MrBiffo
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TOP TIER BLOG: WORK IN THE TIME OF COVID
🕑 Added 2021-05-05 10:01:58 +0000 UTCBeen a while since I did a blog, so I thought I’d check in with you lovely lot.
Alongside Digi and BYAMPOD stuff, the last couple of weeks were spent putting together some spec pitches for my agent. It has been years since I’ve written anything on-spec – mainly because I’ve been lucky enough to have more or less constant work. With the way things are in the TV industry, it’s important to have an up-to-date sample of what I can do.
Right now, TV is starting to open up again, but we’re facing the backlog of shows that were meant to film last year. Consequently, commissioning new stuff isn’t a priority. Plus, I think commissioners are kind of hesitant because they’re not sure what they or, more importantly, audiences want to see after more than a year of pandemic.
Additionally, the other thing that shifted last year is the long overdue commitment to diversity in the TV industry. It’s obviously right and proper that this should happen, but white, straight, males are currently out of favour when it comes to new projects. I’ve come to realise that I’ve had it easy my entire career, and I’m under no illusion that it was largely a result of privilege.
Being entirely honest, the way the conversation has shifted in recent years have made me feel very ashamed of being what I am. A man. White. Straight. British. English. Ostensibly middle-class (though I grew up in a working class family). I feel a kind of latent guilt, and I can’t shake it. Shame is the only way I can describe it.
And then I feel ashamed of feeling that, because I feel I don’t deserve to have those feelings, when others have experienced far, far worse. Bigotry, abuse, marginalisation, subjugation… I don’t want to make it about me, and yet here we are. I guess what I feel is what so many others have felt for centuries. I guess there’s part of me that thinks I deserve it, a bit.
Yet we still have bills to pay, and Covid debts to pay off. Rightly or wrongly, writing TV has been how I’ve made a living for the past 20 years. Digi isn’t at a level yet where I can rely on it to bring in a full-time income.
THE FOCUS
Nonetheless, Sanja and I are putting more focus on projects where we’re not reliant on commissioners. It seems like a prudent thing to do in the current climate, and I quite like the sort of democratic, guerrilla punkishness of ‘We can just do it ourselves’.
We’re beyond lucky to have the Digi and BYAMPOD community. They mean so much to both of us. We’re so grateful to you all. Like, profoundly so, that we get to do things we love, for a great community, and so many of you are willing to help support it.
But we also need to be smart about what we’re doing. For the time being, I can no longer sink loads of my own money into my projects, like I have in the past. They need to either be cheap, or be able to pay for themselves. Which is why I don’t think more Found Footage or Digiverse are viable ideas for the foreseeable.
I mean, at this point I wouldn’t even rule out a second series of Digitiser The Show, which was by far the most successful crowdfunding campaign we’ve run! Don’t get excited: absolutely zero plans to do it at the moment, and if we did it’d be very different, more cost-effective, and probably on its own channel. No DVDs… And as you all know, I’ve complicated feelings when it comes to it, which I’d need to get over.
But it’s worth us having every option on the table when looking at our plans for the next year.
TIME, PLEASE!
The main frustration is time, really. The last month has, as all months seem to be for us, pretty relentless and stressful. Though I’ve had fewer day job deadlines, somehow the weeks still seem to get filled up. With me as host, creator, and editor of both the YouTube videos and podcast, I can only do so much.
I have more ideas than I do the time to realise them, and I also need to ensure I’m not running myself ragged. Sanja is teaching herself editing, but she’s also my bookkeeper, clerical assistant, producer, runner, and a busy mum.
Sorry if that all read as a bit doom-and-gloom. It really isn’t! The spec projects are ones I’m really excited about. There’s a big script I’ve been working on with a lovely company for the past year. We’re talking about the next series of my CBBC show Almost Never. My agent is talking to CBBC about what I can do for them next. So, something will happen that’ll keep the roof over our heads.
What’s most exciting though, is that the things I’m working on, that I’m trying to get underway, have been influenced by the last few years doing Digi stuff. I’ve come to realise how important it is that I work on projects, be it in my day job or otherwise, that I’m passionate about. That I want to see realised. That I love. And so, even if it means I have to hammer harder on the door for a while, it makes it more worthwhile in the end.
Or maybe Digi will suddenly double its audience! Because, most of all, between us, we’re most excited for the Supernatural Worlds, Digi Deluxes, and Digi Live that we’re planning.
Comments
I watched this last night, interesting timing with your post. Mocked and ridiculed for this, certainly labelled as difficult, but theres nothing untrue about this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcCKczj4aK4
Fascinating stuff. You guys have good self reflection it seems. Guilt probably doesnt help much but awareness is everything IMHO. Once upon a time, I'd have badgered (cowards!) you for how to get into this world, but I realised quite quickly that I while I feel I can do most of what it was taking to write a sitcom, actually writing characters, the important bit, was beyond me completely :)
There is a link between those dead dust folk and what we have today, the echoes of history are still being heard and felt loud and clear. I dont think its necessarily about feeling guilty for others actions 100's of years ago, but realising that led to where we are now, and the system still hasnt changed all that much in certain terms, and being aware of our place within that system compared to others is something that its incredibly easy to gloss over and not even think about.
I’m more than happy to chuckle along now and then to the YouTube videos (on the couch or otherwise.) That’s all I became a patron for really, the YouTube videos on the couch - it still amazes me how much stuff you’ve done, going through all the back catalogue on YouTube, I’m not surprised you need a breather, especially with everything else going on, and other life commitments. I just enjoy watching you and Sanja making each other laugh, talking about stuff and doing funny characters, and laughing along. 🙂
Tyronne Mann
I know this is against the grain and more than likely will rile some, but I feel no guilt whatsoever - I have and will freely apologize for mistakes I have and more than likely will make in the past/future, but I will never take on guilt for decisions made by people who have been dead for hundreds/thousands of years and are literally dust at this stage.
Paul Rose (Mr Biffo)
Woah. That article is great. Thank you for sharing it with me. Lots to think on. (And yup - glad you watched FoF... It just screamed out at me).
Odd Pod
Always interesting to see what you're up to TV wise as someone trying to break into the movie/TV industry I like knowing about what's going on and stuff.
Chai
I know saying 'don't be ashamed of who you are' isn't helpful because you can't just switch off the part of your brain that response like that, but I will recommend this article to you: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/14/style/white-guilt-privilege.html It's a useful read regarding privilege and turning white guilt (or other privilege guilt) into something useful (and acknowledging that white guilt isn't a wound to be healed). Thank you for sharing this with us. You're cool cool people and I'm, as ever, excited to see what you have upcoming. If there's anything we as a collective can do to help y'all out, let us know and we will. (P.S. - watched some Fish on Friday - WOW. Exactly what you said. Absolutely couldn't get over it.)
Maryse Ouellet
We all love and support you, No matter what happens. I'd love to see another series of digi the show, But I equally enjoy the regular yt viddys, Loving all the daft characters btw. Keep rocking it Mr Biffo x
