Wordsmith Lane

Interview: Paul Hemsley, Blogger & Radio Show Host

This week on wordsmith lane, we’ve looked at pop-cultural portrayals of journalists and wordsmiths. We checked out a book on journalism and the movies and looked at the myths associated with mag-land. And when my brain decides it wants to start functioning again, there will be a delayed spotlight on Miss Lois Lane – the woman who inspired me to choose this very profession. Of course, ending a Wordsmith lane week can never be done unless we look at the words and works of a fellow writer, no matter their style, field of expertise, level of experience or fame. As such, this week’s interviewee is a very fitting end to our pop-culture themed week. Paul Hemsley, who I sometimes call James Drax (only because I only ever see emails and nicknames with that name instead of his one), is one of the biggest movie buffs I have ever yet, and you see that reflected in his writing on www.moonrakingdrax.wordpress.com . That’s not to say he is not more though. In fact, when I first met Paul, he was the loud and opinionated fellow in my Political Journalism class at Sydney Uni, so the boy is smarter in more ways than one. So much so, that considering his aptitude for politics and my lack thereof (I used to read Shop Til You Drop in class and eat Violet Crumbles – I even told the teacher that I had more experience writing and reading more airy-fairy journalism than the kind he was teaching) I fiugred we’d never be friends. But I was wrong – and he is one of maybe 5 people I keep in contact with. So without further ado, I urge you to read my very interesting interview with Mr Paul Hemsley. Trust me, it’s a perfect addition to Friday afternoon.

Tell us about your wordsmith career path so far:

When I was a young lad there were two things that I wanted to be, an actor or Perry White, editor-in-chief of the The Daily Planet, but then you took that job, so now I’m out-of-work.  Anyhow, I had a knack for writing well in high school, so I decided journalism would be a good career pursuit.  My life revolved around media anyway, so how hard could it be?

Well, Petersham TAFE was accepting admissions for their News Media course, so I went to the orientation night they had there, and 200 people must have showed up, many were young people with their parents, and I had my mother there to cheerlead me to victory.  This middle-aged fellow spoke to the group, who was also the course co-coordinator, he was probably one of the most discouraging and depressing old dots I’d ever encountered, telling us that we won’t succeed and people only want to get into journalism because it “sounds sexy” (it was like he read my mind).  We all filled out our applications, but I left thinking “what a crock”, until mother pushed me back in there to sell myself to this old scarecrow, and a week later, I received a phone call telling me that I was accepted!  Apparently only thirty people made it. My year doing that course was a lot of fun; it was an easy ride and a great learning curve.

The following year, I enrolled at Macleay College for their Diploma in Journalism program. I’ll probably remember that year for two particularly unique characteristics, first, I’d never seen so many young girls in their early 20’s so interested in doing media, and many of them were quite lovely; second, I don’t think a journalist knows what painful repetitive endurance is like until they’ve been rigorously tested on Teeline shorthand (I hear some have had to do Pittman, ouch!) almost every weekday for a whole year until they can reach competency and accuracy at 60 words a minute.  It really was a nightmare for me in particular because I’m left-handed and speed-writing by hand just isn’t something that comes as easily as it would for others.  My hand was almost red-raw and stiff as a board by the end of each class session.

After that, I stayed at Macleay and did their Bachelor of Arts in Media Communications through Southern Cross University where essay writing and media analysis from an academic perspective was the main focus.  My lecturer for that year was a very passionate Greek philosopher – I didn’t always agree with him, but I appreciated him as an academic mentor. Following that, I thought I may as well put the final polish on my writing qualifications by stacking another degree on top of that with the Master of Media Practice in 2007.  There was one girl I met there named Sarah Ayoub, who was up-to-her eyeballs in the Political Journalism class, you might know her, I think she went on to bigger and better things though. Brilliant writer! [Aww, shucks! Although I must say Paul, I'll let you take the Perry White job if I get to be Ms Lane]].

Aside from academics, news articles and some public relations stuff, I’ve written a vast amount in internet message boards, so I’ve had a great deal of practice, which makes perfect! Then came the blog, but we’ll get to that later!

Where (and when) can Wordsmith Laners hear your radio show, and what can they expect to listen to when they tune in?

Listeners of my radio show Music from the Movies can expect a strong emphasis on the scores that generally accompany the films.  I tend to play some of the most popular and greatest of composers, such as Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, John Barry, James Horner, the whole gang, as well as lesser known composers who can be equally as good, creating a diverse aural range of film music variety that’s found a small, but dedicated audience.  I have so many soundtracks for films that I’ve played on-air, many people listening probably think “I’ve wanted to hear that for years!”  Also expect me to give short commentaries on the scores and the films, as well as the occasional on-air film review between the music.

My good friend Peter Novakovich, who’s also a composer and director of musical theatre sometimes drops in and interrupts me, causing chaotic banter and arguments about films and whatever else there is moan and groan about.  His addition to the show makes for some fun entertainment!  The show airs on Monday nights at 8pm-10pm on 100.3 FM, but listeners outside the coverage area will have to tune into the online live broadcast.

You have found a niche for yourself in the area of popular culture – namely film. How does it feel to mesh something that interests you personally with your professional writing and radio work?

I could have had a political talk show and acted like a crazy clown like Glenn Beck with some anti-authoritarian rants, but I’m afraid I’d just bore everyone, and eventually bore myself to tears too.

Many of my favourite movies and my favourite genre of music, namely film scores, aren’t what would be considered mainstream, so it’s nice to have the opportunity to broadcast my interests in an accessible way that hopefully anyone can find some enjoyment in and appreciate some on-air unpacking of the movie tunes. Film scores are an area that are somewhat neglected, so I feel that it’s my job to give the community the opportunity to hear how great and diverse film scores are.

It’s an easy gig, there’s loads of music and lots to say.

Tell us a little bit about your blog – www.moonrakingdrax.wordpress.com?

Moonraking Drax is basically a blog page featuring my own various interests in film, television, music, and even some sly political humour that makes fun of everyone. You may be wondering what “Moonraking Drax” means, well my favourite James Bond movie is Octopussy (1983), but there’s no way I’d be able to get away with a blog title with a double entendre like that, so I moved down to one of the other ones I like very much, which is Moonraker (1979), and picking the name of the wealthy French industrialist Hugo Drax – I always liked that surname, if I could change my name, I’d pick that! I do have a strong interest in American politics in particular, but I would prefer to save that for the United States Studies Society page, which is located in the links on my page if you’re interested in that.  Moonraking Drax has a little bit for almost everyone, if you want a unique perspective on film, as well as film music, which is an aspect that is very much related to my radio show, then this blog is for you to follow! The focus, though, is mainly popular culture.

You have recently started your Masters Degree in US Studies, and you also have a similar qualification in Media Practice. What do you hope to attain, both personally and professionally, from your choice of studies?

I thought my Master of Media Practice was going to be my last qualification, but I wanted to do something else that interested me, and with the opening of the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, I quickly decided that I wanted to pursue the Master of US Studies just to satisfy my thirst for knowledge and understanding of the United States – it’s a nation with a history that interests me a great deal, as they’re still constantly making history happen.  It’s really just another cat in the bag in case I ever want to be a US correspondent in any way, be it in LA or DC.

One unit I took last semester was American Film and Hollywood, which I got a distinction for (appropriately!), and the other two were US Constitution and Key Issues in American Culture – each class was fantastic and I’m happy to have taken them, and Semester 2 has only just begun!  I was recently appointed as Treasurer for the United States Studies Society, and I can’t say enough kind words about the executive team whom I work with who help make the learning experience more fun and engaging. A month ago, we had the July 4^th party in town, it was a very well organized event, although I’ll never forget the arguments I had with some of our team about Democrats, Republicans, climate change, taxes, and all that jazz.  With all these political junkies seated with each other, it’s bound to get a little heated, but it’s all in good fun!

How often do you blog, and what inspires your blog postings?

I tend to blog every few days, and my blog inspirations tend to come at the weirdest times when I’m groggy at 3am.  My life signs phasing in and out of our space-time continuum and into dreamland must have something to do with blog thoughts and ideas popping into my mind.

Do you have any immediate plans to branch the ideas and tenants of this blog into more mainstream forms of writing – like features?

You, like most people I talk to about this, are full of ideas.  I’d have to build a larger portfolio with this blog first, and be able to prove that I have longevity, like I’ve had with my radio show, which I’ve done since 2006.  I promote my blog through Twitter, and word spreads around, so I’m constantly on the move to make it work and flow nicely.

Wordsmith Lane focuses on the written word in all its forms, but admittedly, its ed is a little lacking in knowledge with regards to the scriptwriting department. For someone who’s a little bit of a movie expert, what can you tell us about scripts? How does a well-written script enhance the overall film experience, and, with regards to film adaptations of novels, what do you think is important to maintain?

A well written script is an entertaining one. It has to have structure, character development, careful plotting, setting, and types of conflict.  It needs to recognize the common structures of literature and film, which are introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. Knowledge of technical aspects of the film making process help as well. Some of the best films are about one person against incredible odds that are not in their favour. Then there are the stylistic touches, such as symbolism, motifs, and memorable dialogue. Plus, if you’re adapting a novel into a film, the most important thing is to retain the spirit of the book, rather than a word-for-word recount, which hardly ever turns out that great.

From my experience, there are four simple steps to writing a screenplay:

1. Synopsis: this can be one sentence, one paragraph, or one page if you like, but it’s basically a pitch version of what the story is going to be.  It needs to illustrate the “who”, “what” and how” in a succinct manner.
2. Treatment: a treatment is where you map out the events of the story over two pages or so.  This can take a bit of development if need be.
3. Scene Breakdown: quite a fun element because your vision is taking shape.  Number every scene, and use the “INT” and “EXT” openings for each scene, name the characters featured in each scene, and write a short treatment of events that take place in every numbered scene.
4. First Draft: this is where it happens! You expand your scene breakdown into a full-on script with dialogue and scene descriptions. Then all you need is a script doctor!

So there, you have a simple and effective method of planning and writing a screenplay! You should be able to avoid continuity errors this way too, and I’m sure screenwriters read books they’re about to adapt with the scene breakdown in mind as well.

In your opinion, how do you think writers and journalists are portrayed in film, and is this representation accurate?

I tend to find journalists are portrayed as sniveling morons without any moral compass, understanding or interpersonal diplomacy or simply with no conscience in film and television. There was a two-part episode of Stargate SG-1 in its seventh season called “Heroes”, which featured veteran character actor Saul Rubinek portraying a journalist hired by the Pentagon to make a video documentary on the day-to-day goings-on at Stargate Command.  He acts like a total weasel throughout much of the first part, asking questions in a tactless manner, and treating his subjects like crap; while he does redeem himself in the second part, I just can’t help thinking about what I would do if I were in his position.  I certainly wouldn’t be treating people doing their jobs like idiots and making them feel uncomfortable like he does.

Another one that annoys me is Dick Thornberg (played by William Atherton) from Die Hard and Die Hard 2, who seems to enjoy snaking his way into Holly McClane’s house to interview her daughter thereby putting her mother in danger, and sending an entire airport into a mass panic for the sake of a story. It was quite a shame he wasn’t in Die Hard: With a Vengeance actually.  There’s also Peter Finch in Network (1976), who’s good at heart and I agree with a lot of what his character had to say, but who the hell acts like that? The job really sent him nuts. I’m not sure if these portrayals are accurate, but all one needs to do is watch tabloid gutter journalism at work on a couple of certain free-to-air channels at 6:30pm to see what some will really stoop to just to get an angle.

But then of course there’s Clark Kent, mild-mannered newspaper reporter, along with his trusty pal Lois Lane, who both have the good of Metropolis and its inhabitants at heart – you couldn’t find two better journos portrayed in film, television or comic books!

What is a typical day in the life of Paul Hemsley?

Any ordinary day is entering MI6 headquarters, greeting Miss Moneypenny, getting the next assignment from M, meeting some pretty girls… oh… ME, you mean?  My days should be more glamorous, but it’s mostly I, a computer and a mobile phone, along with thoughts gyrating in my rusty old cranium trying to conjure up an idea on what to write, what to think, and what to say. I also bulldoze through my music collection like crazy throughout the week to assemble a quality radio show for the following Monday night, which I always have to gather about two hours worth just in case I have to leave the chair so then it can just run itself in the event of an emergency outside the studio, but let’s hope it never comes to that!

What are some of the perks associated with your writing?

Having a lot of time to think about it, do it, and edit it all by myself!

Have you relied on any mentors or guides to better educate yourself on your niche of film writing/blogging?

Not directly, it’s mostly just been reading reviews by professional critics and getting a sense of their review structure. Also, mixing with people with a similar interest helps. If I do have mentors on blogging, it’s definitely my US Studies classmates who told me that I should get a blog because they found the ideas that I expressed to be unique enough to warrant one, and since then, they’ve been extremely encouraging in my blogging endeavors, so I really have them to thank. Also when reviewing a film on-air, I have to be careful not to bore my core listeners by going off tangent with rants about the film or score if I really hated it; when I listen back to it on tape, I can’t help thinking “I can’t believe I said that! Just play some damn music!”, although ironically that’s usually when my ratings skyrocket! For approaches in on-air oral presentations of film reviews, I tend to listen to how James Rolfe (of the Angry Video Game Nerd fame on YouTube) reviews films that he’s seen, minus the swearing of course.  He definitely has his biases, but that’s what makes a good film reviewer, when you keep going back to them to hear their opinions if they can somehow ground themselves on a level of objectivity, which is where you know they can appreciate the merits of a decent film, regardless of their biases.

Do you have any other current writing projects?  

Some of my long-term projects involve ideas for blog posts that I haven’t figured out how to approach yet.  My Blogspot account “dashboard” is developing into a warehouse of shelved ideas that I haven’t found a good angle for yet.  These mostly include personal histories of my experiences with certain film franchises, and pet peeves I have with almost anything.  Just stay tuned to the blog, and some of these will be perfected and presented in good time!

What are some of your goals, writing-wise?

I’d actually love to write fan fiction! There are some franchises that I’m a huge fan of, so I like reading what fellow fans think would happen to the characters in these multiple alternate universes. I’d like to try my own out, maybe a crossover story, Freddy Krueger vs. Indiana Jones, maybe?  I think the one with the hat would win.

Writing-wise, I just want to improve with every proceeding piece I do. The beauty about having a blog is that you’re in a position to express yourself without someone breathing down your neck. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I let a nanny state government bureaucrat close my blog for material perceived as “unacceptable”. So before I have to submit my will and sell my soul, I’d like to perfect my writing for broader audiences. It’s a tiny bit different for my radio show, where it’s all about film scores and I get to present whatever I want in that genre and talk about what I want in the limited time I give to myself, but if I went commercial, I’d have to give up some of those freedoms that come with community radio. But what the hell, the pay would be steeply better, so why should I complain? A long-term goal of mine would be to write an autobiography when I’m a fully-experienced and employable octogenarian, and I can say I have enough background on my resume to apply for anything. That’s one thing that bugs me about Barack Obama, he wrote two autobiographies before he was even a US Senator, couldn’t he have waited until he retired?

What advice would you offer to aspiring wordsmiths?

One of my high school English teachers said “I want you all to be lean, mean, writing machines!”  He was right!  Practice makes perfect.  Writing is a form of communication that will never die out as long as they don’t develop creepy telepathic technology. I also advise that you read over your older material because there are things you might want to improve, or there might be characteristics in your writing that you may have liked back then but you’ve forgotten how to do, so you need to revise and remind yourself about what makes your writing strong.

Ten in the Hot Seat:

1.      Describe yourself in one word: Cluey.

2.      Biggest accomplishment to date: 137 episodes of my show over three years, and counting.

3.      You wish you wrote: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, then I could end it properly.

4.      Can’t leave home without: My Christopher Walken sunglasses from A View to a Kill.

5.      One thing you are currently writing: My next film review, shh, it’s a secret!

6.      First thing you wrote: Ever? Well, I can tell you the first thing I remember writing, which was probably a horror story about giant monsters.  I had a lovely childhood, but I also had a messed up fascination with mutated beasts tearing up Tokyo. The kids at school just didn’t understand!

7.      Addicted to reading: Film music reviews, even if I disagree with their assessments.

8.      Top spot on your goals list: To date look-a-likes of every blonde in an Alfred Hitchcock film.

9.      If you were a character in a classic, you’d be: Scrooge McDuck, I’ve always been very tight with money.

10.  The best thing about being a wordsmith: being interviewed by you with the knowledge from my crystal ball that I’ll perhaps interview you someday.