January Joy: Three Things I Loved this Month

While the world burns, it is important to jot down fleeting moments of happiness and remember what made you smile. Here is some stuff that cheered me up in January.

A-dam Great Monologue

Saturday Night Live returned from its winter break. Helming the first show of the decade was three-time host Adam Driver. It being his third appearance, the writers by now really understand how to best channel his intense energy. Nowhere was this more evident than his standout monologue. It has now been a few days since the episode aired and I have not stopped thinking about at this incredible set piece.

Copyright: NBC.

Rarely the highlight of any given show, but nonetheless a crucial bit of business, the chat to the audience aims to reassure viewers that this week’s star will be fun. The cast or extra guests may pop in to play supporting parts, but the focus is primarily on the special MC. It is therefore an incredible sign of confidence in Driver that the show gave him almost a full five minutes onstage accompanied only by the house band, the audience, and a single prop. That sort of solo screen time for SNL monologues is usually reserved for stand ups and show alumni.

However, the actor shows that trust is well-earned. Driver is in total control as he makes light of his unapproachable persona, delivering jokes with a deadpan that statues would envy. I felt such giddy glee when he eyes up the camera while walking straight up to the lens while attempting to smile. His performance was sufficiently grounded that it convinced at least one internet commentator that Adam was actually genuinely deliberately stringing out the monologue to ensure a sketch got cut.

JoJohansson Rabbit

Scarlett Johansson has got an Oscar nom for Jojo Rabbit. The nod from the Academy is absolutely justified: Scarlett’s performance is a delight. As Rosie Betzler, the mother of the titular Nazi-fanatic, she is the warm heart of the film. Determined to put on a happy face, she strives to ensure her boy keeps a shred of his childhood innocence. She wants to be a source of joy. 

What I did not notice, and only realised through reading reviews afterwards, is that, though concerned about his zealousness, her character never forbids it. Her fear of losing Jojo to war prevents her from coming down too hard on him and risking driving him away from her. This tragic undercurrent makes it a nuanced role (and one that Scarlett absolutely pulls off).

G-g-g-ghosts?!?

January always sees me finish reading the books I got at Christmas. This time round, the final tome on the pile was Frances Hardinge’s A Skinful of Shadows. I had intentionally saved this gift from my sibling until last because I relished the prospect of tackling something outside of my comfort zone. As a supernatural adventure set against the backdrop of the English Civil War, it is definitely very different fare from my usual literary diet of crime novels and comedian’s memoirs.

The novelty of perusing something I would not have chosen for myself was certainly part of why I found this book exciting, but its highly inventive story is also a source of joy. I will not spoil the plot beyond what is provided on the blurb, but the protagonist’s ongoing struggle to wrangle the spirit inside her head is part of an eerie superpower I certainly have not encountered in any fiction before.

The book overall is a lovely romp with twists and comic moments. I looked forward to settling down with it each day before bed.

My Secret to Stay Looking Young

Hey, gang! I’ve noticed a LOT of you have been wondering how I look so dang young, so let me tell you.

It’s because I am young.

But seriously though, there are a few simple things I do to stay looking fresh and they can work for you too. Just follow these four quick tips and you can be forever young like me.

Deal with the Devil Water!

Water water everywhere and all a drop to drink! Keep yourself hydrated with the water of life. This stuff is VITAL if you want your skin to stay healthy. Plus, it tastes great.

Praise the mighty one Sleep!

To sleep, perchance to be dreamy! If you want enough energy to live, laugh, learn, you’ve GOT to be well-rested. Eight hours a night is perfect.

Give him blood Vitamins!

B2 or not B2! Whether it’s Vitamin D through the sun or D-lightful fruit and veg, you’ve got to get those minerals in ya. You cannot look young if your body is not working, so spruce up your diet. Get some vitamins TODAY.

Exercise!

Just kidding. Hail Satan.

How to Create a Scripted Podcast: Three Quick Tips

When I first started working on Dead Drunk Detective back in 2016, I had a couple of scripts, a vague desire to be on Radio 4, and an excellent producer in Podcast Pioneers. Four series later and I still have all of these, but with a little additional knowledge about how to create a show.

While few of you will be looking to produce a zombie noir sitcom (at least, I hope not or else we will be direct competitors), some people may be curious about how to start their own show. Which is why I thought I would share what I have learnt.

Here are my three quick tips for creating a scripted podcast. I am aware everyone's creative process is different, so, rather than get specific (“day one: what's the title?”), I have opted for general advice.

Plan stuff in advance but give yourself the freedom to discover things along the way.

Before I write episodes in full, I know each Case Of The Week that will solved by the detective. I will also have planned the overall season arc and have vague notions about the nature of the challenge posed by this year’s Big Baddie. However, the identity of that villain is usually something I discover organically. Maybe a character is so fun to write for that I want to bring them back. Perhaps their encounter with the protagonist in an earlier episode gives them a logical motive to want to bring about his downfall.

So, while I am a huge fan of planning and structuring scripts before you write them, the outline should be a safety net, not a cage.

Keep the amount of voices in a scene to a minimum.

While writing, you should be focusing on the script’s contents, but you must also remember to keep one eye on how it will eventually be produced.

Think what the recording setup in the room may be. You will probably be working with a small number of microphones, so scenes with a lot of voices will require cast to share or step in and out of range. While mildly impractical, you could make it work – producers can edit out any pauses or awkward shuffling – but if the script calls for too much of this, it could throw off the rhythm of the acting.

Characters with only a few lines – say, a waiter in a café scene – should be cut or be played by someone already in the cast.

Don’t announce the show until you’re late into the production process. 

This is just a personal rule of mine. Partly, it’s to do with ego - if a project collapses, then people won’t know you’ve failed - but it also means you can keep people engaged. Announcing the Thing close to its release date means your potential audience remember that it’s coming and know when to look for it. It’s easier to sustain momentum and excitement with ‘episodes start on Monday!’ than ‘new series coming Autumn 2021!’. Make your show a lovely surprise.

That's all of my advice. Best of luck to anyone creating a show! Unless it's about an inebriated undead sleuth. In which case, I'll see you in court.