> I recently heard (if I'm correct) the late great Iain Crichton Smith
> on Radio nan Gaidheal reading a short story he'd written (I think)
> about a game of football between German and British soldiers in war
> time. The story was marvellous in its simplicity and power. It made
> me think there must be several of Crichton Smith's story's that could
> be looked at for a series of 'short drama' - you could have 15/20
> minute slots, a series of Crichton Smith storys brought to life for
> television. Depending on their settings and the narratives, the budget
> might not be prohibitive.
> If you wanted something more modern - although you could argue that
> while Crichton Smith is no longer with us, his message still has a
> relevance to us - you could look at Alasdair Cambell's short stories
> of Lewis life. Or what about Alasdair MacLeod, the great Canadian
> writer? His short stories although in English might translated
> fantastically to the screen? A Canadian-Scottish collaboration.
> In terms of 90 minute dramas, Calum Ian's suggestion of An Oidhche Mus
> Do Shẹl Sinn is a good one, although I agree the cost might be
> prohibitive?
> Another idea for something ambitious, thinking out aloud, would be FO
> Sgail a Swastika by Donald John MacDonald - its is a historical and
> very personal, moving account of a Gael, and the experience of War - I
> think its already been broadcast on radio (unless I'm confusing it
> with the recording of the book) - that would be an ambitious project
> to get on to screen. I hear there's a new song been written to mark
> the involvement of Gaels in the Iraq war - war is , sadly, still very
> relevant to us. A war based drama would be ambitious. Black Watch, the
> fantastic NTS production, was recently shown on TV. Why not something
> like that in Gaelic?
> A cheaper alternative for a 90 minute drama might be Tormod Campbell's
> Shrapnel which is set all in Edinburgh - I found it quite a challenge
> to read but if it was set for film/TV it would be absolutely amazing -
> the characters are all crazy and the scenes in pubs just hilarious.
> There are talented people involved in television like Iain Finlay
> MacLeod who have also written decent novels in Gaelic.
> There is also a teenage book called Raonaid which we had in school -
> it was quite racy for its day (!), but is probably outdated now. But
> it could be brought up to date and adapted - a modern day teen angst
> drama centred on a teenage Gaelic speaking girl - you could bring all
> kinds of contemporary issues in. You could bring humour in, as well as
> being hard-hitting.
> Just a few ideas for you!
> Murchadh
> On 7 Sep, 10:50, "g̣rdan_cànan" <gor...@canan.co.uk> wrote:
> > Dubbing and sub-titling .... how about this ... have some shows dubbed
> > into Gaelic with (optional) English subtitles, and then have a sort of
> > 'Gaelic Channel +1' showing the same programme with the English
> > soundtrack and Gaelic subtitles? I'm guessing the magic of digital and
> > the red button would offer these alternatives?
> > You could argue that you're getting two shows from one without
> > necessarily spending a collosal amount of money. You'd be employing
> > Gaelic subtitlers, translators and voiceover artists/actors. When I
> > was abroad in a Spanish-speaking country, they had an entire channel
> > dedicated to American cop shows like CSI, Law and Order, and it seemed
> > that half the time the shows played the original soundtrack but with
> > Spanish subtitles, and the other time it was just Spanish dubbing. It
> > certainly helped my understanding of Spanish to have the Spanish
> > titles with the soundtrack. Would it be that different to have CSI
> > or ..... The Bill ..... or The OC (I know these are hideously
> > expensive examples) dubbed/titled in Gaelic? After all, no-one in
> > Scotland, Gaelic-speaker/English-speaker/Polish-speaker from Ness to
> > Berwick upon Tweed lives in a sunkissed Californian city or an ultra-
> > rich east coast American town.
> > I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the cultural references
> > aren't necessarily more outlandish because you'd have something like
> > CSI dubbed into Gaelic, than simply showing it in English anyway.
> > Also, for any Gaelic drama/soap being developed why not think
> > laterally and try to film a sort of "DVD extras" series of shows?
> > Profiles of the actors, profiles on how the industry works - how does
> > a script get taken from idea to the filmed product; what is a
> > director's job; etc, etc ...... if you have everyone on location,
> > might as well get the maximum possible. With the right planning maybe
> > something like that would work? You could have a series of shorts/
> > fillers, that might a) entertain and b) encourage others to get
> > involved?
> > A previous poster said something about the quality of the SMO
> > students' films - some are terrific. Why not air the best ones, or
> > look at making a broadcast standard piece as a norm during their
> > studies?
> > Dùrachdan,
> > g̣rdan
> > bumpytyd...@yahoo.com.au wrote:
> > > Having been part of the campaign for the Welsh 4th Channel and seen
> > > its first decade or so....can I suggest that the new channel consider
> > > buying in Welsh language drama. Do not....please...drown the channel
> > > with the stuff, but there are some fine short series of recent years
> > > based in a rural milieu. Dubbing would seem to be the way to
> > > go....and as the programs would not be English language there can be
> > > no temptation to try and guess what's being said!!
> > > Hwyl i'r Aeleg
> > > On 3 Sep, 20:23, rory.macmil...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > > with Gaelic TV being a rather niche market, there is the whole idea of
> > > > having to sell your soul to Gaelic if you are to be involved. If not,
> > > > then the phone stops ringing. Correct me if im wrong but this puts a
> > > > lot of people off and results in those initially interested turning
> > > > away. Yes Margaret, something contemporary that young people can
> > > > relate to. Why is it that the majority of the programmes we see are
> > > > one-off drama's(usually historical) or educational history and music
> > > > programmes?
> > > > And yes Ishi, there needs to be more opportunities but eve nthe
> > > > current training schemes made available to the Gaelic world have next
> > > > to no recognition and certainly at this point in time they need it the
> > > > most. Certainly not when I was applying anyway. The Cursa TBh at SMO
> > > > for example, I found from a Google Search! When I was looking at other
> > > > courses/film schools across the globe. Sure id heard of Sabhal Mor
> > > > Ostaig. But nothing of the course. It's a rather unique course that
> > > > very few know about. a Gaelic TV trainee course funded by Gaelic
> > > > Media. Most people I went to school with through the medium of Gaelic
> > > > only know of the course because I was on it. A good number of them
> > > > later applied for the course also. Starting to ramble here a little,
> > > > but I tihnk i've made my point? You will find there are a good number
> > > > of people out there that are certainly interested in being involved.
> > > > They just don't know anything of it's existence unless it's put in
> > > > front of them.
> > > > Is there even an advertising compaign to speak of for training in
> > > > Gaelic Media? Not just for Cursa TBh but other programme's that im
> > > > sure I haven't even heard of?
> > > > Ruairidh
> > > > On 2 Sep, 23:21, Ishi <ban_gun_ch...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > Maybe that's just why I invited you Rory!! You make a great point
> > > > > about the actors though and I'm pretty sure there are plenty who DO
> > > > > want to be part of this 'new age' of Gàidhlig TV, and writers,
> > > > > producers etc amongst them too, but I think that more training
> > > > > opportunities need to be made available for them. This is essential
> > > > > for countless reasons but namely to give them the courage and
> > > > > encouragement to continue and also to allow the industry to get the
> > > > > best out of them. Can we use some of this £1m budget on training??
> > > > > On 31 Aug, 19:17, rory.macmil...@gmail.com wrote:
> > > > > > folks,
> > > > > > in short id have to say what we want is something new. something
> > > > > > fresh. new young talent - it's not just the resources we are short on.
> > > > > > Aspirant Actors - desiring or striving for recognition. Im not saying
> > > > > > there isn't any of that out there. We need to find it. Encourage it.
> > > > > > We want people to keep watching these programs because they actually
> > > > > > enjoy it. Not the tragically common mentality of HAVING to watch it
> > > > > > because 'they're trying something new again in Gaelic' or because 'tha
> > > > > > Grannaidh ag radh gun bu choir dhuinn a bhith toirt suil air an rud ur
> > > > > > seo'. Gruth of Uachdar is ALWAYS brought up as an example but there is
> > > > > > no better series to compare it to and it's NOT impossible for
> > > > > > something of this quality to be created using a lighter budget. I
> > > > > > could say so much more, yes. But ill be good given this is my first
> > > > > > post. Bad baaaad idea Ishi inviting me on here. I do like my debates a
> > > > > > little too much.
> > > > > > Taing
> > > > > > R
> > > > > > On 31 Aug, 13:37, Margaret Cameron <marga...@gms.org.uk> wrote:
> > > > > > > Hi John,
> > > > > > > Gu ire tha thu ceart, ach tha bhi resources gu leor aig an sianail seo
> > > > > > > airson a leithid Machair
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