Something to do

Besides trolling and griefing.

Seems like the script I've been asked to write for the Drama Club is not small change.

This year, there will be several things to consider:

- Drama Club is aiming for a Gold Award for next year's SYF. Gold. ****ing Gold.

- I've only ever finished one full-length script that was "acclaimed". I hated it. The rest includes half-developed concepts and Underemergency.

- All characters in my play will be people at least one year older than I am. I suspect I may have trouble creating sincere characters that aren't all copies of myself.

- I checked with Ms Z, and no, I'm not being brought in because I'm alumni or because I'm on good terms with the teacher, or because I won 600 bucks last time. I'm being brought in because all the other proposed scripts Ms Z have received have been both expensive and not up to standard. There was one story a theatre company dangled in front of her about an emo boy, who wants to kill himself, until he finds a pretty girl, but then something bad happens, so he kills himself anyway. I guess that does sound pretty fuckin' bad.

- My play focuses heavily on subtext, symbolism, and indirect suggestion to tell the story. Last SYF's play was like this too, and we had some good actors and actresses, but even then many of the cast members (including myself) weren't quite mature enough to grasp the text at a deeper level. To put it lightly, I don't find much to be optimistic about - few in the Drama Club I know have any kind of "edge" to them. But then again people change, so I'll have to go to drama practices again to check them out. That'll be nostalgic to say the least.

- There'll be an instructor to do major directing, but there will still need to be a student director. I fear that that may necessarily become my role as well. I still don't know if this will clash with polytechnic commitments.

- I have no experience with a writer-director relationship. Last time, our old instructor Sharon doubled as playwright and director. Not to mention this director is a full-fledged adult, maybe in the business. There's a big gulf there. What if she can't see things from my way, and vice-versa?

- I also have reason to believe that this instructor may not be so happy about me writing the script. I'm a largely untested sixteen-year old. All she has for reassurance is my 600 bucks, my Lit grade, and Ms Z's praise. Ms Z's rejected scripts from professional writers and entire companies in favour of my unwritten concept. Hell, even I was afraid Ms Z was being biased.

- Gold. Just that fucking GOLD.


First draft out by Wednesday. After a few more revisions, you guys can read it and tell me what you think. Not that you have to, but I need beta readers. Games like Half-Life 2 are made with legions of playtesters coming in and letting the developers harvest their reactions. So beta readers, that I can trust to be impartial and disinterested, will be an invaluable asset to me.

Then there's the BBC Radio Playwriting Competition. Yep. Definitely playing for keeps now.


Anyway, went to a Drama BBQ today. Primarily to begin getting familar with the members again, since I'm going to have to rely on them next year to bring home the Gold. Z and Jacob were there telling us about their horrible lives, lol. JJ was there too, so it was cool. =D