Saturday 17 February 2024

 To anyone at all interested:  The following novels, all written as books but are really screenplays, are now on offer for the film rights.

THE STACK...Family saga, set mainly in the UK,  Australia, USA. Begins during the first world war to the present time..By RJ Dodd.

MAGINTY'S QUEST...A young readers story, set in the West Indies and the UK. It involves the adventures of three sea creatures tasked with sabving a family in the UK. A complex adventure that involves Pirates of old and modern day ones..A great romp By RJ Dodd and Mary Lou Clarke..under the pen name of Chelsy Swann.

THE SANDRUNNERS..Adventure story  which follows a young egyptians effort to enter the New Olympics in 1896. There are many forces agianst him and he has to beat them all in order to win the hand of his girlfriend...and he insists on running with hiis best friend and running pal..Suzy..a small camel

Set in the UK, Egypt, Greece. Written by RJ Dodd and Mary Lou Clarke, under the pen name of Chelsy Swann

THE FIDDLER. Set in Italy in 18th century.Against all odds a young farm hand tries to join a major orchestra touring Italy..On his life journey he falls in love, loses that person and has to find another way to live. He has to overcome many obstacles, Kidnapping, attacks, and becomes a criminal, then a surprising thing happens.

By RJ Dodd

LEVERAGE. A contemporary story about a spy who wants to quit the business but his past adventures keep pulling him back in.In order to obtain a new life he has to sort out his past.Sometimes brutally...and he has to kill his own brother. A great story and very cinematic.Set mainly in the UK and USA.   By RJ Dodd

All the books except Leverage are published on amazon.. Leverage is not published yet but a sequel is on the way.

As a Director of Photography who has shot a number of award winning films I have tried to be fast paced, slick dialogue is a feature and totally cinematic.

If interested please contact r.jdodd@outlook.com


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Wriiten 

Friday 29 December 2023

Judge

 PS:  I am a judge for BAFTA..ploughing through a lot of movies...deeply unimpressed thus far..I will write on this when the voting process is over..Seems like a lot of money has been spent on some unwatchable material....must have been the Pandemic...

Busy

 Hi...just to let you know I have been a little busy lately..We had to spend some time in Italy..now back in the UK ..Chichester..

I am moving along with the sequel to my fifth Novel.'.Leverage'.and I am working with two writers. One of them has a stage play and the other one..a direct descendant of a famous Eenglish poet and writer..has a screenplay based on his family  Both effoerts are looking good and there is some industry interest.

I hope to find some time for a few more anecdotes..I have been offered some lecture dates where I can tell a lot more stories to film buffs...more on that in 2024. And I have been offered a movie in Morrocco which should be interesting

  Have a great New Year everyone  X    DD

Monday 3 October 2022

Charleston bar.

 Hi  forgive me if I have posted this before  but it is lost in the mists of time and times have certainly changed

Some years ago..late 1990s I was filming in Charleston VIrginia..we were there for about a month.

Usiusally on a Sunday most of the bars closed down and ubnless you laid some booze in then it could be a dry night.

An assistant sound lad amd myself thought we would take a walk in downtown...which was very quiet..and on the way back we noticed a long dark alley ..at the top end was a sign that said those magical words  BAR..BEERS.

In we went..It was dark inside but avbsolutely popping, music was playing and folk were haveing a great time..We hutled through to the bar..The chatter stopped, the barrman approaoched and asked if he could help,,'Two beers please'

'Are you sure about that.?'

'Absolutely'

'Take a look around'

We did..it was full of black folk,

'What do you see?'

''A bar full of Americans'

He looked long and hard at us, 'You Brits?'

'Yes'

'On the house'

The chatter started up again.

It turns out that we were the first white men to go into that bar.. ever..We had a great evening, invited to the homes of some people and were told we were the first white men that some of the customers had ever had a converstuon with.

I think those days are gone but I do know that the great American Nation can overcome the ridiculous divisions that are slowly ripping their country apart  Get it together folks ,, the rest of the worl needs you.



Sunday 17 July 2022

 STEALING.

Have you ever felt the urge to steal something..to take something that does not belong to you..?

I guess most of us have at one time,  maybe as kids, nicked a chocolate bar or something of little value..

I have to admit that I have never stolen anything..nothing..mainly because of my father who threatened me with dire circumstances if I did.

But one day I nearly committed grand theft.

Some years ago I went to a magical place near Bishp Stortford  in England.

It was a stunning house with a large estate..massive gardens and at the far end was a workshop/ studio.

Dotted among the shrubbery in the garden were some magnificent works of art..all sculptures.

I was there to make a short film of the owner of this place.

Henry Moore.

Probably the most famous sculptor in the world.

I am a fan and I have admired his work in front of grand buildings across the globe  Here I was strolling around his estate and then into his studio where a massive work was in progress.

It was a pleasant and unique day..Eventually we had to say goodbye and before we left I had to visit the toilet before we hit the road for the long journey north.

And there it was  Treasure..masses of it..

Around the spacious and luxurious washroom was a shelf...and on that shelf was  arranged every single miniature model of Moores major art works..they were fashioned in clay and were his first ideas for  the resulting scupltures.

They were also pocket sized. 

During those few moments I had to wrestle with my conscience..do I steal one, which could completely ruin my career or regret not stealing one.

My conscience is clear..the collection was left intact.  But it was a close run thing. 

Monday 17 May 2021

 Without wishing to offend anyone this is a little gay story.

Some time ago I was contracted to work on a shoot in Manchester England..A nice city and great people .Manchester is renowned for its Gay Quarter..a few blocks of streets in one corner of the metropolis..

 My usual Hotel in the City was booked out so I was assigned another one...yep..right in the centre of the gay community....No big deal..no problem..I have always worked with lotsa gay folk in the industry.

After I had checked in I needed a drink and as it was early evening I went down to the bar...It was crammed full of like minded souls, all gay and noisy...so I went out to find a quieter venue..script/paper to read etc.

I wandered the area and every pub was jam packed with the same clientele until I came across what looked like my sort of place.

.After looking through the window I could see it was busy with lotsa couples..and fairly quiet..so in I went..At the bar I ordered a pint of beer from the barman and settled on the stool to read my paper..The beer arrived and at this point the barman broke into song.."Falling in love again..what am I to do"  I looked up and he was staring straight at me. I took a look around the lounge..Lotsa couples with very glamorous ladies..Not all of them, but some , were sporting off the shoulder dresses , lovely wigs,  matching beards and hairy chests, usually a sequinned dress with designer accessories to die for..

The barman was still singing  as I finished my drink and politely declined the free one he was offering...I walked a mile or so to find a rough old joint and settled in a corner.

The moral of the story...There isn't one  except when you look through a pub window in Manchester to check out the customers make sure you are wearing your spectacles.