Almost There! | The Friday Update

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Friday Update, in which I give a little insight into what I’ve been up to for the past seven days.

What have I been up to this week?

Last week’s productivity boost seems to have rolled into this week and I’ve continued to bash out more and more of the script for the next video. I’m now on the penultimate part and will be wrapping things up next week ready to film on Monday!

This week, I’ve been writing about the global system of laws and trade agreements which protect the intellectual property rights of pharmaceutical companies, how this gives Big Pharma the exclusive right to produce (or withhold) life-saving medicines and the ongoing fight by the governments of countries in the Global South to force pharmaceutical companies share their vaccines with people in countries who can’t afford them. There’s a lot of context relevant to this aspect of the vaccine equity debate so my main challenge has been working out what is essential to include and what can maybe be left out—the video’s already looking like it might be an hour long and so I’m keen to try and keep it as focussed as possible.

I’m actually writing this on Thursday afternoon as tomorrow I’m heading off to visit a laboratory in a local college which I’m planning on filming the video in. It was actually a bit of a lucky find as a family member happens to be a science lecturer. It’s always handy to visit locations ahead of time as it allows me to plan shots ahead a little and reduces the chances of any surprises on the day. I’ve also spent some time today ordering various props and costume bits too.

I’ll share some photos when I get a chance!

And outside of work?

As ever, with the deadline for filming fast approaching, I’ve been focussing pretty resolutely on writing this week. However, I do increasingly find that ensuring I have a solid couple of days off for the weekend (something I’ve not been great at in the past) is really helpful as it allows me to get a bit of distance on what I’m writing and to come back with fresh eyes on a Monday. I’ve therefore got a few fun activities planned for the weekend including heading to see a show at the theatre and going to visit a friend’s stall at a local craft fair. Maybe they’ll have some COVID-themed props to add to my set!

What have I been reading/watching/listening to?

I think I mentioned in a previous Friday Update post that I’d been watching The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+. This week, I’ve found myself getting increasingly frustrated with the series. Without wanting to spoil it too much, the past couple of episodes have basically been episodes of The Mandalorian with Boba Fett barely even appearing in them. Alongside making for a weirdly-paced season of television (and just generally not very good storytelling), it feels like a continuation of a trend in contemporary film/TV where, to understand anything in a particular franchise, you have to have watched everything. It must certainly be pretty frustrating for anyone who didn’t watch The Mandalorian but just through that Boba Fett sounded interesting!

That brings us to the end of this week’s edition of the Friday Update. I hope you’ve found it mildly insightful.

I’m looking forward to sharing some more costume and set related insights as things begin to come together this week!

Thanks as ever for your generous support!