D’oh! The hills remain closed. Still, the government assure us the situation is getting better, etc, etc. Anyway, I’m still avoiding worrying about anything on the production side of things yet. The script is now on draft 4b (yes, it’s got to the Super-numerical Draft Designation stage), and having just sat down and read it from start to finish for the first time since draft 1, I’m pleasantly surprised. It still needs a little extra something in the last act, but it’s very nearly there.

Okay. Script feedback. The main conclusion is: first half good; second half pants. It has become clear that Act III needs to go right out the window, since it’s just a sequence of random (and very expensive) action scenes. What it needs, says the Rickster, is a twist. What it needs, he continues, as I nod in wholehearted agreement, is to not be like every other action film, where by the halfway mark you know exactly what’s going to happen. What it needs, Rick implies, is for me to sit around trying to think of something cool and completely unexpected to happen round about the 90 minute mark. Cue lots of sitting around, and thinking about just about everything under the sun but cool and completely unexpected things. Still, lots of bill-paying work at the moment to take my mind off it (um, cos that’s a good thing) and to pay for some much needed look-nice-o-matic accessories, such as some graduated filters and a telephoto lens. The best thing I’ve heard all month is: the Malvern Hills are going to be reopened soon (curse you FMD, for making my country this way).