The deeper down a thread I go, obviously the less people read it and as soon as a story stops being current the views dry up very quickly. At least that is my experience so far. Now "Love Party Britain had many possibilities but nobody has yet followed up and my TV branch has not got 30 deep, which is a lot to read especially at an average of 500 words a thread. This contained the sexed up versions of "Pride and Prejudice" and "Middlemarch" in which the hardest sex described is some mild spanking and a fairly tame 3some. In the same style I intend to adapt "The Decameron" which will almost certainly contain some harder sex, DP, Orgies, W/S and maybe even harder (BSDM etc.). This would be filmed in Italy under a joint enterprise with the future BBC. Another reason for keeping it separate is the size of "The Decameron" which is actually 101 stories (100 + a wrapper). Having watched a cartoon adaptation of the tales, I really had expected them to be all fairly short and filmable in 15-30 minutes each but I have come across a few which could merit a multi-episode serial on their own. 49 out of the 100 feature sex but maybe I'll narrow that down a bit. The wrapper has 7 women (18-28) and 3 men so I'd be a bit stupid to ignore those possibilities. I'll probably call it "Ivor Bigun Does Boccaccio", or "TV Extreme" which might be catchier.
Your Middlemarch is a monument to quality and persistence of vision. You might start a couple more branches in Love Party Britain; particularly if there's a strong "this or that" choice, you might entice a contribution. Chyoo is an international outfit, but we're a little heavy on Americans, who might have a fairly vague notion of how a change in British politics might play out in detail. Looking forward to The Decameron. Spinellocchio and Zeppa and their two wives will be a fun adaptation, Fiammetta's contribution for the 8th Day. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/arts/cassoni/viii-8.php Some of the Decameron is not quite so happy-go-lucky, so we might not want to adapt all the stories. -Z.
Another option is to have it as a prequel, explaining how Ivor Bigun got the job at the BBC, because I figure the Italians would probably let you get away with it anyway although that spoils my idea of using regular actors and actresses. Been through half the stories now and have given them * ratings.
Thank you for your comment about Middlemarch ... not sure I can top that. UK politics is really volatile at the moment, just don't think anything ridiculous would happen in US, but I know what you are saying about the audience. Italy already had a Love Party (and then Berlusconi) and the Germans are almost as perverted as the Japanese. Obviously there was Pasolini's Decameron. I have been to the Brown site but am working from 2 or 3 sources at the moment and it's quite a difficult read. Some stories are a bit gruesome with hearts being eaten or heads being kept and a couple have ages to be changed plus explicit sex in the dark doesn't serve our purposes. On my star system at the moment: 5 2.4, 2.7, 3.1, 4.3 4 1.4, 5.6, 5.10 3 2.10, 3.10, 4.10 And although the storytellers could lie about naked fingering themselves ... it seems almost gratuitous for them to have sex afterwards although obviously a final episode orgy has to happen.
Well, the mixed-up-beds in the dark story (9.6) doesn't have to be totally dark, but the actors might feel that dim blue with outlines of faces in profile and close-ups on genitals might not put them in their best light. It would probably still work as a quick bit of comedy and would still fill a story page. Or as a scene to be filmed, one might cut back and forth from Panfilo's face and voice telling the story (and the other nine's reactions) to the dim and ardent raptures of the mixed-up beds in the rural inn. 2.7 could be its own series, The Loves of the Lost Princess of Babylon. 3.1 with pretend-mute Masetto and the nunnery playing the one cock in a hen-house will be quite a romp. 5.10 will need some careful casting for the husband and wife's lover. It will cheer the part of the audience who's been waiting for Ivor to deliver a man-on-man scene.
3.2, 3.6, and 3.9 are the ones which I feel darkness is a big issue so I gave them all 1 star. There is a strong theme of people fooling people they no-one which in 3.7 is perhaps taken too far - his brothers do not recognise him, possibly because he is cloaked but still? 2.7, I did keep thinking another one! It was hard to keep track. And she is the most beautiful woman in the world so that might mean a Middle Eastern supermodel. 3.1 (which I think not only Pasolini did but is in the Sarah Young 'version' - not that I really count that) is just fantastic. Question is would you cast a porn star to satisfy all those women or any number of Hollywood actors desperate to be in it? He's supposed to be big and strong in the story 5.10 I was kind of surprised, and pleasantly so. UK TV has a bit of a history in portraying gay sex so I obviously planned to finish this with a 3some with the lover in the middle. An interesting thing about this story is that the wife is described as a very healthy girl like some kind of Valkyrie rather than especially beautiful like most of the others so interesting casting for her as well as the men. Just to mention standout scenes from my 5 star tales: 2.3 (not 2.4 as I said earlier) - 3 hedonistic brothers are going to have orgies with no limits. 2.7 - as above, 2 at a time, 3 at a time, all at a time. 3.1 - just scene after scene, resistant at first and then she starts to get keener. 4.3 - girls will have to be 19 year old twins and 18 (4 years older than in the original) 3 sisters and 3 friends. I envisioned all 3 couples fucking side by side doggy fashion on the boat! Later possible torture scenes and the Duke gets involved. I did wonder about using the actors playing the 10 story tellers then playing the characters in their tales.
So I have been through the rest: 5 8.8 8.10 - both these are borderline 4 4 3 7.2 7.3 7.6 8.7 5 star scenes 8.8 - foursome after the fuck on the chest 8..10 bath scene with 4 in there. She cleans him. 2 slave girls clean her. Both main characters orgasm. Limiting to 3 star stories but only 7 tell them. 2 of the storytellers have nothing - well I did not want to do the head in the jar. I've got 7.1 for the other and 9.10, 7.5, 3.8 and 6.7 as other candidates. So I've either got 2 series of 13 episodes (because 8 are double) or 3 series of 10 episodes (if I do a few more).
Update - I now have all 30 episodes and cast mapped out and should be releasing the first tale by the end of the week. Zingiber, 9.6 has made it.
Decameron XXX is pending complete with the first longer than expected episode. A note about the dialogue: I shall address this in the comments but I decided to use thou and ye with art and hath etc. for a bit of colour, but no other rules except that the language must not get too anachronistic so no "Yo, dude!"
I have taken a break over Xmas. Bit disappointed with the about of views compared to my other stories. Maybe it was the title. However, even though I have several more ideas for original stories (my most recent one being about an erotically magical golden torc, set in a "Game of Thrones" kind of world, which the hero will have to keep recovering), this is my main focus at the moment and i will complete all 30 episodes. The Brigata are not really going to do much until the final episode, but they will become less inhibited in front of each other. At the end of each series there are going to be chapters involving the 2 youngest members, Selena and Ariana, and I think in Series 1 Episode 8 they make a strong opening impression. The story of Alatiel should really have been 3 episodes. Obviously I can skip some of the non-sexual elements of the story although I hope not to its detriment but missing out any sexual content that Boccaccio describes or implies would kind of be silly. Alitiel, as well as being a candidate along with the gardener (appearing in S1 E7-8) for having the most sex in any of tales, actually has quite a story as well and maybe even more possibilities so I am afraid the second part seems very rushed and intense causing the reaction within the Brigata, which you commented upon. I did consider Petra (Jane from P&P and my personal favourite sexy character) for the role of Alatiel but she has quite pale skin and Tabitha with her vague exotic looks, dark olive skin and spectacular breasts had too much going for her. Aria was also an option. Finally, a little factoid: the 3 American actors (Jason, Selena, Ariana), my future characters are based on, are all of Italian descent which is why I chose them. Thank you for your support. It is much appreciated.
You've given us all some good stuff, and I'm happy to be supportive. In fact, you're both a good writer and have a distinctive voice (with Ivor's commentary, especially) that I've hesitated a bit about contributing pages.
I think I'll leave the other episode commentaries at the end of the first series. I'd rather do the stories just now. I have just posted the first part of the gardener's story and toyed with moving this around perhaps even to series 2, but I've kept it chronological. Zingiber, this is perhaps the most Brigata tale of the first series as you will see Also thinking of moving the story telling in the second series to the mansion's lawn where it might be easier for some of the Brigata to 'disappear' between tales before placing the third series back on the hill when nobody really cares about propriety any more. Dress code: Series 1 - Dress and stockings/ Shirt, braies and tights, Series 2 - Chemise and stockings/ Shirt and braies, Series 3 Chemise or sometimes just stockings / Braies or nothing I haven't really mentioned the stockings have I? They are a bit like the tights but instead of being attached (as women do not wear braies) they have a garter half way up the thigh, where they meet the chemise, to hold them in place. Naturally I think our Brigata being wealthy wear silk with lace garters.
Thanks, Zingiber I hope you'll enjoy the inter-series threads about Ivor and Selena. Some more pictures as well, including the first one of Jacqui.
Yes I didn't have a particular person in my mind other than being a very fit French pornstar in her early 30s, but i decided it was a bit silly that apart from Jane and Ivor she is the only major character not to have been visualised. So I went to a French pornstar database and she was the first one I came across and she looked a perfect match. I also checked out one of her films and in it she was having sex with someone who could have passed as Ivor - although sadly I don't know his name. Back to Series 2 now and we open with one of the most complex stories of the Decameron in the first of 4 consecutive double episodes (there are 2 1.5 episode stories in Series 3 but sadly no doubles). Series 2 will of course be followed by another evening involving Ivor, Jacqui, Selena and Ariana.
I had written the first episode of Series 3 with Selena and Ariana still in the cast despite considering 2 replacements. However your comment, Zingiber, gave me the inspiration to drop them and bring in the pair I had thought about. This pair are much tougher, fairly outrageous, and better actresses but I do not anticipate any more 4 ways. Ivor Bigun's mind is on others anyway. I do not really see any scope to include more guest appearances as the schedule is very dense, and already had to alter who plays who to make sure everyone gets a fair share of screen time. I was going to explain that Selena was replacing Monica in a role simply out of public demand but actually if the new Neifile does not take that role she would never play a lead. After Series 3 I doubt I will write any more, although who knows next year I might come back for Series 4. "Love Party Britain" will certainly continue as it is already 2 years behind and maybe some Brigata actors will turn up in that. I shall miss Ariana and Selena although I might write another spin off about their on tour adventures.
I was rather imagining if Ivor had a niece or a nephew (certainly nepotism wouldn't be anachronistic in the setting of The Decameron), that perhaps they would be tugging at Uncle's cuffs to make space for them in the production. Or if his previous pornifications of classic literature had become famous enough to make The Decameron attractive to actors and actresses one might not expect to see in explicit, non-doubled sex scenes.
