Joe Deacon
Monday 7th December 2009 6:17pm
17 posts
Quote: sootyj @ December 7 2009, 8:59 AM GMT
Mentioning people by name is insulting and unprofessional.
Might I reccomend modifying your post?
Guys, as the writer of 'The Assemblage Of Evil' and therefore one of the subjects of Kev's post, I have to say that I feel neither insulted nor demoralised by it. This is not because I am some sort of gluten for punishment who loves criticism but because, looking at it in the cold light of day, the comments where spot on.
I was luck enough to go down to the finals last week and be apart of the whole experience. I met all the guys from the Unexpected Items who where fantastic people, and yes they had indeed "brought it to life creating an end result that was better than the script alone". I also met some others including James and I think I said hello to Kev. Everyone I met seemed genuinely nice, and please that I had come down, but where also way to polite (no doubt due to good upbringings) to say anything other than fantastic things about my script. It was all very British. I guess due to a combination of the time and the place - and everyone just being very relieved that the whole thing was over and you could have a drink and relax, and perhaps being worried that I was Scottish and therefore might have a weapon on me (I did notice the Falsettosocks got frisked on the way in) - that no one would really say what they really thought of everyone else's work.
Far from insulted by it, I welcome what Kev has said. He was asked an opinion and he gave it. Good on him.
"lacked action or originality": I totally agree with this. I came in to this competition very late and was not really aware of what the format was or what the ground rules where. The only thing I had to go on was a few short clips I came across on the internet. They seemed to imply that the space and scope for movement on the stage would be extremely limited. Unfortunately I way over compensated for this and stuck to a single set staging with very little props. I also lacked a proper narrative with the whole thing looking more like an extended sketch rather than a short sitcom. And my ending was stuck on with a bit of blue tack. As for originality, I suppose I have to totally agree with this also. It has been done before, and much better. This is something which I don't think anyone can argue with. I committed the cardinal sin in writing by sending something which I knew to be far from finished and extremely rough. 2/5 is extremely reasonable.
"Talky, been done better before, not funny enough.": Yes it was talky, again partly due to over compensation for the lack of anything happening, but mostly due once again to lack of writing experience on my part. Not funny enough is probably the hardest one to take; however, I take that one on the chin. Its pointless thinking your stuff is funny if you happen to be the only one thinking it.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's extremely important to embrace criticism. It's what makes you stronger and better. Some of you guys need to be a little bit more mature about all this. I have no doubt that there is a lot of talent out their which is being wasted writing trivial or petty comments about stuff that doesn't matter. Focus your energy on what is important - your own development as a writer. What makes us the people that we are is partly the mistakes we have learned from, but mainly the mistakes we keep making. Some of the most useless, obnoxious, self centred people I have ever met all seem to share the same trait - they refuse to accept that they might be wrong.
Kev's comments where made for the best of intentions and without an inch of malice. They where honest, candid, and above all, accurate. So let's have less pettiness and more honesty, and let's accept our failings and learn from them. My script next year will be much, much better.