Round 3...

So I'm sitting on the sofa watching It's Always Sunny... (which I am currently obsessed by) and I am awaiting a pizza. I'm so flipping hungry.

What seems like an age ago I entered Powerless into the Red Planet Prize - an awesome competition that gives UK screenwriters a chance to show off what they are capable of. I have entered most years I think, I didn't last year for some reason... I don't think I had anything ready for it. But Powerless was ready this year. So I sent it. This is really not turning into the brilliant little post I was hoping it would, but I am so flipping hungry... basically May 30th, another crappy day at stressful soul destroying work had come to a halt and I am waiting for my other half to do whatever it is that she was doing at the time and I check my emails. I don't actually remember much of what happened next. I can't honestly say I have felt as awesome as I did that that moment. That moment I that email...

ROUND THREE!

Pizza is here.

Namaste!

I can only disappoint you...

A while ago I got excited about a possible avenue to take my writing down. I love comics. I fucking love them. Currently I have an expensive habit, and one that I am not likely to kick anytime soon. I like the habit. They make me happy. That wondrous parcel that arrives through my door each month filled with promises of brilliance and never failing to fulfil that promise. Love them.

I would love to have a published comic book out there in the big wild world. One of my favourite writer's (Brian Michael Bendis) said that comics were one of the best mediums to write for as there was no budget or restrictions to your imagination. If you can think it and write it then it will be there on the page. Comics are a much more immediate medium to create stories for. They are awesome art forms that tell stories unlike any other. Film and TV are ace, don't get me wrong, but they are filtered, compromised in some way, writing and drawing your own comic... fuck compromising anything, this is your vision on paper in ink. Yeah!

I used to be able to draw. I used to kick arse with drawing. I don't really know what happened. I think I kinda exchanged skills, drawing for writing. Time has moved on a lot since that exchange at the skills store took place and, well, here we are. I can't really draw for shit. Or more to the point, I don't have the patience of discipline for it anymore. Writing is more immediate and satisfying. I can think of a scene and character and an action and write it and have it front of me in rough form in moments. Drawing... fuck... I can't fucking draw arms and legs properly... that would take the only creative excitement out of the process and get stuck on what I can't do. it's like not being able to spell and knowing you can't proceed unless you get that first word of that fucking sentence written.

So I found someone a dude who could help. I wrote a few crazy concepts that didn't go anywhere. I unearthed an old idea that has never quite gone away involving microwaves, BMX chicks, the power of music and the power of film making and the power of friendship. It was The Young Ones meets Mighty Boosh (I don't fucking know how you spell it) meets Jules et Jim. All systems were go for a glorious few weeks. I was proper stocked. And then it didn't happen, isn't happening.

Yeah.

I have a script. I like it. Cannot let it stagnate. So I have gone back in. With an eye to developing it into a TV pilot sitcom script. Who knows what will happen to it. But I like writing it. Seems to be getting a lot stuff out of my system that has plagued other scripts. Personal stuff from the past that clogged up a possible good script now has a proper home, because it is about personal past stuff. But fun. Not doom and gloom, wacky and fucked up and mental and hopefully endearing and funny.

Yeah.

I can only disappoint you, so keep you fingers crossed if you wish on this one. One of many that have entered into this arena of hopes and dreams. Keep em crossed. I can only disappoint you like everyone else on this fair planet we call Earth. But fuck it, we're still alive aren't we. Isn't that what it's all about?

Who knows?

Namaste.

I Break Horses

Currently in love with...

Fell hard for them back in November when they were supporting the mesmerizing Sigur Ros.

Saw them this week at Village Underground. Completely and utterly theirs.

Jeebers.

Faith

Happy New Year.

Blimey. Another one.

This year it will be different.

I'm sure that is something said/written at the start of each and every year that smashes it's way through the brief and joyous day off that many of us working the retail sector say or write.

But this year... and I believe it to be a first for myself... this year, I am generally planning on things being different. It's a kind of shit or get off the pot kind of situation. And if I am being brutally honest, something that I am currently not making it to the pot for... shitting myself. Or terrified to be slightly more dignified with the description of my current feelings.

Best to keep the details close to the chest, as I tend to be a bit superstitious about many things and one of those things is revealing all your cards too early is likely to damage your chances of winning. Already I feel I have said too much.

Just keep the faith.

Anyway, starting as I mean to go on...

NO LIFE!
(subtitle - the year that was 2013)

FILM
Interesting year for film and I sadly didn't get to see nearly all the films I wanted to see. The most interesting came at the start and at the end, with one very long surprise that I am looking forward to revisiting. So, my favourite of the year that was 2013 (which generally was a shitty year, not aiming that at film, just in general)... also this in no real order...

10. Gravity - A film that many will bang on about the glorious use of 3D. And yes, it is astonishing and brilliant used and incredible to think that they were pretty much stuck in a green room for the duration of film, in fact it is baffling that it looks so flipping awesome. Just think of the green room spectacular of the Star Wars prequels and then compare to the wonderment of Gravity. It's worth noting that I was being sarcastic regarding the use of the word spectacular in my Star Wars comment. It is also worth noting that I revisited all the prequels last year and really enjoyed them. Anyway, Gravity, 3D... yes! Awesome. But what is even more awesome is the relationship between director and actress. For me, Bullock and script and direction are Gravity. It is a stunning film about birth, death and rebirth and loss and being lost and being found and finding ones self. it is also one of the most immersive film experiences I have had in a long time. Yes, the 3D helps, but so does Sandra. So many times I wanted to climb inside and help.

9. Place Beyond The Pines - I will freely admit to having a small man crush on Gosling. But is very good at what he does. Looking pretty and acting well. Gangster Squad sucks in many ways and he is pretty naff in it as well, but this and Only God Forgives are two very awesome performances. Aside from Gosling, this film ticks many boxes for me. I love the structure to it, I love the themes to it and the direction and the writing on show here. I love the music and in particular I LOVE the choice of final song. Perfect.

8. Iron Man 3 - Hugely entertaining film. Every part works. Yes it's ridiculous, but it's great fun because of that. Normally if a comic book film messes with certain laws and story and character traits I am thrown from the film (Dark Knight Rises I am looking at you), but this film makes me glad of it, makes me love it even more.

7. Upstream Colour - Blimey. Primer is brilliant and clever and too clever and brilliant and Upstream from the same director makes me feel the same. Love it. Can't quite describe it to anyone I try and talk to about it, but it does to me what a Lynch film does and that is fill me completely, head to toe with feelings that completely steal me from the real world that sucky crap of real life.

6. The Worlds End - Just awesome. Probably my favourite of the 3 Cornetto Flavour films. Has the same addictive quality to it that Scott Pilgrim does (which I watched about 20 times when it arrived on bluray).

5. Stoker - My first favourite film of 2013 is just perfect and I don't care what anyone else says. Mood, music, acting, direction, I can't find fault in it. I didn't really want it to end. There a fault. But then all good things...

4. Pacific Rim - On first viewing I was left a little cold, but seeing it again, on a smaller screen, I weirdly enjoyed it so much more. It is what it is and does what it does wonderfully well. I want more. I wish Del Toro was making some Transformers. I am going to imagine that for a while.

3. Man of Steel - Love it. Mainly because I wish I could fly. I generally wish I was Superman, so there is a lot of wish fulfilment playing out in front of me. I became obsessed with Zimmer's score, completely blew my socks off. Just epic and awesome. I couldn't give a fuck about the disaster porn, so fucking what. Two Superbeings going at it, there is going to be damage. No one bitched about the destruction in Pacific Rim or Star Trek into Wrath of Kahn.

2. Evil Dead - I had my doubts and the second viewing wasn't as rewarding, but fuck me what a film, what a gory, painful fun film.

1. Django Unchained - I love Tarantino cannot wait to see what he does next. He will always make a film that is a favourite of mine. Always.

There are most likely more that I fell in love with, but it is getting dark, the washing up needs doing, there are some hungry pussy cats getting mad at me for not putting down some biscuits for them and I kind of need the loo. I must say that the Hobbit Part 2 was a huge surprise, loved it. Now, I would not have bothered with these films if it hadn't been for a certain actress who joined part 2 playing a character that doesn't appear in the books at all. But I did. Part 1 was ok. Part 2 was brilliant. I am very glad I got back into these films. Generally brilliant from start to finish, Smaug really made me excited to revisit the Rings trilogy.


Next... NO LIFE 2013 PART 2

Namaste!

hinterland.

Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever

So there was this email that came through a little while ago saying that they have my script and they are going to be reading it and I should expect to hear something next month.

They... They being the BBC. Crazy. Cool. Fingers are crossed. I'm not expecting the world. I not expecting anything that is going to change anything. But some words back would be great. Good, bad or ugly, something. If it's good, then fuck yeah, if it's bad then at least I will know what to do next.

Russia is zipping along nicely. Have just rewritten the outline for the first part of this five parter comic.

Sun is out.

I am meditating. Not right now obviously, but I am and it is great. Really good and really useful and really helpful.


NO LIFE!

Music... Pineapple Thief, Explosions in the Sky, Haim, The 1975, Hans Zimmer's Man of Steel music makes me fucking wanna fly.

TV... Game of Thrones, Banshee, Mad Men, HANNIBAL!!! Hannibal is fucking awesome, inspiring brilliance.

Film... Iron Man 3, The Place Beyond The Pines, Double Indemnity on Blu...

Comics... The Massive, Rachel Rising, All New X Men, Storm Dogs, Punk Rock Jesus, East of West... I love comics.

Books... Jeff Noon!