CROOKS

A lot has been happening recently, but little that has the instant gratification of film or gigs. Which is to say, nothing I can show you right now.

I haven’t discussed writing here at all – Nick and I write separately, but often discuss collaborating. Hopefully after the madness of You Are Here, we will find the right idea and crack on.

In the meantime, and for the last three years, I have been working with my cousin (and crime author) Jason McGrath. A gifted and determined writer, he created and wrote several episodes of Crooks, his own original sitcom. Inspired, and using the fictional world and characters he built, I wrote three episodes of Crooks myself. Impressed with what I’d done, we’ve collaborated on several ideas since, including a couple of TV pilots. Recently, he’s been looking to jumpstart Crooks, using Tropfest as a launching point (a la Wilfred). This week we’ve been kicking back and forth a potential Tropfest entry, a seven minute teaser for the show.

Jason is good at the big picture, while I tend to focus on details. The basic premise hasn’t changed, but together we’ve tightened the script considerably, adding jokes and flavour as we go. The next step is to get input from our producer. The show is dear to Jason’s heart, and mine. If nothing else, I’d love to see this short compete at Tropfest next year.