn't get through to the second read. It's changed a lot since then, so tonight I started work again on the series bible. I've added a new character who will feature heavily in the first season and will bow out at the end of the series.

Still loads more ideas floating around in my head to change things so I'll try and work on this as much as I can during the week.

Write

I did write the other night, only a few words, but my first for months. Progress!!!

The Blackness

So what have I been doing for the last month or so?

I've been in a very difficult place, most commonly known as depression.

I'm not looking for any sympathy writing this, I just want to tell my story and help anyone else out there in writer land who might be suffering, but may not know it.

Mental illness affects one in four people. I have twenty three followers of this blog, which means five of them could potentially be suffering from mental problems. Don't let the words 'mental illness' scare you, although depression is classed as a mental illness it is treatable, you just need to admit you need help and ask for it.

Not so long ago I found myself sleeping a lot, and when I was awake I didn't have any energy. I lost interest in my writing (I've written nothing since the CBBC drama competition), going out, socialising, or doing anything other than sitting on the sofa in front of the TV. I also found myself analysing everything about my life in the minutest detail. I felt I was a failure as a writer because after eight years of trying I've still not had a commission here in the UK. I was also very short tempered and would get angry over the littlest things. Life was, in short,...crap!!!

But I decided to go and do something about it. I got my doctor to refer me for some counseling and I've just started cognitive therapy (reordering the way you think about things and look at the world). Even after only one session I feel better. I know I still have a long way to go, but I know I'm doing something about it now, so one day very soon those dark clouds are going to lift.

I even feel a little interest in my writing coming back, so I may even write a few little words on a treatment, or something, just to get me started.

Asking for help is a hard thing to do, but I promise you there is no shame in it. If you're feeling down I urge you to go and talk to your doctor and tell him how you feel. He/She will listen to you, and more importantly, he/she will be able to help.

Where Have I Been?

Update soon!!!!

James Moran

Good, intelligent, thought provoking television that stays with you weeks after transmission, that's the mark of good TV. So why do people feel it necessary to be nasty about things.

James has been nothing but open about his work from day one, offering a rarely seen insight into the television creative process. He didn't need to do that, he could have just kept quiet, but he was generous enough to share his experiences with us. Now others have gone and spoilt it by sending hateful messages and rude comments. If you don't like what he writes then don't watch it.

James is taking a rest from the blog-o-sphere for a while, so leave him be: http://jamesmoran.blogspot.com/2009/07/stepping-back.html

A Happy Writer

I found it, that feeling you get when you absolutely love something, when it's all you think about, when it just comes naturally, and when everything you touch turns to pure, solid gold.

My CBBC entry was so much fun, more fun than I've had for ages. It was just a joy to type words, one after the other, and not to care what anyone else might think of it. It just flowed, and flowed, and flowed. And when I reached the end I hardly had anything I needed to change. It was just perfect. Maybe it was the fact the story has been in my head for three years now, and is being written as a novel, or maybe it was working to a deadline that did it? Whatever it was I now want to write the second episode, and the third, and the fourth, and so on. Pure writing joy.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I now have my writing mojo back...yeah, baby, yeah!!!

The CBBC Rush

18 pages written, 12 to do.... 6 days and 10 minutes till the deadline.

Will I make it?

Read the comments to find out.

CBBC

Frantically working on my CBBC entry, trying to get it finished by the deadline. But a thought occurs to me, what if it's too scary?

A drama aimed at the 6-12 year old viewers, so exactly HOW scary can I make it? Do I avoid scenes with characters suffering nightmares, in dark places being chased by creatures they cannot see, or do I go,"BOLLOCKS" and just write it how I want to and risk a nation of six year olds weeing their pants in terror?

Mind you, if I do that, those children will remember the program for the rest of their lives, which is what good TV drama is all about.

Oh dear, what should a writer do?

Bastard Pooter

Bastard pooter crashed because of bastard Mac update.

Bastard reinstall went bastard wrong and I lost ten years of bastard photos.

And I haven't been able to write a word of the bastard CBBC thing for three bastard days because of it!!!!

Nine bastard days to go and still only three bastard pages. Better get a bastard move on then.

BASTARD!!!!!

Apology

Last night I posted something I had noticed about James Moran which I thought was funny. On reflection it wasn't and may have been interpreted as a criticism of his work.

The one comment I received called me unprofessional and quite rightly so.

I would just like to state that James Moran deserves the success he is experiencing, because he is very talented and works extremely hard, and at no time have I thought, or intended to apply, the opposite.

So if anyone was offended by my post, please accept my humble apologies.

Dom

The Sound Of Silence

I've been a bit quiet of late, tis coz I have my head down trying to do this CBBC thing.

I will surface soon enough, and there had better be plenty of comments on my posts when I do....or there will be trouble :-P

A Writer Shall Be Rewritten

I've just started the third rewrite on Second Skin, my supernatural comedy drama, thanks to some pretty honest notes from some very lovely people. And it's a biggy, almost a complete overhaul of character, plot and original idea. The thing I don't like about rewrites, and it's a big thing, is my enthusiasm for the project evaporates slightly with every new version. To me writing then becomes mechanical and loses the joy and excitement which first attracts me to a project. With a loss of enthusiasm comes a loss of motivation. I'd rather Facebook or Twitter.

How to combat it? One suggestion is to put the script away for a few months until it starts to interest you again. After all should you really work on something you've lost your enthusiasm for? Wouldn't this weaken the effectiveness of any rewrite?

Another suggestion is just to plow on through with it despite a dwindling enthusiasm. Get the rewrite done, leave it for a while and then come back to it. Then you can see if the rewrite worked and go back and change what didn't. This is significantly harder work than the above and can lead to a lot of indecision, but is still my preferred way of working. I don't like to give up and for me putting aside a script until my enthusiasm returns is doing exactly that.

Another problem I have with excessive rewriting is the diluting of the original idea. The idea is to make your script better, improve on characters, sharpen dialogue and tighten structure. Your script maybe much improved at the end, but does all that rewriting dilute your original voice? After all we are continuously told an original voice is what producers are looking for.

I think as a new writer you're under pressure to make your scripts perfect and I for one know that in the search of that perfection I lose some of that initial sparkle, that rawness which makes the script a Dominic Carver original. Maybe more considered rewrites are the way to go, getting as much feed back as possible before attempting one. This way less time is spent on actual rewrites, enthusiasm is less likely to be lost, and less of the original voice is consigned to the scrap pile.

By the way, the term 'New Writer' annoys me too. I've been writing for years now, just because I haven't had a major commission, option or success so far doesn't mean I'm a 'New Writer'. 'New Writer' is a dirty word in my house and will no longer be used to describe the current stage of my career. I am a writer... end of!

The Gardening Scriptwriter

Sunday I was gardening, mainly because it was sunny, but also because the weeds had taken advantage of my week's holiday in Norway. It looked like they had had a party, a few friends round, even though they denied it. You know the sort of thing. Cheeky little buggers! While I was yanking out a rather stubborn dandelion root a sudden thought struck me, right between the eyes, made my eyes water I can tell you. My revelation? Scriptwriting is like gardening.

In the spring your garden is a mess, weeds everywhere, with the occasional shoot of a plant trying to battle through. This is your script at its conception. You have a mess of ideas floating around in your cranium with one or two showing promise. So you weed out those bad ideas, giving the good idea room to breath and grow. Then it blooms and you have your story and your garden is looking delightful. Now you can relax and enjoy it, right?

Wrong! Those weeds come back, becoming underdeveloped characters, clunky dialogue, threatening to choke the life out of your beautiful garden. Time to weed all over again. The more you weed the more weeds you notice hiding away waiting to shoot up when your back is turned. It's no good relaxingly, you have to keep on the boil, constantly going back to the garden, pruning, weeding and turning the soil to maintain the garden the way you want it.

But it doesn't matter how many weeds you dig up, when you have visitors over they'll always spot those one or two persistent weeds you failed to find. And there's always some bastard who kicks the heads off all your daffodils on their way home from the pub!!!!!

Vacation

I'm on holiday as of tomorrow, the first proper one in two years. Oh the joy!!!

I'll see you all when I get back kiddies, behave yourselves while I'm gone.

The First Chapter

So here it is as I promised, the first chapter of my children's novel, Guardians.

The novel is about five children with elemental powers who protect the Earth from the Groonmaig, demons intent on enslaving humans and using them as food source.

Please try and remember that the following chapter is a very, very, very rough first draft, completely unedited. What you read is what I typed without it being altered...well except for the spell check, but I think that is allowed. Enjoy :-)

PROLOGUE

A bitter wind drove the rain down hard on the Haskin’s Estate, swirling it into every corner, under ledges, into sheltered walkways, drenching ever inch of concrete, glass and tarmac, leaving no place to escape the storm’s vicious onslaught. None of the residents dared to venture out of their warm flats into such weather. Even the desperate and foolish staid dry tonight.

On the roof of the tallest building the wind rattled a TV aerial, hanging loose where the holding bolt had come away from the wall, causing the metal to screech eerily, a soft cry of a wounded animal, in-between the distant claps of thunder. The wind caught a discard, weathered, piece of newspaper, flipping it into the air, forcing it into a contorted dance, fighting the rain trying to dump it into the growing puddle of water on the roof.

A clap of thunder reverberated around the estate, and then a louder, more horrendous crack, much closer, right there on the roof. But it wasn’t the TV aerial come free at last, but a slither of the blackest darkness shattering into the air a foot off the ground. A fissure had opened within the air, continuing to grow wider as a terrible, heart wrenching screech of sheer desperation ripped the air. And then a foot, scaled and green, forcibly squeezed through the tiny gap that had formed.

Gabrinal slid through the gap and fell to the floor, and lay in the puddle, bloodied, scratched, bruised, out of breath and exhausted. He had made it, escaped the Groonmaig’s prison and returned to world of man, only the second demon to achieve this. He lay on the ground letting the rain wash over him, washing away the dirt, grime and blood from his scaled and hairy body. How many centuries had it been since he had last felt rain upon his tortured skin?

Gabrinal breathed in deeply. He could smell the stench of humanity that infested this world. He licked the razor sharp fangs that protruded over his lower lip. Soon the humans would know their masters once more.

Gabrinal calmed himself, emptied his mind of all thoughts of pain and exhaustion, and finally let it free to search out his brother. It didn’t take long before he felt that familiar presence.
“I am through, brother,” pulsed Gabrinal.

“Welcome home,” the words formed in his mind, the familiar voice sweet in his memory.

“Do you have what I need?”

“I have the list of children,” the words brought a shiver of excitement to Gabrinal’s spine.

“Good, then I wish to start immediately.”

“No, brother, you must rest first, recover from your wounds. You will need your strength”

“I am eager to begin. The quicker we achieve what we have set out to do the quicker the rest of the Groonmaig will be free,” pulsed Gabrinal rather too insistent. Gabrinal knew he had overstepped the mark, maybe even angered his brother. He remained silent waiting for his brother to reply.

“Patience, brother, I need you at full strength.” Gabrinal sensed his brother’s concern.

“What is it?”

“They are here.”

Gabrinal shivered once more this time not of pleasure but of fear. He hoped he was wrong.

"They are here?”

“They are.”

The Groonmaig’s old enemy, the Guardians, were close. Of all the places Gabrinal and his brother could have broken through the veil between worlds and they had landed right where the Guardians were. Coincidence, or had the Guardians predicted they would break through her?

“Do they know we are here, brother,” asked Gabrinal fearing the answer.

“I have already fought them and survived. Better still I slew their leader.”

Gabrinal breathed easier. “They are four again?”

“They are, and I have tracked down their replacement, a boy.”

“When will he be dealt with,” Gabrinal hissed with venom.

“No harm will come to him yet.”

Gabrinal could not believe what he was hearing. Had his brother gone mad?

“You must kill him, brother.”

“I have another way.”

“But if he becomes their leader...”

“Trust me, brother, I have it all in hand. Go now and rest, we begin soon,” the voice in Gabrinal’s head said soothingly.

“Can I feed, I am hungry?”

“Only one human, brother, no more. Leave nothing. We do not want to draw attention to ourselves before our task is done. I will contact you again soon.”

Gabrinal, too tired to argue, set off to hunt for a victim, then he would find a place to lay low and recover before the real work began.

Your Choice

Finally started the children's novel after three years of planning, and as I promised I will post some of the first words here, raw an unedited. But what to post?

Basically there are two choices.

1) The first paragraph only.
2) The first chapter (not very long).

So which would you like to see? I'll leave the vote open for the rest of the week and post the most popular suggestion next week.

Vote away :-)

Fame At Last

My first Mr. Vista episode has been uploaded and you can view it HERE or HERE.

The Mr. Vista blog will also feature on BBC Radio Five Live on Tuesday morning, which makes me super happy as it'll be my episode everyone will log in and see. Ooh, the fame!!!

I like Tim's version of my script even though it's not quite how I envisioned it, and it's strange and equally interesting to see how he interpreted my words. My script is below so you can see for yourself.

FADE IN:

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Mr. Vista plonks a Tesco’s bag on the counter top, extracts a microwave meal, reads the cover.

POV: “READY IN 2 MINUTES.”

Mr. Vista licks his lips, shoves the meal in the microwave, presses buttons.

INSERT: Progress Bar “2 minutes.”

PING

INSERT: Progress Bar “Done.”

Mr. Vista extracts the meal, sticks his fork in, lifts it out. It’s still a block of ice. Back in it goes, followed by more button pressing.

INSERT: Progress Bar “2 minutes.”

PING

INSERT: Progress Bar “Done...I think?”

Mr. Vista extracts the meal, sticks his fork in again, lifts it out. It’s still a block of ice. Mr. Vista perplexed. Back in it goes, followed by frantic button pressing.

INSERT: Progress Bar “Warp Factor Ten Mr. Sulu.”

PING

INSERT: Progress Bar “It should be done now?”

Mr. Vista extracts the meal. It’s a small charred, smoking lump.

INSERT: Progress Bar “Enjoy!”

I hope the other scripts turn out equally as well.

Birthday

So I've reached the big 40 and to be honest I don't really feel any different, except my taste in presents has turned to shit.

Normally I would know way in advance what I want for my birthday. I usually scour Amazon a month or so before for all the latest DVDs, make a list and remind people about it every couple of days or so. This year I didn't know what I wanted, nor did I have a desire for anything. Strange!

In the end I got very excited about a lawn mower and strimmer my parents bought me, and I am also planning to buy a BBQ with all the lovely cash I was given. I think middle age has hit early.

My party was organised by my lovely wife Susie and was on the theme of TV and movie characters. As you can see I came as Batman, The Dark Knight version.

However, the Batman suit had one problem, it didn't have a pee hole, so to go to the loo I had to almost take the whole thing off. I started drinking pints that night and soon realised a full bladder was going to be a problem. So I started to drink shorts. "Come on, Dom, it's only a quid extra for a double," someone said to me. I don't remember much after that.

A special thanks to Timothy 'Clackers' Clague who was the only blogger and fellow writer who managed to tear themselves away from the normal Saturday night stuff and come help me celebrate my special day. Cheers buddy :-)

Apparently I spent three hours wandering around the house after everyone had gone to bed, mumbling to myself and falling asleep, five minutes at a time, in some very odd places, even lent on the kitchen counter top at one point, so I'm told.

My head hurt really bad the next day. Roll on fifty.

Life Begins At Forty

Does it bollocks!!!!

Photos and birthday party report to follow soon.... I just have to edit the drunken photos of me first. Tough job!!!

I Survived.... Just!

Details to follow soon.

Life Begins

Despite my best efforts, I'm surprised to find I have survived to see my fortieth birthday. No idea what happened there????

Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday Domiwomidoodles,
Happy Birthday to me.

Now pile on the praise and tell me how I don't look forty :-)

And for those of you coming to my party, I'll see you there. And to those who aren't coming... I never liked you anyway.

Pay It Forward

A year or so back I was having a conversation with a reader, discussing scripts we had read and loved. I remembered a script I reviewed on Tiggerstreet.com, a fantastic monster feature with great characters, a fast unrelenting pace, and an outstanding plot.

Let me get this straight from the start, I hate horror and monster movies. I don't understand why anyone would like watching a film where stoopid students get hacked to pieces, or some monster is on the loose and a couple who were once romantically involved have to hunt it down and save the world. In other words I find these types of films dull, boring and a waste of my time.

So it was a surprise for me to read this script and find that not only did I love it, but I wanted to see it made. So I went back through seven years of emails hoping to find an email from the writer, as luck would have it I still had his address. We got chatting and it ended up with me agreeing to help with a rewrite and to find the script a home. A year later I may well have just done that. An Australian film production company of some renown have shown an interest in the script and the writer is waiting to hear from them.

If I hadn't bothered that script might have found itself on a shelf covered in dust and ignored. I used the few contacts I have to get people to look at the script and it seems to have paid off.

I know so many people, writers especially, who are so precious over their industry contacts. Why should we be? We're writers, all with the same agenda, so why not give someone a leg up by recommending a friend's script you're really passionate about. You don't have to give out those contact's details, just forward the script. You never know this act of kindness might pay off in later years and help you get something of your own made. Of course I'm not asking you to send scripts to you contacts that you don't believe in, because that would just be silly and would do your reputation no good at all.

Come on writers if there's someone out there you admire as a writer, or even better a script you think rocks, or could rock with a little close attention, then give that person a friendly hand up the writing career ladder. Be kind, pay it forward.

Back With A Bang

Back after a week off and I did some writing last night. I felt fresh and well up for it, so I shall be cracking on again tonight.

Two of my short films have been picked up by Celtic Storm Films for shooting later this year. Jump will be the first to shoot sometime in the summer. Ooh, I'm so excited I could poop my pants...no really, I could.

Moods

I play a little online poker now and again, just for a bit of fun and beer money, and I recently brought a book on the subject. The author very interestingly talked about moods and how different ones affect your game. The basis of it was, never play in a bad mood as you won't be able to concentrate and you'll loose money. Always play when you are happy, calm and relaxed. This got me thinking.

How do our moods affect our writing? If we're writing a comedy should we only write when we're in a happy mood? Should we write horror when we're in a bad mood, and we're mad at the world or people and we want to get back at them? Would a happy mood make a comedy more funny and would a dark mood make a horror more scary?

I'm very interested to hear your thoughts on this because it's something I've never thought about before, but is perhaps something I should consider in the future.

What do you think? Does your mood change the way you write, and do you have to be in a certain mood to write a certain genre?

Mr. Slackness

I have just realised that to enter competitions you need scripts that are a) complete and b) you're happy with. Better get to it then.

I'm also thinking of filming one of my shorts. I nearly did last year, but dropped the idea to lack of time and not really knowing what I was doing. But as everyone else seems to be making one I don't want to be the one left out. Beware, I might be calling on you for some help very soon.

Competition Pimp

I'm going to set myself a goal for the rest of the year to see how many screenwriting competitions I can enter, regardless of the cost.

How many do you think I'll manage by the 31st of December and more importantly, how many do you think I'll get placed in?

Joy

I sent a script out to a few people a while back and I got the same feed back from them all, "Why is Alan chosen to receive his powers?" Stoopid people questioning my script :-P

But now I have the answer and have adjusted the script to answer this all important series driving question.

Blimey, writing two days in a row, it's becoming a habit.

Magic

I did some writing last night, the first this year...if you don't count the ever on going novel.

I feel faint...I might need a lie down.

Snow

I find myself slipping back into my old lazy ways, another New Year's resolution evaporated. I have my excuses of course, a trapped nerve in my back, and the snow, but I'm really just looking for things to distract me.

And what of my novel? No I haven't started writing it yet, but that's because I'm still smoothing out plot points. I've been working on this story for over two years now and I know it's good, but I want it to be spectacular. So just a little more needs to be done before I'm happy enough to start the actual writing. When I am I'll post the first few paragraphs in all their raw miss-spelt glory.

So much to do and so little time. Pull your finger out, Carver!!!

Mr. Vista

Yes, finally, he's back in his first adventure since the last one. Mr. Vista returns for series two in 'Ctrl Z'.

I was there for the filming that day and helped position the mug to get knocked from the table. I was curious to know how they were going to cut it and make the mug return to the table. Tim said it would be FX'd and I have to say I'm bloody impressed how they did it. Shame my shoes got a bit wet with tea though, but the free biscuits made up for it. Maybe I should not have stood so close when they filmed it (I was just out of shot on the left).

Can't wait until my episodes are shown.

And So 2009 Begins

This is the year I make it, where I succeed where I have failed for so long. 2009 is my year.

My episodes of Mr. Vista are coming soon, I believe they start broadcasting on the wondrous interweb sometime this week. I've also been contacted by a director interested in not one, but two of my shorts scripts... and he wants to shoot them in February.

The year has started the way it is going to finish. Nice :-)

Novel

I've been putting it off for ages, maybe because it's a major challenge and I didn't think I was up to it before.

Well I can announce I am no longer putting it off. I'm officially writing not one but two novels this year, starting today. One children's novel and one fantasy sword and sorcery type thingy. I will of course keep you posted.

P.S. Bit concerned about Matt Smith as the new Doctor. Is he really going to be any good? I'll have to wait and see like the rest of you I guess.

Year's End

HOPES FOR 2008

Finish Paper, Scissors, Stone. (Now called Faith once again. Starting another draft in 2009. It's good, but it can be better. Is this the spec I'll make my break though with?)

Write a pilot for Second Skin, my TV comedy drama series idea. (Done, and damn good it turned out too)

To sell something...anything...this year...for definite!!!! (Failed....BUM!!!)

To get into TV. (Failed. Didn't really expect that call from RTD asking me to write for Doctor Who. I would have pissed my pants and turned into a gibbering wreck if he had.)

To write, write and write some more... and send it all out. (Done. Wrote loads this year and quite pleased with myself.)

To meet more people in the industry and make more contacts. (Done. I am a networking pimp.)

2008 was a year of ups and downs for me. There were some good points and some bad, but the end result is I've made a few more valuable contacts in the industry even if I did fail to get into TV or sell any of my work.

2008 Ups

Finally got a copy of AGN and saw it transmitted on Norwegian TV.

My Mr. Vista episodes were filmed. I went along to watch the filming for an afternoon. It was strange seeing my words come to life.

Going to the Screenwriters' Festival and making several good contacts.

Getting a producer interested in my Wonderland Idea.

Wrote some good stuff.

I have been commissioned to write a short sci-fi script for a director.

2008 Downs

Didn't get anywhere with competitions this year. I was most upset not getting through to the second round of The Red Planet Prize as I though I had a strong premise and a very strong script.

Couldn't give away any of my ten minute shorts.

Failed to start my novel again!!!!!!

Interested producer dropped his interest in Wonderland, because of too many similar projects in production. Disappointed in this as my idea was different enough to make it stand out.

Got really depressed with writing and stopped for two months keeping a it a secret from everybody, even my fellow bloggers. I very nearly decided to give up writing for good, but the lure of creativity has proved too strong and I'll be back stronger in 2009.

Very disappointed with myself for not getting into TV.

Aims For 2009

To send off sample scripts to producers of existing drama and get myself a TV writing gig.

To sell a short script.

To finish that novel.

To polish my back catalogue of writing.

To avoid getting depressed about my lack of progress and to channel all of my efforts into making myself a successful writer.

Best 2008 Christmas Present

This was close one. The Dark Knight DVD nearly won it, but in the end Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale became an addiction. So far I've read two chapters and it's compelling stuff. It's hard to believe that someone as prolific and successful as RTD could ever have the same doubts as a writer as I do. Utterly mad, but even if you only have a passing interesting writing you have to buy this book.

See you in 2009 people.

Directors Wanted

I'm going to Norway next year, as my best friend is getting married, but I need cash to get there. It's an expensive place Norway, a half pint of beer costs £4.50...yep, you read that right. So I need to raise funds by optioning my short scripts.

For a three month option I'm charging £100 with a further 3 months extension for £50. My scripts are listed below.

I Do?
Richard and Ruth are getting married, but Richard is having second thoughts. A short comedy script about how women get their way....always!

Journey's End
Stuck on a train with an old one night stand the journey quickly becomes a nightmare for Brenda. A short comedy about regretful drunken nights.

Jump
Stanton's going to end it all and jump, but he didn't reckon on Jean being on his roof. So who is going to jump? A short comedy about taking the plunge.

Gnome
Rhubarb has lost his owner and on his journey to find her he falls in love with a fairy called Tulip. A short comedy about our little garden friends. (No dialogue)

The Dead Side Of Life
John wants to commit suicide, but can't find the right way. He need not worry Death always finds a way of collecting. A short comedy about suicide, friendship and Death in black sequined spandex.

Goodbye
Max and Craig work one last job with their friend before he leaves the business to marry. But when he doesn't turn up the two complete the job together reminiscing about old times, only to make a startling discovery that will change their working lives forever. A short comedy about friendship and loyalty.

So if you might be interested, or know someone who might be, please get in contact and lets get me to the church on time :-)

Cheers

Dom

Bum!

I didn't get through :-(

Congrats to those that did :-)

Short Script Blues

Several times now I've advertised my short film scripts in the pitch bulletin on Shooting People. It's meant to bring like minded people together to get things made, so why is it every time I'm left disappointed?

It's not that I don't get any replies, in fact on my latest pitch I got five in the first day. It's not that people don't agree to film my scripts, it's that they always pull out at the last minute. Four times now a director has loved one of my scripts, agreed to film it, got near to the shooting day and then pulled out. It's so frustrating!

I even had one director who dropped the script because I wouldn't drop my fee from £150 to £100. For the sake of £50 he wouldn't go ahead with the shoot!!! He really pissed me off.

All I want is someone to come along who likes my script and actually films it when they say they will. Not too much to ask, is it?

Christmas Book Ideas

I know it's early, but last year I left it a little late and most people had bought their presents. So this year it's early so you have plenty of time to get to the shops, order online, or drop loads of hints to the relatives. Here goes.

Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2009

Completely revised and updated every year so you know that the information isn't stale or out of date.

A simply must have book jam packed with useful advice, addresses of agents, production companies and many other useful articles covering such subjects as; societies, prizes, festivals, resources for writers, copyright and libel and finance for writers.

RRP £14.99

The Writer's Handbook 2009

A publication similar to the one above. I always buy both, because what one misses the other usually picks up.

I find the layout of this book a little easier to deal with and the information in it a little more comprehensive than the W&A Yearbook.

Another interesting feature of both books is the introduction of a website for each, with searchable directories and FAQ's.

RRP £14.99

Writing For Television by William Smethurst

A useful guide to modern television writing and how to get yourself noticed by the right people. What to write, who to send it to, approaching agents, TV companies and independent producers.

I have found this an incredibly useful tool and by following William's suggestions I've started to go places with my writing.

RRP £9.99

Writing The Character-Centred Screenplay (second edition) by Andrew Horton

It does exactly what it says on the cover. It's all about character and less about plot like most other books. Explore how to make your characters three dimensional, real, and above all learn to create characters that will drive your plot, not who will be driven by your plot.

RRP £11.50

How To Be A Writer by Stewart Ferris

A small but handy book with all sorts of clever tips from the inside. One of a series that also includes; How To Be Sitcom Writer and How To Be Comedy Writer. Well worth the investment.

RRP £5.99

Aristotle's Poetics For Screenwriters by Michael Tierno

Using examples of Oscar winning films this book explores storytelling, structure and the common mistakes to avoid. A little hard going in some places, but a damn good read. Aristotle knew his stuff.

RRP £9.99

How To Make Money Scriptwriting by Julian Friedmann

A clever and insightful book from one of the country's leading agents. This book covers contracts, pitching, negotiating, agents, meetings, script reports, etc. Basically this book looks at things from the business prospective. As far as I'm concerned a must have.

RRP £14.95

The Pitch by Eileen Quinn and Judy Counihan

The thought of standing in front of the money men to pitch your screenplay scare you? Know it's good but not sure you can convey that to the people in front of you? Then this book is for you. An often funny look at how to pitch, preparing yourself and knowing what the money men are looking to see from you. Another must buy.

RRP £9.99

Don't forget the prices quoted here are just recommended retail prices and you can often find the books cheaper on online sites.

Any questions feel free to ask.

Credit Crunches Dom

The Credit Crunch has bitten me...hard... on the rump.

I've been trying to get an agent for a while now, picking and choosing, and using recommendations to improve my chances. I get close to landing a big fish and what happens? A recent email from that well known agent highlights how the credit crunch is affecting the writing industry, and is making securing the services of a good agent almost impossible at the moment.

The agent liked my script, "I like it... but, I'm having to say no to rather good material." The reason? It seems this agent (can't speak for any others, but I get the feeling it's the same all around) is cutting back on his screenwriting clients because it appears there is more money to be made with novelists than screenwriters at the moment.

Good job I have a children's novel on the go. Yes, the same one that's been on the go for the last two years, but it's more on the go now than it was on the go back then. I'm actually nearly ready to type the first words of chapter one. Can you feel the excitement?

Memed Again.

Phillip Barron, you have a lot to answer for.

“List the top five ways you distract yourself when you should be writing and then procrastinate some more by sending it to all those other writers who should really procrastinate more often.”

1) Blog - coz it's there.
2) Facebook - coz it's there and it's cool.
3) Check email - coz I can't bear having an empty inbox.
4) Write long lists of what I really should be doing - coz lists are fun and it looks like you've been working hard when you cross items off.
5) MSN with Lucy - coz we like to moan about all types of shit and she likes to take the piss out of my poor spelling ability.

Now who to pass it on to????

The Great Writers' Strike Rip Off

So America had a writers' strike last year and British fans, like myself, of the imported shows lost out on half a season of episodes. Now we're set to lose out again, pocket wise this time.

Battlestar Galactica season 4 (10 episodes), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles season 1 (9 episodes) and Heroes season 2 (11 episodes) are three examples of what I'm talking about. Battlestar Galactica season 3 had 20 episodes and season 4 only half that, but yet the RRP for season 3 was £49.99 and season 4 £34.99.

Now I know my maths is worse than my English, but even I know £34.99 isn't half of £44.99.

Heroes is the same. Season 1 £59.99 and season 2 £34.99.

The American studios lost out last year, so now they're making us pay for it.

I think I'll wait until they go down in price before I dip my hand in my pocket.

The Return Of Mr. Bean

Yep he's back. Join the countdown on the Facebook page

The Return Of Mr. Vista

Ladies, gentlemen and impressionable children... he's back!


Over the 4th and 5th of October the second series of Mr. Vista was shot in various locations around Bournemouth. As a writer of six episodes (only three were used) I decided to take time off from my manly house cleaning duties on Saturday afternoon and join the lads filming. My wife was not too impressed, but I think she understood.

As I didn't turn up until nearly 2pm I unfortunately missed the filming of my first episode in the kitchen, but I did get to hold the boom mic for the recording of a voice over. The excitement! From the time I turned up everyone kept asking me what the weather was like? "Big black clouds," I replied. They didn't look happy, especially Mr. Vista.


Most of the filming was ad libbed which I found, as a writer, a little strange. I felt a little guilty for submitting scripts, making the process a little more ridged, especially when Tim said there weren't any scripts for the last series.


Then I found out why they were asking about the weather. Mr. Vista was going into the sea...fully clothed. Better him than me!!!!

Hope

Hope is something those of us wanting to break into TV or film in this country have to live with every day. As I say on my blog, "It's not the rejection. I can handle the rejection. It's the hope I can't stand." Never a truer word spoken.

One of my readers came up with the phrase, "keep on, keeping on". That's what it's like to be considered a new writer in the UK. I've been writing for seven years now, honing my craft, learning, absorbing, and most of all polishing. I don't consider myself a new writer. Unfortunately the industry does. So I keep on, because that's all I can do.

It's like being a door to door salesman. Your spec script is immediately treated with suspicion, especially if it hasn't come via an agent. The quality of the product doesn't seem to matter, neither do the years you've put in to your trade, when you approach people you are automatically lumped into the category of, 'enthusiastic nutter' and I imagine they slip your script to the bottom of the pile.

It helps to understand that producers, agents and production companies receive thousands of unsolicited scripts a year. Out of those thousands only one or two might actually show any promise. But to find those two scripts some poor reader has to plough through all of of those scripts, some terrible, some horrific, and most simply no where near the standard required. It's no wonder it's tough to break in.

But hope is what drives us on, what feeds our addiction to writing. Yes it is an addiction. Those long hours spent staring at a script rewriting it until your eyes feel like they are filled with sand takes writing to a level beyond hobby. Writing is something you live and breath every moment of your existence.

Hope is knowing that someday soon all that hard work will pay off and your break will come.

Writer Song Meme

Lucy has memed me...the COW!!!!

Lets go.

The song that most reminds me of writing is Oasis's The Importance Of Being Idle.

I sold my soul for the second time
Cos the man don't pay me
I begged my landlord for some more time
He said "Son, the bills are waiting"
My best friend called me the other night
He say "man - you crazy"
My girlfriend told me to get a life
She say 'Boy - you lazy"
But I don't mind
As long as there's a bed beneath the stars that shine
I'll be fine, if you give me a minute
A man's got a limit
I can't get a life if my heart's not in it

I've lost my faith in the summer time
Cos it don't stop raining
The sky all day is as black as night
But I'm not complaining
I begged my doctor for one more line
He say "son - words fail me
It's aint' your place to be killing time"
I guess I'm just lazy

I tag: Mr. Arnopp of the funny beard, Mr. Moran of the Who, Barron Von Phillip, Mr. Another pint anyone Beckley and lastly Mr. Timothy Clackers.

Posted

My script for the Red Planet Prize has finally been posted, after I resisted the urge to open it and check it one more time. Now all I can do is wait.

As I say on my blog, "It's not the rejection. I can handle the rejection. It's the hope I can't stand." And so, like so many others I wait nervously day by day for any news...I just want to know.

When I first used to send my scripts out I used to get my wife to kiss the envelope. Then I thought it was a bit silly, so I stopped. Kissing the envelope myself was also mad, so I stopped that too. I had to strongly fight the urge in the Post Office to do that today. In the end I decided to let my eleven month old son chew one of the corners of the envelope instead. Just a couple of quick chews with a minimum amount of dribble.

It got me thinking, what do you do, for luck or superstition, before you send off a script?

The Red Planet Panic

I'm done...or am I?

My ten pages have gone through a big transformation since their original conception, mainly thanks to Lucy, who has been kind enough to to take time out of her busy schedule and give me some valuable feedback. I have done at the least four complete rewrites and several polishes, and now I think it's ready.

I'll post it tomorrow, or maybe the next day after going over it another couple of times. NO!!! It's fine as it is. Well OK, maybe one little look then.

Good luck everyone.

Small Things

It's small and perfectly formed, and my wife is in awe of it.

No it's not my willy, silly, it's my new Apple Mac Mini. It is by far the best purchase I have ever made (did I actually pay my brother for it, or do I still owe him? Oh well, if he doesn't remind me then it's his own fault).

The PC is dead, long live the Mac!!!!!

Hurrah!!!!

Teenage Slang

I came across this site by accident the other day and think it's a wonderful resource for youth slang.

Got A Teenager

And no, it's not a porn site, you dirty minded fool....yes I'm talking to you Arnopp, you special fried lust badger (I just made that up instead of using the word 'pervert').

So kotch, bruv, and check it out coz it's nang.

Red Planet Prize

Working hard on your entry, are you? Yep me too. But you need a little help, someone to give it the once over and let you know where it can be improved? Then email Lucy. She has a special offer on at the moment, RPP ten pages and one page synopsis read for just £15. Bargainino!!!!!

Click on her name and away you go my friends :-)

Voices

Tony Jordan writes because he has secrets no one else knows. I write because the voices in my head tell me to.

When a character clicks it's a wonderful thing. I've been struggling for a while with one of my characters, Alan, who just wasn't quite real enough; there was something missing. So I had an afternoon nap yesterday thinking about Alan and low and behold I dreamt about him... and he spoke to me. He was missing an emotional core, something that would explain why he is why he is, dishevelled, lonely and headless of others. And he sat down beside me in my dream and told me all about how he had caught his wife, the love of his life, shagging the postman on the hall carpet, and how his wife, now ex, had emigrated to Australia with their daughter. He missed his daughter and it had turned him in on himself. He'd withdrawn from society and relationships with others, cutting off his daughter to spare himself the pain of separation, only living for himself. That way he figured he couldn't be hurt again.

But the road I have put him on in his story will force him to think of others, feel their emotions, and deal with their problems, ultimately bringing him back into contact with his daughter. Nice.

Thanks voices.

Help Needed

Right, I've tried looking shit up on the Internet but I really can't find exactly what I'm looking for, so I need your help. I need the following passage translated into medical mumbo jumbo techno speak.

"He’s a very lucky man. Three broken ribs, broken nose,
dislocated shoulder, a number of cuts and bruises, but miraculously despite how many foot prints we found on his head he doesn’t have a single skull fracture."

So if any of you know of anyone in the medical profession please shove this blog under their nose and get them to translate it for me. I will be now and forever grateful.

Cheers!

Keep On Keeping ON

"The blog is a great reminder to keep on keeping on, so more power to you." Rob Williams - 07/07/2008

This was never a truer statement, more so today than ever. I found out one of my old scriptwriting course buddies made it on to the BBC Sharpes course with his first script since leaving university seven years ago. I'm not jealous, I'm really happy for him, I'm just feeling a bit exhausted with this writing lark. Seven hard years I've been writing for with little success, so Rob's message was very welcome.

I never thought of my blog as an inspiration for others, as a guide on how to keep going in the face of rejection. But looking back maybe it is, and maybe I meant this subconsciously. So what better way to explore the "keep on keeping on" theory than taking a step back in time and looking at my journey from shop assistant to writer, and all the hard work and effort I've had to put in to get where I am today.

Oxford 1996: I was working for a shit wage of less than £10,000 a year in Radio Rentals fending off the annual swam of students in September and the obvious hatred of my female assistant manager. She really hated me and made my life a living hell. I decided I had had enough and was going to go back into full time education at the age of 27.

But what to do? I thought about Information Technology as a career, but decided I wasn't really cut out for it. So I opened up a copy of the UCAS book and looked at the Bournemouth page, as I had a friend who lived there. I opened the page right on the Screenwriting for Film and Television BA (Hons) degree. It was fate.

I'd always loved writing and a few years before when I had been unemployed for eight months I wrote a feature script. It was shit, but it gave me a taste for writing more. So Bournemouth was were I decided I was headed.

So what did I have to do? A university access course at the local collage was the obvious choice, but as I felt it was a bit basic I decided to do an English Literature A level too. A year later I passed the course and got a grade D in the A level. But would Bournemouth university let me in, would they heck as like. They wanted me to do some GCSE's to prove I was academic enough for the course. So back to collage I went. A year later I came away with an A in English, a B in Maths and a grade C in the resit of my English A Level resit. Then I got an interview with the university. A few weeks nervous waiting and I got the yes I had been hoping for.

Three years of university followed and I came away with a 2:2, only just missing out on a 2:1 by 0.6 marks. Bugger!

When I left I started writing a comedy feature script (still hasn't been finished) which was a mistake. Even though I could write reasonably well I had no idea about the industry. So I wandered for two years not really writing much and not getting anywhere. Then I decided I needed to learn more about the industry so I set about researching it as much as possible, reading books, web pages, etc. Then I got back to writing, a sitcom this time.

I was finding it hard to write in the evenings after working all day, my brain was dead when I came home. So three years ago I decided to do something about it and took the plunge. I moved from working days to working evenings, starting at 6pm and finishing at 2am the following morning. This was great and allowed me to get up at about 11am and write for most of the day in peace and quiet with a fresh head. It started to pay dividends and I got a production company interested in a feature I wrote in those first six months of working evenings. They eventually dropped the script, but it was a signal to me that my writing was getting better and I was making progress.

Last year I wrote a short for a Norwegian production company which has since been transmitted on Norwegian TV and is also due to be show in Norwegian cinemas later this year. Nice!

So here I am now still plodding away, trying to write while looking after my ten month old son fighting against all the odds and keeping the dream alive. I will make it one day, it's just a matter of right script, right person, right time. Easier said than done.

James Moran Makes Acting Debut

Yes, Mr. James Moran, take a bow.

You can't deny it!!!!!!!

Check out his acting debut here.

Dom's Back

I'm back after a lovely relaxing week off away from the pressures of the World.

A lot of people are too busy in their lives to just stop for a week and do nothing, to recharge their batteries and forget about deadlines, money and other worrying stuff for a whole week. It needs to be done every now and again.

Back to work then.

Three emails in my inbox requesting a copy of JUMP. Two replies already; they like my writing but not JUMP, so can I send them anything else? Of course I can. Another three shorts go off to those two.

GNOME makes the first round of the BSSC 2008. I don't think it's as good as THE DEAD SIDE OF LIFE so I'm not expecting it to progress beyond the next round. But you never know, I could surprise myself and do well again this year.

I'm still working hard on the series bible for WONDERLAND, beefing it up for the producer that is interested in it.

SECOND SKIN is also coming along very well and I'm hopeful this script will give me the break I'm looking for.

PAPER, SCISSORS, STONED has now gone back to its original title FAITH. This is after Lucy very kindly look at the script for me and pointed me in the right direction. The script now has a new purpose and direction.

My second Red Planet script, the one I'm working on with Brendan, doesn't seem to be progressing as fast as I would like. I feel it needs more attention than it's being given at the moment.

Must crack on.

Off Line

I'm on holiday for a week.

Nice :-)

The Mad Rush Home

Screenwriters' Festival 2008 Day Three:

Woke up early and ate a full English in the food tent as usual.

First up was Terry Pratchett and who they adapted The Hogfather and The Colour Of Magic for Sky One. It was interesting to see which bits they left out and why, and which bits they moved around to make it work more visually. The most interesting thing for me was how much power and control over the decision making Terry had. They referred to him on almost every decision. If he didn't like something it wouldn't go in.

Next up was Kay Mellor. I was particularly looking forward to this one as I was a big fan of her TV series Playing The Field. She talked about the struggle she had to get Band Of Gold made and it was interesting to know that it was turned down several times before it was eventually snapped up. It just goes to show that even someone as bankable as Kay has difficulties selling their work to networks.

Last was Jane Tranter. She was bright, bubbly and very open on what she looks for and how writers can get there work commissioned by the BBC. She was very supportive of the BBC Writersroom, but when asked how many people have had their series commissioned through the Writersroom, she said she couldn't remember a single one. That's not to say that won't happen in the future though, so I still feel it's a very reliable source for getting into TV. After all writers who have sent in their work have gone on to write for some of the long running drama series produced by the BBC.

When Jane was finished I was out that door like a shot and in my car, as I had to be home for work at 6pm. The bloody stupid sat-nav sent me up a narrow country lane swearing to me that I could join the main road, but just ended up taking me round in circles for twenty minutes when I discovered the road it wanted me to go down had been fenced off. If I hadn't disobeyed that female voice and turned left when it wanted me to go right I'd still be somewhere outside of Cheltenham, sleeping rough in my car and living off people's pets.

Eventually I did get home or I wouldn't be here writing this. I will definitely be going next year. Can't wait.

How To Pitch While Hungover

Screenwriters' Festival 2008 Day 2:

I don't remember much of this day, because for some reason someone had filled my head with cotton wool and turned my tongue into sandpaper. I have brief memory flashes of room 109 the night before, but very little after.

And I found this photo on my phone.

Don't remember taking that at all.

Three great things happened on this day and are listed here in no particular order:

1) Tony Jordan, was a fantastic man he his, an all round entertainer. His Scriptbites session was fantastic. There were twelve of us sat around the table and another layer three people deep crowded around trying to listen to the man's inspiring words. Not that they needed to strain to hear, because Tony was very loud. I guess he learnt that from when he used to be a market trader. It was a shame we only got half an hour with him, but what a half hour....and he only answered one question. And it's official his sister does live a few doors down from my parents.

2) The man, the legend that is James Moran. His scriptbites session broke all records lasting a good three hours and a bit, mainly because Cat Randle kept hurling questions at him one after the other, unrelentlessly. The poor man even neglected to tell us he needed the toilet and had to make an emergency dash. And the fool came back for more questions. He could have kept on running, but he didn't. Sucker!!! I think James even learnt things about himself that day.

3) The producer who sat down next to me while I was quietly trying to recover from my hangover and insisted I pitch him two of my projects. The first went bad, but the second he seemed to like. Nice one. If you can pitch with a hangover you can pitch anywhere and at any time.

Went to bed early as I needed to drive home the next day.

Final day coming soon.

Mike Leigh

So, what did the great man himself talk about? Here is the gist of the conversation, as I admit I didn't make too many notes because I was so wrapped in what he had to say.

Mike always focuses on one project at a time, giving his all to that project until it is complete. He doesn't allow anything else to get in the way of that creative process.

Film making for Mike is a very "organic" process. You're making films not making scripts. The end product, the film, is the artifact, not the screenplay, which is why Mike only ever starts with an outline and not a fully written script.

It's in the rehearsals where the script takes shape, and the scenes are defined and created, through the improvisation of the actors. In Vera Drake during the rehearsals none of the actors playing Vera's family knew that her character had been performing illegal abortions, it was only when Mike introduced the character of the police detective that the actors became aware of the situation.

Mike also stressed that film is as much about place as it is character. Place can be a character on it's own.

See, I told you I didn't make many notes, but inspiring stuff none the less.

More to follow soon.

"Hi, my name is Mike."

As I shook his dry and wrinkly hand I couldn't help but note his shabby appearance. He wore combat trousers, which although clean, looked like they had been lived in for a while. The trousers hung from his skinny frame held in place by a flimsy pair of blue braces. His shirt, like his trousers, creased and worn with use, and his hair and beard, gray and unruly. However, it is was those brown eyes that sparkled with intelligence that told me there was more to Mike than his outward appearance. But more of Mike later.

The Screenwriters' Festival 2008 - Day One - Tuesday 1st July 2008

The journey down the previous afternoon had been mostly uneventful, the only exception being when my sat-nav decided to have some fun and suddenly announced, "at the roundabout take the first exit," while I was on a duel carriageway, miles from the next junction, or any roundabout for that matter. I think my exact words were, "what f&%king roundabout you stupid piece of technological crap?!?!?!?"

Anyway I did managed to arrive at my destination, meet up with a few others and down a beer or two before going to bed.

Tuesday was fantastic. There were so many people I knew at the festival and it was such a great atmosphere. But I wasn't there to meet up with mates, I was there to listen to the speakers and network myself to near prostitute proportions. I met one director who was interested in a film script I was pitching for a friend, and I also got to chat to several useful contacts to whom I could send copies of my various projects. Not bad for my first day.

The writing for comics session was really interesting and gave me the chance to finally meet the pointy shoe wearing David Bishop, author and ex editor of 2000AD.

A good day's networking was followed by a good night's drinking. I don't remember the Harvester and only a flash or two of Piers Beckley's now infamous room party. I think I left at about one to one thirty as my wife informed me I phone her and babbled absolute shit for fifteen minutes before she hung up on me.

Back to Mike. The man in question was Mike Leigh, multi award winning director. A fantastic talker. His beliefs and obvious love of film shone through, but what was most impressive was his strength, his absolute belief that his way was the only way. A true inspiration.

Day two to follow soon.