When Life Imitates Art

Is it possible to predict the future? A lot of us do it everyday. But you don't have to be clairvoyant to think that you might be hungry at some point during your four-hour train journey, or that you might need to pee at some point during the endless experience that is Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, (so go easy on the Pepsi, and relieve yourself before the onslaught.) These are logical projections based on the known facts, and as such, they make us quite adept at seeing into the future.

Then there's the other stuff, the creepier stuff, the stuff that you have to either write off as coincidence, or else shrug your shoulders and admit that You Don't Know.

My family and friends were very understanding when I admitted I was freaked out about the number 333 following me around everywhere. "But why?!" I protested. "This means something!"

I say "understanding" - in reality they must have thought I was mad. Until, of course, my 3rd girlfriend broke up with me on the 33rd day of our relationship, and the train that I took to meet her was numbered 0333. Did they think I was mad then, huh?!

Probably. But - it served as a great inspiration for Life on Earth Retold, a film I shot in 2011. I thought it would be nice to pepper the number 33 throughout the narrative, in a sort of Doctor Who / Bad Wolf kind of way, to give an arc to the labyrinthine plot. And I think it worked. It served its purpose. It gave my relatives something to talk about.

What I cannot reconcile, though, is how life has proceeded to imitate art following the film's DVD release. How does one come to terms with the fact that the film is about a clinically depressed Christian who decides to commit suicide, when my Christian friend committed suicide shortly after the film's release, and he was the minister of the church we filmed in? Or the fact that the scene where Sadie's mum dies of cancer was written on the same day that Lis Sladen died of cancer, whose daughter was called Sadie? Or the fact that one of the characters, Spike Ombre, has Marco Polo saved on his desktop - a missing TV serial which has since turned up, (probably.) Or the fact that the word Birchwood, which is also peppered throughout the film, is now the hometown of one of its cast members?

In the interests of sanity, it's probably best to apply the Coincidence label, which is what I did. I'm a devout Christian, and I'm not superstitious. Seriously.

But then I made the mistake of writing my first proper book, Lady Don't Fall Backwards! I must admit I was tempted to drift into the realms of superstition when I noticed that real people were dying all around me, (ironic for a book about a serial killer.) Blimey, I had to keep stopping to in order to grieve. In fact, there had been three fatalities by the time I'd finished. Yes, three. Three, three, three, (no, stop it!) Two people and a cat, to be precise.

Intriguingly, the two men who died were both born in 1948. And it's a very terrifying day when you realise that the book you're writing is also set in 1948, but a slightly better day when you realise that the same can't possibly apply to your cat, the resplendent Professor Tiggs, as he was born in August 2000! Phew.

That is, until you realise that he was exactly 12 when he died, and that 12 cat years is the equivalent of 64 human years, so he would have been born in, err... 1948!

Anyway, once the book was finished, I stopped killing people and life returned to normal. I even included my token 'Birchwood' reference for good luck, (it was a seamy back alley in Flushing, NY - Birchwood Avenue. Look it up in Chapter 18!) How coincidental, then, that the lady who arranged the book's publication lived on... Birchwood Road! Oh Lord.

Now, I know what you're thinking. BIRCHWOOD is at the heart of this isn't it!

So, let's translate BIRCHWOOD into a series of numbers corresponding to each letter's position in the alphabet! (Because that's the only way you get anything done these days.) B-I-R-C-H-W-O-O-D translates into 2-9-18-3-8-23-15-15-4. I'll scoot past the fact that this sequence contains the numbers 1-9-4-8 (sort of) and bring you to one heart-stopping, breath-taking conclusion... If you join the 2 and the 9, and then the 3 and the 8, and if you use the number 15 just once, do you know what you've got?

This Saturday's lottery numbers! You're welcome.

Aaron Price: Thoughts from the Writing Desk

This month, writer Aaron Price shares some thoughts on the creative process, and his work on Skerratt Media's upcoming animated series The Trimmings...

Hi, readers! I’m Aaron and I’m a freelance writer. I’m also friends with Skerratt Media Captain, Alex. Last year, I had a great time co-writing some of the episodes for CITV’s Sooty Show with Alex. So when he asked me to write some episodes for Skerratt Media’s latest project, I couldn’t refuse!

The opening shot from one of Aaron's episodes

For the past three months, I have been busy thinking up ideas and drafting scripts for The Trimmings. If you haven’t seen Alex’s previous blogs, The Trimmings is a ‘lost’ children’s animation from the late 1950s. The animation revolves around three friends (a bottle, mug and a wooden spoon!) going on bizarre adventures! And dedicated TV fans are on the hunt to find these missing episodes, (all fictitious of course!)

Let me tell you how my writing normally works. It’s similar to school revision. I take my laptop and a drink up to my desk in the early evening, ready to make a start on it. I then decide to have a quick look on Facebook for two minutes. It’s then 2am and I realise I still haven’t done what I was meant to start seven hours ago! But this didn’t happen on this project, I was really excited for it and when I had one idea, I couldn’t wait to finish it so I could move on to the next one!

When I said to Alex that I was interested, he sent me the completed video of the first episode and the script to the second episode which was in development and I loved both of them and felt that I understood the characters well enough to make a start right away. I suggested some episode ideas to him which we both liked and I went off and drafted my first script (all before 2am!) and that’s how it’s worked for the rest of the episodes I wrote. Making my work a total of 3 x 5 minute episodes! Each episode has had a few drafts with suggestions added in by myself and Alex. Alex asked me to make the stories as bizarre as possible, and I think it’s worked! (A cheese shop in space, meeting a welsh octopus and Bottle as a princess says it all!)

So look out for Skerratt Media’s first ever animation series hitting the web very soon. Don’t forget to check out our website www.thetrimmings.co.uk and follow us on Twitter for the latest updates from Cardboard Land!

The Trimmings Website Launches!

The website for Skerratt Media's first animated project has gone live! This will act as the main 'hub' for all 10 episodes of The Trimmings, which are currently in development at a top secret location, (Menston, five minutes from the Co-op, just behind Harry Corbett's 'workshop'!)

Although these episodes will also be available via the Skerratt Media site, I wanted them to have their own 'home,' mainly because of the backstory I'm building into the project.

The premise is that these are 'lost' episodes of an old television classic, and there is a hunt being carried out by dedicated film collectors to track them down. Over the next few months, there will be videos, interviews, photographs and status updates from the missing episode hunters, as they struggle to salvage the elusive prints of a bygone age!

All made-up, of course, but unashamedly so. I am really striving for authenticity with these animated episodes, and I want them to look as if they've been gathering dust in someone's shed for the last 50 years.

In a way, I wish there actually was an intrepid team scouring the nation's lofts, because it would mean I could sit back and sip lemon Fanta through a straw while somebody else did all the hard work! As it turns out, I'm actually trudging through the animation process at a glacial pace, painstakingly piecing these strange stories together one frame at a time.

That said, it's going well. The first three episodes have now been completed, and production has just begun on Episode Four. When the full set will actually be completed is anyone's guess, but I will shout loudly when it is!

So, stay tuned to www.thetrimmings.co.uk over the next few months, and follow our new Twitter feed for all the latest 'missing episode' developments: @The_Trimmings

Feeling Animated

Starting a new project is a bit like falling in love. There's the fascination, and the rush, and the excitement. You learn new things about one another. You can't wait for them to meet your family and friends. Every second you're with them is charged, blessed. And you miss them when they're not there.

Inevitably, these feelings evolve over time, and what you're left with is dedication, commitment, and a mutual appreciation of one another, (I'm told.) The good days are good and the bad days are bad. You can no longer apply the rose-tinted filter. Yet you're constantly reminded of why you fell in love in the first place.

One of the episodes is set in... Cardboard Paris!

Please excuse the slightly pretentious analogy, but it's genuinely how I feel about this latest venture. In April, I splashed cold water in my face, shut myself in my bedroom, stayed in my pyjamas, watched Dad's Army, and vowed to sort my life out and not be sucked into anymore absurd projects.

Then I saw an episode of The Magic Roundabout, and my heart fluttered. "They just don't make stuff like this anymore," I said to myself, a nostalgic glint in my eye. "I wonder if it's possible to do in Adobe After Effects...?"

I hauled my weary bones over to my desk, fired up my computer, (she's called River), and began tinkering. My initial idea was to create a world set at the bottom of a waste paper basket, with old pens, pencils and scraps of paper as my main characters. There were also trees that dropped pencil shavings, and a floor made out of crumpled envelopes.

There was only one problem with this idea. It looked pants! So I had a re-think, and decided to input some photos of the boxes that my Lady Don't Fall Backwards books came in. I used these as my 'base' for everything else - the trees, the sky, the clouds, and then, finally, my characters, who walked fully-formed into my head. (Although one of them is a tartan Scottish mug called Hamish, so perhaps I was just being shamelessly stereotypical...!)

How to sum up this trippy world I've created? It's kind of The Magic Roundabout meets Button Moon meets Mr Benn meets The Woodentops. It's been crafted in the style of an old children's show from the late 1950s, so it has all the film dirt and the hiss and the crackle, with the 'puppet strings' unashamedly on show.

But why did it remind me of falling in love? I guess because when I 'discovered' the idea, I felt an excitement and a passion that totally possessed me. And now, a couple of months in, yes, the feelings have changed somewhat; I'm very aware of the bad days, when River just isn't playing ball, and will render 2 minute-long sequences WITHOUT the audio, and like it that way! But I'm committed now. I will take a bullet for this project!

So - expect 10 x 5 minute episodes with you no time soon, but definitely in the distant future.

More info to come!

Seriously, it's just like a marriage.

Sooty: Fitness Funatic DVD

Please note: the DVD is from Abbey Home Media, not Skerratt Media! But Skerratt Media's CEO and, erm, sole employee, contributed to its contents...

Deary me, I'm incredibly late to this party aren't I - this DVD's been out for a while! The first batch of episodes from Sooty Series 2, and I haven't even blogged about it. Honestly, I never believe people when they say they've been too busy to write, (there's always time to do something if you really want to do it, that's what I always say!) but in this instance, it's absolutely true. Up until last Friday, I was

Love the cover of this one!

doing 7 jobs. 7! I didn't even think that were possible, not without Holly Turner's time machine / Doc Brown's flux capacitor / Hermione's time-turner at any rate. As it transpires, provided you're nifty with your temporal management, it's "totes doable, man!" At one stage I was even pre-scheduling emails to automatically go out to people at specific times, whilst I was somewhere else doing something completely unrelated. Oh how I chortled! But - you can't maintain that kind of lifestyle ad infinitum. It's insane! So I've had a long, hard look at myself and decreed "No More...!"

Hence, I now only do 6 jobs! So I can write this long overdue blog! Hello.

What to say about Sooty's Fitness Funatic DVD then? First off - it comes to you from five writers. We've got Richard Gauntlett writing the eponymous episode and Five Star Fish, followed by Wink Taylor on The Dance Competition, Matthew Corbett on Balancing Act and myself on The Early Night. The fifth writer is Richard Cadell, owner, producer, overseer, actor, puppeteer, and bringer of excellent Chinese food from his local on the corner...

Anyway, to business! I must say I'm incredibly proud of The Early Night. It is the first Sooty episode or, indeed, anything on TV ever, that I can hold my hands up and actually admit to having written solo, (just so you know who to blame!) I've always had a love and fascination with 'up all night' episodes, and this one turned out exactly as I'd imagined it. Weirdly, it's not something Sooty has ever done before, to the best of my knowledge - not as an entire episode, at least. This is surprising in a way, given that many other comedy shows have explored it, (including the great Hancock's Half Hour episode The Sleepless Night, which was the biggest inspiration for me.) Plus, I'm a complete night owl. When I was a student, my preferred time of working was between the hours of 11pm and 3am, and I love the 'other-worldly' appearance the kitchen takes on when you're in there in the small hours pouring a late night whisk-uh, I mean, cuppa...! Every little noise is heightened, and shadows can mean anything. There's great potential for mortal terror, or, indeed, comedy, and that's what was running through my head when I hit 'new document' in MS Word.

As for Balancing Act - well, I wrote the script, but not in a creative sense. Richard had an old Matthew Corbett episode on VHS and just asked me to type it up and change nothing! And why would we - it was a fabulous episode, although I've no idea what it was originally called, (maybe someone can help me with this one?) I must admit, the process was a little laborious, given that I had to pause, play, rewind, replay, pause, play, rewind, replay, pause etc. until my video player began to show signs of apostatic dissent! All at 1 o'clock in the morning as well, (my own choice - Sooty's not a slave driver!) That said, the memories are fond, and the episode includes one of my favourite lines of dialogue as well: "Matthew: 'Okay! I am going to perform a double flick flack body roll with a yashita sukaharu camicazi... or two!'" (I think this was amended into more understandable English in the final version, but it still tickles me!)

Of course, I penned a few other episodes in Series 2 as well, so I hope the rest of them arrive on DVD soon, just so I can relieve my Sky+ box of its heavy load! And when my TARDIS is in full working order, I can write a blog about them! See you in the future, faithful reader.

Or do I mean the past...? 

Sooty: Run Rabbit Run DVD

So here it is: the final DVD of Sooty Series 1. The set is now complete...! (Try saying that in a Darth Vader voice.) It's been nearly three years since myself, Richard and Wink sat down to bash these episodes out, but I'll do my best to recall some interesting anecdotes.

Or anecdotes, at least...

The Pop Concert
The last to be transmitted in the original run on CITV. I've no idea where it came in the writing process, though, except that it evolved through various iterations, with an early version featuring one of Maybe GooGa's severed limbs, (no arm in that though...) Also, the first draft included the Harry Corbett brain machine sketch that finally wormed its way into Series 2's The Inventions Game, (a much better place for it, in my 'umble opinion.) All in all, I really like this episode.


Sooty's latest DVD from Abbey
Home Media

Down the Drain
Hmmm. January 2011. I was meant to be travelling down to Cadell H.Q. when I was struck with flu over the weekend and I had to miss a couple of days with Richard and Wink. I don't normally 'do' illness so I very stubbornly powered up my laptop - she's called Lois - and started hammering out a script based on the Matthew Corbett / Duncan Goodhew episode from the '80s. It was naff! Note to self: don't write in bed, when ill, when you can't really see the screen / feel your hands / breathe(!) I think the only thing that remains in the final version is the title, and some of the stuff with the pipe-cleaners...

The New Poster
I love the scene with the 'old posters' that go back to the 1970s / 1800s / the beginning of time! It's this kind of surrealism that really tickles me, but I can understand if the humour is lost on some people. That's all I can really remember though, as I haven't watched this episode for a while. All I can say is - "watch it for the poster scene..."

Run Rabbit Run
My mum's all-time favourite episode! And typically I didn't write it. But I'm a fan of this one too, and I particularly enjoyed Ken Morley's guest appearance, (he played Reg Holdsworth in Coronation Street.) Also there's Harry the Robot, (sounding distinctly Dalek-esque), and a runaway bunny called Twinkle. It's a shame this episode didn't make it to Asda's DVD shelves sooner, but I think it's a welcome addition to the Sootyverse. Welcome, Run Rabbit Run. Can't wait to see you again...

The New Ride
Ahhh, The New Ride. This is the very first one we actually wrote, and I can remember it like it was yesterday. September 4th 2010: I was sitting on Wink's living room floor, eating crisps and occasionally nodding as Richard and Wink actually did some work. This was the only script we wrote to be twenty minutes long, if I remember rightly, and Draft One featured a cracking sequence where Sooty and Sweep tried to delay the mayoress' car by putting up fake signposts, whilst Richard's hair caught fire under the blow-dryer! A little over-ambitious, perhaps, so I can see why it was given a sympathetic trim. But - I still have a soft spot for the ridiculous first draft, (keen as I am on all-things nutty.) I know this isn't a fan favourite, but it's one of mine, and I love Soo's fruit bowl hat. I'll have one of those, please...

So there we are, folks. The whole of Sooty's first season is now available on DVD. Sniff. I won't be writing another one of these reflective blogs for a while, (unless there's a Series 2 release at some point - please?!) And credit where credit's due - Sooty, Sweep and Soo were present at all our writing meetings, and their contributions deserve to be recognised. In fact I can remember one conversation with Soo quite clearly.

"Get off my hat," she said.

Sooty Series 2 is here!

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Sooty Series 2 strictly isn't produced by Skerratt Media! But I did write some of it, (just so you know who to blame.) All opinions in this blog are my own etc. etc., (as are the bad jokes.) 

I'm a worrier. I even worry about worrying. Seriously, it's ridiculous. Before I go anywhere or do anything, I take a long, hard look in the mirror and say, "Oh God - what if I worry?!"

Imagine how I felt when, in February this year, Richard Cadell confidently suggested we spent three days together, alone in a room, doing nothing but write Sooty.

I nearly had a heart attack.

For one thing, I'm an introvert. Alone Time throughout the day is essential to my continued existence. For another, my base level of humour is dry sarcasm, (and cheap puns.) For a third thing, every time I look at Mr C I'm still a Sooty fan boy. "Aaaaaargh it's him - from Sooty!!!" is what my head screams, whereas, in person, I'm all, "Yes, hello, yes..." looking fairly deadpan, (and just a little bit camp.)

Oh - I also put myself down. My favourite phrase is, "I used to be self-deprecating, but I wasn't very good at it."

Anyway... when Rich picked me up in his car, (and I struggled for oxygen), we went to a rather nice café and he bought me lunch, (a BLT - he knows how to keep his staff happy.) And I thought I'd better come clean with him. "I'm not sure I can do this," I admitted. "Three days, coming up with storylines and jokes..." He was very cool about it. "Oh don't worry," he replied. "I'm not sure I can do it either!"

This was actually quite comforting, but blimey, no - that man can really think on his feet. As we wrote over those three days, he would pace the room, rarely sitting down, gesturing and gesticulating, talking us out of corners. And I would try to keep up as I bashed his thoughts on to my ever-reliable laptop, (she's called Lois. I also name stuff.) But I mustn't be too hard on myself; I came up with ideas too. And then Rich would come up with belters, but then start to lose confidence in them, and I would plead with him to reconsider as if my life depended on it, ("Noooooooooo!" I would cry, like Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith.) Given that I haven't seen any of the episodes yet, I've no idea if said belters made the cut. One of them is a dance routine in an episode called Some Holiday, so pray to whatever God you believe in.

We also watched loads of old Sooty episodes together. (Work Me: "Yes, some good ideas, yes." Fan Me: "Hehe, it's Richard Cadell, hehe...!") We spooled through some 1970s Matthew Corbett episodes, (the entire Black Hand story, as well as some sketches), and some Harry Corbett episodes from the 1960s, (BBC copyrighted material that will likely never see the light of day again - sigh...)

At the end of each day, Mr C would treat me to food. "You okay with Chinese, Mr Skerratt?" (Work Me: "Yes, Chinese, yes..." Fan Me: "Hehe, it's Richard Cadell, hehe...!")

Oh gosh, I'm such a suck-up. I sure know how to wean another BLT out of someone. (Note simultaneous use of dry sarcasm and self-deprecation.)

So are there any other anecdotes I can share with you, faithful blog reader? Not really - we did what you're supposed to do at these confabs: write! And I can take no credit for what's in this series beyond a few words on a page, which is how it should be, because I am at heart a Sooty fan, and I just want to enjoy the series when it airs, not analyse it or criticise it, or point at an idea and go, "that were mine, that were." I'm convinced you will love it too, and that's not meant arrogantly, or gushingly, and - shock! - it's not self-deprecating either!

Please get yourselves out of bed every Saturday and Sunday morning at 7.25am until early December and tune into ITV.

Promise...?