Wednesday 16 April 2008

My Very Own Casualty - nearly

OK. Been a bit quiet here on Scriptuality recently. Let's just say that when I'm doing really well I like to crow about it. Well, why not?

So, a silent Blog speaks volumes. Casualty is proving a tough nut to crack.


But enough of that. Let me tell you about what happened to me today (because a bit of procrastination never did anyone any harm).

I had a Casualty script meeting here in Bromley because my lovely script editor kindly agreed to come here instead of me going all the way down to Bristol again. Twenty minutes after our intriguing discussions about the need for a completely new B story came to a conclusion, I was walking home through the leafy suburban streets of Bromley when I heard an enormous bang. Actually, make that an enormous BANG ! ! !

I looked up to see a car cartwheeling down the middle of the street. The underside was facing me - you know, the bit that's meant to be right down there near the road. It was vertical. And bouncing. And sort of twisting. And coming in my direction.

Well, OK, maybe not directly my direction. And I could see that the extra energy it had got from bouncing off that tree was beginning to run out. It was never going to get as far as me. Probably. Right before it fell, exhausted, back down onto what was left of its wheels, it kinked a tad to the right and ended up ten yards from me in the middle of the road, a write-off. The other car, also written off, was 30 yards ahead of me where the driver had been trying to pull out before she was hit.

Everyone was OK. Minor bruise for the cartwheeler, abrasions on face and arm from the airbag for the girl in the other car. But she was well shaken up. He was too, but he put on a good show. And there's me, first on the scene, running from one to the other checking them out, doing the reassuring bit while others called emergency services etc. We ended up with three fire engines, two ambulances and a police car. All very exciting.

For a brief moment I thought I had a brand new B story. But, truth to tell, it wouldn't have cut the mustard. Just like the rest of my stories.

11 comments:

Lucy V said...

Typical writer, something major happens and the first thing they think is it's a good story! I'm the same though, I'm always filing stuff away for future ref: my children's traumas, arguments with my husband, etc etc. You never know!

Put my application in for the Academy on Monday Paul - first day and all that. I would like an interview this year, I never even got through the bloody door last year, *sigh*.

Good luck with Casualty!

Piers said...

You can do it. Rah rah rah!

What we really need is to send you virtual cheerleaders.

Oli said...

Stuff that's amazing/dangerous/awesome in real life doesn't play in teleland.

William Goldman said that the bravest thing anyone could do in real life is what Stallone does before the opening credits.

Also, Piers: was your last photo of an entirely different person?

Gareth Michael Turpie said...

Come on Paul. You can do it!

No one said it was going to be easy...if it was we'd all have our stories on the telly.
Striaght away.
No long waits for the reply that doesn't come.
Or when it does it says "NO" in a hundred different ways.
See, anything worthwhile is hard.

Gareth Michael Turpie said...

P.S.- Good luck with your application Luce!

p.s.p.s.- Piers! Who's that in your photo???

potdoll said...

Hi Paul,

At the bbc thing the other night Mathew G and Ashley P were saying that some great writers tried out for Life on Mars and it didn't quite work out because they just didn't suit that show/format. It didn't mean they were suddenly not great writers. You are probably more suited to a different show. Good luck. x

Piers said...

Good grief Oli, not you as well.

Apparently growing a beard is the new plastic surgery.

Near by said...

since everyone's wading in with advice here I might as well join in...

Maybe after writing that 'groundbreaker' episode - it's hard to get excited nuts and bolts..

Anonymous said...

by

:)

Suw said...

Don't be disheartened, Paul. Keep at it and, as some bloke said whilst we were engaged in a bit of a national scrap: never give in, never give in, never give in.

We're all out here rooting for you!!

Paul Campbell said...

Thanks, everyone.

I'm still at it, fighting on the beaches etc. I will never surrender!