So far, I’ve had four weeks of vacation, with just one week left. My fourth (and final) term at AFDA officially starts again next week, Monday the 7th of October. An update on what I’ve been up to:
WEEK 1
It’s my first week of vacation, and I’m tired after a busy (but short) third term at AFDA. I take some time off and watch the Lost series. I remember when it first came out – I was in high school and it was a big deal. But in those days, subtitles weren’t available and it became tough to follow the complicated timelines. It’s a brilliant story, and I enjoy watching it. There’s even a storyline between Desmond & Penny, which constantly brings up the song Desmond’s Song by Johnnyswim in my mind. I wasn’t sure why, but then I Googled a bit more and read that this song was, in fact, inspired by Desmond & Penny from Lost! It gave the story even more depth and meaning. When I finish the series by the end of the week, I’m crying. I loved the story so much, and I feel the end was fitting.
This is also the first week that I start going to the osteopath. My hearing is still not 100% recovered since my accident last year. For the first time in years, I begin to feel like a young woman again. There’s been so many emotional and physical traumas over the years, that it’s been affecting my body in various ways that I wasn’t even aware of. My dull hearing is just one thing on a long list of things that’s not functioning properly. ‘The body has a memory,’ the osteopath tells me. Interestingly enough, the more I go to him, the more I start to remember the traumas that happened to my body. It’s like I’m finally coming home to my body again.
A highlight of my week: I get the chance to visit my crew on set, and spend a few hours watching them shoot parts of our short film, Is’Thuthi (which means ‘transportation’ in Xhosa). A special thanks to Francois for going with me, as well as for taking these two photos of me on set:
WEEK 2
It’s a new week, and it’s time to start working again. As part of my Honours program at AFDA, I have to write a second script as well. I’m thinking of writing a television series… I watch BBC Maestro’s online teachings on Writing Drama For Television by Jed Mercurio, and I learn so much. What I like most about this online platform, is the fact that they break it down into practical steps and they make it look possible. I have two ideas for television series that I want to write… I decide I will start with the first idea, and then take it from there on. I finish the BBC Maestro course by the end of the week, and I’ve got a plan of action.
I also visit the osteopath again this week. The osteopath tells me that I’ve got chronic fatigue that’s been building up over the years, ‘In some cases, chronic fatigue develops after experiencing physical or emotional trauma.’ I also have a hard time managing stress. ‘Chronic stress is taxing to the body and mind and can contribute to chronic fatigue,’ the osteopath explains to me. Who knew? My sessions with him are extremely tiring, and once I’m done, it takes me one to two days to recover. I sleep a lot, but then I start to see the incredible results and I know it’s worth it. For the first time in years, I start to imagine what it would be like to have energy again and to have the strength to take on life again.
Over the weekend, I watch ‘A Murder at the End of the World’, which was created by Brit Marling. I’ve admired her for so many years, especially since she writes her own films/television series and creates roles for herself as an actress. I’m motivated by a quote in the series, which encourages me to keep on journaling and working through the physical traumas my body has built up over the years, ‘Our feelings are a compass. If we let ourselves feel them, they tell us what direction to go, and why.’
WEEK 3
Yesterday was Day 8 and the final day of the shooting of our short film, Is’Thuthi. I’m excited and can’t wait to see the first cut in a few weeks. This film will have its premiere in November 2024. Follow our Facebook & Instagram Pages for updates.
I read through the first script that I wrote for AFDA – Read My Lips– and I realize what a brilliant concept it had been. Maybe I should take that further and make it my second script? I also read the first draft that I had written for Is’Thuthi (which originally had another name). I wonder if I can take that script even further and write a feature film – with the original storyline that I had in mind. I also remember another concept idea that I had at the beginning of this year, which is based on a creative writing school in Jeffrey’s Bay. Maybe I should start working on that instead? So many options, so little time!
In the end, I choose the creative writing school idea. I’ve been wanting to work on it for the whole year. Even if I don’t end up using it as my second script for AFDA, I can still build on what I’ve accomplished this holiday.
I work on the Series Bible for the television series, and I download two Hollywood films with creative writing as their theme for inspiration and ideas. I watch ‘Throw Momma From The Train’, a 1987 film with Billy Crystal. I also watch ‘Best Sellers’ with Michael Caine. They’re both crap films, and I feel like I’ve wasted precious time.
After I’m done with the Series Bible, I start working on the episode scenes. I progress slowly, only finishing five of the ten planned episodes. I decide the 5-act structure works best for me.
WEEK 4
I kick off the new week by finishing the 5-act structure for episodes 6-10 of my television series. Then I start working out the character arcs and backgrounds for each character. It’s a lot of work, and I remind myself that slow progress is still progress.
I also research the themes that I want to focus on for this series. It makes me extremely excited, and I can’t wait to see the end result.
Then I check my emails: I received feedback from Mr. Wilby on my third Core Course, as well as feedback from Dr. Semege – my supervisor – on my research thesis’s first draft. I decide not to open them up, as I want to finish working on my television series instead. I will postpone both emails until next week.
Later on in the week, I start working on the outline for the first episode (the pilot, as they call it in the UK and US). It takes me two full days to work on it, but I’m thorough since this is the episode that I will need to write my script on when the fourth term starts. I love it when things start to come together; it’s almost like a paint-by-the-numbers portrait that finally starts to get colour.
To be honest, I can’t believe how much time and effort it takes to work out an original television series. I chat with my mom about this, and she gives me valuable advice: ‘That’s because it’s your first time doing it. The more you do it, the easier it’s going to get.’ This conversation gives me renewed hope for all my future projects as well, that I will eventually manage to tick them off, one by one, as my career progresses.
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There’s only one week left till the fourth term starts.
Will post the October newsletter by the end of the month.
