BLACKSEAM is a 3x60’ TV mini-series I’m currently writing, and I’m also making a 1.5minute real-time teaser for it in Unreal Engine, to add to the pitch materials later.
I started writing it in 2019, while working on 1917 in Soho. On my lunchbreaks I would take my laptop down to a Soho coffee shop and write. When I lost some of the work I’d done I drew a line under what I had and shelved it. Recently I dusted it off and am excited about the project again.
BLACKSEAM is set in a village called Ashton, loosely based on my hometown of Featherstone, a Yorkshire mining village, and focuses on a particular pit and coal seam of local legend. The fictional story centres around three old schoolmates, who all find themselves in different positions during the great Miner’s strike of 1984-85.
This week I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Featherstone legend, author and broadcaster Ian Clayton who was kind enough to record dialogue for the teaser.
I’ve been a fan of Ian’s writing for many years, and made contact with him a couple of years ago via Facebook. As a former television personality with acting experience he was the logical choice to play the animated version of BLACKSEAM protagonist
Coultas Willis, who I wanted to have a very genuine (and specific) regional accent.
Ian really nailed it, we got some great recordings and went for a long-overdue pint afterward.
He’d been holding onto a copy of his latest book for me, Anne & Betty: United By The Struggle, which is about the women of the miner’s strike. Ian signed it for me, and I’m looking forward to reading it and learning more about the strike.
Anne & Betty: United By The Struggle is available now from Route Publishing.
The BLACKSEAM real-time teaser film will be online in the next few weeks.