FACTUAL PROGRAMMES
Many of the factual programmes I have worked on date from the days when
producers realised the advantages of employing a writer to handle the
script, rather than writing it themselves – in other words, the
days before ‘multi-skilling’, when the value of specialists
was appreciated. In the vast majority of these programmes, I worked closely
with the producers, taking their ideas and incorporating them into a properly-structured
script with that extra bit of sparkle that only a specialist writer can
provide. At least, I hope that was the case! My credits include:
LOVE 2 SHOP (ITV)
Transmitted in 2003, this was a daytime docu-soap
about Manchester’s Trafford Centre shopping mall, and I scripted
Jenny Powell’s commentary. The schedule was tight – five
half-hour programmes a week, and 43 episodes in all. Edited episodes
on VHS, with gaps for commentary and a few notes, were biked to me on
a daily basis, often arriving late afternoon or evening. I viewed them,
wrote the commentary and e-mailed it back the same day for voice-over
recording the following morning. Hectic, but fun – and I have
to say that of all the brilliant V/O artists I have worked with, Jenny
Powell is among the very best.
REAL LIFE “Barnsley
Detective” (ITV)
An interesting challenge dating from 1999 –
an hour-long documentary about Barnsley’s only private detective,
made in the style of a Raymond Chandler film. The challenge was that
the detective was also the narrator – so I had to talk to him,
learn his speech patterns, find out what he wanted to say, and then
shape it all into a voice-over script that he could deliver. And though
I do say it myself, it worked a treat.
REACHING AGREEMENT
(C4)
An adult education series about the art of negotiation,
first broadcast in 1987 and repeated many times afterwards. The first
six programmes contained all the educational stuff, and I was asked
to write the seventh – a half-hour drama to illustrate all the
negotiating techniques contained in the series.
WRITE ON (C4)
Transmitted in 1986, this was a 7-part adult educational
series about creative writing, presented by the poet Ian McMillan. I
was script associate, helping to shape the show and write links, sketches,
etc.
SEARCH (ITV)
This was a 1986 education programme, for which
I was asked to write sketches.
PEOPLE & POLITICS
(ITV)
A schools series about politics dating from 1982.
I worked closely with a trio of actors to develop and write two half-hour
comedy dramas illustrating the various educational points.
THAT'S THE WAY
(ITV)
This was a consumer magazine series – 7
half hour programmes dating from 1981 – for which I was script
associate and writer.
LIKE ORDINARY
CHILDREN (ITV)
A half hour film documentary about handicapped
young people – I provided structural input and wrote the commentary.
CALENDAR CAROUSEL
(YTV)
Calendar Carousel was a Yorkshire TV regional
arts show; I scripted material for four programmes in the series.