A sequel to Billy Elliot...

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ERinVA
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by ERinVA »

rob_hanson1979 wrote:Cush!
I'm gonna read that when I get home from dance class. I'm tempted to write some of my own as well.
Go for it! This could be a really interesting thread. :)
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rob_hanson1979
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by rob_hanson1979 »

I have a busy weekend, but if I get a few hours maybe I'll try writing something myself. Apparently its not hard now to write fanfic, get it published, and sell on amazon even. My friend does it with her One Direction fanfic lol!
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LiamM
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by LiamM »

The moment you sell it, the chances of a copyright issue become much, much greater. Lee Hall (or whomever he sold his copyright to) owns the copyright on the Billy Elliot characters. Chances are, no one will care about your non-commercial fanfic, but something being sold is a different matter.
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ERinVA
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by ERinVA »

Thanks for that caveat, Liam. We would not want anyone to get into copyright troubles because of a bit of fun. I might add that a lot of fanfic seeks to "juice up" the story, as it were, with "adult" scenes. That, of course, would not be what we would be looking for on here.
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by kport »

I think the film brings the story full circle and there really is no sequel. In the final moments, we see the adult Billy in triumph, as he is about to perform in front of his father and brother, who appear to be healthy and possibly more financially secure than ten years earlier. Michael has survived what could have been a terrible teen decade of bullying without his best friend to stand up for him, and has found a partner (I think Michael moved to London. Possibly also Jackie and Tony, as they are seen arriving on the underground.). It is a brief glimpse at a happy ending. What happened to George, Big Davey, Tall Boy and Small Boy might not have been as kind. As for Debbie and her mom, I am sure they got out somehow. They had drive - I suspect Mr Wilkinson may have been left behind! Perhaps Debbie passed the auditions to the RBS and followed Billy to London? Billy's success may have given others the impetus to get up and (as Norman Tebbit used to say): 'Get on your bike!'.

If a sequel were to be written, it would be about those left behind: the unnamed people of Easington Colliery. Their's is not a story of fiction; it really happened, and has been written about and examined in the media. Today, Easington has one of the highest unemployment and obesity rates in England; it is also the 'whitest' town in England. Some time ago I posted a link to a video showing the new school in Easington, and the government's efforts to raise expectations for the people there. There is no doubt that Lee Hall's scripts have done a lot to help Easington - and the Durham coal fields - stay in the nation's and government's headlight beams. Without the movie and the musical, I suspect the area would still be forgotten. I am slightly surprised that there is not a 'BillyWorld Adventure Park' somewhere there!
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ERinVA
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by ERinVA »

Yes, the film brings the story full circle, but there are those years after the end of the musical and before Billy's triumphal leap onto that stage at the end of the film that are not chronicled anywhere. I see nothing wrong with filling in the blanks. Nor do I see a problem with continuing Billy's story after his debut in Matthew Bourne's "Swan Lake." It's all just for fun anyway.
Ellen



"I don't want people who want to dance; I want people who have to dance.”
-George Balanchine 1904 -1983


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rob_hanson1979
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by rob_hanson1979 »

kport wrote:I think the film brings the story full circle and there really is no sequel. In the final moments, we see the adult Billy in triumph, as he is about to perform in front of his father and brother, who appear to be healthy and possibly more financially secure than ten years earlier. Michael has survived what could have been a terrible teen decade of bullying without his best friend to stand up for him, and has found a partner (I think Michael moved to London. Possibly also Jackie and Tony, as they are seen arriving on the underground.). It is a brief glimpse at a happy ending. What happened to George, Big Davey, Tall Boy and Small Boy might not have been as kind. As for Debbie and her mom, I am sure they got out somehow. They had drive - I suspect Mr Wilkinson may have been left behind! Perhaps Debbie passed the auditions to the RBS and followed Billy to London? Billy's success may have given others the impetus to get up and (as Norman Tebbit used to say): 'Get on your bike!'.

If a sequel were to be written, it would be about those left behind: the unnamed people of Easington Colliery. Their's is not a story of fiction; it really happened, and has been written about and examined in the media. Today, Easington has one of the highest unemployment and obesity rates in England; it is also the 'whitest' town in England. Some time ago I posted a link to a video showing the new school in Easington, and the government's efforts to raise expectations for the people there. There is no doubt that Lee Hall's scripts have done a lot to help Easington - and the Durham coal fields - stay in the nation's and government's headlight beams. Without the movie and the musical, I suspect the area would still be forgotten. I am slightly surprised that there is not a 'BillyWorld Adventure Park' somewhere there!
You say it doesn't need a sequel... but sounds like you've already worked out what happens to the characters lol! jk. It doesn't need a sequel in terms of a film, but I just think the Billy Universe has so many more stories in it! Whether its fanfic or childrens books or a comic book(would be AWESOME) I think it would be a lot of fun to explore more of these great characters.

And when I said "sell" I didn't mean in terms of making any money off it, lol. Just in terms of doing something creative and put it out there. I'm not sure theres a big demand in the general public for more Billy stories. But I'm sure we would all enjoy each others work!
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by angelenroute »

I agree with kport in the sense that the story arc already flashed forward in a beautiful way. It's certainly not needed, but it's already become really fun to write anyway and I'll continue to do so. I hope others will try their hand at it eventually too!
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by rob_hanson1979 »

of course, the movie finished wonderfully. But I still like thinking of the characters and their lives.
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Re: A sequel to Billy Elliot...

Post by kport »

rob_hanson1979 wrote:of course, the movie finished wonderfully. But I still like thinking of the characters and their lives.
A agree. I often wonder what happened to Michael when Billy left. I imagine he had a tough time without his best friend in that climate.

I have an idea in mind, but it would be much darker than Billy's experience.
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