(This ended up longer than planned 🙈😂)
As alluded to in previous posts, even though this humble blog has been on ‘hiatus’, my writing has continued- except for those periods when I was beset by the dreaded ‘writer’s block’. It has taken the form of the occasional monologue, the even less frequent poem (which I may be minded to inflict on you all- you’ve been warned) but mainly short stories and scripts.
I will touch on the short stories another time, but I want to focus today on the continuing saga of bringing my short scripts to life.
Even with the success of seeing my words- club scene-aside (and story re-direction) realised in the form of Judgement (still available on YouTube), the saga of Three Knocks left a sour taste in my mouth. So much so, that I withdrew from the pen to sort other things out in life. I’d even had my first go at writing something a little less serious- with ‘Get In, Get Done, Get Out’, and it had been well-received, but still, I had checked out.
But more than couple of times over that period, and even after I picked up the pen to try my hand at the aforementioned poetry, that 11-page short kept popping back into my mind. Why not INEVITABILIS? With its 26 pages of atmosphere, anger, vengeance and unexpected moments.
Upon the discovery of a couple of writing and filmmaking groups on Facebook, I was able to put it out of my mind and focus my attention on linking with people looking to build experiences and their portfolio, so I can find someone interested enough to want to produce my work while I sat back and waited for the chance to see my work on screen.
I hope you can already see where the problem lay in my approach…
Over the next year, I attended two networking events after submitting a script each time (Three Knocks as the first, and a new script, named ‘CALLS’) and dealing with interest from actors and prospective directors alike networking and feeling great, as I fielded questions about my scripts and felt that my work was on the verge of being created, my approach still the same.
Seen where my approach may have been a problem? I’m sure you have, but just in case…
The practical questions would invariably come up- “Who else have you got?” “Who’s going to be the producer?” “What’s your involvement?” “Director?” “Location?”, etc, etc
Essentially, as good as my scripts and stories may have been (and as many people went quiet on me after reading the scripts following initial interest reading the loglines and synopsises) they have to be made and my approach of just giving it over to a director to go and utilise their contacts just did not fly. Even on monthly challenges where the budgets were low-zero.
And on both occasions, an inability to constitute a workable team meant I had to withdraw my scripts from the challenge. But something had changed. Personally, I was feeling more positive about the quality of my work and getting it out there, and not only that, but my approach was holistic. By that, I mean it would (and should) be about the team and not just seeing my name on the credits.
After the second withdrawal, I found I suddenly had a number of contacts and connections I didn’t have before and were interested in working with me. Particularly on the acting side, and this is where we start to enter 2019…
In ‘CALLS’ there is a delightful and charming anchor of a character named Dotty that caught the eye of 2 actors. I would have struggled to make a casting decision had the film gone to production (and planned to give the decision over to the director- had one been found and could commit) so with the script not being produced, I needed not make that decision, but did commit to working with the ladies concerned in a way that could show their strengths.
Then for the first time in ages, ‘Get In, Get Done, Get Out’ came to mind and I forwarded it to one of them. It contains a character that I thought would suit her. And sure enough, ‘CALLS’ was a thing of the past and it was ‘GIGDGO’ that needed to be made. Not only that, but she knew of a director she had recently worked with who could be interested.
And he was…. He still is… And I’ll introduce him (as well as the actor, and others) to you in due course.
After a few months of minor script tweaks, meetings, and me taking a more hands-on approach to setting our ducks in a row, along with a decision about what we want it to be, I can happily say that it looks like ‘GIGDGO’ is going to be produced later this year.
How long I wear this even newer hat remains to be seen.
But just before we fully press ahead, there are a couple of matters we need to address and deal with… and we likely cannot do it on our own…
Thank you for reading, and more to follow…..
Lanrefiction Notepad 