Film, Terence Davies
I’m not so well versed in the language of film, definitely not as I would like. It’s hard enough keeping up with the range of theatre and live performance; reading and keeping a job and life.
Still, when Chris Goode, who is much better informed than me, points to something; I listen. (I know technically listening to pointing won’t get you very far, but you know what I mean).
Via his insightful post, I’ve come across Terence Davies and an interview with him in the Guardian. Sadly, he is really fighting to get funding for his films. However, there was a little snippet of poem that I liked. I’m unsure how the breaks should work; but here is the snippet. I must go and see some of his films.
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We will not fight
We will not strive
Against the fading of the light
Or hope to keep our souls alive.
Oh my demons come and get your quarry now.
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There’s also some very entertaining rants against producers and Robert Mckee:
“…Another person said we need background stories for every character. I said, ‘That would make the film four hours long. Are you prepared to fund a four-hour film? And if you can tell me one film where every character has a background story I’ll go out and buy it.’ ‘Do you know Singin’ in the Rain?’ ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘can you tell me what background story Kathy Seldon has?’ Quiet. Again, I was shown the door. You’re up against people who know nothing, who have done a media degree or, worst of all, have done the Robert McKee lectures.”Why is that worst of all? “Because they’ve done a great deal of damage. Who can turn round and say it’s good to have a climax on page six? Who said so? Robert McKee, and his theories are based on Casablanca, which was being written as it was being shot. So you’re up against that level of philistinism. It beggars belief….“
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About me
I'm a playwright and investment analyst. I have a broad range of interests: food, gardening, innovation & intellectual property, sustainability, architecture & design, writing and the arts. I sit on the board of Talawa Theatre Company and advise a CIS investment trust on socially responsible investments.
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Recent Work
Recent plays include, for theatre: Nakamitsu, Yellow Gentlemen, Lost in Peru, Lemon Love. For radio: Places in Between (R4), Patent Breaking Life Saving (WS).
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Nakamitsu
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Yellow Gentlemen
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