The Writing’s on the Wall

Yes. Graffiti. I popped into work this morning, and on the way, i couldn’t help but note that someone had graffitied on the side of the Gap store, a bit piece, about a meter square; “Why do you do this to me every singe day?”.

And I couldn’t help but smile. Graffiti does that to me. Not all graffiti, someone’s sprayed a love heart outside my front door (I did wonder if it might be a crazed stalker, but no), and that bothers me. For a start, it’s not a very well drawn heart. But there you go. But no, the kind of graffiti that makes me smile is the kind that actually makes me think about it for a moment as I walk away. there’s some sprayed in various places across London; “Insert your life story here”. I want to write a film with that title one day. It’s just a tiny little statement, but it makes me smile, each and every time.

‘What does it mean to be human?’ is another one. It’s in a few places here in Norwich. A very good image of a man in flight gear, with that simple caption underneath. It’s just a piece of life, it’s just there on the wall. But it makes me smile. It makes me think and it connects directly to me. I don’t just wander aimlessly past it like I might some random graffiti art (I bearly even notice that heart on the way to the shop for milk…).

So here’s my challenge. What other bits and pieces like this are there? Are there any bits of graffiti near where you live that makes you think? That makes you smile? Little statements? Tiny little moments in a busy, hectic day. Let me know, I’m genuinely interested.

Will

Shameless Plug

Whilst I gear up for another post (I’ve got on in mind, bear with me), I’d like to point your attention toward the band ‘6 Day Riot’ (http://www.6dayriot.co.uk/). Saw them live last night, and they’re simply brilliant. Picked up all their albums and I’ve been dancing along to them all afternoon today. Go, check them out! You won’t regret it!

Will

My Life: According to Fashion Disasters…

I can’t be the only one who does this. I’ve just gotten back from my Mums, where I stayed last night to attend a funeral. Whilst there, I was in my old bedroom, and I went through my old wardrobes. Now, most of my clothes either now reside with me in my flat, or were sent to the charity shop a while ago, but there’s still a few bits and pieces that remain in tact.
Mostly jackets, they were too tempting to not try on. And with the exemption of one of two garments, they were all hideous! I mean, come on, what kind of a pillock was I in college? A suede jacket that’s about three sizes too big. A black trench coat (which really is a flasher mac, if such a thing exists…) which is also several sizes too big. I remember buying that in the charity shop. I didn’t care that it was too big for me, it was only £3, and it looked cool at the time. In my head, at least…
The item that did fare well, mind, was a cream suit. I got it to wear to a friends wedding in 2006, and it had never really fitted. Worryingly, it was too big then, when I was a bit weightier than I am now. But I tried it on, just for a laugh, and it fits really nicely. Suddenly I saw it as a great casual sit to wear the next time I need to go to a posh place. Not that I attend many. But if it fits now – when I’ve lost weight – what does that say about me? I’m going to cross my fingers and hope that I just grew up. That’s whats happened. Yeah.
But I went through all these items (slightly-chavvy, slightly-geek-chick cardie… Might take that one home…) and wondered, quite seriously, what the hell I must have looked like.
Most of the first year of college, I wore suits in. Every day. I don’t know why, but I was in college, now, I had to look smart and grown up. Steven Moffat wrote a line for Doctor Who, which, it must be said, is completely true. It said that “I was always trying to be old, and grumpy, and important; like you do when you’re young!”. And he’s right, completely. I still do, to an extent. I’m wearing a green cardigan, now, which is also oversized, but in a comfortable way, not a ‘I bought the wrong size because the que for the dressing room in Primark was too long’ way.
I guess what I’m trying to say, is I spent a real long time, trying to find my ‘look’. When I first started University, I’d wear jeans, with a shirt (rolled up sleeves!) and a waistcoat. Every day. I had about 12 waistcoats. About 6 of them were nearly identical. But that worked for me for a while. For that first year, that was my ‘look’, and it served me well. It had that slight air of being a bit grown up, while still trying to fit in with the ‘Top Shop’ generation of people around me (and for the record, I’ve never bought a thing in Top Shop. I’ve only ever been in once, and even then it was only to see if they had any Converse in my size. They didn’t.). It became a part of me, so much so, that when I did just wear a t-shirt, it came as a shock to everyone. Now I’ve kind of moved on, again. Jeans and a t-shirt are my standard look at the moment. A kind of timeless classic. I have several favorite t-shirts, the ones I like to wear most often. But all this costume testing has gotten me wondering; what will I be dressed like in another three years? Well, for a start, that trench coat is going in the bin…

Will

The Procrastination Bug

It sounds like some kind of rubbish new Doctor Who alien, but it really isn’t. Production on Studio 7 is rolling forward, and it’s beginning to come together, slowly. But the thing is… deadlines are looming. Cast has to be built. Sets have to be locked off, but then there’s the scripts.
I’ve been writing Studio 7 for just over two years, now, in one form or another. Somewhere, and somehow. It’s spanned four computers and four homes, too. It’s been ever-evolving and constantly playing in my mind. In my head, the presenters of ‘Hideout’ haven’t left the studio for twelve months. But then, no matter what they’re doing in my head, no matter how often I grab a scrap of paper and jot down an idea for a line, or a quick note for a scene, I just can’t get down to writing the scripts!
It’s not like I haven’t started. I’ve written the prologue, and episode one (though it still needs tweaks. It doesn’t sit just right, yet.) and episode two has been open, half-written on my desktop since about half nine this morning. But that’s as far as I’ve gotten, today, opening the file.
I just tell myself I’d better check my emails. Take a quick look on Facebook, and glimpse at Twitter. Then I flicked on Radio 1, because I was lonely here now (It’s still on), and then I repeated the cycle. I washed my hair, and cleaned the bread-bin or a scrap of mould. I cleaned out the Hamster and phoned my mum. I read a magazine and had a bath. Made plans for tonight (The Happiness Patrol, with Alex. God bless Sylvester McCoy…).
And then I’ll wander back in from Alex’s tonight at half-ten/eleven and I’ll have a cup of Horlicks, before laying in bed and watching Ugly Betty (I’m nearly through series one). Then tomorrow morning, I’ll wake up and do the same thing, all over again. Then the next day, then the next. that document will just sit here, open on the Mac Book, that little cursor flashing at me, blinking; daring me to write. But I’ll make a cup of tea, have a sandwich and make some emails. Over and over. It’s the Procrastination Bug. I’ve just coined that term.
So the question is; why can’t I break this cycle? It’ll continue, unabated for a week or so, then one day. Two in the morning, I’ll get up for the loo. Half way back to bed, I’ll wish the hamster a good night on her wheel, and then it’ll hit me. The sudden need to write, that strange feeling of creativity that every writer gets at those wee, early hours. And I’ll sit there, in the dark, not moving from my seat for hours and hours on end, typing, the keys tapping away as the city sleeps around my window. At about half-past-six, I’ll watch the Royal Mail vans leave the sorting office across the street and I’ll decide that it’s time for sleep. That cursor can flash there until I wake again, and the Procrastination Bug bites once more…

Will

Right. Ok.

All my posts these days seem to begin with me apologising for not posting for a while. So again, I’m sorry. Shit’s been hitting the fan a bit lately, with a death in the

Set Building.

When we shot the pilot for Studio 7 earlier this year, there was a bit of a problem when it came to the set used for the fictional kids show. See, we didn’t really have much of a set. At all. We had a small stage with a sofa and chair we pinched from some show with Gabby Logan, which was filming upstairs at the time. We draped them in a blue cloth and put a stange egg shaped thing behind them in the hope it would be convincing. 

It was not. 

But for the series, I’ve upped the game a little bit. There’s a teeny-tiny budget. And I mean teeny tiny. But it’s being used well. I promise. A set has been designed, which I think will look fantastic. And I want to show you all. I can’t show you the original drawings of the set, as they’re much more detailed, and I want to preserve SOME mystery. But here, just for you, is a small photo of the scale model of the set. I built this.

I start the third year on the course today with a Year briefing at 2. So as of that point, it’s all officially gearing up for production. I’m excited. And scared. And praying that it all comes together this time – I can’t give up now! The series os so close!

Will

Right. Let’s Go.

I’ve just been reading down my blog, and it’s a sea of ‘Updates soon! ‘I promise updates soon!’ ‘no, really!’. But fact of the matter is that I’ve been a bit slack with this place. So. Here’s some bits and pieces for you.

There are few things I can actually report about Studio 7, as with pre-production only really kicking n from tomorrow, there’s lots of things that are up in the air and subject to change. But currently, I know the following;

1) 24 episodes are planned. This may go up, it may go down. 

2) They’ll be slightly different to the pilot. Forget half-hour episodes, this is the Web! The episodes will be between 5-10 minutes each.

3) They’ll take some different forms, and I’m hoping that’s going to be good!

4) Hopefully, time and cost permitting, Studio 7 will have a proper website by the launch next summer. Fingers crossed. Everyone cross your fingers with me!

That’s about all I can say at the moment, but hopefully it’s a start. See, the problem with discussing the show now, during pre-production is that there’s only so much that I can announce, in case things change. I don’t have any pictures to post, so I can’t interest you in that way. 

I’ll try to find ways to keep it interesting. Promise. 

Will

Green!

It’s gone all green around here! It’s swish, stylish and new!

Pre-production officially begins in full on series of Studio 7 on Monday. Hopefully from that point onwards, I’ll have lots to update you on!

For now, however, Studio 7 has its own Twitter now (@studio_7_series) which is likely to have more at-the-minute updates as things happen!

Will

Pre-Production has begun. Official.

That’s right. Pre production has now officially started on the full series of Studio 7. There’s been one or two tweaks since the Pilot was made back in February. I can’t reveal many (or, really, any…) details yet, but rest assured that they will be forthcoming as production continues. 

I can, however, bring up the new logo for the series, as a taster;

I hope that suffices as news for now. 

I’m currently in the midsts of writing – but don’t fear, I’m not the sole writer for this series. Oh no. More news as it can be released. Casting has also tentatively begun, but as ever, I don’t want to announce until a bit more is known this end. Hopefully I’ll have lots to tell toward the end of the month when production really begins proper.

Will

The Melting Director – Reborn!

Ok, so I’ve gotten pretty slack at this whole ‘blog’ thing. But there hasn’t been much of interest to report over the last few months. 

But, here we are in late august, and pre-production is beginning on the full series of Studio 7. People who have been following my blog for a while may remember that a pilot was made back in February, but now I’m gearing up for full production. Hopefully that will give me more to blog about! So stay tuned!

Will