Reel Talk - January 2025
I suppose a Happy New Year is in order. January 2025 still hasn’t sunk in. The world may be spiralling, but I’m constantly reminded of the good. At an event I’ll get to in a bit, Marcus Ryder, Chief Executive Officer of The Film and TV Charity, brought us back to ancient Athens, and how democracy arose out of storytelling. Theatre specifically at the time, but I’d argue even before then, in the scenes on cave walls, storytelling defined our beliefs and gave a chance for people to see their points of view represented.
Tangentially related this month was seeing so many wonderful entertainers coming together and raising money for their home, LA, for wildfire relief efforts. They contributed the way they do best, with a nine hour telethon. I think for them, like for me, entertaining, telling stories, is a way to cope. And if I can help one other person cope, then that’s mission accomplished.
So, I’m still here, telling stories. And in these monthly updates, telling my story I suppose. That’s not a typo in this newsletter’s title as you’ll see. I’m shifting the format slightly this year, more stats-y. Here we go…
Things I did
After the Christmas decks came down and a few new Lego sets were built, the first exciting thing this month came when the music video I acted in was shared with me. I wrote a little about the experience last month. But I couldn’t be prepared for the amazing film the team made, and the surreal nature of watching myself act(?). I normally hate seeing myself on camera. Maybe it’s because I love the song and the team brought it to life so perfectly. I’ll let you decide.
Please watch and enjoy this insight into my staircase and bedroom in the first minute (and the amazing video too). But also please don’t share it around beyond here. I’m very thankful the director gave me permission to share it.
If you remember what I wrote last month about some pick up shots, it was that neck-smearing scene…
…which required a second day’s filming.
Midway through this month, I revisited Ealing Studios where I attended a six-month screenwriting course at MetFilm School. It was a little to surreal to be back. Since that course finished in March 2023, a lot has changed for me. The collaborative experience, expertise and confidence that course gave me propelled me forwards into everything that's come since.
(Link to my insta post with photos of frosty Walpole Park.)
Anyway, I was ‘on campus’ for an event called Make it Reel, which was a series of incredible talks by varying industry professionals from true crime to children's animation to podcasts and festivals. I learned a lot, and also learned I’m just… better at talking to people? I met so many lovely talented people, who were actually interested in my writing(!?). And I caught up with three friends from the course, which was great after all that time.
A week later, I was back in London for another film-related event, but first headed to the National Gallery, my first time there in almost a decade.
(Link to my insta post with more of my favourite imagery.)
That evening, I headed to Selfridges for the third instalment of the Screen Players Film Club. The cinema in there was amazing, but not as much as the fantastic film Nowhere Boy, about John Lennon’s youth. I won’t go into the rollercoaster behind the scenes story of the film here, but it was fantastic to chat to Charlotte Bogard Macleod and Dan Smith after the interview with the film’s director…
The month finished off with a third inspiring event, but not onscreen, on stage! I managed to get the below photo on that previous trip.
The play was amazing. Brie Larson especially perfectly executed her role and lengthy monologues and the chorus were incredible. This was my first Greek play, but due to researching the Trojan War, I actually followed that this was a spin-off of sorts. It was the modernising that made this stand out for me, though, the choreography.
Beyond the acting and singing, it was the elements on the stripped-back stage that enthralled me in the madness of the character. From the revolving stage and black paint sprayer (which attacked costume and rising and falling curtain alike), to the repeated actions after some words were mentioned. A knock after every mention of her murdered father, a chest slap or spit whenever certain characters’ names were said, and best of all, the million ways Brie could sing/shout no, even into three different modulated mikes or with feedback from speakers. There was even a glowing blue blimp whenever Apollo was prayed to.
Things I wrote
This newsletter…
I wrote the intros at least for two more fantastic editions of A Long Time Ago… This month’s featured two incredible Star Wars authors (and so much more). I’m very grateful for their thought-provoking contributions.
A Long Time Ago… with Chris Kempshall
A Long Time Ago… with Lydia Kang
It was also a great (and sadly final - the site’s closed as of the end of the day, though the URLs will stay up. Still, read these while you can!) month at Vlogger Beat.
DanTDM launches a new weekly radio show on Classic FM
This was such a welcome surprise when I heard about it. If you’ve read any of these newsletters before, you’ll know my connection with Dan. He gave me the opportunity to explore my writing passion, so the least I could do was try and spread the word of his new way of sharing both his music and video game passions.
YouTubers partner with film and TV stars for LA wildfire relief telethon
I mentioned this a little earlier, but this was such a big event that it seemed no one was talking about except one Deadline article that had the details of the dozens of big names. I put a personal and more content-creator-focussed spin on it. You can still donate here and have your donation matched by Josh Brolin (I think).
Everything we learned from the Quad Squad’s visit to the FNAF 2 movie set
This was a great way to end my time on the site, writing about the amazing exploits of four more YouTubers whose content I soaked up for a decade. I’ve met ¾ of the squad twice. I was so pleased for them to visit the set, and for me to be able to write about everyone I pitched when I joined the Vlogger Beat team last year…
Meanwhile, DMs are Open, the BBC Radio 4 sketch show, had open calls over a three week period following a Teams meeting with two producers and the show’s host, Stevie Martin. So, I wrote six 2-3 page sketches, and edited another six. It was my first time writing both radio and pure comedy - ‘twas very fun. Fingers crossed!
‘Twas also fun channelling my passion for history, and specifically North Leigh Roman Villa where I volunteer. I wrote two PR pieces for the local/English Heritage volunteer group to go out to local news outlets.
Our first PR message of the year (which I didn’t have a part in but I’ll share) went out on the local BBC news!
Roman mosaic floor on display after refurbishments
On the ongoing projects, we moved onto full script on the video game of which I’m lead writer, I pitched about ten things in the books/comics space and reworked my synopsis and query for a fresh batch in the trenches, with amazing feedback from an author I met at Make it Reel and some kind folks online in various discord communities.
Things I gained
This month’s comics delivery saw the Ahsoka adaptation almost concluded, as well as the second four-parter in Alex Segura’s fantastic Battle of Jakku maxi series. I can’t wait to see how Alex continues the story of Luke, Leia and Han post-Jakku and so into the years following Return of the Jedi. If I wasn’t excited enough already about that and the future of Star Wars comics from writers like Marc Guggenheim and Charles Soule, then this excellent interview by Star Wars Explained sealed the deal
I was very happy to snag a copy of Future’s Edge by Gareth L. Powell before it’s even supposed to be out! Saint Seducing Gold is the second in (what will be) the fantastic trilogy by Brittany N. Williams, a historical fantasy that brings the fae to Shakespearian London. The Rivers of London book I just had to get for the insight into the comics-making process from a top team (the sale didn’t hurt, either!). Each double page has the script and some inked panels on the left, then the full coloured pages without balloons (speech bubbles) on the right. The programme for Elektra has some lovely features with the cast and essays in that I’ll dive into soon!
I’m very grateful Bad Egg publishing saved a few copies of their New York Comic Con exclusive covers by Sweeney Boo and Jim Mahfood for jacksepticeye’s ALTRVERSE, and that they managed to get them here to complete my collection. I covered the gorgeous covers on Vlogger Beat without knowing if I’d ever get them. Well worth the wait!
Thanks very much for following along. See you next month!