For a sci-fi horror movie set on a frost-covered trawler in the middle of the icy Bering Sea, Harbinger Down positively oozes warmth. A warm respect for its genre. A warm regard for its audience. And a blazing passion for its mission: to prove that old-school practical filmmaking techniques are alive and kicking in this brave new digital world. An unashamedly nostalgic riff on … Continue reading “Harbinger Down” – Film Review
A Green and Ancient Land
In England, the ancient past is always just a footstep away. It's one of the special benefits of living in this green and ancient land. Walk out into the countryside of your favourite shire, and there's a good chance you'll be treading the same paths taken by your ancestors thousands of years ago. It may just look like a bump in … Continue reading A Green and Ancient Land
Storytelling – When Will It Ever End?
Many stories share a common structure derived from just three component parts: Premise Conflict Resolution Or, if you prefer: “Where the hell am I and what the hell’s going on?” “Aw jeez – can you make this any more difficult?” “Wow – who’d have thought we’d end up here?” Think of almost any story, and … Continue reading Storytelling – When Will It Ever End?
What is Story?
"What is story?" That’s one of the prickly questions tackled by screenwriting guru Robert McKee in his book Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting, which does a remarkable job of both dissecting the craft of the storyteller, and inspiring the reader to stop shirking and get to work. At the heart of … Continue reading What is Story?
“The Push”
Today's Birotech sketch is a scene from my 1999 novel Stone & Sky. It illustrates the moment where, having survived both the eruption of Krakatoa and his unexpected relocation to a strange and inexplicably vertiginous alien world, Victorian explorer Jonah Lightfoot finds that his new companion Annie West is not all she seems. I've always enjoyed … Continue reading “The Push”
Ten Reasons to Write Fantasy
“Why don’t you write something normal for a change?” That’s what my wife says to me occasionally after she’s read a piece of fantasy I've written. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t like it (well, not always). It’s just another reminder that one man’s meat is another woman’s poison. So, why bother to write fantasy at … Continue reading Ten Reasons to Write Fantasy
Ten Reasons to Write Horror
Some people seem to think that, just because a novel is labeled as fantasy or crime, romance or historical, it should be devoid of horror. "I liked your book," they say, "except for that nasty bit in the middle. Couldn't you have left that out?" My response to any such question is: "No! And thrice no!" Why? … Continue reading Ten Reasons to Write Horror
“The Bone Clocks” by David Mitchell
Ever since the publication in 1999 of his first novel, Ghostwritten, author David Mitchell has consistently delighted in playing with narrative structure. For example, in his earlier work, Cloud Atlas, no less than six narratives spanning many centuries are nested together like matryoshka dolls. Like Cloud Atlas, Mitchell’s latest novel, The Bone Clocks, is divided … Continue reading “The Bone Clocks” by David Mitchell
“Kurosawa Lander”
Here's a time-lapse video of my latest Sunday sketch, which I've called Kurosawa Lander. The title's a total cheat, since the subject isn't Kurosawa-ish at all. Nevertheless, just like last week's sketch, it's inspired by the images still sloshing around inside my head since my recent viewing of the master Japanese director's 1980 movie Kagemusha. This is first time I've tried a … Continue reading “Kurosawa Lander”
“Kurosawa Watchtower”
Last night, I found myself alone in the house. An unusual situation which, on the rare occasions it occurs, usually sees me frittering away the hours by completely failing to decide what to do with the unexpected me-time. Should I read? Write? Watch a movie? Lie in a semi-comatose state and relish the peace and quiet? For once, tonight's decision came easy. After … Continue reading “Kurosawa Watchtower”
Graham Edwards 