Idea for a TV series: a kaleidoscopic, disorientating mix of sketch comedy, political documentary, satire and ghost story. There could be parodies, cut-ups. An overall atmosphere to be evoked within the seemingly disparate elements. The potential for serial narrative segments across episodes, Sir Henry at Rawlinson End-style. Only occasional scenes with actors. Scope for capturing some footage on various excursions - stock footage to put to some use. Some of it to be filmed in the north, but avoiding the obvious.
Influences:
Adam Curtis shows / Steven Poole's wise tome on (ab)uses of our language, Unspeak / Jonathan Meades shows* / Sapphire and Steel / The Day Today / Brasseye / Cassetteboy / Absolutely / A Bit of Fry and Laurie / Monty Python / Patrick Keiller - London/Robinson in Space / Marker's 'La Jetee' (use of still images in storytelling).
Really need to watch Ways of Seeing...
This idea could even be realised for YouTube 'broadcast', conceivably, in fragments, or even a pilot episode. A long-term project, and one which needs a name... Planning can really begin earnest in a week or so's time.
* A major new discovery for me, the work of this man.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Keep me abreast if you ever get around to making or writing this; you cite four or five of my favourite influences, particularly Jonathan Meades.
ReplyDeleteIs Simon Munnery another of those influences(seems possible from a read of your blog)? Really enjoyed seeing his thing at the Edinburgh Festival, 2007.
ReplyDeleteWill post updates on here re. progress on this project; i feel a need for this sort of thing.
Meades - let's hope the rest of his stuff gets released; watched ep.1 of "Magnetic North" a few nights ago - sublime, has really got me wanting to visit the Hansa area and check out those neglected modern painters he mentioned...
His programmes are quite a tonic for the received-'wisdom' peddlers and cliche-mongers, who infest so much of our TV.
Oh, yes, I always enjoy Simon Munnery, especially for his live shows of the last few years. Was it the AGM that you saw? I think that the format really suits him.
ReplyDeleteWhoever puts together that Meades Shrine on Youtube has done a sterling job but it is a shame that last year's collection was so piecemeal. Apparently, he's not keen on a number of his documentaries, particularly the one about pigs. I recommend "Peter Knows What Dick Likes", a collection of his journalism - out of print but I ordered it through a public library and it's every bit as good as his TV work.