Fela- Structure

I think i’ve decided on a structure for the piece as regards when it takes place. As I said once i’ve seen the contract and had a discussion about how i use this journal I’ll publish more details. I see this journal as an opportunity to discuss and demonstrate process so hopefully I’ll be able to upload specific things i’m working on, rather than just chat in the abstract.

What I will say is that the idea allows the drama to come out of the situation, that those with prior knowledge of the life of Fela Kuti and those without will still be surprised, questioned and entertained, that it allows for the characters to show the journey they’ve been on. Essentially I’m starting in the middle!!

Fela- Research

Was recommended reading Lorca’s house of Bernada Alba and Tremblay’s Les Belles Soeurs. Both plays feature all female casts.

Read them both by last night. Liked the hermetically sealed nature of Alba, the edge of madness that this introduces and the powerful, dominant, destructive main character. Les Belles Soeurs was funny had alot of chararcters again with dominant, aggressive leads.

Good.

Fela-TWP says yes!

So commission is on. After meeting with Kully Thiarai and Fintan O’Higgins on friday TWP verbally said they were interested in commissioning a play. Idea is to base play around the wives and not the man. Contract should be imminent but we talked about a full-length two hour play. Number of different options around as to exact structure, the musical idea is still around but basically it’s wait and see until we get a draft/outline the exact way we want to take it. Looking to have the initial outline by end of July so back to writing – evening into the night! Would hope to post stuff here still but I might have to changes my creative commons status to do so.

A couple of other projects around also so busy few months ahead. Just as I like it!!

Castle Cryer Script

Attached is my script for the castle cryer musuem project. this is draft one. not sure if more drafts will be required. The piece is going to be the audio track to an animation of nottingham castle being burnt down in 1831.

It’s one page but I think scene runs 1m30secs.

castlecryerscript

Castle Cryer script

Plan over this weekend is to embark on a short (1min or so) script based on an historical event  for a research project looking at creating  interactive displays for museums. Unusually I am doing some research first!! Just flavours  at the moment as I have some ideas about character and now making sure the words and ‘doings’ match.

Looking to deliver a draft mid next week so should have something to post soon. Museums Project is being run by deborah tuck and roma patel. Postings on that as and when appropriate.

Film Council

Production designer for Carcass pointed this Film Council first feature development fund  to me.  Am going to apply with Carcass I think. Have a little bit of preparation to do to the sample script I need to submit before I can send it off but looking forward to giving it a punt.

coming up 2008

Forgot to mention previously that i was amazed to be walking in the underground on the way to the V&A when I saw a poster for awake which deals with anaesthestic awareness, the same subject as one of my coming up pitches. Due for release today , 4th April. I am always amazed when ideas seem to be around in the ether. I considered not sending idea off as part of the selection process but decided that the ideas would be significantly different (not having seen the film but I imagined a Hollywood version of the subject matter would be set in the triller genre which is nothing like the idea I have in mind) so I went ahead.

fela

Got a meeting in two weeks with Theatre Writing Partnership to talk through an idea I have about Fela Kuti. Not entirely sure about the focus of the meeting but I am interesting in writing a piece about politics, music, ego and ambition but not in the typical biography-type way. Also think the idea has film adaptation potential, again with a twist in location. More info to come after the meeting.

coming up 2008 ideas

Posted my three ideas yesterday so back to the usual wait and see. Here are two of the three synopsis’. Take a read. Outlines are usually guides to keep me semi-focused rather than rigid structures to be kept to.coming up 2008 Idea1 coming up 2008 Idea2