J.M. Black – Media Shenanigans!

Hello hello!

Yup, the title this week’s a Hamilton lyric! Go listen to My Shot, I’ll be here when you get back.

Okay finished? Cool – back to it!

I fell in love with audio drama in early 2017, and started making them properly during the summer when I got hold of a Tascam DR-40 and access to Adobe Audition.

I was 19 years old, and that was nearly 7 years ago. So this week, we’re going to take a project from that time and talk about it as 2024 me at age 25!

—

Months had passed, work was underway on League of Rapscallions – one of my first long-form audio drama projects (on indefinite hiatus, as uni students get busy, but forever in my heart!), and I was exploring other stories I’d like to tell.

As a writer, I’ve been pretty consistent in the types of stories I love to tell. In fact, I can date this back to as early as primary school years…

I like silly stuff.

I like writing real silly stuff that’s fun to listen to, makes you laugh, and has a cool story that grabs your attention from the get go!

So I’m sure you’re expecting me to name this project as something unique that ticks those boxes, a modern comedy masterpiece! But no, lol.

It’s just Garfield but ruder.

—

SHEILA THE VULGAR CAT (October 2017)

ENTER – Sheila The Vulgar Cat. That’s right! An Audio Drama about a vulgar cat called Sheila who swears, breaks things, causes mischief, and reigns hell and shenanigans on her housemate/owner Steve – who just wants to be a lawyer living a normal lawyer life!

The story of the one and only episode (though I’m sure there’s series potential) is as follows:

Sheila and Steve live together in the same house. The story begins with Sheila breaking a precious vase and being generally rude and silly. Steve leaves for work, annoyed.

Sheila sneaks into Steve’s workplace, embarrasses him in front of his boss and High Judge Jinglebell (who she calls “Jingle Balls”) during a court case, then turns his living room into a bowling alley for a laugh while he goes out on a date.

On returning to the house, Steve’s date – a horse dentist called Gary – recognises Sheila as his old cat, and tells Steve that Sheila must really like him if she’s stuck around this long. Steve and Sheila make peace, which is promptly broken by Sheila breaking the vase again.

Stylistically it’s meant to feel like an American sitcom from the 90s, and each scene is broken with an interlude theme song which gets progressively more deranged and badly sung by the cast as the show goes on.

I remember feeling really good about it and laughing hard at some of the moments as I was writing them. Always a good sign with comedy! But what about now?…

—

Reflection (2024):

Sheila The Vulgar Cat is a project I keep coming back to. I’ve revisited this script a few times – most recently in 2022. So what’s the verdict on this one?

Honestly, I still really like it!

I’ve changed a LOT as a creative in 7 years, so I’ll punch up a few jokes and change things around, but most of it works and is true to the kind of creative I still am! Which is a goofball who loves rude cats being mischievous, and annoying important people like Lawyers, Judges, and Horse Dentists!

Being critical, it could be condensed a fair bit. At the moment the script hovers at 17 pages and duration would be about the same at 18 minutes including credits. This is fine but might need tightening up a bit. Not all of the dialogue’s needed. I’m sometimes guilty of writing too much banter that’s funny but pulls us out of the forward momentum of the story for too long.

So this 18 minute episode could be 15, or even 10 if the storytelling’s done right. I think the shorter the better, it needs to feel like a sitcom, or a cartoon – something short and playful that you’d find while channel surfing and watch a few episodes of in a row!

As a creative I’ve definitely grown with my technical skills, so I think 2024 me is more equipped to edit and sound design for this. Hopefully I’ve also grown as a director and producer – but it’s been a while so I’m sure these skills need to grow a lot to reach their potential!

—

Final Thoughts:

Honestly, to my 19 year old self… You were onto something, and you’re right to find this funny. It’s a shame it’s been so long as I was certain this would be made that year. But there’s a silver lining…

I’m part of a group chat with my friends Jona and Danny, who I cast as Sheila and Steve. We were part of a performing arts society in university and had done theatre shows together (and plenty of D&D across the years!).

Reader, that group chat is still active. If only to change the name of the chat to reflect the year (“2023” to “2024”) because it’s a funny bit!

So to you, my dear Danny and Jona… I love you both, and we ARE going to bring the Vulgar Cat to life eventually!! If anything just as an excuse to hang out!

Some projects you keep coming back to, and it’s important to keep writing, writing like you’re running out of time like that one Hamilton guy in that musical!

So until the next time, reader, Do Not Throw Away Your Shot!

-J

Joke of the Day!

Q: Did you hear about the cat that always got into trouble?

A: She was pretty MEOWS-CHEVIOUS!