Well, that was nerve-wracking. I just spent an evening in the company of some fine fellas and fellesses, listening to them do a read-through of my play ‘Straight to Video’. It’s almost the first time it’s been exposed to humans; a few chosen people have seen copies of it but this was really the first time it got under major scrutiny.
I was anxious. As I was at pains to point out to the gathered bodies, it was the first time I’d written anything for performance longer than about five minutes. (It occurs to me now that this is with the exception of Cold Night, but that was Just Playing Around and not actually expected to be performed. ) (Oh, and except for a script for a film adaptation of in move, as well. But this is a minor point.)
Everyone was very kind in their willingness to indulge me nonetheless and the readthrough began. And may I say, it was a revelation. As I’d hoped, hearing my dialogue brought to life by a bunch of wonderful people taught me huge amounts very very quickly. I already knew there was big work to be done, but this made very clear the specific kinds of work to be done, and what other options I have to change and develop the piece.
(One particular revelation stands out – one character, who’s meant to be key to everything pretty much, kind of doesn’t exist nearly as much as she should. If you have an uneasy feeling in your gut that you’ve given one of your readers a dud character, listen to that feeling!)
It also convinced me that the thematic idea at the core of the piece is sound, and the idea of its execution is also sound. The base is good, I just need to make the expression of it extremely awesome.
Anyway, after the reading, which clocked in at just under an hour, people spent a while longer pitching in loads of ideas and insights and it was just marvellous. There literally was no better way for me to spend 90 minutes on this project than doing the readthrough. And no-one said it sucked, either. Result!
Thanks to the man with the organiser skillz, Leon, and to the awesome reader-folk Glenn, Dayle, Svend, Fraser and the lovely Laura.
4 thoughts on “Straight To Video”
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Sad that I had to work 🙁
But glad it went well for you 🙂
Very brave thing to bare a piece of work to the public vulnerability like that. I admire that in you. Was Svend reading the part of a maniacal evil genius? Or an eccentric billionare with a compulsive twitch?
When I’m critiqueing kids’ work for them they sometimes get very protective of it. But I try to remind them that I’m only commenting on the bits that I know they could do better and I tend to be more finicky about pieces that have real potential. Besides, ‘real’ writers spend hours/weeks/months/years crafting work until it’s just right (or at least useable in some way). Teaching them to not be satisfied with a first draft is hard work.
If it’s beyond repair I don’t comment nearly as much. For some of ’em it’s a personal milestone to reach the word limit and paragraph a bit 🙂
Kate: Svend was cast as a sort-of God-in-the-machine figure. Not far off your suggestions, but in a different direction entirely 🙂
And, yeah, totally. Creative work is almost always a really primal expression of self. I’ve become kinda resistant to the ego-danger in criticism of my creative stuff, simply because I’ve been through that cycle so many times, but it is always at least a little nervewracking. And sometimes, even after all these years, it’s terrifying. This being a perfect case of that!
Intrigued by Lynne’s novel, btw. You must tell me of it sometime.
It was certainly an interesting experience. If you were daunted by exposing your work to the public, I was the same about reading a play in front of a bunch of theatre people. I’m just a roleplayer, man! 😉