Tuesday 27 June 2006

Cheltenham anyone?

Well, I'm packing my bags and off to the Cheltenham Screenwriting Festival for a few days. Very exciting. My little treat to myself.

If you're going to be there too, Reader (either of you), come and find me and introduce yourself.

Writing has taken a back seat over the last week or so as I settle in to my new job at the Financial Services Authority. But I have just completed a (hopefully) final rewrite of the Scene by Scene for Doctors. And the contract is in the process of being sorted. So, hopefully, when I get back from Cheltenham I'll be able to get down to writing the actual script. Apparently we've got until the end of September to get it right, and they'll be shooting in November for transmission in February.

5 comments:

Lianne said...

I hope the professional days turn out to me more useful than the new writer day apparently was. Do keep us posted.

Tim Clague said...

Paul,

Got to your page through Danny Stack. I'll be checking it out. Odd question for you though! What do you do at the FSA? A writer with financial services knowledge may be of use. tim@projectorfilms.com

Paul Campbell said...

Hi Tim

Good to see you here.

Erm... the FSA as a useful source of knowledge/inspiration? Maybe, but I haven't been convinced so far!

It's just folks in open plan offices. I think someone's done that.

As for the subject matter. Well, I've thought about using it, but the details of financial shenanigans are actually pretty tedious, which is why no thriller plot ever focuses on the details I suppose. I did once consider asking for inside knowledge on the Bank of England vaults for a heist movie I was outlining (various people at the FSA are ex-Bank staff), but I thought it just looked suspicious. And, anyway, it would have been asking them to do something unprofessional - so I didn't ask.

What do I do there? Well, currently I'm working in the MiFID Implementation Office. You did ask!

Lianne said...

So are we going to get a full report on the festival Paul? I want to know what I missed out on!

Paul Campbell said...

Hi Opti

Yes you will. But Danny's set the standard so high I feel it needs to be more than half a paragraph of vague impressions.

When I get the chance, I'll sit down and write you a full report.