Internot

Eek.

Friday deadline for Red Planet and Major Project at University.

I ain't finished.

Instead of slaving away over my script, I seem to be taking great care to do anything else possible. Cleaned all the windows in my flat, baked, watched about 8 hours of Sharpe, read 2 books and played some Wii at the weekend. Was back to work Monday, Tuesday and today.

Thank heavens for lunch breaks. I find I'm oddly motivated during my lunch hour, more so than I am at most other times. I'm not sure why this is: perhaps the strong coffee I get to sit with.

Still no internet access at home, but we should be getting it tomorrow - HOORAY. Deadlines and lack of net have meant I haven't had time for Mr Bishop's meme (but mine would be rubbish anyway so that's no loss, I promise) or any other blogging. I've loads of notes from the EIFF, looking forward to getting them all online in the newt few weeks.

Anyway, good luck to everyone who is entering/has entered Red Planet. I'm not sure I'll have time now, as Uni needs to be the priority this week, but hopefully I'll knock together a synopsis. Big thank you to my PO3 helpers, and to those of you who volunteered but have not been called on - this time :-)

Edinburgh International Film Festival: the story so far...

Having a ball at the EIFF! So much so that I've hardly done anything else in the last week, in fact. My delegate pass lets me into loads of events, free screenings, gives me access to a videotheque of many of the festival films and I've also gone to a few party type things.

I've been to see Tilda Swinton and Mike Leigh talking about filmmaking (both were just amazing) - seeing Stephen Frears doing the same on Saturday.

Been to a multitude of events so far: "Make it to Market", "The Working Writer", and "How to Find the Right Producer" among others. Just been to "New Landmark Drama", a joint event hosted by Scottish Screen and the BBC, talking about the new Singles scheme they are running. Very interesting, and I WILL be applying. Just need to think of a fab idea. (Easier said than done, I suspect!)

Unfortunately I've only seen one film so far: but I enjoyed it! I went to My Life as a Bus Stop, which was written and directed by two of my fellow - very nice - students. I'm going to see a Gaelic film on Friday, but laziness has so far prevented me from seeing Stardust, which I really did want to see. I must see if i can get tickets to more things: the industry screenings are all but finished so I need to try and get in the far more popular public screenings.

I took the week off work as I also have to work on my final project. I was fairly happy with the whole thing, but was struck by some small flash of inspiration and subsequently cut about 20 pages from it, removed a character and have now large gaping plotholes showing. Thankfully I think I have a plan, but really need to work on this tomorrow instead of going to see anything here!

Delegation's what you need

I was going to call this post Delegate This, but I see Miss MJ has pipped me to it.

Anyway, I was at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival on Monday and Tuesday as a delegate, and picked up my pass for the Edinburgh Film Festival at lunchtime.

Hooray! Can't wait. So many attractive events are on, loads of great films are showing, and lots of people I like will be chilling out in the delegate centre. I've made up a geeky itinerary on Excel, with lots of bright colours indicating the events I want to attend.

Unfortunately I'm apparently not as cool as Barry, but that can't be helped.

Mad for the Adverbs

I just had some spiffy feedback from David B on my feature (thanks).

One alarming fact he had for me: I used the word "slightly" 34 times in 92 pages.

So to the other people who are reading this for me: I'M SORRY! Honest. Didn't mean it.

I'm adverb crazy. I can feel myself using them, but can't stop. It's a disease. I tried hard to cut them from the script, but have failed. Curse my speedy fingers: they do what they feel like, not what I tell them.

Sorry again, folks. No attacking me for such terrible behaviour, please.

EIFF to move to June

Interesting news that I first saw reported earlier on the BBC, that The Edinburgh International Film Festival will move to June from next year onwards. June 18th - 29th 2008, to be specific.

Currently, of course, the EIFF runs in Edinburgh at the same time as all the other festivals, during August. To try a gain a higher profile, the move to June should stop it from clashing with other big name Film Festivals, as well as saving it from having to compete with so many other events in Edinburgh.

On the downside, they will lose the Festival Tourist traffic, and will instead have to rely on people just coming for the EIFF. Additionally, this may now prevent many Film Students from having this venue as an initial showcase for their work. Undergraduate films are due in May, so are generally finished (a rough cut at least) for the festival submission date in April - as a shift in the EIFF opening calendar will no doubt also mean a shift in submission dates.

I don't see the tourist traffic loss as a potential problem, though, as more people might be inspired to come here when accomodation is cheaper, and the city is a bit quieter.


In other news, I received my delegate pass information for the Edinburgh Interactive Festival earlier today. Now I am merely awaiting my delegate pass info for the EIFF...

Lazy Weekend in La La Land

I took a little break from writing for a few days, giving myself Friday, Saturday and half of Sunday off. Was lovely!

Had some friends over for dinner on Friday so I made some yummy pizza for dinner. Unfortunately we probably annoyed the neighbours by playing Singstar Superstar games for several hours. First playstation game I've ever liked, amazing. My boyfriend and I rocked the Nick Cave/Kylie song "Where the Wild Roses Grow", so we did.

More friends over for dinner on Saturday so I made sushi, then we went into town to soak up a bit of the good old festival atmosphere. We made a fleeting attempt to get into the Spiegeltent in George Square, but there a queue so headed back to the Edinburgh Union buildings instead. On the way home I was stopped and asked directions to a street, to a club, and where some girls could go and dance "but not in a club". They looked like hip young things: I don't think I gave them a cool enough list of places. I waved an arm around very vaguely and told them to head for a studenty area. I must have the look of a local, though!

Spent my weekend days re-reading the Harry Potter books again. Ah, I love them. Mock all you want, but I am happy in my reading list and they are just great fun to sit and read in an afternoon. I've read so many factual books since October, I've hardly had time for anything which is purely for entertainment, so it's been nice. On Friday we played some "tennis" (no rules, just fun!) as well, which was also great fun. I feel nice and relaxed, ready to tackle more writing...


I have just sent my script out to the first round of PO3 people. I hope to do another round in a couple of weeks, so Robin and FarAway, I hope you are still keen then! I need one more soul to round it off.