Where to start? The girl James is supposedly stalking introducing her boyfriend to him? The college media department head telling us how alcohol is a great remedy for exam-marking blues? The Hereford Times reporter who’s doing a piece on us in tomorrow’s edition randomly showing up and knowing who I was without me ever having met her?
No, I shall start by explaining that James and I had a really good three hour meeting at The Courtyard (where else?) in which we discussed the 2nd draft of the script, the funding proposal and the locations. James has completed the first dozen pages of a second draft, which shows a great improvement in the scenes between Joe, his best friend and the girl he likes. James has written the scenes with an energy and naturalism that will really make the scene feel like you’re hanging out with your mates. I had a third wave of notes for changes to incorporate into the rest of the second draft, mainly on sorting out a few little plot points, but also on adding some character scenes about two thirds of the way through the film, followed immediately by some action/FX cutaways. The more I think about it, the more I think this film might be quite unique in the way it gives the action and the romance such equal importance.
We also went through the script and listed all the settings we would need, and jotted down some thoughts on what locations we might use. Both James and I are keen to use locations which are (a) modern, to get away from the obvious gothic imagery normally associated with this kind of fantasy subject, and (b) have lots of nice lights. Neon strips, fluorescent tubes, strings of white bulbs, great big coloured spotlights blasting across fronts of buildings – it’s all good. We’d also like to use layered locations, ie. places with balconies, tiers, catwalks etc. for extra dynamics in the action. And those Bulmers vats are SO getting the Oseman action treatment.
The other thing we discussed was the funding proposal – essentially a dolled-up letter to send to potential funders outlining the project, its benefits to the community, potential for training young people, the previous experience and achievements of its hairy instigators (that would me and James, then). I’ve designed a cover for it using some of the sketches and storyboards featured on this site, and James has drafted the text.
Amongst the never-ending cavalcade of familiar faces that seems to parade past us whenever we go anywhere was Doug, who we talked briefly to about doing some A3 production drawings in the manga stylee, complete with little frames along the bottom showing the preceding and subsequent shots. Just imagine how good the hypothetical “Art of Soul Searcher” book will be….