Wendy Bytheway

I wrote nonfiction books and studied courses in writing and editing. Included in a course was screenwriting.  I tried my hand at writing the filmscript, Sweet Sounds, about the life story of John Newton (1725-1807), because he had always fascinated me. My motivation for the film is the last line: there are 50 million slaves in the world today. I want the film to highlight this terrible trade and encourage people to get behind abolitionist organisations.

I start with a lot of thinking about the characters and scenarios along with enormous amounts of research about Newton’s life and times. Fortunately he wrote about the early part of his life which included his family, his beloved Mary, pressganged into the British navy,  exchanged onto a slave ship, slave trading, enslavement himself, his rescue, employment with other traders, his rescue voyage back to England, the Greyhound storm, giving his life to God, sea rescue and ministry in Olney, England. I wanted the script to be as historically accurate as possible: fictionalised scenes still have historical bases. Newton lived until he was 82 y/o! In the song we know as ‘Amazing Grace’ he wrote, “through many dangers, toils and snares”, reflecting on God rescuing him numerous times. I had fun learning eighteenth century phrases and writing dialogue approximating lingo of the era. I edited the script too much and in revising, lengthened scenes and put in more details of his character and motivations.  

Newton was a challenge  to write about because he changed so much throughout his life. He went from a highly disrespectful, blasphemous youth whose motivation was ‘act before deliberation’ (hence fell into trouble constantly) and ‘sinned with a high hand’, to an educated man of faith and good character that was recognised by those around him plus men of great influence in society and politics. I hope the script showed these transitions.  I wanted to show a ‘rounded’ character: the grovelling slave to the captain in command, a man without compassion to the greatly repentant minister who lives and preaches upheld and directed by God and the articulate abolitionist giving evidence, unafraid, to the Privy Council committee on the slave trade. And a man who loved Mary for 47 years.

Sweet Sounds is the life story of Englishman, John Newton (1725-1807), who is best known for penning the song, Amazing Grace, but his contribution to society goes well beyond that. Pressganged into the British Navy, he served also  on a slave ship, was enslaved himself and later captained two slave ships. Following conversion, he became an Anglican minister in Olney, beloved preacher and writer of books and hymns. Later as minister of a central London church William Wilberforce sought his counsel.  With firsthand knowledge, Newton worked towards the abolition of the slave trade at a time when few would come forward to give information to the Privy Council investigations. He saw the end of the British slave trade in 1807. A few of many themes:

• Newton’s life story brings hope to anyone thinking their useful life is over due to moral failure. He said he was ‘an untamed tiger’ on the Sierra Leone coast and a ‘wretch’ but God forgave his sins, dusted him off and progressively changed his character to answer his prayer to be useful to humanity.
• Newton’s life and times portrayed the very worst inhumanity to men, women and children and the very best of human endeavours towards human rights.
• Lover’s reunion and a happy marriage of many decades.
• As in Newton’s dream in Venice, the universal choice to live for good or evil.

I think it is up to others more accomplished than me to answer that! I don’t want to push a perspective or agenda onto the facts but to let Newton’s life and voice to tell the facts.

My script is my own work. It has not been optioned by any producers yet. So who is game to take on this historic character? I think for a director, producer and creatives, Sweet Sounds could be the most rewarding film they could ever make.

Trying not to write expensive scenes. Not easy since he sailed on so many ships! But we don’t need six ships to film. There are ways around the problem. Australia has tall ships. In fact, I think all the Sierra Leone and British West Indies scenes should be shot in Australia because we have long, lonely beaches, various African residents, and historic buildings. I wrote with this idea in mind.  I tried to imply violence rather than depict it because I want people 15+ onwards to view the film.

It is refreshing to see screenwriters taking up social issues such as homelessness, poverty etc. Viewers are saying that they want to see films their whole families can watch together and films that help them with their problems. It is good that Christian themes and stories are depicted in mainstream cinemas/streaming.

Instead of wondering ‘what do I want to tell the world’, ask oneself, ask God, what cause to follow? Embark on that journey with all the kinks and high points and see where it leads you. It’s a journey worth taking, believe me, because it can be your life’s work.

I have been tossing around another storyline. But this time, to paraphrase Newton, I don’t want a job involving chains and manacles but to do something useful for humanity. I have a modern-day drama/comedy about a character with a rare medical condition which consequently changes the person and the people around her: in surprising and positive ways. I want films to be made that contribute significantly to society, through encouraging people to think and reflect on their own lives and behaviour. But not all serious ones. Hilarious films are beneficial because we all need a good laugh.