Saturday, July 30, 2022

I'm an actor

Okay, I'm not an actor. I don't really claim to be one, but I do have an account on backstage.com. Nobody has ever used it to contact me for my services as a memory man (they find the strangest, most obscure ways to get in touch with me, as a rule), but it's worth it alone for the contact I got from a student film, back in February. They asked me if I'd like to audition for the part of Eugene, father of a young wizard who wants to break with family tradition and study agriculture instead.

I look like the kind of person they imagined Eugene to be, apparently. Also, I'm under five foot nine, which was a requirement for the production due to low ceilings. I suspect they contacted everybody on backstage.com who fitted the height and age range they were looking for.

I was quite delighted by the idea, and immediately got to work recording my performance of the script they sent me! Since the scene involved collecting washing from the line, I went out to Poundland and bought a washing line and pack of clothes pegs, roped in my brother (a rather better actor than me) to play the part of 16-year-old Duffy, strung the line between the bannister and bookcase at opposite ends of my living room, and got to work with some serious acting!

Firstly, here's the script, in case you think I'm interpreting it wrongly:



In the previous scene, Duffy told his parents that he wants to follow a career in agriculture instead of one in magic (which is the family tradition). Only the mother, Clementine, shows a reaction to these news (since she strongly disagrees with this decision). Eugene, on the other hand, does not like confrontation, leaving the serious talk for his wife.
Duffy eventually leaves this space, wanting to be alone. Clementine tells Eugene to go to their son and reason with him. He obeys to this order, goes to Duffy’s room to ask for his help to pick up the washing that is outside. The scene starts right after this.

EXT. COTTAGE - GARDEN - DAY 
Duffy and Eugene unpeg washing from the line outside. Robes. Bed Sheets. Stuffed and dead animals. Scrolls. Etc. Duffy picks a tattered old wizard hat off the washing line. 

 

EUGENE
I -- I hope you know what's coming your way. Oh, boy. 

 

DUFFY
Permanent groundings. Overloaded with chores. 

 

EUGENE
Permanent groundings. Overloaded with chor -- See, yes, exactly.

 

DUFFY
I thought we were only meant to hand wash all of the old clothing? 

 

EUGENE 
Early bedtimes. No pocket money.

 

DUFFY 
The stitching had already started to tear. Now, look at it. 

 

EUGENE 
I get it -- you -- how it doesn't seem a big deal right now...

 

DUFFY 
It's too delicate for our janky old machine. That's the problem. 

 

EUGENE 
But, being apart of a community like ours, your uncles, aunties, cousins. You're meant to be the one setting an example for, for -- forget about the washing!

 

DUFFY 
If you make sure to spot treat it, then maybe you can salvage another couple years -- in a clean-esque and hygienic-esque way. 

 

EUGENE 
How the ones with it in their blood are the only ones who can truly excel. Duffy, did you hear what I said?

Duffy wiggles his finger through a hole in the hat. 

 

DUFFY 
Colour faded. That smell! And all these holes, like a rat chewed right through – 

 

EUGENE 
Gimme that!

He snatches it from out of Duffy's hand. Tosses it in the laundry basket. 

 

EUGENE 
What you have is a birthright, passed down by generations. You have magic--

 

DUFFY 
Running through your veins. 

 

EUGENE 
Just, freeze! Please. To be a wizard it's like...

 

DUFFY 
Am I supposed to stay frozen while you search for a metaphor? 

 

EUGENE 
Duffy!

 

DUFFY 
Dad, no! I'm not -- I can't turn back now. Look, I'll always have my wand. To walk away from this. That isn't what this is. 

 

EUGENE 
If you don't go down a certain path... not something you can come back from... you won't... this family... old fashioned... without doing exactly what they want, they might turn their back on you.

 

DUFFY 
Would you?

Silence. Rain starts to fall. 

 

EUGENE
Quick!

Duffy grabs the laundry basket and dashes in. Eugene whips the bed sheet off the washing line and lifts it over his head as he runs in. Eugene trips as the bedsheet drops down over his eyes, blocking his vision.


And here's the video! This was my favourite take, mainly because of a minor mishap at the end...



I really thought the bookcase was solid enough that that couldn't happen, even if I got the sheet tangled up. Here's a take without all the damage...



The students picked someone else for the part. I thought the finished work would have been posted online by now, they must have finished for the summer and gone onto whatever film students do after they graduate, but it doesn't seem to be. I think we've given more than enough spoiler space to stop my audition tapes ruining the story for any potential viewers, so here you go! Admire my performance skills!

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

The MSO is on!

 It's now possible to register for the Mind Sports Olympiad 2022! It'll take place 25 years after the first one, you know - this makes me feel old. But please click on this link to register for the events of your choice. If you're going for the whole week, the best thing to do is buy the all-you-can-play ticket for £130 (it was fifty quid in 1997; I feel even older now), but if you're just in it for the memory, then you need to look for Marathon Memory (£15, all day Sunday 21 August), Natural Memory (£10, morning of Monday 22 August) and Speed Memory (£10, afternoon of Monday 22 August). These three competitions can be entered separately, but if you take part in all three, it adds up to an overall MSO Memory Championship!

Here's how the whole thing works...



Please pay attention to that one. This year's MSO competition, for the first time, will be done digitally, using this software. Competitors should bring their own laptop - although it might be possible to provide one for people who arrive without.







That's the marathon memory - it's a long and mentally draining day! Only for serious professionals or masochists! Or weirdos who actually LIKE this kind of thing, such as me...





To pad out the Natural Memory competition, I'd also like to add these three quick bits too, from the Memory League competitions. I haven't yet agreed this with anyone, though. What do you think? It would be fun! We might have to save it for next year, though - it's a bit late to be changing the format now...











And as for the speed memory...





Speed cards will be done with REAL cards! Bring your own real cards, or alternatively we'll provide them for you!

Again, these two are something I would like to add in - maybe next year, when everything won't have been arranged in such a hurry...












I hope that all makes sense, but I will gladly answer any questions people might have. Hope to see you there!