John Kennedy

Hello,
I'm currently writing a children's television series based on bedtime stories my brother invented for me as young boy called 'Bedroom in Space'. I'm on the second draft and have really enjoyed creating it from its original premise. I can't be the only writer that hasn't necessarily found writing plain sailing, can I?

Not writing makes me more uncomfortable than writing does. 


Creating the characters and worlds in which they live has been really fun and after reading it back I've seen aspects of my character within the kids, which wasn't my intention but to be honest though the aspects fit perfectly.

Setting the show in my hometown of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire made the writing easier and the town is very picturesque and full of character itself, over the years tv and film productions have used the town for those exact reasons. 

Using Stage 32 I fully intend to take it to pitching and beyond... it's made me cry and laugh in equal measure and I hope it will create those responses in the audience.

When I studied film at LSBU London South Bank University I was intending to focus on documentary though after graduation I became a 1st Assistant Director on a short film (never released as it was very poorly written by the director) and then for a series of adverts for Fridge Productions, a local firm specialising in short form video content and commercials. I loved being a 1st AD, having to deal with every department and the fast nature of shooting. 


Unfortunately I had serious long term health issues that made me refocus my career which was how I started writing. I also started using photography and videography as a way to regain my fitness and fight the urge just stay home as I was disabled. I still find this indispensable both for physical health and keeping the creative muscles working. 

My childhood was dominated by watching films and television. I just loved it and my favourite Christmas memory is getting the TV guides for the coming holidays, at this point I was unaware I was neurodivergent and film and tv had become my source of focus. 



My early years.
After leaving school in 1987 I went on to become an assistant cinema projectionist at The Regent Cinema, Redcar in North Yorkshire, It was whereI learned to work with 35mm film. Years later the cinema was featured at the end of the 10 minute 'oner' in Atonement (2007) Dir: Joe Wright. 

Subsequently I continued at The Dovecot Cinema in Stockton-on-Tees which screened independent, foreign and classic films. They used twin carbon arc Gaumont Kalee projectors with separate reel changeovers that was difficult to master though gave a far better quality of image and experience for the viewer. They also used 16mm and video projection that again was a challenge but interesting to learn. It was here that I learned the art of creating a show for an audience. After all the years creative and financial investment it up to the cinema and projectionist to create the performance.

An extended period of travel in Europe followed then working in different industries and being between jobs including locations work for features I enrolled at London South Bank University to study Digital Film & Video in 2005. This introduced me to a wide variety of experiences that really pushed me to focus my attention on where I wanted my career to go. I returned to The regent and made my graduation film 'Cinema-by-the-Sea'. I could not have been happier with the opportunity to make a record of not just the cinema but what it meant to the local community as a whole. 

During this time I stayed in my family home and old bedroom and I was again reminded of the bedtime stories my brother, Eric told me as a boy ...

I'm aiming to pitch it and get it produced as it is and original idea and it has been a joy to write after over 40 years of it being on my thought about. I don't think I couldn't have written it any sooner as I didn't possess the life experience to place into it as much emotion and detail that it requires. 




So wait and see it... Coming Soon to a tv near you!