Finding my Compass

Billy (boxer) - RIP 20th May 2010

Billy Billy Boxer (smell baggy toots) was born of Amy and Zac on 1^st March 2004. At 6 years and almost 3 months old he lived a full life loving everything and everyone.

Billy came to us at exactly 8 weeks of age. A small, lively and ever so cute puppy. His father, Zac was enormous and we learnt prone to leaning on his owners. Something we later enjoyed with Billy when watching TV.

Billy was loved by everyone, well nearly... his affection for cats was well known to our numerous 'neighbourly' feline friends. I always said, ‘Billy loves cats but can’t eat a whole one’. In truth when he once chased and caught up with a cat he was so surprised that the shock caused him to freeze then panic, running in the opposite direction, cat on his wee stubby tail...!

Billy was a half trained dog... who would offer his paws, bark on command, sit, lie down and play dead. Oh how we wish he would get up now and take a reward. We miss you already and mourn you for every deed good or bad, devious, mischievous, it was just our Billy.

Loved and cared for by Pops and Dorothy when his master was away, or at the cinema, Billy had two places to call home. Whether woofing to alert others of his presence, a need to be let in, that deep and affectionate bark, or his passionate woof based cry, “...there are cats just outside this window... let me at ‘em, let me at ‘em... “    

You were a very special dog, a great friend and companion. A member of our family,

Billy Boxer
Born 1/3/04 (London)
Gone to doggy heaven 20/5/10 (via Hampshire)

Take a deep breath... I've finished Compass

Last week I finished the script and couldn’t quite believe it. On the computer my accomplishment didn’t do anything for me but when I printed and bound it I enjoyed a great sense of achievement  - not to mention the use of half a ream of paper!   

Yep, weighing in at 185 pages it is of course in need of a trim. But rather too many than too few pages. I have an idea where the axe will fall and following a few rereads some cuts will be important to help increase the story’s pace.

So far 3 people have read the script and given me a very warm and honest approval. One, my neighbour, was eager but equally concerned that if she didn’t like it how would she break the news... thankfully she loved it and suggested turning it into a book.

 With their comments taken on board I am ready to take out a few unnecessary sections and reduce some of the dialogue.

I am genuinely thrilled and excited at the prospect of turning Compass, the script, into a film.

I can see the light..!?

Dear Blog,

First an apology... Once again it’s been quite a while since I updated you on my progress. What can I say but there’s been a few distractions. It’s not that I’ve been unfaithful or anything, no really. In fact I have been diligently writing Compass, scene after scene after scene. It’s huge pleasure seeing the story unfold but with my enthusiasm comes a side effect, one that is self inflicted - page overload.

My brother-in-law, the film director, helpfully reminded me that each page works out, give or take, to roughly 1 minute on the screen. Ouch..! My script is currently an epic so bring some cushions.  

However, in an effort to save your bum I will of course make some cuts and do a few rewrites. This is after all only my first draft.

Back soon, I hope..!

JF