tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30887721367946095392011-11-27T23:55:07.433ZAlways rising to the lowest common denominatorChip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.comBlogger2551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-16091510496614412572009-04-25T13:45:00.004+01:002009-04-25T13:56:22.096+01:00

Here's Tom Waits on the David Letterman show back in 2004, promoting Real Gone (not that he actually mentions it during the course of the interview, you understand); possibly one of the funniest interviews I've ever seen...

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-63087132373777412282009-04-16T18:54:00.011+01:002009-04-16T19:28:01.638+01:00

I’m afraid this blog has suffered another prolonged silence, which this time round I can’t blame on the mysterious power of cheese, or even on Sevenoaks (although it’s tempting). No, the truth is: I’ve been busy. And the plan is to continue being busy until I run out of train track, which by current estimations is going to be some time in August. So, from this point on, this pile of words is

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-37885707049414108982009-03-06T22:46:00.006Z2009-03-06T22:58:16.680Z

Two weeks with no post on here is unheard of (although I have some way to go to break Michelle Lipton’s 26 days of silence), but I have excuses! Lots of them. And they all seem to revolve around cheese.25th February: dinner here with a soon-to-be-stratospherically-successful screenwriter (STBSSS), and the cheese diet is go! Macaroni cheese and cheesecake (is there actual cheese involved in the

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-63238034697053608212009-02-21T13:31:00.003Z2009-02-21T13:35:41.602Z

The short answer to this question? In a landfill, mostly:For me, this is a neat day (I’m missing several coffee cups, my laptop, several piles of CDs, and for some reason another two mobile phones). For the most part, I have no idea where the huge amount of crap that I accumulate comes from - it just kind of materialises, beamed down from Planet Landfill. I deal with it by piling everything up

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-70951930221982818562009-02-19T09:15:00.004Z2009-02-19T21:59:11.991Z

Ten minutes into watching The Assassination of Richard Nixon (TAORN), it occurred to me – haven’t I seen this film before? The more I watched, the more it became apparent – I’ve definitely seen this film before: its title then was Taxi Driver.The similarities are too apparent to be ignored: both protagonists are demented, but this is not immediately apparent; just for fun, they play about with

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-1915442528050509472009-02-15T16:38:00.007Z2009-02-15T16:45:24.981Z

I spend an inordinate amount of time in Pret (sans laptop, as I’d only pour latte into it); one of things I love about the place is the incidental music that's piped into the store (or to use the correct parlance, Muzak). For the most part, it’s a pleasing mash-up of samba, laid back jazz, Vegas lounge and 70s porno movie soundtrack. Intrigued, I asked what it was. “Dunno – we get it from Head

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-45447593720798389842009-02-10T09:35:00.005Z2009-02-10T09:35:00.750Z

Arrrggh! I’ll say that again just for emphasis: Arrrggh!Deep breath – and relax.There. That feels a bit better.Right. LoveFilm. Arrrggh!I was going to wibble on pointlessly about I Am Legend, but the disc conked out after 45 minutes* – either this is shortest Will Smith film on record, or I have been dealt a shonky DVD by the evil fiends at LoveFilm. Don’t they know I suffer from an acute time

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-87101160026816663932009-02-09T09:15:00.004Z2009-02-09T09:15:00.501Z

There was a news story a while back here, that aimed to find the worst ever lyric in pop music. From a list that included Oasis’s Champagne Supernova and Razorlight’s Somewhere Else, Des’ree’s Life came out top:I don't want to see a ghostIt's the sight that I fear mostI'd rather have a piece of toastWatch the evening newsIt’s rubbish all right, but at least it means something (Des’ree has an

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-41229643399170075942009-02-06T20:04:00.004Z2009-02-06T20:08:54.517Z

Adaddinsane tagged me with this: If you could go back to live in any one year from your lifetime, which one would you choose?Jesus H Christmas, that’s a bitch of a tag, isn’t it? I was tempted to go all wibbly and post-modern and select a variety of incidents from a variety of different years. Then I went and read Michelle Lipton’s post on the same subject (after which I got something in my eye),

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-72387666136262308872009-02-03T08:57:00.012Z2009-02-03T10:01:40.039Z

As everyone is re-enacting The Shining at the moment (snowed into a haunted hotel with a psychopath for company - oh, OK, just me then), why not have a go at this? (just received from those hugely sexy people at Inktip)-------------------------------------------------------------------------EDGY THRILLER SCRIPTS WANTEDBaie des Singes (UK) Ltd - ThrillerWe are looking for completed feature-length

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-88322893823270005442009-02-02T13:05:00.008Z2009-02-02T15:53:00.981Z

Contains spoilers for My Bloody ValentineThere are a lot of great and interesting movies doing the rounds at the moment: Revolutionary Road, The Wrestler, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, Frost/Nixon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Bride Wars (just kidding).With all these in mind, for some reason I ended up going to see My Bloody Valentine (in 3D no less – not that you’d know it. Most

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-24465605484418859442009-01-29T21:00:00.004Z2009-01-29T22:38:23.527Z

One of my favourite films is After Hours – not just because it’s one of the best things that director Martin Scorsese has ever done, but because I have the smallest of sneaking suspicions that most people’s lives are but a hair’s breadth away from the uncomfortable, nightmarish ‘comedy’ world that the (generally unsympathetic) Paul Hackett spends the vast majority of the movie attempting to

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-63531081226137801172009-01-25T08:10:00.014Z2009-01-25T08:10:00.607Z

In January/February’s edition of Bass Guitar Magazine (the mag of choice for supra bass nerds everywhere), there was a highly subjective countdown of the ‘40 Best Basslines Ever’. Just to give you a flavour, the most recent entry in the top 10 dated from 1980 (Queen: Another One Bites the Dust – not really my cup of sake, madam). So, to redress the balance, here’s my top 10 (which is also my

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-993024995782050032009-01-24T13:32:00.008Z2009-01-24T13:36:59.383Z

Opportunity or not? Only you can be the judge of that one (that said, there's nothing wrong with a bit of old fashioned flattery)... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi there You're receiving this as one of the frighteningly talented few thousand who've applied to be part of 4Talent's big projects over the last year - like Radio HaHa, the Inspiration

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-84826771161904561992009-01-21T19:04:00.002Z2009-01-21T19:16:21.418Z

I was going to bore myself (and by extension, you) by wibbling on about my Red Planet rewrite. But you know something? I’m too busy writing it to write about rewriting it, if that makes any sort of sense. In the meantime, for some god-known reason the following by-line from today’s Guardian had me howling with laughter:Nicolas Sarkozy has reportedly shrunk two trouser sizes after working the

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-11006469179713808672009-01-18T14:48:00.004Z2009-01-18T14:53:48.190Z

See here for the new show from David Simon and Ed Burns, Generation Kill, which starts on FX on 25th January. Looks most spiffy! Alternatively, you could always try here for the Torygraph’s view of the same thing. And then there's this, which is kinda related but makes for fascinating reading anyway.There’s a revealing interview with Peter Morgan, the writer of Frost/Nixon, here, who was also

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-687091112829101682009-01-15T18:43:00.005Z2009-01-15T18:54:10.858Z

I remember Lighthouse back in the days when they were located at Middle Street in Brighton - rather sensibly, they have now relocated to a set of super-swanky offices in Kensington Street. Thanks to a tip off from Danny Stack, the beautiful and talented Michelle Lipton (in comparison to myself: slightly stooped and illiterate) and I were present last night to hear Julian Fellowes give a whistle

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-77555155226959708252009-01-13T20:28:00.006Z2009-01-13T20:35:21.672Z

The newly agented up Oli tagged me with this:When it comes to writing, what do you know you're good at, and what aspect of writing are you worst at? (Procrastination is not permitted as either part of the answer.)I like to think I’m good at dialogue – give me two characters in a room and I can magic up a no-holds barred argument (with a gratuitous garrotting thrown in for good measure) out of

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-36751748617408905772009-01-10T10:05:00.003Z2009-01-10T10:07:53.438Z

...different from Friday Night Muzak inasmuch as I can’t find a decent clip of a Sweet Billy Pilgrim song anywhere on the net (there are the inevitable YouTube vids, but the quality is patchy to say the least).However, more important than finding old video clips is the news that SBP’s second album is to be released on David Sylvian’s boutique label Samadisound later this year (2005’s We Just Did

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-15361780569636784842009-01-06T20:16:00.007Z2009-01-06T20:24:51.997Z

There’s a fun article here in today’s Guardian entitled “The DVR fodder you'll never watch” by Paul McInnes – essentially how we are all now filling up DVRs “with programmes that sound unmissable when they're recorded but are somehow all too avoidable when it comes to actually watching them.” I for one would not be without my beloved and strangely sexy SkyPlus, but the problem of course is

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-10098882928197412502009-01-02T08:50:00.003Z2009-01-02T08:50:00.127Z

2008 has certainly been a weird and erratic year for me. In the vast majority of cases, it really has been one step forward and two steps back – which is to be expected of course. However, in true Chipster style, absolutely nothing has gone to plan. Just when I think the stars might be aligning in some kind of weird cosmic jam, something comes along and gives me a swift slap round the back of the

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-80867793149537168742008-12-30T21:44:00.006Z2008-12-30T21:47:24.626Z

It’s suddenly occurred to me that there have been no ‘dogs in hats’ posts on this blog since April. And what better way to wish you a Happy New Year than with a photograph of a chihuahua in a Santa outfit (which isn’t technically a hat, but you get the idea). Happy New Year!

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-87670867062067668352008-12-28T16:43:00.006Z2008-12-29T17:29:11.874Z

At the best of times, my television viewing is random – and Christmas is no exception. Even when broadcasters unleash their promotional battering rams of endless trailers, I just simply forget to watch (it’s the same when my wife wants me to tape her something – she often has to physically write the name of the programme on my hand in felt tip, and even then I usually forget, leading to many a

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-85330005039567980292008-12-22T21:31:00.003Z2008-12-22T21:38:03.942Z

And the prize for the least festive picture/post goes to... Chip! Yay me!Signing off for Christmas now, but not before I share the most disturbing Christmas movie (or any movie, come to that) ever made. Presenting The Great Rupert, (or A Christmas Wish), starring the late Jimmy Durante. Most of the commentary on this film would have you believe that it’s perfect Christmas fodder, a modest,

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-51586964444745565592008-12-17T19:22:00.011Z2008-12-17T19:39:45.893Z

I’ve neglected the blog for nearly a week now, but I have some absolutely sparkling excuses:* It’s Christmas – which means I have to do a lot of obligatory last minute shopping (have you any idea how difficult it is to buy a hat for a dog?), and then get bladdered at a variety of respectable locations. The best was a couple of years ago, when I got completely soused on free Champagne here (rumour

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-73987261545896411642008-12-11T14:36:00.006Z2008-12-12T09:04:18.018Z

Contains spoilers for SurvivorsI was going to wibble on about Survivors for a bit, but Rob Stickler has beaten me to it here (and in typically erudite fashion as well – I quote: “The apocalypse has been a slight inconvenience mainly manifesting in an inability to text.” Arf!).Even so, there were a few things that bothered me, not least the issue of what appeared to be a weird structural decision

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-25895997978860789222008-12-08T21:42:00.006Z2008-12-08T21:55:10.127Z

Contains spoilers for WallanderBearing in mind that at the moment I’m attempting to outline a 60 minute detective TV pilot (effectively an attempt to resuscitate my sadly flatlined Red Planet script), I tuned into Wallander on Sunday for some inspiration: how does our eponymous hero keep the narrative moving? Given that even most basic screenwriting ‘advice’ states that your protagonist should be

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-66826135305885173242008-12-07T10:53:00.004Z2008-12-07T10:56:28.317Z

Thursday evening at the Sallis Benney theatre saw Paul Ashton from the BBC Writersroom essentially presenting all ten of these – Paul is a brilliantly engaging speaker, and the love for what he does was more than obvious to everyone present. Lots of frantic notes were scribbled, and someone in front of me even videoed the whole thing. There wasn’t a huge amount of time left at the end for an

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-34629695291179532882008-12-03T15:50:00.002Z2008-12-03T15:50:00.440Z

Contains spoilers for Wallander.Fifteen seconds to nine pm on Sunday and things are not shaping up well:And now on BBC1, Kenneth Branagh brings a maverick detective to life...I’m immediately reminded of a Guardian interview with Paul Abbot:We make a police series, with a bit of a maverick copper as the lead. I say, 'Is he called Maverick?' They go, 'No, he's called John.' Why not call him

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-22385807575677045732008-12-01T10:15:00.010Z2008-12-01T10:15:00.773Z

My nineteen year old nephew stayed at Chipster Towers over the weekend, and it was a whole lot of fun. Honestly – it was. Well, for some of us at least.On Friday evening, he went out in Brighton with a couple of friends, the intention being that they were going to stay in a seafront hotel for the night (I don’t have the room here you see – the east wing is currently being remodelled). Problem was

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-10587431027621868452008-11-28T15:45:00.006Z2008-11-28T15:45:00.566Z

Once upon a time, I wrote a script. In chronological order, this is what happened to it:1) To start with, read about Terry Illot and the Hammer Films episode here.2) After that, Marchmont Films got their grubby little hands on it – you can read the full sorry lowdown here.3) More or less at the same time, this happened (hello Yellow UK!) (I never got those script reports done, incidentally).4)

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-85698118186868033312008-11-27T18:27:00.004Z2008-11-27T18:30:06.746Z

So the scores are on the doors for the next round of Red Planet. And as Paul Campbell points out, the entire Scribodome and its dog are through – everyone that is, except me.*As Chester Babcock might say:Cock.There – that feels better already.Huge congratulations to everyone who made it through (too many to mention here, but you know who you are, you lucky swines!), and commiserations to me. I

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-57420817470288794702008-11-25T16:54:00.002Z2008-11-25T16:56:29.412Z

Things have been very quiet on the Metlab front for the last few months (what with me being busy elsewhere with Red Planet, Sharps and that unnameable treatment), so I thought I’d give John Sweeney a prod. Got the following e-mail today:Thanks for your thoughts. I have given the matter a lot of thought and because of the changes brought about by the current economic situation, our potential

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-41709978042160344382008-11-24T18:55:00.002Z2008-11-24T18:56:56.482Z

Stevyn Colgan directed me here to a Six Word Story Contest, which I duly entered with the following:Second coming: Jesus descends from mothership.And it won!The prize? Free books! Huzzar!As you were.

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-8376483769617175552008-11-22T16:25:00.004Z2008-11-22T16:30:33.339Z

I’m currently re-watching all five seasons of The Wire via the gift of the DVD box set (I’m generous to myself like that). Problem is I get all obsessive-compulsive about it and watch an entire season over the course of 48 hours, which means I forget to do essential household chores such as watching Apparitions or anything currently emanating from the Jungle (saints preserve us). My favourite

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-53857399953136951992008-11-19T12:33:00.003Z2008-11-19T12:38:59.848Z

I nabbed this from Scott the Reader:I visit your house/apartment, and you spot me looking at your DVD/VHS shelf.1. What's on there that you instantly force me to borrow, because it's a great movie and you figure I haven't seen it? 2. What you do also lend me, because even though it's not considered a classic, it's a personal favorite? 3. What movie is on there that you have no rational

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-16374712549058948032008-11-16T15:29:00.005Z2008-11-16T15:37:20.234Z

At the risk of sounding like a doofus, didn’t Apparitions seem, well, you know, a little bit complicated? Perhaps it might help if I tried to summarise what the devil (see what I did there?) was going on:A young sufferer of leprosy, Vimal, prays to an image of Mother Theresa at the same time as the little saintly nun shuffles off this mortal coil. And whaddya know, hallelujah, he's cured! At

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-29825775485464080592008-11-14T20:19:00.004Z2008-11-14T20:29:24.496Z

Just about to go and watch Apparitions (good old Sky Plus). Wish me luck.

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-63049270013082838002008-11-13T20:40:00.005Z2008-11-13T20:53:52.131Z

I got tagged by the bloggingly prodigious Stevyn Colgan – it’s a good one, but I can’t guarantee to stick to the thirty word limit (perhaps the meme police will come get me – here’s hoping, I love a good scrap).Sod Richard and Judy. Sod Oprah. What would you advise people to read? Name your favourite:(a) Fiction book(b) Autobiography(c) Non-fiction book(d) A fourth book of your choice from any

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-88219380290288320702008-11-11T20:41:00.003Z2008-11-11T20:45:45.076Z

After having read Rachel’s and Lawrence’s current project list, I’m starting to seriously ponder two things:a) In order to find the time, they have obviously made some sort of pact with the Great Satan himself (Noel Edmonds, in case you were wondering)b) I am a lazy, unmotivated arse.How do they do it? Jiggered if I know. Suffice to say, I’ve spent the last three months or so writing and

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-90679665672267986802008-11-10T21:09:00.006Z2008-11-10T21:15:46.601Z

Day job wise, I’ve had meetings all over (Miami, Paris, Amsterdam, Swindon), usually in so-called “meeting rooms” where the overriding colour scheme is beige. So it made a pleasant change to go to a meeting here last Friday - the café at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Nice, innit? They do a mean sandwich as well, by the way...

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-44081112801516128192008-11-06T19:49:00.003Z2008-11-06T19:52:45.442Z

Below is a list of Google search phrases that for some reason bring people to this esteemed blog (I haven’t done one of these for a while now, but these were just too good/random/borderline demented to pass up):Second hand octaver pedal in Bournemouth – what’s an octaver pedal? And the last time I went to Bournemouth was to see James Blunt (don’t ask).Super scary things to print – happy to be of

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-54419252591032995742008-11-04T21:18:00.010Z2008-11-04T21:39:34.128Z

Contains spoilers for Spooks, Series 7, Episode 1Don’t get me wrong, I love Spooks – I love it so much I’ll even watch it in French (and my French is notoriously rubbish). But as Adrian Reynolds has pointed out in insightful fashion, there’s something a bit ‘smoke and mirrors’ about the new series - and I can see what he means. This resides predominantly in the ever-so-slightly clunky plot

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-47217209483103998002008-10-31T21:10:00.015Z2008-10-31T21:23:19.101Z

Contains spoilers for Dead Set, Hammer House of HorrorOver the last ten days or so I’ve been catching up with various episodes from the Hammer House of Horror series currently airing over on ITV3 – and what a treat they are. The three I’ve caught so far – Charlie Boy, The Thirteenth Reunion and Silent Scream (see here for further details on the series) – have been grim, desolate fun (although

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-9810342622271601082008-10-27T17:32:00.006Z2008-10-27T17:38:58.452Z

Terri Dwyer (the posh bird of Hollyoaks fame) presents a show on daytime TV entitled 60 Minute Makeover*, which does exactly what it says on the tin: a swarm of builders, painters, decorators, chippies and sparkies (and that bloke from Big Brother) descend upon a house deserving of a little interior design TV magic. The property on Thursday’s show looked like an MI5 safe house; by the time the

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-71789300469934555522008-10-24T20:47:00.006+01:002008-10-24T20:57:40.762+01:00

I’m not sure if I like Silent Witness or not. For the most part, it’s the older brother of Bonekickers, inasmuch as it spins stories out of a seemingly sedentary occupation. Pathology and archaeology both deal (mostly) with the dead, and there’s your challenge: how do you make a drama where your plot is partially driven by people who can’t answer back? Bonekickers continually wrestled with this

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-40823810705584602942008-10-19T15:46:00.005+01:002008-10-19T15:58:38.199+01:00

Strictly Come Dancing is doing my head in, but probably not in a way you’d expect...All filming is obviously done during the course of a single day, but in order to squeeze as much air time out of it as possible, the BBC spread the results of the filming across two evenings (the main ham twirling is done on a Saturday, then there’s the painfully prolonged results show on the Sunday). The only

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-55986113264863952072008-10-17T19:40:00.001+01:002008-10-17T19:42:07.164+01:00

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-50417114297133140572008-10-16T15:19:00.006+01:002008-10-16T15:28:15.236+01:00

Before I recount this story, let me just say that this sort of thing happens to me ALL THE TIME. I’m under no illusion that at the outset of any ‘writing career’, you’ve got to be pretty relentless when it comes to chasing down work, but the big difference with this one was how much it made me laugh (interspersed with a good degree of, ‘Oh, shit! Whatever next?’). I will try and be as discrete

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-705686455791814672008-10-14T19:16:00.006+01:002008-10-14T19:22:39.721+01:00

Many thanks to John Soanes for informing me about this – the last time I was in the Sallis Benney theatre, Steven Berkoff was getting all unnecessary about skinheads (which he used to do with frightening regularity). So, see you down the front for a spot of heckling (joke).That said, these events usually attract the odd crackpot or two, so hopefully the entertainment value will be quite high!

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-90099976226682862772008-10-12T20:19:00.005+01:002008-10-12T20:25:29.399+01:00

For all you young whippersnappers out there who don’t remember The X-Files – fear not! JJ Abrams has re-made it for you in the shape of Fringe. He’s also stolen some of the sillier bits of Flatliners as well, but to be fair, there’s quite a lot to enjoy here – explosions! Joshua Jackson! Anna Torv in her underwear (black and functional, in case you were wondering)! A constant recurring sense of

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-48442552659565123982008-10-09T15:04:00.005+01:002008-10-09T15:09:59.192+01:00

Over the last couple of weeks or so, there’s been an interesting mini-debate of sorts taking place via the Shooting People Screenwriting bulletin along the lines that exposure to film and TV images can have (supposedly) a corrupting influence.Here’s Alan McKenna:It seems exposure to violent images predisposes us to greater tolerance of violence. Not a lot of doubt I'm afraid.And here’s Allen O’

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-30612540600005484862008-10-05T17:40:00.006+01:002008-10-11T10:18:41.895+01:00

Contains Spoilers for Breaking BadStevyn Colgan’s blog steered me in the direction of the first episode of Breaking Bad, a new US import currently showing on FX. And it’s utterly fab. But don’t take my word for it – the first episode is available as a free download on iTunes (what a relief that Apple didn’t carry through their threat to shut it down, eh? The greedy, bluffing tossers).In the same

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-10407272764386060772008-10-02T10:00:00.004+01:002008-10-02T10:02:36.972+01:00

This is scary (well, it isn’t, not technically speaking, but you get the idea) (I much prefer the way that Holy Moly reports the same story here).Glad to see that what I talked about earlier in the year here is all coming true (or not, as the case may be).Unfit For Print – the blog that’s bizarrely prescient. Whoooo... (cue The X-Files theme tune).

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-72033751711806263442008-10-01T12:02:00.006+01:002008-10-01T12:07:33.376+01:00

There’s an article here by Toby Young that essentially talks about this:As a reviewer, I always accepted that film is a collaborative medium, but until I started spending time with film-makers I had no idea just how true that is. It is most obvious when it comes to the screenplay. It is fairly well known that the officially credited writers of a film are rarely, if ever, the only authors of the

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-51883356446536815352008-09-30T19:09:00.004+01:002008-09-30T19:23:26.746+01:00

I got tagged by Rachael on this furiously difficult meme, reproduced below (like Mr Campbell, I was hoping to avoid this one. Curses!)Find a song that sums up what you think it means to be a writer and post the lyrics on your blog and why you've chosen it. NB: It doesn't have to be your favourite song, it just has to express how you feel about writing and/or being a writer. It can be literal,

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-30511393792194476532008-09-26T18:57:00.004+01:002008-09-26T19:03:18.725+01:00

There's no better way to end the week than with a smidgeon of punk rock and some ubiquitous instrument trashing cats...

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-34235393301806128222008-09-25T20:47:00.007+01:002008-09-25T20:56:26.386+01:00

The word ‘edutainment’ (if it really can be classified as a word) shouldn’t be permitted under any circumstance.Riding a unicyle in an office environment is not the brightest of ideas (especially if you’ve never ridden one before). But then I read this, and everything seemed right with the world.I now know what a hagedorn needle is.My resting pulse is 55 and my temperature is 34.4 C. Jesus –

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-64220127237093193002008-09-23T20:40:00.015+01:002008-09-23T20:58:32.302+01:00

Now that my Red Planet and RISE submissions are out of the way, I can get back to doing what I do best: watching a whole load of really crap TV. Hooray! And first out of the blocks is Hole in the Wall – the ‘gameshow’ where celebrities have to force themselves Tetris-like through a variety of holes or risk being dunked in the drink. I lasted five minutes before I became acutely aware that the

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-41043364466252274522008-09-21T13:49:00.007+01:002008-09-21T13:59:32.452+01:00

My Red Planet and RISE submissions are packed up and ready to go, which means I no longer have to tinker with them until I go all cross-eyed and unnecessary. The script I’m submitting for RISE has been rattling around in my hard drive for a while now, so a week of work to make it ship shape (me hearties) seemed reasonable. However, my Red Planet entry was entirely written from scratch, which

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-67791713113018387952008-09-16T19:12:00.008+01:002008-09-16T19:19:34.400+01:00

More from the Factory/Warehouse chaps below. Caveat emptor, people - not that there's any money changing hands, but you get the drift...---------------------------------------------------------------------Dear all.Having various people ask us several good questions, below are various points you should consider to be absolutely clear about what we are offering.This opportunity is really for any

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-50093440109244362352008-09-14T17:16:00.011+01:002008-09-14T17:29:30.490+01:00

Contains spoilers for Mr Brooks.Since the 1970s, the writing team of Bruce Evans and Raynold Gideon have sought to create the perfect script with each collaboration. Academy Award winner Kevin Costner believes they achieved their goal with their most recent project, Mr Brooks.“Costner was incredibly complimentary,” remembers Bruce Evans, co-writer and director of the upcoming Mr Brooks... “He

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-37534361679389004032008-09-11T18:59:00.005+01:002008-09-11T19:13:58.690+01:00

You may well have seen all the ballyhoo over on Shooting Pople regarding a script call made by someone calling themselves 'The Script Factory'. I responded to the original posting, and got this message back today, which I'm offering up below. A lot of work required over the next month! I won't be partaking, and I suspect that not many others will either, but hey ho - who am I to complain?--------

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-86715693673283950252008-09-10T22:14:00.007+01:002008-09-10T22:25:12.828+01:00

Contains spoilers for Half NelsonPeter Bradshaw in Tuesday’s Guardian (here) picks his favourite films about school (and you can too: simply go to www.teachers.tv/movies and do your thang), but very obviously leaves out one of the best (if not the best): Half Nelson. To be honest, I don’t share Bradshaw’s enthusiasm for the genre. However, he believes (rightly, I think) that the school

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-81810468300323902692008-09-06T12:17:00.007+01:002008-09-06T12:24:40.107+01:00

On paper, the prospect of Lost in Austen must have seemed like a pretty good bet. Into the ITV marketing blender went Life on Mars, Being John Malkovich and Bridget Jones – add a dollop of high concept and a hugely intrusive voiceover, and there you have it: television for that supposed demographic who gather round the television supping Lambrini and being ‘carefree’. So: obviously not designed

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-85523673662332916922008-09-05T17:51:00.004+01:002008-09-05T17:55:19.523+01:00

This just in from the Writer's Guild Bulletin (thanks to Mister G, as usual).Son of a Pitch - Pitching CompetitionIt's that time of year again, plans are afoot for the next International Screenwriters' Festival (likely to take place in early July 2009) and a call for entries has been released for the very popular pitching competition. The competition, which is in association with 4Talent, will

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-60754725387788534632008-09-02T17:27:00.002+01:002008-09-02T17:30:15.919+01:00

I like deadlines. Like most men, I’m only really organised when I have to be. However, when a deadline swims into focus, I get all Kubrickian and things get done in a frenzy of military precision. My entry for the Red Planet prize this year is no exception. Bearing in mind I had nothing that fitted the brief, three months still seemed like a generous timeline in which to get a 60 minute script

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-79625514882000331522008-08-29T18:45:00.003+01:002008-08-29T18:52:16.560+01:00

It's been getting a little too folkified round this joint recently, so to remedy that, here's some Boris with My Neighbour Satan (question: does that mean Boris live at number 665?)

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-88661859462176429992008-08-27T20:50:00.010+01:002008-08-27T21:05:52.793+01:00

Contains spoilers for Hellboy II - The Golden ArmyHmmm – I’m not quite sure what to say about Hellboy II – The Golden Army, which is a peculiar position to be in. Perhaps it’s something to do with the film’s two extremes cancelling each other out in a kind of yin/yang implosion – visually, it’s incredible; screenplay-wise, it’s clunky and illogical. However, it’s witty and at least moves along at

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-2582758805546966122008-08-22T21:56:00.003+01:002008-08-22T22:02:58.656+01:00

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-45599856963335848052008-08-21T20:01:00.003+01:002008-08-21T20:05:36.876+01:00

Three months after getting shortlisted (and eight months after my application went in), it transpires that TAPS doesn’t want me or my script – which is quite a relief, as it happens. Although I could have applied for funding through Skillset and/or my regional Screen Agency, the last time I looked at the online forms they resembled a Kafkaesque bureaucratic quagmire, so I ran away and hid. Just

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-17859081992682559302008-08-20T20:46:00.005+01:002008-08-20T20:59:05.234+01:00

An interesting article by Xan Brooks in today’s Guardian here on how Shane Meadows’s new film Somers Town has been entirely funded by Eurostar! Wow. It’s an alternative method of film financing that's for sure, but when characters start waving Eurostar tickets at the camera with gleeful abandon, it all threatens to get a bit Perfect Stranger for me – and this comes from someone who absolutely

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-18595981268426787092008-08-19T20:50:00.005+01:002008-08-19T21:03:18.950+01:00

Contains spoilers for The Dark KnightIf an analogy for mainstream cinema is the three minute pop song, then The Dark Knight is a fifteen minute progressive rock epic, complete with harpsichord solo, spoken word interlude and a huge bag of whizz-bang pyrotechnics – with is another way of saying it’s very long. According to my bony backside (always a good arbiter of cinematic quality), its 150

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-62824730889827415762008-08-16T09:34:00.006+01:002008-08-16T10:06:28.654+01:00

Contains spoilers for Blue VelvetI saw Blue Velvet when it first came out in 1986 – it was the first movie of that particular ‘type’ I’d seen and, although my friend and I emerged blinking form the cinema asking each other “What the flaming fup was that all about?”, I loved it. David Lynch has always made films that are defiantly ‘arthouse’, but what really distinguished Blue Velvet for me was

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-15138455476302006642008-08-15T21:07:00.005+01:002008-08-15T21:09:03.505+01:00

'Cos essentially I'm an old folkie at heart...

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-17304511137547552412008-08-11T20:12:00.002+01:002008-08-11T20:16:34.971+01:00

Contains spoilers for No Country for Old MenThis is from Frank Cottrell Boyce’s thirteen golden screenwriting rules published in The Guardian on June 30th:No one leaves the cinema saying: I loved that character arc. They come out saying: I loved the swordfight, or the bit with the bloated cow, or whatever. The manuals emphasise the flow of a narrative, but it's better to think of a film as a

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-61373349642184167932008-08-08T19:42:00.003+01:002008-08-08T20:02:37.297+01:00

It’s reassuring to know that the BBC is able to flog a show like Spooks to our continental chums, thereby assuring that Auntie has more money to throw at quality drama (and I’m not being sarcastic). Problem is, I didn’t see much of the last series first time round, so now it appears that I’m doomed to catch dubbed re-treads in a variety of continental hotels. So, Spooks – in French (and

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-14321506716547563792008-08-04T15:37:00.003+01:002008-08-04T15:45:58.734+01:00

The script I entered for the BSSC (Out of Time) this year has made it through the initial cut to round one (along with approximately 2,417 others*). Elinor, on the other hand, has three in, which theoretically gives her three times as many chances of winning as me (closely followed by Martin Adams with two). Drat! And double drat!Now that's out of my system, congratulations to everyone who made

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-15112603524182641502008-08-03T15:36:00.006+01:002008-08-03T15:47:04.767+01:00

This blog was one year old last Tuesday. Hooray! Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to post a picture of a croissant in celebration, so here’s a picture of a cake I made earlier**:Cakes and croissants aside, here’s a summary of the last twelve months:* I’ve had scripts shortlisted for TAPS and METLAB, plus a load of script reads from people who’ve stroked their goatees and proclaimed, "Hmmm – very

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-4821393797186762592008-08-02T11:51:00.001+01:002008-08-02T11:53:31.474+01:00

Just back from Paris, so I’m glad to see the place is still in one place (unlike myself – god knows how, but I managed to break a toe coming back on the Eurostar last night). The usual cyber-blithering will resume shortly.

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-24435403184875776822008-07-25T20:14:00.003+01:002008-07-25T20:28:15.616+01:00

I hope everyone’s efforts on that Red Planet thing are all going well. Mine consists predominantly of psychiatrists, economics and privatisation (a lot like my day job), and is threatening to get horribly complicated at any second. Actually, scrub that – it’s horribly complicated already, and this time I started from a five page treatment. The next step now is to get sixty pages in the bag, and

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-57210877832688047982008-07-22T07:51:00.005+01:002008-07-22T08:00:44.177+01:00

Contains spoilers for The KingdomWith Michael Mann producing, the one thing you’re guaranteed to get with The Kingdom is an honest to goodness lorry load of shoot ‘em up action. The action sequences in Heat – the heist and the concluding gun battle – are probably some of the best ever filmed, and The Kingdom does its damndest to ensure that its two big action sequences are structurally almost

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-88796033382244499332008-07-18T19:05:00.006+01:002008-07-18T19:25:28.938+01:00

Martha Wainwright, from her 2005 album stunningly entitled Martha Wainwright.I saw Martha at the Gardner Arts Centre back in 2005 (supported by an equally brilliant Catherine Feeny). Amazingly, the Gardner is now closed, victim of a double whammy of funding cuts by both Brighton & Hove Council and the Arts Council. An additional problem is that the Gardner is also a Grade 1 listed building in

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-84975350908389431892008-07-15T19:17:00.008+01:002008-07-15T19:29:19.269+01:00

Contains Spoilers for Journey to the Centre of the EarthSome films are, well, all right – they’re simply OK. They’re entertaining and diverting inasmuch as when you walk out of the cinema you think, “That film was all right. Hmmm – I hope it's onion rings for tea.” Welcome to the (interior) world of Journey to the Centre of the Earth (in 3-D no less). It’s an all right type of film – seriously:

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-70998068362738532002008-07-13T08:49:00.002+01:002008-07-13T08:58:15.076+01:00

Loads of good stuff in yesterday’s Guardian, here’s a round-up of notable links:An extensive Paul Abbot interview, writer of State of Play and Shameless here.Nicolas Roeg interview here, director of Performance and Don’t Look Now.A pragmatic Susan Hill here on why more people write short stories than read them.Iain Sinclair here on Wyndham Lewis at the National Portrait Gallery until October.

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-1294790096932764402008-07-11T19:48:00.000+01:002008-07-13T08:49:35.486+01:00

This recently digitised video has just shown up on the Ikon Video site at YouTube, and what a treat it is, from possibly one of my favourite bands of all time. Never mind the fact this is from 1989, People Pie still sounds impassioned and urgent today - tag team it with a video that feels like a shovel round the back of the head, and you have four minutes of extreme viewing pleasure (and one of

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-17505259511401315792008-07-09T16:42:00.005+01:002008-07-09T17:01:46.806+01:00

Contains Spoilers for last night's BonekickersEver since Life On Mars, one gets the impression that Ashley Pharaoh could pitch his shopping list to BBC executives and get given the green light for a six part series exploring the mysteries of supermarket trolleys and the fruit n’ veg aisle. That said, Bonekickers was all right I suppose (and certainly not as godawful as Gareth McLean made out in

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-82729344623861671612008-07-07T20:17:00.005+01:002008-07-07T20:26:03.291+01:00

Contains Spoilers for Sunday night's episiode of Midsomer MurdersDemographics – a fascinating subject (which probably means I should get out a bit more).In all seriousness (well, as serious as I ever get), watching the adverts during the commercial breaks for Midsomer Murders last night, I got a good idea of the sort of people that ITV assumed would be watching: adverts for bladder weakness

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-4899255009993131802008-07-05T12:02:00.003+01:002008-07-05T12:06:25.686+01:00

Whilst everyone and his/her dog has been away at the Screenwriter’s Festival, I’ve been putting my extremely ad-hoc and random marketing plan into operation, which is much like keeping a series of plates spinning whilst rubbing your head and patting your stomach at the same time – or something (you get the idea). Last week seemed the ideal opportunity as well, as the competition were all off

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-43894220576001609592008-07-04T21:10:00.003+01:002008-07-18T18:13:50.322+01:00

Wire's new album Object 47 is out July 15th, so what the hell, it's Friday: here's Eardrum Buzz from 1987.

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-88777060981281846362008-07-01T14:48:00.003+01:002008-07-01T14:57:50.745+01:00

There was a good article in yesterday's Guardian by Frank Cottrell Boyce, which can be found here. As a little teaser, here's what he has to say about the three act structure...All the manuals insist on a three-act structure. I think this is a useless model. It's static. All it really means is that your screenplay should have a beginning, middle and end. When you're shaping things, it's more

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-71154982826143952992008-06-29T19:29:00.004+01:002008-06-29T19:34:17.083+01:00

My broadband connection ground to a halt on Friday (the AOL browser I use is essentially a virus, as it’s now decided to corrupt about a million drivers on my PC). What I’ve learnt from being completely internet free for the last few days is that the internet is a giant repository of sparkly things designed to pleasantly waste your time whilst giving you the impression you are being productive. I

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-37632987746500031682008-06-24T19:34:00.005+01:002008-06-24T19:46:26.550+01:00

Like Oli, David and the rest of the scribosphere, my Sharps entry did absolutely fup all, which doesn’t mean to say that what I submitted was a pile of unmentionables. Everyone who read it and passed comment seemed to genuinely like the concept, and it even made people laugh (intentionally, I hasten to add) - so all round, I was pretty pleased with the way it turned out. OK, so it’s been passed

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-50637936128022539152008-06-22T13:55:00.003+01:002008-06-22T13:59:28.623+01:00

Contains Spoilers for Session 9This movie cropped up on the Sci-Fi channel recently, and what a little gem it is (something about the title rang a bell so I recorded it, only to discover later that Mr Arnopp recommended it on his esteemed blog last year – which means I’m only twelve months behind the curve).I’ll try to give you a flavour without going all spoiler-tastic on your ass, but it’s a

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-28920498085933057322008-06-21T14:59:00.003+01:002008-06-21T15:03:49.930+01:00

This is from the Writer's Guild weekely e-bulletin, always worth a read. Quite tempted to dust off a couple of short stories for this one, and at three quid a pop, it's a nice price too... Grist – Short Story and Poetry Competitions The judges for this year's new Grist competition are Joanne Harris (short fiction) and Simon Armitage (poetry). Grist publishes an annual anthology of poetry and

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-73152122624861383992008-06-19T13:42:00.004+01:002008-06-19T13:46:33.026+01:00

This is from those lovely folks over at Moviebytes:WRITERS WANTED: Gruenberg FilmAt the moment we are looking for a mystery/horror script in the vein of the Grudge or Ring, already set in Asia or that could be set in Asia, with the possibility to bring in a mixed Western/Eastern cast and to be shot low budget (below 3 MM USD). Gruenberg Film GmbH Blankenburger Chaussee 84Berlin, D 13125Phone:

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-23312147047564050332008-06-18T17:41:00.006+01:002008-06-18T21:51:56.212+01:00

Contains Spoilers for Planet TerrorHmmm – Planet Terror: a fun, fast and furious homage to the old b-movie schlock movies.One problem here: doesn’t Robert Rodriguez make B-movies anyway (El Mariachi, Sin City, From Dusk Till Dawn)? So Planet Terror is a homage to... Robert Rodriguez movies? I’m confused, but let’s face it – it doesn’t take much.There’s nothing wrong with Planet Terror as such,

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-6544991341560888092008-06-14T15:37:00.004+01:002008-06-14T15:45:32.823+01:00

Much in the same way that I was stalked by Stanley Tucci over the Christmas period, I am now experiencing the same with Myleene Klass (which is why there is now a photo of her on my blog – I mean, Jesus, she’s everywhere else, so why not here as well?). Not exactly an unpleasant experience you might think, but every time I see her, she is trying to sell someone something (all quotes taken from

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-68499449918029640772008-06-13T20:48:00.004+01:002008-06-13T20:56:31.724+01:00

In the comments section of Lucy’s post on MyVisualPitch here, Piers serves up a brilliantly cost effective and reliable method of promoting yourself and your screenplay to the world at large – which got me thinking (never a pleasant sight at the best of times). All the little baby steps I’ve made with my own scripts have mostly down to my own efforts – and by that I mean that I haven’t paid

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088772136794609539.post-63523225265234458772008-06-12T20:47:00.001+01:002008-06-12T20:49:07.476+01:00

Oooh, I’ve been memed by the Target obsessed Mr Stickler (honestly, Rob: Starship Trooper featuring Sarah Brightman? Zoiks!):List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring.Well, let’s see now:1) Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys (picked out

Chip Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703857102434828100noreply@blogger.com4