Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Making a Short Movie

In a summer of almost constant rain, there have been just a couple of dry, bright spots.

First, a family trip to Waterford, Ireland, to attend the Baha'i Summer School there. How come Ireland has a reputation for rain? I almost got sunstroke.

I can't speak about that trip without mentioning the attitude of the people there towards the arts. It seemed as if everyone I spoke to could play an instrument, paint, write poetry, or engage in some other form of creative expression. I find it hugely inspiring that people aren't prepared to leave creativity to an elite class of professional artists. Long may it continue.

The second dry and bright spot was the weekend when director Gav Irons set out to turn one of my short screenplays into a movie. It had been raining more-or-less solidly for months. But on the first day of the shoot the sun came out and shone down on us with such intensity that we had to apply plenty of the factor twenty to stay the same colour through the shoot.

Due to a last-minute cancellation by one of the actors, I had to step in and play the part of a somewhat unpleasant news reporter. Thus, suited and sweating, I found myself saying lines I'd written months before and imagined coming out of another person's mouth. It felt very strange.

The best thing about the weekend was working with such an excellent group of people. There were fourteen of us all-told. Behind the camera and in front of it, everyone did their bit with great skill and good humour. The contrast between novel writing and movie making seems sharpest in this - that novel writing is solitary whilst movie making is superbly collaborative.

The movie is called PIXECILLUS. When there is more news in that, I'll post it here.

3 comments:

Rod Duncan said...

Adam, forgive me but I'm not sure who you are. You don't have a profile, which doesn't help. And the website you mention in your message seems to be a blatant advert for a scheme that looks highly dubious.

I'm not going to delete your messagejust yet, however, because I don't think anyone visiting my blog is likely to be foolish enough to fall for it.

Tainted Visionary said...

Hi Rod

Your working on a movie that you've written? Wow, how incredibly exciting! You must be thrilled. I look forward to hearing more about the film's progress over time.

As for me, I'm writing again and am trying to prepare a poem which describes 'unexpectedness', a short prose piece and a comparison of two plays before I start at oxford at the end of the month. I must say, It's really exciting and the possibilites are only just entering my mind.

The first visiting professor is Phillip Pullman who I strangely drawn towards simply because his writing is so different to my own or anything that I have read. I'm hoping it'll be inspirational.

I came across your blog whilst updating my own so I'm guessing you'll be able to view mine from now on. A word of warning..it's very explicit and I would hate for you to be offended. If anything, where the blog has succeeded is in enabling me to get into the habit of writing frequently.

I also have a new idea for a novel which I'm about to start work on.

How are things with you otherwise?

Manish

Rod Duncan said...

Hi Manish,

Thanks for leaving the comment. Yes, the movie is made. We had a great time filming it a few weeks ago, then the long editing process - which is now finished. And tonight I will have my first chance to see the finished thing. Very excited. Hopefully it will show at the Leicester International Short Film Festival at the end of October.

It's good to hear of your adventures in writing. Do get that novel finished. I want to see it in print.

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