First he clears his emails. Then he reads through his notes. Then he reads, or rather skips, through the most recent draft. Then he goes and has a pee. Then he makes himself a mug of coffee. Then, back in front of his computer screen he sets up a new Final Draft document and fills in the title page: SHEPHERD by Alan Strachan, Third Revision, December 16, 2008. Then the phone rings. It’s Jane Langridge. ‘Alan. I’m in LA. It’s the middle of the night here, but I couldn’t wait to call you. I’ve been with Nancy at the studio all day. They’re all buzzing about Shepherd over here. Your ears must be burning.’ ‘That’s good to hear.’ ‘The thing is this, Alan. Do you follow the numbers?’ ‘The numbers?’ ‘I’ll give you the headlines. Dramas are tanking. Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Doubt, all dead on arrival. The recession is changing the mood music. People want to be cheered up. And guess what looks like being the big winner over Christmas?
