What a bad little blogger I have been lately. I managed to finish all my assignments in time, the last one was handed in on Thursday, but I've been taking a break from commitments the last few days to try and have a little fun instead.
No news at my end, really. Well, I've been asked to script edit, which was lovely, and good fun as it turned out. As we don't have university this week, I intend to work on another radio play - this time with the aim of actually submitting it somewhere...
I might go see the Last King of Scotland this week. I'm determined to see something at the cinema, it's been ages since I saw a film on the big screen - Little Miss Sunshine was maybe the last one! (That can't be right.)
I'm being so boring, I'm away to actually do something worth talking about.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Bobbing along
Feeling surprisingly upbeat today. I'm halfway through my last assignment of the trimester, and I actually think it's okay. Probably not brilliant, but okay anyway.If I can finish it today then I am left with a blissful two weeks off University (not work though, boo) to concentrate on other writing projects. It would be lovely to have all that time to write! Also want to go to the cinema and see a few films. I did want to see Pan's Labyrinth but it only seems to be on very late at night now and I'd rather go during the day. I'm sure there's plenty on that I can go waste my money watching anyway.
I realise that this isn't much of a post, but I just wanted to share my general feeling of optimism and happiness with y'all. Hope you're having a good weekend :)
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Goonies Trailer
This was one of my favourite films as a child.
I remember when I had the chicken pox aged 9, my Dad bought me the audio cassette tape and accompanying book (remember those?) for this. It had a deleted scene in it, which everyone thought I was making up for about 15 years. Thanks to t'internet, I now know they were real! Brilliant.
Anyway, despite what stinky "grown up" reviewwers sometimes say about this, it's absolutely amazing when you're a kid and I still adore it. I remember the cast all being really, really old (also I wanted to "marry" Sean Astin), which I find hilarious now.
It's a classic.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The gauntlet is thrown!
It seems I've been tagged with a meme by David Bishop...
My challenge:"Grab the book nearest you. Turn to page 123. Go down to the fifth line. Type out the next three sentences."
I have on my desk a pile of books - on the top of which is Art and Science of Screenwriting
by Phillip Parker. Interesting that it should be a screenwriting book! Although, given the fact that I'm juggling assignments, not so strange really.
(Interestingly, my second book in the pile is Teach Yourself Screenwriting by Ray Frensham, which was Barry at Perpetual Muddle's choice for this meme)
I'd rather my book had been Eats, Shoots and Leaves, which I'm still not finished btw, but I shall make do with what I have!
"Martin finds the present Arthur bought Pete:- i.e. The Joys of Sex, and unwaraps it. Thanks to Mark (Pauline/Arthur's son), neither Pauline nor Pete are aware of this. Arthur is now very pleased he never gave the present to Pete, because Pete bought him a pocketwatch for Christmas and Pauline a wristwatch."
How dull! I seem to have appeared midway through a television sequence for Eastenders. I've not read right through this book yet, but thus far it's proved extremely helpful and has lots of well defined terminology within. I'd recommend it so far.
(I'd better not start getting visitors to this page looking for the aforementioned book that Arthur bought Pete...)
Anyway, I shall tag... my fellow Screen Academy student MJ (who is no doubt also up to her eyeballs in assignments) and the ever helpful Optimistic Reader to carry out the same meme!
And now: back to work for me!
My challenge:"Grab the book nearest you. Turn to page 123. Go down to the fifth line. Type out the next three sentences."
I have on my desk a pile of books - on the top of which is Art and Science of Screenwriting
by Phillip Parker. Interesting that it should be a screenwriting book! Although, given the fact that I'm juggling assignments, not so strange really.
(Interestingly, my second book in the pile is Teach Yourself Screenwriting by Ray Frensham, which was Barry at Perpetual Muddle's choice for this meme)
I'd rather my book had been Eats, Shoots and Leaves, which I'm still not finished btw, but I shall make do with what I have!
"Martin finds the present Arthur bought Pete:- i.e. The Joys of Sex, and unwaraps it. Thanks to Mark (Pauline/Arthur's son), neither Pauline nor Pete are aware of this. Arthur is now very pleased he never gave the present to Pete, because Pete bought him a pocketwatch for Christmas and Pauline a wristwatch."
How dull! I seem to have appeared midway through a television sequence for Eastenders. I've not read right through this book yet, but thus far it's proved extremely helpful and has lots of well defined terminology within. I'd recommend it so far.
(I'd better not start getting visitors to this page looking for the aforementioned book that Arthur bought Pete...)
Anyway, I shall tag... my fellow Screen Academy student MJ (who is no doubt also up to her eyeballs in assignments) and the ever helpful Optimistic Reader to carry out the same meme!
And now: back to work for me!
Some thoughts on my assignments
bugger bugger damn damn no no no
Too much flippin crime Drama on tele.
Too much flippin crime Drama on tele.
Friday, January 12, 2007
BAFTA 2007 nominations
The BAFTA nominations were announced today. Not many surprises within them!
Interesting to see Notes on a Scandal within the list - I wasn't aware that it was released yet! Also nice to see Andrea Arnold and Red Road on there.
Here's an overview of the list - link to the main one at the bottom of the page.
FILM
BABEL - Alejandro González Iñárritu/Jon Kilik/Steve Golin
THE DEPARTED - Brad Pitt/Brad Grey/Graham King
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND - Andrea Calderwood/Lisa Bryer/Charles Steel
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE*
THE QUEEN - Tracey Seaward/Christine Langan/Andy Harries
Interesting to see Notes on a Scandal within the list - I wasn't aware that it was released yet! Also nice to see Andrea Arnold and Red Road on there.
Here's an overview of the list - link to the main one at the bottom of the page.
FILM
BABEL - Alejandro González Iñárritu/Jon Kilik/Steve Golin
THE DEPARTED - Brad Pitt/Brad Grey/Graham King
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND - Andrea Calderwood/Lisa Bryer/Charles Steel
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE*
THE QUEEN - Tracey Seaward/Christine Langan/Andy Harries
Outstanding British Film of the Year
CASINO ROYALE - Michael G Wilson/Barbara Broccoli/Martin Campbell/Neal Purvis/Robert Wade/Paul Haggis
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND - Andrea Calderwood/Lisa Bryer/Charles Steel/Kevin Macdonald/Peter Morgan/Jeremy Brock
NOTES ON A SCANDAL - Scott Rudin/Robert Fox/Richard Eyre/Patrick Marber
THE QUEEN - Tracey Seaward/Christine Langan/Andy Harries/Stephen Frears/Peter Morgan
UNITED 93 - Tim Bevan/Lloyd Levin/Paul Greengrass
Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer in their First Feature Film
ANDREA ARNOLD (Director) - Red Road
JULIAN GILBEY (Director) - Rollin' with the Nines
CHRISTINE LANGAN (Producer) - Pierrepoint
GARY TARN (Director) - Black Sun
PAUL ANDREW WILLIAMS (Director) - London to Brighton
THE DAVID LEAN AWARD for Achievement in Direction
BABEL - Alejandro González Iñárritu
THE DEPARTED - Martin Scorsese
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE - Jonathan Dayton/Valerie Faris
THE QUEEN - Stephen Frears
UNITED 93 - Paul Greengrass
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BABEL - Guillermo Arriaga
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE - Michael Arndt
PAN'S LABYRINTH - Guillermo del Toro
THE QUEEN - Peter Morgan
UNITED 93 - Paul Greengrass
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
CASINO ROYALE - Neal Purvis/Robert Wade/Paul Haggis
THE DEPARTED - William Monahan
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA - Aline Brosh McKenna
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND - Peter Morgan/Jeremy Brock
NOTES ON A SCANDAL - Patrick Marber
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
APOCALYPTO - Mel Gibson/Bruce Davey
BLACK BOOK (ZWARTBOEK) - Teun Hilte/San Fu Maltha/Jens Meurer/Paul Verhoeven
PAN'S LABYRINTH - Alfonso Cuarón/Bertha Navarro/Frida Torresblanco/Guillermo del Toro
RANG DE BASANTI (PAINT IT YELLOW) - Ronnie Screwvala/Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
VOLVER - Agustín Almodóvar/Pedro Almodóvar
ACTOR in a LEADING ROLE
DANIEL CRAIG - Casino Royale
LEONARDO DICAPRIO - The Departed
RICHARD GRIFFITHS - The History Boys
PETER O'TOOLE - Venus
FOREST WHITAKER - The Last King of Scotland
ACTRESS in a LEADING ROLE
PENELOPE CRUZ - Volver
JUDI DENCH - Notes on a Scandal
HELEN MIRREN - The Queen
MERYL STREEP - The Devil Wears Prada
KATE WINSLET - Little Children
ACTOR in a SUPPORTING ROLE
ALAN ARKIN - Little Miss Sunshine
JAMES MCAVOY - The Last King of Scotland
JACK NICHOLSON - The Departed
LESLIE PHILLIPS - Venus
MICHAEL SHEEN - The Queen
ACTRESS in a SUPPORTING ROLE
EMILY BLUNT - The Devil Wears Prada
ABIGAIL BRESLIN - Little Miss Sunshine
TONI COLETTE - Little Miss Sunshine
FRANCES DE LA TOUR - The History Boys
JENNIFER HUDSON - Dreamgirls
Click here for the results in full.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Panic on the dancefloor
I'm panicking about assignments just now. I have 4 due in over the next couple of weeks. Dates and times that two of them are due in are a bit of a mess (nobody knows 1 due date, for instance) and I've been too ill to do them over the holdiays.
First assignment is to read and critically appraise a script, analysing what is good and bad, what you would keep and change, etc. I've done the groundwork, just got to sit and write it now. Slightly worried that I have more criticism than praise.
Second is a short script - thankfully I've written it, but would like at least another class worth of guidance on it. It might be rubbish, I have no idea. Also, we have no idea on how this one is actually graded.
Thirdly a market analysis for the business class. I confirmed my idea with my lecturer before the holidays, and have done nothing since. Have inadvertantly chosen a market which I know nothing about - although I'm interested in working in it. (Crime/Mystery drama on UK TV.) Should be fun (?).
Last, but by no means least, I've to write an essay describing how I would adapt a film of my own choosing for a current audience. Chosen the film, have around 16 reference points - and no idea of what to write.
I need to try and split today into three chunks, I think. Maybe do 3 hour blocks of work for each assignment, see how I go.
As you have no doubt guessed, I'm procrastinating in fear at the moment. Plus, there's a hell of a draft coming in my window...
I'm fricking freezing.
First assignment is to read and critically appraise a script, analysing what is good and bad, what you would keep and change, etc. I've done the groundwork, just got to sit and write it now. Slightly worried that I have more criticism than praise.
Second is a short script - thankfully I've written it, but would like at least another class worth of guidance on it. It might be rubbish, I have no idea. Also, we have no idea on how this one is actually graded.
Thirdly a market analysis for the business class. I confirmed my idea with my lecturer before the holidays, and have done nothing since. Have inadvertantly chosen a market which I know nothing about - although I'm interested in working in it. (Crime/Mystery drama on UK TV.) Should be fun (?).
Last, but by no means least, I've to write an essay describing how I would adapt a film of my own choosing for a current audience. Chosen the film, have around 16 reference points - and no idea of what to write.
I need to try and split today into three chunks, I think. Maybe do 3 hour blocks of work for each assignment, see how I go.
As you have no doubt guessed, I'm procrastinating in fear at the moment. Plus, there's a hell of a draft coming in my window...
I'm fricking freezing.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Inside my bag
I put this photo on Flickr, thought I would post a little blog entry too!
As the title suggests, these are the contents of my bag. On Thursday I expect it will look quite different, complete with umpteen pens and sheets of paper, lunch too.
Really posting this to say that I'm really enjoying "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" a great deal. Ewan got me it for Christmas, and I love the humour within! The author (Lynne Truss) is an incorregable snob, and so far appears to have insulted dialects in almost every corner of the UK. It's great, however...
If you have a burning desire to see the contents in detail, click on the photo.
As the title suggests, these are the contents of my bag. On Thursday I expect it will look quite different, complete with umpteen pens and sheets of paper, lunch too.
Really posting this to say that I'm really enjoying "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" a great deal. Ewan got me it for Christmas, and I love the humour within! The author (Lynne Truss) is an incorregable snob, and so far appears to have insulted dialects in almost every corner of the UK. It's great, however...
If you have a burning desire to see the contents in detail, click on the photo.
Friday, January 05, 2007
The Northern Lights
Happy New Year everyone!
Down to business... My friend sent me a link to Ain't it Cool News this morning, which has an abundance of pictures from the forthcoming film The Golden Compass.
Based on the outstanding book The Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman (part of the trilogy His Dark Materials, aimed at 9-12 year olds), the film was adapted for the screen by Tom Stoppard and the director Chris Weitz (dir. About a boy).
It's got a great cast, including Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Sam Elliot, with newcomer Dakota Blue Richards in the main role of Lyra.
As someone who desperately wants to write novels for children, The Nothern Lights is exactly the sort of book I'd love to be able to write. The novel is intelligent, challenging, full of adventure, mystery and shocking new ideas (the daemons, for instance). I've never read a children's book which grabbed me in quite the way that the Northern Lights did, and as much as I love the other two books in the trilogy this will always be my favourite.
Looking forward to this film adaptation a great deal. The look of the film is terrific, so far, Daniel Craig looks suitably broody and big for Lord Asriel, Nicole Kidman looks utterly perfect as Mrs Coulter, and Dakota Blue Richards certainly looks right for Lyra.
Roll on December 2007.
Only annoying thing - why the heck did they have to use the title of the novel from it's USA release? The Golden Compass is a rubbish title compared to The Northern Lights.
5.30pm --- A bit of an update - according to Empire Online, Hossein Amini has apparently been commissioned to work on adapting the second book in His dark Materials - The Subtle Knife for the screen.
Down to business... My friend sent me a link to Ain't it Cool News this morning, which has an abundance of pictures from the forthcoming film The Golden Compass.
Based on the outstanding book The Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman (part of the trilogy His Dark Materials, aimed at 9-12 year olds), the film was adapted for the screen by Tom Stoppard and the director Chris Weitz (dir. About a boy).
It's got a great cast, including Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Sam Elliot, with newcomer Dakota Blue Richards in the main role of Lyra.
As someone who desperately wants to write novels for children, The Nothern Lights is exactly the sort of book I'd love to be able to write. The novel is intelligent, challenging, full of adventure, mystery and shocking new ideas (the daemons, for instance). I've never read a children's book which grabbed me in quite the way that the Northern Lights did, and as much as I love the other two books in the trilogy this will always be my favourite.
Looking forward to this film adaptation a great deal. The look of the film is terrific, so far, Daniel Craig looks suitably broody and big for Lord Asriel, Nicole Kidman looks utterly perfect as Mrs Coulter, and Dakota Blue Richards certainly looks right for Lyra.
Roll on December 2007.
Only annoying thing - why the heck did they have to use the title of the novel from it's USA release? The Golden Compass is a rubbish title compared to The Northern Lights.
5.30pm --- A bit of an update - according to Empire Online, Hossein Amini has apparently been commissioned to work on adapting the second book in His dark Materials - The Subtle Knife for the screen.
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