I love Christmas. And I love starting a new year. But the in-between period is always a difficult one. Why? Because I sit at home, eating chocolate, convincing myself I’ve achieved nothing all year.
It reminds me of something Arlene & Jean-Claude Audergon once taught me, about recognising the milestones in your life. They said that most people are constantly chasing after the next thing, always trying to achieve something — but they rarely give themselves credit for what they’ve already accomplished. I remember, during a particularly self-pitying moment with Jean-Claude; I was moaning about the fact I’d only written ten pages of a feature script. Ten pages? Pathetic! A feature film is a hundred and twenty pages!
He slowed me down and congratulated me on completing ten pages.
And it was the first time I’d ever looked at it that way. If I’ve not made a short film, I’m unhappy. If I’ve made a short film but it’s not in a festival, I’m unhappy. If I make a film and it’s in a festival but it’s not a well-known one, I’m unhappy. And on and on it goes.
It’s something about human nature, that we do that; but in particular it’s a trait I see all the time with people in creative industries. They never look and say, “hey, I achieved something!”
So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
I promise you, it’s not boasting. I spend 364 days of the year thinking I’ve done NOTHING, so allow me one blog post to put it into perspective and feel a sense of achievement!
1. BLUE CAT & BAFTA
Start of the year, I wrote a feature film called ‘The Toilet Attendant’. I wrote it in two caffeine filled weeks in the Starbucks on New Oxford Street. And then I entered it into the Bluecat Screenwriting Contest, which takes place in LA.
Out of thousands, it got to the semi-final (the last 25). And it was nominated with four other scripts for the Cordelia Award (Best British Screenplay).
I didn’t win, but I was close!
Later in the year, I entered my script ‘The Proposal Update’ into to the BAFTA Rocliffe Programme. Out of 400 applicants, I got to the final 12. So close, yet so far.
But I’m happy. To get that close, it’s not bad, y’know?
2. The Huffington Post
I got the chance to blog for The Huffington Post on a regular basis, which is a great website to be a part of.
3. Writing & Directing for the stage.
I directed my piece ‘The Proposal Update’ twice at the Old Red Lion Theatre as part of the wonderful Writer’s Bloc series. I am not a theatre person, not at all — but to totally go out of my comfort zone, and put something on the stage — wow, what a buzz! It was so immediate. Hearing the audience laugh (and laugh they did) at our short comedy pieces. Wow.
And it’s funny, because when you do a piece to 60 people in a tiny theatre, and then an hour later it’s over– you’re kind of left thinking, ‘umm, is that it?’
But what I realise now is that, it sticks with you. That moment. And now the night is gone, the play is finished, and only 100 people in total saw my short play before it vanished. But that’s enough! It was a moment in time and the people LAUGHED! Wow.
4. Harlequins.
I got a job filming and editing for Quins TV. I’ve always been more of a football fan; but Harlequins are the Barcelona of Rugby. It’s a great privilege to be working with them. That’s the thing with being freelance, with following this kind of work, you never really know where you’re going to end up. As this year ends, I’m potentially going to be writing a thing for BBC Radio, and potentially writing for a big website, but will it happen? I don’t know. It’s heartbreaking on the one hand, because you just never know, but every now and then something really happens, and it’s the greatest feeling.
I could tell you about twenty things that almost happened, but this isn’t the blog post for that.
5. The Big job for the agency from Los Angeles.
I signed a non-disclosure agreement, so I can’t go into specifics. But let me say; it was a great experience, it paid me a heap of money, had me truly learn what it’s like to write a script while five guys from LA say “umm, actually, how about if….” as they offered up bizarre script ideas.
And the thing never got made, as is often the case.
But I got to write a big project, for a big agency, representing a giant client. Exciting? Yes. Soul destroying? A little. Would I do it again? Absolutely! Such a great learning experience.
6. Last Christmas / Our Christmas
I made a Christmas movie, and so did my friend Mark. We shot them in a couple of days — no time, no budget, no crew — just went out and did them for fun, and the love of Christmas.
And people like them. What a feeling! It’s great to do something just for the hell of it, just to meet great actors and to put something out there that hopefully someone, somewhere, will relate to.
My Film:
7. The Showreels.
This year, I went from doing a showreel or two, to having it be a business where I can begin to earn something resembling a living. I’m proud of the showreels. I think I offer a service for actors that is better than anyone else out there. And so many of them have done really well through them (new agents, TV roles, Hollywood auditions).
8. Springsteen in New York.
I wrote a screenplay about Bruce Springsteen. And Roy Petersen and Leo Fiorica made it, in New York.
A movie. Springsteen. And New York. Wow wow wow. So exciting. Seeing a film that I wrote, wonderfully put together, and to the sound of THE BOSS.
9. My Friends Succeeding.
This is the best part of all. My friend Marcus Markou made a feature film. Not only did he make a feature – but it’s one of the best independent films I’ve seen in a LONG time! When we first met, we talked about Billy Wilder, little did I know that this guy was genuinely capable of making a film which captures all those magical little life moments— just like Wilder. The film is called ‘Papadopoulos & Sons’, I hope it gets a big release in 2013. When it inevitably does, you MUST see it. A huge achievement, by a hugely talented and inspirational filmmaker.
And then there’s Natalie Gumede. Wow! And I don’t even like ‘Coronation Street’. But she blows me away in it! I met her a few months before all the Corrie craziness began, and it was obvious how much talent she had. But so often in this industry, you see talent, but it doesn’t quite get the break it deserves.
But Natalie is on TV, in front of millions of people, with giant storylines, and I just feel immensely proud to know her and see all that she is achieving.
And there are so many others. My friend Steven Porter, doing incredible work in the community (mostly in schools) with the East London Performers Academy, and seeing Debra Baker turn up on TV every few months (this year in Doctors, and in a Sainsburys Ad, and others).
And now it’s time for 2013. What an exciting time to be doing what we do. The digitial revolution is well and truly here. We have the cameras, we have the talent, and we have the internet. Where will this be leading us?
