News Roundup: Sooty, Menston Green, Theo

I must apologise for the formality of this blog's title. But what else to call it? This is going to be a very 'bitty' post and I could think of no better word than "roundup", a new word for me given that I rarely have much to "roundup" besides cats and stubborn croissants, (notice my personification of the PASTRY and not the feline - that's how my brain works.)

I'll start off with my latest "commission" - the Theo the Mouse DVD for Wink Taylor and Wendy Abrahams. What a joy this has been so far! Pre-production bores me to tears - the phone calls, the emails, the schedules, it's a snooze, and yet it still stops me sleeping, an infuriating irony that bores me in itself. But I've not had to do any of that this time, because the show isn't my baby. Wink and Wendy are on it all: the sets, the props, the costumes, the scripts. All I have to do, when we start filming next Wednesday, is turn up and point the camera! Okay, admittedly I have to edit the thing, and conjure up some visual effects, but I really enjoy that stuff! So this is shaping up to be an ideal job, focusing on the things I love with very solid, professional people, (who also bring me food and toy Daleks - perfect.) The timescale's shifted slightly, so the finished DVD is more likely to be available in the new year than late 2012, but I'll keep you updated.

But before that, Sky TV will be running a promotional feature(!) which is recording on October 31, (not sure if it's a live broadcast or not, or indeed which Sky channel it's on! I have been told, but unless this information comes to me in the Written Word, it's most likely to disappear through the colander in my brain. Yikes. No doubt I'll bombard Facebook and Twitter with shameless self-publicity when the time arrives.) But Wink Taylor fans can rejoice: he'll be there operating and voicing the eponymous Theo, ably 'assisted' by his chum Wendy.

Menston Green, starring Colin Baker

Next: Menston Green, (my surreal sci-fi supermarket comedy starring Colin Baker!) We recorded it in July and it's shaping up very nicely. Tim at Visionary Sound did me an initial dialogue edit in September, which I sent back with notes, ("make it tighter, make it quicker!") And he did just that. Edit #2 was both tight and quick, in-keeping with the Official Motto of the Alex Skerratt School of Pacing: "If it's not moving at 900mph, it's not fast enough." (It's true!) So, terminal velocity now achieved, he's onto recording sound effects and music. The finished product will probably be available in early 2013, in a format to be confirmed.

Finally, Sooty. Me and Winkleton met up with Mr C last Friday to start planning the second series, and it was a blast. Oh those two make me laugh, (it's a tough thing to do, seriously; I'm as dead-pan as they come.) Nothing is set in stone for the 2013 series, (as these things never are), so we're just writing blind, but with immense enthusiasm. We've planned out 12, with Wink drafting 6, and me drafting 6, which we'll go through and tweak the next time we 'confab' in (hopefully) November.

Mr C was kind enough to take us for a very tasty carvery where we continued to plan ideas over meat and veg, gesticulating passionately about custard pies, magic wands and water pistols, whilst apparently piquing the interest of the senior gentleman at the next table:

"So!" he said, keenly. "How are you boys finding the job market?"

Richard turned to him and answered politely, "Yeah, it's okay."

The gentleman frowned. "Oh, you're all employed then?!"

"Yep, very much so," Richard replied.

I chuckled inside. "Very much" employed(!)... Richard owns a theme park!! He's very humble about it. I wondered what had prompted the man to ask this, and the only conclusion I can draw is that we must have looked like a set of graduates, desperate to break out into the Working World with our magic wands and custard pies, (okay, this is actually true in my case.) But what a compliment to Richard and Wink, who are a few years older than me.

So that's what's been happening. I decided to write this blog because I'm aware I've left some of the 'Menston Green' folks completely out of the loop, and they deserve to know what's going on. So that's my excuse for Skerratt Media's first official news, erm, "roundup." Now, where's that pastry...

Skerratt Media Teams Up with Theo the Mouse

I love puppets. They always do what you tell them, their comedy timing is impeccable, and they can shave thousands off your project's catering budget.


Theo the Mouse, aided by Wink Taylor, pictured here
with his human stage chum Wendy Abrahams.

So when Wink Taylor and Wendy Abrahams asked me if I'd like to direct and film their latest DVD project - for their puppet pal Theo the Mouse - I leapt at the chance. And trust me, that's the sign of something good. Very rarely do producery types like me "leap." We normally creep towards things, cautiously, with our specs on. But this was a no-brainer.

How to describe Theo the Mouse? Wink pitched him to me as a "cross between Sooty and Sweep" - someone with Sweep's big heart, but obvious dim-wittedness, and Sooty's quiet, but cheeky, 'know-all' demeanour. He's into slapstick, terrible puns, and delights in winding up his 'assistant' Wendy to tremendous comedy effect.

All this - and more - will be packaged into a fun-filled DVD consisting of three Theo the Mouse episodes, to be released towards the end of 2012. The final, shiny version will be available through my website, www.skerratt-media.co.uk, and at Theo the Mouse live shows.

Check out the video below to see Theo and Wendy in action!

Notre Dame Oscars 2012

Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College in Leeds means the absolute world to me. When I first arrived there as a shy, tubby sixteen year-old with very questionable hair, I knew nobody. It was very scary. I didn't think I'd survive the month.

The red carpet!

Nobody was more surprised than I to discover that, not only did I survive the month, I lived and breathed the place for two fantastic years. It was one of those rare periods of my life when I woke up every morning and actually looked forward to going to 'work'. The simple reason for this was that I loved my friends and I loved my subjects, (Theatre, Media and Classical Civilisation - what's not to like?)

So returning there on 19 September 2012 as an introverted - but still tubby - twenty-four year-old with slightly less hair was an absolute joy, (only "less" because I'd had it chopped - baldness has thus far alluded me.) And walking down St. Mark's Avenue not only felt familiar - it felt routine. I actually believed, for a fleeting moment, that I was on my way to a class. Suddenly I was back in 2006. Incredible.

Of course the reason for my being there was somewhat surreal. My filmmaker friend Kenneth Barker has, for the last few years, been the VIP guest at the Media / Film studies 'Oscar' ceremony, and has presented the awards for the students' coursework. But he was unable to attend this year, and very kindly suggested me as an alternative. I couldn't say "yes" fast enough.

Me at Notre Dame in 2004, and an example of the
bad hair I was referring to...

My responsibilities were simple: first, to talk a little about myself, (and it was "a little" - I am the King of Concise), and to hand out the Oscar statuettes to the winners of the various categories: best editing, best narrative in a music video, best comedy performance, and so on. And very well-deserved these prizes were. The standard of filmmaking in all categories was staggering, with each piece brimming with innovation and creativity. My particular favourites were the music video to 'Blessed' by Tom Fangs Feat. Shermanology, and the film short 'Left Bear' directed by the (immenseley) talented Joshua Palit.

My third responsibility was to pick my overall fave for the Judge's Choice award, and this went to the mini-documentary about a local indie band known as The Scandal, with their video feature entitled 'The Scandal - A General Perspective.' You can find out more about them here http://www.facebook.com/TheScandalLeeds, and please do, they're rather good. I chose this as my winner simply because of how well it flowed, and how quickly it grabbed, and sustained, my attention - not an easy thing to achieve, so hats off to the director Johanna Wilton.

And that was it. The students posed for photographs on the red carpet, and I collected my things and hiked back up St. Mark's for what (I hope) will not be the last time. Notre Dame is such a special place and, on the strength of what I saw yesterday, is certainly not dipping on its standards of love, encouragement and creativity. It was great to be back, albeit for one night.

And I finally got to see inside the staff room, (I'd often wondered...)

Brand new Sooty DVD - in actual shops!

This one really crept up on me. I've been trying to get a DVD into the shops for years, and thus far my only plausible option has been to sneak into HMV and discretely deposit my home-made volumes on their shelves. And walk out. (Not that I've ever attempted this.)

Of course I'd remembered The Sooty Show DVD was coming, (August 14th, my sister's birthday!), but I'd forgotten that it was actually going to be 'commercial.' As in, I can now visit a high street store and pose next to something I've written, (well, co-written.)

The new Sooty DVD from Abbey Home Media, NOT
Skerratt Media, although the names are... similar.

Notice I said 'pose next to.' This fabulous news comes hand-in-hand with the hilarious irony that I can't actually afford to buy a copy!

And I'm not fishing for sympathy here. My financial predicament is self-induced, on account of the enormous cost of my last project. But when I say 'hilarious irony,' I absolutely, genuinely mean it. It cracks me up! In a good way!

I am disappointed that I won't be getting my free magic wand as I can think of several uses for it, many of them at the Co-operative, but more on that later.

To business! Let me say a bit about this fine selection of episodes. I'm assuming Richard Cadell (presenter and executive producer) made the choice, and I can honestly say I couldn't have picked better. Okay, I'm biased, but from the point of view of a writer, as well as fan, I feel they're our strongest five.

As I haven't seen the DVD, (just thought I'd mention it), I'm basing the following on having watched the eps live, and on Amazon's product listing!

So we kick off with Chocco Chimp, unless you're hmv.com and then the *entire* DVD is called Chocco Chimp, (pah, they're not FANS!) This is my favourite of the whole series, not, I hasten to add, because of the wonderful Matthew Corbett's cameo, (he was the presenter before Richard Cadell), but because, for me, this one has the complete package: a story-driven script, lots of humour, (both dialogue and slapstick), and some gorgeous visuals, (the whole thing takes place in a safari park-themed crazy golf course, with Sooty dressed as Sherlock Holmes!) It really is the ultimate episode for Sooty fans old and new. Plus, out of all of them, this one was the most fun to write.

Next is The Runaway Bath, in which Richard very nearly killed me. I had flu at the time, very badly, and had been in bed for days, (okay you can show some sympathy now if you like. Also I can't afford the DVD.) When I suggested that Richard should talk "donkey" to his furry friends on the beach, he went one step further and devised a song, which he stood up and sang for us, with a dance. Bear in mind how difficult it is to breathe ordinarily when you have flu, then combine with that feeling we all know - laughing-so-hard-that-it-hurts! - and you have an actual, genuine near-death experience. But what a way to go it would have been! Plus this episode has a bath tub on wheels, which is cool.

Third is The Wedding. Originally called Mo's Wedding. And then Richard's Wedding. Out of all the episodes, this one went through the most drafts, (close runner-up, I think, is The Great Race.) I think it all takes place in some weird, parallel world, (like something out of Fringe), where Stacey Solomon is a church vicar, and where people say "I will" instead of "I do." I don't know how the latter came about. I do remember having a very long and detailed conversation about it with Richard, by the end of which we had intelligently concluded it was the only logical way to go. And at the time it made perfect sense! Watching it now... hmm! Unsure. Tiny niggles though, let's be fair. The Wedding is another of my favourites.

Fourthly, The Swimming Lesson. Sweep parachuting off the diving board was inspired, and I'm allowed to say that because it wasn't my idea!

Finally, it's The Marching Band. This was the second episode we wrote, (the first was The New Ride, albeit in a very different form), and when I first watched it, I did feel a bit uncomfortable, as I think it's obvious that we're still 'finding our feet' as writers. It's at those moments when I'm unable to just be a Sooty fan and I become my own worst critic. It probably isn't obvious to the outside world. That said - what's not to like! There are some wonderful cameos from fellow scribe Winkleton Taylorson, and some hysterical visuals, (the gang look superb in their band uniforms.) The first draft had an elderly trombone player being hoisted aloft by a beserk crane. "Too expensive" apparently. Bah! The devil's in the detail!

If you're lucky enough to be able to afford this (boom boom!), head on down to your local Asda, (where it's currently charting at number 1 I'm told!), or if you're an Amazon junkie, please consider ordering via the link on this page http://www.facebook.com/sootysweepandsoo to support the Sooty fan community on Facebook.

Enjoy!

Recording with Colin Baker

Me and Colin Baker go back a long way. Not that he realises this, (I'm guessing!) When I was 7 I saw him for the first time in Blake's 7. On my 18th birthday I met him at a convention in Darwen, and embarrassed myself by throwing camera batteries in his face. And on the 15th July 2012 I met him at Cottage Road, Headingley, not entirely by accident, as he'd arrived to record the part of Mr Cutler in my latest bank-balance massacre, Menston Green!

"There is nothing you can do to prevent the catharsis
of spurious hilarity!"

I can only imagine Colin's bewilderment as this mop-haired corduroy-wearing baby-faced scarecrow / man bounded over to him, palm outstretched. "Hello sir!" says I. "Good to meet you, I'm Alex!"

Colin very politely shook this stranger's hand. "Alex, hi," he replied. "What are you then?"

"I'm the producer, and the director," said the scarecrow, "and the writer. Oh and I'll be reading with you as well."

That sentence always makes me cringe. At best I must come across like a stuffed haystack with a God complex. At worst I must look as if I don't have a clue what I'm doing.

Mind you, I can't see myself as others see me. And I'll probably never know what Colin Baker thought of me. Maybe I wouldn't want to. Maybe I'd be pleasantly surprised.

After the recording I had a bit of a downer for two days. This is nothing unusual for me. However, once I saw some of the production stills, and listened to some of the scenes, my enthusiasm was re-ignited, and I was SO relieved. Thinking about it, absolutely nothing went wrong, which is phenomenal when you consider all the things that could have gone up in smoke: nobody got lost / ill / broke down, everyone had scripts, the scenes were acted / technician'd / recorded without a SINGLE hitch, not only did the cast and crew get away on time, they got away EARLY. After the carnage that had engulfed my last project, (Life on Earth Retold where, on some days, I didn't even know if I had a full cast, although not because of anyone who appeared in the finished product, I must add), Menston Green has been an absolute breeze.

So far. But it's onto post-production now...!

Obviously I'm hugely grateful to everyone who's given up their time to take part in this project. I love you all. I'd just like to give an extra special shout-out to my parents, (all three of them!), for their moral and financial support, the lifts to and from the studio, and for the mighty fine catering.

Also a massive thank you to Mr Tim, Mr Ash and Mr Matt, who did a, haha, "sound" job at tech'ing the project, (that joke never gets old.) Tim and Ash will also be handling the post-production on this, and I have every faith in them.

Finally - thank you Colin Baker! A legendary actor with a career that encompasses so many of my favourite shows: Blake's 7, Doctor Who, Jonathan Creek, Come Dine with Me... He drove up from Cambridge just to record this quirky comedy about a village convenience store, produced by a Ray Bolger lookalike. I don't know how many other celebrities would travel hundreds of miles to record with an unknown production company, but he's made my year.

"I did offer Paul Darrow a role in this," I told Colin during a recording break, (Paul Darrow was Avon in Blake's 7, and has acted with Colin Baker a number of times.)

"Could be worse," Colin said, with a cheeky grin. "You could have got Sylvester McCoy!"

The sixth doctor is a gentleman - I know he was joking. Which is just as well, as I have Sylvester ear-marked for the sequel!


In the meantime, though, stay tuned - the release date and format for Menston Green will be announced in due course.

Former Doctor Who joins 'Menston Green'

Chums of mine will know that I am a little bit of a sci-fi fan, so I must say I am hugely excited to announce that actor Colin Baker will be joining us for our first Skerratt Media radio offering, Menston Green.

We're going to be working with Doctor Who!

It's a radio comedy - about a TV soap! - that, in our fictitious world, has been running since the 1950s. But it's in trouble. The ratings are in free-fall and there hasn't been a cast change since the programme started. Colin will be playing the officious Mr Cutler, the newly-appointed Head of Soaps, Serials and Rodeos.

He is perhaps best known for his role as the sixth Doctor Who (1984-1986), while other credits include The Brothers, Blake's 7 and Jonathan Creek, to name a few.

Colin will be joined by actor, writer and mimick Wink Taylor, with whom I work on Sooty. Wink is known in theatrical circles as being the former voice of Basil Brush, as well the celebrity impersonator in a wide selection of greetings cards.

Wink's stage partner Wendy Abrahams will also be lending us her vocal skills. An established performer, she may also be known to Sooty fans as being the teddy bear's one and only make-up artist!

And now let me present to you the rest of the cast, (in order of equal loveliness!)

Vicki Glover will be playing Apple, the committed script writer.

Warwick St. John plays Cliff Bowfinger - embittered director!

Sam Chipman plays an actor, playing a character!

Bob Mallow takes on the role of Maurice, a respected Shakesperian thesp.

Hannah Robson is the soap's make-up artist, only she's often unaware of the fact!

Jenna Skerratt - my sister - comes out of acting retirement to play Christina St. Argentina the Eighteenth, the show's biggest name!

Anne Newton plays Daphne, who has been in Menston Green since it started.

And Gillian Barge plays another victim of the new producer's axe!

Menston Green will be recording in Leeds throughout June and July, and will be available as a free download via skerratt-media.co.uk before the end of the year. A snazzy CD, with a shiny jacket and everything, will follow if there is sufficient demand.

I will leave you with a compilation of Colin Baker's highlights from Doctor Who, (courtesy of the amazing Babelcolour channel on YouTube.) If you've never seen the sixth Doctor in action before now, you've missed a treat. Take a look!

Co-distribution: WOTR Good Idea

Skerratt Media has joined forces with the Leeds-based film company Water on the Rock Ltd. in an exciting co-distribution venture! This means you can now buy my latest film, Life on Earth Retold, from the WOTR shop, where you can also view trailers, DVD stills, production subtitles and the original screenplay as a PDF document. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/JLeKt5 (Life on Earth Retold is of course available from the Skerratt Media homepage as well!)

And, in the coming months, you will also be able to purchase WOTR titles via my website, skerratt-media.co.uk. I'm not sure which ones yet, but suffice to say that some of Kenneth D. Barker's (the creative director's) biggest titles involve dragons, sorcery, cross-dressing superheroes and jetpacks, so it'll be a pleasure to showcase his work.

In the meantime, why not check out the interview I gave for Kenneth's site? In it I discuss my writing techniques, budgeting tips, and my mum! Plus lots of other stuff.

See if you can spot the cat ;)