Steve GannKnockin' on Doors
November 16th 2006 00:40
Sometimes the Biggest Challenge is to Say Hello!
It's that time again. Halloween has come and gone and it is time for me to don my super hero costume and hoist myself into the self promotion mode. There is no magic formula which brings success, 'cos if there was I could sell it by the truck load and make a fortune. What I do know is that you have to stand on the mountain, scream loudly and be prepared to make a fool of yourself. Otherwise, how will people remember you?
Yesterday I sent the following email to SBSi. Let me know what you think.
Hi Danielle
I took a quick look down the line up of people to contact on your site and chose you for a number of reasons. First you are suggested as the person to talk to if I'm not sure who to approach. Secondly you have the same first name as my daughter who is in Mexico at the moment and sends me wonderful emails from time to time sharing her adventures. And there was a third reason -- oh yeah anyone who wears thongs when having a promo pic taken must be approachable and a good listener. Am I making sense here?
Hokay, I have been writing for over 30 years - plays and scripts for film and TV. So far nothing has been produced at a professional level. Now there could be a number of reasons for this. The first and most obvious possibility is that my writing is crap. Let us examine that possibility for a moment. Nah, that's not it -- and bugger the modesty! So what could it be? What holds me back from the threshold of success and the accolades and rewards that go with it? As near as I can figure it out, it's a combination of dumb luck and my inability to promote myself. I'm not very good at it. I have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the word processor.
There is one project in particular which I would like to moot with you guys. I wrote the first draft back in 1996 and have been fiddling with it ever since.
I suppose in one sense it is a bit of docu-drama. What I am looking to do is explore some of the issues now getting exposure on where Aboriginals stand in relation to Australian urban society as a whole. In exploring the relationship between Liv and Michael I want to show his ignorance and growing awareness of the situation as representative of our whole society. In other words we look down on Koori society and blame them for their disadvantaged situation. I also want to explore the theme that if the Koori population as a whole is going to have any chance at all of striving towards a thriving and dynamic network of communities then they must be given the power and resources and control them themselves.
I'm not intending to have the series put these ideas out on a soap box presentation. What I do intend is to show how individuals, both Koori and Euro-Australian can become casualties of a society that doesn't encourage mutual support and communication with one another.
SYNOPSIS WHITE MAN'S BURDEN
Does reconciliation have any real meaning or is it as dead as a bandicoot on a freeway on Friday night after the pub closes? Does Mabo hold any hope of healing some of the wounds? Violence and racism in Australia -- this in the land of Neighbours and Home and Away -- How could it be? Michael and Liv both recognise the ironies in their situation and it is not only that they have different racial and cultural backgrounds.
Michael Kavanagh a successful lawyer, has been looking for a new direction where he he can stretch himself. With developing conflicts over native title legislation; rural lease holders, local councils and mining conglomerates have combined to launch a new incentive so that they can negotiate directly with the various native title owners. Michael is offered the position of CEO of the new organisation which already has a core of two personnel set up to get things underway. Peter King has appointed as administration manager and Kirsty Mangos as research assistant. Agreeing to take the position, he meets the Koori negotiating team headed by Tom Garland and his chief negotiator, Liv Kelly.
Michael and Liv start very warily with one another. Before too long there is banter going on between them, but behind this is steel resolve on both their parts to win the best result for their respective sides. But there are also sparks of a different nature. As negotiations progress, Michael takes Liv to lunch and later to dinner. He drinks too much to drive home and she drives him to his apartment. The next morning he wakes to find Liv with him. He was too drunk for anything to transpire which she teases him with. They agree to see each other again but, for to keep their relationship secret.
------------------------------------------
So there you have a taste of it. A synopsis and a script. I am looking at about 10 to 12 episodes each running for about eighty minutes. Within that frame work I am looking at Michael and Liv coping with their conflicts, Michael making some radical changes in direction. There will be at least one confrontation which leads to a break up, a reconciliation and lots of problems that Michael has to overcome, particularly with Liv's extended family.
I am looking for a format where the main story - the on-going saga of Liv and Michael - is punctuated with short stabs of narrative. These 'little' stories will be shared recollections, things that happen in the press, urban conflicts. What I want to look at is collecting stories from various Koori and Ozzie communities which provide extra backgroud and a 'relief' from the normal narrative, but giving an extra depth to what is being said.
More later. I am looking for a producer who can help realise this as a fully blown project.
Let me know if you guys are interested. I will also be making an approach to the people at Message Stick and Living Black to see if they have any ideas.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Cheers
John
It's that time again. Halloween has come and gone and it is time for me to don my super hero costume and hoist myself into the self promotion mode. There is no magic formula which brings success, 'cos if there was I could sell it by the truck load and make a fortune. What I do know is that you have to stand on the mountain, scream loudly and be prepared to make a fool of yourself. Otherwise, how will people remember you?
Yesterday I sent the following email to SBSi. Let me know what you think.
Hi Danielle
I took a quick look down the line up of people to contact on your site and chose you for a number of reasons. First you are suggested as the person to talk to if I'm not sure who to approach. Secondly you have the same first name as my daughter who is in Mexico at the moment and sends me wonderful emails from time to time sharing her adventures. And there was a third reason -- oh yeah anyone who wears thongs when having a promo pic taken must be approachable and a good listener. Am I making sense here?
Hokay, I have been writing for over 30 years - plays and scripts for film and TV. So far nothing has been produced at a professional level. Now there could be a number of reasons for this. The first and most obvious possibility is that my writing is crap. Let us examine that possibility for a moment. Nah, that's not it -- and bugger the modesty! So what could it be? What holds me back from the threshold of success and the accolades and rewards that go with it? As near as I can figure it out, it's a combination of dumb luck and my inability to promote myself. I'm not very good at it. I have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the word processor.
There is one project in particular which I would like to moot with you guys. I wrote the first draft back in 1996 and have been fiddling with it ever since.
I suppose in one sense it is a bit of docu-drama. What I am looking to do is explore some of the issues now getting exposure on where Aboriginals stand in relation to Australian urban society as a whole. In exploring the relationship between Liv and Michael I want to show his ignorance and growing awareness of the situation as representative of our whole society. In other words we look down on Koori society and blame them for their disadvantaged situation. I also want to explore the theme that if the Koori population as a whole is going to have any chance at all of striving towards a thriving and dynamic network of communities then they must be given the power and resources and control them themselves.
I'm not intending to have the series put these ideas out on a soap box presentation. What I do intend is to show how individuals, both Koori and Euro-Australian can become casualties of a society that doesn't encourage mutual support and communication with one another.
SYNOPSIS WHITE MAN'S BURDEN
Does reconciliation have any real meaning or is it as dead as a bandicoot on a freeway on Friday night after the pub closes? Does Mabo hold any hope of healing some of the wounds? Violence and racism in Australia -- this in the land of Neighbours and Home and Away -- How could it be? Michael and Liv both recognise the ironies in their situation and it is not only that they have different racial and cultural backgrounds.
Michael Kavanagh a successful lawyer, has been looking for a new direction where he he can stretch himself. With developing conflicts over native title legislation; rural lease holders, local councils and mining conglomerates have combined to launch a new incentive so that they can negotiate directly with the various native title owners. Michael is offered the position of CEO of the new organisation which already has a core of two personnel set up to get things underway. Peter King has appointed as administration manager and Kirsty Mangos as research assistant. Agreeing to take the position, he meets the Koori negotiating team headed by Tom Garland and his chief negotiator, Liv Kelly.
Michael and Liv start very warily with one another. Before too long there is banter going on between them, but behind this is steel resolve on both their parts to win the best result for their respective sides. But there are also sparks of a different nature. As negotiations progress, Michael takes Liv to lunch and later to dinner. He drinks too much to drive home and she drives him to his apartment. The next morning he wakes to find Liv with him. He was too drunk for anything to transpire which she teases him with. They agree to see each other again but, for to keep their relationship secret.
------------------------------------------
So there you have a taste of it. A synopsis and a script. I am looking at about 10 to 12 episodes each running for about eighty minutes. Within that frame work I am looking at Michael and Liv coping with their conflicts, Michael making some radical changes in direction. There will be at least one confrontation which leads to a break up, a reconciliation and lots of problems that Michael has to overcome, particularly with Liv's extended family.
I am looking for a format where the main story - the on-going saga of Liv and Michael - is punctuated with short stabs of narrative. These 'little' stories will be shared recollections, things that happen in the press, urban conflicts. What I want to look at is collecting stories from various Koori and Ozzie communities which provide extra backgroud and a 'relief' from the normal narrative, but giving an extra depth to what is being said.
More later. I am looking for a producer who can help realise this as a fully blown project.
Let me know if you guys are interested. I will also be making an approach to the people at Message Stick and Living Black to see if they have any ideas.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Cheers
John
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