No-one would ever say that
Brains gently boiling in the sun as I listen to the Aussies being seriously challenged by England in the one day series after their humiliation at the hands of Bangladesh. The game is cricket, for those who may be at sea.
There is to be an organ donor special episode of 'Casualty' for organ donor week - don't ask me when that is. I was interviewed on Friday for the part of the father of a cystic fibrosis victim waiting for a heart and lung transplant.
Following on from the rage of the last post I find myself - after fifteen minutes studying some scenes - blubbing in front of a camera and two people I have never met before. This is in no small measure due to an exceedingly WELL WRITTEN SCRIPT. Actors are always moaning about TV scripts and often feel - true or not - that they are having to make a script work rather than being supported by it. TV drama is not real life and sometimes one finds oneself speaking either subtext or exposition in order to make the drama move forward. This is sometimes a bad thing and sometimes it isn't. It seems to me that if you make too many rules then you're bound to be wrong sooner or later.
Quality of writing however, whether subtextual, obtuse or expositional has its effect on performance and it doesn't matter if "no-one would ever say that". Good writing has an indefinable feeling of truthfulness about it which puts one closely in touch with the ideas and feelings to be expressed.
I discovered during the miners' strike in '84 when I was doing some research for 'The Garden Of England' - a staged documentary directed by Peter Gill at the National, that when people were in a state of passion they became extremely eloquent and more and more sophisticated in their use of the language. Particularly, brilliant use of parentheses, juggling several parts of an idea and drawing them down when required to get the whole picture across - because it was important. I read swathes of transcribed, recorded interviews which never failed to touch the heart because the subject matter, the feeling and the intention all came together because of the need to express it all. I'm sure there was plenty of stuff in there that "no-one would ever say". If only one could bottle it.
Anyway I was sent on my way blinking into the White City sun feeling a little dishragged and a bit surprised but not unhappy with the interview. This acting lark can still sneak up and give you a poke when you're not expecting it.
There is to be an organ donor special episode of 'Casualty' for organ donor week - don't ask me when that is. I was interviewed on Friday for the part of the father of a cystic fibrosis victim waiting for a heart and lung transplant.
Following on from the rage of the last post I find myself - after fifteen minutes studying some scenes - blubbing in front of a camera and two people I have never met before. This is in no small measure due to an exceedingly WELL WRITTEN SCRIPT. Actors are always moaning about TV scripts and often feel - true or not - that they are having to make a script work rather than being supported by it. TV drama is not real life and sometimes one finds oneself speaking either subtext or exposition in order to make the drama move forward. This is sometimes a bad thing and sometimes it isn't. It seems to me that if you make too many rules then you're bound to be wrong sooner or later.
Quality of writing however, whether subtextual, obtuse or expositional has its effect on performance and it doesn't matter if "no-one would ever say that". Good writing has an indefinable feeling of truthfulness about it which puts one closely in touch with the ideas and feelings to be expressed.
I discovered during the miners' strike in '84 when I was doing some research for 'The Garden Of England' - a staged documentary directed by Peter Gill at the National, that when people were in a state of passion they became extremely eloquent and more and more sophisticated in their use of the language. Particularly, brilliant use of parentheses, juggling several parts of an idea and drawing them down when required to get the whole picture across - because it was important. I read swathes of transcribed, recorded interviews which never failed to touch the heart because the subject matter, the feeling and the intention all came together because of the need to express it all. I'm sure there was plenty of stuff in there that "no-one would ever say". If only one could bottle it.
Anyway I was sent on my way blinking into the White City sun feeling a little dishragged and a bit surprised but not unhappy with the interview. This acting lark can still sneak up and give you a poke when you're not expecting it.
posted by Rod at 3:57 pm
5 Comments:
I raise my glass to well-written scripts, this balmy night, and to Kevin Pietersen, that red-blooded Englishman. What a great listen that was. CMJ was almost in tears. They don't like it up 'em, Mr.Mainwaring.
Sounds great Rod. 3 cheers for the well written script. And pleased you also got a surprise poke. (acting wise) Always nice.
Rod, i hope you are allright !
Thinking of you and all in London...
Rod, seconding Dorothy's concern. Hope you and yours are ok.
Thanks so much for your concern. I am fine and so are all loved ones. One or two near misses amongst acquaintances. I am taken back to Birmingham, my home town, in the seventies when the IRA were in the most indiscriminate phase of their campaign, killing young innocents.
I feel very much a part of London now and there is a subtle feeling of undemonstrative respect for others on the streets right now and I am not talking about stiff upper anything or the blitz spirit but something much more refined. Will be posting very shortly.
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