How wonderfully exciting. Soon to be released. I consulted on the story way back as a friend of the court. Then it returned later, half animated and absolutely epic! Lyn did the casting, and I voice directed. Can't say enough good things about Usman Riaz who directed, scored and somehow found time to animate scenes. Also big kudos to screenwriter, Moya O'Shea . And what a cast, Art Malik, Sacha Dhawan, Anjli Mohindra, Tony Jayawardena, Mina Anwar and so many more. Like I said, it's epic!
& & &
As a screenwriter I have almost always co-written and have worked with some amazing co writers in the past. Lucky for me, these days my wonderful co-writers also happen to have other lives. Jules deJongh is a busy voice actress, Paul Mari works in Soaps and Legit Theatre, whilst Gareth Edwards is a prolific comedy producer. Therefore none of them seem to mind me writing with the others while they're off on other things.
Whatever our diary system is, it's been working for a while now. Films in production, films soon in production, series developed and a bit of episodic writing on the side with new projects cooking. Details to be shared over a glass of something in Bordeaux at Cartoon Movie. See you there.
Breaking story is fun to do!
A film director and two writers walk into a conference room. The bartender says, what's with all the post-it-notes? The creatives wonder what a bartender is doing in the conference room and he says he booked it first.
Post-it-notes can only mean one thing: That we're breaking story on a new feature.
Here I am with the wonderfully talented director Federico Milella and my blissful co-writer, Jules de Jongh.
You know you've written a good theme tune when...
Stephen Mangan plays our Great Owl
Tally Ho records are zooming along. In fact, we’re done. Here’s a shameless selfie of me, the director Caro and Stephen Mangan who plays our Great Owl. Sublime!
A bit of doodling.
My name is David and I’m a Doodler.
Art for Art Malik's Sake
I had the utmost joy directing legendary actor, Art Malik last year for The Glassworker and interviewing him last week for the EPK. And soon soon the film is coming out.
When you've starred in True Lies, The Living Daylights, Jewel in the Crown, AND Cold Feet.... you don't need much directing. Art resonates gravitas, brings meaning to a comma as well as bringing commas to give meaning. He's also extremely tall! The animators needed bigger paper to draw his character. Looking forward to working with him again.
Matthew Goode and Kíla Lord Cassidy laying down tracks together. Proper acting!
Look at us, at the end of a busy three days, yet we all look SOOOO chilled!!! That's because our two leads Matthew Goode (Watchmen, The Crown, The Offer) and Kíla Lord Cassidy (The Wonder) blew the roof off acting all their scenes TOGETHER in the booth AT THE SAME TIME! Bliss! None of this wondering how the other will respond to a line and laying down endless alt takes. Plus Jules de Jongh (my co-writer) was no slouch playing BOTH love interests, while I was voice directing and later gave my best offensive performance to a lovely offensive character. Other smiling happy people are happy producer, Karl Richards, and happy director, Caroline Origer from Fabrique D’Images Animation Studios, Luxembourg.
Recorded at Fitzrovia Post, London
Twin sons of different opticians.
Directed Josh Widdicombe this week. Not that he needed much direction. Effortlessly funny and a pleasure to work with. Plus, fab taste in eyewear. Ironic that the shot is blurry.
And away we go...
Tally Ho had its first table read last week. Hearing it out loud for the first time in a room full of real actors was magic. We tweaked, timed and drank a lot of tea. The reason the director looks so relaxed is because she not only found some ace performances, but also discovered that it plays to time. “Tally Ho and away we go!”
Cannes Audience Award
MY FATHER’S SECRETS was the Audience Award-Winner at Cannes Kids 2022. Nice work one and all, and hat’s off to our amazing cast, Elliott Gould, Miriam Margolyes, David Baddiel and amazing up and comer, Ilan Galkoff. We did the casting, adaptation, and voice direction for the English Language dub.
Director - Vera Belmont. Production - Je Suis Bien Content. Distribution - SC Films.
Sci-Finally
Breaking 6 episodes of science fiction telly in 5 days is a killer. World creation, rules of the world, rules of the science, and of course... character, character, character, plot, plot, plot. As you know I'm a serial collaborator and this week the victim was the incredibly talented, Paul Mari. Now to write it up.
Type, type, type, save, save, save.
Tally Ho and away we gooooooo!!!!
Tally Ho has been greenlit and heads off into full production. Based on the stories of Richard Wyatt, it’s a romp with heaps of emotion. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. Jules de Jongh and I wrote the screenplay.
A Fabrique D’Image, Kapers Animation, I Heart Cinema production.
Princess Dragon out in theatres.
I worked on this Feature as a script doctor or médecin de scénario as nobody says in France, but they should.
A long distance selfie with Elliott Gould.
I don’t normally do selfies, but sometimes you gotta. Even long distance! Just finished working with acting legend, Elliott Gould, on the upcoming animated theatrical feature, My Father’s Secrets. Studio Je Suis Bien Content, direction by Vera Belmont.
Elliott played the titular role, researched the part, knew his lines coming in and absolutely nailed it… of course. They say you should never meet your heroes, but I would say, meet them but only if they are as talented and as gracious a mensch as Elliott Gould.
Laura Crowe & Him - (et moi)
Despite failing French for 6 years in a row… I’ve got 4 co writes on a French pop album. Thankfully just the English tracks. Very proud to have collaborated with Laura Crowe and Him doing music out of my comfort zone and having a blast doing it. The album is getting radio airplay in Belgium, France and beyond! I’m hoping it plays in the clubs of Morocco just because then I would officially be tres cool.
B is also for Brendan Coyle.
Two Bills and now a Brendan! Together with the amazing Powell Casting we pulled together another fab cast for another animated feature, on time, on budget and with some A Listers whose names begin with B. And what a way to finish, working with Brendan was an effortless thrill. He is dynamic, emotional, funny, and after quickly warming up, and finding the character, he transformed himself into our baddie. This man? This adorable, warm kind man a baddie? Now THAT is acting! Tremendous work. Now it’s back to my writing cave for a few months until I’m let out again to direct.
Another day another Bill
It seems that only Bills have me in the booth to direct and feed lines. I tend to work with Bill Bailey as often as I can, because he’s a genius, and has a wonderfully sticky voice.
And sometimes I get to do this.
Last Friday was about as good as it gets. Spent hours in the booth directing someone who let's face it, needs no directing. You see, sometimes an actor asks me to join them in the booth to read in lines for them, as a) it's more fun and b) we get more improv lines, and always helps the energy and musicality of performance. Sometimes the actor is a LOT of fun to work with. Once in a while that actor is Bill Nighy.
Oslo process can sometimes be quite quick.
Helped restructure a wonderful film in Oslo. I can't say much more because of the letters N.D.A., but I can say we had 4 days to define character motivations, interactions, rules of the world, and then beat out an act a day. We worked in suitably wet weather, perfect for productivity… and then the sun came out just as we wrapped on day 4. It went like clockwork. Time to sit back, relax and admire the view. And what a view!