pow wow

This was really supposed to be a post called 'shift' but I don't know what happened to that one - I mislaid it - maybe it got sucked into the recycle bin or fell into a crack behind the sofa. But anyway, things shifted - so it doesn't matter now..

On to work in progress - the weekend pow wow - was basically all about them talking me into doing a massive amount of firming-up-the-story, re-writing work for the next month or so. Unpaid. I know I've blogged about this script, but really it's just been sitting in a drawer for the last while, incubating. Always good to put work aside and think about it in the abstract. And talk brings the story back to life - I can sense how much better it can be. So I'm fired up again.

Each script is different to write - and the problems have to be solved in different ways. Sometimes I draw charts, or lists, bullet points or even 'ballet points' as someone mentioned somewhere recently. I like that idea - ballet to give it 'a light lift.'
But right now I'm arc-ing characters by writing a little summary of where they're at, at the end of each act. It's going to be so good.

Sad news. One of the writers lined up to contribute to this jazz book - John Matshikiza died from a heart attack yesterday, aged just 53. He was a one-off, a perspicacious, snarky wit, tuned into the schizoid intersection of SA life. I encountered his acting in London with the RSC, years before I ever arrived on these shores and read his M&G columns. RIP.

Laters.

Jazz

A couple of people emailed to ask - so here's a brief overview on the jazz photo book.

'Ijazz' will celebrate nearly a century of South African jazz and include never-before-seen images researched and collected from across South Africa and beyond as well as essays from established photo documentarists.

Ijazz will portray distinct phases of South Africa's jazz history - from the early years and segregation - to developments in swing and township jazz under early apartheid government, on to jazz explosion - with the political catalyst of the Sharpeville massacre etc. Divergent lives and experiences of South Africa's jazz 'exiles' and jazz 'insiders' will be examined. Finally Ijazz takes a look at SA jazz since the advent of democracy. Photographs will be accompanied by three short authored texts.

Screenwriting thoughts to resume shortly. Laters