Jukebox Challenge was produced by Sharon Colpman at MIW (Make It Write Productions CIC), who founded the company herself. MIW run fortnightly writer drop-ins and run regular workshops. Also, Chase Johnston-Lynch at Big Condo Online helped to produce Jukebox Challenge. Additionally, Colin Hives from Shivilenco Mesia, who helped getting the shows online. MIW, Big Condo Online and Shivilenco Media are marvellous platforms for new playwrights and creatives to get their work developed, enhanced and ready to put on the stage, screen or radio.
In lockdown, MIW put the writers drop-in onto Zoom and it attracted not only writers, but actors too, looking for script reading experience. It actually grew much larger online and the community feel inevitably led them to do additional shows. Colpman brought on board Chase Johnston-Lynch and Colin Hives for their expertise in bringing their shows to a wider audience on both Zoom and Youtube.
'Make It Heard' was born out of lockdown. It was presented on Sundays at 5pm on Shivilenco Media, with the shows then going onto their Youtube channel afterwards. This inevitably gave the writers a brilliant opportunity to showcase their work and more significantly for them to be heard too. The challenges proved to be incredibly popular amongst their audiences, thus forming the basis for 'Jukebox Challenge'.
For 'Jukebox Challenge', the writers were given a brief and the actors chosen for either a short film or audio piece. There were 20 teams involved, with ten short films or audio pieces presented one night, then the other ten were shown the following night. Each team consisted of one writer and two actors, and were given a particular record title as a stimulus, with the stipulation that the short film should be the length of a record and have some form of correlation with their song title.
The teams in 'Jukebox Challenge' were responsible for their own projects, script rehearsals, set, costumes, make-up, poster, marketing and how to present it either as a short film or audio piece. Some teams brought their work to be filmed and edited at The Big Condo Online. This gave the writers a fantastic opportunity of learning the ropes of production.
All the short films and audio pieces were directed by Chase, whose concepts and visions for each individual piece were clearly demonstrated. Additionally, his passion was noted too. His direction was concise and controlled. The production values were really good and were clearly displayed.
There was an array of running themes featured in the Challenges, ranging from love, family, friendships, empathy, compassion, murder, criminal activity, class, work lives, loneliness, isolation, domestic issues and domestic violence. The main running theme being relationships, whether it is a family member, partner or friend. The actors did a great job adding authenticity to the story with the chemistry they shared with their fellow actors.
Jukebox Challenges; Part 1, 25/06/21
Team 1 consisted of writer, Andy Edwards, with actors Emma Hind and Barbara Ashworth, featuring, “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash. The first show featured mother and daughter, attempting to arrange to meet-up. The mother seemed to be extremely reluctant to meet up and kept making excuses not to meet her daughter.
Team 2, featured writer, Ben Peel, with actors, Frances Brodie Oldridge and Jade Cunningham, displaying audio with Little Pictures, “Life With The Lions,” by Bill Brag. The second show again featured a mother and daughter, but this time, they were arguing about their partners, who were both much younger than themselves.
Team 3 consisted of writer, Darren Anglesey, with actors, PJ Murray and Solaya Rowley, featuring “Psycho Killers,” by Talking Heads. Wilbur was planning a last supper for his date, unaware his date had something planned for him too.
Team 4, featured writer, Jeff Dune, with actors, Lisa Worth and Ted Grant, featuring “Strangers In The Night,” by Frank Sinatra. Again, two singletons Brian and Janie, meeting up in their motel rooms in a state in the U.S.A. They both had a hidden agenda for meeting each other.
Team 5, was writer, Johnny Temple, with actors, Lew Freeburn and Declan Curtis, featuring the song, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” by The Hollies, such a beautiful, timeless classic. Brothers, Jason and Tom were arguing over Zoom to each other. Tom has been travelling for the past 6 months, whilst Jason has been left to tend to their dad. Jason has been harbouring a great deal of resentment towards his brother for deserting him, but he had his reasons and why he has finally returned home too.
Team 6, consisted of writer, David Haworth, with actors, Ruby Joanne Smith and Rachael Kearney, featuring “How To Disapper Completely,” subtitled “This Isn’t Happening,” by Radiohead. Shot beautifully in black and white, both girls, Annalise and Bambi were being interrogated separately in two interview rooms, over the murder of one of their partners. This particular film reasonated with the recent murder of Sarah Everard, which the film was dedicated to. A very brave choice to film such a traumatic story.
Team 7, writer, Steve Bird, with actors, Luke Morgan and Mary Savage, featuring “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye,” by Soft Cell. Self-obsessed, Line Manager, Jack was contacting his employee, Ruby saying he had to end his relationship, due to her reputation. He really wanted to get this promotion at Canary Wharf from his boss, Mr.Devereux. He was unaware, Ruby had already left and had plans as well.
Team 8, consisted of writer, Alex May, with actors Gill Powell and Ian St. Francis, featuring “The End,” by The Doors. Two angels were contacting Fred Smith, as he was facing death. They were wanting to hear about his fond memories of meeting his idol, The Doors frontman, Jim Morrison.
Team 9, was writer, Ted Gray, with actors Sinead Cullen-Barret and Sarah Anne Hassall, featuring “Pony Street,” by Elvis Costello. Mrs. Martine had inadvertently been transferred to Doctor Anthea Dixon. Mrs. Martine was extremely snobbish and displayed an ignorant attitude towards the Doctor. She was the key witness in her son’s rape case and was defending him.
Team 10, consisted of writer, Stephen G. Titley, with actors, Keith Nahon and Francesca Maria Izzy featuring “The Chrome Plated Megaphone Of Destiny,” by Frank Zapper. Bow Tie Daddy and Flower Punk were two friends meeting up on Zoom with The Chrome Megaphone being there and causing even more confusion for them.
Jukebox Challenges; Part 2, 26/06/21
Team 11, saw writer, Irene Stuart, with actors, Bex Culshaw and Christine Corsa, featuring “I Don’t Like Mondays,” by The Boomtown Rats. Two girls working in an office, one girl arrives late for work and starts a conservation with her fellow colleague. She told her how she has the perfect life with her husband, Charlie and the kids. She’s totally unaware of what she has been through during lockdown, until she notices the bruises on her arm. Again, this story reasonated with the domestic violence story covered the previous night in Team 6’s short film written by David Haworth.
Team 12, was writer, Angela Langley, with actors Paul Taylor and Andy Edwards, featuring “Swords Of 1000 Men,” by Tempole Tudor. Again shot beautifully in black and white, two guys were plotting something together and arranging to do a dry run of what they were planning.
Team 13, consisted of Jenny Ferguson, with actors, Royzy Rothschild and Marta Casado. Shot on location, a Paparazzo was desperately trying to get the latest pic of a certain celebrity. She’s not very happy being photographed and wants it deleted immediately. She uses her charisma to get what’s she wants from him in a particular way.
Team 14, consisted of writer, Matt Shiel with actors Sarah Jones and Elizabeth Hardy, featuring “19th Nervous Breakdown,” by The Rolling Jones. This was cleverly done and demonstrated from a work perspective, how the government rules have effected her work life. The employee found she had no way of escaping work, even in her own home.
Team 15, saw writer Anne Pritchard, with actors Mark Prescott and Robbie James-Williamson, featuring “Your Lucky Hell,” by The Eels. Again, shot beautifully in black and white and in a split screen, which worked incredibly well, as the characters' mannerisms and facial expressions were clearly defined. Two former convicts meeting via Zoom and reflecting on their time together in prison. One of them is asking for a favour.
Team 16, writer, by Bernie G. Winston, with actors, Wayne Stuart-Cole and Kate Bannon, featuring “No Self-Control,” subtitled “Flip Ya Lid,” by Peter Gabriel. Bungling burglars, Marion and Charlie were planning their latest robbery, stealing Willy Russell’s cat. Very funny in parts and a great one-liner at the end, wanting to hear more of their comical capers together.
Team 17, was writer, Charles Rogan, with actors Dee Patricia and Emily Callacher, “Raised On Robbery,” by Joni Mitchell. Two sisters, planning on going to rob from the shops for their dad. Having second thoughts, Shell decided she didn’t want to go robbing and go to school instead. Her older sister isn’t happy with this news and promptly informs their dad. Shell is then waiting for her dad to return home to punish her. Shot really well and gave the indication of immediate violence happening. Again, domestic violence was covered here, but from a parental figure to their children.
Team 18, consisted of writer, Ste Mc, with actors, Danielle Britton and Natalie Almira, featuring the 80’s classic, “Girls Just Wanna To Have Fun,” by Cyndi Lauper. Two good friends, were catching up with each other over Zoom and planning their long anticipated weekend away to go to a caravan in Rhyl. One of the friends was obsessed with everything celebrity and wasn’t paying any attention to the current situation, regarding the Coronavirus pandemic. However, the other friend was listening to everything that had been going on.
Team 19, consisted of writer, Tony Kelly, with actors, Julie Broadbent and Catherine Halligan-Smith, featuring “”Tale In A Teapot,” based on “Does Your Mother Know,” by ABBA. Two lesbian characters were meeting up for catch-up. These two women could have been romantically involved, but circumstances were against them. The younger lady has got married and had two children since they last met. She hasn’t told her mother about her true sexuality. It felt apt featuring a LGBT+ story in Jukebox Challenges as it’s officially LGBT+ month in June.
Finally, Team 20, pitted writer, Sharon Colpman, one of the producers of 'Jukebox Challenge', with actors, Bex Culshaw and Luke Morgan featuring “It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie,” by the Inkpots. This was the second performance of Bex and Luke in 'Jukebox Challenge'. The twins were reflecting on what happened, when their landlord came to collect his overdue rent from his tenants. They were both shot together on screen, facing the camera adding another great way of filming this particular short film.
All the short films and audio pieces in 'Jukebox Challenge' were shot really well, with different shots and angles filmed to display their characters' emotions in a certain scene. The choreography was done well too. The lighting and sound was excellent throughout, and I particularly liked how the lighting was utilised to show the contrast between the light and dark moods of specific scenes in the short films. Using black and white film, worked incredibly well and added another dimension.
The writing of all the short films and audio pieces in this challenge were of a really good standard and the dialogue was delivered brilliantly by all the actors, they did a great job of developing their characters, which enhanced the stories a lot more. Some great standout performers for a few of the actors too. A lot of passion and compassion were clearly etched into the writing of these stories. The writers did incredly well writing the very short stories of approximately three minutes each to get their message across. There were loads of twists and turns, some you didn’t see coming either. The narrative of the stories told were strong and I can see potential in a few of these short films being extended either by a longer film or a theatre play. I particularly liked how these short films didn’t rely heavily on the current Corinaviris pandemic thus providing some needed escapism. 'Jukebox Challenge' comes highly recommended.
Reviewer - Mark Kyle Cooper
on - 9.7.21
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