AUGUST

[Barry]

August 9t 2014

Well I was at this very moment meant to be in Tel Aviv doing workshops and screenings, but the situation there became just too tragic, and I simply could not justify talking about animation in such circumstances. I didn't go, and I do feel awful, but then I just turn the news on and I know why I didn't go. I feel terrible for the people out there. An awful situation. One of many n the world at the moment, and whilst what we do has some small importance and there should always be art, but hell it all seems a bit trivial. Can't get over someone I sometime work with, after me saying I was not going, asking whether it was because it was too hot. Trivial or not, the work has still been pretty demanding and I think we will be able to talk about the top secret series soon, which will be a relief. Work has been hard as we are quite short staffed with holidays and weddings and such, but still good fun. And just in case that was not enough, I am working for a couple of hours a night on the feature script. And it's in good shape, but I'd really like to take a week off and work on it all day. With short films it is quite easy to stand back and take it all in, looking at the shape and structure and arcs, but with a feature, that is a far harder process, and I have to keep checking back. Good fun though.

[Barry]

16th August 2014

I love it when I get to work with great music, and composers, and I have been lucky enough to work with Stuart Gordon, Barclay James Harvest, Cole Porter, George Harrison briefly, Nigel Hess, Philip Glass, Sullivan, Nicolas Martin, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Paul K Joyce - and I'm hoping that some new names might be seen on here soon. They might include Chopin, Wagner and maybe even Blue.
Stravinsky, Janacek, Sondheim, and Britten nearly have made it, but not yet. All good stuff.
Otherwise a lot more of the same.

[Barry]

31st august 2014

Crikey, last entry was half a month ago....well it's been that sort of month. The tv series is busy, and away from work I am busy writing a feature and loving doing it, but it's a huge beast, and I am doing something that really has not been done before. I keep getting the overall shape then going back and refining it, but as with everything I do, it is a jigsaw, and I tinker with one part, and then that dislodges another piece that does not fit any more. No-one can accuse me of not considering every element of a film. It is all carefully worked out in such detail.

Away from work, I have been to a wedding on the Thames, went up to Edinburgh to have lunch with the creators of the War horses, got involved with the Garrick again, and have just been full on. And I bought a new car somehow.....very rash. Well it was a swap but happy to say the new car is a little swish, and not quite so granddad as my last one.

Yep, life is busy, and I fear I'm leaving a few chums by the wayside. I'll be back.