Dead Set
Posted: Wed 29 October, 2008 Filed under: Dead Set, Writing Leave a comment »I’ve been a fan of Charlie Brooker for a number of years now, so seeing that he’d written a series for E4 called Dead Set, I was always going to watch it. And knowing that it was based around zombies attacking the Big Brother set, well, that was just extra impetus – particularly when one bears in mind his normal acerbic views on the losers who take part in Big Brother.
The first episode went out on Monday, and it’s on every night this week. I caught up with the first episode last night, and it’s brilliant. Well, so long as you can suspend disbelief about zombies, of course.
I also love the way they’ve done the credits online instead of at the end of the programme – that’s another stroke of genius.
The Children – Finale
Posted: Fri 19 September, 2008 Filed under: Thoughts, Writing 1 Comment »Following on from my post at the start of the week about ITV’s “The Children”, last night we finally watched the last part.
ITV (and by extension, Lucy Gannon) that’s three hours of my life I want back, you bastards.
Talk about taking a decent idea, and then ruining it. I assume the script looked decent – otherwise Kevin Whately, Geraldine Somerville et al wouldn’t have taken it on in the first place. I could be wrong – they could have just been desperate for the work. Hard to believe, but somewhat possible.
I’m still not sure who the killer was in the end – I think it was the girl’s step-mother, but I’m not certain.
At least they didn’t do the clichéd “It was someone who hasn’t been referred to all the way through the programme, but only comes in during the last ten minutes” – but the “multiple people could have done it” option wasn’t all that much better, really.
I’d still like to see the original script, to see where things went wrong. I’d like to know what could/should have been done with it, rather than what was done with it, if that makes any sense.
The Children
Posted: Mon 15 September, 2008 Filed under: Thoughts, Writing 4 Comments »Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been watching a three-part drama on ITV called “The Children“. (the last part is on tonight)
What we’re both finding really odd in it is that there isn’t one likeable – or even slightly positive – character in the entire thing. And in short, we don’t actually care which one of the adults could have done the deed. It’s not that it’s badly written, (it’s been written by Lucy Gannon, who isn’t usually shit – at least initially) or even badly acted (although I’m still of the opinion that Kevin Whately is more wooden than the average tree) – although in both cases, nor is it well acted or written.
It’s just that you don’t have any sympathy with any of the characters – adults or children. And as such, the entire thing just isn’t great. We’ll watch the end, because after having watched the first two hours of it, we do kind of want to know how it all works out – but I don’t think either of us will actually care either way.
I think the sad thing is that it does have some interesting ideas – the entire piece is basically about the effects and stresses of divorce and new relationships on the children involved, particularly with them having to deal with new step-siblings, step-parents, and even new babies from the new relationships. It could have been something impressive, but for some reason it just isn’t – and currently I don’t know if it’s the writing, the acting, or the direction that has let things down.
I’d love to read the original script, and be able to see more of where things went wrong. Maybe it’ll be released some time soon.
Pot, Kettle, and Black
Posted: Tue 9 September, 2008 Filed under: Cynicism, Thoughts, Writing Leave a comment »Personally, I think it’s utterly ridiculous that JK Rowling has managed to block the publication by Steven Vander Ark of an unofficial Harry Potter encyclopaedia, based upon the website he created.
Rowling has even admitted in the past that she’s even used the original site created by the book’s author in order to keep track of her characters. When the information was free, that was fine – but now that he wants to make some money out of it, ooh, that’s not fair.
And let’s be honest, it’s not like Harry Potter is anywhere near an original character anyway – and nor are the books overly original. It’s just that they’ve been very profitable, and have allowed Rowling to make enough money to sue over stupid cases like this.
In my mind, there’s a market for reference books to complex multi-novel series, for example. I’m sure there are “Lord of the Rings Companions” (Although I can’t be arsed to look for them) alongside “Tolkien Companions”, and many others.
Of course, Shell Cottage wrote about this in a far better way than I can (and I remember reading that piece back when it was first written) so it’s best to go there for a far more cogent explanation of the entire farce…
Script One Completed
Posted: Tue 2 September, 2008 Filed under: Five Year Plan (now Ten), Resolutions, Writing Leave a comment »Happy, happy day. I’ve now completed the first full draft of the script I’m working on with Tom – definitely a cause for celebration.
If I’m honest, it’s the first piece of writing I’ve actually completed in far too long – but it most certainly won’t be the last.
In fact, there’s already two or three other ideas waiting in the wings, and getting ready to be added to the CeltX project centre.
Of course, I’m sure there’ll be some alterations come back from Tom, but for now well I’m just happy that the first phase of it is completed. It’s taken longer than expected by about a week, and it’s meant that the project isn’t likely to be done and ready in time, which is a bummer – although we’ll still be making it, and if it’s not ready for this one then we’ll have it ready and polished for next time.
Over to you, Dragon…
Scripting
Posted: Thu 28 August, 2008 Filed under: Five Year Plan (now Ten), Resolutions, Thoughts, Writing Leave a comment »A couple of weeks ago, Dragon wrote about a challenge to get a short film written, filmed and edited in 30 days – which sounded interesting.
So I submitted a brief idea to him – one that wasn’t written, and actually wasn’t anywhere except in my head. Even the brief was only written down for the first time in the first email to him. Admittedly, the initial plan was to have a completed script that just needed something doing to it – which would certainly have been possible in that thirty day limit.
As it is, the script has been being written by me at any spare moment, and is now just about complete. I’m sure that we’re not going to make the submission deadline of the 15th Sept – and I know that a fair dollop of the responsibility for that falls on my shoulders, as even with the writing deadline (and perhaps even because of it) my mind blocked up solidly for the best part of a week on how the entire thing should progress.
It’s been an interesting challenge already though – and we’ve already decided that the short film will be made from it as well, it’s just that it won’t get in to this year’s submissions. It’ll be getting submitted for next year though, you can be sure. (Well, so long as it actually works as a story, anyway)
It’s also the first time I’ve actually written a screenplay/script – so that’s been a learning curve in and of itself. But it’s certainly got the old creative juices flowing – there’s already the thoughts and plans for at least three other pieces to be done once this one is finally completed and out the door. (Well, out of the email box, to be pedantic)
Once again, the biggest bit of the challenge has been to get myself motivated to do the writing – and on that score, Dragon’s challenge has been a complete winner.
Just have to see how long it continues now, I guess…