APRIL 2004
First of all, I received the news that the producers, Pathe, have
not renewed their option on the film of Vurt. I did two drafts
all told, and I really felt that the second one was getting closer
to what the film could be. During the writing of it, however,
the option on the film ran out. Pathe read the script anyway.
If they liked it, they would renew the option. Unfortunately,
they didn't like it, at least not enough to commit more money
to the project. I feel very disappointed. I put a hell of a lot
of work and time into the script. I know how the film industry
works, and that the big companies are not taking many chances
on leftfield projects these days, but still, it hurts. At least
Iain Softley is still interested in directing the film. He's currently
looking to find another producer. Also, I've decided to step down
from the writing, and to let Iain find another writer for the
project. It's time for another set of eyes to look at the material.
Hopefully, this will bring the film closer to production. I hope
so. I'm keen to stay involved in the project, all down the line.
Other film news. I believe that the producers of the Somewhere
the Shadow film are looking for a new writer. I haven't been involved
in this project in any way. I've not even seen any script drafts.
It's a bit of a mystery. The good news is that the company have
renewed their option.
The best personal film news, however, is that a production company
called Tall Stories have taken an option on Falling Out Of Cars,
with myself writing the screenplay. We have funding from the Film
Council for this. Early days as yet, I'm just putting together
an outline of the film. But it feels a lot easier than writing
the Vurt script, not least because the work is closer to my current
concerns. Also, the production is a lot smaller, and so I feel
I can take more chances with the writing. That's my big project
at the moment.
Despite the setbacks with the Vurt script, I'm still very keen
to establish myself as a screenwriter. I feel that my novels have
reached a certain stage, and that it's time to expand my horizons.
I have two or three really good, weird and beautiful ideas for
films, that I would love to turn into scripts. Also, I'm keen
to try adapting other people's material into films.
The Mappalujo book is moving slowly towards its strange conclusion.
Steve Beard and I have added a story that takes places after the
events of Apparition Park, the one on the web site. And we have
just finished another that takes place before Apparition. We have
clarified the gaming structure throughout, and made the plot clearer.
There will be three or four major stories, and various interim
reports and appendices, etc. There's a real sense of a world building
up now, and the whole style of SF Baroque is really coming to
fruition. The only problem with a project like this is finding
a publisher for it, given the current climate of all encompassing
blandness. We shall see.
Talking of expanding horizons, these last few months I've been
making music on my computer. This is so exciting for me, it's
just ridiculous, and it takes me right back to the last time I
made music, in the early 1980s! My novels have always been closely
involved with musical processes, of course, and I find that in
making music I am using a lot of the techniques I've evolved for
writing stories. It's strange, a real sense of osmosis between
the two media. Out of these explorations BBC 3 have commissioned
me to write a radio play for their Wire slot. I'll be producing
both the words and music for this. Who knows, we may yet see the
first Jeff Noon instrumental album!
And of course, the usual number of nebulous ideas for new novels
are forming in the dark somewhere.
All for now
Jeff |
