In the Margins #7: Hero Worship
When I sent In the Margins #6 in December 2020 I thought I’d probably send another a month or so later… suddenly it’s September 2021.
Where did the time go?
For me, it was mainly spent working on scripts for the second year of my MA Screenwriting degree. I’d not written any 30 minute scripts before 2021, now I’ve finished my third. Two of those are the first couple of episodes of a Viking time travel series for kids set in Scotland, which I wrote for my Major Project and handed in a week ago.
After years of attending screenwriting night classes and never finding the time to write anything much when they ended, I’m pleased I finally finished something substantial and that I now have a batch of other ideas ready to start working on.
I’ve no idea where this screenwriting path will lead me, but the same thing happened when I finally stopped putting off writing a book about Tremors because I’d never written a book before. If you want to try something then just have a go. You’ll regret it if you never get around to it.
Talking of books, if you follow me on social media you might have seen me mention that I’m now working on a follow up to last year’s Highlander book (signed copies of which are still available), though the subject of this one is slightly less fantastical…
Keeping it Local
It was in November 2013 that I had the honour of interviewing one of my filmmaking heroes following a screening of one of my favourite films.
Getting the chance to talk to writer/director Bill Forsyth and associate producer Iain Smith on the 30th anniversary of Local Hero’s release came about thanks to it being the 15th anniversary of Screen Machine, Scotland’s mobile cinema.
I was working with the cinema at the time, helping to organise a series of special events around the Highlands and Islands, one of which had to be Local Hero. When it became obvious that getting the cinema into the village of Pennan (where the famous phone box scenes were filmed) was going to be too difficult, we instead opted for Mallaig, the village close to where the beach scenes were filmed.
The Mallaig screening was sold out and as the rain fell on the cinema, Bill and Iain took the time to recall the many happy weeks they spent in the area filming Local Hero.
Fast forward to 2021 and I’m now pleased to announce I’m working on a book that will tell the full story of the film’s creation and legacy. The Road to Ferness: Bill Forsyth and the Making of Local Hero is due out from the publishers of my Highlander book next year, just in time for 2023’s 40th anniversary of Local Hero’s release. Here’s the blurb:
“It’s not a high concept movie, there’s actually no story there really. It’s what happens in between the story that’s important.” Bill Forsyth
Regularly named one of the best British films ever made and loved by generations of fans around the world, Local Hero is the seemingly simple story of American businessman “Mac” MacIntyre (Peter Riegart) who is sent to Scotland by his boss, Happer (Burt Lancaster), to buy the tiny village of Ferness with the aim of turning it into an oil refinery.
In time for its 40th anniversary, Jonathan Melville checks into Urquhart’s Hotel - watching out for motorbikes - and examines director Bill Forsyth’s early career before spending time with the cast and crew of Local Hero to find out how the classic film was made.
Along the way he’ll also look at the collaboration between Forsyth and Glasgow-born musician Mark Knopfler, the environmental themes that are even more relevant today, and Local Hero’s legacy with filmmakers and fans.
It’s too soon to pre-order the book, but I’ll let you know when you can.
Elsewhere…
Other than researching the new book, working on trying to improve my current scripts, beginning to outline some new ones, and trying to find a new day job (or freelance work) since my last one ended in July, I’m still trying to find time to transcribe the interviews I carried out for my book on Jim Henson collaborators that I mentioned in the last newsletter.
There are some fascinating insights into the career of Henson that I think fans will enjoy reading.
At the start of the year I decided I wanted to read more espionage and thriller fiction, and since January I’ve been working my way through Len Deighton’s nine book series (and a prequel) detailing the adventures of British intelligence officer, Bernard Samson, starting with 1983’s Berlin Game.
I opted to listen to the unabridged audiobooks via my library’s Libby app as I needed something to keep me company on my morning walk, and I can’t recommend them highly enough. I’m also working my way through the print editions of Ian Fleming’s James Bond books.
I’m currently listening to a documentary series on Audible called Finding Q: My Journey into QAnon, plus I’m slowly working through the fascinating Philly DA documentary series on BBC iPlayer that looks at the work of Philadephia’s District Attorney, Larry Krasner.
TV-wise I watched the first few seasons of brilliant French spy series The Bureau earlier this year, and just this week I finished season two of the excellent Batman prequel series, Pennyworth. I’ve avoided most of the dozens of comic book series that are on streaming services these days, but the spy aspect of Pennyworth intrigued me and I’m glad I took a punt.
It takes place in an alternate 1960s London that’s under threat from a fascist regime, and Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon) is an ex-SAS gun-for-hire who sounds a bit like Michael Caine (and lives on Micklewhite Avenue).
Right now I’m looking forward to the new James Bond film, No Time to Die, which will finally arrive in cinemas this month after a long Covid-related delay. I was sad to read this week that the next Mission: Impossible film has been postponed until September 2022 as I’m a big fan of that series and thought Fallout was the best action film of the last decade or so.
That’s pretty much all from me for now. I’ll aim to send another email soon, ideally when I’ve got some interesting news to share about that Jim Henson project (or the other one I’ve not mentioned yet).
Until next time, stay safe.
Jon