DIY is never DIY! Funding the ink to jump onto the stage…

I’m fundraising. Applications, grants, trusts and now some crowd funding (watch this space..) through the lovely people at www.talentbacker.com.

Of course, it’s never DIY when it comes to money. Or any part of getting art out there. In this case, talentbacker are going to help me get lots of people to donate dosh. That will allow me to pay for one day of script development on the quantum mechanics love story. You know: the one I’ve banged on about all year.

If you have a theatre commission, a “script development day” is often part of the process. It creates a space between the full-on, writer-at-desk life of the script, and the bit where it appears in the theatre’s inbox. Brilliantly, a director and actors will test the script, spit, hammer, stamp on, poke holes, leap for glee all over it, generally letting the writer see what works and doesn’t, when the ink leaps into the actors’ mouths and limbs.

If you don’t have a theatre commission, you don’t get this. Obviously! Instead, you walk around the room, putting on silly voices. Playing with hand puppets. Tempting actor mates to work for free one night after work, with wine. Great, but obviously not ideal.

Why not?

First of all, I shouldn’t expect actors and directors to work for free. It’s happened, and I am really grateful to those who have helped in the past (most notably last year, for a whole week, at Exeter’s Bike Shed). Secondly, generating and paying for work is a good thing. Thirdly, it’s vitally important that professional artists discourage the notion that our work is a hobby, or a luxury. It’s not. It’s work. We need a thorough and professional approach. We need to pay and be paid if we expect quality and hard work. It’s only right!

So. I’m getting quite excited! Talentbacker are helping to prepare a page on their site, I’m making a short film to inspire people (even you, perhaps) to donate and, who knows, perhaps the power of the crowd will woooosh “QM” from page to rehearsal room, giving it it a massively better chance of getting the attention of theatres, and, hopefully, a production.

Don’t panic! I will post links as soon as they are available. And for anyone who does donate, there will be special quantum goodies!
More anon, in every possible world!
Happy Christmas!