So here it is, my short film Timber! As has been previously described, it’s a comedic look at loneliness and in particular one mans quest to understand and find love. The initial idea to write on such a universal topic came to me when I suddenly realised a lot of my friends had met the love of their lives and were very happy about it. It got me thinking that as much as it’s a great thing to see your friends in such a rapturous state, it can lead to some insular soul searching from those who have yet to become so lucky and all the time wondering “When will it be my bloody turn?”

Anyway, it seemed an area rich in viewpoints and humour so I wrote the script. I then assembled a great crew and bunch of actors including Miles Jupp, Emily Bevan and other lovely thesps. For those who have seen it there appears to be a fair amount empathy, certain scenes really strike a chord, or so I’ve been told. I think what it does show is that it’s possible to write a short with a beginning, a middle and in end in under ten minutes with a few laughs along the way. Enjoy the movie, hopefully it will raise a smile or three.

It’s often the case that not until you have a major drama in your life do you realise just how petty and unimportant the little annoyances of everyday life actually are in comparison. However, thankfully due to the fact such drama is fairly seldom for most, the petty annoyances take on greater significance than they should. I do find these every day grievances humorous though. We all have our own but also a great many shared. In the interests of perhaps raising a smile or inducing some empathy, here are ten of mine, some more universal than others, all very unimportant in the grand scheme of things but seemingly all too momentous on a slow news day.

1. People adding extra volume to sneezes for effect. They don’t need to be forced and can lead to anyone within a ten metre radius receiving the fright of their lives if they’re not expecting such an audible nasal and mouth outburst. Such forced sneezes can also lead to burst blood vessels for the sneezer so warning is advised.

2. Taking shoes off in a library. It’s a library not a living room or shoe shop.

3. Those who say “I see what you did there” whilst trying to sound ironic after someone else has said something supposedly witty by way of a play on words.

4. Dirty dishes being left beside a sink without some tap water used to at least loosen the food stuffs still on the plate. A little rinse will aid the full clean up process later by up to and in some cases exceeding 50%.

5. Too much use of the word ‘dude’ at the start of sentences. If you’re not a surfer in California, best to use it sparingly. Seems especially popular in some pubs in the Clapham area of Londonside.

6. The uncertainty that an article of clothing you have washed being either just a little cold or still damp after an inadequate drying period. Cold you can live with, damp is just uncomfortable.

7. When one mans bare foot unexpectedly touches another mans bare foot. For example when you are watching television with a flatmate and you are both using the table as a foot rest. Nobody feels very comfortable but it can lead to a renewed zest in the friendship.

8.  Putting a whole new batch of songs on your iPOD and leaving the house excitedly in readiness to listen to them only to find your headphones are malfunctioning.

9. The absence of a “thank you” when holding doors open or stepping aside for people to pass. This is a fairly universal gripe, it doesn’t make it any less of a personal issue for those involved though.

10. Passengers who wait at bus stops for twenty minutes and only decide to count out their fare when in front of the driver thus making the previous twenty minutes seem a fairly unproductive passage of time as the queue of other passengers wait with increasing impatience. The introduction of the Oyster card system in London has helped combat this but it’s still an ongoing issue.

One look at attendances for the cup competitions in England and Scotland over the last week shows the interest in both competitions is continuing to decrease at an alarming rate. No matter how advertisers and broadcasters try to ignite interest and excitement in them, it seems the glory days are long gone. It’s a shame but let’s face it, the FA and Scottish Cups have been in a downward spiral for years.

The rise of the Champions League, the importance of domestic league success and a lack of sufficient advertising interest have all contributed to a situation where one is left wondering, just how long do these competitions have left in them? The fact that there are Premiership games scheduled for the same day as this years FA Cup Final further accentuates the sorry state.

Growing up, I remember that the attendances would always be higher for the cup games and they were a genuine event. Not just for the latter stages but the 3rd round, 4th round and if you were lucky enough to support a team who got to the semi, the excitement was overwhelming at the thought of being just one game away from the final. This was especially the case for Hibs fans like me who are still waiting since 1902 to win the bloody thing again.

There is no doubt that the cup is still exciting for the smaller clubs who can dream of short term financial reward if they draw a big team with the prospect of a giant killing or even better, a replay at the big teams ground to coin it in a little more. However, watching games played out in half empty stadiums with the same cliches about knock-out football being trotted out year after year does not make for a great sporting spectacle. It’s telling that the play-off final for the Championship teams is far more of an exciting prospect for players, fans and viewers than the FA Cup Final is now.

I’m not too sure what the requisite remedy is for the national cup competitions both north and south of the border. It certainly isn’t the continuing trend of the bigger clubs to field weakened teams and still expect the fans to show up. With all that is at stake in the leagues, can they really be blamed in doing so though? I’d like to sit in at a meeting to work out how to rescue cup football in the UK, I’m just not sure if I could contribute a satisfactory idea to turn the tide.

My good friend, Milo McLaughlin recently started a new blog concerning creativity entitled The Clear Minded Creative. It’s an interesting and valuable site for all of us with creative urges and can be found here. Whilst reading it I began thinking of my own creative efforts and more specifically when I feel most creative and have the seeds of new ideas. Over the years it has often been the case that when travelling or waiting to travel, I seem to have a clearer mind and as a result, one which is more susceptible to new ideas. No doubt this is down to the fact that whilst in transit, the pressures of time constraints go slightly out of the window leaving the mind to wander more at will. That’s my theory anyway and the reason that whenever I’m at an airport, on a plane or a train, I always, as admittedly I do at most times, have a pen and paper on my person ready for any creative ideas to be written down. I get a similar feeling during the week between Christmas and New Year when days of the week are far less observed and we seem less constrained by the normal order of the working week. I wonder if others have encountered this? I still don’t get too many ideas at bus stops though, just an annoyance that the queue that has waited patiently for ten minutes breaks in to a free for all the minute the bus arrives regardless of the age or mobility of certain passengers intending to travel.

I believe most people are creative but that a sizeable majority have no idea how these creative inclinations can be manifested. Is it through music, scriptwriting, prose, painting or performance dance? The list is as long as it is varied. Some may find out for themselves by a process of trial and error, others through fortuitousness or serendipity. Some sadly may never reach a satisfactory conclusion.

There is an undeniable human tendency of thinking it a waste of time to attempt anything creative after a certain age. Undoubtedly it helps to start young especially if you are say, a musician. Many regret not learning the piano or guitar to the degree that you could at least become a handy session musician for the stars whilst having time to record your own solo album on the side for personal gratification. For those who do start creating at a younger age, especially those who start and play in bands as I did, there is often a mass of confidence at the beginning of the journey whereby you are in full belief that your fledgling efforts will quickly catapult you in to the big time. I imagine there are few bands who didn’t think their very first demo was going to put them firmly in the spotlight only to listen to it again 2 weeks later and have an inkling that it may in fact not be the best thing since the last next big thing. There’s something about hearing songs you have written after they’ve been recorded in a professional studio for the very first time that can shadow in the writers mind at least, the limitations of the song writing craft they possess. Having said that, I suppose good songwriters’ talents will always shine through and that is of course what separates them from the rest.

There are many reasons why American Splendor is my favourite film of the last decade, one of them being how it deals with themes of creativity and the frustrations of wanting to do something in an artistic realm but not knowing clearly what that could be. I wrote about it last year in relation to the life and work of Harvey Pekar and it can be read here. I’ve always had ideas but it’s sometimes difficult to pin them down as they’re not all in the same genre. I also find it slightly amusing that I’m viewed in different ways. To some I’m a presenter, to some I’m a writer and to others a comedian or actor. I’m happy to be viewed in such ways as it can pay dividends to be seen as a polymath. Conversely, would it be better to be known as one thing in particular and then be the ‘go to guy’ for something specific or would it narrow down the chance and number of future artistic opportunities in other fields? All I can say with certainty is that I’m definitely the guy walking down the street with earphones on, listening to music and carrying a book, a pen and a pad in his satchel. There could also be an umbrella in there if the sky is looking naughty.

Aside from professional work, I have always been proactive in setting up and accomplishing my own creative challenges. For some, starting a creative journey is the hardest part but the more one does and the more adept one becomes, the middle and end can be just as fraught. Take making a short film. You may have a script but how do you go about filming it? Do you try and get funding or call in favours with those who have equipment and know-how. You re-write the script, check actor availability, hire the actors, choose locations, choose new locations, make contingency plans for weather problems, eventually film it, get an editor, edit your rushes, re-edit your rushes, colour grade the final edit, make copies, get info on film festivals, submit to film festivals, make sure you have enough money to cover submission costs, actually, make sure you have enough money to cover costs for everything – film stock, parking permits, food, props and several other things besides. The point is, I believe the more challenges that one is faced with the more can be met and can easily lead to you surprising yourself at how much you can do.

Whilst my own independent creative exploits have been undertaken with no real chance of financial reward, they have been artistically rewarding and precious learning experiences. Take the short film Timber! that I shot last year. I can now say that I have directed professional actors and crew as a result. Was it enjoyable? Yes. Was it stressful? At times but not overly so. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Did I think the film in question would be in with a chance of winning awards at some film festivals? Yes. Has it? Not yet. Was I pissed off about that? Yes for about half an hour but not as much as some of the crew who thought it deserved to. I think I have just become a little bit more pragmatic and thick skinned. One look at the films which lost out to certain Oscar winners over the years gives one some form of solace regardless of the different ball park I’m operating in.

So there it is, by reading Milo’s excellent new blog I have in turn produced a blog entry of my own concerning creativity. It will hopefully be insightful to some but regardless, if you are of a creative disposition, The Clear Minded Creative is well worth the visit.