What is 'Soap'?

Date: 25/01/12
Author: Peter

Well, things HAVE been busy!

I realise I never properly clarified what ‘Soap’ is for the three people who read this blog (and probably know anyway, because they’re my mum, Alex Boundy, and that weird fangirl (stalker) I met in Edinburgh....)

About a year and a half ago, Adam Hicks, a 29 year old electrician, who’d come to Bournemouth to retrain in Forensic Science, sent me the manuscript of an unfinished novel he was working on. It didn’t have a name, and was a rough early draft, but it was clear that this particular story was funny, sad, honest, and deeply personal. A year later I adapted what he’d done into a screenplay, and from there the two of us met up regularly to discuss and re-write.

The story follows John, a man living off the state, who has reached his late twenties and done next to nothing with his life. Dependent on cannabis, he more or less uses the addiction as an excuse not to sort himself out, until one day it all sort of hits him. He wants a girlfriend, a job, friends, a life. And he’s running out of time, after wasting his youth in a haze of smoke and pot noodles. The film follows John as he attempts to better himself, with mixed results....

The film is certainly semi-autobiographical for both of us. Obviously, as a writer, you discuss what you know within your work, and often the situations a character finds themselves in are similar to those you yourself have encountered. The context changes, and it’s safe to say that I’ve never been a drug addict, but a lot of the themes, characters and emotion behind the film come from reality. And it was obvious from the start that Adam was the only person who could play John.

In late September, we brought a group of people together who I’d worked with previously, and wanted to have involved with the project. Everyone seemed excited about it from the start, and before I knew it we were into production in late October/early November.

Since then, we’ve filmed over about 7 weekends, the last being this one coming. Then we’ll leave the project until May, where we’ll kick off with the last 50 minutes of the film.

So yeah, that’s it, in about 400 words. I’ll try and keep this more up to date, but the majority of photos and updates can be found on the facebook page.

Here’s a short funding trailer to give you an idea of the ‘flavour’ of the film.

If you want to get involved or help us with funding, please do get in touch.

Cheers!