Deleted Scene – NSH3 – Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais confronts the unflappable Four in the green room of the BBC’s Jonathan Ross Show.

DELETED SCENE – NSH3 – RICKY GERVAIS

Nothing Chronicle 1

Decided to do a podcast. Click the big CD thing.

Show Notes:
Roving Report from “The Big Gathering” – 24/7 Theatre Festival
Interviews with David Slack, Amanda Hennessy, Black Box Merseyside, the director of new play “Main Road, The Actors Centre, the writer of new play Donald Fleet, and more!
Mat & Rik also cover the classifification of sweets, mushy pea fish fingers & the “large” hadron collider.

Performing Arts (We Also Blog)

Amazing! After a year of wondering why the hell more theatre practitioners and arts organization don’t blog – one’s popped up!

Panda Ponders

It’s really new but well worth a look. Let’s see how this one progresses.

Of course, there are blogs connected with theatres and BBC initiatives but to be honest – they’re fake as hell. There’s no personality and you can tell it’s an organization trying to “utilize new technologies” without understanding what the new technology is about. Blogging is about a dialogue and about often inconsequential things – that all taken together give you a bigger picture of a person’s personality, the ethos of a group, or yes, I do believe, even a business.

Let’s hope PANDA figures this out! For instance – I know PANDA has dog in there office. This is good! I want to hear about the latest Creative Conversations, but I also want to hear about the dog…

Networking

Sorry for the lack of posts! How time flies. I’ve been busying myself with Episode 2 of Nova Star and as for the rest…well, networking mostly.

What is this thing called “networking” that people do? Well, I’ve only really figured it out in the past few years. I remember attending a meeting with the careers counciller at university who mentioned it…but back then it all seemed rather vague.

I’ve come to understand that this was because I was being told about something, this “networking”, by someone who had never networked. It turns out “networking” just means “making friends”. Be open, receptive and supportive to people and make friends.

There – you’re networking!

Anyway, short vid here I did for a local performing arts agency. It got me onto their featured members page anyway. Result. Checkout the profile here Panda Winners
And here’s the vid:

24:7 Theatre Festival

The first video for the 24:7 Theatre Festival is up. 24:7 is a great opportunity for new writers and actors to gain exposure.

It is one of those start-ups (although the festival has been running for five years now) that inspires people such as myself to plow ahead with our own work. It’s an example of what a bunch of creative, passionate people can do when they pool their resources.

Check it out!

Marching On

I wouldn’t say I’m finding it hard to sit about and just relax – I’m an old hand and can procrastinate with the best of them! But the sense of how much work needs to be done is keeping me chipping away at these various projects.

With a bunch of scripts written I’ve focused back on plans for audio and the websites connected with that. The first thing is the promised “Vexation Audio” site. This will be the central hub from which projects like Nova Star Hunters branch off. You can see an early front page HERE

As you can see – I’m really going simple, simple, simple. I think the key with having an output like this is to make it obvious.

If people just want to listen to something – they are a click away from doing that – via the “Listen to Latest” link. Then there is the “Select Feeds” link, for people who want to see what else is available. And finally “Explore Website” which is for those who want to meander and learn more.

I’ve seen so many sites that are really complicated for no apparant reason. Particularly with audio streams – it should never be hard for me, the listener, to see where I need to click – and really important that feeds are clearly labeled and accessible.

The simpler the better, in my view. You can put tons of additional info underneath for those who want to dig – but the surface should be clear as crystal.

Nearly Done

Well, Mat kindly lent me his printer, so that’s eight scripts I’m printing out right now! What a relief though – my old printer was decrepid. This one is speedy Gonzalez!

Sally’s already talked about this on her blog, I think – but it’s crazy how the post office expects you to leave your treasured scripts (the product of months of blood, sweat and tears) on a shelf for any muppet to pick up.

Okay, so I’m not so deluded that I think some jealous writing thief  is going to nick my script and pass it off as there own, but it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that some burk will think it’s a great laugh (or at the outside, lucrative) to randomly swipe mail.

ROYAL MAIL! Is it too much to ask that staff take our mail from us and give us some kind of closure?

Aye, aye, aye…

Eddie Izzard Darth Vader In Lego

Taking Stock

Taking stock not in the warehouse stacking of crates sense, but in the “reached a milestone…check your surroundings” sense.

One final pass of edits this week and I can refocus back on the internet and audio production. It’s been an intense period of writing, where the end goals have become blurred, and several deadlines have merged together. Individually, each of the things I’m writing is worthwhile in its own way, but in the midst of the grind it’s been easy to forget exactly “why” I’m writing a particular piece. Looking at it now though – I’m fairly happy. Perhaps I can enjoy the rest of my holiday now!

I’m heading out to buy computer stuff with Mat tomorrow and I need to get in touch with several good friends who I’ve been telling to wait while I write. I’m very lucky to have understanding people who will give me space when I need it and not take offense. It’s totally different to my situation a few years ago. I’m suddenly surrounded by all these wonderful, creative, talented people!

I’m really not very good at balancing my domestic life with my creative one though. Pots and pans go unwashed (and so do I sometimes!) and as for clothes? I was down to my last pair of socks. Washing machine is now spinning though! I’m on top of it…trust me!

Where do I live? In a flat. First floor. Overlooking a taxi rank (where people fight), a betting shop and a boarded up butchers shop. I do not have my intercom connected to the buzzer on the street – a cunning plan to foil the postmen, door-to-door salesmen, drunks and religious zealots – and since everyone I would want to visit me has my phone number anyway they can ring me when they want letting in. This also cuts down on unannounced visits from engineers of one kind or another who periodically demand urgent access for what turns out to be routine maintenance. I don’t get why people don’t disconnect their buzzers all the time. It’s like when the phone rings – if you don’t feel like answering it – don’t. It’s up to you.

Where do you live, by the way?

I’ve just made another pot of coffee. I’ve been listening to Moniques “Middleditch” and I have to say, I admire her tenacity in engineering an ongoing series like this CLICKY. I’ve also been checking out various links through the Audio Drama Talk website. Checkout this great site for old time sci-fi CLICKY.

Might post again in a bit…

Arts Council England Plan

The Arts Council England has a comprehensive breakdown of its strategy both nationally and regionally from the period 2008-2011.

Here’s the LINK

It’ll be interesting to see how this filters down to the artist in the trenches. Of particular interest to myself is the commitment that the arts council in the northwest will “continue to improve the opportunities for the arts to increase reach and engagement through digital technologies”.

As someone who’s producing and doing this right now – perhaps my experience is relevant? Where have I seen this happening so far? Nowhere. My experience has been that there is a clear delineation between the arts online and the arts offline – and reluctance on the part theatre professionals and media producers to allow artists to drive innovation.

If your work does not fit a particular remit, or initiative that’s currently running, you’re screwed. There is very little scope for “reaction” on the part of theatres and producers.

I guess my point is – let your plan be driven by the artist, don’t make a plan and then find work that fits your theory. It’s not enough to take “action” – it’s about factoring “reaction” into your strategy.

Sorry. Rant over.