The Roar of the Greasepaint...

By Tony Lee

So this week I'm 'out on the road' on my trusty HTC Kaiser, thumb-tapping away ten to the dozen as I'm writing to you from the set of my very first movie. It sounds very exciting, but actually it sounds a little grander than it really is. For a start, we're not talking Hollywood blockbuster here, more a short film for festival consideration. Gone are the casts of thousands replaced by a cast of three. And a film crew of about fifteen.

That said, standing out here on a cold yet sunny February morn is still one of the most electric feelings I've ever had. Why? Well its simple my little chickadees. I get to stand out here, watching actors act out scenes I envisaged – I get to see the words I write made flesh.

That's one of the joys of being a writer in a visual medium - you get to see your characters live, albeit in a sequential format, panel to panel. You can literally see them grow; expanding as both artist and writer become comfortable with the subject matter as the pages become more fluid. With the addition of a letterer, the writer's original vision finally appears and is usually the first point that the writer sees for the first time the story that they envisioned all those months before.

But with live action, you see it unfold in front of you. The scene is acted, the words spoken, the characters actually live. And for a split second you can actually remove the cameraman, the sound recordist, director, producer, best boy, AD1 and half a dozen gaffers and runners and make up artists and photographers etc and believe in the scene, believe in the moment.

And that moment right there, that wonderful magical moment is why I became a writer in the first place.

We first came up with the idea, the director, Mark Corden and I while drinking a lot of tequila a little over a year ago. Many of you reading this may smile at this, after all a lot of my collaborations seem to start with 'well we were there and there was a lot of
alcohol...' and yes, it's true. And none so much as this time, late into the evening when Mark mentions in passing that he wants to direct a short movie for a festival.
'Thatsh good.' Slur I. 'For I am, in fact, a writer.' I tap my nose knowingly before continue. 'Of comicsh.'

Jordan, Sarah and Rob - not their happy faces.

We nod knowingly. More tequila is drunk.

And from there a partnership was born. The rest of the night became a planning session, well as much as drunken rambling can be called such a thing, a script was written within a week. We called it 'The Shoot' because, well, that's what it was. It had drama. Tension. Well fleshed out characters and an act three twist that came out of left field. And over the next few months we tinkered and tampered and it pretty much just waited for the moment.

A couple of months ago we had a producer latch onto the project. A month or so ago, we spent the afternoon having auditions for the three main characters. A couple of weeks back Mark spent a day in rehearsals. Last night in the pre-shoot drink I met a whole load of people I had never seen before, who had all come on board in a Field Of Dreams inspired message of 'if you film it, they will come.'

Of course the road wasn't paved with cherry blossoms and dancing girls, much that this annoyed me. In fact less than twenty four hours ago, Mark and I were spending the afternoon running around like headless chickens, stressed out because the blank firing .38 pistol we were using for the really important seminal scene was on a courier van somewhere in Birmingham, and unless we were able to get it from the depot before they shut, we wouldn't get it until Monday. Oh, and the girl who was making the sandwiches for the crew was locked out of her house. And the sandwiches were within the house.

But of course the show goes on, everything turns out roses for the last reel and on the day of the shoot, today, the sun is out, the air is cold but brisk, there is no wind and its perfect shooting weather.

And as the shoot progresses, I discover how similar and different the shoot is to comics at the same time. In comics, I write a script and the editor makes sure it's okay before they send it on to the artist. A writer's vision can change here and also when the artist draws – but to be honest, each one has their place. An artist won't try to edit (well, in the main) and an editor sure as hell won't try to draw.

But here in the film? Well you have the Director. And he directs. You know this one, as it's always the name at the end of the credits as the movie starts. We know directors. Spielberg. Lucas. Scorsese. Meyer. The guy who does the Lesbian Nuns films.

But apparently? He's not the person who does all the directing. From my brief foray into movies, I've discovered that yes, he'll make sure the actors know what they're doing – but in a scene, say the pivotal 'the shoot' moment, there are a couple of other people involved.


Tony and Mark, the two behind this cinematic masterpiece.

The Director. As we discussed above, yeah, you could say he's involved in the direction. Usually found at the back, biting his nails, watching the action, nodding to himself and muttering good, yes, good.'

The Director of Photography. Now this young chap seems to be the actual director. He's the one who watches the main feed, who tells people to zoom in, move around. There's lots of talk about 'opening up Iris' and I don't think Barry Allen would have been impressed. Usually seen beside the Director, forgetting he's even there.

The Producer. Now this is a dangerous one. You can't annoy the producer. He's the one who 'produces', who makes sure that everything and everyone are there. That said, he's also usually a writer or director in his own right, and because of this will often find himself accidentally directing. It's in their blood. They're a producer because they're a teeny tiny bit of a control freak, and they can't help themselves. And so, as the scene progresses you can see them starting to twitch and flinch as they feel that their version would of course be better. And then of course you have...

The Writer. Yeah, even I am not biased here – the writer is the most dangerous person to have on the set. Why? Because he knows the words, the lines as he wrote them – but at the same time, he heard them done in his voice.

For example. I write a line that says:

'Okay. It was me. I did it, okay? You want to kill me? You have to do it. Yourself.'

Now, when I wrote this line I may have in my head heard the emphasis as:

'Okay. It was me. I did it, okay? You want to kill me? You have to do it. Yourself.'

So when the letterer finishes this page over the art, the emphasis is there. The writer's vision is made whole.

But, say the editor decides that it's wrong – that it should be:

'Okay. It was me. I did it, okay? You want to kill me? You have to do it. Yourself.'

It scans and reads different, but the writer knows well in advance and can discuss this, or as we better know it 'argue the toss and throw his toys out of the pram'.

But with a movie, each of the actors and the aforementioned directors all have a say in it. And suddenly it's not so easy for the writer to watch, as the lines are altered, shortened, lengthened, the actors emphasise strange parts of the script – and the writer really has to step back before they too start to leap into the shoot and go 'I like what you did there, but when I wrote this I envisioned it being more...'


Some of the crew, without whom we would have nothing...

Perhaps this is why writers aren't usually allowed on the set for more than a day at a time.

But I'm being good. Actually, I'm happy to stand back because the actors have the parts nailed. My favourite part of the whole script 'You think you're hot shit, but your agent? She thinks you're nothing more than cold piss' has gone down incredibly well when spoken in Rob's menacing tones. And I stand here watching this drama unfold, characters I created playing out problems that I decided a year ago that they would have, I start to feel like God. I smile benevolently at the people around me. Oh yes, they will all worship me. I wrote this. I am the writer. Without me, there would be no movie –

'Tony – what are you up to?' Lee, the producer asks. And suddenly I realise the horrid truth – a writer on a film set is as useful as a flick-knife in a tank battle. My work is done after all, the script is written, the lines already learned and set in stone by the actors, and all I am now is some bloke in a ski jacket eating the food and watching the action. I'm lower than the runner on the food chain.

And so I leave the set, my set of my movie for a couple of hours as the Producer's girlfriend needs someone to drive to a house and let her in. Oh, and then I need to buy the director some cigarettes. Oh and some nappies for the Craft Services lady. Oh and some margarine...

But I don't care. Because when I get back I have a blank firing .38 to look after.

I love being in the movies.


Jordan and Rob up close and personal.

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In comic news, the Eagle Awards are back up for the 2008 Bristol Comic Con - and as ever, there's no hope in hell of us winning one - not with 2000 AD once more in the same category as every colour small press out there. But I can't complain now I work for them. :-)

For those who don't know, the Eagles (as they are known) are to the Eisners what the Baftas are to the Oscars. To many people they're a big thing and I've been fortunate to have been nominated twice before, once in 2006 for Midnight Kiss (we lost to Judge Dredd: The Megazine) and in 2007 for Starship Troopers (we lost to 2000 AD)

But, nothing ventured and all that, and after a chat with Emma Vieceli (who pointed out the link) I went to look at the site.

Now remember, this is only the nominations page. This is where people nominate for their favourites, either by adding a name, or by clicking one of the names already up. Note - THESE ARE NOT THE 'NOMINATED' - what this means is that these have been nominated to be nominated. Confused yet?

At the end of the month, all the names are taken, and the highest five get placed into the nominations. And then the winners are announced at the Eagle Awards on the Saturday night, directly before the slightly more important Golden Champagne Glass Awards are held in the bar...

So I went to have a look, and there are quite a few where I can see myself voting for friends in the categories - but obviously I am a media whore, and couldn't help but notice that someone's already voted for me and Dan, as well as Hope Falls and Midnight Kiss in a couple of places, so I'd be remiss if I didn't pimp myself...

Basically, go to the nominations page. Place what you feel is best after all it's your choice, but here are some minor suggestions to you, my loyal minions.

Favourite Comics Writer: Tony Lee
Favourite Comics Artist: Pencils: Dan Boultwood
Favourite Comics Artist: Inks: Dan Boultwood
Favourite Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Favourite Editor: Lee Barnett (as he edited Hope Falls)
Favourite Publisher: Markosia
Favourite Colour Comicbook - British: Hope Falls
Favourite Black & White Comicbook - American: Wasteland
Favourite New Comicbook: Hope Falls
Favourite Comics Story published during 2007: Midnight Kiss #1-5
Favourite Comics Cover published during 2007: Hope Falls #2
Favourite Original Graphic Novel: Phonogram
Favourite Reprint Compilation: Midnight Kiss
Favourite Comics Hero: Nightmare De'Lacy, Midnight Kiss
Favourite Comics Villain: Johnny Cool and The Flickman (Midnight Kiss)
Favourite Web-Based Comic: The Gloom

Go and vote for who you like. Make Daddy Democracy proud.

Oh, and one other – Jamie Boardman dropped me a line that I also agree with...

"Cordially - I suggest you also urge people to vote for Joe Colquhoun for the comics roll of honour - it's a fucking joke that he isn't there already. CHARLEY'S WAR. JOHNNY RED. ROY OF THE fucking ROVERS. C'mon!"

I totally agree. Let's make Joe a front runner for this year's award.

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According to Midtown Comics, Hope Falls #4 comes out this week in the States, I'm assuming that means that it's already out in the UK. This is the penultimate chapter, and not only does the body count rise once more, you have a scene so poignant that even Dan cried while he drew it. So buy, enjoy. You know the drill by now.

I also hear from our very good friends at Quiet! Panelologists At Work! that the Hope Falls competition has been won by Lorraine McKee – so she'll be getting a page of original artwork from Dan in the post. Huzzah!

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Finally this week, on the back of the nominations for the Eagle Awards, we want some ideas for the 2008 Golden Champagne Glass Awards. These are traditionally held in a tongue in cheek ceremony, held after the Eagles in the Ramada Hotel Bar. Awards for such honours as 'Scariest Stalker' and 'Fan Most Likely To Kill In Our Name' have stood proudly beside such luminaries as 'Straightest Gay Man In Comics' and 'Hardest Drinker'. But, this year we want new, fun ideas. So head over to our forum and add some ideas – nominations will start after Easter.

Anyway, that's me done for the week, as I also need to help take down the set dressing and go for that post-wrap for the day drink. There might be girls there, girls of low virtue who are easily swayed by the razzmatazz of the silver screen.

Did I mention I love the movies?...

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Discuss this column at the Only A Forum forum.
© 2008, Tony Lee

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