Saturday 21 February 2009

One gone and more to go.

Well the read through of "Don't be Koi" highlighted several passages that sounded great in my head but were a complete nightmare to say. So some work was needed there.

Feedback had also said some passages had the same monotonous rhythm. This was reinforced when they were read aloud so I did a bit of restructuring. The most effective way of doing this was to cut out some chunks and merge others so the process made the script tighter. Always a good thing.

So it went into the post today for the Alfred Bradley Bursary and I need to just forget about it and concentrate on the next project.

I've spent the past few days knocking ideas about for a sitcom. Northern Laughs deadline is coming up and I thought I'd spend a while seeing if anything came together. So I now have a small group of characters who bounce off each other well. There's plenty of opportunity to play with class and status and I can see how each relates to the others.

I've aimed for each to have a family role, even though only two are actually related. So I have a Father, Mother, Daughter, Uncle and Grandad role covered. Mixing the sex and age of the characters for these roles has been quite fun.

I also found a location for them. Two main rooms and one smaller one. I've made sure the characters have to stay in close proximity and the main character is trapped there, wanting to escape. A nice pressure cooker set up. All I have to do now is turn up the heat.

I do enjoy writing for characters that are unstable. I just give them a push and watch what happens. I must remember to be more cruel though. Got that as feedback a couple of times on other pieces. I don't make my characters suffer enough. Well I think this time I should get out the blowtorch and the birdysong cd**.

Lots of writing still to do though and the deadline is frighteningly close.

** I DO NOT and NEVER HAVE owned that item!!!!

6 comments:

potdoll said...

Oooh good luck for the Alfred Bradley bursary!

Gareth Michael Turpie said...

Sounds like it's going well, Rach.
Best of luck with it!

Lara said...

I've got my eye on you lady. And my best crystal. xxx

Rachael Howard said...

Thanks Potdoll and congrats to you too for a successfull screening.

And Sheiky too.

Ah. Lara...Gulp. I forgot to check the door had clicked shut before shouting. I shall refrain from wild parties then. Honest.

Elinor said...

No need to be so defensive about the birdy song!

Seriously though, good luck with Don't Be Koi, I thought it was a cracker.

Rachael Howard said...

I never practiced the dance at a German Youth Hostel. It was someone else. Who just happened to look like me. But that person had no taste whereas I have great discernment when it comes to music.

Oh and thanks for the help and support. I'm trying really hard not to think about ABBA now so my blood pressure doesn't decide to impersonate Everest.