A Life of Cliché

The Year of the New

2012-01-02T20:57:00.003Z

Somehow 2012 seems magical. As a nation, the British have been talking about and planning these 366 days for quite some time now. The Olympics have been that looming shadow, casting itself over the UK and the days ahead. Now it's almost time, and even I have to admit to feeling a sense of exciting and nervous energy in the air.

It goes beyond the Olympics, and beyond the Queen's Diamond Jubillee. There's an optimism we're all living with; a sense that something good is coming, after years of reccession and 'the world is doomed!' type news items.

For me, 2012 marks the start of something brand new. It's no secret that it's time for me to do that work shuffle again, and move to another site in the company's fleet of many. I've worked here at Shepherds Bush for well over 12 months now. I'm feeling tired, and if I'm honest I'm looking back - and then looking forward, unsure what else I can contribute that hasn't already been contributed.

Moving on means a brand new fresh start; the biggest change in my life since October 2010.

In many ways 2011 was great - most of all because it was a period of stability. However, the danger with stability is that you spend too long 'stable' and things very quickly turn into routine - and that's nasty, because it's utterly predictable and boring. The chief reason I wanted out of Manchester in the first place was because every day/week was like every other day/week before it.

Where next? I have a fairly good idea. I've spoken to my GM and other senior managers, and have a clearer view of what comes next. I'm not saying what those options are, here, however - because as soon as they're written down they become fact, or the idea of them become boring and lifeless before I've even starting the new movement.

There's new experiences to had across 2012. My sister is pregnant (congratulations!) so the concept of me being an uncle become official, and draws nearer and nearer. You know, the baby is scary, for me too, because it sorts of sums up the need to grow up at last and find that responsibility your parents talk about when you're younger. I'm no longer a child, or of the 'new generation' - there's beings now who need my help and support, and it's time I act the adult, and grow up accordingly.

Hmm. The challenge of 2012. I'll post more about the year as I live through it...

2011: AOB

2012-01-01T02:31:00.003Z

We're about 2 and a half hours into 2012 now, and I'm back home in Manchester. Of course,it's been that long since I last wrote on this blog that I haven't actually chronicled my leaving home in the first place. Damn. To cut a long story short, there's a new exciting city, and my body morphed at the metabolic rate of, ooh, about twelve months.

It's curious that I've spent the first 150 minutes of the new year watching a couple of review shows looking back at the departed 2011. Hmm. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. Allow me to offer a quick, but comprehensive review - except it won't be quick, nor comprehensive. Probably a bit tedious to anybody that doesn't give a rat's ass about me, or 2011, or me in 2011.

1: The Big News

I live around the corner from BBC Television Centre in Shepherds Bush, London. The place has the biggest satellite dishes you ever did see spewing from its rooftop - so it's a cruel twist then that I don't have any TV signal on my tellybox.

A consequence of this is I often fall behind, or miss entirely, items of news. Now obviously I'm hit by the big stories (reports of the Tsunami in Japan and the subsequent nuclear/human meltdown) but a lot of others go over my head. It's not ideal, because I usually revel in that level of politics. Taking a back seat means I'm growing ever more ignorant, and that's never good...

The breakout story for me has to be the riots in London and Manchester in August. Obviously, two cities close to my heart. It was so very easy getting caught up in the hysteria of it all. I was in Brixton the night that the troubles kicked off there, innocently watching a Morrissey gig with my friend Dan, who was visiting from the North, and probably wishing he hadn't bothered. Worse still, he took the trouble back up country with him when he left London town!

But the sheer velocity and force of the riots... Man, it was scary. Seriously scary. At its peak, there was a dangerous edge. I remember walking around London and people were looking over their shoulders suspiciously; eyeing you up to see if you were "one of them" about to attack. I knew the feeling well, because I shared the paranoia. That's not like me - to get caught up so easily in the slew of news and action.

It's summed up by the U2 song "Stuck in the Moment". It played on an endless loop on my iPod for much of the riot week - somehow capturing in my mind the image of it all so perfectly.

I've a little optimism for 2012 (Olympics, and all that jazz) but I confess, there's still some concern that the "moment" in question isn't quite over just because the riots stopped.

If I have one real resoltion for the new year, it's to follow the news more closely. Stuff like the Eurozone crisis could very well define this 'generation' - I can't afford to miss the politics, and the immediately aftermath of it all.

2: Family

Something I'm only going to touch on lightly, as more and more I appreciate one's need for privacy; especially in an age where potentially anybody can read the blog you write and make do with that information any way they want.

There's been some terrific ups (an unexpected pregnancy for an immediate family relative - baby due mid 2012) to some horific lows (a couple of deaths; one of which caught the whole family off guard because it just happened, and to this day still doesn't feel like it ever did).

I spent the week before Christmas moving my Nan in to a care home. This is the same name that I've celebrated in the past on this very blog; somebody who was once so independent and full of life. Now, it breaks my heart to acknowledge that they are no longer fit to enjoy the life they once lead, or indeed show ability in the running of day to day affairs.

She hates the new place. I thought she would. I hate the idea of her being there. I knew I would. Truth is, it's easy - me now being in London and all, and I often don't stop to think about those left at home. I don't know how my Mum would have coped caring for Nan on a full time basis, so a care home is absolutely the right place for Nan to be. Guess I'm guilty. Should I be? So far away, unable to offer much more help than just moral support. Am I the son who flew the nest and dropped all responsibilites?

Hmm.

3: Cinema

Gone are the days I can sit down and create top ten lists of the greatest films of the last year. I don't have the time, and am not objective enough to do that this year. Instead, here's a list of some of the films I did enjoy this year. A lot of the choices are flawed, yes - but they are included for the purpose I stated: enjoyment.

In no particular order (other than memory):

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (USA); Rise of the Planet of the Apes; The King's Speech; Captain America; Moneyball; Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; The Skin I Live In; Super 8; Source Code; X-Men: First Class. There's more I've missed off, but it's late and my brain can't think.

Slim pickings.

Worse film? I tend to avoid any film I think looks naff - but Sanctum was piss poor, as was The Green Lantern.

Not exactly brain buster, intellectual cinema choices there - but I work in the busiest mulitplex in the UK. When I'm not there (a surprisingly tiny amount of time) the last place I want to be is back at a cinema watching films.

Honest - and so sorry!

4: Death

Man, this year sucked. I've already explained that I lost a couple of relatives (a grand parent and an Uncle, in the space of a week) but the loss of people like Elisabeth Sladen and Nicholas Courtney hit me hard. 'Only' TV stars yes, but they represent a side of my childhood that cannot ever come back now they're gone. Personalties larger than life, who often inspired me in ways I can't grasp. Their deaths rocked me, such was their power and hold over me.

5: Writing

Yay! (In some ways) I've made some head way on my long overdue follow-up to Self.

Boo! Hiss! Lots of miss opportunities. Even with 5 pages of a script complete, I haven't touched the project in over a month. It sits there gathering ever more dust. Why? I guess I can be lazy, and it's all too easy to allow other things to get in the way.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Actually, despite all of the apparent negativity implanted above, 2011 has been a good year for me. No, a great one - one of those all important years where it's possible you come out of it ten times stronger a person than you originally went into it as.

A lot of that is down to work, and developments there. I've worked at this particular cinema for well over 12 months now. It's matured me both working there, and the fact it's so far away from home. I'm a lot more rational, and less prone to silly tantrums. I'm a better communicator, and because of that, a better problem solver. My confidence hasn't been this high since college. Perhaps even EVER. In a good way - I'm not Mr Ego all of a sudden.

To wrap up then, a continuation of this last point. Yes, I'm a more assured person - but the best thing to happen in 2011? I don't know how, or when, but I'm happy again.

Hindsight is a funny thing. I haven't been truly happy since I was with Katie O'Donnell, many moons ago now. Well... it's an omen that I am sincerely over the girl now. Oh yes, sirree! For Anthony is a happy bunny in the world 2011 created for him. I try not to analyse it too much. I just know it's true.

Here's to the next 366-

-And to continued happiness (everybody).

London Calling

2011-04-03T03:29:00.004+01:00

I left home about six months ago. A job opportunity presented itself in the capital; so I up-rooted myself from Manchester, and made a 250+ mile journey to live in London.

Living on my own, I have plenty of time to think... to reflect on what's happened. I often don't. More important things occupy my time now, like work or money (rather, my lack of). When I do stop and pause for those brief moments, it's kinda scary... because I just don't know the answers to any of those questions I'm asking myself inside.

Am I enjoying London? Would I rather be back home, with my family? Is it worth it? Etc.

I don't know.

What I do know for sure is that, whether I liked it or not, I needed change during that last year or so in Manchester - and London offers it.

I spent a lot of time when I worked at Bury cinema thinking "Is now the right time to go?" I still maintain it was. 3 and a half years I spent working there. Ventures new, and all. And boy, there ain't no venture bigger or better than the one I'm at now. Westfield! The number 1 cinema in the UK.

Am I enjoying it? No more/less than Manchester, if I'm quite honest. I have to get use to my new surroundings, of course, but when I do and I'm comfortable with them there's no reason why I can't go about town just like I use to in Manchester, hopping on/off those 135 buses.

Would I rather be back home? Yes. Home is, ultimately, where the heart is. If Bury, Manchester offered me the same facilities and life tools as London... well, it would be a no brainer. I'd never leave (or have left). The fact is, it doesn't - so I have to use elsewhere.

I'm waffling. In short, I just don't know.

A Picture of You

2010-09-19T23:57:00.002+01:00

It's there, and I'm looking at it. Of course, I'm not supposed to be. It breaks all the rules, but hey, I'm passed the point of caring. Hell, I don't think there are rules anymore - not when it comes to YOU. It's been to long, and so much has changed.

The key word to all of this: Change.

It's there in that photo. All this time apart, and because of it I'm the most qualified person in the world to notice all that's different now. The hair stands out most of it - it's a completely different colour! My God, when did that happen? It's so different, and new... but it works. You look fantastic. Time has been good to you.

And then it hts me how annoying that is, because you don't deserve to look good. Not in my eyes, not anymore. You gave up that entitlement a long time ago. I'm supposed to hate you, and look back on our time and think it were some giant mistake. But I don't, and I can't - because that picture proves it. You really are as beautiful as I told myself every date, and as clever, and witty, and as good for me.

It's true that I've changed too. Unlike me looking at you - an outsider looking in - I'm not as aware of those changes, though, because I've rolled with them. They've been tiny steps to me - but added together, they would equate to giant leaps to you. And now I'm curious what you would think - if the tables turned, and you saw a picture of me.

Would you think the same?

And it's a cruel twist of fate that I'll never know.

Beneath the Surface

2010-01-27T03:28:00.003Z

I've been inspired to write this, having just completed The Writer's Tale: The Final Chapter. The amount of thought and sheer hard work that Russell T Davies puts into every step of the writing process shames me, because I know - and you probably know, too - that I'm a lazy writer. Most days I wake up and do very little thinking, if any, writing - save the occassional blog here or there. Hell, I don't even think about writing anymore. Well, that's not exactly true - I think I should be doing more of it (a LOT more) but mentally, I'm not creating new characters, or situations, or whatever. My creativity and workflow? Dead.

Today I forced myself to write something (anything) - the end result being five or six pages of my continuing graphic novel, Assassin. Yep, it doesn't actually set the world alight, but those half dozen pages (from episode 3.5) mark my return to writing, for the first time since... well, it's been that long that I've forgotten. But I'm telling myself I have to continue the trend, and write some more tomorrow, and the day after that, etc.

The Assassin script has, actually, been a fantastic jumping on point. It's such a brave and unique script for me. Honest, I don't think I've ever written anything like it before. It explores the life of one character, Terrance Bronson, who is staring death in the face and in the moments before he dies has flashes of his life repeated to him (but new to us, the reader) that examine the character and the actions that he's taken over the course of the series. Oh, and there's a MASSIVE PLOT TWIST too. Gotta love the MASSIVE PLOT TWIST. Always exciting, and one of the only times you'll walk away from a script or idea and know, hand on heart, that you've done something good, because by the end of the drama, that twist has changed EVERYTHING.

So go twist!

Hopefully I'll have the script completed tomorrow, and then I'll move onto whatever comes next - whether that's Assassin 3.6, or something else entirely, I don't know. That's exciting, I suppose. Lot's of potential there. Fingers crossed I don't waste any of it, and that the potential in me manages to come to the surface.

The Story of THAT Video

2009-12-15T13:17:00.001Z

The staff party went well! Literally everybody I talked to about it seems to have had a blast, and there's oh-so-many memories to take away from the night. The General Manager kissed me (not like that; it was an innocent kiss)! The costumes - all fab (literally in the case of one of them, Mister Jimmy B the Thunderbird)! And the food, t'was great!

One of the major things I was responsible for on the night was the film quiz - and for months I'd been trying to wrack my brains trying to come up with something suitable, because I wasn't interested in doing a straight film quiz. Had to be a twist to it. But what??

Rewind, about three years. The Doctor Who episode Blink airs. It features a scene where the Doctor speaks to the guest character through the TV. Excellent, I thought at the time, highly clever - maybe one day I'll steal such an idea and-

Ah. Yes. Of course!

So I stole it for the film quiz, thinking it would be interesting, to say the least! You see, I'm aware not everybody who works on site at the cinema is a massive film buff - so a film quiz has little interest for them. I had to think up a way of keeping them glued to their seats, or risk them growing restless. This was the perfect solution - it offered questions for the people that wanted them, and allowed a bit of comic relief for those that, well, didn't.

The problem became putting the idea together. I needed to write a script, but quickly found I just didn't have the time. Repeatedly I told myself I would sit down that night and get it done; again and again I put it off. In the end I wrote a very rough first draft that was simply AWFUL! I showed it to a friend of mine, Daniel O'Connor, who said kind things about it... but that script didn't deserve it. Glad we scrapped it!

In the end I wrote a very quick script, a day or so before the deadline, which was the day of filming. On that topic...

Filming.

Ah.

Wasn't too bad, not really. It meant I just had to go into uni dressed in my costume. To say it resembles something you might find a KKK member dressed in would be an understatement. Now, I attend a uni where there's a student population of around 65% black people... and I was walking around dressed in that costume. Not good. Not good at all!!

Was all in good fun, mind. I filmed most of the video by myself, in a drama studio on the media production floor. T'was the first time I'd ever shot on HD, which was an interesting learning curve. The end result looked brilliant because of it.

My main concern when filming was continuity - I had to maintain its order, so for example I couldn't be seen wearing badges in the video, and then not on the night not wear those badges, because it'd then become obvious it wasn't live. I had to look EXACTLY the same, and to do that I cut my hair a few weeks before (because long hair is pesky with ragards to continuity, and I just cba dealing with it) and I had to shave every other day to avoid stubble; but then I had to be careful not to get a rash... or develop a cold... or anything else that would have made it painfully clear that what you were seeing on the TV wasn't made that day.

(As it turns out, end of the night 2 people asked me if it was done live, because "you even had those badges on" - so it was worth the aggro!)

The editing process was peas. Well, once I'd gotten my head around using Final Cut Pro on the university's Mac computers. Beyond that, I just needed a bit of coaching on how to do specific things (like the "broken TV" effect I added) but it was a pretty smooth process.

It ended up going like this:

August 2009: Had my first couple of ideas about the party. Knew that it would involve a film quiz, as this meant somebodies name could go on the trophy.

October 2009: Stuck on the idea of having me appear on the TV set. Was just a question of finding the time to put it together...

November 2009: Wrote a first draft. Awful! Out it goes - in comes a new second draft, that's much better and, in parts (shock! horror!) actually funny!

Tuesday 8th December: Filmed the sequence.

Wednesday 9th December: Edited it into a sorta final cut, just minus any music.

Thursday 10th December: Came in especially to add the music, and begin compression (which can take up to 2 hours). But the piece is now complete! After worrying for so long that I might not be able to pull it off, I do it! This was the first time I saw the piece 'as intended'.

Friday 11th December: DVD copies burnt, and the film is added to Youtube. I discuss the project with Rob Dyson (who will be presenting the quiz in my 'absense') at work - which annoys one staff member, who has no idea what we're up to and thinks I'm suaving.

Sunday 13th December: Myself and Rob rehearse one more time. It goes well! Rob has really got a grasp on it, and bleeds the comedy for all its worth. Suddenly I start to think, "Hmm, this is funny and might actually work on the night!"

Monday 14th December: The big day arrives! I worry about technical issues before it's performed, and rightly so. The sound when played is awful - through not fault of mine, the TV set just had appalling sound. But aside from that, it all goes well! I have to go upstairs out of the way, of course, so as to not spoil the illusion. I can hear snippets of activity downstairs. The audience laughs! Then cheers! At me being muted. Bah! :P

Afterwards people thank and congratulate me on the video, which is fantastic, knowing that all the above work hasn't been in vein.

I'd like to thank Rob Dyson for being such a fantastic quizmaster and keeping the audience under his spell. He's the unspoken hero of the film quiz - so three cheers to him!!!

The videos are available on Youtube, and I'll try to embed them here as best I can.

Go watch them! They're good, honest! ;)

"Typical crazy Howard!"

Finding (Insert Relative's Name Here)

2009-12-12T22:05:00.000Z

Got to spend some quality time with my family today, for the first time in a looooooong while. I've been extremely busy with uni stuff and organising staff social events that I have neglected them somewhat of late - but today being my little sister Lauren's birthday (Eleven! Already!!) I had no excuse, did I?

We all went to the TGI Friday's restaurant in Prestwich village and ate together, sat around the one table for 90 minutes. I told Mum about the promotion that's come up at work, and she wants me to go for it. I'm still undecided. It's a lot of responsibility to take on when I have one more semester left at uni. Could I manage the two? I don't know - and until I'm confident that I could, I wouldn't dream of putting my name forward.

My other sister Donna brought her boyfriend Phil with her, and what was nice was being able to talk to the guy properly. You see, even though Donna has been dating him for about a year now, I've always been afraid of talking to the guy. Well, not afraid, nervous. What if he doesn't like me, will it impact upon Donna? Or what if I don't like him? But of late I think I've just forgotten all that and the two of us have been talking more and more. Still a long way to go, but progress is being made!

It's scary to think just how much Lauren has grown this last year. Man, she's become this confident, cocky kid - and a right old bossy boots! Guess it's inevitable, what with the dawning of the dreaded 'teenage years' fast approaching. 10 years ago, I was in her boots - about to turn 11 myself, months away from leaving primary school.

Funny to think she's living my life, just ten years late (or was I living her's, ten years early...?!). More than with Donna, or Sarah, I see my life reflected through her eyes - and there's so much advice and support I wanna give her, but the biggest lesson of all, I learned the hard way, was if you want to make it out that in the big ol' world, you have to make it off your own back, by teaching yourself, and finding out the answers as best you can.

T'was a good meal. Nice chance to catch up with them all.

I'm off now; we're about to settle down together and watch Finding Nemo.

Quite apt, huh?

December 10th Collected

2009-12-10T16:25:00.001Z

A collection of my diary entries, all from previous December 10ths:

Monday 10th December 2001 (Aged 12)

I got up at 7:00 and watched CBBC. Then I did my homework. School was very fun today. When I got back to Mum's I watched Dharma & Greg, then classic Eastenders and classic Neighbours on UK Gold.

I ate my dinner before watching Blue Peter. Newsround was about the Lord of the Rings premiere. In Neighbours, Dione lost the baby. Then I watched the Simpsons, where Burns had a trillion dollars.

I went up and read chapters 25-35 of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Finally finished it!

We all rang Nanny Rose up to say "Happy Birthday!". Then I watched Eastenders, where Sharon and Phil babysat, and Louise became ill. As I sorted my books out I watched Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. I listened to some music and had a cuppa-soup, before going up and reading the first 5 pages of Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.

Then it was bed...

Tuesday 10th December 2002 (Aged 13)

I woke up at just gone seven, and I revised for today's French test. Then at quarter past eight I walked to school. Today, in French, we had the easy listening test. Mrs Clarkson gave us tonnes to revise for the speaking test.

I walked home and I watched Episode 4 of Doctor Who: Frontier in Space, Cheers (Sam and Rebecca decided not to have children together) and Friends (Ross got married).

Mum picked Nanny Rose up. At six o'clock Uncle Jason and his kids arrived, and we all gave Nan her presents. I talked to Nan as I watched The Simpsons.

At seven o'clock Mum drove Nan back home. I went upstairs and wrote Adam & Iris episode 4.1 - "Redemption - Part One", the season 4 premiere where Cindy returned.

I watched the Champions League - Arsenal vs. Valencia (Arsenal won). Then I wrote a Doctor Who story, "The Death of Peladon - Episode 2" where the Eighth Doctor was seperated from his companions, and Ssard heard of a plot against King Peladon.

I watched V Graham Norton, before I went to bed.

Here's to Nan, and many more years of joy!

Wednesday 10th December 2003 (Aged 14)

Wow! Seventy years ago today Rosemary Healey was born in Wales. Now, seventy years later, Rose lives in Manchester, England - with three of her kids and nine of her grnadchildren (one of which is me!). She's had a grand old life, but in recent years she's been through some rough patches indeed. From the neighbours from Hell (we all hated them!) to her tripping and breaking her hip. However, she's always pulled through, because that's the kind of person she is.

I returned home from school and watched episode one of Doctor Who: The Sunmakers. At four o'clock, the birthday girl herself arrived. Rachel, Jason and all their kids visited. For one hour we tried desperately to create a party atmosphere, and this time we succeeded! We gave Nan her birthday gifts, and then she blew out her birthday cake. Rachel and the kids left at five, and Mum took Nan back home at seven o'clock.

In my bedroom I watched Coronation Street, The Bill and finally, the last Bodysnatchers. I ate some party food that had been left over for my supper, before I watched V Graham Norton on Channel 4, and then I entered dreamland.

Friday 10th December 2004 (Aged 15)

No diary entry written down.

Saturday 10th December 2005 (Aged 16)

Our first date!

Yep, after almost 2 weeks waiting for the day arrive, me and Katie went out for the first time today. Man, it was weird - I didn't really know what to expect. I mean we've barely spoken in person before this, and after so much time chatting online I didn't want us to meet, and for me to suddenly realise she isn't my type. I needed have worried; she's great!

Oh, I'm sooooo lucky! She's incredibly beautiful and thinks I'm really funny ("you should be a comedian" she told me on the metrolink ride into Manchester, as I joked around with her). We watched a film together, The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe before walking around Manchester for a little while.

On the way back home I wanted to kiss her, but was scared of making the first move! She laughed at this, but I suppose it can always wait! Yes, that's right, that means they'll be a next time - we had such fun today that she's agreed for us to carry this on.

Happiest guy in the world? Me right now!

Sunday 10th December 2006 (Aged 17)

As written to Katie-

Wow. It’s an entire year already. It feels amazing to be able to say at last, “I’ve been dating Katie for a year...” I don’t think I’ll ever get over that feeling! Anyways, today was special for a number of reasons. Firstly, I cooked you a meal. Aha, tasty! As it’s my Nanny Rose’s birthday too, my Nan came up to our house; looking all the more frail, but still so full of life. Bless her.

Anyways (again!) I felt horrible for leaving you all alone in the living room, as I was called away every five minutes back into the kitchen. Every time I went to start a conversation with you I was forced away again. D’oh!

I hope you liked the meal. I cooked chicken, with stuffing and lots of vegetables. Desert was Apple Strudel with custard, or chocolate sponge with custard. I elected for the strudel, whilst you had the sponge - why the Hell didn’t you tell me you’re not keen on custard?!?

Going back upstairs I gave you “Paper Memories” after months of teasing. Ah, bless, you seemed to love it. It meant so much that you appreciate the effort I put into it. :) Aww, and babes, your picture frame rocks. I’ll sit it on the very edge of my bed and look at it every morning/evening, and smile. ‘Cos you mean so much to me.

You left halfway through Channel 4’s screening of “Forrest Gump”, which I can’t believe you’ve never seen!!! Before you left, I snuck my ‘monkey’ teddy into your bag - because you love it so much :) I want you to have it, so it proves how much I want everything I own to be yours’ too.

Aww. One year!!! Yip-pee.

Here’s to two.

Monday 10th December 2007 (Aged 18)

From the post "Time On My Hands"

Whoa! The past couple of weeks have just flown by, haven't they? It's probably because I've had so much on my plate that I haven't had time to stop and look back. Always moving forwards, that's me. But seriously, whoa! December the 10th already - so much to do before Christmas and yet, so little time!

I've had like five university projects to complete all at once (talk about piling on the pressure!). There was a number of editing tasks that needed completing before today ("Shameless" and "New Street Law") but, thankfully, they're all done and dusted now. I've also - just! - completed a documentary proposal for my "Scriptwriting in Context" module. I'll go deliver that any minute now. But no time to rest, there's still plenty left to do!

I've got four 500 word essays to write before Wednesday afternoon; but, to be perfectly honest, I can probably work my way through them all tomorrow during my day off. Then there's a 20 minute presentation to plan for (which will take place Wednesday December 20th) which is based on the work of director Tim Burton. It's surprising how, with just over a week to go, we've hardly done as a group! Guess we'll just make the damn presentation up on the spot! Generally, it's how I work best - brag your way through it!

Then next Monday I've got to write a first draft of an essay that outlines where I want to go, and how I want to get there. Which is a little tricky to do this early in my writing career! It's like trying to second guess what will happen tomorrow - but it should be fun! I'm a forward thinker so the idea of planning ahead is kinda neat!

Honestly, I can't wait for the Christmas break from uni next week (the 'term' ends December 21st) which will give me enough time to Christmas shop. I'll also be working many an hour at the cinema - I'm thinking of expanding my available hours over the Christmas period so I can get a little more money for the new year. Not that I need additional money; I've got too much at the mo, and don't know what to do with it!

*He jests*

December is also a busy month for birthdays, too. A couple of days ago it was my step-sister Kirsty's 20th birthday. Not that I saw her, because me and my dad ended up having a major bust up (he was probably still a little drunk from the night before...) and in the end he didn't pick me up like he was supposed to. Never mind; I don't really speak to Kirsty anyway. Put it this way; she's not my biggest fan, and I'm not hers either.

Today is my Nan's birthday, bless her. She barely gets out of the house anymore, but tonight she's coming with me to watch my sister perform in a panto in town, which should be great for the both of us. I think she suffers from depression a little - a side effect of being stuck in a small village flat all day long. Her health isn't what it was, either, which is a real shame because I remember when I was younger and she'd look after me. Now it's me who does the looking after. Hope she has a good day - she deserves it!

On Wednesday it's my baby sister Lauren's birthday. I won't say how old she is, because it makes me feel old to think that it was that many years ago she came into the world! She's growing up pretty fast, but is still a right royal pain in my ass! But that's what little sisters are for, I guess...

And as all this birthday chaos goes on around me, I'm busy trying to write "Frank's Apocalypse" though there's not been any progress since I last reported here on the site. I just need the time and patience to sit down and write the thing. It's like a mini paradox; when I want to write, I simply don't have the time - and when I do have the time, I'm too tired and can't be arsed. Hopefully Santa will bring me a refill of will power this Crimbo.

I have, at least, had a fairly decent weekend. I met up with Paul R - a writer on my Torchwood and Sarah Jane websites - and we had a quick coffee together, and talked and talked until both of us had exhausted our geekiness. Paul's a great guy (who's probably reading this right now) and hopefully we'll meet up again soon and geek out all over again!

Right, it's time for lunch - I've just got enough spare time to buy an egg mayo sandwich and a latte from the cafeteria before I head on back to my last lecture on "Photography and Editing". Just. So I better hurry and get my running shoes on!

Have a great day whatever you're doing!!

Wednesday 10th December 2008 (Aged 19)

Today's my Nana's 75th birthday, so a cause of celebration I think you'll agree! We converged as a family at her home to wish her all the best, and give her the presents we've assembled over the last couple of weeks. She seemed in a genuinely happy mood throughout, not fazed by her recent stay in hospital. Was great seeing her happy again - it feels like an eternity ago that she was last like that.

When I was little, the woman was there for me whenever I needed her. I have one very specific memory of spending all my weekdays with her one summer, as Mum went out to work. Nan babysat us, but not only that - she kept us entertained, and loved us in a way only she could.

That summer sticks with me - it was the year that Teletubies launched and my (then) infant sister was addicted to it. Me and Donna were also glued to the telly, watching CBBC's H.O.T programming ("Holidays on Two"), but it wasn't all about home entertainment.

Nan used to take us all around the local shopping precinct. I remember those trips around Sainsbury's, and inside the nearby charity shops. Nowadays, that doesn't sound like much - but by God, back then they were adventures! And I got to spend them with this woman who demonstrated such care and affection for us, and I fell absoultely in love with her.

Nowadays she's older and not as nimble on her feet, having broke her hip five or six years ago. She's more house bound, but I can still see that desire to get out and have those adventures again, shown through the twinkle in her eye.

I propose a toast, to my Nan - the single most caring woman in the world, a woman so kind that no matter what your needs come before her's, every time. A woman that I love, in short, with every single inch of my heart.

To Rosemary Healey; the first 75 years!!

Thursday 10th December 2009 (Aged 20)

Been a bit of a funny day all round. Popped into uni for a quick hour and a bit to compress the Film Quiz (but before that, add the all important music) making it sure that it's ready to burn onto DVD tomorrow.

Was meant to be at Nan's house for about 12pm, to wish her happy birthday, but I ended up getting there a little late... well, at honur late. Spent too long at uni on those damn videos, ya see.

She's looking well. Better than I've seen her for a while, actually. We had a good old natter about her sisters who live all over the place, and friends of her's she is still in contact with - 60+ years after she left Wales. It's just a shame I got there late, and had to leave less than an hour or so after I arrived.

You see they asked me to cover at the Lowry centre arm of the cinema I work for. Haven't gone there yet - about to set off any minute now. I covered at Bolton last year, and it was most fun getting to play around with another site. Think I liked exploring it most of all. Loser, me.

I better go, my lift is coming in a mo.

Here's to the rest of this December 10th, and the ones that follow!

Stuck in TV Land

2009-12-08T13:18:00.002Z

After months of planning (literally) I finally got around to filming the video for the film quiz today, at a studio on the uppermost floors of Bolton University.

Because of the nature of the piece and the fact that these blog posts of mine end up on Facebook I'm taking the unusual step of keeping this hidden until after the staff party - so nobody can spy on me, and spoil the surprise. That stands for any other post that might mention the film quiz video between now and Monday evening.

You can see an image of me in costume above; a costume I had to wear on the bus ride to uni. No, really. Well... only sorta. You see, I couldn't risk the damn thing creasing in my bag, so I wore the white pants, shirt and boots - and left the rest (braces, bowler hat & eye make-up) hidden from view. Probably for the best, really. I already looked like a tit.

Before filming I took part in a photoshoot for 2010's End of Degree show, which is basically the last night of my course - where all students gather at a cinema, to view the films that we've made over the course of this past year, in front of a hundred or so industry professionals. That above picture comes from that, and it was taken by the very talented David Noble.

Man, the filming shoot was a frustrating experience... I just couldn't find the voice of the piece, for a long while, so I shot the first opening segment over a dozen times. Each time I got a different combination of things wrong - lines, cues, etc.

The more that went wrong, the more nervous I become, and the more I felt the pressure and suddenly started messing up more and more. Eventually, about midway through, things just... clicked into place, and I speeded my way through the rest of it all, a little happier in my place.

Afterwards I captured the footage on Final Cut, and was relieved to find much of it had turned out well. Phew! At one point during the filming process I worried that I'd completely ruined this funny little script I had last week, and that the whole thing would now be doomed to fail. Now, I don't feel that. I'm optimistic, and can smile-

Because things will probably work out.

Who'd have thunk it?

Hunger Strike

2009-12-06T14:35:00.000Z

I hate this, being so busy that I can't find time to eat. Yeah, sure, it's easy you saying "But you must always find time to eat, Anthony!" - however, when you're as busy as I've been this past week or so, that's easier said than done! It means more often than not you can hear my stomach rumble from a million, zillion miles away.

Let me tell you, things have changed! When I was growing up you'd be pressed to see me NOT eating. I was the sort of child that was always munching away at something - almost as if my stomach was a bottomless pit, capable of going on and on forever, never getting full.

These past few years, because of lifestyle and such, that's no longer the case. I eat only meals, mostly and no filler snacks inbetween. This year, I don't even touch chocolate or fizzy drinks because of a bet I had around this time last year: Could I make it an entire year without touching any of that stuff? So from January 1st 2009 through to December 31st, ooh, about 25 days from now, I couldn't touch any of them.

And you know what? I've done it! Not touched chocolate at all, or felt the urge to drink something like Coca-Cola. No, sirree. Been a good boy, honest 'guv.

But anyhoo... me, now, hungry. Want... need... food...

...

...

Will do anything.

Well, not quite!

Can you go fetch it for me? You will? Most excellent!

Hmmm... delicious!

From the Edit Suite

2009-12-04T15:06:00.002Z

First off, let me make it quite clear that I am NOT an editor. My mind thinks as a writer's mind should, and so doesn't grasp anything remotely technical. That proved a problem in my first year at uni, when I was required to go out and shoot/edit stuff, but gradually I dropped all that melarky, to concentrate on my writing. Or so I thought...

You know how the very worst nightmares are the ones that resurface over and over again; dragging you back into them on a nightly basis? That's what this feels like; my latest uni assignment. I'm expected to edit down a series of videos and make a 1-3 minute promo for each of them, for my Work Baed Learning module. I had no idea I'd have to be editing this year - so honestly, I could cry right now.

Let me tell you, things are going especially dreadful. I don't seem to be able to get a hold on the editing process again, so it's pretty much been left down to another guy on the course/module with me to do it all. With his help, I produced a half decent video promo that I was a little proud of (more than I ever expected to be, for footage that I have no creative ownership over). But this being Bolton Uni, the video was immediately labelled as shite by the lecturer, who told us to enforce some changes before she signs it off.

It's a kick in the balls, not only when I'm a crappy editor anyhoo and want nothing more to do with the editing process (at uni, anyhoo) but when I'm juggling many different dishes, the last thing I want to do is spend an eternity on one project, and never get around to finishing it.

I have an extension of the project now; probably to the end of next week. To be honest though, I'd rather just finish the damn excercise now - the sooner editing is over, the sooner the nightmare ends and I can sleep easy again.

My Brain Has Turned To Mush

2009-12-02T22:26:00.001Z

I only had about 3 hours sleep last night, because I was busy stressing out over uni work that I hadn't completed (despite the fact I'd been given up to 6 weeks to do it). So I'm tired, and a little groggy, and wishing above all else that I can just go curl up in bed and catch some zeds.

Before I do that, let me tell you what I've been up to over the course of the last 24 hours. Quite exciting stuff, really!!

First off there's the 20-30 page treatment I'm required to complete ahead of writing my 120 page final project script next semester. It's for a film called The Body in the Suitcase - and it's something I've been neglecting up to now. Well, at last I got my ideas down on paper - and if I'm honest, even at this rough first draft stage it reads quite well. It leaves me very excited about the film, and getting down to writing it; which is always the best way to be.

Then there's The Blaze scripts, which I am suppose to be writing for my Writing For Radio class. The first drafts were due in last week, but I completely missed that deadline...

My tutor, Les Smith, gave me a one week extension - which was kind of him. I was detirmined not to let him down again, and at least come in to today's class with something to show. Ultimately it was only half the amount of episodes he wanted to see (6 scripts, adding up to 30 pages - instead I offered 3 scripts with 15ish pages) but that's besides the point.

For after months and months of planning, fretting and putting the project off I actually got around to doing something with The Blaze again - and it's all worked out quite well. Les likes the scripts, which is a great sign. Of course there's reccomendations off him on how to improve things, but that's to be expected when something is at its infany first draft.

Fingers crossed I can keep up the momentum, and get episodes 4-6 complete asap!!

Finally, I'm supposed to be editing a video for the university school website. It's in regards to the student radio station - but the whole experience has been cursed! All the footage I shot last week is unusable because of a sound problem that none of us could foresee while filming. Shame. It means I have to edit with what I have; very little (crappy) footage that the university itself shot during Fresher's week. It's very tedious stuff - and so far the edit isn't going so great...

But enough about that! I think I've deserved a night to myself, to chill out and relax. Might spend it watching a couple of David Tennant Doctor Who episodes, building up to his departure this Christmas. Still have to make my dinner, too. Feels like I haven't eaten properly in DAYS. Man, my stomach keeps on a-rumbling!!

Doubt I can do any more work tonight. My brain feels sleepy, and as though it's turned to mush through all those hours of work I subjected it to!

Still, it'll do me some good - and at the end of it, if I get The Blaze made or The Body in the Suitcase script complete, then I'll be laughing.

Probably sleeping too, through exhaustion, hunger and the fact I now need a brain transplant.

Nightio!

Evolving Noughties

2009-11-30T19:09:00.000Z

Man, I can't believe how fast this year is going. I mean, November is over already!! Just 31 short days from now we'll bid farewell to 2009, and welcome in 2010 - which I've just realised is the start of a new decade (unless you're anal about these sorts of things, and class 2011 the start of the next decade...). What a scary, scary thought!

It doesn't seem five minutes ago that my sister Sarah was born. Of course, it was a little more than five minutes - sixteen years to be exact. Yep, she's sweet sixteen - and leaves school in a few short months. To be though she's still tht baby/toddler I used to wind up and make cry, or that no-nonsense kid I grew up with.

Knowing she's growing up changes our whole relationship. We're in a transition phase now, where it's time I accept she's her own woman and treat her like an adult. It causes friction between the two of us, of course, when I forget this and revert back to the mode of her being just a child; or my little sister than needs my constant help.

Biggest change of this last decade, I suppose, is how we've all developed as people - and nothing demonstrates this more than what Sarah has turned from and into.

Happy birthday, sis.

***

Voting has closed on the staff awards! I now know all 7 winners... well 8 actually, for reasons that will become clear to people on the night. Talking of which, there's still so much to plan for - I have a secret squirrel task to head up at uni (more on that another time) and then have to organise the food with the managers. Oh, and I have to come up with some sort of order for the night's activities.

Easy-peasy. Organised is fast becoming my middle name!

Don't Make Me Laugh!

2009-11-28T16:00:00.001Z

Some funny stories that have happened to me recently (or, basically an excuse to write one of these things really, really fast because I've got to go out soon and haven't the time to write anything deep or meaningful):

1: Family Fortunes

I've already told you about this; a staff event I'm planning for next February, based around ITV's long running Family Fortunes series. Of course, we all know the format - one question, which 100 answer in a survey. Right, so we need a survey. Well, check, got that. I've started sending it out to people - which is where things get decidedly fishy...

One of the questions is "Name a body part you have more than two of". Simple enough, yes? Well you'd think. Half the answers have come back as something sensible like fingers, or toes... but then there's a bizarre phenomenon occuring. Half those that had replied to the survey haven't answered one of those more sensible (right) answers. So what have they put?

Things like arms, legs, eyes and - most embarrassingly - nose.

Oh dear.

It means we probably won't be able to use that question in the quiz now.

D'oh!

2: The Reversing Fat Lady

Watched the film Paranormal Activity at work the other day. Aside from being creepy as Hell, the experience left me in stitches. Not because of the movie - but something that happened in the auditorium during it.

I arrived a little late (as my shift didn't exactly finish on time) so instead of commuting through dozens of people to get my ideal seat, slap bang in the middle of the screen, I settled for a seat right at the back - close to the doors. It proved a fascinating vantage point for what was about to happen...

About halfway through the film those doors opened, and a fat woman on those mobile chair devices comes in with what I can only presume was her other half. At the top of her voice (!) she screams to him to find the disabled bay - disturbing the entire screen in the process. I quickly realise she's here for the next performance, and has arrived early!

Anyhoo, she finds the bay - but the screen is on a slope (no stadium seating at Vue Bury!!) and her breaks don't seem to be working - so this fat woman starts slipping down the slope! With all her might, and causing a God-awful amount of noise, she begins to reverse her mobile cart, which makes the sound that HGVs make when traveling backwards-

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

And away she goes, as an usher comes inside to tell her that she's arrived too early, and asks if she can wait outside.

After she goes, somebody in the audience shouts out at the top of their voice, summing up the whole experience:

"Stupid fat bitch!"

Oh, how we laughed.

3: Trophies

I'm in the middle of sending off for several trophies, having them engraved as I go. They're for the staff Christmas party in December, but the whole thing is cursed, because half the trophies are coming back with the wrong engravings put upon them!

One of them is suppose to read:

"Vue Cinemas Bury, The So & So Award 2009, Winner's Name"

Instead it reads:

"Vue Cinemas, Bury the So & So, Award 2009, Winner's Name"

I contacted the seller and they told me the reason for this is that the engraver is a Dutch lady, who doesn't have the best handle on English grammar...

Needless to say, when I kicked up a fuss they were more than happy to send me a replacement!

4: Twilight Fan

Actual dialogue from an advance showing of Twilight Saga's New Moon:

(Bit of background, my cinema had a midnight showing on day of release at 12:01am - which was that popular that a second showing was added at 12:15am)

GIRL: Hey, is this screen ready yet?
ME: 'Fraid not. Last showing hasn't finished.
GIRL: When can we go in?
ME: It's hard to say - there's a queue already forming for the 12:01 showing, mind.
GIRL: Yeah, that's me.
ME: No, says here you're in the 12:15 show.
GIRL: What?! No! I asked for 12:01.
ME: That one has sold out.
GIRL: I don't care, that's the one I'm supposed to be watching.
ME: I'm sorry.
GIRL: Swap it for me.
ME: Again, can't. It's sold out.
GIRL: But... you have to! There's no way I'm watching the 12:15 show.
ME: I'm afraid you'll have to.
GIRL: No! Nobody is seeing this film 14 minutes before me.
ME: It's only 14 minutes.
GIRL: I don't care. I'm not going home tonight knowing that a group of people saw it before I did.
ME: Well, for your information we had a staff showing 24 hours ago.

That's Twilight fans for you!

5: Met Inspectors

Last but not least, a story involving everybody's favourite - ticket inspectors! So, we're on the scavenger hunt last week, and my team needs only find a photo of a metrolink ticket inspector to gain 100 points. We jump on a metro tram to desperately try and find them... suddenly realising that, actually, I don't have a valid ticket - so if we *do* find them, I'll be in a whole heap of trouble!

Luckily we didn't find any met inspectors on that particular metro. Later on we tried to photograph one of them at the Victoria station... and the camera didn't work!

It meant we missed out on the 100 points - which cost us the game!

Not good, not good!

Disaster, Disaster!

2009-11-26T21:32:00.003Z

OK, that was not good. Not one bit...

For the first time since April I was out and about filming today; but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's travel back in time a couple of weeks and examine the path that lead me to this point-

Over summer I was supposed to go off and try and get a work placement at some important media company - somewhere like the BBC or ITV. The reason why I italicised 'supposed' there was because... well, I never bothered to even try. So with a month to go until final marks for the Work Based Learning module had to be in... that left me a little stuck!

Rescue came from, ironically enough, a newly formed production company *within* the university. I was taken in by them, and told to produce a video relating to the uni's new student radio station; editing pre-existing footage into something smart and classy. Saying that, the already shot footage was awful, so I faught the case for being able to reshoot interviews with the station manager myself.

Eventually I was allowed to... but would soon wish I hadn't bothered! Seriously, we were given just half an hour to talk to the guy, because he and members of my crew had to rush off. You see, the interviewee was only available at the end of the working day, at 4pm. It meant we were sat down all day just waiting, twiddling our thumbs and doing nothing in partiuclar.

When we finally got to interview Warren, I was trying my best - but his answers were only minimal, at around 30 seconds apiece. Not ideal when I have to come up with a 3 minute video! I'm sure the talk could have been stretched out... if only I had managed to persuade the guy to talk much slower. Yeah, if only...

To be perfectly honest, it's my own fault for being a badly prepared director on the day. There was no real preperation, and it shows. The footage, which I have yet to view back,. is probably very poor - because I should have wracked my brain for better questions to ask!

I was in desperate need for others in the group to help me out and offer suggestions, but nobody was willing to give any! Even for as something as cutaway shots, they offered no creativity. It's no surprise then that this video I'm about to assemble will be devoid of any creativity.

So very, very bad.

In summary, I filmed today.

T'was a complete diaster.

Predators & Prey

2009-11-24T22:53:00.000Z

Apologies if this post reads as a highly charged, angry rant - because I guess that's what it is, and there's no denying that because I'm pissed off, and in desperate need of venting that anger.

Last night I took part in the scavenger hunt, with the people from my work. It was an entertaining enough evening, looking around Manchester for objects/items with friends. I, personally, would have enjoyed it a hell of a lot more though if it weren't for the people moaning about it - before, during and after.

Complaints ranged from the start time, to teams being allowed to set off 5 minutes early (but still at the designated time), to the fact that myself and fellow organiser Dan O'Connor took part in it, and helped a couple of teams out.

It wasn't enough, or good enough, that me and Dan had spent pretty much all of our free time over the course of the last two months piecing this things together, bit by bit - writing the list, organising teams, ensuring people got the night off, etc. Oh no, people still had to complain, and annoingly not just to us, but about us.

We wanted to put a staff event on, and make sure people had fun during it.

The cheek!

I haven't been able to do anything right, it seems. Every decision or action I've made seems to have been the wrong one, and offended somebody somewhere. What should have been a silly vaunt around Manchester has turned into something far more sinister and damn right nasty, and I'm not sure I like it - what I've brought together here over the course of the last two months. Have I just given rise to something that'll tear the team apart?

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, so they say, and it's true. The more I tried to fix things up, the more they seemed to fall apart. Now I'm sat here, trying to remember all of the good things the scavenger hunt brought - images of Stan buying the Daily Sport and being too embarrassed to read it, getting kicked out of La Senza, all of it - but instead those images have been tarnished by all of the bad things that have emerged.

And so, today. I've been bombared with messages from everybody - some demanding a recount, or a rematch, others quite vocal and angry - but they all make one mistake, in that they treat me as some some of enemy they have to battle against.

Emotionally it's left its mark on me. This has to have been the worse day of my life since I broke up with a girlfriend many moons ago. I'm desperately sad, at the same time as being angry, and I just want to curl up on bed and cry my eyes out, like a child that's just been called smelly on the playground.

Who knew trying to do something fundermentally decent and proper, like organise a staff social, could leave somebody so battered and bruised. Makes me question if I should do it again - and if people treat me this way, why should I do it? Breaks my heart, honest it does.

I'm running out of things to say on the matter. My parting words are something I wrote on Facebook, in reply to one question about the night:

Yeah it was fun, but it's being marred by petty disputes over who won what, and why. Folks, it DOESN'T MATTER. It was a game... there's winners, and losers. If you lost, move on and next month we'll start a new game. Just be happy that you had fun that night, and have lasting memories to take away with you.

I want to think about the scavenger hunt in 10/20 years and be able to smile.

What say you?

Twilight Madness

2009-11-22T16:17:00.000Z

I've been working at a cinema for around two and a half years now, and I like to think that its rhythm has become second nature to me by now. The job is easy... I know it like the back of my hand - but every now and then it still manages to throw up a surprise or two. This weekend was one of those increasingly rare exceptions.

You see, the latest installment in the Twilight saga was released Friday - and a rush of fangirls decided to go along and watch it, like they annoyingly do! We had over 2,000 people both Friday and Saturday queuing to watch the damn thing - and desperate to get in that screen, to finally see Mr Robert Pattinson, or that other guy that looks like he's been on a Hell of a lot of steroids since the first film in the series was released last year...

(You know the one, cliche-Native American werewolf guy.)

The only thing stopping these mad, mad women were us, the ushers. They all left that much mess that we filled bin after bin up with rubbish, in an exhausting attempt to clean the screens before the next showing started. Sometimes we managed it, to the delight of the queuing fangirls, and other times we didn't - and were a good few minutes into the adds and trailers before any customer was ready to be let inside, much to the annoyance of the fangirl.

By the end of my shift on Saturday I was shattered. The previous two days of rushing around, cleaning screen after screen had finally caught up with me, and proved too much. Not only that, but I'd stayed on an extra two hours to help a friend out because another member of staff had called in sick - so I ended up working an eleven hour shift that day, in the middle of Twilight madness. My feet? Ready to drop off at any minute.

I'm back in again today, on another close. This time I have a lucky escape, however, because they've put me on the Ben & Jerry's ice cream team. I say that like it's a good thing, but if I think about it I know what I'll find when I get there - even more queues, and it wouldn't surprise me if the place wasn't stocked up and we were under staffed.

Having said all that... boy was it fun! I love it when the cinema is busy, because it's almost like that how it should be all the time; a hub of activity. Brill!

Just wish my feet didn't ache so much because of it, and that these bags under my eyes through exhaustion would leave me alone and find somebody else to bother!!

***

Ooh, the staff awards are coming along nicely. Counted the names of 11 ballot papers yesterday morning. The winners of two categories are a dead cert - I mean, the person/s nominated leads with 11/12 votes in one, and 10/12 votes in another!

Little surprised and disappointed I didn't get more nominations!

Nah, I don't deserve them!! :P

***

Scavenger Hunt tomorrow. Watch this space!!

Plant a Seed & It Shall Grow

2009-11-20T23:01:00.000Z

Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you my life right now - or at least, all of the things I'm planning:

PROJECT#1 - "The Scavenger Hunt"

The flow of emotions continues. After being excited earlier this week, then slightly miffed at a number of folk bemoaning the whole thing, I'm excited once again - but this time with a whole bundle of nerves thrown in. Always ends up like this, a few days before an event. It's the point where you wonder if, after all these weeks of planning, the thing will actually come together at the end... or fall apart. Hopefully not the latter!

It's only three days away now; taking place the evening of Monday 23rd November. The plan is to first meet up and go for a meal at a chinese all you can eat buffet, and then have a look around the visiting christmas markets. After that... the hunt begins!

This late in the game, I should probably stop worrying and just sit back and take a chill pill, because there's not really all that much I can influence now. Either somebody attends, or they don't. Whatever happens, it'll be a blast and we'll all have loads of fun, anyhoo.

PROJECT#2 - "Work Based Learning videos"

As part of my work based learning module at university I'm supposed to get a week long placement at a media outlet, and have them sign off on the work I've done. Well... I failed to get a placement, and with the deadline fast approaching I've been assigned to work within the university's fledgling production company, coming up with a series of videos and promos to promote two things:

1: The student union. This will be done by editing together pre-existing footage, which is easy enough. Hardest thing is the sound, which needs clearing up some what.

2: The student radio station. For this I'm going to record new video interviews, and edit them together. I'm also going to make 2 or 3 promos, which will add up to around 30 seconds in length.

The deadline for this is the 7th of December, with filming scheduled in for Thursday of this coming week. Editing thereafter, I would presume. Should be fun! And hey, it means I pass a module I would have otherwise failed.

PROJECT#3 - "Staff Christmas Party 2009"

Oh, yes! Taking place on Monday 14th December we have this little beauty, which has proved every bit as difficult as the scavenger hunt to organise, but has tested me in different ways. Whereas the scavenger hunt was me and just one other person - Dan O'Connor - working together to come up with something, this time I'm working with around 10 or so other staff, attempting to piece together this giant puzzle of ideas.

There's loads going on:

1: Film Quiz. This is my area, and I have something a little extra special planned for it... but I can't spill the beans here, because sneaky Vue folk read this blog, and then the surprise is ruined. Just put it this way, if what I have planned pans out... boy will they be impressed!!

2: Secret Santa. I've very little involvement in this, mostly because the guy putting it together - Adam Fairhurst - is doing a stirling job without my input. It's to his credit that of all the things within the Christmas Party, this is the one that has come together the easiest, and without the least pain. Oh, and it'll be a giggle - hope I pick the name of somebody I don't like out, just so I can be awful by getting them a terrible present!

3: Fancy dress. Another one of those areas that I've had little to do with bringing together, except for the fact I was the one who suggested the idea. A few folk are resistant to it... but that's only because they are Scrooge types withour a sense of fun! Yes, the theme - come as a film character - isn't really christmassy, but that's besides the point. Have a little fun people, and allow your imaginations to run away with you one in a while!

(Oh, and just so you know I - currently! - intend to come dressed as a droog from A Clockwork Orange. Oh yes, oh yes!)

PROJECT#4 - "The Blaze"

It's still every bit my intention to get the series up and running. I wrote another pitch document for it the other day, which was a massive improvement on the original. It's just a matter of time now, of when I can sit down and write it. Saying that, it's become partof my Writing for Radio portfolio, so I suppose the episodes will have to be done by mid-January (if I want them to get marked!). Exciting. Things might actually move forward again...

PROJECT#5 - "Staff Bowling"

January's staff event. After the go kart racing, scavenger hunt and staff party this should be piss easy to organise. All I've got to do is ask around who wants to attend, make sure they get the night off, and then make sure they turn up. Easy-peasy.

I have decided to complicate matters slightly by suggesting a surprise something for the end of the night - but again, as to what... well watch this space.

PROJECT#6 - "Family Fortunes"

Not one to let an opportunity pass, I've decided to use the fact that I work in a cinema to allow me to put on a game show in one of the screens! The chosen game is ITV's Family Fortunes, which, due to technical issues and the need to survey 100 people ("we asked a 100 people to name...") for answers, means I have to start planning it now - for a Monday February 1st target date for the event.

I'm working alongside a friend of mine, Rob Dyson, putting it all together. So far we have collected 35 surveys - just another 65 to go! The patterns are starting to emerge in the answers though - and without telling you the question, I will reveal that the answer "gremlins" is proving quite popular...

Hopefully we can put technical issues aside and get the thing working. It'd be a damn shame if we have to cancel it, because of all the upcoming events, this is the one that most staff are looking forward to.

PROJECT#7 - "Murder Mystery Night"

The last staff event I currently have on my radar (although FAR from the last one planned), I've barely even begun thinking about this. All I've done so far is have a few throwaway conversations with Dan O'Connor - who is again helping me to put the event together - about how it will be possible to run a murder mystery night, and what format it should take.

Over the next few weeks, when the scavenger hunt and staff party are out of the way, no doubt we'll have a proper sit down to discuss ideas, and move forward with the whole thing.

Projected date of the event - Monday 1st March 2010.

PROJECT#8 - "Karaoke"

Thought it'd be fun to visit a karaoke bar with the guys and gals from work. Most likely time we'll do this is end of March 2010, just before Easter. That's because the April event will have to be held off until the middle of the month, due to the 2 week Easter holidays - so a small staff event like a karaoke bar is a nice stop-gap in the schedule.

PROJECT#9 - "University Degree Show"

I've been putting this together with a group of others at uni, and so far it's looking... sketchy. Think we need to plan it some more, before any of us get a real sense of what the night will be like. We do have a theme, mind - That's Entertainment! It'll see us all go dressed up as an icon of film, and celebrate classic Hollywood stars. Projected date for this is June 2010, although nothing is set in stone.

PROJECT#10 - "Prom Night"

Before the current site for my work shuts next year, I want to have a Prom Night event for all of the current staff to celebrate its closing, and us leaving it behind. Kind of like how High Schoolers bid farewell to school before they move onto college.

We'd hire a room, and all come in formal clothing. Also, limo-booking! A live band! Asking each other to be our dates for the night! Ooh, fun! But it's not time to plan it yet... t'is still months away. Will think about it more when the prospect of the current site finally shutting looks likely to become a reality.

And that's my life right now.

All those plans whirling around my head... well, a boy is likely to get stressed!

Still, I love organising them all. Shall never complain about that, because the opportunity of getting to plan events that makes groups of people happy and excited it's, well to borrow from a certain well known advertising slogan, "priceless".

Runarounds

2009-11-18T22:56:00.000Z

In the last post I told of my enthusiasm about the approaching staff event in Manchester I'm organsing - a scavenger hunt. Ha, how things change because honest to God I'm stressed out to the max with regards to it now - worrying who will show/who won't, who can make it on time/who can't. Little things like that. I won't actually enjoy the experience again now until we're out there, on the damn hunt next Monday.

What's making it worse is a small band of folk at work who are coming down on me about certain aspects, and quite hard. The main problem is the hunt was supposed to start at 6pm - but various folk didn't finish work until this time. Even though I compromised and pushed the start time back until later - 7pm - they're still not happy, and send me funny comments on Facebook. I'm sorry, but I've worked my arse off to put this together - with help from one other person, that's it, Daniel O'Connor - and I really resent being, basically, spat at like that. Makes me wonder if it's worthwhile, and ask the question why am I doing it.

Of course, the answer is simple - to spend the night with a bunch of people I'm friends with, and enjoy being with. The 8 weeks or so of planning time this has taken up... totally worth it to see them smile one the night.

A regret I have is the fact that a friend can't go. Yes, James Bell has been forced to work the close, and I'm more than a little devestated because I wanted him there with the rest of the team, playing against everybody else. Suppose, mind, somebody has to work the evening and that person, unfortunately, is Mr Bell. Shame.

I hope everybody else enjoys their time as much as I wish them to. There's some objects on that list that they'll find impossible to find... but that's good because the impossible is fun. I think I'll post the scavenger hunt list up online once it's all done and dusted - alongside a report of the evening.

In the meantime, you can read this stream of conscious thought (that I referred to in the last entry) on my Facebook account.

Now, I just wish people would stop moaning at me, and about me with regards to this staff event. Come on guys and gals, give me a little bit of a break, won't you?

Play Nice

2009-11-16T23:50:00.002Z

I'm currently midway through typing up a stream of conscious thought essay that I wrote way back in March of this year, and it's quite surprising just how badly I behaved. It was during the production of the second year short film Tit-4-Tat and for the most of it I seem at odds with the rest of the production team, falling out with them at every opportunity:

Daniel, the original writer, was given the chance to rewrite some of what he’d originally written but I always knew that his changes would then be changed by myself during one of my own rewrites, no matter their quality. I’d have dismissed them for exactly that reason, they weren’t MY ideas.

What a bastard! I know they say the truth hurts, but... Ouch.

Of course the snobbery on display there caused friction within the group, and it's no wonder everybody turned on me is it, with comments like that? You can't go into a group exercise thinking that you're better than your team mates, because ultimately they'll prove you wrong - and not only will you hate them for it, but you'll learn to despise yourself, also.

I think the experience changed me, because during our showing of the film we were absolutely slated, by not only our tutor but fellow classmates too. Rightly so! What we produced was a shoddy drama that made no coherent sense, and featured no particularly memorable actors or locations. It was a mighty failure; the first of my media career. It probably knocked e down a peg or too - ensuring that after a few years of them being too big, the boots finally started fitting again.

I'll post more from the essay on this blog and my Facebook page when it's complete.

***

One week to go (until the scavenger hunt)!! Yes, can't wait! Final preperations are being made right now. Infact I spent two hours today at a laminator, laminating 25 copies of the scavenger hunt list - cost me a bloody bomb too! But it'll all be worth the effort on the actual night, when we're all there in Manchester as a team, having a blast.

Woo!

(Let's just hope the managers at work don't cock the rota up and let ample enough people have the night off...)

The End in Sight

2009-11-14T16:03:00.000Z

It's quite alarming to think that I only have around six months left in university, because I've started to realise just how huge the occassion is. For the first time in my life I'll be out of education completely, making my own way in the world - and that means it's time to start to put into practice what I've been preparing for over the course of the last 18 years of schooling.

Now that the end is in sight I've noticed a change in my behaviour. I'm just not putting as much effort into uni as I should; I'm beginning to slack off.

Take my Writing For Radio module. I'm supposed to have produced a pitch document, and have it submitted to mark next week. So far... nothing. Same with my screenplay - the synopsis is complete, yes, but there's nothing else been done. It's like I think this close to the end I can afford to stop... when the reality is, with 6 months to go I still have a Hell of a lot of work left to do. More importantly, it's this work that will detirmine my end results - so if the slacking continues, I will most definitely fail.

This close to the end, I think that'd kill me if it happened. So yes, I need to buck my ideas up and get the work done. Stop wasting time on things that can wait until uni is over... because I'll only regret what could have been in a year's time if I don't make it so while I still have the chance:

Now.

***

Oh, you wouldn't believe just how much I'm looking forward to tomorrow's episode of Doctor Who. Man, it's been a long wait! Tying in quite nicely with my above statements, David Tennant's time on the show is drawing to a close and it'll be sad sitting down with Dad tomorrow to watch one of his last ever episodes in the role.

Still... bring on The Waters of Mars, and the Christmas Specials - and let's play the regeneration game!!

Best Friend Forever

2009-11-12T23:25:00.000Z

It's curious: I hate one of my closest friends, and he me - some of the time. The rest of it we get along famously... it's just those instances where he says something to me that rattles me, or then my reply which usually rubs him up the wrong way. At the same it's both highly amusing and damn right tragic that two friends such act like this.

I don't know why it happens. Perhaps I take a perverse pleasure in seeing him slurm and arguing with him (I do, you know)? Perhaps we're just chalk and cheese when it comes to certain matters - the rest of the time we're just double chalk, or especially cheesy? Like most questions posed on this blog I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER! But still... heavily curious.

Recently I spent a dozen or so hours with my friend, in the space of just one day. Yes, for most of that it was plain sailing - but still, the cracks were there, and they're probably growing and growing that much that soon they'll be visible from space.

Things we've argued over recently: Jobs, girls, trust issues. The usual, you know? Very petty things but it demonstrates just how different the two of us can be - and it leaves me asking the question, if this guy is one of my closest friends, am I in trouble?!

I mean considering all we disagree on, and how many arguements that leads to between the two of us (full-on, in your face style word fights, too) is his friendship good for my health... mental health, that is. I dunno, to be perfectly frank - maybe it all boils down to something a girl once said to me, when I asked her why she was still with a boyfriend who she confessed she had no real feelings for. She said, and it may apply here:

"I'm just waiting for something bigger and better to come along"

Is that what I'm doing? Biding time until my real friends make themselves known to?

Tell you what, seen as though I clearly don't have the answer why don't I throw it open to you guys and gals reading? You there, my humble friend what do you think?

Oh. My. God. I can't believe you just said that. You're wrong/I'm right/Rubbish friend/Yada yada yada...

Or words to that effect.

Fashionably Late (Totally Worth It)

2009-11-10T00:39:00.003Z

Do me a favour and close your eyes. Now imagine yourself inside a giant office, and everywhere you look there are filing cabinets. Literally, they cover the space - meaning there is no room for anything but damn filing cabinets. Now go over to one and open it, then peak inside. It is not how you would imagine it to be. There has been no alphabetic/numeric catalogisation, or any other logical distinction made between what has been filed. It is without order; a chaotic mess of paperwork, of mass filing cabinet proportions.

That's what my mind is like when it comes to story ideas. I'll happily sit on the bus and think them up, but more often than not these ideas are just stored away inside these mental filing cabinets - and I've no idea where I've then put them when I need them. Or worse, they cross polinate with other ideas, and sprout a life all of their own.

Today I tried to do a little spring cleaning within this mental space, by exercising those ideas no longer needed, or out of date, or just plain dumb.

I've revisited the Deborah project, which I've been jabbering on about for the better half of two years now. Well, progress - at last! The thing has a firm structure in place, and quite astonishingly I think it's better on paper than it ever was in my head. Normally what happens is an idea gets lost in translation, and it ends up reading as some sort of bastard child of the original idea after it's written down. Not this time!!

The story of Deborah remains the same, but the means by which it comes about has changed. Instead of one long 20 minute short film I'm now plumping for a series of four, maybe five, 10 minute installments - which I'll then film and put up online (Doctor Horrible style) and added together the parts tell the entire story of Deborah - that I originally had way back when.

Also pulled out of the drawers was my plans for The Blaze. It's gone through somewhat of a transformation recently, because what the university wants from the project has changed. It's now a 6 part weekly drama, told in 5 minute segments. There's the option for more of course, but for now those 6 episodes are our story...

Here's the plan for episode one - understand why I can't/won't share information on the rest of the episodes, won't you?

Episode One: It's 15 minutes until deadline! Roz Price is editor of the university student newspaper, The Blaze. She's a busy woman, especially today which is why she hasn't got time to meet the paper's latest recruit, Darren Harvey. However, Darren doesn't take too kindly to being ignored, and finds his own way up to the newsroom where he comes face to face with Roz, who will have to accept that Darren has a place on the team. After all, he is the son of the man who's business sponsors it...

I'm telling you, I'll be damn relieved when this first episode is written and produced. It feels like I've been writing it all year! (Well, I kinda have...) I'm stuck, like an LP. Will be nice to get un-stuck again, and move onto episode two.

Aside from that...

I also found time to write a few pages of one of my comic series today. It's a rare treat when I get to write them, because I only get one or two issues a year complete now. Hopefully this shepherds a new start for that... maybe... I think...

What's been best about dusting down these old ideas of mine is just how reinvigorated it has left me. Seriously, I can't wait to tuck into my next script - hell, it's why I jumped straight back on my laptop to write this. It's been fun, fun, fun!

Maybe sometimes it's worth storing ideas away for long periods of time, if it means that when you do revisit them you face them with a passion that you haven't seen for such a long time? I mean, I've had 2 years to produce Deborah... and so it's a little late, but I bet the thing we end up making now is ten times as good as what we could have made back then.

You see, ideas bubble and stew inside the mind. Those filing cabinets, they take up a lot of room and they're not very organised... but boy, do they protect my ideas and let them grow.

Deborah. The Blaze. Assassin.

All fashionably late, having spent the last x amount of days/months/years inside my head.

But you know what? Totally worth it.

***

Finally made a start watching my Blu-Ray of HBO's True Blood. So far we're one episode down... and loving it! Although the lead actress does have very distracting teeth (and no, she's not one of the vamps!!) Hmm, don't quite know what to class it as yet mind, 'cos it's funny, scary and all kinds of sexy. Oh, and by sexy I mean puesdo-pornographic.

Well, it is HBO.

They Call It British

2009-11-08T23:03:00.003Z

I happened to catch today's episode of the BBC's Points of View, where the Head of Drama Commissioning (for the BBC) was interviewed, and expressed his opinions on all things British Drama. For most of what he said, he was entirely wrong.

He supports soap operas. Okay... okay... that I can just about take. Yeah, sure, they are the lowest common denominator scripted drama going but every now and then they touch on issues that need addressing, in the 'comforts' of a very domestic setting. What does annoy me is the fact that:

a) not only does the corporation produce Eastenders & Doctors (both of which wear their soap opera status proudly) but they create 'stealth' soaps, like Holby City or Waterloo Road, that pretend to be dramas that mean something... but really, ain't. They're extensions of these other soap operas, exploting sensational crisis points and cheap storytelling.

When we say the UK doesn't produce anything up to the standards of The Wire or The Sopranos, we're wrong because we do. It's shows like Torchwood: Children of Earth, or The Street. We make such sweeping statements, because fantastic dramas such as these are hidden far, far underneath a much bigger pile of trashy soaps and throwaway soap-dramas.

Then there's point b) - the fact that 35% of the BBC's allocated drama budget is being spent on producing these shows. That's probably around a quarter of the entire money being pumped into UK television dramas - now that ITV and Channel 4 are spending less and less on commissioning drama. 35% on soaps, or soap-like series. Think about that.

When was the last time you watched an episode of Eastenders from 1992 on DVD? Or any other soap? Answer, never. These are throwaway pieces, made for mass entertainment once only. Once they're broadcast... that's the end of it. That particular episode is done and dusted... it's not sold on DVD, or shown again two, three, four years later like Spooks or Doctor Who is.

We're spending our money on a once-only investment. Shouldn't we be making programmes that last; that future generations sit down and watch? Otherwise, what's our legacy?

I've no problems what-so-ever with another of the statements made on Points of View, that there's too much programming for women. Whoever thinks that... oh, they can bugger off. Fact is, there's not enough programming for women on TV - well, at least decent programming. Perhaps we need more programmes that men and women, and children, can sit down and watch together, but that's another matter entirely.

Honestly, British television is still producing shows as good as - if not better than! - the likes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, or GBH, or The Prisoner. Look at Queer as Folk, or Bodies, or any of a long list of dramas from the last ten years. There's just more television floating out right now, on a hundred plus digital channels, so you just need to know where to look.

BBC One is a good start, and so is Channel Four. Please, don't let the likes of the soaps or their pale copy cats put you off - Great British drama can still be great British drama. We just need to educate the people in charge, and cross our fingers that they listen.

Remember Remember the Sixth of November

2009-11-06T22:52:00.000Z

Sometimes you do things and they just... fail. Can't be helped. Last night was one of those instances, where I tried to arrange a mini-gathering of people from work, in the hope of heading on out to a Bonfire celebration somewhere. In the end though, practically everything that could go wrong went wrong, and the night was - frankly - a bit of a diaster!

Firstly, nobody turned up. There was a bout half a dozen of us, and that's it. This is despite around two thirds of the staff getting the night off, and being able (if they had so wanted) to turn up.

On top of that, it was throwing it down with rain - so that the fields of our chosen venue - Heaton Park - turned to mud. Which ruined my favourite pair of converses. Darn.

Also, the actual Bonfire and Fireworks display... Well, it left a lot to be desired, and let's just leave it at that, hey? Honestly, we were only there about 20 minutes before it was all over, and time to go back home!

To be honest the evening was a little experiment on my behalf, to see if a staff event could organise itself into existence... It can't! There's always got to be that one person, or core group of people, at the heart of it - planning and working hard to bring it all together.

Next up later in the month we have a scavenger hunt around Manchester city centre. I made the list up with a friend and colleague, Dan O'Connor, and I'm very proud of it! And no, you can't have any clues as to what is on it - just in case a sneaky Mr James Bell is reading and hopes that he can get advance clues. Sorry mate, no. Just, no!

After that... the staff Christmas party!! I feel so relieved because after months of fretting about it, I finally have it booked! And now that's been done, I can start to organise the thing properly. We have an awards ceremony taking place during it, and a 50 question film quiz. Also, they'll be a buffet that needs buying, making up, etc. - oh, and a Secret Santa too!

For it, I'm trying to get as many staff involved as possible, to make it a true 'staff' event - by the staff, for the staff. Plus, plus! Team work. T'is what it's all about.

Oh, I'm so excited about both the scavenger hunt and the party - both should be pretty, pretty amazing. No doubt I'll keep you all posted on this here blog of mine with regards as to how it all goes. Fingers crossed!!