Tonight sees a whole bunch of festivities lined up to celebrate a new year for the City of Charleston. Last year’s program was packed with exciting acts and activities – Kids’ Fest, a movie medley, swing dancing, jazz, African drumming, Celtic fiddles - yet this was a stripped-down version of the city's previous celebrations.

In 2000 the total budget for the event was around $200,000 with a full year spent planning and sourcing funding for the millennium celebrations. This year’s price tag was closer to $65,000 and the program was compiled in the Fall. Instead of ending at midnight, the big finale took place at 10.45.

'The event's been finishing at this time since 2001,' says Ellen Dressler Moryl, the City's cultural affairs director. 'People didn't all stick it out until midnight and the festival's budget was stretched to cover the last hour. This way people can take their kids home, go to church services that start at 11 - it gives them a chance to do things other than First Night.'

First Night International is an umbrella organization founded in Boston in 1976 by a group of civic-minded artists. It has grown since then to become a support network for 131 cities, offering assistance to communities that want to hold their own events on New Year's Eve to foster creativity and cultural diversity.

The result should be a program of events that provides a shared cultural experience, accessible and affordable to all - getting people involved, developing innovative projects, forming a unique experience for First Nighters.

Last year’s First Night event was funded with $10 admission buttons and a number of sponsors, some of whom contribute to other events organized by the Office of Cultural Affairs throughout the year. For example, Weight Watchers and the Post and Courier have been sponsors of Spoleto and MOJA. Ellen Moryl agrees that the sponsors are spread thin, but she's happy with the smaller budget. 'I don't think it's necessary to spend more than we did,' she says.

As a celebration of the city itself, and an attempt to please a huge variety of people, the event worked. There were several new additions to the program, including the headlining shag group The Tams, a big screen movie and Taste of Charleston vendors. 'Every single thing in First Night happened through the year - the street performers, food vendors. This was a logical conclusion to the year, a last hurrah.'

It makes sense for the Office of Cultural Affairs to develop First Night as a culmination and celebration of the year's projects. It's happened elsewhere - the Cultural Trust took over production of First Night Pittsburgh 2004, using staff well versed in the logistics of running events during the year to make preparations more efficient and cost effective.

The community contacts are in place, the staff is highly skilled and experienced, artists have a central organization to liaise with and the City eases the headaches of security, venue hire, administration and parking. This in turn helps keep the budget down. 'We'd never produced it before in such an official way,' Ellen explains. 'It helped us to achieve administrative effectiveness, and we went ahead without hiring too many extra people.'

Of course, cost-cutting and smooth management weren't the night's only concerns. Those visionary Boston artists had other aims - bringing back an emblematic significance to the coming of a new year, a symbolism that was being lost in a commercialized society. They also hoped to spark innovative ways to see a year in, offering an opportunity for ritual, as well as helping to revitalize city centers and bring everyone together.

The Charleston organizers were entrusted to do all this in a way that would draw a crowd, building an atmosphere of fun and optimism, so some of the night's elements - the Fred Astaire review, the petting zoo - seemed more arbitrary than others. The ideas that best engendered traditions from the time when whole communities would group together for the new year, like the people's procession and cauldrons to burn away your year's regrets (one of the opportunities for ritual), weren't new concepts. The innovation sought by First Night International was lacking here, though it's hard to believe that Charleston had exhausted its supply of novel ideas by spreading them through the year.

That didn't stop 2004's bash from being a successful, enjoyable one. Attendance was higher than 2003 and, judging by feedback the City's received so far, on a par with the millennium when 6000 buttons were sold.

The event had to be affordable, diverse and multi-cultural to appeal to everyone, with buttons sent to groups that couldn't afford to buy them. First Night International advises that organizers review the festivities by January 7th, and the Office of Cultural Affairs has been fielding compliments from attendees with a wide variety of backgrounds. One disappointment (the absence of a performance by Enrique Graf piano students) has been taken into account and they'll be back next year.

A last minute change of venue for The Have Nots! and Fishing w/ Dynamite put some button buyers' noses out of joint, and there was a little confusion at the end of the night. With a darkened main stage and attention focused on the CIA jazz five-piece under the Big Top, some people weren't sure where to look (or what they were looking for). The fireworks soon got their attention, with PDA's lightshow giving Marion Square a new glow.

We're lucky to live in a city where diverse cultures and arts are not ignored throughout the year. Many of the First Nighters who braved the cold on the 31st didn't pick up on the spiritual, shared cultural aspects of the event; the busy program overwhelmed others. At a festival intended as a meaningful way to mark a significant date, no amount of aesthetic artistry could force them to bond with the other people there.

As a way to remind Charlestonians of what the city has to offer through the year, and a safe, fun way to see the old year out, this First Night functioned perfectly. It will need more work and elements that are unique not just to the city but to the night itself, to bring it back on a par with its predecessors. At present, the City intends to maintain the same action plan and budget for next year - an "if it works, don't break it" approach. However, Ellen Moryl is quick to point out that the City would be happy to work with new producers and organizers in the future. 'If there's another group that steps forward and wants to work as a partner, great.'

There's no denying that First Night Charleston has dwindled over the years, with the Boston founders' intentions diminished in this particular instance, in direct proportion to a smaller budget and an increased reliance on the City to make the festivities work. This year, the show will fizzle out at 10.30. But there's nothing wrong with a punier party according to Naima Kradjin, president and CEO of First Night International: 'Some organizers do twenty events through the year. The size and scope of the festival varies from city to city. It depends on how much time and energy the organizers put into it. It's always better to have a smaller event than let it go dark completely.'

Naima sees the scaled down approach, and a frequent change of executives on First Night Charleston's board of directors, as a great opportunity for reinvention. 'Each community group or organization involved has to see or be convinced of the possibilities. It takes time and effort to reach out and build up the trust required to create a big event. I'm looking forward to what Charleston has to offer,' she says. 'This city has the potential to be a flagship for First Nights.'

An expanded version of this story appeared in this year's Charleston City Paper.

I knew that the Stokes Honda's $500 toy spree would have a catch, but that doesn't mean I'm happy to be proved right.

Stokes North Charleston offered a toy spree to anyone who test drove one of their cars. Sounds simple, right? The small print pointed out that the offer was only available to one person per household.

The small print didn't mention that the spree had to take place online with a very limited number of items. It also didn't mention that for each item, the Toy Spree site would charge a shipping, handling and processing fee that invariably matched half the price of the toy. The toys on the site apparently cost twice as much as they would in stores, so the poor punters with a $500 certificate from Stokes are paying almost as much in shipping, handling and processing as they would in Toys R Us.

Perhaps this is just cynicism on my part, but I supect that the site was set up simply to entice loving parents into the showroom. Naught Honda.

Will this man ever run out of inventive martial arts moves? I hope not.

Movie Review: Dragons Forever (MIA)

The box office success of the Rush Hour movies cemented Jackie Chan's reputation as a film legend. Although fellow martial artists Sammo Hung, Yuen Wah and Yuen Biao will never reach his status, their fights together in Dragons Forever rescue the film from its convoluted plot.

Jackie is blessed with the grace of Kelly, the stunted charm of Roger Moore, the comic timing of Roberto Benigni and the nose of a Neanderthal. Despite a few colorful bruises, his nose survives Dragons Forever intact. The same goes for his romance with the heroine - it's not without its kicks and twists, it takes a hammering but goes the distance.

Jackie plays Mr Lung (nickname: Big Nose), an unorthodox lawyer whose techniques include beating up a client and forcing a witness to admit her love for him while under oath. The narrative defies logic at times, with characters acting erratically. The blame for this must lie with director Sammo Hung, who gives some of the best scenes to the loveable arms dealer he portrays.

Fed up with living in Jackie's shadow, he made no more films with the superstar. A pity, because any flaws in the plot or the subtitles are compensated by intricately structured action sequences. As with the best Jackie Chan fights, most of these set pieces involve sparse sets and a minimum of props. The audience are left to marvel at slow-motion acrobatics and crafty stunts. The main villain's come-uppance is particularly memorable, as he is injected with hard drugs, falls from a gantry and drowns in a narcotic soup.

Dragons Forever is mercifully economical in length - a herd of extras pile into shot as the credits roll, brushing aside scenes that must have cost more than a series full of soaps. The audience is left to marvel at the action-clogged climax, confirming GQ Magazine's appraisal of Jackie as 'the biggest martial arts movie star of all time.'

You gotta love Charleston's Main Library, bastion of independent, hard-to-find (at least for me) cult movies. Past screenings have included the low-budget Fantastic Four movie that was never intended for release, and The Apple, described by some critics who care as the worst movie ever made. I guess they never saw my stuff.

Liaising honcho Nitin Arora says, 'We have some cool indy/foreign films coming up at the library.' For a librarian, he's a man of few words. Check out The Film Movement for more info.

In June 4th & 5th 2004, Folly Beach SC held its first Piccolo Spoleto event - the Folly Felder Film Festival. Audiences saw short films from across the country, including the 3 winners of the inaugural Palmetto Awards.

The festival was created by Clarence Felder, Michael Givens and myself, and organized by the Actors’ Theatre of South Carolina.

We're currently receiving entries for the 2005 event. All original short films suitable for a family audience will be considered. There is a $10 handling fee for each entry (checks made payable to Actors’ Theatre of South Carolina) and unfortunately, submissions cannot be returned. We accept entries on DVD (region 1) and VHS (NTSC) and we prefer an AVI format.

The deadline is May 1st 2005. Not mid-May, not late May, and definitely not the day before the festival starts! Send your entries to: PO BOX 930 FOLLY BEACH, SC 29439 USA.

For further information, leave me a comment and I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Santa came early for me this year. I can't imagine a better gift than the news I received yesterday; my latest novel goes to the printers today. Here's the blurb that explains all:

In Milk Treading, cat journalist Julius Kyle writes a novel called The Kitty Killer Cult.... This is that novel!

In the style of Raymond Chandler, this is hard-boiled detective fiction set in Nub City; where cats are king, killer and killed. Tiger Straight, PI, is past his prime, homeless and unemployed until the dame Connie Hant shows up. The PI is back, pawing the mean streets of Nub that he knows so well.

Straight has a new mission - to catch the killers of the broad's brothers. It leads him to the murky, tatty underbelly of Nub, throwing up more kitty deaths and a love for a certain make-up artiste.

What are the links between these murders and will Straight and his bug loving side-kick Natasha survive to discover the answers before the edible Inspector Bix Mortis? For those who know and love Nick Smith's first novel, Milk Treading, this is the book feline crime hack Julius Kyle started to write.

A sneek peek at the cover of The Kitty Killer Cult.

Rehearsals for Trainspotting continue apace, with our first night of filming taking place last Friday in a dingily dressed apartment surrounded by Rorschach Print art inspired by Edgar Allen Poe. Appropriately enough for our subject material, the bathroom had a plumbing problem; every time one of the actors pulled the flush, their effluent would gush into the shower cubicle. No doubt the results will make it into the show.

When I’m not working on Trainspotting or preparing for the publication of my next novel, The Kitty Killer Cult, I’m a Santa for the City of Charleston’s Holiday Magic on Marion Square, slapbang in the middle of the downtown area. The switch from swearing Scot to jolly old elf isn’t always an easy one, and the beard itches like hell. I wear a fat suit under my costume, along with several layers to insulate me from the cold (in Charleston, 50 degrees is considered freezing point – we ain’t used to it).

The 4 year olds ask for cellphones, the 5 year olds want games consoles and most of the 3 year olds already have TV sets in their bedrooms. Most creative request (from a teenager): a bedroom makeover. Most bizarre: a banana for Christmas. (Last year, my favorite was the 12 year old who asked for nipple clamps, just to embarrass his mother).

Unlikely comparisons can inspire great books - The Prince and the Pauper, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - but the idea of comparing cats to solar panels seems more off-the-wall than most. But both use sunlight to draw power, and spend a lot of time sitting around doing nothing.

When Jim Augustyn realized that cats were harnessing of the sun's energy, he found the theme for The Solar Cat Book, recently updated by Patty Paw Press for the eco-conscious new century.

When the book was first published in 1979, the search for alternative sources of energy had reached fever pitch. Augustyn used his animal analogy to put the whole debate in perspective, using humor to trace the intricacies of renewable energy.

Now the book's back, with more cartoons and perfect puns to delight cat lovers. Look beyond the illustrations and you'll find a no-nonsense breakdown of solar power's benefits. Refreshingly, Augustyn grants his readers intelligence and common sense; he doesn't feel bound to convince us that nuclear power is becoming redundant. Instead we gets facts, mixed with a little cat fancy.

Here's the only area in which the author stumbles. Most of the juxtapositions are obvious (for example, active and lazy cats compared with active and passive solar panels). But the insertion of gags into some of the more complex information can cause confusion (di-meowium oxide, anyone?).

Some of the sketches are 25 years old and benefit from art's cyclical tastes; others have been touched up to fit the updated text. With a dual target market - cat lovers and green supporters - this book is well written and amusing enough to deserve a wider readership.

Irvine Welsh. Iiirvine Welsh. Scotland’s great white literary hope for the 90s, a blast of truthful fresh air. He gave a generation of Scots a sense of identity, a world of their own to be proud of and make them smile a knowing smile. The center of that world was Leith, and for a time I frequented the haunts of Trainspotting’s dramatis personae – Begbie, Sick Boy, Tommy, Mark, Mother Superior.

Haunts is the right word. Leith was on the up-and-up by the time I got there in 1997, with talk of a fancy new harbor being built. But the ghosts of Welsh’s hallowed heroine addicts could be seen on Leith Walk; hang around long enough in a bar (and there were bars open till dawn) and you’d find plenty of Begbies ready to get down to some serious swedgin’ at the drip of a pint.

It was intoxicating for me, absorbing the culture, the sectarian bigotry, the accent. I taught scriptwriting, filmmaking and journalism at Leithy (Leith Academy) and also tried in vain to tame groups of after schoolers. Beyond Leith – proud to have its own heritage, separate from Edinburgh – there were breathtaking views of a volcano, The Crags, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh Castle and a great deal more.

Memories of all these places have flooded back to me as rehearsals begin for Trainspotting, a multimedia stage adaptation of Welsh’s seminal novel. I’m mainly there to help the actors with their Scottish accents, which at the moment range from Irish to incoherent. It’s a tough, very funny play with a great sense of time and place and some serious messages to convey. I hope we can do justice to it.

This book takes an occasional look at the similarities and differences between writing for comics and movies. That’s almost inevitable when the two media are intertwined, and some of the writers featured have also written films.

One of the main links between the two industries is the target audience – kids who have nothing else to do except go to the movies. They provide an escape from their parents and a release from the pressures of adolescence. But while the comic book market is dwindling, with less mainstream titles and less readers, business is booming in the movie world – and many of the biggest blockbusters appear to be inspired by comics and their writers.

So what can a scriptwriter pick up from some of the best writers in the comics business? Quite a lot, as it happens. Four major themes are covered throughout the extensive interviews – narrative construction, character development, the writing process and the parallels between writing for comics and the big screen.

STORY

Chuck Dixon is best known as writer on The ‘Nam and Detective Comics. He tries to have a ‘gimmick page’ – a visual hook in every story. He also found that putting more story into an issue (not just action) always attracted more women readers. They’re looking for something substantial, and denser plotting boosts the female readership.

Chuck also provides an “anatomy of a story” – what he thinks are the most important aspects of storytelling. The opening will include an inciting incident or an illustration of how effective the hero or villain is. This will be developed in stages of ‘exposition, recap, humor and characterization.’

A good story will also contain minor action – subplots, the villain’s story, some conflict. Finally, closing action will consist of a set piece, perhaps the main segment. It’s important not to rush the ending. Chuck maintains that the story should never stop so that everything can be explained – a writer should keep events moving.

Mark Waid (The Flash) is asked what he teaches new writers: clarity, story and chars, and conflict established as early as possible. That way the readers know what’s going on, they don’t get confused. That goes for every medium. He stresses that you ought to write about what you care about.

CHARACTERS

Peter David (writer of The Hulk, two Trancers movies and episodes of TV science fiction show Babylon 5) reckons that characters are more important than their creators or writers – comic buyers are more interested in the hero than the production team.

Grant Morrison (Doom Patrol, The Invisibles) is hot on well-defined characters – he believes that the whole narrative should spawn from them. He insists that if you don’t have a strong, different or instantly recognizable, memorable main character your story is in trouble. It definitely makes the writing easier. Warren Ellis – writer of off-the-wall comics Hellblazer and Transmetropolitan, both heading for the big screen – also gives his heroes a lot of thought.

One of the most popular writers of the past decade, Neil Gaiman (Sandman) has his own attitude towards characters. He has decided that you normally take a little bit of you and find that side of you in them. This makes characters more convincing.

Devin Grayson (Catwoman) is a relative newcomer to comics. She sees herself as a conduit for characters’ voices – she tries to let them into her mind and speak.

WRITING METHODS

Talking about research, Neil Gaiman reminds us that writing is the art of lying convincingly. As a writer you’ll have a magpie head, picking up bits and pieces wherever you go. A lot of it you’ll be interested in; the rest is relevant to a particular story. You might even read stuff for pleasure and that will suggest a story element or situation.

Peter David went to torturous lengths when he wanted a dreamlike style for one of his scripts. He went to bed at 10 or 11 at night, set alarm for 3 a.m. then staggered to his typewriter and wrote each installment in a semi-conscious state. Apparently it worked, but think carefully before you try that one at home.

Superman’s Dan Jurgens comes up with the high concept first. He starts writing with the last ¾ pages and then works backwards. He puts the set up together with the middle, and that’s the bulk of the story done.

Chuck Dixon doesn’t spend that much time physically writing. He can think about a story for months before writing anything, deciding where scenes could go and how they would fit together. By the time he sits down at his keyboard it’s planned out in his head.

Warren Ellis’ method involves putting the theme up front, finding the spine of the work. He jots down odd notes and bits of dialogue if possible, eventually sorting the notes into an order and turning them into scenes. The bare script is fleshed out.

When Preacher creator Garth Ennis is writing, he works his way through all the notebooks, taking all the relevant ideas and notes, then puts them into a story order. There’s also the suggestion that handing in proposals to editors gives him more leeway – rather than surprising them with something extreme at the last minute.

Jeph Loeb (Batman, Commando, Teen Wolf) lists the main events that will occur in one of his scripts. These bullets of what’s going to happen equal the plot.

Devin Grayson uses specific soundtracks for themes – they can free her up. The music serves to distract her conscious mind, helping the creative flow. She also tries different drinks, perfume, lighting, clothes – these can affect her mood and help her to get in tune with characters. She writes snatches of dialogue down on post-its, putting them in a bowl next to her computer until a situation crops up that they’ll suit.

Joe Kelly (X-Men) tells us that at the beginning of a project he works out each character – how they act, how they feel, what they want and what’s going to happen. With the complex cast of the X-Men, flow charts and spread sheets or wallcharts were used to keep track of characters’ subplots and life-affecting incidents.

Grant Morrison (Doom Patrol, The Invisibles) compares the comic scriptwriting formula with the 3 chords in blues music. You can improvise with those set notes, sharpening or flattening them. You’re disguising the same old story. But you can still suggest possibilities or ideas in readers’ minds, using visuals and tricks within the formula such as new uses of super powers.

Todd McFarlane (Spawn) was so successful as an artist that he was allowed to create his own books. It was automatically assumed that he’d be a great writer as well – he found himself climbing a sharp learning curve. His writing process starts with the images that will make up his story, followed by a beginning, middle and end. Sometimes he gets individual scenes down then mixes them around, deciding what order works best.

Mark Waid (The Flash) enjoys his work. The less he knows about a story the better – the journey of discovery keeps him writing – it would be dull and mechanical if he had a structure planned out. Waid also likes bouncing ideas off other writers. Concepts are the fun part of writing, and it’s easier to make suggestions about someone else’s story and solve their problems for or with them.

Frank Miller (Robocop 2 & 3) starts with an idea or a broad character. He has a golden rule – always know your ending. The beginning and theme come next. He makes his life easier by setting up landmarks throughout the story, elements moving the plot in different directions. Then he goes back and works everything out carefully. Character sketches provide a focus for him, and he tapes the ending and landmarks on pieces of paper on his wall.

COMICS AND MOVIES

Mark Waid talks about working as a writer. ‘I think it was Bill Loebs who said in order to keep getting work in this business there are three factors: be on time, be good and be personable. Any two of these will get you work forever, you don’t need all three. Actually, I’m not even sure you need two.’

Devin Grayson is learning a lot from writing comics that will help her in other media, including tips on story structure, plus expressing theme and nuance through action. Joe Kelly maintains that no matter what the medium, dramatic writing has its similarities. A character’s internal conflict should be externalized, holding back ideas so you don’t run out of steam too soon. He gives us 4 things that a writer needs to know – the main source of conflict, a story specific to the main character, using supporting cast to complicate hero’s life; and using continuity to enhance the central narrative with elements such as story strands and running jokes.

Author Mark Salisbury provides us with extensive interviews and all your scriptwriting questions should be answered somewhere in the book. There are sample breakdowns and scripts as well sketches to illustrate the writers’ work. If you’ve ever read a comic book and have wondered what it takes to put one together, this is definitely a book for you.

Today heralds the arrival of a cool new exhibition in Charleston. Dialogue: The Fine Art of Conversation mixes the written word with fine arts in a pretty fancy way. It’s the brainchild of designer/publisher Mark Murphy, whose past shows include Heaven & Hell, exhibited in a 2 storey church (upstairs was heavenly, downstairs less so).

Tim Hussey is Mark’s local liaison and an outstanding artist in his own right, making 2 contributions to the Dialogue project. He had plenty to say about the show and its origins; here’s the chat I had with him in full.

Q. Why did you agree to take part?

A. Mark Murphy has put out several books over the past few years. He's a huge contributor and supporter of the art of illustrators. I was in a show of his a couple of years back in California called guapo y fuerte which included works that were all based on the art of Mexican wrestling. I jumped into the show after the book had already gone to print. It was such a cool thing and I got to know Mark and liked where he was pushing things, so I wanted to be included in any future projects.

I also happen to collect found drawings, writings and photos, some of which I ran in a column years back in Troika Magazine (I was the art director). I had seen Found! Magazine and liked the combination of found writings and the art they inspired. Anyway, what hit me most was that Mark is a great designer and he really cares about the integrity of text, art, press and where his books are sold. It can only do an artist good to work with him--and on top of it all, he's honest and genuine.

Q. How did you discover the scrap that inspired you? What was your initial response to it? What were you attempting to achieve?

A. I did 2 pieces - one for the book and one for the show.

The piece for the show was based on a recent letter between friends found near the college. It goes on and on about Adderrall and seems so disjointed, it just seemed to be such a sign of this generation. The mood of it is one of frenetic, anxious energy--slightly unnerving.

The written piece I chose for the book was found in an old astrology book. It looks like some kind of planetary chart--from the 1800's. I did a diptych based on the delicate equations that keep us alive and shape what we are.

Q. Is the resulting work a break from the norm for you, or part of an ongoing theme or evolution?

A. I've been headed in a fine art direction for the last 5 years, so I knew I wouldn't want to produce something too narrative or obviously connected to the writings. I tried to stick with a feeling, a gut reaction to the implications of the words. It's definitely in line with where my work is headed--the only twist being that it was based on a theme that was predetermined. It was challenging to work in a fine art manner, but to hint at a particular meaning based on the writings.

Q. How do you think exhibit-goers will respond to it?

A. I know it will be well-received--it's an intriguing concept no matter what your taste in art. And when you work with some the top illustrators in the world--you get the best of a variety of styles. It's going to be beautiful work.

Like everyone in the book, I suppose I would like to get people seeing how I look at life and possibly relate to it on their own terms--to enjoy the work because the viewer makes it into his/her own.

Also, to see the value of found objects, to lose the perception of what makes art legitimate and to see the beauty of these writings out of their original context.

Q. How widespread is your involvement with the Dialogue project?

A. As an artist, my involvement is about being in the book, supporting Mark's vision and letting my originals travel in shows as much as he needs them to. Otherwise, I have basically served as a liaison between Mark Murphy and Greg Peters.

I saw what Greg has been trying to do with his new gallery (studiofly) and knew Mark's world would be right up his alley. I am in a coop of incredible talent called picturemechanics and we all take some part in organizing shows all over the country. Some of the artists in the coop are in this show as well. So, basically, we all, including Mark, support one another in pushing illustration as a fine art--to give it the credit it deserves for being some of the most powerful work around.

By the way, there will be a picturemechanics show over Spoleto at the same gallery. Otherwise, I just designed the poster and let Greg work the details. It's a good thing what he is trying to achieve by bringing outside talent to Charleston.

Q. Do you think this exhibition will appeal to viewers on more than one level?

A. Definitely many levels. It's an interesting voyeuristic phenomenon on one level--everyone loves to get glimpses into private worlds or unsuspecting people's actions. To read these notes and poems and children's writings can entertain for hours. Then the huge variety of artistic styles and concepts based on the written words are just as arresting on a whole different level. Also, you have the factor of this type of work--illustration and it's overlap into fine art--never being seen here, for the most part. It's a wake up to a huge industry and movement in the larger cities of this country (and Canada) that people here should have access to. Mark Murphy is one of the biggest influences on the PR this type of work gets today. I just hope it will attract other talents to move to this town and not be afraid of its size or newness on the scene.

It's a new thing, this surge of art being produced here or being shown here, and it shouldn't be missed. The more it's supported, the more artists will be inspired to improve on it, with the knowledge that Charleston is growing on the map of contemporary art and when you show work here, it could actually matter in the scheme of your career. The scene is teeny tiny right now, so whoever steps up to support it will get the satisfaction of being at the heart of what could be a nice facelift to the Charleston arts.

Dialogue is in the Studio Fly Contemporary Art Gallery, West Ashley, Charleston SC. You can read my preview of the show in the Charleston City Paper.

Script Readings

It was in Scotland, early 2001 when it happened. I was acting my heart out, playing an 87-year-old war criminal, when I realized that my pants zipper was undone.

We were winding up the script reading, which had featured film and stage actress Mo Pairman. I’d encouraged some of the writers in the audience to perform their scripts and I played a couple of parts myself. One of these – the aging war criminal – had an unwanted draught in his pants.

I’d been having trouble with my pants all day, and I asked the writers present to let me know if I was… about to embarrass myself. Nobody said anything and I ended up showing more of my talent than I would have liked. But this was a very small, mercifully forgettable incident in a large scale, smooth-running event.

The script reading had several functions – to bring scripts to life that had hitherto only existed on paper; to give writers and filmmakers from all over the UK an excuse to get together, chew the fat and ask me questions; to try out scene descriptions or dialogue, making sure that scenes would work when they were performed in front of an audience.

The reading was also a tough test for the professional actors as they switched between diverse roles and stories. We also intended to build on the success of previous readings at our Film School, providing a lucid, effective showcase for the scriptwriters to sweat out any problems they had with their work.

There’s nothing handier when you’re stuck with a problem than discussing it with others and bouncing ideas around. It’s a lot easier to overcome other people’s obstacles than your own. A new perspective on your work can provide a new look and new answers to any elements you’re not happy with. And actors provide a fresh, unwriterly take on potential solutions.

My script reading was relatively easy to arrange; it involved lots of phoning around and the pulling in of hard-earned favors. But not everyone has contacts in the screenwriting or thespian world – so how do you go about getting your scripts read?

Your first port of call should be an actor’s workshop. Just as writers set up groups that enable them to get together and try different techniques, actors also assemble to fine-tune their skills. These thespians, who range from complete amateurs to hoary old professionals, are always looking for new material to try out.

The fact that it’s a script makes the process more interesting – the actors have to use their own imaginations to construct a film image around what they’re performing, and if they perform the piece in front of an audience they have to help the public envisage the big picture as well.

Amateur groups are also looking for material, and the same goes for colleges and other educational establishments. You’ll often find that a good quality script brings out untold depths in the least experienced actors.

You only need to talk to one actor to get the ball rolling, and these days actors aren’t afraid to promote themselves on the internet or in the phone book. A script reading can often start with one e-mail to an actor, and the simple question: 'do you know anyone who might be interested in trying out some scenes…' The actor receiving the message will invariably offer to do it himself, and make some more suggestions as well.

As the actors are getting something out of the process, they’ll usually provide their services for free – it’s up to you whether you want to charge entrance to an event, get someone else (such as a venue manager) to sort out some financial remuneration, or whether you want to make the reading public at all. The main object of the exercise is to get your script read and gain some raw insight into your working style.

But whatever you do, if you take a role in the reading, check your pants zipper before you start a scene.