James Moran (writer)

James Moran is a British screenwriter for television and film, who first came to public attention with the horror-comedy "Severance". He was born on March 5 in York, England. [cite web|url=http://www.pfd.co.uk/clients/moranj/f-ftw.html|title=James Moran CV at PFD|Publisher=BBC|date=2007] His work to date has been in the horror, comedy and science-fiction genres.

Breaking In

James Moran's first produced work came as the result of a competition run by the Sci-Fi Channel. The competition asked for writers to submit short science-fiction themed film scripts. Moran won, and his entry "Cheap Rate Gravity" was produced and shown both on the sci-fi channel and in front of full length movies, including "Final Destination 2".

Moran secured an agent at the prestigious PFD Literary Agency from the strength of the competition win, a spec film script, and a six part TV drama entitled "The School". He wrote the entire run of "The School" on spec, later saying he was unaware that generally only a pilot is written until a production company shows interest. Moran claims the series is still his favourite of his own works.

Film Work

Moran scripted the 2005 film "Severance", which concerns office workers on a team building trip being stalked by a masked killer. Talking about where the idea for "Severance" came from, Moran said "I'd been trying to think of a good horror idea, and one day had a really bad commute home - yuppies in pinstripe suits were everywhere, pushing past me, jumping the queue, and generally being the ignorant scumbags that they are. So, in a flash of temper, I decided to kill off some yuppies in a horror - take them to a cabin, and pick them off one by one. Once I'd calmed down, I thought that was a pretty good idea - take some standard, British office types, and throw them into a cabin-in-the-woods horror, see how they react. And it developed from there." [cite web|url=http://www.solaceincinema.com/2006/08/21/an-interview-with-james-moran-the-writer-of-severance/|title=An interview with James Moran, the writer of ‘Severance’|Publisher=Solace in Cinema|date=2004]

Moran is currently working on another feature length horror script, "Curfew", for the same company that produced "Severance".

Television Work

Moran's television work to date has been exclusively in the Whoniverse, writing episodes for "Doctor Who", and its adult themed spin-off, "Torchwood". He lobbied his agent for many years to get him a job on either show.

Moran's "Torchwood" episode, "Sleeper", was the second to be transmitted in the second series, and concerns a burglary that goes wrong, revealing a plot that leaves the whole planet in danger. There are many allusions to terrorism during the episode, and ironically filming on several controlled explosions in Cardiff was almost disrupted by a real terrorist attack in Glasgow. "Sleeper" was broadcast by BBC Two on 23 January 2008. [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2007/06/04/45332.shtml|title=Script Doctors|Publisher=BBC|date=2007-06-04.] cite press release | title = Week 4 Unplaced | publisher = BBC - Press Office | date = 10 January, 2008 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/wk4/unplaced.shtml | accessdate = 2006-01-10 ]

Moran's "Doctor Who" episode, "The Fires of Pompeii" - set during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius - was broadcast on 12 April 2008 as part of the revived programme's 4th series. [Citation | date=2007-12-13 (cover date) | title=Script Doctors | Periodical=Doctor Who Magazine | issue=390 | pages=p.58-59 ] Moran is currently writing episodes for "Primeval", ' and '. [cite web|url=http://www.jamesmoran.blogspot.com/|title=The pen is mightier than the spork|Publisher=James Moran|date=2007]

Personal blog

James Moran has a personal blog called "The Pen Is Mightier Than The Spork" [cite web|url=http://www.jamesmoran.blogspot.com/|title=The pen is mightier than the spork|Publisher=James Moran|date=2007] . Moran started writing it around the same time as he started writing the screenplay for "Severance", documenting the entire process all the way to the DVD release, and he still regularly updates about his current projects. He also endeavours to answer any reader's questions and offer advice to other would-be screenwriters.

Other

In 2008, he wrote a comic which featured on the Doctor Who website. [cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/s4/news/latest/080515_news_01|title=Fuel|Publisher=James Moran|date=2008] His first short story, "Breadcrumbs", was published in the "Doctor Who" anthology "".

External links

* [http://www.jamesmoran.blogspot.com/ The pen is mightier than the spork - James Moran's blog]
* [http://www.eatmybrains.com/showfeature.php?id=26 Eat My Brains interview with James Moran]
* [http://sarahhatesyourmovie.blogspot.com/search/label/James%20Moran Sarah Hates Your Movie interview with James Moran]
* [http://www.pennyblood.com/severance.html Penny Blood interview with James Moran]
* [http://www.shootingpeople.org/shooterfilms/interview.php?int_id=70 Shooting People interview with James Moran]
* [http://www.solaceincinema.com/2006/08/21/an-interview-with-james-moran-the-writer-of-severance/ Solace in Cinema interview with James Moran]
* [http://www.severancethemovie.co.uk/ Severance UK website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgPHmmiHhQ0 Severance UK trailer]
* [http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/1421/the_seven_deadly_sins_of_horror.html James Moran's 7 Deadly Sins of Horror at Den of Geek]
* [http://cdn.libsyn.com/geeksyndicate/gsepisode66.mp3 James Moran interview] on the [http://www.geeksyndicate.co.uk Geek Syndicate podcast]

Representation

Moran has recently moved from PFD to The Agency, along with his agent, following the controversy at PFD that led to many of the company's agents jumping ship.

References