Phil Peel's Blog

Dr Raj Persuad at the London Screenwriters Festival in a talk entitled ‘Writers are Mad’ gave the disturbing statistic that writers who win an Oscar on average live four years less than writers who were only nominated… But that actors that win live four years longer than those who were only nominated. Maybe I should take up acting?.. Or make sure I don’t get nominated for a writing Oscar. That should be easy.. First off… Write a bad script. .. I can do that!.:-)

I’ve just heard that my feature script “Jack’s Back” has got through to the quarter finals of Phil Gladwin’s Screenwriting Goldmine Competition

Phil Gladwin says in the email. “We had nearly 500 entries in the end from all over the world and it has been a big – but very
enjoyable – job reading them all. (I did it all myself in the end.)”

I’m not sure I can imagine reading 500 scripts back to back.   Phew!  That deserve a prize in itself.

Some of my screenwriting books.

I used to love going into a bookshop (remember them..  before Amazon existed ) and browse screenwriting books. Each claimed to have the answers to the secrets of successful screenwriting. I would skim through several over half an hour in the bookshop, then  buy one, take it home and read it again.

I would rarely finish them though. But they are there, ready to dip into when I need guidance, crammed with fading Post-it bookmarks. I now usually cannot figure out why I put the bookmark there, but it’s an indication that something on the page resonated at the time.

Now the bookshops rarely seem to have any screenwriting books of interest. Maybe they have to stock more books on gardening or How to stop smoking. Maybe I have all the knowledge I need. Just have the problem of applying it.   I’m beginning to acquire more books online as Ebooks.  Great.. instant read… instant gratification.. Bookmarks that I can add notes to .

But deep down it doesn’t really satisfy. ..and when I need help, inspiration or guidance  I still find myself going back to my bookshelf

Incidentally for me, the most useful was the first I read ..in 1990.  Michael Hague’s “Selling Screenplays that Sell” the yellow one at the top.

The most inspirational   … “On Writing” by Stephen King, which usually sits beside my bed.

I  flew back yesterday from the buzz of the festival, excited by all the great feedback on my “Jack’s back” screenplay. “Original”, “Extremely well written”, “edge of seat”, “a page turner”, “great sense of foreboding etc.”

But I now have to sit down and work through all the highly detailed advice, corrections etc.  (or rather not sit down, as I’m still writing standing up)

Thank you Ken, Graham and Damien for your excellent advice. + Rachael, Karen, Keith and Michael for your encouragement.

EIFF 2012 Screenwriters Group: Karen, Rachel, Ken, Keith, Damien, Me, Graham

You all prefaced your comments with ” But of course you don’t have to do what I say, It’s only my opinion.etc “  So I now have to decide:

• how much to take the advice (i.e  others are wiser.  I shouldn’t be so proud that I can’t admit when I’ve got it  wrong
• Or  stick with what I intended (Heed the inner voice of the artist. Be true to yourself. blah blah etc.)

One good approach is to to work on those aspects of the script  that all the readers highlighted as being dodgy.  Which is why it is so useful to have multiple readers.  So I’ll start with that.

…and stop procrastinating by writing this blog.

Years ago I remember seeing a TV programme about Walter Murch editing Cold Mountain on Final Cut Pro. But what I thought was really strange was that he edited standing up.  Obviously a bit weird.

I thought no more about it until recently when I saw a BBC Horizon documentary : The Truth about Exercise.

One of the points it made was that sitting is a killer. ..or to be less sensational and more specific,  sitting for long periods  will shorten your life.  …and that got me to thinking.  What am I spending most of my time doing at the moment? Video editing and script writing.  Both very sedentary,  or in other words ..lots of sitting down.

In my youth, I was always convinced that the world would blow itself up in a nuclear war. I never expected to get past 30, so I’m somewhat surprised to still be around decades later. As I get older I’m also more aware that the end of my life is getting closer,  So the Horizon statistics about the number of days of your life that you will likely lose, due to sitting down, begin to assume a greater relevance.

I’ve been nervous about exercise after breaking my rib last autumn, whilst doing pull ups on a doorway and the bar fell off. Yes I know that’s illogical. But my subconscious has got it fixed that exercise = months of pain.

Anyway after seeing the Horizon documentary 3 months ago, I reorganised my edit suite. I have the Macbook Pro up on an Icurve laptop stand on top of high ( kitchen style) worksurface. So it’s level with  the other monitors.  ..and I’ve been standing up whilst editing or writing over the last 3 months.

..and it’s great. Admittedly my feet get a bit sore after 12 hours or so. Today I’ve been using it for 8 hours. But I’m sure it better for me. I think I’m losing weight.

I use an ancient Microsoft Natural Ergonomic keyboard, that is hideous  against the sleek looks of the Mac, but is far kinder to my wrists.

Here I’m I’m using it for scriptwriting. So the keyboard of the Macbook is a convenient rest for the printed script. For rewrites I  print out and write notes on the pages. Incidentally I’m using Scrivener to write with, which I’ve found is really excellent.

..and here I’m using it for video editing using FCPX.

On the right hand side is a wireless mouse and Wacom tablet. On the left is a Contour control shuttle.  So I can zoom in an out with the left hand, whilst using the tablet/mouse simultaneously with the right hand.

The second keyboard underneath (on the rolling table) is for the separate PC and monitor on the right. So I can look up stuff on the Internet (I’m still learning FCP X) without disrupting the main editing or writing.  Though I have to admit it can be a bit distracting at times.  ..pause whilst I check Facebook

One disadvantage of this is that I occasionally use the wrong keyboard when using the PC, which can mess up the main edit on the Mac.

The Macbook Pro also has a dual port ESATA adaptor running into 16 terabyte RAID array.

Here’s an interesting article about working standing up

http://www.karingottschalk.com/about/work/office-ergonomics/

3 months  ago

Phew! I’ve finally completed the latest draft of my Jack the Ripper Screenplay.  I’d completed the script over a year ago, but it needed massive revision. …and I’d got completely stuck on it for a long time.  I had re-written the ending to make it more dramatic and ended up with Act 1 and 2 which didn’t mesh with Act 3.  I’ve attempted to solve it before, but just got stuck as it was so complicated.

So over many months I’ve tried a variety of computer programs to help me analyse it. Excel charts, Mind maps, Power Structure, Scrivener, Phil Gladwin’s Screenwriting Goldmine , Blake Snyder ‘s Beat Sheet. etc. etc. nothing worked.

So after a break of several months to give me some distance from the storyline, I eventually reverted to pencil and paper and it’s worked. The solution was to cut most of my favourite scenes. Now the storyline make sense!  But I now have to transfer the scribbles on over 100 script pages and type them back into the script.

Ecosse Films have asked to read 2 of my scripts. So I’m feeling particularly pleased after my meeting with Executive Producer Carole Sheridan. Ecosse films produced Mrs Brown, Charlotte Gray, Becoming Jane and Brideshead Revisited.

Here’s a pilot I wrote & directed for the proposed feature “Phoebe Langtry”

This is the true story of Phoebe Langtry who was the woman who in 1813, deserted by her husband, fought against the restrictive role of women in the society of the time, by becoming a successful business woman.  This at a time when a married woman didn’t exist in law and was considered a possession of her husband. She lived close to and probably knew Jane Austen. But this is the story of how a  real life working woman lived  and loved in Jane Austen’s time.

This is the pilot for the proposed Feature Film

“A moving epic romance, written by an obviously talented writer” Orange-Pathe

Phoebe Langtry is the true story of the woman, who in 1812, built the only surviving working
windmill in Hampshire. She was a working mother, a good businesswoman abandoned by her
husband at a time when a married woman had no legal rights.
The film follows the fortunes of Phoebe, her wayward husband William and her son Will, who
returns from war traumatised. Phoebe was living only 5 miles from Jane Austen, but this world
was very different.
Events conspire to throw Phoebe together with John, a much younger romantic. John, however,
unknown to Phoebe, is married to Sarah, a young innocent who Phoebe looked after as a baby.
John’s father ..Mr Buckland …a gross, opinionated womaniser becomes the new land owner.
William Cobbett, the renowned radical orator and journalist arrives back from America to launch
his crusade for votes for all and workers rights. …and their lives fracture with the conflict of love
and livelihood, honour and passion.
The film is set against the riots, machine wrecking, famine and turmoil of the industrial revolution.

All the scenes are written around existing locations in the area,  Bursledon Windmill, the
restored Manor Farm, Totton Marshes and Agglestone Rock

Bursledon Windmill built by Phoebe Langtry

Manor Farm: a working Victorian farm

Totton Marshes:  A wonderfully eerie place. It’s tidal so the salt kills the trees.

Agglestone Rock near Studland:   This is an anvil-shaped block of about 400 or 500 tons weight, perched on a conical hill which the stone has protected from the weather.

Here’s a  script readers review of one of my feature scripts “Phoebe Langtry”

Watch Phoebe Langtry Pilot film HERE

The frustrating thing about this script review, is that the reviewer didn’t realise it was a true story.

It says “If the story of Phoebe Langtry was factual there is no question that it would be well received, However because it is a fiction, the audience might not care so much about her life. ”     I’ve since added “based on  a true story” on the title page.