Gary JJ Spate
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  • Stuck Writing a Novel? A Practical Guide to Getting the Thing Moving Again

    Stuck writing a novel and staring at the murky middle? Here's a practical guide to diagnosing the problem and getting your story moving again.

    Read more
  • How to Budget an Indie Film: A Practical Guide for UK Filmmakers

    A practical guide to how to budget an indie film — covering crew, equipment, post-production, contingency funds, and where UK filmmakers should and shouldn't cut corners.

    Read more
  • Why Being Number One Ruins Mobile MMO Games For Everyone Else

    You don't need to be top of the leaderboard to enjoy a mobile MMO. Here's why the chase for number one ruins the game for the people who just want to play.

    Read more
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LATEST WORK

The Listeners

A disgraced exorcist turned hospital chaplain discovers something ancient is whispering to the dying — and everything he’s done to stop it has only drawn it closer to him.

A novel and television series in development




Filmmaking

How to Budget an Indie Film: A Practical Guide for UK Filmmakers

How to budget an indie film

A practical guide to how to budget an indie film — covering crew, equipment, post-production, contingency funds, and where UK filmmakers should and shouldn’t cut corners.

Read more
3 July 2026/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/how-to-budget-an-indie-film.jpg 650 1500 Gary JJ Spate https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GaryJJSpate-NewSiteLogo2026.png Gary JJ Spate2026-07-03 12:00:352026-07-01 19:33:14How to Budget an Indie Film: A Practical Guide for UK Filmmakers
UK film legal basics
1 July 2026

UK Film Legal Basics: Contracts, Releases and Permits Nobody Warns You About

How to fund an indie film
25 June 2026

So You Want to Fund an Indie Film: Here’s What Nobody Tells You

Character in filmmaking
24 June 2026

Character in Filmmaking: The Engine Behind Every Great Story

Gary's seven cinematography tips
23 June 2026

7 Essential Cinematography Tips I Wish I’d Known Before Picking Up a Camera

FHODS Blackadder
Theatre

Why Amateur Theatre Is Better Than Professional

It's not about polish or budget. It's about love. A Front of House Manager makes the case for why your local amateur theatre might just be the real thing.
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23 June 2026
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Empty theatre auditorium with stage lighting, UK
22 June 2026

The Stage Is Not Dying. It’s Waking Up.

The Theatre
19 June 2026

Is This the End of Theatre? (Spoiler: No, But We Need to Talk)

Stuck writing a novel
Writing

Stuck Writing a Novel? A Practical Guide to Getting the Thing Moving Again

Stuck writing a novel and staring at the murky middle? Here's a practical guide to diagnosing the problem and getting your story moving again.
Read more
0 Comments
/
4 July 2026
https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/stuck-writing-a-novel.jpg 650 1500 Gary JJ Spate https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GaryJJSpate-NewSiteLogo2026.png Gary JJ Spate2026-07-04 12:00:452026-07-03 15:31:46Stuck Writing a Novel? A Practical Guide to Getting the Thing Moving Again
How to start writing a novel
2 July 2026

How to Start Writing a Novel: A Practical Guide for Complete Beginners

Gary on Writing
24 June 2026

Nobody Warned Me It Would Feel Like This

2am Ideas
20 June 2026

Why Every Brilliant Idea I Have Arrives at 2am and Leaves by Breakfast

why being number one ruins mobile games
Personal

Why Being Number One Ruins Mobile MMO Games For Everyone Else

You don't need to be top of the leaderboard to enjoy a mobile MMO. Here's why the chase for number one ruins the game for the people who just want to play.
Read more
0 Comments
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2 July 2026
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Just one more turn... Gary is a gamer
22 June 2026

Stealing Hours: The Games That Keep Me Sane

Grimsby > Dover > Pontypridd
21 June 2026

Why I Write About Grimsby (and Apparently Wales) When I Live in Kent

The pirate website
20 June 2026

My Website Is Now Fully Pirate-Themed and I Cannot Fully Explain Why

Unhappy Gary
19 June 2026

When the Dream Job Stops Feeling Like a Dream

Writing

Why Every Brilliant Idea I Have Arrives at 2am and Leaves by Breakfast

2am Ideas

A comical confession about the brilliant 2am writing ideas that feel genius in the dark and ridiculous by breakfast — and what they’ve nearly done to two unfinished novels.

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20 June 2026/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2am_ideas_caricature_1500x650.png 650 1500 Gary JJ Spate https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GaryJJSpate-NewSiteLogo2026.png Gary JJ Spate2026-06-20 12:00:072026-06-20 11:47:59Why Every Brilliant Idea I Have Arrives at 2am and Leaves by Breakfast
Personal

When the Dream Job Stops Feeling Like a Dream

Unhappy Gary

An honest reflection on what happens when the passion for your dream job quietly fades — and learning to sit with that without forcing it back.

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19 June 2026/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/gary_cartoon_header-scaled.png 1097 2560 Gary JJ Spate https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GaryJJSpate-NewSiteLogo2026.png Gary JJ Spate2026-06-19 23:11:362026-06-20 21:55:45When the Dream Job Stops Feeling Like a Dream
Theatre

Is This the End of Theatre? (Spoiler: No, But We Need to Talk)

The Theatre

A look at why South East theatres are struggling with falling ticket sales this year, what’s really driving it, and how venues — and audiences — can help buck the trend.

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19 June 2026/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/theatre-community.png 650 1500 Gary JJ Spate https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GaryJJSpate-NewSiteLogo2026.png Gary JJ Spate2026-06-19 14:42:582026-06-19 14:42:58Is This the End of Theatre? (Spoiler: No, But We Need to Talk)
Personal

Did I Do Something Very Bad In a Past Life?

A honest and occasionally comical account of life with a body that really hasn’t been playing ball — chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, ADHD, and the daily battle with a pair of socks.

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18 June 2026/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
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Music

Old Wives Tales

Old Wives Tales

For many years I’ve been writing songs but without an output for any of them. Until now, that is.

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1 March 2025/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
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Filmmaking, Music

New Music Video: The Cloud Guru – Sunshade Smile

Sunshade Smile by The Cloud Guru

The Cloud Guru is an indie singer/songwriter from Ashford, Kent. Sunshade Smile is his latest single.

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9 May 2024/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sunshade-smile.jpg 630 1500 Gary JJ Spate https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GaryJJSpate-NewSiteLogo2026.png Gary JJ Spate2024-05-09 10:44:502025-03-01 14:58:07New Music Video: The Cloud Guru – Sunshade Smile
Personal

Am I seriously losing the plot?

Colonel Cuppa mugGary JJ Spate

You know you have those days when you walk into a room and forget why you’re there? Today is one of those days… on acid!

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27 March 2024/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
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Personal

Everybody needs a Sadie

A dreaded call centreguvo59

An interesting thing happened today. I made a call to the Sky call centre as I’m very unhappy that they keep increasing their prices. Needless to say I needed Sadie to rescue me (and my wallet!)

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10 March 2024/0 Comments/by Gary JJ Spate
https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/call-centre.jpg 630 1500 Gary JJ Spate https://garyjjspate.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GaryJJSpate-NewSiteLogo2026.png Gary JJ Spate2024-03-10 21:36:542025-02-07 00:18:56Everybody needs a Sadie
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It’s All About Me

Filmmaker. Storyteller. Theatre man. Chronic overthinker.

Well, hello there, dear reader.

So — why are you here? Genuine question. Did you take a wrong turn somewhere? Lose a bet? Has someone sent you here against your will, forced to read my ramblings as a form of slow, modern torture? Or were you simply bored, and this seemed marginally more interesting than staring at the ceiling?

I don't know your reasons. Not sure I want to.

Read the whole introduction here ⇒

Leave a tip

If you like what I do, pleasse consider buying me a cuppa! Thank you for your kindness.

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    Gary JJ Spate @garyjjspate.com 3 days

    So glad I'm not American. Jennifer Hudson has murdered that national anthem. Bloody awful. #WorldCup2026

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  • View post by Gary JJ Spate on Bluesky

    Gary JJ Spate @garyjjspate.com 3 days

    So glad I'm not American. Jennifer Hudson has murdered that national anthem. Bloody awful. #WorldCup2026
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