Back sometime last year, the writer M.J. Starling approached and asked me to be involved with his podcast about inspiration and be the first creative to launch it. Of course I do love to gabble about writing to anyone who will listen, so I said yes. Writer Collider is all about the generation of concepts, where ideas come from. From a few randomly selected prompts thrown on the table by other people, narratives are formed on the spot and a discussion is opened about the process.
The particular writing prompt I plumped for was the following: “a boxer crying alone in his car on an overpass“
What I found refreshing about this idea of talking about the process, was the freedom to be able to sprawl across all decisions. Play, film, novel, you name it. And I am always telling people that it’s great to vocalise ideas or narratives out loud because you can hear them. Our brains are very clever and will disregard things before the mental sentence is even finished.
So here is the podcast with me murmuring about boxers and film: Katie McCullough on Writer Collider.
Keep an eye on M.J. Starling and the #writercollider series on his Twitter, website and on iTunes too.
Writer Collider with M.J. Starling February 16, 2013
The Next Big Thing (of sorts) December 24, 2012
My illustrious and regular theatre-friend Julie Mayhew has tagged me in a meme thing going round which isn’t as horrific as it might sound (it isn’t the novotastic flu thing). The idea is that you can let folks know about what you’re up to and I’ve slightly altered the questions so I can respond to them as a playwright. I feel a little bit of a fraud calling it The Next Big Thing, so humour me for a gentle blog post. I for one know this particular script needs a lot of work. But here they are…
1) What is the working title of your next play?
Thursday’s Child – that’s been the working title for quite some time now that I think I’m going to stick with it.
2) Where did the idea come from for the play?
I work visually so the scene that I saw clear as day and ended up bring the springboard for this play was stark. It was a man pissing in the corner of a run down dated bedroom and a little girl rushing to stop him.
3) What genre does your play fall under?
Hmmm. I think putting plays into genres is a toughy in that I don’t think they’re so strict as in film. At a push I’d say a State Of The Nation play but not as polemic. Maybe a State Of The Nation/Slice Of Life mash-up. Basically it’s a story and it’s a play. A journey through a brother and sister’s life through a lower class situation dealing with the care system, job seeker’s allowance and relationships.
4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Right. I’ve got four parts in this play…
Sandy (12) Feisty yet naive - Ilana Kneafsey
Terry (29) Bit of a drinker and outspoken – Rupert Friend
Charlotte (29) Bold but bored with life – Olivia Poulet
Wayne (15) Frustrated and spiky – Jamie Borthwick
Ilana Kneafsey
Rupert Friend
Olivia Poulet
Jamie Borthwick
5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your play?
5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your play?
Two siblings discover what it means to grow up and get real in amongst the comic books and issues in their life.
6) Will your play be self-published or represented by an agency?
As a playwright I’m the first cog of the development. So as soon as it’s done and finished proper like, it’ll do the usual rounds of literary departments and then see what happens. If I had the money to hand, I’d put it on myself tomorrow. Well, maybe after I’ve finished it proper like.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the play?
I did a very condensed vomit draft of it back in 2008 which took me 48 hours. After cringing every time I tried to re-read it since, I took a day or two to do a massive redraft to it a month or so ago. I say massive as in it was set in the 80s and is now current day, was set in the midlands and now set in Luton.
8) What other plays would you compare this story to within your genre?
Hmmm. There’s the danger of sounding a bit too pretentious here isn’t there? I’ll tread carefully and speak widely… In terms of story there are elements of Mike Bartlett’s, ‘Love, Love, Love‘ as in the social impact of desires and money through the years. Character wise my male lead is a bit like Jimmy from ‘Look Back In Anger‘ by John Osborne. But I like to think it echoes the childlike innocence yet naively informative tones of Charlotte Keatley’s, ‘My Mother Said I Never Should‘.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this play?
Elements of my childhood, but I’d like to stress that it isn’t drawn from my personal experiences. Aside from that I’d say Leo Butler. He’s been a mentor every time I’ve been at the Royal Court for the writing groups and this was the result of the first one. He told me to be bold, hit the audience on the temple, then see what happens.
10) What else about your play might pique the reader’s interest?
Hmmm. Again, I’d say this is hard when talking about plays. I want to say my play would pique an audience member’s interest because my protagonist is a 12 year old girl who escapes her life through old comics. But then that could be seen as sensationalist because it’s a young girl. Tricky. But it does have a 12 year old girl who escapes her life through old comics and in the process strikes up a relationship with a fifteen year old boy. Yes, it does sound like one of those plays. But I promise you it’s not all doom and gloom, their friendship is beautiful and makes the adults present pale in comparison.
So they’re my answers about one of the plays that I’m redrafting. And in the spirit of things I’m going to tag the following folks: Gerry Hayes, a charming funny man who I’m currently collaborating on a project with and who writes, and Stephanie Ressort, another charming funny lady who I lovingly nicknamed Theatre Devil Incarnate who also writes. Both of these people don’t write enough so I’m being the metaphorical fire under their butt cheeks.
48 Hour Film Challenge… London! September 23, 2012
I was kindly asked by new collaborator theatre director Ahmed El Alfy to be his designated scriptwriter for the 48 Hour Film Challenge in London. And of course I took him up on the offer. All the actors involved were Mountview graduates and from a theatre background, some had even graduated that same day. We met at Alfy’s flat.
FRIDAY 9:30pm – We’d been given the following elements to complete for our entry:
GENRE – Drama
PROP – Cream
LINE – “Let me tell you a secret”
CHARACTER – Charlie Cipriani (a minor celebrity)
Faced with 6 actors we then set about meandering our way to a story. I got everyone to take a few moments and think of something that had happened to them that day which they considered a drama, no matter how large or small they were. This opened up discussion from each story and then it was rapidly approaching midnight.
SATURDAY 12:00am – Straight into an improvised ensemble scene. I wrote down an intention for each actor to have in their pocket that only they would know and got them to interact in small groups. It was interesting to watch (I only knew one of the actors) and to grasp people’s abilities and strengths. I sat at the sidelines and scribbled anything that caught my eye and ear.
1:30am – We sent the actors home to return at 7am. Then it was up to me. The more I thought about it the more I realised I didn’t actually have that long. With such an early call time for the actors I needed to get a move on and fast. I definitely decided that it would be a collection of vignettes rather than a standard narrative. With 6 actors to juggle I wanted everyone to have a balanced story and I was never going to get that with everyone and keep it under 7 minutes.
2:30am – I sketched down ideas. I listened to Spiritualized (Let It Come Down). I listened to Nick Cave (Abattoir Blues). I listened to PJ Harvey (Is This Desire?). I didn’t know the password to the Internet connection at that point which was probably for the best. I had grasped a rough template of what I wanted to achieve and I nudged Alfy who was tweaking his first short film next to me. We discussed it and he asked me questions about the moments I had chosen to explore. Then I went back and fleshed out the story. The sky is an odd colour.
5:30am – Sitting at the computer I tapped, typed, took my time but ended up finishing a script. I woke Alfy from his slumber and we were both happy with the end product. I tentatively point out that I’ve written two exterior scenes, I ask what the weather’s going to be like later today.
7:00am – People start arriving and trickling into the living room. I’ve still not slept but don’t feel tired. I’d gone to bed late Thursday night and slept in till Friday lunchtime to conquer this.
7:40am – First read through of the script. It was a real treat seeing people notice some of the moments and dialogue they’d crafted from the improvisation seep into the script. Everyone seems happy with what we’re going to be working with.
8:30am – Actors are tasked with being off book asap. Most of them, if not all, do this within half an hour.
9:00am – Some folks have the brilliant idea of cooking sausages and fried eggs with bread rolls en masse. We are beginning to not be so concerned about the mammoth task ahead. Eggs and sausages make everything alright. This fuels us to chat more about individual scenes and character motivations and collectively scout for locations. I’ve written one pub scene, one park scene and one street scene. People soon realise they will be multitasking throughout the shoot.
10:45am – We arrive at the pub where scene two (and a small scene three) are set. The landlady’s been nice enough to let us in before the pub opens for business and this is through one of the actors who works there (and is also in this scene).
12:15pm – The pub opens for the general public and there’s football on. The locals are inquisitive and accommodating and surprise us all. They creep around like mice and watch the actors work. This amuses me greatly and I smile knowing there are nice folks. Things are taking time because the pub is next to a main road which meant lots of excess noise. We sit outside in the sun. It is sunny, my interior monologue high fives Ra.
3:15pm – Second location for us to find – a park with a free bench. We stroll to one near the pub… Which is small and filled with children. We walk to the other one close by and find a football match happening and a free bench just past them. We walk. Someone asks about the props for this scene… No one’s bought them. Off someone goes to the shop. People are beginning to feel more tired. I’m surprisingly awake still. I wasn’t even going to stick around the filming but I’m glad I did. We start shooting scene four, the last scene of the film.
4:00pm – One elderly jogger runs around us several times making sure to avoid the camera. Another younger jogger runs straight through shot each time on every lap. He does stupid arm exercises each time he gets to our patch. I laugh as I say that Alfy and Jack look like French auteurs as they smoke whilst working – they clamp the cigarettes between their teeth.
4:45pm – The squirty cream used as a prop has no squirt left in it. The strawberries look mushed to fuck. I buy Red Bull for myself and Alfy.
5:30pm – We head off to the last location to film the opening scene for the film. A dodgy street to film a mugging where in real life it’s known as a mugging hotspot. Great, authenticity. At one point we have to wait for two policemen to walk past before rolling.
6:30pm – It’s cold and I wish I had a coat. Still not slept, but still not feeling the need to. Everyone is so lovely and there’s no tension at all. One actor has to ‘mug’ the other actor many times and be shot from different angles each time. The last take he stacks it and falls to the ground, rolls it out and pegs it down the street as planned. The scene carries on and he jogs back. We don’t shoot that segment anymore (we don’t need to.)
7:00pm – It’s a wrap. We head back to one of the actor’s for well earned cups of tea and congratulate ourselves for the hardwork. Alfy looks like death and it’s only then that I feel my body stiffening with something that can only be described as reluctance to move.
9:30pm – I’m still at Alfy’s because I can’t be bothered to make the trek home. My gait has slowed and my eyes look like I’ve been crying for days. Still not slept.
10:00pm – I leave Alfy and Jack to start the long process of logging everything and syncing sound to start the mammoth intense session of editing. I’m on a bus heading to St. Pancras and sleep and nonsense are beginning to invade my limbs.
10:20pm – I stand at the ticket machine for a good 5 minutes before realising I was trying to buy a ticket to St. Pancras and the reason that wasn’t happening was because I was standing in St. Pancras. I buy a single journey ticket for St. Albans.
11:00pm – Dad comes to collect me from the station. I warn him that if he keeps the car this hot that I will fall asleep.
SUNDAY 12:01am – I’m emailing Alfy and Jack (producer) some music to be considered for the film and clambering into bed. I’m finally tired.
We then get word Sunday afternoon that there’s been technical difficulties. We won’t be able to hand in a version of the film to be considered for the competition because there’s no time to amend and edit before the cut off time. No one is angry, we’re all respectful of the hardwork we’ve all put in and are still excited by what we created. We’re all happy to have been involved in something great in a short amount of time and even though it won’t be part of the competition, we made a film and had a brilliant time doing it. A film is still a film and once it’s done and ready for folks to see, you’ll see it. I loved every second, shot, film roll, sound roll, and sleepless hour I got. 36 hours with no sleep and a bunch of new friends and a film. That’s not bad going considering we were all doing it for the experience… I think we’ll have to credit the sausages and the eggs.
Whiteboard Wisdom/Reminder June 3, 2012
Something so simple, but I’m prone to forgetting. Writing is written to be read. Someone’s taken the time to spill their head/heart/gut on the page. Give those words the credit they deserve, it’s not a race.
Simone Workshop January 19, 2012
Natalia and I will be presenting a creative writing workshop in tandem with the Simone exhibition that’s at Oxford House. Do feel free to come along as,
a) it’s free
b) it would be nice to see you
and
c) we’re wanting to get people collaborating, like we have, in different mediums.
So if you’re a shy writer who doesn’t feel like they have what it takes to write a full length story… Come and see if there’s a photographer who could help you collate one. Or if you’re a painter who has dabbled but only does it behind closed doors… Maybe see if there’s a fellow painter who wants a stimulus from month to month. The main objective of the workshop is to discuss and experiment with responses to different mediums and how to generate ideas. Not only is it free, but it’s in a nice place and you’ll get to see the exhibition too as it will take place in the cafe. Give us a shout if you’re coming along and if you can’t make it, feel free to pass it on the someone who can. Here’s the blurb:
‘Consequences’
Creative Writing Workshop
by Katie McCullough & Natka Studio
Wednesday 25th January 2012
7.30 – 8.45pm
All Welcome!
Katie McCullough and Natka Studio collaborated in a creative version of
‘Consequences’ to create their project, ‘Simone’, which is currently displaying
in the cafe at Oxford House.
Merging the written word and illustration they have forged a unique
collaboration. Using simple exercises and exploring their approach to the
project they will be discussing how you too can forge creative relationships.
Materials will be provided and the workshop will be free of charge.
Exhibition takes place till the 31.01.2012, in the Oxford House cafe.
Katie Mccullough – Writer
Natka Studio – Illustrator
‘Simone’ Exhibition December 21, 2011
As this year comes to and end it also signals the fruitful passing of time for the Simone project. Just a quick recap for those who don’t know… I’ve been collaborating with a fantastic illustrator called Natalia Wilkoszewska throughout the year on a variation of the games of ‘Consequences‘. And Simone is the culmination of it all. I write a piece of flash fiction and Natalia would illustrate it, then she’d illustrate the next part of the story and then it was up to me to write the response, then the next part of the story… And so on. We never forced each other’s hand to bend the story, we simply gave each other cliffhangers and free reign. And now we have a year’s worth of Simone’s life documented for all to see. It’s been an adventure.
I cannot believe a year has passed on this. Each month we did one image and one text and in January 2012 the entire collection will have it’s first public viewing at Oxford House in Bethnal Green. We’re chuffed, thrilled and ecstatic to be able to have the opportunity to let it unfurl in a public forum, especially in a building like Oxford House where they’re keen to exhibit upcoming artists.
This is something new for me (I’m going to be ‘exhibiting some work’ – odd!) and the idea of having work up for people to see for a prolonged period of time is a good kind of crazy. What initially started as an exercise to keep each other creatively exercising, has turned into a beautiful project and we’re keen to get people to go along and see not only our work, but the others on show.
Simone will be displayed from 12th January till 31st January 2012 in the Oxford House cafe which is open from 9am till 4pm. We’re hoping this won’t be the only outing for the project, so I’ll blog about any future developments about other exhibits. Do let us know if you go along and more importantly, enjoy it!
SOUTHBANK UNSEEN PREMIERE September 7, 2011
You may remember me talking about a collection of short documentaries/films that I’m going to be distributing soon called SOUTHBANK UNSEEN, a while back…
Well they’re all finished and have been treated to a sexy grade and will be having their World Premiere as part of the Mayor’s Thames Festival this coming weekend on the 10th and 11th of September. They’ll be projected on to the side of the Royal Festival Hall and to keep things interesting the projector will be bicycle powered.
“Cycle-In Cinema screens the world premiere of Deva Palmier’s Southbank Unseen, a series of four short documentary dramas that give us an alternative view of the South Bank through the eyes and ears of four extraordinarily gifted individuals: Carolyn Findlay, a clairvoyant; Peter Bleksley, a surveillance detective; John Hutchinson, a twelve-year-old on the high end of the autistic spectrum; and, in the fourth film, Prof. Geraint Rees, who will enlighten us on their three views from his own perspective as a neuroscientist.”
I’ll be going along on the Sunday to see the four mini documentaries being screened together. Make sure to bring along a wireless radio to tune into the sound. It’s going to be quite exciting seeing the finished product in front of an audience.
Click the flyer to see the details or click here.
Her-Story Where I’ll Be Talking Aloud August 22, 2011
I first met Vanessa Woolf when we were on the same bill at Interrobang! last year. She’s a beautiful and interesting storyteller who can even keep children quiet, therefore she is magic.
She’s asked me to write a story based on an object that has changed my life which I’ll be reading out at the Kenwood Ladies Pond, Hampstead Heath. This event’s only open to Ladies (stand down men), but if you’re going along do let me know. I’ll probably upload my story on here after the event for those that can’t make it.
The Facebook event page is here. But if you don’t do Facebook then I’ll copy and paste the relevant details below like so…
Her-Story and Storm In A Teacup presents;
Her-story, Your-story, Our-story ; True stories on the Heath
Saturday 27th of August
7.30pm – 9.30pm, Kenwood Ladies Pond, Hampstead Heath
Meet outside the Ladies Pond West Gate between 7.00pm-7.30pm or outside Tufnell Park station at 6.30pm
Hosted by storyteller Vanessa Woolf of London Dreamtime
Join us for story and song sharing, swimming, and picnic by the ladies pond in the magical surroundings of Hampstead Heath.
Five women, five true stories. Join us at this very special true-life outdoor storytelling event. Plus- floor spots- Bring something with a story attached. It might be a photograph, or a baby tooth… it might be the first song you learned, the ticket that changed your life, or the poem that made you want to write.
Admission is FREE but spaces are limited so please email: storminateacup2009@googlemail.com
What to bring:
Small item that is meaningful to you
food and drink (no bar! bring your own)
Candles in a Jar / Torch
A WARM COAT
(A marquee will be provided in case of rain but you could bring an umbrella)
More info about about Kenwood Ladies’ Pond:
Kenwood Ladies’ Pond is a stretch of water and secluded meadow area off Millfield Lane, on the East side of Hampstead Heath. On the map it’s the northernmost triangle-shaped pond in the row of six. Note there are no public toilets nearby apart from those in the pond.
MEETING POINT ** 7.00pm SHARP Outside Hampstead Heath (EAST LONDON LINE)** Please note that we will be waiting outside Hampstead Heath overground station to escort people to our space at the Heath- we will be moving on 7.20pm SHARP so if you miss us, make your way to the pond and you should be able to spot our gathering!
Travel information
Buses: 24, 46 , 168 , C11
Trains: Hampstead Heath (overground) EAST LONDON LINE
“Normal” Service Will Resume Soon December 14, 2010
(listen to me roar… The best I’ve sounded for a while.)
In other words I’m ill. I’m also busy. The two don’t generally gel together that well, but y’know, I try. In other news I’ve noticed that listening to Animal Collective whilst ill creates interesting hallucinations. Feel free to pass that on. And to keep you occupied till I actually do something on this blog, have a ganders at this:
Newcastle Calling November 24, 2010
On Monday just gone I got the train into a very wet looking Newcastle. I was there for the book launch of, “Even More Tonto Short Stories” which was to be held at The Lit & Phil which is a stunning library. Of course regular readers will know that I, myself, Me am published in that very book so it was all a little bit exciting. I’ve been pretty much on the go since September having had something on every night and a play on each month. So as soon as I checked into my Travelodge I fell asleep. And for anyone who is considering staying at Newcastle Travelodge, if you stay in room 258 you will have to walk a good 2 miles to get to your room and that journey will also involve a lift. I jest you not. And a glass walkway of which you can leisurely look at the office buildings that surround the hotel. Even in your room you can see them too. You can look at them. I chose to wave. They did not*.
Then I went to the event and listened to some people read their stories out which was utter loveliness. And then went out drinking after only eating a pepperami a few hours before. I don’t know why I happened to have a pepperami, my only conclusion is that I bought it from a shop. I have no desire to try and reason with myself why I bought one, but I did and I ate it. This is not advised if you want to feel chipper the next morning.
This was the Lovely Helen Lynch who read some of her story out who later joined in the drinking (to a certain degree, liquid but not alcoholic). She also teaches medieval literature at Aberdeen University and plays in an all-gril ceilidh band. She was carrying her whistle when I met her AND when I said goodbye. Lovely. And I also met the wonderfully sweet Elizabeth Husher, and when I say wonderfully sweet I mean easy to laugh at. In a nice way. And like me, this was her first time being published. Then we were introduced to this man who had compered the evening and then we all didn’t stop drinking.
I laughed an extreme amount in Newcastle (London+tiredness+hungover+rush hour= distinct reluctance to laugh) and I spent the evening with some Lovely people. Most of the laughing was induced by the man above, I realise I’ve not named him. The man above, Jamie Rothwell, was extremely funny, in a good way. Which helps because that’s part of his job. He’s also Welsh but don’t hold that against him. My night (or shall I say early morning) ended with me watching Jamie reading Elizabeth a short story involving Erasure on a bed in a hotel that used to be a carpark. At 3am in the morning. Thinking back to it, it sounds extremely sordid. And I’m not saying it wasn’t. I think I wrote something about being touched inappropriately in Jamie’s copy of the book. So chances are I may have a flashback several years from now where I’ll panick at the sight of a Welsh man holding a pepperami singing Erasure. (Y’never know, it could happen).
I left Newcastle the way I found it, raining and hungry.
A big thank you to Stuart Wheatman of Tonto Books for being the publisher man for the whole thing and Caroline Smailes for picking my story to be published.
*And before you say it, I did open the curtains before I waved.
