Declan Burke (pictured right) raised some interesting points in a Crime Always Pays blog post last Thursday. He considered the state of the book (or fate of the writer) in ten years time. Not being in the possession of a crystal ball, his ruminations left me with a number of unanswered questions. Scary, considering that I’m as likely to be published for the first time in ten years as I am this year. It’s just the way the industry is.
In fact, I was complaining about a general lack of enthusiasm, encouragement and output to a screenwriting friend the other day and the conversation turned to a Belfast-based production company that seemed to be doing some pretty innovative stuff.
Filmtrip’s website states, “We are a boutique production company specialising in film & TV cross platform productions, mobile app development and online.”
One of their cross platform projects involves Ian McDonald (pictured above left), a highly celebrated and award-laden science fiction writer from Belfast. His recent books include River of Gods and Brasyl and they deal with growing technology in a society not ready for it. Incidentally, he’s also written one of my favourite Northern Irish crime fiction novels, Sacrifice of Fools which blends police procedural, dirty politics, the crime underworld, social commentary and aliens.
It’s fitting that a writer who spends so much time looking to the future be involved in this project. Judging by the article on the Filmtrip website, E8 will sprawl many forms by exploiting every bit of entertainment technology it can get its grubby mitts on.
I look forward to the results.
In fact, I was complaining about a general lack of enthusiasm, encouragement and output to a screenwriting friend the other day and the conversation turned to a Belfast-based production company that seemed to be doing some pretty innovative stuff.
Filmtrip’s website states, “We are a boutique production company specialising in film & TV cross platform productions, mobile app development and online.”One of their cross platform projects involves Ian McDonald (pictured above left), a highly celebrated and award-laden science fiction writer from Belfast. His recent books include River of Gods and Brasyl and they deal with growing technology in a society not ready for it. Incidentally, he’s also written one of my favourite Northern Irish crime fiction novels, Sacrifice of Fools which blends police procedural, dirty politics, the crime underworld, social commentary and aliens.
It’s fitting that a writer who spends so much time looking to the future be involved in this project. Judging by the article on the Filmtrip website, E8 will sprawl many forms by exploiting every bit of entertainment technology it can get its grubby mitts on.
I look forward to the results.
4 comments:
Sacrifice of Fools is an awesome novel, but crime fiction? Really? *narrows eyes* You're not just trying to blag an sf classic for the crime brigade, are you? Cuz that would be, like, you know, a bit underhand.
Mike - A bit underhand? Never! Let me explain...
SOF starts with a heist gone wrong, the protagonist is an ex-jailbird who's investigating a murder to clear his name. The supporting cast include a hard-working police officer and a dirty politician and the book is riddled with all sorts of nasty lowlifes. It's totally a murder mystery at heart. Does it get any more crime fiction-y?
I'd call it crime fiction with SF tendencies.
Cheers
gb
Fair enough, can't argue with that. S'been so long ago all I can remember is the aliens and it being a fantastic novel.
Ian's good no question.
Post a Comment