Summer Updates 2017

Summer is upon us once again, so it's time for another round of updates: all the latest developments in my creative life.

Firstly, I'm afraid I've got some disappointing news. For the next year or so, I will be taking my focus away from the blog. That means, outside of my regular Top 5 and Oscar posts, I will most likely not be updating this blog between now and July/August next year. Now, bear with me: there is a good reason behind this I swear.

It's not because I'm losing interest in the blog, nor is it because I'm running out of ideas. Far from it, in fact. I think I've got more drafts of potential ideas than I have actual published posts. Of course, trying to write up those ideas into fully fledged posts is a separate challenge, and while finding the inspiration and motivation to write up these posts inbetween all the other written work I have to do for uni is a genuine issue, my break from the blog is a completely unrelated matter. Instead, I am working hard on a different writing project.

Back in 2015, I started writing a novel titled Chrysalis about the struggles of two alienated teenagers and their social, domestic and societal struggles. Whilst I never lost interest in the project, I hadn't formally added anything for a good year or so, but now that's begun to change. Inspired recently by one of my close friends who just released his first EP, I have decided that I want to finish my first draft of Chrysalis by this time next year. This is my big creative goal at the moment, and with an estimated twenty chapters, I've worked out I'm going to need to be writing at least one chapter every three weeks to keep up with this target, so consequently, especially with everything else going on, I just won't really have time to focus on the blog.

If successful, this will be my first completed book since 2007 (which I don't think really counts), and considering how many books I've started (I count about seven), actually finishing one is kind of a big deal.

Two chapters of Chrysalis are already available to read for free here, with a third arriving in the near future, and you can keep up with the book's progress via my facebook page.

In the meantime, I'm also working towards my fourth short film, currently under the working title of Dead Tired (hopefully not the final title, I feel I can do better than that). We've had a few issues with scheduling, so shooting hasn't started as early as I'd like, but we plan to start on the 22nd, with the majority of the shoots taking place in the last week of August. This is going to be the first film where I have complete creative control, so I'm very much looking forward to it, not to mention I'll be able to put my new-found knowledge from uni to the test, as well as several hundred pounds worth of new equipment I've bought, including two new prime lenses and proper audio equipment.

I can't really give a specific date of completion yet, but I'll be editing throughout September, hopefully finishing and uploading the film by the end of said month, to coincide with my return to university. The best way to keep up with the film's progress, and hopefully see some behind the scenes content, is to like my facebook page, although I may mention it briefly on the blog too.

Lastly, just a quick mention that I've added a new page to the blog titled 'Other Works', essentially a list of all the creative projects I've made and been involved with. At the moment, that translates to a list of short films and novels, but as I work on more and more projects, there should end up being a wealth of content there, with links when possible.

And I think that's about it. Well, I've got a book to write and a film to storyboard, so I'll catch you all in December for the Top 5 of 2017. Over and out.