The Science of The Art

The last two weeks have seen me really try my best to get into my adaptation, with varying degrees of success. At present, I’m happy. Well, happier. Okay- I’m not clinically depressed about it, so there’s definitely been an improvement. The treatment for my adaptation is now well underway, as well as writing some dialogue for specific scenes as I go along. The Script Analysis module is now paying dividends; admittedly I’m dipping in and out of various theories and applying them as I see fit but I think that’s part of the process. I’m also gaining a clearer picture of the importance of having a treatment and I feel I’d be lost (more so) without one. At first I was concerned that I wouldn’t have enough of a story, as I’m only using a chapter of the book as the basis for my play. As the treatment progresses, I feel I might actually have to lengthen the play from a one act 60 minute piece to a two act 90 minute piece. This might very well change again though.  I’m having moments when I think “why didn’t I already know this, it’s so obvious” to genuine epiphanies when I least expect it. One such epiphany being that I just realised in work (my day job) the other day that I’ve no female characters yet in my adaptation. Granted, there are very few in the book itself but I feel I could do with at least making reference to a female somewhere in the story-line. I’m noting all of these things as I progress through the treatment and I hope to come up with some solutions when I start to work on the script itself. At worst, I’m learning a lot as I go along. Another issue is getting the flow of the story right- at present there’s a lot of to-ing and fro-ing of characters in and out of the tattoo parlour (the sole location of the play). I’m concerned that this will get tiresome but I’m trying to break up the action with other elements. Having recently subjected myself to an horrendous theatre play in Dublin, I’m also acutely aware of having too many scenes. At least with my adaptation being based in the one location there won’t be many set changes. I also got to write my first sex scene, which provides a little light relief to the play, if you’ll pardon the pun.  My plan is to get the rest of my treatment (draft) done by the end of the week and submit it to my tutor, in order to get some feedback for my next residential weekend. Speaking of which, my next weekend in Wales is the final weekend of Year 1! I really can’t believe it’s gone by so quickly but I’m very much looking forward to my weekend at Gregynogg Hall.