Cog in the machine..
My Casualty script seems to be in fairly good shape with a strong heart. Draft 2 was received warmly and deemed good enough to go ‘upstairs’ for approval by the Exec Producer. This in essence gives me a few days ‘off’ which is just as well as it’s half term and the London Dungeons are calling to my 9 yr old, along with visiting relatives. It also gives me a chance to get my head into the Holby zone as the storylining conference is in two days and I’ve still lots to read.
Although it feels like I’ve been writing CD for ever this past year, I have only had 2 episodes aired - Eastenders in May and Doctors in August. My Holby ep is due to be aired next month and I’m waiting for the DVD copy to drop onto the doormat. So what’s it like watching your own show? Scary.
My Eastenders episode was finally great to watch after the 3rd viewing. After I’d got over the shock of cut scenes and changed dialogue, which is what happens when somebody else interprets your story. It’s a ‘cog in the machine’ scenario - my humble little episode is only part of a bigger picture. A goody bag with various different elements thrown into the mix, elements such as budget, casting, choice of director, rehearsal time etc. What you hope (and pray) for is the ‘positive collaborative experience’ that enhances your script - here’s my story, now *wow* me with it please! I was wowed by my Eastenders cliffhanger which had young Darren Miller telling Keith he was a lousy Dad outside the Walford tube station. Thank you Charlie Hawkins.
I made a point of going to see my episodes being filmed. It’s vitally important you do this at least once, you may find it extremely distressing, but it must be done. Just as ‘walking the set’ is of vital importance too - get onto the set of your show when they’re not filming and ‘walk your script through’. (Filming is like roadworks - never seems to be any action going on, at all, ever). Or at the very least familiarise yourself with POV’s from various angles on the set. Look for interesting and new areas where scenes can take place, sit on those hospital beds. One thing that is missing from the Holby and Casualty sets is smell - hospitals have a particular smell, so imagine it - come over all ‘method’ and just inhabit the world of the show for a while.
I’ve always known that film and TV is shot out of sequence, we all know these things - but it truly dawned on me when I had the shooting schedule in my hands trying to decide which day to watch filming of my Holby ep. Not only is the show filmed out of sequence, but they film two episodes at once! I ask you, who’d be an actor. And yes, filming is a laborious process, but it’s also very special and fascinating when it’s your work they’re filming.
I went in to watch filming of a chunk of my Holby guest story. Everybody was very warm and welcoming, there was a sense that things had been going well and spirits seemed to be up. But as a writer on the set, you do hope that some PA is going to stride ahead of you announcing ‘writer on the set’ just in case there a dark murmurings about how awful the script is and people will know to shut up.
It was great seeing the director at work, he was very unassuming and focussed (these are long days). I was, of course, fascinated by the props table (see previous career incarnation) and the props man was so enigmatic looking I wanted to write him into an episode of something there and then. Somebody asked me if the casting of my guest characters was what I’d expected. I of course answered ‘How could it be?’ It’s nigh on impossible to replicate in flesh, these figments of my imagination. That said, the casting was spot on and I was so impressed by the actress’s ability to be convincingly on death’s door at the drop of a hat - over and over again. There was much excitement as the prosthetics arrived for a small medical procedure I had written, and again - so much time setting the thing up…
Now my poor medic had to act, and handle a scalpel, and make an incision, and look like he knew what he was doing. Like I said - who’d be an actor.
More excitement ensued as the production manager came down for a swift visit - for it was he who had baked a batch of the most amazing brownies anyone had ever tasted, for cast and crew. I had eaten about 4 and congratulated him heartily before bothering to introducing myself. He was hailed hero of the hour, his brownies worthy of a culinary Bafta/Emmy/Oscar.
It was a fascinating day at Elstree, and impossible to tell what the finished ep will look like because of the next raft of hands that will edit, cut and sew together the completed Holby into another hour of hospital drama. It’s all out of my hands.
Comments