Dai's Blog

2012: The year ahead.

2012-01-26T00:26:00.000Z

Well the New Year buzz has finally subsidedand 2012 is it seems in full swing. One of the things I love about the firstmonth of a new year is reading/listening/watching all my creative friends planout all the things they’re going to accomplish over the year, it’s prettyinspirational and it made me realise that while I’ve always had a career planI’ve never really planned out my year as such. Plus, after the psychologicaland emotional cluster-fuck that was 2011 having a year plan could be good.

So what are my aims for 2012? The next 11months are going to be mostly about writing; the aim being to develop furtheras a writer, build up some writing credits, as well as write the scripts I planto direct in 2013 (If there’s still a film industry after the apocalypse ofcourse). I’ve got one short I want to make over the summer but other than that,this year I am solely a writer. I’ve got a pretty diverse slate of scriptsplanned covering TV pilots, comics, features, shorts, and a web series. Plusthere’s the aim of being commissioned to write something. All in all I’ve gotplenty to do.

The other aim I’m focusing on for this yearis networking, if I’m truly honest I am pretty terrible at it. Misanthropic gitthat I am and that has to change. So I just plan on starting conversations withas many people as I can, whether it’s asking questions, begging for work orjust saying hello.

It’s going to be a productive year. So I’dbest go get started.

Stay awesome.

Just a quick update:

2011-10-27T22:29:00.000+01:00

I am exhausted! It’s mentalhow much work I’ve given myself to do (On top of finding a regular day job),but if all goes to plan the next few months will be pretty cool. I wanted toshare a quick run down of what I’m working on:

Private Literature:

This is a five-minutefantasy film about memory and debt that I’m currently working on with DaffyddTurner. The script is ready, currently putting together a ton of visualresearch and storyboards. The aim/hope is to put it in the Bafta Cymru awards.

Short Notice:

This is one I am veryexcited about. Ages ago I talked about putting short comic scripts on the site forillustrators to download and practice with. At the time I got distracted withother work but now I have a backlog of scripts to start the ball rolling. It’llbe starting on November 5^th with two scripts and then one scriptevery month after that. There’ll be more details over on The Geek Shack page inthe coming weeks.

Gwe O Ladron Trailer:

While the project wentslightly south we still managed to shoot something. I plan on cobbling thistogether to make a trailer for future developments. This project is not dead,just catching its breath for round 2.

Peter:

Mentioned this previously, acontemporary feature adaptation of Stravinsky’s Petrushka. I’m currentlyworking on the script and aim to start shooting in the beginning of 2013.

Music Video:

This isn’t a project as muchas something I’d like to do while developing everything else. Currently talkingto one or two musicians about the prospect of shooting something. May nothappen, as I say it’s just something to do.

And that’s it. All otherprojects are still at the acorn stage in my brain. Have some great articlessoon to appear on The Geek Shack and Speaker’s Corner, so keep your specspeeled.

Stay awesome

Help me, reader. You're my only hope!

2011-08-18T13:49:00.006+01:00

I need your help with something I'm writing at the moment. The story is about a young child that begins to discover all the amazing facts and figures to do with life, the universe and everything.

As part of the research I've been collecting loads of really amazing and occasionally odd facts about science, history and so on. But I want to find out from other people if and when did some big amazing fact blow their mind as a kid. For me it was learning that if you remove all the empty space between atoms, the entire human race could be condensed down to the size of a sugar cube. I was about 7 or 8 when I read that and it was, sadly some might say, life changing. After that a life of book worming and geekery awaited me.

So what were your experiences? Was there ever a point when you realised just how big and complex the world and universe is? Was there a single fact opened your eyes or just a particular subject? Feel free to let me know either by leaving a comment or if you don't want people to see what you wrote then you can send me a message via the contact page.

In advance, thanks for all your input.

Stay awesome

(",)

Future project: PETER

2011-08-16T11:20:00.009+01:00

This is something I’ve started working on, a feature film based on Stravinsky’s Petrushka. Probably not going to get round to making it until 2013 but here’s some of the research sketchbook I’ve been putting together.

The story takes place in a jazz club so I went straight to my all time favorite photographer, the late great Herman Leonard. His photos of jazz musicians and jazz clubs practically defined how people imagine jazz visually.

If you're familiar with Stravinsky's Petrushka then you know that one of the main characters is a dancer. So I went looking for images based around cabaret, burlesque, ballet and even pole dancing.

I'm hoping to have the script written and locked by the end of this year. Then I want to spend as much of 2012 working on pre-production as possible.

With the last couple of months being a bit of a nightmare I'm really looking forward to writing and eventually making this. Thanks to Stravinsky I already know the story works, so I'm hoping to create a visual feast for the eyes.

My plan is to document all the stages of writing, research and development. Probably on a monthly basis so I can build up plenty to show you. So keep your specs peeled and check back soon.

Stay awesome.

(",)

davidjeffcoate.com V2.0

2011-08-13T19:56:00.004+01:00

If you've visited the site before then you'll notice that it is no longer a html graveyard. About nine hours of tampering, tweaking and slamming my face into the keyboard have cleaned this place up really well.

The upgrade is going to be in three phases. Phase one involved overhauling the appearance and generally tidying up the place.

Phase two has consisted of embeding better quality versions of all videos on the portfolio page, as well as adding new material.

Phase three is more long term and involves generating more content on the 'Speakers Corner' & 'Geek Shack' pages, I want to do this by getting cooler people than I to contribute articles and essays on preferably a weekly basis.

I also want to make a more regular effort updating my blog in an attempt to condense my online socializing away from Facebook and Tumblr to here. Hopefully this will free up more time to get work done.

So keep your specs peeled for the new additions I have planned and feel free to drop by anytime.

Stay awesome (",)

Just Popping My Head Up To Say:

2011-04-22T20:46:00.002+01:00

Today has been a scortcher of a day, there's something about a really sunny day that seems to make those litte bits of free time last so much longer. At least it felt like that today as I managed to get quite a bit done. I began outlining scenes for what I hope will eventually be my first feature length project, called 'Shadow In The Valley'.

I also made a lot of notes for a comic related project code named, 'Enzyme' that I'm going to be working on with the Godfather of comic aficionados Rhys Turner.

Now that the family has been taken care of I'm going to be cracking on with Gwe O Ladron, there's a lot of lost ground to recover and it's going to be difficult, but I am confident and committed to this project. Even if it kills me.

There are no certanties and it may all be for nought, but I am enthusiastic and excited about the slate of projects I have on the horizon. I'm even more excited about sharing it with you as it happens.

So keep your specs peeled and stay awesome.

Welsh, Movies and me…

2010-10-16T01:43:00.001+01:00

Well work on Gwe O Lladron is going good. Not as quickly as I want but it is slowly getting there. Currently going through the process of talking to possible producers, I’m hoping to find someone who will do more than just the paper work and help with securing funding as well hopefully getting the film out there. So fingers crossed.

Also talking to some people about editing, sound and art direction, some really cool ideas bouncing about and loving the possibilities. I have fully secured a composer, a talented guy called Stuart Crowhurst really looking forward to working with him. Getting through the third draft at a pace I’m happy with and hoping to get some storyboard designs done when it’s finished.

The question I’m getting asked a lot is, “why make a film in Welsh?” Well, language helps express and define who we are and around the world a large part of that expression is done through storytelling. Now I myself do not speak Welsh but I’m proud that Wales has its own language and I genuinely believe that the Welsh language is more than a novelty to be spoken at ceremonial events and festivals. It’s one of the oldest languages to be spoken in the UK and a powerful demonstration of the rich culture Wales has to offer. And yet to the best of my knowledge there are few (if any) Welsh language feature films bouncing around the world cinema arena but why is that?

Pen Talar, S4C

On the whole, with the Welsh language TV productions or the few short films that I’ve found, I think it boils down to the stories; some are just too…Welsh-centric. They commonly rely on clichés or stereotypes that outside of Wales are the basis of many jokes (one or two are actually kinda funny). This doesn’t mean that stories told in Welsh should strip away every vestige of nationality; on the contrary in a series like S4C’s Pen Talar they’ve beautifully shown growing up in Wales from 1962 to present day from the point of view of it’s two main characters Doug and Defi and I’m perfectly happy to watch it with subtitles. And believe the same story could be told in a feature length format.

District 13

I just think there needs to be more thinking outside the box and in a few cases more creatively. Take for example District 13 and its sequel District 13: Ultimatum, both French language films set in France and both are amongst the best action films I’ve ever seen. They both cover topics of gang wars, social inequality, political corruption and kick-ass martial arts, all of which I can relate to or get behind and at no point did I think, “I don’t get that, must be a French thing”. More importantly there’s no reason why the same story couldn’t work in Wales, in Welsh. Pan’s Labyrinth, The Lives Of Others, The Host, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon are to name just a microscopic fraction of the globally acclaimed foreign language films that demonstrate what Welsh language films could potentially aim for.

My hope with Gwe O Lladron is to show how Welsh can be used to tell an interesting story that doesn’t depend on clichés and stereotypes. And then use it as a stepping stone to make a Welsh feature, of which I already have two very workable ideas. Who knows, maybe I’ll get to make both.

(",)

LATEST PROJECT: GWE O LADRON

2010-09-19T02:42:00.001+01:00

So currently I’ve been working on a short script called ‘Gwe O Lladron’, which is Welsh for ‘Web Of Thieves’ and is a crime caper set against the backdrops of London and Wales about a jewel thief in London on a job but things go awry when he meets a beautiful waitress. Soon on the run, the thief finds himself calling in favors and traveling across country to a surprising twist and a high stakes showdown.

This is going to be a Welsh language project. Despite not speaking Welsh myself I think it’ll be a really worthwhile challenge not just from a filmmaking point of view but also in that it’ll be interesting to see how Welsh does/could work on the world cinema stage.

At the moment I’m working my way through the third draft of the script while trying to find a producer. I’m then hoping to go to the Film Agency Of Wales with the finished draft and discuss what support they can give.

I’m also hoping to get into the habit of updating here more regularly.

There’s also some big changes going on here at the site, we now have a comic/geek review section that is planned to launch at the end of October. I’m also currently talking to a few talented souls about having regular monthly articles in the speaker’s corner section again that should be ready to go at the end of October.

So keep your specs peeled and check back soon.

That is all.

(“,)

COMING SOON - Short Notice

2010-07-15T14:44:00.000+01:00

So here's what I've been working on over the last month, two film scripts one short, one feature. And Short Notice.

I love comics and Short Notice will hopefully grow into a fantastic community comic project. The idea is that every month I will post a 5 page comic script for illustrators to use free of charge. And in return all I ask is that I get sent a copy of the finished piece to post online (right now I'm thinking Drunk Duck) and of course that I get a writing credit when or where ever the work is used.

The aims are to allow illustrators get experience without having to spend hours brainstorming their own ideas and to network and develop friendships with possible collaborators. As well as let myself play with storytelling techniques/styles in the set medium of comics and simply give me a chance to write.

I'm hoping to make the stories as diverse and interesting as I can. Covering fantasy, sci-fi, horror, drama, history, mythology, etc.

The first story is good to go but I'm going to write a second just to give a little bit of variety to begin with. Then after that a new script will be posted every month.

If you want more info then just get in touch otherwise keep your specs peeled.

That is all.

Dai (",)

Fry Hard 4.0Kg

2009-07-10T19:26:00.000+01:00

First up I apologize for this being late, I’ve been working on a variety of projects that have kept me very busy.

Ok, where to start?

Well, I’ve been taking my chest meds and am now feeling 100% better. Food intake wise, I’m getting there slowly but surely; and starting to get myself into the routine of three square meals a day, with little or no snacking (some of said snacking being fruit). On the foods in exile list are:

- Crisps

- Fizzy drinks

- Chips

- Fried foods (of which my dad is king)

- Brand name fast foods

- Cheese and bacon Savouries (a delicacy which if you’ve never tried are available through the Welsh bakery Jenkins. Ltd, and filled with love, warmth and smack…I imagine)

As far as sugars go I’m treating it on a product to product basis, now I know that sounds like a cop out but I don’t really stuff my face with chocolate and the like so I’m trusting my free will. I’m also setting myself the rule of no food after 8pm which, with all the Red Bull I drink, should help my metabolism. I think. Speaking of Red Bull, I’m no where near ready to give that up. In fact I’m pretty sure an intervention would be required (luckily, all who would be involved in such an event, I’m pretty sure I could take in a fight for a Red Bull 12 pack). Now, this is the bit where I make a sort of confession-slash-excuses. As I wrote last time, I’ve been recovering from a chest complaint. The confession part is that I’ve been ‘recovered’ for at least five days now. And in that time I have done nothing in the way of exercise. At all. The excuse part is that I’ve been working on three very demanding (and hopefully promising) projects. Or, when I’ve decided to go for a walk, the weather has been unbelievably shitty. Now, some of you are undoubtedly saying: “Get off your arse and join a gym then!” Alas, I have issues with gyms. Firstly, they smell of sweat and desperation; then there are the people who clearly don’t need to be in a gym, and can only be there for the sole purpose of silently mocking those who ‘need’ to exercise. And finally, there’s the price. Give me an ipod filled with the complete works of Paul Simon and the smooth vocal stylings of Stephen Fry reading the phone book, and I’ll walk myself thin up Everest and back. For free!

But I promise from the bottom of my cholesterol pumping heart. I am going to do better. Even as I draft this entry out, the weather is nice enough for a walk – which I will go for.

So load up the ipod, and let’s roll mother-truckers!

COOKING TIGER, FRYING DRAGON:

2009-06-24T15:52:00.000+01:00

The first fortnight of my mission to shed some of my athletic physique (when I say athletic, I mean sumo wrestling), has not quite gone to plan. Now, usually this time of year my hay fever leads to a ton of snot and phlegm resting on my already over taxed lungs. This in turn causes a mild chest complaint where I can’t breathe. This year I decided to cut the problem off at the pass; I went to see the doctor and explained my love of clear, un-obstructed breathing, and left myself at his tender mercies. He then told me “At this point all we can do is boost your system.” This is where I asked if he had the technology? Could he rebuild me? He said no (I also suggested a Darth Vader like respirator – this was quickly shot down).

Instead I was given a steroid pump. This annoyed me somewhat. For the first time ever, I’m taking the whole weight loss issue seriously, and I’m now required to pump myself with steroids (plus, I don’t need my manhood getting any smaller). So I took the pump and consoled myself with the fact that my chest may change how much exercise I do, but at least I’m being extra vigilant with what I eat. Famous-bloody-last-pissing-words. My dad decided to have a pre-fathers day BBQ, he cooked all the major food groups: beef, pork, and chicken; for side salad, fish. Now my plan was to just have a burger or two and call it quits, but the look in my dad’s eyes when my plate remained empty for longer than three minutes was too much! It was as if I was shitting all over the effort he had made, so I did what any dutiful son would do, I chowed down with the pack. I kept telling myself “it’s ok, this is just a one off, and tomorrow it will be back in the saddle. But alas, numerous breakfasts and lunches with friends has led to a more uncontrolled intake of food than I had planned. The only good thing to come out of this fortnight is the realization that I might have been trying to do too much at the very start, and as a result I’ve started getting myself into some kind of routine which will hopefully be of some use as I progress. I’m also hoping that by the end of next week, my chest will have cleared up and I’ll be out and about walking (no running…unless chased by raptor or Nazgul) myself thin.

So thanks for reading this. Sorry it’s a short one.

Fatman Begins:

2009-06-08T19:24:00.000+01:00

There comes a time in everyone’s life, either through their own efforts or by chance, when they get to do something great, something so personally fulfilling, it confirms beyond all doubt that they are separate from the herd; a unique little snowflake.

I have had two such moments. The first was when I decided to quit drinking; now I was not what you would have called an alcoholic, but I was drinking far too heavily for someone who wasn’t even 18 yet. It really started hitting home when, each weekend out would cost more and more to actually get drunk (I once spent £80 on beers and spirits, only to walk home stone cold soba). Eventually on my 18^th birthday, on what should have been a celebration of being legally able to drink, it was in fact the day I realized that I was actually on the verge of becoming addicted to drinking. My life was even starting to be shaped around my drinking times, Monday – Friday; I’d finish my shift in a restaurant, and go for one or two pints with Rob or anyone who was up for it (never drank on my own though). Saturday and Sunday, were, if I wasn’t working, days to get completely wasted, blitzed, pissed, smashed, gazeboed. Only to repeat the whole cycle over come Monday morning. It was also on my 18^th that I decided that I really wanted to do something with my life, something that I could feel was important. And so I decided to quit drinking, at first people didn’t believe it was even possible, (such was notoriety of my drinking escapades) and just laughed it off, while others seemed to become ‘shirty’ about my new found T-totalism. It was as if by my not drinking I was somehow passing judgement on their drinking habits. The doubt fuelled bon mots subsided after the first few months. And in the five years since I made that decision I have only had five drinks, five drinks so spread out over that time that I can tell you each occasion.

Choosing to stop drinking led directly to the second great moment in my life. After a few sober months of soul searching and a few conversations with friend Kris, I came to the decision that I wanted to do something media related. At the time I was thinking of just writing, so I applied to the local further education college for a place on their new course, ABC Broadcast Media Practice. I was interviewed by Richard Lewis, a man who would go onto be (and still is) my Guru on all things film production related. My dad gave me the news that I had been accepted over the phone while I was at the Wakestock festival 2006 (where I had one of those five afore mentioned drinks) in North Wales. I then spent the next two years joyfully working my chunky arse off, 20 student films, a BBC Scotland project, and ITV associations. I even got to man the cameras at the 2008 Reading festival. And all of it showed me that not only could I do something with my life, but that I seemed to be good at the particular thing that I had chosen. Making films, or just working with filmmakers became something I needed to do, something I still need to do it is an addiction, only much healthier than the one I was previously working towards. In the spring of 2008, two years after deciding to enrol at college, and four years after choosing to quit drinking, all the hard work lead to the eventual acceptance to Westminster University.

And now I plan on going for the hattrick, a third moment in my life that defines me as something ‘a little more than a hot dog, know what I mean?’ I plan on finally loosing a few pounds of my girthy personage, and joining those of you who can look at a flight of stairs without falling to your knees and shouting, “KKHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANN!” But it’s not all about the health benefits, as a ‘fatty’, chatting up women is much harder. You have to use lines like, “Sex with me is like having sex on a trampoline, once you get going it does all the work for you!” Alas, this never worked. In fact when a woman is pressed to imagine any physical intimacy with me, first thoughts tend to be about me eating her whole, rather than eating her out. (That’s right, I went blue – in fact, if you read that line back there is a second joke. See it?) Besides, it’s something I keep putting off, like many, I do that thing where I try to assume it can wait until tomorrow, or a time that’s good for me, knowing full well that my overworked heart could, at any point go, “To hell with this, you tubby bitch! I quit.” And that would be bad. So my plan is to blog every other week to share how I’m doing, hopefully being public about the whole thing will help give an extra nudge towards thindom. So if you follow me on twitter, or facebook, or even happen to know me in the real world (I’m THAT guy), keep on at me, ask me how’s the weight loss going, make me feel bad if I’m stuffing a choc-chip muffin down my gullet. Together we can make my world a thinner place.

Graphic Novel project:

2009-06-03T01:46:00.001+01:00

Graphic Novel synopsis: Subliminal.

I've recently begun working on a graphic novel. Below is the synopisis, and the script will be developed over the summer. I'm currently talking to a few illustrators, but you are interested in working on the project, or have any questions you can contact me at d.jeffcoate@googlemail.com

SYNOPSIS:

Subliminal is about Paul Mullen, a 26 year old Retail assistant in a shoe shop. Six months previously his girlfriend was brutally attacked, and murdered. He is constantly haunted by nightmares of the event, finding it difficult to grieve; and is becoming ever more distant from the world around him. Eventually his sister tries to talk to him, and convince him to get ‘professional’ help. When he refuses she gives Paul a self help book written by world famous hypnotist and illusionist Leo Green.

Paul reluctantly begins reading the book, working his way through simple relaxation exercises which seem to have an effect on his dreams, making them less terrifying but just as strange. When Paul gets to the last chapter of the book there is a self hypnosis exercise to perform, during which Paul finds him self thrown into a bizarre city. He stumbles around, being greeted by creatures and people that shouldn’t be. He is then found and rescued by none other than Leo Green, only to be told that he is not really Leo Green and that the city is not real…It’s all in Paul’s head.

Paul is then informed that the city and everything in it is a visual representation of all the elements and aspects of his mind; all created by subliminal words and commands hidden within the self help book, a psychological computer programme of sorts. The Representation of Leo explains that he will serve as a guide, helping Paul to interact and learn from the more dominant parts of his psyche, and that he can wake up at any point he chooses. As the pair venture through the city it becomes apparent that something is amiss, grizzly murders’, kidnappings and city wide preparations for the apocalypse, all convince Leo that Paul needs more help than the book can provide. But when Paul tries to wake up, he finds he can’t, turning a simple exploration of his mind into a race to save his sanity.