A few months ago - maybe longer - vowing to finish the Old Soldiers play to anyone reading this blog who has kept up with this continuing procrastination, I'm still no further ahead.
"This is not news, Eleanor!" you're probably saying or thinking to yourself.
The play, forever in the 'unifinished-but-almost-there-file', based on a short story written a while back, has a magical effect on my psyche and although it has frequently been put on hold, the old soldier "gang" is always present, calling me.
"So when are you finally going to give us some type of resolution?" the characters asks me regularly, just before falling asleep at night."We've been in limbo for years now."
Don't I know it!
The dilemma is deciding upon a plethora of endings and possibilities, and which one would be best suitable for dramatic impact. The characters themselves are well defined and no tinkering is necessary in this area.
"You've changed directions so often, we're all getting dizzy!"old Joe scolds me whenever I'm reading over added dialogue. "You have to make a decision and stick to it."
Easier said or written than actually accomplished. There are so many possible endings and the dilemma is choosing the right one. 'Right one' key words here.
Then there is the issue of writing for radio, a challenge in itself.
Radio requires sound effects to propel the story along and although my dialogue is strong (IMHO), not sure whether there is sufficient sound or action. When writing the dialogue, I hear the characters speak and envision their movements but the challenge is how to translate this into audible action.
In any case and for no other reason than to force myself to make a decision, I've decided to make a choice and live with it, good or bad. Since the next deadline would be next April (2013), there is time to work out the details. Maybe too much time in my case...
The angst of indecision!
Will provide regular updates as to my progress. Where and when have you read that before?
Showing posts with label radio play. Show all posts
Showing posts with label radio play. Show all posts
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Progress at last with "Old Soldiers"!
Now that the art show preparations and show itself is over, I made the decision to give painting a rest, at least for the summer. Thing is that focusing on two different creative mediums at the same time leads to the detriment of one. In this case it was my playwriting, ergo, time to put all my energy into playwriting.
Anybody who follows my playwriting blog is familiar with my moaning-and-groaning, ranting and raving about my stagnant state in as far as the "Old Soldiers" play for radio project is concerned. I'm pleased to report and share that I've added three - count 'em - three scenes today. Still finding it difficult to ensure that there are sufficient sound effects to help carry the story line but there is progress in this area also. While writing, I'm still getting the feeling that it lends itself more to film or TV than radio but I'm not going to make any changes, at least while I'm on a roll. Oh sweet heaven it feels so good to be on a roll again!
While storing my art materials in the supply cupboard, I decided to clean out my writing box. A long time ago as a young mom when I first began writing, I wrote a film script using Syd Field's how-to book. Actually, the end result, "Skate!" was, at least in my humble opinion, quite good. There were many re-writes and today came accross a few versions languishing at the bottom of the box and removed them to the top of the pile. It's been a long time since I last read it and it will be interesting to get a new and fresh perspective many years later. Will share my findings of course.
Back to my current project, so far - so good. Somehow it just feels right and I'm taking that as an omen. You takes your omens as you finds them.
Now that the art show preparations and show itself is over, I made the decision to give painting a rest, at least for the summer. Thing is that focusing on two different creative mediums at the same time leads to the detriment of one. In this case it was my playwriting, ergo, time to put all my energy into playwriting.
Anybody who follows my playwriting blog is familiar with my moaning-and-groaning, ranting and raving about my stagnant state in as far as the "Old Soldiers" play for radio project is concerned. I'm pleased to report and share that I've added three - count 'em - three scenes today. Still finding it difficult to ensure that there are sufficient sound effects to help carry the story line but there is progress in this area also. While writing, I'm still getting the feeling that it lends itself more to film or TV than radio but I'm not going to make any changes, at least while I'm on a roll. Oh sweet heaven it feels so good to be on a roll again!
While storing my art materials in the supply cupboard, I decided to clean out my writing box. A long time ago as a young mom when I first began writing, I wrote a film script using Syd Field's how-to book. Actually, the end result, "Skate!" was, at least in my humble opinion, quite good. There were many re-writes and today came accross a few versions languishing at the bottom of the box and removed them to the top of the pile. It's been a long time since I last read it and it will be interesting to get a new and fresh perspective many years later. Will share my findings of course.
Back to my current project, so far - so good. Somehow it just feels right and I'm taking that as an omen. You takes your omens as you finds them.
Monday, May 07, 2012
"Give us another update on your play re-write, Eleanor"
So I check into Facebook as is my habit, and I notice that the BBC has added a blurb that entries are already rolling in for the BBC International Playwriting Competition. They're very excited but I, on the other hand, am verklempt. Rough translation: pffffft. Then again and thinking further, perhaps those early-bird playwrights already had a 60 min. play and all they had to do was submit it. Or, perhaps, their muse paid them a visit (lucky them!). Meanwhile, I'm still working on an ending. You would think that an ending should be easy, You know the story-line, you know the characters and logically, one should know the ending. When does logic enter in the pictures, anyway? In reading playwriting blogs and pieces by seasoned playwrights, they are of the opinion that one should know the ending before embarking on writing the play. What worries me is that all my completed plays were written with ease from beginning to end. In "Neighbors", I'm already experincing problems.
I've reached the 28 page stage, which would be just over a 20-minute short play. It was written initially as a 20 minute short play and then re-written as a full play in the making, and now adapted to a sixty minute play. Maybe it was a good idea at the time but...
I'm already getting jumpy about having it ready for the deadline - but this is an old story.
"So what is the problem, girl?".
One character, Rob Portman, has a love interest, which is interesting but I'm not sure if I'm going off on a tangent moving in this direction. She is the only female character in the play and I'm not sure whether she's really ncessary.
Questions I'm asking myself:
- why have I included her
- what does she add to the story, if anything
She would reveal a tender side of Rob and elicit sympathy to his character, but then does he need sympathy?
Lots of questions and a lot of searching for answers, for sure.
So I check into Facebook as is my habit, and I notice that the BBC has added a blurb that entries are already rolling in for the BBC International Playwriting Competition. They're very excited but I, on the other hand, am verklempt. Rough translation: pffffft. Then again and thinking further, perhaps those early-bird playwrights already had a 60 min. play and all they had to do was submit it. Or, perhaps, their muse paid them a visit (lucky them!). Meanwhile, I'm still working on an ending. You would think that an ending should be easy, You know the story-line, you know the characters and logically, one should know the ending. When does logic enter in the pictures, anyway? In reading playwriting blogs and pieces by seasoned playwrights, they are of the opinion that one should know the ending before embarking on writing the play. What worries me is that all my completed plays were written with ease from beginning to end. In "Neighbors", I'm already experincing problems.
I've reached the 28 page stage, which would be just over a 20-minute short play. It was written initially as a 20 minute short play and then re-written as a full play in the making, and now adapted to a sixty minute play. Maybe it was a good idea at the time but...
I'm already getting jumpy about having it ready for the deadline - but this is an old story.
"So what is the problem, girl?".
One character, Rob Portman, has a love interest, which is interesting but I'm not sure if I'm going off on a tangent moving in this direction. She is the only female character in the play and I'm not sure whether she's really ncessary.
Questions I'm asking myself:
- why have I included her
- what does she add to the story, if anything
She would reveal a tender side of Rob and elicit sympathy to his character, but then does he need sympathy?
Lots of questions and a lot of searching for answers, for sure.
Monday, December 26, 2011
My old soldiers are waiting for direction. I know where they're coming from!
The end of the year is almost here and that means a mere four months to work on re-working my short story, "Old Soldiers" in the hope of converting it into a radio play to enter in the British Council International Radio Playwriting Competition . The characters need flushing out and some type of direction as to their purpose.
"That's all, Eleanor? Piece of cake!"
On were it that easy.
Having never attempted writing a radio play, I'm somewhat intimidated. I mean, to what degree will the correct writing form for radio count?
"Oh look. The sound effects are on the wrong side of the page," a BBC reader might comment to another reader, after which it might be tossed on the slush pile.
To my credit (pat-pat on the back) I've made some progress and added dialogue but the challenge is the necessity of providing those tricky sound effects. This means that there has to be action, which can be heard and that will propel the story along. You just can't have the characters hang around say...a pub and talk. They have to do something to catch the listeners ear.
A purpose and reason for being there is required. Therein lies (or lay...whatever) the challenge.
A character chart would help me define the varous characteristics of the personalities, but I've never used one in the past. Then again, I've never tried writing a radio play. The ending seems logical but the trip to get there has to be refined.
Joe McKenna would understand.
Here's a small snippet of dialogue taken from the re-write as the "old soldiers" prepare to leave for a fellow soldier's funeral
AL
So who’s going to Percy’s funeral?
JOE
I am…and so is Mac
MIKE
Me too
AL
I’d like to go. There are so few of us left. Look at me with a walker. We were his friends for umpteen years and I mean, the man deserves some type of recognition. It's the least we can do. Can anyone give me a lift? So damn hard to climb up the bus steps and the bus drivers get so impatient...
MIKE
I'll bring along our flag. It's getting so thin I can see through it
JOE
Just like us. Old and worn out
The end of the year is almost here and that means a mere four months to work on re-working my short story, "Old Soldiers" in the hope of converting it into a radio play to enter in the British Council International Radio Playwriting Competition . The characters need flushing out and some type of direction as to their purpose.
"That's all, Eleanor? Piece of cake!"
On were it that easy.
Having never attempted writing a radio play, I'm somewhat intimidated. I mean, to what degree will the correct writing form for radio count?
"Oh look. The sound effects are on the wrong side of the page," a BBC reader might comment to another reader, after which it might be tossed on the slush pile.
To my credit (pat-pat on the back) I've made some progress and added dialogue but the challenge is the necessity of providing those tricky sound effects. This means that there has to be action, which can be heard and that will propel the story along. You just can't have the characters hang around say...a pub and talk. They have to do something to catch the listeners ear.
A purpose and reason for being there is required. Therein lies (or lay...whatever) the challenge.
A character chart would help me define the varous characteristics of the personalities, but I've never used one in the past. Then again, I've never tried writing a radio play. The ending seems logical but the trip to get there has to be refined.
Joe McKenna would understand.
Here's a small snippet of dialogue taken from the re-write as the "old soldiers" prepare to leave for a fellow soldier's funeral
AL
So who’s going to Percy’s funeral?
JOE
I am…and so is Mac
MIKE
Me too
AL
I’d like to go. There are so few of us left. Look at me with a walker. We were his friends for umpteen years and I mean, the man deserves some type of recognition. It's the least we can do. Can anyone give me a lift? So damn hard to climb up the bus steps and the bus drivers get so impatient...
MIKE
I'll bring along our flag. It's getting so thin I can see through it
JOE
Just like us. Old and worn out
Monday, November 22, 2010
OLD SOLDIERS - THE RADIO PLAY - a progress report #1
Decided to try and convert my short story, "Old Soldiers" into a radio play and enter it into the BBC International Playwriting Competition. My first realization how difficult a task this is going to be is underestimating the amount of dialogue required. Dialogue as it stands now is limited in its present form and this means a complete re-think as to how I'm going to move this story along. I'm also not sure how to write a radio play. Will spend some time searching the Internet in the hope of discovering the form. Some questions requiring answers that keep me up nights wondering:
- is it written in the same manner as a play?
- do radio plays have scenes?
- where are the sound effects written?
Decided to try and convert my short story, "Old Soldiers" into a radio play and enter it into the BBC International Playwriting Competition. My first realization how difficult a task this is going to be is underestimating the amount of dialogue required. Dialogue as it stands now is limited in its present form and this means a complete re-think as to how I'm going to move this story along. I'm also not sure how to write a radio play. Will spend some time searching the Internet in the hope of discovering the form. Some questions requiring answers that keep me up nights wondering:
- is it written in the same manner as a play?
- do radio plays have scenes?
- where are the sound effects written?
Why am I doing it? Because it's a personal challenge, especially since I've entered the competition before having submitted, "Retribution", which should have won...IMHO. This short story is one of my favorites and I think that it has the potential to be a winner.
There are four characters in the short story but more are required. I'm toying with the idea of adding an old dog given that Joe, my main character, is an old soldier. The dog is Joe's confidant, best friend and reason for living.
Dilemma at present is whether to open the story in Joe's apartment as it is in the story, or open it in a pub. If I open it in the pub it could be a few hours before the ceremonies, whereas the kitchen scene would go before he meets up with his friends in the pub to toast the demise of an army buddy friend.
Also considering the addition of an old (as in age) nosey landlady, who enjoys dropping by Joe's apt. He dislikes her, period, and dislikes her never-ending questions.
We'll see what develops as more dialogue is added. To be continued...
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