Chapter 0.6 June
0.1 of June 2023
As my beautiful new website comes to fruition, something seems to have shifted within me.
The month of leaves and roses, June is finally upon us. The scent of honeysuckle. Fresh linens on the line billow against wild winds. Pollen scatters. Welcome, midsummer sunshine. The smell of Barbeques and the pop of prosecco, a time for fun and good company. The outdoors beckons in all its bursting greenery. Wild swimming and adventurous trails to explore. Pitch your tents, and pull on your hiking boots. A birthday celebration for a new king approaches. Warm nights and dreamy days filled with blue skies. Aeroplane trails - delicate maps of journeys soon to be had, gone and left behind. Summer solstice. A full strawberry moon is not to be missed. Just remember to look up.
June has finally come around, and I feel like I am on my way to a new era of self-discovery. Maybe it's the effects of the latent sunshine gracing all our lives in England this week, or maybe it's been the rare time spent soaking up the sun in the garden with the dogs by my side and a glass of summer fizz in hand, which has allowed me a new perspective on the power of rest and recovery.
The site is another month from being finished, so you will be able to view the full extent of my work, projects and other exciting elements of this digital space very soon. However, I thought I would make a start on this first blog post and stay consistent, acting as I mean to go on. I have been so busy the last few weeks, so I am seeing this blog as a way for me to take time out and create something outside of my other creative projects, something just for you and me.
So what has been happening this last month? Not only have I been working on developing an exciting new short film project with my close friend and screenwriting partner Kelsey Cromwell, but I have been finalising the script for my own film, due to be completed and hopefully in production over the next three to six months. I can’t wait to take it to pre-production, and recently I have felt an odd emotional cocktail of nerves, excitement and apprehension about what is to come.
As a screenwriter, we live on spec in a world of pre-production preparation, never really knowing if a film or series you pour your heart into will get the green light. However, working independently under my own name and my company has felt like I have had more control over the creative direction of my projects. Although it is extremely exciting, it also stands to reason that the successful creation of this film lives and dies with myself and the united effort of everyone involved in bringing it to life. I have every confidence that this project will be in development soon, and those I am working with to put together a team for this film I trust implicitly from years of co-working and industry experience.
This project is due to be my first debut as a director, and I am another month away from securing the full microbudget for this feature. I will keep you updated as we move forward and hopefully get this project up and running.
In the meantime, I had the pleasure of joining the Royal Television Society Story Conference this month at Liverpool Everyman. I learned more about the commissioning process from the heads of commissioning and development at Disney, Sky, BBC and Chanel 4. It was a wonderful, insightful afternoon for both writers and indie companies alike to connect and scout for new talent while also being able to ask valuable questions.
I have since also been visiting the Whiskey Jar in Manchester this month, scouting for composers and fresh talent to bring to my company's talent pool. The bar has become one of my favourite spots to meet friends and witness indie musicians in their element ( not to mention they make the best amaretto sour I’ve ever had) and overall re-connect with a community I admire.
Overall I have felt things are finally slotting into place, hard work is starting to pay off, and exciting opportunities are ripe for the taking. I am trying to enjoy the little wins rather than immediately jump to the next thing because, my goodness, it has taken a lot of time wrestling with self-doubt and pushing myself out of my comfort zone to get here.
Now this blog is up and running, I look forward to getting into the swing of things and sharing more thoughts and updates over the coming weeks.
I’d love to hear what you are looking forward to this month. Let me know in the comments below.
I hope you’ve had a magical May.
Olivia LB xx
