With the festive season (and all the family going down with flu) now a dim and distant memory, my thoughts have turned fully to Return to Earth (R2E). The second draft is slowly, much more slowly that I’d like, coming together, mainly because;

a) I’ve been working on a host of potential money-making ideas in order to at least part-fund R2E. More details of these to follow in future posts…

b) I’m having to do loads of research to make sure my ideas for R2E are realistic. I can’t abide Sci-Fi that ignores the laws of physics. An occasional bending of the rules for narrative brevity or style I can live with, but blatant disregard is right out.

and c) I had this great idea that I should take it upon myself to see how practical it would be to adapt Sir Terry Pratchett’s ‘The Wee Free Men’*.

But, pre-production on R2E rolls ever onwards – I’ve now got myself a provisional Cinematographer and Editor in the shape of the inimitable Will Docherty (@mejo).  We met up at Tuttle a couple of Friday’s ago to chew the cud and talk all things film, tech and geek (with the very tall Derek Mantle (@delboydare)).  A good time was had by all.

I’ve also had my nose deep in Adam Davies and Nicol Wistrechs’ Film Finance Handbook: How to Fund Your Film, which, quite frankly, if you want to make films and haven’t read can only mean that you’re a complete dimwit hell bent on financial ruin**. The book is an absolute goldmine of useful info. Buy it! Read it! Now!

In other news; there’s a rather useful resource page of the top 100 blogs for film and theatre students, and this humble blog has been selected along with the likes of John Augusts and Fun Joel to be on there. Chuffed to pieces I was when I got the e-mail telling me. If you’re here from clicking through from that page, welcome!

* Because Sir Terry is reported to have been less than impressed in the draft that Sam Raimi’s screenwriter came up with, and I’m convinced it can’t be that hard to do – he follows the STC! formula almost to the letter.

** The same could be argued if you still want to make films after you’ve read it! Ah, the Indie spirit…