I’ve spent the past four nights up ’til the early hours reloading and configuring my PC. But rather than install Windows XP, I’m following my conviction that we can make the short for as little possible, so I investigated the idea of using Linux.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is some seriously good editing and effects stuff availble for Linux, namely Cinelerra for editing and compositing and Cinepaint for, well, painting… and they are both free!

So, much to my wife’s annoyance, the Windows system is gone forever (well, until I realise there’s a bit of Windows software I just can’t live without) and we now are the proud owners of a fantastic Fedora Core 3 system.

It’s taken some time to get my head back into Linux mode (I’ve been playing with it on and off for years, but never enough to remember what I did last time), and there are a few bugs with the DV capture which I’ve spent this evening figuring workarounds for, but beyond that, I’m really pleased with it.

But now they are sorted, I just have to figure out how the hell Cinelerra and Cinepaint work (RTFM would be a good start) and we’re flying.

On the screenplay front, Nicola has made some excellent suggestions for improving Secret Thoughts… which I will finish off in the next day or so now I’ve got the Linux bugs quashed for the time being.

Nicola and I were chatting the other day on the fab Yahoo Groups thing I’ve set up to help us organise the short, and she suggested that perhaps I was putting too much direction in. At first, when she said this, I balked and thought to myself that she was quite mad. I knew as well as anyone you didn’t write directions (even if you are going to be the director).

But when she pointed out what she meant I realised that while I wasn’t specifically telling the director how to shoot the film, I’d still fallen into the trap of trying to tell the actors what they are thinking.

This, as Judith Weston would point out, would lead to Result Directing, and makes for a flaccid result lacking in character and depth. Then I remembered something I’d thought when I read the screenplay for Pulp Fiction – that it was all dialogue. At time I didn’t think much of it, but now I’m beginning to see the genius of it, and understand some deeper concepts about subtext.

Thing is, now I’ve got myself all confused about how much detail you should put into a script. I guess the obvious answer is only that which can be seen and heard by the camera. The trick being to convey subtext and internal conflicts and emotions through these actions and dialogue without making it sound like exposition or look dishonest.

I always thought I’d got the concept of ‘show, don’t tell’, looks like I missed the mark somewhat. Suddenly this whole thing just got a whole lot more difficult.

“Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhh me head!” said Andy, who had not been heard from since 31st January…*

I’ve been studying and reading so hard recently. I don’t think I worked this hard when I was at college.

Judith Weston’s book is an absolute goldmine of information. I keep reading and rereading the pages to suck as much out of them as I can. I’m also deep into Directing Cinematic Motion by Steven Katz, which is also giving me much pause for thought.

I realised that I still hadn’t put enough effort into the characters of the short, so I’ve made a start at planning the first draft of the feature length screenplay that the short is a prequel to. Already I’m seeing layers of depth of character I can add.

I had a period a week or so ago where I suddenly thought, “shit, I’m right out of my depth here… I don’t think I can do it.” But just studying and thinking things through and planning has helped me a lot, and I already feel a lot more confident about the whole idea of producing this short.

I’ve got more people excited about the script now, which has gone through several more iterations, but I’m still not happy at all with the ending. I think the goal for this week will be to get that tight.

Also, I still haven’t heard anything from Ken’s son-in-law’s brother, so perhaps that project may not come to pass. I think I can still make the Ken Colley link anyway, so I’m not too fussed. It sounded kinda interesting though…

Oh yeah, I have made a promise to myself that within four years I’ll get an invite to the BAFTA’s! Big up to Chalie Kaufman for getting best screenwriter, well deserved if you ask me. He’s certainly someone whose levels of creativity I aspire to.

And now in true BAFTA Award winning Vera Drake stylee, I’m off for a cuppa… lovely.

* One for all you Rankin fans out there…