Category: Self-ish

For our 48-hr film this year, Jenni’s Angel’s got the genre ‘revenge movie’. The requirements were a rock as a prop, the character Alex Puddle who was an exaggerator, and the line “It doesn’t fit.”
We had a big group at Indigo City to brainstorm when this info came in. My job as head writer was to pull some direction out of this process and winnow down to a solid idea we could all get behind and execute well. I found it really hard. There were a few new things we did that seemed to work well but we ended up spending a long time going almost in circles. It was my job to push out of the circles but I just couldn’t see a direction – not one of the ideas felt right to me. We eventually seized on one idea because, even though I couldn’t see how to make it work, I had a good feeling that we could find a way. Sure enough, we did, with some pieces falling into place in the final stages of the brainstorming session and the rest on the way to our writer’s retreat.
While everyone else slept, the writers punched out a screenplay. We were a new writing team – me with Jackie, Jenni and Steph. We had one person drive the laptop while we talked our way through the outline, then broke the outline into story beats, then turned the story beats into script. We were pleased to find that this went smoothly – the idea unfolded well into the space available, and unlike previous years we weren’t struggling to chop out whole characters and plot twists to fit into the time limit. Finally we went through the whole thing and challenged every word in every line of dialogue, which improved the final version a lot. We sent it out to the troops around 2.30 or 3.00 – which was somewhat earlier than anyone had expected.
We ate mostly healthy-type food while we worked. Mostly.
I was on site at Indigo City about 6.30am as the troops started to arrive. Talked through the piece with our directorial team and the actors, then sat down for a proper read-through where we identified a few dialogue changes to make, most pretty minor, but also adding one extra conversation between our main characters – I scurried into a corner to write that, producing what I think ended up as one of the best exchanges in the whole film, at least from hearing the actors run their lines.
As we set out to the first location I rushed home to write and print a prop, a page of half-written manuscript from an old-school typewriter (thank you free font libraries). After delivering that I hung on set for a few hours and kept working with actors and lounging in the sunshine, until finally bailing when Jenni appeared.
The plan was to go home and sleep but that didn’t work, so I just sat around in a daze for a few hours then went back down to the second location to help get that set. Mostly I was just furniture here as well – the well-oiled Jenni’s Angels team didn’t have much need of an extra pair of hands at this stage. When we broke for dinner I went home and that’s where I stayed while the rest of the team got it done.
We ended up handing in our ‘safety cut’ – the precautionary early version we send down to the hand-in venue in case our final cut runs late. Our safety cuts have always been solid versions of the film so I’m not worried that it wasn’t the intended hand-in version.
Now we have to wait for our heat on Thursday, which is when we’re allowed to watch the film for the first time. I’m looking forward to it. The 48 is a fun challenge every year and I have a good feeling about this year’s film. Its name is “Dedication” (chosen by Jackie) – appropriate to all of us, I reckon.
Thanks team, and especially writing team. You guys are great.

Hiya readers – I want to advertise at you a moment, for the usual reason: some friends are up to something I want to support.
Our lovely friend Chris Cole, the jeweller who crafted our wedding rings, is striking out on his own and has launched his own business (aided and abetted by his partner, and our other lovely friend, Anne).
Chris and Anne were marvellous in creating our rings. We worked out the concept together and the realization was amazing – we are so pleased. (I love my ring!)
It’s still very early days for their business – their Flickr stream has precisely one image on it so far, which I’ve posted here – but Chris has been in the jewellery game for a long time, working for others. He’s got a really interesting sense of style and an interest in jewellery for men. I loved this Twitter update: “Making a Man’s brooch today. Bringing back the ‘Bro’-ooch…
So if you’re a bro, or a lady, and you’re in the market for some unique custom-crafted jewellery, give Chris a try at http://www.chriscole.co.nz/
I endorse Chris Cole.
(Extra credit: Chris was also in a crazy metal band once upon a time. I have the CD.)

Here’s a great recipe.
(1) Put ingredients in casserole dish
(2) Heat in oven for a long time at a high heat
(3) Remove from oven, take off lid, smell delicious food
(4) Pick up lid again slightly later, absentmindedly forgetting to wear oven mitt
Surprise! Now you’re left-handed!
(Typed with one hand in icewater.)

It was fun. I met several Australians.
But while I was gone the router spat the bolt, and I couldn’t coax a connection out of the cable. So I’m at work. Communications will no doubt be infrequent until this is resolved, which will hopefully be very shortly.

Busy! No change there then.
Stupid-early on Thursday I’m off to the plane station to catch a flight to Melbourne, Oztralia, for the SASP social psychology conference. I’m giving a couple of presentations based on my Masters research. My first time presenting at a conference, so that should be fun.
I’m also reading a lot about Marie Antoinette.

Thirty three, he said, its not such a bad age, got a nice sort of rhythm to it, still young enough to swing on a playground swing.
So every year when this day rolls around I ask the patient readers of From The Morgue to give me a small gift – to comment with a quote of some kind.
Last year put it nicely:

It can be a quote from a song or a poem or a movie or a conversation or an advertising brochure or a blog or a speech or a legal opinion or a sports commentary or a magazine article or a comic book or a novel or a motivational poster or the website you have open on the other browser tab.
Give me a quote that means something to you, or a quote that means nothing to you, or a quote that couldn’t mean anything to anybody even if they tried.
Every year, this collection of random bits of the world makes me happy, and I like to be happy on my birthday. C’mon and indulge me.

This is the sixth year I’ve done this! Previous Birthday Wisdoms: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004
Also, best wishes to my newest birthday buddy: Arthur son of Chuckles, one year old today!

Cal and I are totally in with The Gays right now!
NZ’s foremost LGBT magazine, the giveaway Express, included a profile of us as part of a bigger feature on Civil Unions, four years after they went into law. We look very hot in Paddy’s photo and it’s a nice big feature where I hope we didn’t say anything too stupid. But you can see for yourself:
Pop that scanned image up!
The Express is a giveaway but it isn’t exactly easy to find. Snag one if you see one…

Been camping, and away stag weekending, and now under the weather.
Normal service will resume etc etc.

(part of an occasional series)
When you’re sending an email to a bunch of strangers to deliver news about a mutual friend who is seriously ill – it is unwise to send from your “morgue” email address.
People tend to get the wrong idea about the friend’s health and wellbeing…
(Other solution: choose better nickname for yourself 17 years in the past.)