Welcome – you are either reading this because you are attached to the MA Screenwriting Degree course at Bournemouth University, or you have an unusual interest in motorway service stations.
For our course, (this part is for those of you with an unusual interest in motorway service stations) we have to produce a short film script using a location as our inspiration. We are required to spend five days in our chosen location observing and researching – my choice is Rownhams service station on the M27 in Hampshire.
Yes I did say choice, didn’t I? When you think I could have chosen a whole host of scenic locations in the South. I must digress a little because originally I had intended to use a quaint and unspoilt fishing harbour in Cyprus, very picturesque and visually stunning.
However, on a trip to London I had the good fortune to stop at Fleet Services and was hit by inspiration. The noise of screaming children,(other people’s not mine, mine were too busy gnawing the contents of a KFC bargain bucket) the disgruntled shuffle of drivers desperate for a pee, and a coach party of elderly delinquents who arrived at the till queue just ahead of me, all added to the wonderful ambiance of the place. (Only those of you with an unusual interest in service stations will truly know what I mean and I will refer to that very special group of people in future as UISS).
Unusually we were making good time on our drive to London. I needed to buy some flowers for a friend we were visiting on the way. I didn’t like the flowers they had on the west side so my husband and children grudgingly followed me up the stairs and over the bridge to the east side. The children loved watching the traffic whizz below them as my husband mumbled ‘they’ll have just the same flowers over the other side.’ Har har, how wrong he was, because on the other side they had a super new Waitrose (yes UISS you can get excited about this) filled with a wonderful choice of edibles and flowers. And that’s when inspiration hit, how different two sides of a service station can be. One newly revamped and a pleasure to be in, the other dated and in need of redecoration. How do the different working environments affect the staff on each side? So that was my starting point, let’s see where it leads…
Only those with an UISS and students with enough time to blog back need read on.
I felt inspired by the place but knew I had to find a service station nearer to my home in Bournemouth. On the return journey we toyed with sightseeing at Arundel Castle or calling by Winchester for lunch. But I am pleased to say we saved ourselves for the delights of Rownhams services, or put it another way a voice by my side said, ‘anyone dying for a wee and a plate of overpriced chips?’ The answer was most definitely yes!
Friday 30 July 2010 – Rownhams 12.45 pm
This place was so much more than Fleet services in a less sort of way. Less clean, less choice of food, less toilet roll. But on the bright side, severe traffic delays through the New Forest meant my family were happy to idle away a few hours while the traffic cleared. Not too sure about the word ‘happy’, the children were disappointed to find no KFC but a Wimpey with grey formica tables, taken up by a large group of boy scouts.
A plaque reveals that the building was opened on July 1st 1985 by Lord Montagu of Bealieu. Wonder if he’s been to visit it since then? The interior certainly appeared untouched and in need of updating.
As my husband looked searchingly up at the traffic information board, I ambled about at my leisure starting to get a feel for the arena. A place no one visits out of choice only necessity (unless you have a UISS of course). I considered what the people who worked there thought about their environment. Not the moment to ask I felt as the staff was rushed off their feet with another influx of weary travellers. Nearly all of the staff had a foreign accent – wow what must their view of British food be?
Wednesday 5 August 2010 – Rownhams 9.15 am
Might have forgotten to mention that I have a slight drawback in getting to my chosen location- I’m one of these people who don’t like driving on motorways. In fact I’m seriously thinking about having some motorway lessons with an instructor. Face my fear, yes fear is a very interesting emotion and one I may choose to write about.
My husband had to visit Southampton today and dropped me off – so I was definitely stuck there for the next five hours, unless I hitched a lift of course, but then I hadn’t mentioned that in my risk assessment.
Had my camera with me today, so begun with a photo of the toilets. I wanted to interview the cleaner, but no evidence of a cleaner in residence. Why do people take so long in choosing a toilet, one woman went in and out of five cubicles before she finally chose one. May be she too was looking for the cleaner or just a holder with toilet roll.
I knew this was going to be a long day so I took a look around Smith’s. Perused the magazines section, and wondered who the press would report on if they didn’t have Jordan and Fern Brittan. Thought about the characters I intend to use in my script, what magazines would they choose? Take a Break, Horse and Hound or Sailing Today? Served at the till by a Polish woman but my confidence escaped me and I did not have the bottle to ask her any questions like – why do you work here?
Costa Coffee have a counter where you can purchase a cup of coffee in a soup bowl – no kidding, the cup was huge, should have come with croutons and a spoon. I wanted a large cup so it would last and give me a reason to still be sitting there. The average time people spend there is about twenty minutes. I managed to sit at the same table for one hour forty. Went to the loo still no evidence of a cleaner. The spot lighting is very harsh inside the building and only highlights the cracked and discoloured ceiling tiles.
Sat outside on a picnic table, felt great to be in the open air, didn’t realise how oppressive it felt being inside. I spotted a worker wheeling a large trolley with milk on. Thought he must be going through the tunnel which joins the two sides so I followed him. Felt like Alice running after the White Rabbit.
The tunnels great – enter into it through a walkway of trees, it has a calming feel, even though you can hear the cars whizzing by in the distance. I took many photos of the tunnel, think it will feature in my script, a great place to meet. Feel my story may be based on the people who work here, not necessarily about the travellers.
Went through and over to the other side. This side seems a little more upmarket, also has a hotel. Slightly bigger but similar set up with WH Smith, Costa Coffee Wimpey and a restaurant. I circumnavigated these and also visited the toilets, still no sign of the cleaner but the toilets looked fresher. Thought about the notices that are on the toilet doors – not the graffiti – proper notices about car insurance and stress incontinence. Perhaps one of my characters could be a sales rep who puts these notices up.
Sunday 15 August 2010 – Rownhams 11.30am
My husband and children waved me off from the car. As I turn to go up the steps I am met by a Pirate giving out balloons. Not sure a pirate fits into my script. I’ve been giving it some thought and think two of my main characters will work at either side of the service station. I take a few photos of the outside of the building – with dark tinted windows it appears dark and unappealing. Think about how I can introduce a colour to my script. Decided to choose the colour yellow as it seems prominent – AA van, a yellow canoe on a car, yellow railings outside. Inside I spotted yellow tiles in the food area and a sign to say the floor is wet.
The concourse has an eclectic mix of goods to purchase, from a sun lounger towel, to a mini camping set that only a dog could squeeze into. The repetitive sound of the ThomasThe Tank Engine, children’s ride must send you crazy if you are in earshot for too long. There is also a constant clatter of crockery from the restaurant area, probably customers’ frisbeing the food back in disgust.
I settle down at a table with a coffee and mag and listen to the conversations around me. They are absorbing, little snippets of people’s lives. The people on the table next to me are complaining to one another about the place but in a half jokey way. ‘Terrible service, they could do with a Heston Blumenthal make over… I mean 7.50 for this, you’d think they’d serve it with a smile on their face…the other side is bigger I think and better too, I bet all the good staff and food are over the other side.’
These comments reminded me of my original idea that the two sides could be very different – presenting different working environments. I think it must be quite soul destroying to work here, early and late shifts, non-returning customers, no familiar faces.
My characters are beginning to emerge in my head, Yannis the cook falls for Kimi, a girl who works on the other side of the motorway. I also like the idea of him striking up a friendship with a woman rep …
