Syndrome Pictures

Oddbodies' new film on Indiegogo

2011-05-06T13:52:00.011+01:00

Hey all. It's been a while since I've posted anything but I'm back now, looking forward to a Devon summer full of filmmaking fun. First up is the new Oddbodies film, The Nature of Angrove, which marks the return of much of the cast and crew from their previous film, Mrs. Lustleigh's Fancies. I'm very much looking forward to working on this one, mostly because it looks like I will be on set during principle photography, editing as the film is in production. There's all sorts of fantastic set construction that's already been done and it looks like the team will be building on the creative DIY charm of their last short, but this time with even more ambition as they try to create large art deco spaces out of their relatively small studio.

We go into production in July so I will be posting some more interesting details about the film closer to the time. Meanwhile, I wanted to draw your attention to the crowd funding campaign that Oddbodies have put together on Indiegogo in order to cover some of the production costs of the film. We're doing pretty well so far, but we will need some more help to achieve our funding goal of $2000. So, if you are interested in supporting some independent, quirky, local talent and love short films, please take a look at the Nature of Angrove campaign page and give us a donation if you can. Any amount will do, from $5 to $5000 if you like :) At the moment, we have 50 days left!

NOTE: Added 18/5/11 - I have added an IndieGoGo widget to the right of my blog so you can track our progress easily from this site. 38 days left! Contribute if you can and pass it on!

Tera Toma @ Beneath The Earth Film Festival

2010-11-22T21:17:00.009Z

ADDED NOTE 21/12/10: Great News! Tera Toma has won the Audience Award for Narrative Short at Beneath The Earth. Big thanks to everyone who took the time to watch and vote for the film! It will remain online until the 31st of January 2011, so if you haven't seen it. Get watching! Leave us a comment etc.

WATCH TERA TOMA @ BENEATH THE EARTH FILM FESTIVAL

ADDED NOTE 4/12/10: The voting period for Beneath the Earth has been extended to the 13th of December so there's still time to watch and vote for Tera Toma!

Hey all, just some brief Tera Toma news. The film has been officially selected as a finalist at Beneath The Earth Film Festival, which is an online event that showcases original independent filmmaking. The festival is run out of New York and consists of Animation, Narrative Short and Documentary categories. Tera Toma has been entered into the fall 2010 competition and it is eligible for an audience award which is decided by the amount of 'likes' it gets. So, if you have seen the film and like it, please hop on over to the page and give it a vote using your Facebook accounts. If this is the first time you are seeing it, I hope you enjoy our little exercise in split-screen, real-time madness!

Follow the link:
TERA TOMA @ BENEATH THE EARTH FILM FESTIVAL

The voting period lasts until December 6th 2010.

Oddbodies' Fancies

2010-10-12T14:02:00.024+01:00

Post-production just came to an end on the new Oddbodies/Exeter Phoenix Digital production, Mrs Lustleigh's Fancies, a short film that will have its premiere at Two Short Nights Film Festival 2010 next week here in Exeter. The film is described by the Oddbodies team Paul and Tanya Morel as 'a darkly comic and fabulously grotesque tale of greed, curiosity and fatal attraction...'
The film is full of the company's trademark home made stylings, but also has a few nods to the classics. Riffing off of 60s and 70s british film, the film does away with digital trickery and uses painted backdrops, hand made models, sets and back projection. The sound design and foley has a very rough, hyper-real quality to it as well, which sets the mood quite nicely in my view.
Anyway, if you're around Exeter next week, do try and make it to the Two Short Nights Film Festival at Exeter Phoenix. Otherwise there will be a repeat screening at Exeter Picturehouse in the not too distant future.
Meanwhile, have a look at some of Oddbodies' ealier work. I was a collaborator on their 2005 experimental short, The Fat Lady Dances on the Head of a Pin. Also, Black Hen i have a real fondness for. it's some real Super 8 magic :).

NOTE ADDED 23/10/10: Mrs Lustleigh's Fancies was awarded Best Film at Two Short Nights Film Festival 2010. Congratulations to Paul, Tanya and the rest of the team. A job well done!

Tera Toma & the festival circuit

2010-10-01T20:26:00.015+01:00

Still very much in the thick of it with my thesis, but I thought I'd post a quick update here. It's been an embarrassingly long time since I've blogged anything and to be perfectly honest I haven't done much creatively in the past several months due to work constrictions. As a result, I've been a bit slow on the uptake getting Tera Toma onto DVD and into festivals, but I've had a quick surge of proactivity the other week and have sent the film off to several festivals that I think it would be appropriate for. Submissions are expensive, so I've had to think hard about the kind of festival a 45 minute experimental, split-screen, real-time thriller would work well in. Here's hoping I get some responses in the coming months.
The film has had some good results, however, over the summer. Tera Toma was recently screened at the No Limits Film Festival in Sheffield where it was nominated for 3 awards: Best Acting, Creative Vision and Screenplay (which was interesting, considering how little of a script the film had). Unfortunately, it didn't win in any of these categories, but it's great to know that it was appreciated by the festival's submission committee. I at least know that the film works outside of the context of it's production, which is largely what drew local people to see the film last year at its premiere.

Recently, Tera Toma has been nominated for Best Short Film at the International Filmmakers Festival of World Cinema where I have been invited to give a Q&A as one of the nominees. This will all be happening at the end of the month (27th & 28th of October) so I'll keep you posted as to what happens. As for the DVD, still waiting on that. I'm hoping to have it ready by November, but I'm doing it all myself so who knows :)

CWA Film & Plan B Online

2010-05-17T19:39:00.008+01:00

Wool, Cakes, Heels...and Attitude! Jerri Hart's Plan B is now online and free to watch together with the film's trailer and behind the scenes documentary (shot and edited by local photographer, Simon Rakestrow). Make sure you check it all out along with the rest of Jerri's work over at his CWA Film Vimeo site. Meanwhile, you can check out the main film here if you like.

Plan B will also be available on DVD soon with some lovely cover art by photographer John Gladdy. For enquiries contact Jerri through his website: www.jerrihart.com

iPhone Syndrome

2010-03-21T14:25:00.025Z

So, I'm now (or since February) the proud owner of an iPhone 3Gs. Yep, you can now count me in as one of the 50 million obsessed; plaguing the planet with my tapping, swiping, hyper-enthusiastic fingers!

In all seriousness, it was time for an upgrade and the iPhone seemed the ideal choice to be able to organise myself. The ability to sync iCal alone was worth the money, but I never thought it would be this exciting as far as filmmaking capabilities go.
At the moment, the iPhone doesn't offer the best image quality, especially compared to its Sony Ericsson competitors. However, not only is the manageability of content inspiring, but the phone's ability to house all methods of production gives us a rudementary, lo-fi glimpse into the future of film production. Excluding webcams, the iPhone (as well as a few of its counterparts) is one of the first portable devices that gives filmmakers the ability to write, plan, shoot, edit and distribute work all from the same vessel. The device's ability to evolve through the endless production of apps, there's no telling how or when this might change. There have already been advances in the phone's ability to mimick and/or control hardware wirelessly and now that the apple iPad has been released, this technology will evolve exponentially.
One site that I have found particularly informative in this area has been Hand Held Hollywood, a blog run by filmmaker Taz Goldstein. Here, he showcases all the newest apps and accessories for the iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad that have a direct (or potential) influence on film production workflow. Check out his video reviews on Vimeo here as well as one of his presentations here.

As of yet, I have explored a plethora filmmaking apps from Cinamek's Storyboard Composer, through to Nexvio's post-production apps. Although i haven't had much of a chance to experiment due to my studies, they have helped quite a bit in organising young people's projects for my Workshops n' Docs work. Anyway I'll leave it to Taz over at the HHH site to do the reviews.
Check out some Third Waves I made using the phone's built in SD camera and Nexvio's editing app, Reeldirector. They, of course, are just a rough exercise.

Anyway, with the iPhone 4 coming out soon, there's no telling how much film production may change. I myself am quite interested in the device's capabilities for broadcasting live video via Ustream. It would definitely be great for another real-time project...but this time...live. Watch this space.

Tera Toma nominated for MIA 2010

2010-03-03T00:43:00.018Z

Great news! Tera Toma has been nominated in the Independent Film/Video category for the 2010 Media Innovation Awards. The award ceremony takes place on March 18th near Plymouth. It's an honor for it have gotten this far and I am thrilled that it's been recognised by the industry professionals on the judging panel. I'll keep you posted as to whether or not the film has been successful. Either way, the event should be great fun by the look of things. www.mediainnovationawards.com

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Tera Toma has now been given an IMDB page. Click here to visit.

FINAL NOTE 19/3/10: Just came back from the MIA awards last night. Unfortunately, Tera Toma remains a nominee, but here are some very kind words from the judges: "Tera Toma was an innovative and suspenseful take on the Jekyll & Hyde story. It was bold and original." Congratulations to Sundog Media for their winning film, Sea Front.

Ghosts & Layers

2010-03-02T19:12:00.015Z

Hey all. It's been a while but I'm back with a brief Super-Structure update. I've managed, on an occasion or two, to fit some creativity into my schedule and, as a result, I've begun a new series of super-structure videos.
For a while now I've been making super-structures (vertical montage videos) as part of the Third Wave Collective, but my interest in the technique has slowly expanded beyond the 90 Minute time frame that Third Wave allows and, with the growth of the Super-Structues Vimeo group, I have started to spend a little more time on them. The addition of a few more hours has enabled me to explore the photographic element a little bit more by going down the long exposure/slow shutter speed route.
My first, Ghost in the Fog which you can see in my previous post, mixed long exposure stills w/video in a variety of shutter speeds. I have continued, however, by going a little more abstract with Ghost of the Night. Check it out:

The spontaneity has remained from previous super-structure outings in the sense that both of these pieces come from an immediate desire to create. This is often triggered by something like fog or fireworks...so who knows when the next one in the Ghost series will come and what it will be of :).
Anyway, I'd also like to take this opportunity to showcase another interesting series of videos that have recently been added to the Super-Structures group. The series is called Locking Gazes and they are by Pennsylvania-based video artist, Michael Robinson. They are all done on Super 8 and they're pretty lush.
Check them out:

Later...

New Year Updates

2010-01-17T11:11:00.015Z

Hey all. Just a few updates before I go into hibernation! My blog posts will be at a minimum during the next couple months as I try to finish my PhD. There are a few updates, however...oh...and Happy New Year (can I say that this late into the month?).
I've been busy getting some promotional materials together for future screenings, festivals and sales of Tera Toma. On the right of this blog you will find an example of one of two posters I have designed for the film, this is similar to the cover art on the DVD as well. Various special features are in the works at the moment. Next up is a re-design of the Tera Toma blog to make it into more of a website. I will keep you posted on these changes.
One thing I will be blogging about in the next month is the Third Wave's anniversary radio show. Yes, indeed, February's show (11th, Phonic FM, 2-4PM) will mark the end of our first year on the radio. We'll be working together until then to make this one extra interactive for you all. Will keep you updated.

Other news, I've recently made two weather-themed Super-Structures. Check them out:

I'm pretty happy with Ghost of the Fog, which I uploaded a few days ago. It's a kind of follow-up from Zebrageist in that it combines long exposure stills with video. This time however, I combined some slow shutter video with it. Super Snowy Super-Structure was fun to do as well. Mostly because it was snowing for the first time in Exeter this year.
The Super-Structures group on Vimeo has been growing pretty rapidly over the past two months. This is pretty exciting considering that the group is based on quite an abstract concept and incorporates a lot of different techniques. Quite a few code artists have joined recently, so it's taking on a very digital look. I'll be very interested to check out Quartz Composer when I have more time later in the year. Especially with the data mosh plugin that you can see being used very effectively in this video:

Anyway, if you haven't checked the group out yet, click on the banner below:
And finally, my mates Williams & Oxley have uploaded their newest doc, Day of Rest. I helped them out a bit with some camera on the race car section and did some colour correction and sound mixing for them. All in the name of cake! I think it's their best one yet.
Check it out:

You can also, if you like, vote for the one minute cut of their previous film which is in competition over at the Simple Pleasures Film Festival, run by Dorset Cereals. They've retitled the film: Nice & Moist. Follow the link.

Catch you later.

Webstream & More: Third Wave on Phonic FM

2009-12-10T09:38:00.004Z

We had another Third Wave Interactive FIlmmaking Experience on Phonic FM yesterday and in an attempt to do something a little different with the show, I set up a video stream from my webcam during the show. An hour and forty minutes of yesterday's show is up and archived at www.twitcam.com (linked to my twitter account: @syndromepix) and embedded below for you to watch. Some of the speaking is a bit distant and quiet unless you have a great stereo system hooked up to your computer, but it will give you an idea of how the show works. In future broadcasts, I will attempt to incorporate the video stream into the show more by having someone chatting alongside the video, but for now here is a rudimentary start to something that may well become the Third Wave Webcast.

Also, here two of the films that were produced during yesterday's show. Stuart Dawson, our guest filmmaker this month decided to make a Christmas Super-Structure, which turned out pretty cool. Nice bit of satire for you all. As well our regular co-host/guest/in-house filmmaker, Harry Willmott made a quick stop-frame animation using istopmotionpro2 and a webcam.

We will return on February 10th 2010 for another installment of the show where it will be, indeed, our 1 year anniversary on the radio. So, no doubt, there will be some interactive wonder for you all to enjoy and participate in! Later.

Food Motion

2009-12-02T01:34:00.006Z

Another Vimeo Weekend Project was launched last week and despite the large pile of work I have on my plate, I decided to take some time off on Monday to collaborate, once again, with my good friend Stuart. This week the challenge was to make a film about food that involved stop motion animation. Many of the offerings that I have seen coming from fellow Vimeans involve animated food or time-lapses of Thanksgiving dinner. There are some really interesting pieces out there and you should check them out at the Vimeo Weekend Project group. Stuart and I wanted to try a different angle and stick with the character we have been experimenting with for a while. So, perhaps unintentionally, we ended up animating everything but the food. We had great fun making it. It was done by taking bursts of photos on my DSLR, then compiling them in iStopmotion pro and finally editing them in Final Cut Pro. The sound was all done separately, and is purposefully rough in order to give the film a kind of animated feel. Anyway, enjoy some lazy times with Oven Pizza:

The Imps are online!

2009-12-02T01:21:00.004Z

My girlfriend, Pippa and her friend Misa's film, The Imps has been uploaded to Vimeo after it's premiere last Saturday at Two Short Nights Film Festival. Despite coming directly after two South West Screen funded Digital Shorts with considerable budgets, it was very well received by the audience. Congrats to Pippa and Misa. The effort was well spent!
Enjoy the film:

Tera Toma @ The View From Here

2009-11-27T00:58:00.008Z

Great news! Tera Toma has been offered a special screening at The View From Here 2009. It has all come a bit short notice, but the venue is booked for next Wednesday (2/12/09) at the Blue Walnut Cafe in Torquay, a venue renowned for showing cinema from the silent era, right through to the present in a cozy 25 seater setting - an audience size that I think will complement the psychological nature of the film.
The Blue Walnut fits in perfectly with the festival's ethos, which is to embrace 'a local ethos providing accessible and innovative screening events in cinemas, community centres, schools, outdoor environments, pubs, cafes, and galleries.'.
It's great that Tera Toma has managed to get another local screening, especially as part of a Film Festival. A Q&A will follow the screening and I'm hoping it will generate an interesting discussion.

ADDITIONAL NOTE 1/12/09: Lee Morgan from D&CFilm got in touch with me during the lead up to this screening to discuss violence and psychological horror. I feel there is probably more to say but this is a good start I think. View the discussion here.

The Third Wave Collective @ The View From Here

2009-11-26T00:46:00.013Z

The festival season in South Devon has come around fast this year. I can't believe it's already been a year since the last Two Short Nights and View From Here festivals. I guess that means this blog has been going strong for over a year. Haha...It's official...this is a blog everyone.
Anyway, I'm just dropping a line to let you all know that The View From Here has selected quite a few Third Wave films for this years festival, which celebrates local Devon & Cornwall based film talent. This is the second time that a selection of the Third Wave Collective's work has been screened at this festival. In fact, The View From Here 2008 was the first public, offline screening of our work. It's a privilege to know that they have stuck with us over the past year...or even that we are still here after so long! So often, projects like this get left by the wayside, but it's great to know that we're still here, we're still making interesting little films on a weekly basis and we still have a public outlet.

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Here's a list of the chosen films and their respective screenings:

As part of the Last Night programme @ Coombeshead Theatre - Friday 4th December - 7pm - £5

pAra NoiA by Joshua Gaunt & James McLaughlin
Dance of the Imp by Pippa Stephenson
Memory of Childhood by Bartleby

As part of the Inn View programme:
Wednesday, December 2 @ The Landown, Park Road, Dawlish - The Jolly Farmer, Newton Abbot - The Barrel House, Highstreet Totnes - 8pm - Free
Thursday, December 3 @ The Castle Inn, Castle Street, Totnes - 8pm - Free

Casse-Croute de Minuit by Toby & Harry Willmott
Jurassic Loner by Joshua Gaunt
Alice by Jane Rosenbaum
Psychogeography by Stuart Dawson & Joshua Gaunt
The Parallax View by John Sealey

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Make sure to get your tickets for these events next week if you are interested in seeing some Third Wave films in a live setting along with other local work!

The Third Wave Interactive Filmmaking Experience will also return on Wednesday the 12th of December between 2-4pm on Phonic FM.

Here are some recent Third Wave offerings to whet your appetite:

New Sites for Workshops N' Docs

2009-11-13T09:38:00.011Z

Hey all. I've decided to create a few new sites to host some of the creative community work that I do as a workshop facilitator and documentary filmmaker. This is merely to steer people towards the professional work that I do, but I figured I'd let whoever follows this blog know as well since it involves filmmaking and animation too. So, if you are interested...stop on over and take a look at what young people in and around Devon have been producing with me over the years. If you need to contact me for this kind of work, email me here: workshopsndocs@gmail.com

For more, go here:

WORKSHOPS N' DOCS BLOG

WORKSHOPS N' DOCS VIMEO CHANNEL

Also, there is now a link on my side bar to the above Vimeo channel.

Xtranormal Behavior

2009-10-27T22:30:00.011Z

A new and perhaps fleeting (we'll see) obsession has swept some of the members of the Third Wave Collective this week. It's called Xtranormal, a pretty fascinating website that allows you to create movies by just typing out a script and adding some rudimentary actions and sounds to the your scene. At the moment, it's pretty limited in what it allows you to create, especially if you are a free user of the site (premiere account members get to play w/ more options). Mostly, you are just limited to dialogue/monologue scenes where characters will stand opposite each other and speak. Unless you download the PC based program, State, you don't have the option of moving characters around a space.
Despite these (temporary I hope) shortcomings, I think that this is a great tool for anyone wanting to play around with ideas and create scenes w/out a camera. It's definitely in tune with the spontaneity of Third Wave. Check out Bartleby's first offering:

The site itself leaves much to be desired. For instance, there isn't as much networking potential than there is on sites like Vimeo, but you can publish your work straight onto your Youtube site. Overall, however, I definitely think that Xtranormal shows some great potential. As soon as we can have more control over the movements, characters and scenery, I think people will be animating all over the place. For now, however, I think we are limited to little dialogue/monologue scenes, which in the case of veteran ranter, Stuart "3pound50" Dawson, is just fine...

I also think that this may be a good model for workshops. Without being too dull, it gets people thinking about how to write their scenes, as well as how to shoot them in a classical sense. Perfect for beginners, young and adult alike. I may try it out if they release a Mac friendly version of State at some point in the future. Meanwhile, here's my offering. First in a series...who knows where it will go...I have no context.

Super-Structures...what are they?

2009-10-06T20:05:00.020+01:00

Hey all. Thought I would write a post this time around about a certain aesthetic video technique that I have been exploring in my work for about a year now.
I call the technique's product a 'super-structure', which is a term coined by legendary Russian filmmaker, Sergei Eisenstein. In his writings, which took place during the advent of sound in cinema, Eisenstein came to the conclusion that he had to re-evaluate his earlier theories concerning montage - the juxtaposition (horizontally) of two shots resulting in a third image (or meaning). With this new 'layer' of sound attached to the image, meaning could no longer just be derived from the horizontal progression of images, but also the vertical clash/marriage of sound and vision.

These concepts are very much something that I think have expanded throughout the history of cinema and with digital technology bringing non-linear editing to our doorsteps, super-structures are even more relevant than they have ever been. We tend not to think about it when we are watching films any more, but what we are seeing is often the combination of more than one image. Compositing, motion-capture, video mixing, and the general layering of sound and image that goes on in film is more widespread and everyday now.
Apart from the advancement of technology, I think that this is largely to do with the way we function as human beings. We think, communicate and live our lives in a way that is more similar to a cloudy mesh of layered images, sounds, ideas, half-thoughts, memories and aspirations (sometimes clashing and sometimes unifying in coherent narratives) than just a singular route from A to B.

With this in mind, I have been consciously experimenting with the layering of images in my work and I have been exploring the possibility of telling stories vertically as opposed to horizontally. Predominantly, these experiments have resulted in small abstract pieces and their coherency largely depends on how concentrated the initial narrative concept is. The first one I did, Super-Structure (which you can see above) was a sort of video essay on the subject. I try not to think about what I am doing as I am making one, because (much like my split-screen experiments) I like to find the accidental stories and moods that come out of the immediate thoughts that I have. Above is a recent one that I have made with my friend/collaborator Stu. We made two individual super-structures following the theme of light and then put them together in a split-screen sequence. Stuart photographed outdoor light and I photographed indoor light.
I realize that this is perhaps not an original technique. We see super-structures in various forms across various skills; video art, vjing, compositing, motion graphics etc. It is, however, something that I find inspiring and something that I would like to communicate with people about...visually that is. So, I have created a Super-Structures group on Vimeo where anyone who is interested in this concept can add their Super-Structures and talk about their various approaches of layering images and telling stories vertically. Click below to see. Add yourself to the group, join the discussions in the forums and let me know what you think.

Note: As far as I'm concerned, the layering of images can include anything from vertically layering shot within an editing program to video feedback. As long as we can see the layers it's a Super-Structure so feel free to add your work if you feel that it fits within this category.

People on Sunday

2009-09-28T16:17:00.005+01:00

It's getting around to that time of year again in Exeter where the run-up to the Two Short Nights Film Festival gets everyone in a mad rush to put those finishing touches to their films, bursary winners and all. Having just put some final touches to Jerri Hart's Plan B (which will be premiered on Saturday Nov.28th) and with Tera Toma in the can, I had a little time on my hands to do something voluntary and creative this weekend so I joined local filmmakers Andy Oxley and David Williams on Sunday to help film a vintage MG race car for their upcoming documentary.
Currently untitled, the documentary, much like their other work, is centered around a certain kind of Englishness. This time, however, they haven't gone with something as specific as tea or cake. They are looking at what people do on a Sunday...which, you might say, is pretty broad. They have quite a few different people lined up. One gentleman named Phillip prides himself on not liking Sundays at all. He says "I hate weekends. I wish I lived in one continuous week".
Anyway, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing a cut of the film. I'm sure it was all worth me hanging out the back of David's car as we cruised down the country roads near Tavistock.
Williams & Oxley's last film, Making the Difference has recently been shortlisted for the annual Virgin Media Shorts competition, which means that it will be touring over 200 cinemas throughout the UK in coming months, so keep your eyes peeled. If you can't wait til then, here it is:

Tera Toma (teaser trailer)

2009-09-28T16:04:00.007+01:00

Hey all, just finished the teaser trailer for Tera Toma this weekend. I found it to be quite an interesting process seeing as the film required less editing, but I think/hope that I've managed to capture some of the mood and intensity of the film in this 1 minute cut.
Check it out:
Remember, you can also follow the progress of the film and the journey (post-shoot) at the Tera Toma Website or by searching #teratomaproject on Twitter.

Here Lies Lucy in New Orleans

2009-09-22T09:10:00.018+01:00

What better place can you think of to watch a vampire film than in the nocturnal city of New Orleans? This morning I received confirmation that Here Lies Lucy has been accepted into the annual Hollywood Vampire Film Festival which is, for the first time, being hosted in that famous little cultural hub of Louisiana.
According to the festival's webpage, their mission is 'to showcase the artistry of filmmakers who work in this supernatural genre, to further the mythology and lore of vampires and share it with the mortal world.'
I'm glad that after so long (production began back in 2007), the film still seems to be picking up attention here and there. It's great that it has achieved recognition internationally, especially within the vampire, undead, horror/fantastic film festival arena. This is all I wanted for the film and I'm happy that after all the effort, it has an audience. Now I should get to work on getting Tera Toma seen!

ADDITIONAL NOTE (added 6/10/09):
As a result of being accepted into the Vampire Film Festival, I was called up by The Independent on Sunday last week for an interview. A very strange experience indeed. Click here to see the article. They didn't use much and I think they misquoted me slightly, but Here Lies Lucy got a mention in a national Sunday newspaper so I have no complaints really!

The Post-Tera Toma Blues

2009-09-20T01:45:00.023+01:00

It's a strange feeling coming to the end of a project which is so immediate. I feel like I should be doing something, like preparing myself for a grueling few months of post production. With this project, however, I don't need to. It is complete, just 8 days after principle photography began. Well, I say 'principle' photography as if there is something more to come...but there isn't. What a bizarre empty feeling this film has left me with. Don't get me wrong. I'm absolutely thrilled with outcome of the experiment and genuinely feel that (taking into account all the factors involved) we could not have made a better film. It's just that I feel there should be more to it than this. I suppose I've been conditioned to approach my films in a conventional way where I take the time to build a relationship with a piece of work long before its completion. This project has turned out quite different. When I watch it over, there are still things that surprise me that I have not noticed yet, almost as if the improvised, real-time approach has put me back into the role of being a spectator as opposed to an author.

The workshop method used to devise and complete this film worked wonders in the sense that I could see a definite evolution from day to day of the film from both a technical and performance level. What is lacking, however, (and this is perhaps not a disadvantage) is the meticulous approach that I am used to, where every shot, sound, frame and transition is scrutinized to the finest detail. So I suppose the melancholy, or lull that I have found myself in a week after finishing the film has probably got something to do with the lack of control. The desire, yet inability to tweak. It's almost as if I've rendered myself ineffective...which I find interesting.

Anyway, I am going to take this opportunity to try and get the film seen by as many people as possible. I think one disadvantage (on a low-budget level) of a meticulous, over-analyzed edit, is that it drains me of all motivation to promote the final film. Now, however, I have the energy and opportunity to look into this side of filmmaking a bit more and see what happens. So far, I am quite happy with the response that the film has received. Despite some technical mishaps during the premiere this week, the film seemed to engage most of the audience and the feedback that I received post-screening was pretty great. So, who knows. Watch this space. I'll keep you all posted with the film's progress.

DandCFilm have written the first review of the film which you can find here.

Also, don't forget to check out the official Tera Toma site, which contains behind the scenes videos, blogs, photos and little creative tid bits from the cast and crew during and after the shoot. There are more interviews and bits to come, but it can also be a platform for your thoughts on the film. If you have seen it, why not sign up and write a little review. It doesn't matter whether it's negative or positive. The whole project is about generating feedback.

Here's some feedback from the cast and crew:

Tera Toma Site Launched

2009-09-02T08:03:00.007+01:00

Hey all. Just a quick one today. There are numerous things that need to fall into place between today and Monday. The lead actors are arriving tonight and tomorrow morning, rehearsals start, and the team are busy getting the locations ready for the shoot next week. Plinths and fish tanks are being feverishly worked on in order to make the Tera Toma exhibition space as realistic as possible. Thanks very much to Jerri Hart who has stepped in at the 11th hour to help put bits and pieces together. Much appreciated.
Anyway I just wanted to draw your attention to the new Tera Toma site which was launched yesterday by DandCFilm. The site is supposed to be an interactive space in which people from inside the production can register and post updates, videos, photos, blogs about the experience of making this film. It's also a place for the potential audience of the film to interact with before and after we have finished making it. So, if you're interested, please go over to the site, bookmark it, post comments as things are happening, watch the updates. There will be things posted there that are exclusive to the Tera Toma site, you won't find it anywhere else :) Follow the link: Tera Toma @ DandCFilm
Later.

Tera Toma promo/screening poster

2009-08-26T23:23:00.007+01:00

Here is the poster art for the screening of Tera Toma on the 15th of September. Steve Newton was playing around with the Tera Toma twins and a photocopier and came up with this striking image. Without giving too much of the story away, I think it represents the film (that hasn't been made yet!) quite well. One twin shrouded in darkness and splattered with paint and the other in the light looking serene and distracted. Thanks to Stuart Mitchell of Phoenix Media for helping out w/ the workload and putting the poster together for me.

I heart Vimeo

2009-08-26T23:01:00.010+01:00

Hey all. Just a brief one before I move on to all things Tera Toma. I've been distracted from my work this past weekend by none other than those evil, conniving staff members on Vimeo and their silly little mind games...I mean...um...Weekend Projects. Last weekend's assignment was to make a video Haiku. I don't know what happened, but before I could think about what I was doing, I made three. I have to say I really enjoy the video haiku as a concept. It's definitely an exercise that all filmmakers should take part in. It teaches discipline...keeping things simple and short: 3 shots; 5 secs/7secs/5secs and it's also good storytelling practice...get your point across in 3 short shots. It's also, I might add, a good model for Third Wave films. So anyway, without wasting too much time writing about them, here are mine:

Mutant Babies & Little Circles

2009-08-22T21:50:00.008+01:00

Hey all. Tera Toma is fast approaching. We start shooting in just over two weeks so I thought I'd post some more frequent updates before now and then. Good news! Steve Newton has finished with the artwork for the film. He has gone above and beyond what he was asked to do and provided the production with a whopping 23 pieces!...and that's not including the 2D work that he has submitted as well (as seen in my previous post). All that is left to do with these pieces is to find enough fish tanks to display them within the warehouse space we have sourced. So far we have enough for 9 pieces and are thinking of using 15 in total.

Last week, we filmed our final technical test before the shoot. It was the first time that we tried out a scene w/ dialogue and full sound recording kit. In the past, it has usually just been James McLaughlin and I working on the split screen tests. This time, however, we were joined by production assistants, Nicola Davidson & Misa Morning as well as sound recordist James Kum and actor Sam Morgan. Considering that the piece was improvised from scratch in just a few hours, I'm really happy with the result. I think it really gives a sense of how the film will flow and how we will be working together as a team. Here is the result:

Anyway, there is much more information to come in the next two weeks. The final location is almost locked down and next week we will be diving head first into decorating the sets and organizing the timing and logistics of the shoot. So...post ya later!

Tera Toma Twins & Players

2009-08-12T23:42:00.021+01:00

Thought I would post some updates concerning the steps that are being taken towards the Tera Toma production which is due to start on the 7th of September. As you can see from the image above, Steve Newton is well on his way to producing the artwork for the film. I've just had a meeting with him and he has two massive boxes of baby dolls in his house which he is going to tackle next week. Conjoined twins here we come! Sourcing containers for these models is still proving difficult, but there is a dedicated team of about four people on the lookout for the most affordable and practical option out there. I think we may have to settle for fish tanks.

More good news is that we now have all the actors signed on to the project with only one more location to source and lock down. The logistics of the film are still a complex challenge, but it's all definitely within reach now that we have the players.

Here they are in what will be the order of appearance:

MAN 1 - Mike McAlpine
MAN 2 - James McLaughlin
THE WOMAN - Liz Pennington
THE DOCTOR - Sam Morgan

So the next few weeks is dedicated to getting the technical pieces of the puzzle in place, that final location and the fine tuning of the script. We'll be doing another test this Saturday, so keep your eyes peeled for some more split screen wonderment.

For those of you out there who are interested in seeing the final result. Make sure you book the 15th of September and come down to the premiere screening at the Phoenix Auditorium, Exeter. Tickets are free but you will need to book in advance for numbers.

To boldly go where no Third Wave has gone before...

2009-08-02T12:49:00.018+01:00

Hello all. It's been a while so I thought I'd write a Third Wave update. Last week, The Third Wave Collective had it's first birthday. Yes indeed, it has been a whole year since John Sealey's The Art of Space Travel graced our presence with its singular & immediate, pixelated message to the world: 'pick up a camera, phone, anything... make some films people, and do it quick!'. Since that moment, which at the time seemed to be just another fleeting idea, the collective has grown to considerably dizzy heights. Currently, on our Vimeo site, we have 75 films made by a disparate collection of filmmakers, non-filmakers, students, actors, amateurs, painters and even art administrators...and that's just counting the ones that were finished and uploaded. At present, an average of 27 people have participated in the project using our 3 steps to cinematic heaven:

1. All films must be created in the spirit of spontaneity
– no scripts, no pre-production.

2. All films must be no longer than 2 minutes.

3. All films must be produced within 90 minutes
– from the start of shooting to the end of editing.

If this manifesto has done one thing during the past year, it has inspired people to be creative in an environment in which we can ALL be artistically equal. As a result, I think that the collective has considerable scope and will definitely increase in coming months as we continue to have high-profile screenings and small successes. So far we have screened locally at Phoenix Media's monthly Creative Collective, The Umbrella Factory arts events, BBC Big Screen in Plymouth, The View From Here Festival 2008, and internationally at a Vimeo Offline Screening in Brooklyn NYC and Gung'Yu'Bazz art club in Donetsk, Ukraine.

Coming up next week is Exeter's annual Big Screen in the Park event in Northernhay Gardens. The Third Wave Collective has secured a 10 minute slot before J.J. Abram's Star Trek on August 14th. This is pretty exciting, not only due to the potential scale of the audience, but also because quite a few Third Wave films have been inspired by Sci Fi. Stuart Dawson's Parallel for instance is directly influenced by a Next Generation episode.
So anyway, here are the details if you want to see some rough and ready no-budget filmmaking spirit next to this years best summer blockbuster:

ANIMAL BIG SCREEN IN THE PARK: STAR TREK
Fri 14 Aug/9pm/Northernhay Gardens/£1

More exciting recent news is that Bartleby's Memory of Childhood has come third place in CNN's Screening Room Mobile Phone Movie Competition! The film will apparently be broadcast on CNN and the subsequently hosted on their Screening Room site for all to see. The broadcast will be during one of or all of these following dates & times:

Thursday 6 August: 0945, 1615
Saturday 8 August: 0945, 1815, 1145
Sunday 9 August: 1545
Monday 10 August: 0345
(all times GMT)

This is fantastic news and it can only mean good things concerning the collective's future! Congrats to Bartleby for getting our first broadcast credit! It's probably too vague to discuss in detail just yet, but the film has also been long-listed for the Virgin Media Shorts 2009 competition along with pAra NoiA which means that they both have a chance (admittedly small, but still a chance) to be screened in Cinemas across the country. Fingers crossed! So, if you're interested in getting involved. Now is as good a time as any! Hope to see you at Star Trek, but for now...here are some recent Third Wave contributions:

Later...

Tera Toma Progress

2009-07-22T16:27:00.025+01:00

After weeks of not being able to get to work on Tera Toma, things are finally looking up with the film. Logistically, some aspects seem to be falling into place...slowly that is. There have been new additions to the pre-production team (i.e. people other than myself) and some very stressful weight has been lifted from my shoulders in the form of pre-production assistants, Su Elliott and (newcomer to the Syndrome Pictures team) Nicola Davidson. Both Su and Nicola will be helping with, among other tasks, the process of organising locations and helping me put together the route that the production will take through town in September. There are already some brilliantly positive leads. It's not absolutely concrete, but we may have just scored two of the three main locations of the film all of which fall within the area of town where I want to shoot and are next to perfect. So, now my mind has moved onto other areas - art direction, technical crew and SCRIPT!

I recently had a meeting with local artist Steve Newton who is putting together the opening scene's teratological exhibit and things seem to be progressing really well. As you can see below, he has been experimenting with different types of dolls and glue to come up with the exhibit's first item, a pair of preserved baby conjoined twins.

There's a strange symmetry about these dolls which I quite like. Something that definitely doesn't look human, but are disturbing nonetheless. By the way, these photos that you are seeing are a work in progress. Steve is intending to add a more detailed coat of paint to the tera-twins. We also discussed ways of making the eyes look more deceased, by either shutting them, or adding a kind of see-through film to the pupils.

We also discussed ways of containing the pieces that he will be making. We would very much like to give them a kind of 'preserved' look by submerging them in water. Finding affordable containers, however, is proving complex. During our meeting, I photographed them in one of Steve's fish tanks which worked quite well, but we need containers that are easier to access and that can rest vertically. We are going to need enough for 10 to 15 pieces. So, if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. Gardening & taxidermy bell jars are proving too expensive.

Here is an example of the kind of imagery that is influencing us for the film. You can see the rest of the set here.

I will keep you posted concerning Steve's progress. It's definitely one of the most exciting aspects of this film so far.

Another good step forward has been securing the help of two camera assistants; Third Wave regulars Harry Willmott and Bartleby who are both interested in the process and keen to help. I think that, with a project like this, the Third Wave Collective is a good place to draw help from. Tera Toma shares a similar ethos in the sense that, as filmmakers, we are unaware of the outcome of this project and we are attempting to achieve that outcome through the immediate use of digital technology.
I have enlisted the help of Molly King (who I have collaborated with previously on Here Lies Lucy) as second camera operator. She is keen to be involved in such an 'interactive process' and I'm sure that she will be inspired by the GH1! Speaking of which, it is time to leave you with another test. This time, we did one at night on a considerably dark road. I put my long-exposure technique to the test again after my recent Third Wave films, Zebrageist and Full of Kittens, but this time I applied it to moving, hand-held footage, which I think has an interesting effect. My intention is to do this but with a more frequent exposure...say 5 seconds instead of 10 and for it to be mixed together with a more energetic scene, where one of the Tera Toma characters is running down streets and around corners in dark alleys. Should be interesting.

Catch you later.

Coming Soon: The Imps

2009-07-19T01:22:00.018+01:00

I've made some firm steps forward with Tera Toma recently, I've secured much of the production team and there are some pretty strong leads concerning locations and supporting actors. Some interesting CVs are finding their way to my inbox. I have to put a day aside this week to respond to them. I have a meeting on Tuesday with Steve Newton. He has some conjoined twin sculptures to show me - very exciting! Anyway, I digress, this post is intended for another production altogether.
There's a lot of filmmaking going on in Exeter over the next few months. As well as a fresh batch of Phoenix Media funded work, there are quite a few independent productions going on. The filmmaking spirits are high in 2009 - pretty exciting really.
Presently, my girlfriend, Pippa, and her friend, Misa, are making their first co-directing foray into filmmaking with their project, The Imps. It's a short piece inspired by expressionist silent era films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. In fact, it's largely influenced by Robert Weine's other film made around the same time called The Vampyre. If you've been following this blog for a while, you may recognize the imp concept from Pippa's early Third Wave films. The Imps & Dance of the Imp have remained Third Wave favorites for a while now and it seems that this popularity has inspired an actual full blown production...you know...the kind where you have more than just 90 minutes?

Due to time constraints with my own work, I have been unable to get as involved as I would like with this film, but I am helping out as an assistant during the shoot, which is happening this weekend. Here's a promo still I put together after today's shoot.

I'm very much looking forward to the final product. It should be pretty creepy. You will be able to see it at this year's Two Short Nights Film Festival as it has received some in-kind support from Phoenix Media.
Post ya later.

Music for Midnight

2009-07-04T21:32:00.010+01:00

I know this is not film related, but it may be of interest to those of you who share the same interests as me. My friend Brian and I have started a radio show on the local community radio channel, Phonic FM , called Music for Midnight. The music we play spans a variety of genres and the show is basically an extension of the conversations that he have about the music we like. It's the kind of music that you can imagine being played at midnight. Experimental, weird, atmospheric and downright silly. So, if you're interested in checking it out, we will be on air every other Friday from midnight. The next show is on July 17th. You can also follow us here on blip.fm (which is basically the music equivalent to twitter.)
We're open to suggestions as well, what do you listen to late at night? Let us know.

Here's a list of some of the artists we were drawing from on last night's show:

Thomas Truax - Sun Ra - The Art Ensemble of Chicago - Cats in Paris - Mugison - Pascal Comelade - Fox Bat Strategy - Hangedup - Kurt Weill - The Lounge Lizards - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Captain Beefheart - Kevin Coyne - Pascals - Mogwai - Amon Tobin

More to come next time. Later.

Introducing...Tera Toma

2009-06-27T15:35:00.035+01:00

So, as promised, here's an introductory blog on my upcoming film project, Tera Toma. I've been a little hesitant about posting anything about it recently, basically because I feel massively under-prepared at this point in time. Various professional obligations have disabled me from giving this project the full attention that I think it needs. But, there are still two whole months left before we go into production, so... time to haul ass and sort some stuff out!

The film will be the final installment to my PhD by Practice at Exeter Uni. In my thesis I have been exploring ideas of digital adaptation, specifically in regards to early modern horror. My previous film, Here Lies Lucy: A Vampire Yarn, was the first installment and was mainly concerned with ideas of texture and myth, specifically in relation to Bram Stoker's Dracula. View my previous blog entry to read about some of the technical approaches that were taken.
Tera Toma is very much a continuation of the theoretical approaches that were considered during the making of Here Lies Lucy (but this time, looking at the writing of Robert Louis Stevenson). Technically, however, it will be quite different. Over the past year, I've developed an interest in the immediacy of the digital technology I have been using in my work and how it has the potential to change the nature of how we put together films. After two 48 Hour Film Challenges and numerous Third Wave films that I have made, I wanted to take the new improvised technical approaches that I have explored and feed them into a larger, more considered production.
The idea behind this production is to approach it using a workshop method, where cast and crew have the opportunity to watch back what they have done and voice opinions on how it can be improved during following takes. Because we will be filming a real-time performance, with a little editing, we will be able to view back what we have done every morning before the next take. After the week's shoot is over, the film/best take will be screened before an audience, 3 days after its completion. Yikes!

Take a look at the blurb for the event that's been published in the Phoenix Arts Centre's brochure:
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TERA TOMA

Tue 15 Sep/8pm/FREE/Exeter Phoenix Auditorium

Phoenix Media presents the premiere screening of an experimental thriller directed by Joshua Gaunt, as part of his PhD Film Practice at Exeter University. He will be collaborating with a team of local filmmakers and artists to produce a split screen film inspired by notions of mutation in biology, early modern horror fiction and digital technology. The 45 minute piece will be filmed in real time, each day, during the week prior to the screening and the best take will be presented with live, improvised musical accompaniment.

Supported by Phoenix Media, D+CFilm & Exeter University Film Studies Department.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, as you can imagine, the prospect of making this film is quite frightening. There are a lot of logistical issues to address. To really make it the film that it can be, I need a lot of help managing the pre-production process. If you're local, Exeter/Devon based, and you are reading this, feel free to drop me a line through this blog, my email or twitter if you would like to help out with organising the production, locking down locations, helping me sort out the remaining technical issues or even if you just want to talk to me about it.

Here are some technical & performance tests I have done so far that can give you an idea of the film's aesthetic:

So far I have both lead actors, Mike McAlpine & James McLaughlin (seen in the films above), on board. I've sorted a costume designer, sound recordist/editor, an on-set production manager and some production assistants. I'm shooting on one of the cameras for the dual camera shoot, but I'm also looking for someone to fill the 2nd camera spot. I have also begun collaboration with local artist Steve Newton in order to create part of the set for the film's opening scene which takes place in a teratological exhibit w/preserved mutated bodies other such things in jars (more about this later...).

As for the cast I'm looking for two more actors to fill supporting roles. A middle-aged, stocky, disheveled man to play a doctor, and a woman in her late 20s early 30s to play the lead character's friend/kindred spirit. Both actors would need to be familiar/comfortable with improvisation for lengthy periods of time.
So far I have been meeting with the actors every few weeks and started devising their characters with them. I'm aiming to finish a loose script by mid-July that we can use as the frame work to improvise from.

So anyway, there is so much more to talk but I'll leave it for later blogs. I'll be posting images and tests here as well as discussions of our progress as a cast and crew. D+CFilm have kindly offered to help with the press/promotion of the film. I've only had a brief chat with them but there has been talk of creating a mini website/sub domain where everything can be updated, accessed and discussed before, during and after the production. Podcasts, features etc. Will keep you posted of course.

ExeterFolk: an Interview Project for the South West?

2009-06-24T14:17:00.026+01:00

Since I've joined twitter, I've come across quite a few interesting film projects that are circulating on the web. I know I'm definitely not the only person following David Lynch, so this may not be news to many of you, but he's recently started a new documentary project that is streaming from his website called, Interview Project. I've been following it for a few seeks now (@interviewproj) and I find it totally inspiring.

Here's the gist of it: Over the course of a few months, he had a film crew travel around the US in search of interesting individuals to interview. Often, being a David Lynch project, the people that are chosen are residents of small-town America with either mundane existences or peculiar stories to tell. Each film is 3 minutes in length and a new edition is released every 3 days for a year on the site.
Now, I find this fascinating because my friend Stu and I had a similar idea ourselves but never fully went through with it. The project was called ExeterFolk and it was going to be a website/video site that had a series of 3 minute documentaries which gave the local people that we see everyday in Exeter and its surrounding areas a voice. We even went so far as to do a test run, but we haven't had the opportunity since. I think we should start again.

I think, as well as many others, that Exeter and the South West, UK has it's own set of peculiar individuals and stories. In many ways, it shares the same small town myth that America has. It has it's mundane quotidian existences, but also it has a wellspring of eccentrics who remain silent, but ever-present, in the shadows of the community that we live in.
So, who knows? Maybe Interview Project will provide filmmakers everywhere with the right kind of inspiration to make their own, similar projects about the voices that have been lost in their areas. Telling the story of the individual, it seems, is the goal of many filmmakers. I know, now that I have the right kind of equipment at my disposal, that I will definitely be trying to do more ExeterFolk docs in the near future. You are all welcome to do the same, if you know someone with a 3 minute story to tell. Drop me a line if it happens.

The New Toy

2009-06-19T19:22:00.029+01:00

So I've recently bought a new toy. The Panasonic Lumix GH1 hybrid stills/video camera. It's probably no surprise to some seeing how I was telling everyone about how exciting this bit of kit is for weeks before I actually made the purchase. It's a really interesting camera that has all sorts of funky features and for its price w/ the kit lens it can achieve a better depth of field/quality of image than any of the video cameras I've been looking at in its price range. The interchangeable lens system, manual control in video mode and automatic settings are great benefits.
I've now had it for two weeks and I have to say, it is definitely meeting my expectations. I also had the great opportunity of being able to purchase it before I went on vacation to France, so I got a lot of practice in, and tests...much to my girlfriend's dismay. But it was cool, we had a great time drinking wine, eating cheese and biking around Loire Valley for a week, and we've got the GH1 pics & videos to remember it all!
Here are two that I particularly like. As you can see, bugs and wine were my main focus for the week:

It's exciting to be able to get this focus on something that I own.

I've recently, like many other filmmakers, become fascinated by the idea of DSLR filmmaking. I've seen a lot of the stuff that's up on vimeo, made on the GH1, the Canon 5Dmk2 and Nikon D90 that is really inspiring. The lightweight, guerrilla, run & gun possibilities of cameras like these can only be good for the more independent, experimental side of the industry.
My main reason for buying this now (apart from the frustration of not having a descent camera on hand) was to have a piece of kit to shoot my upcoming film project Tera Toma with (more about this later). Usually, with the exception of my freelance work, Third Waves and some 48 Hour Film Challenges, I have someone else shoot my big film projects. However, because this project is going to be improvised to such a degree, I want to have more personal control over the image.
The continuous auto focus & face recognition function are going to be particularly helpful. I've read all about the limitations of this camera, the 17mbps bitrate, the lack of sound monitoring and it's slowness in low light situations (although this can be sorted by getting better lens) are only minor concerns at the moment. I do hope that Panasonic will come up with a fantastic firmware update at some point in the future (like Canon have done with the 5Dmk2) but no rush. There are still loads of things to discover. After all, what is filmmaking without limitations?
The low light issue has already inspired me to play around with mixing photo-montage, long exposure and video within the same sequence. Check out this Third Wave that I made to see what I'm talking about. I hope to use this technique more in the near future, but with characters and plot.

More to come next time about my upcoming project, Tera Toma.

Jerri Hart's Plan B

2009-06-01T20:09:00.010+01:00

Hi there. It's been a while since I've posted. I've been busy with various workshops and freelance work recently, but now things seem to be calming down...well...calming down enough for me to write this here blog entry:) So before I start I should probably let you all know that I've (reluctantly at first) joined Twitter. You can find immediate updates to the right of my blog entries (just above my Youtube link), otherwise, you can follow me here: twitter/syndromepix . I have to say it has it's benefits. I have managed to consolidate all of the blogs and sites that I follow into one constant news feed and I find that it's saving me loads of time surfing the internet for the information I want. So yeah, follow me there if you are interested in all the little filmic tidbits of my daily life...not everything needs an extensive blog you know :).
So, that said, I have recently been hard at work on the edit of Jerri Hart's new film, Plan B (working title). It's been pretty intense as I have had to fit it in between some other freelance work as well as other peoples' deadlines. The sound designer has now left to work on a new ITV show starring Robbie Coltrane and the composer needs to go back to the States in a few weeks to begin working for Hanz Zimmer. Meanwhile...I'm still here, in Devon! Haha.
So what can I say about it...there has been an obscene amount of footage to sift through, but it's all done now. We are on rough cut no.2 at the moment.

Jerri Hart, on set...Peckinpah style:

The film stems from Jerri's passion for old British comedy, Ealing style. It's largely influenced by the Ladykillers in particular (no, not the Coen's version, but he has watched it and admitted to not entirely disliking it). The film follows Tony, a recently released ex-con who gets roped into doing "one last job" by his old gang of distracted misfits...sound familiar? Well it is, but there's a twist, which I of course cannot divulge at this point in time. The film stars stand-up comedian extraordinaire, Tony Allen and has an admirable performance by one Sir Gideon as Rod, Tony's right hand man.
So, to be perfectly honest with you, the film is a considerable way off from completion. Post sound and composition needs to be completed and I have yet to take any of the film into Apple's Color...where I am sure to have a wild ride. However, you will be sure to see it at it's local premiere here at Exeter's 2 Short Nights Film Festival. I will keep you informed of it's progress. Meanwhile, local filmmaker, Simon Rakestrow is currently mid-edit on his making-of doc, which I am sure knowing Jerri and the gang, will be entertaining to say the least. I will have a trailer posted sometime later this summer. Keep your eyes peeled.

Scene 1: Rod waits for Tony's release

Here Lies Lucy's US Premiere!

2009-04-22T19:46:00.016+01:00

Great news! Here Lies Lucy: A Vampire Yarn has been accepted into Zompire: The Undead Film Festival in Portland, Oregon USA. As you can probably guess from the title, the festival is dedicated to showcasing films about the undead (i.e. Zombies, Vampires etc.). The festival's brief is 'to highlight various filmmakers creative attempts to show the undead in new and unexpected ways.' This is very exciting festival to be a part of and I'm thrilled to have Here Lies Lucy screened at an event that celebrates the horror/vampire genre. Zompire is apparently a very popular event in Portland and is run by the same team as the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, now in its 14th year. It is being hosted at the Hollywood Theatre, which has been around since 1926! (Wow, you just don't get cinemas with a track record like that anymore here in England)
On the weekend of the 15th-17th May, Here Lies Lucy will be screened along side other international undead efforts as well as already established features from the past 50 years of horror (Two notable screenings are Day of the Dead & Cemetary Man aka Dellamorte, Dellamore, one of my favorite Zombie flicks!) This will be the US Premiere of the film. Congratulations to all involved and here's to more festival screenings. There are a few more horror/vampire/fantastic themed festivals which I will be submitting to in the near future so keep your eyes peeled my fellow creatures of the night!

A Strange Old Week of Internet Success

2009-04-21T00:28:00.036+01:00

It's been a strange old week and it seems that a little pro-activeness goes a long way. I was on Vimeo last Tuesday and I found an advertisement for an offline event that one of the Vimeo staff members was hosting in Brooklyn NYC on Wednesday. The theme was films that were executed in one take. So, I started looking through the Third Wave films to see if there was anything that they might like, never once thinking that they would pay any attention. I sent them the link to pAra NoiA, a Third Wave film I made with James McLaughlin last month as practice for an upcoming film project and to my surprise they seemed to like it. Not only was the film screened during The Single Take event, but it was featured on the Vimeo Homepage (have a look at the screen capture below) and Vimeo HD Channel. This has so far resulted in an astounding 13,000 views!!! I have to say I've been a fan of the wonders the internet possesses, especially in recent years with Youtube and Vimeo being excellent platforms for filmmakers to promote their work, but this occurrence has been nothing short of mind blowing. I don't think that I, James or Brian (who performed the score for the film) have ever had such an audience for our work. I'm also pretty excited at the prospect that this may just be the exposure that the Third Wave Collective needs to get more members from outside of the UK involved in the 90 minute filmmaking challenge. We have now doubled our contact base for Vimeo so there is real potential for our work to be seen again by a large group of people. I think the key is definitely to be more outgoing with the groups, channels and albums that the films are added to. Who knows what's on the horizon for the Third Wave?...oh wait...I DO!
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You will all have TWO chances this coming week to see
March & April's Third Wave contributions on the big screen.

The first screening will be at the Creative Collective on Tuesday, 21st of April @ 7pm @ Exeter Phoenix Media Centre's Black Box.
(Entrance is free for this screening, but you will need to get a ticket from the Phoenix Box Office ahead of time to secure yourself a seat.)

The second will be during the Umbrella Factory arts event on Saturday, 25th of April @ The Hub, Exeter.
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Amongst the internet chaos last week, I also decided to make more of an effort and upload some of the short pieces of work I have been involved with recently onto the Virgin Media Shorts site as part of this year's competition. The top 12 shortlisted films will be transferred onto 35mm film and screened alongside features at over 200 cinemas across the UK. The top film will be given a £30,000 budget towards a film. The opportunity is just too good to turn down, no matter how much of a long shot it is. So, I've uploaded pAra NoiA, Extraterrestrial Super -Structure and Su Elliott's Crumpled up Guy in an attempt to get some things seen by other people. I will also, in the coming weeks, be making a shorter cut of This Time Next Year to put on the site as well. Anyway, if you're reading this...please go onto Virgin Media Shorts and vote/view/comment on my uploads, I would greatly appreciate it. Also, go check out the 2min cut of Andy Oxley's Making the Difference. It's a great contender by a local filmmaker. The long version of his documentary won the audience award at last year's 2 Short Nights.
So, I will leave you now with my newest Third Wave film, Tyrannosaurus Super-Structure, a collaboration with Brian Monahan. Later..

.

I'm a Third Wave junky.

2009-03-10T00:04:00.028Z

Someone should really stop me before I do some harm to myself. All I seem to do anymore is make Third Wave films. But that's alright...cause they're (and I'm not just referring to the ones that I have made) awesome!
I think the problem is that I held out for so long waiting for other people to get involved before I made any more. Since the radio show in February, however, people have been doing their bit so I figured it was time for me to start again. I have made 4 in the last week!
The first was made in one shot on my Sony Ericsson c902 mobile phone:

I was over at Brian Monahan's flat while he was improvising some two minute compositions for Third Wave on the piano. I had brought an audio recorder with me but didn't think about needing a camera...so I had a real Third Wave moment and decided to use my phone to film one of his improvisations. It's not overly technical, but I think the video has a certain mood to it. I really like the quality of my phone, especially when I use the b/w present. The automatic exposure I find, is both a blessing and a curse.
Then, on Saturday I met with my friend Stu (another Third Wave junky) to host a workshop for young people. Sadly, no one showed up. So, instead of wasting our resources and the time we had booked at the Belmont Park community hut, we decided to make a film. Stu has been talking for a while about making a film about Psychogeography so we did, check it out:

With that free time, I also managed to source Brian's best improvisation from Wednesday night, so I spent the rest of the day developing a challenge for other Thirdwavers. Here it is:
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Third Wave Composition no.1: a challenge within a challenge.

Local musician, Brian Monahan, has kindly given us permission to use a composition that he made in any of the films that we create from now on. The composition is the best 2 minute take from a 90 minute piano session that he improvised on Wednesday, March 4th, specifically for the Third Wave Collective.

We would like to challenge you to try and make a Third Wave film that incorporates this music. This is, of course, optional, (you can make any Third Wave film you like) but we think it would be fascinating to see the variety of different video responses we can generate.

As long as you are sticking to the Third Wave rules, you can use it as it stands, remix it or add sounds to it.

If you would like a copy of the composition to use, email us at 3hirdwave@gmail.com and we will send it over. An mp3 copy is also available on our Myspace site.
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Here are the two that I made following this challenge. The first one, pAra NoiA was testing out one of many ideas surrounding my upcoming film, Tera Toma which I will be shooting at the end of the year with James McLaughlin as one of the leads.

The second one was completely improvised. I was playing around with Brian's composition in Soundtrack Pro and Final Cut, and realised that I was developing some kind of sonic story...so, having a camera by my side, I decided to add some images to it. In the end, it became another Super-Structure.

The Third Wave Collective is now on Vimeo Plus, so uploads are practically limitless. We have up to 5GB of upload space a week, plus unlimited HD uploads. If anything, this should be an excuse for more people to contribute to the collective. Go on, make a film in 90 Minutes! And while you're at it, why not use Brian's composition.
Later.

Here Lies Lucy is online & on IMDB.

2009-02-26T10:47:00.004Z

Hey all.
I was growing tired of nobody seeing my film, Here Lies Lucy: A Vampire Yarn, so I decided to bite the bullet and put it online.

For those of you who are seeing this full-length cut for the first time. I hope you enjoy the experience. It was an arduous task finishing this project, but I am happy with the results and I think everyone who worked on it are as well. Will keep you posted if anything else happens with it. I was recently invited by Withoutabox to put a page up on IMDB for the film. It's taking a while for all the details to come through, but here's the link:
Here Lies Lucy on IMDB

... and the Third Wave Collective goes forth.

2009-02-13T22:42:00.014Z

As the films keep coming in, it seems like last Wednesday's Third Wave Interactive Filmmaking Experience on Phonic FM was a success! Thank you to all those who listened in and especially to those of you who contributed to the Third Wave Collective by making a film in 90 minutes!!! Well done and welcome to the fold. We hope that you had as much fun as Stuart, Caroline and I did making our films together in the studio.
Yes it was a challenge, but as usual, the results were well worth the effort. There have been some exciting films uploaded since Wednesday and it seems we have some new converts (Bartleby has already made three!). You can view the films that have been made before, during and after the show on our vimeo site: vimeo.com/thirdwave and you can contribute yourself, whenever you like.
The challenge is there, 24/7, 365 days a year and anyone, no matter what their experience is, can get involved. All you need is a video capturing device (which can range from a mobile phone to a high-end HD camera) and a means of capturing your film onto a computer. We hope that this experience has inspired others to try their hand at making Third Wave films in the future and if you were involved in Wednesday's show, we'd like to hear from you. What was the experience like? Did you find the process easy? What method did you use to make your film? Did you create something you didn't expect? Let others know about your experience and spread the word of Third Wave. Email us at 3hirdwave@gmail.com.
We will be back on air on Wednesday April 8th between 2 and 4pm with a special guest filmmaker. Make sure you keep your eyes and ears peeled until then for any screenings or events.
Keep on Thirdwavin'
Third Wave Collective

As the films get uploaded I will embed them below for all to see, here's what was produced during Wednesday's show so far:

The Third Wave Interactive Filmmaking Experience on Phonic FM

2009-02-01T12:59:00.010Z

Following the warm reception that last night's Third Wave screening received at The Umbrella Factory, I feel it's time to get the ball rolling with our Interactive Filmmaking Experience on Phonic FM later this month. In an effort to have more content created by a more diverse range of participants, we will be taking over the Plan 9 Radio Show on Phonic FM on Wednesday February 11th between 2 and 4pm.
During the show, we will be introducing the concepts surrounding the Third Wave Manifesto and discussing the films that have been made to date. At 2:30, we will begin to create our own Third Wave film on air while anyone who is listening in is invited to do so as well at the same time. The event is intended to create an interactive experience where a range of content is created within a 90 minute period. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether or not you have experience making films. During the first half of the show, we will be talking about different methods that can be used to create a Third Wave film, so if you are unsure of your technical abilities, have no fear.
So, if you want to get involved with the Third Wave Interactive Filmmaking Experience, here are the details that you need. Tune into 106.8 FM or follow the show on www.phonic.fm on 11/2/09.

While I'm speaking about interactive filmmaking. Have a look at the scene that I put together for The Simple Lies Experiment, a film noir thriller that anyone can add to, rewrite or remix. I created the scene by manipulating several layers or monoprints.

Crumpled Up Guy is online!!!

2009-01-15T00:19:00.012Z

Hey all. Happy New Year. There are a few things that I have been meaning to post recently, but I will get to them when time permits. I just now figured that this little dude deserves his own post, so I'll let him do the talkin'. Ladies and Gentlemen...Crumpled Up Guy.

Your chance to see him on the big screen will be on Sunday, February 15th @ 4:30pm @ Exeter Picturehouse as part of the Animated Exeter Festival 2009.

2 Short Nights 2008 - a retrospective

2008-12-01T19:08:00.011Z

Hey there. Another year has gone for the 2 Short Nights Film Festival here in Exeter. What an exciting weekend! In it's 7th year, I think that Phoenix Media have finally begun to crack the code. Both nights were packed full of viewers, filmmakers and enthusiasts alike. I think this is largely due to the success of the festival's first ever 48 hour film challenge. Bringing a little interactivity to the festival did wonders and I'm very happy to have been involved...in my little ways.

Friday the 28th begun with the D+CFilm Open Screening, which was very exciting because Noise Reduction and Crumpled up Guy made their first public appearance here in Exeter. I was mostly excited by the latter's reception. Sometimes when you work on something, you lose track of how it will be received by an audience...and to be honest...you never really have any idea. All audiences are different in their own right! With Crumpled up Guy, however, I have always been pretty sure of its ability communicate well with an audience. It's simple and poignant in the way it plays out. Therefore, it was a thrill to witness the audience's positive feedback, especially with this being Su Elliott's first festival outing. Hopefully in the not too distant future, the film will be uploaded to the web and I will be able to post it here. I think at some point, Misty's Big Adventure (the band whose song the film is based on) will put the video up on their Youtube site.

The 2 Long Days 48 Hour Film Challenge went particularly well. It was amazing to see how many great films could be made by so many different people in such a short period of time. There were some genuinely inspired pieces of work. Everyone was given a theme (Visions of the future) and a prop (a painter's palette). My team decided not to fight the prop and let it influence the story. So we devised a story about an artist and the effect that he has on a bored & lonely office worker. Check it out:

A brief Third Wave promo that I cut together was also screened during the 48 hour screening. People seem to be genuinely interested in the project, so we will see how much of an impact the project has made in the next month or so. Here's the ad:

The second night of the festival was quite eventful as well. The caliber of this year's bursary films were quite high with Toby DeBurgh's film, Distraction, winning the best film award as well as Andy Oxley's Making the Difference winning the audience award. Apparently, Tom Austin's Man-Cub (photo above) came one vote away from the prize! Anyway, that's all for now. There will be a few updates in the near future. But at the moment, it seems as if this years' filmmaking has come to an inspiring end.

Third Wave & Noise Reduction get a much welcomed showcase at The View From Here

2008-11-26T23:54:00.011Z

Hey all. Great news! The View From Here, a week-long festival celebrating moving image in Devon and Cornwall, have chosen to screen a selection of Third Wave films. They have selected the following:

Waiting for Gekko by Joshua Gaunt & Jane Rosenbaum
The Art of Making Decisions by Stuart Dawson
The Art of Space Travel by John Sealey
&
The Art of Time Travel by John Sealey

All of these films can be viewed either in my previous posts about Third Wave, or on Third Wave's vimeo site which you can access through the link in my links section.

This will be the first public screening of some of the collective's work. Another exciting bit of news is that it will be screened in front of industry professionals, including special guest Peter Richardson (the man behind The Comic Strip Presents). Hopefully, this will give the project a much needed boost and filmmakers from throughout Devon and Cornwall will get involved and make their own films in 90 minutes. The screening is called Talent Showcase and will be on Friday, December 5th @ Coombeshead College Theatre.

The Third Wave Collective will also be promoted, briefly, at this weekend's 2 Short Nights Film Festival. The new advert, calling all filmmakers to join the collective, will be screened at the beginning of the 48 Hour Film Challenge screening @ 8pm on Friday night.

On a more personal level, the festival has also selected Noise Reduction (currently scheduled to be screened at the Exeter Phoenix 2 Short Nights Film Festival) to be a part of the Talent Showcase screening. It's great that this film, which was very specifically made for the SCI Fi London 48 Hour Film Challenge - & without many expectations, still has a life 7 months after it was shortlisted in London. Check it out. It's embedded in my previous blog entitled Some of my videos....
Speaking of 48 Hour Film Challenges, the 2 Long Days have finished and my team's film, This Time Next Year, will be screened along with 14 others this Friday. More to come about this...later.

Gekko, Super-Structure, and the D+CFilm open Screening

2008-11-19T23:37:00.007Z

Hey there. Got some new Third Wave treats embedded here for your viewing pleasure. Waiting For Gekko stars my flatmate Jane, and is inspired by our house pet, Smee, who rarely sees the light of day. Jane and I both had 90 minutes to spare so we proceeded to improvise around the idea that she had just come home from a chorus rehearsal and was trying to get the pet's attention. I think the film successfully captures this interaction that happens nearly every day in our flat.

I also wanted to try my hand at making a Third Wave completely on my own. So today I came up with Super-Structure which riffs on the concept of 'vertical montage', first developed by Sergei Eisenstein. A technique that has been made more apparent with today's non-linear editing facilities. I've probably been reading too much theory in the past few weeks. Anyway, the film consists of fifteen one-minute shots layered to create a vertical narrative. Whether it actually tells a story is up to your interpretation. I had a clear plan as I as going along, and although it seems visually muddled, there are a few moments captured within it...or rather...an entire moment...who knows. I used a lot of imagery that was inspired by the already existing Third Wave films. I'm hoping that this project will get a well needed boost in the next few weeks with 2 Short Nights film festival and other events.

Anyway, speaking of events... 2 Short Nights Film Festival 2008 is less than two weeks away. A few films that I have worked on have been selected for the D+CFilm open screening. Noise Reduction, the film I made as part of the SCI FI London 48 Hour Film Challenge has been selected as well as Su Elliott's Crumpled Up Guy (see previous post) which I did some camera and lighting for. I'm particularly excited about this one, because it will be the first public screening of the film. Ashley Wing's Poppies is also being screened...which will be the second public screening of it here in Exeter. All of the films are in competition for an audience award apparently...very exciting.
So, I'm off to do the 48 Hour Film Challenge this weekend. I'll have a new film under my belt before the next post! Later.

Man-Cub, Poppies and the run-up to 2 Short Nights '08

2008-10-25T19:23:00.008+01:00

Hey there. So I've been working recently on another Phoenix bursary film by local filmmaker, Tom Austin. I am glad to say that it is now finished and ready for the upcoming 2 Short Nights Festival here in Exeter. The film is called Man-Cub, a story about a young man who takes his frustrations out on a local commemorative bench. It's a bit hard to describe and you'll have to see it to understand it. Here are some promo stills that I have captured from it:

With this film I've been playing around with a few of my new Final Cut Pro plugins. I had a great time using a blur vignette on a few dream sequence shots, as well as a G Temperature plugin for some colour correction.
This years festival seems to have a lot of promising things going for it. There have been many interesting films made over the past year locally such as the Greenlight films premiered in March, which I hope will get another screening at this years festival. Also, they have decided to host a 48 hour film challenge this year. So I will hopefully be taking part in that as well. Taking part in the Sci Fi London challenge was a blast. So, I will keep you posted if I take part. Also, I have just come across another film, Poppies, that I edited this year for writer/director, Ashley Wing. It is now on youtube...and below. Speak soon.

Here Lies Lucy @ Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films

2008-10-08T14:08:00.011+01:00

Hey there. Just dropping a line to say that Here Lies Lucy: A Vampire Yarn has been accepted into the 19th Festival of Fantastic Films in Manchester. The film is in competition as part of the Independent Short Film screening along with 8 other short films from around the world which are fantasy/horror/sci fi themed. This is rather exciting news for all involved considering that the society of fantastic films has recognized the potential of the film. After all, the film's initial intention was to speak to the subculture of early modern horror enthusiasts that so often lay dormant in film industry that is largely concerned with melodrama and realism. Another exciting bit of news is that this will be the first official screening of the full-length intended 24 minute cut of the film, which includes some wonderfully improvised scenes shared by Neil Johnson (Dr. Seward) and Beth Steel (Lucy).

The festival will be taking place during the weekend of October 17th (a week and 1/2 away!). I have yet to receive more information on the screening or if I'm going even, but I will make sure to keep you posted about the film's progress and its reception.

Crumpled Up Guy, iStopmotion Pro & Imps

2008-09-15T19:04:00.013+01:00

Hey.
Just an update about some recent creative projects going on. With Third Wave well on its way, my girlfriend, Pip (who paints) decided she wanted to do one as well...and a very interesting film was produced. Having recently acquired iStopmotion Pro2, I've been meaning to use the program outside of a workshop environment, but haven't had the chance. So we decided to use the uber-cool timelapse function to create a film of one of her paintings (within 90 minutes of course). As you can see below, the result was pretty cool. The last few frames were done manually, so she could animate the characters' facial expressions. The dulcimer music really re-enforces the expressionist tones of the piece. Pretty special considering the time it was produced in.

iStopmotion Pro has opened so many wonderful doors for my filmmaking. I can now match any stopmotion animation or timelapse with the image quality of my live-action footage. The only annoyance is it's inability to work with HDV. It can capture full HD and DV but HDV you have to down convert to DV as you're capturing. As a result, you're getting a frustrating mixture of good camera optics and a pixilated down conversion to another format. So, I would very much like to see what it looks like using a full HD camera. Miraculous is my guess! I was able to sort a little of the fuzziness out with some filters...namely Noise Killer (awesome), and combined with some Prores 422 compression I have managed to save whatever clarity is there.

Anyway, I have recently been asked to do camera and lighting on my friend Su's animation, Crumpled Up Guy based on the Misty's Big Adventure song of the same name. The result was great, however, the same problem occurred. When I watch it on my television, however, it looks perfectly crisp. Anyway, Crumpled Up Guy, turned out to be very good indeed, a project I am very proud to have been a part of. I will embed it on this blog as soon as it has been uploaded to the internet (the next few weeks). In the meantime I have these photos of the process and the little guy who is...crumpled. I have a feeling that it'll get a very good reception.

Su working on the movement.

Crumpled up Guy.

Third Wave Manifesto

2008-09-03T14:49:00.022+01:00

MAKE A FILM IN 90 MINUTES!!!
Join the Third Wave
1. All films must be created in the spirit of spontaneity – no scripts, no pre-production.
2. All films must be
no longer than 2 minutes.
3. All films must be produced within 90 minutes – from the start of shooting to the end of editing.

I've recently done some work for this little manifesto/collective that has been kick-started (or is in the process of being kick-started) by local filmmakers around Exeter, UK. The idea is to make a film within a 90 minute period of time...from conception, to final cut. This has been a really fun process for me personally. Often, I am weighed down by the big projects that I am doing and feel that, despite all the creativity involved in a substantial piece of work, I lose track of the purpose of what I am doing. With a manifesto like this, everything follows a kind of automatism which I really enjoy. An instant creativity that I am often surprised by. As a result, many of the films end up verging on surrealism. Since developing an interest in improvisation with my work...I find that developing characters and stories within short 90 minute spurts is a really good way of fine-tuning some of the skills and ideas that I would like to translate into my bigger, longer projects.
I've also found that it has a lot of scope as a project. You could very well spent 10-30 minutes shooting and 1 hour editing...or you could stop frame animate for 90 minutes and see where it takes you. If you aren't a confident editor, but you have an idea and want to see it executed, you could spend the 90 minutes creating a film in camera without an editing program. So really, it's open to anyone who is interested whether amateur or professional, technologically proficient or just creative.
Here are some examples of what has been done so far. 3pound50 is the film that I have done with my fellow collaborator Stu. We plan on making a whole series, slowly developing the character as we go along. I also did a bit of editing on the newest one, The Art of Time Travel by John Sealey.

If you are interested in getting involved...visit the manifesto's site (click the Third Wave logo above) and read the instructions. Later on, in the coming months the project is going to develop a bit and new challenges will be introduced. There is the possibility that at some point in the next month or so we will be shooting a live Third Wave film whilst on the radio. Will keep you posted.

Here Lies Lucy: A Vampire Yarn

2008-08-22T23:32:00.020+01:00

This June I finished the full, intended cut of Here Lies Lucy: A Vampire Yarn. A short film inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula Completing the project has been incredibly difficult for many reasons. Mostly, time and lack of funds. A large part of the film was self-funded (2/3 budget)and even though i was given a bursary from Phoenix Media it still proved quite difficult to complete and I found myself getting involved in areas of the film that I had no intention of touching, such as music. So is the way with low budget filmmaking. I was quite stubborn about things and stuck to my original ideas a lot, no matter how difficult they were to communicate to people. As a result, I think there are some interesting visuals that I don't think people would have seen before in a film (or at least done in this particular way). For instance, in the film, the protagonist checks his emails a few times. Instead of just filming a computer screen or creating the internet in a digital effects program, we created the internet out of paper and bits of card and stop-frame animated it. It was then layered over with some video filters to make it look like it was on a screen. Example:

I would also, in places, use still images from the film to create kind of expressionist looking lino cuts only to then scan them back into the film. I would do this by taking a still image that I wanted to end or start a scene on, export it, project it onto a fresh piece of lino, trace it, carve it, print it, scan it back into the computer and crop/flip/rotate the still to its original size and place on the timeline. As a result it gave these scenes the kind of textural look I was going for. Here are some examples showing the method I used and the result:

The film isn't on the internet just yet, but I will post it eventually. I'm waiting to see if anything happens with it first. I've sent it off to something like 20 festivals across the UK and Europe...but no luck as of yet. I've gotten a few rejections, which I find quite depressing...but that's what it's like out there in the real world of films and media. Especially when you're making something that YOU want to make without any outside interference.

Anyway, the film can be viewed as part of the professionals market at Court Metrange Film Festival in Rennes, France this October (they showed a previous film of mine,
The Gatsby Syndrome back in 2006)...but that's about it right now. I'm currently trying to get some screenings together locally and get it seen at small venues here and there across the country. I just want it to be seen in a cinema...or venue with a screen. That's my dream everybody, that's my dream. Anyway, I'll be using this this blog to track The Vampire Yarn's progress...as well as other bits of work. So yeah...I'll keep you posted.

Some of my videos...

2008-08-22T22:11:00.017+01:00

Hi there. I keep saying to myself that I'm going to be more of a blogger so here I am with some more info about myself... I am a filmmaker. I spend lots of my time experimenting in between big projects. Here are some shorts I have made in short periods of time with no money...often with the help of my good buddies. The first one took 2 & 1/2 days, the second was made in 48 hours as part of the
SCI FI London 48 hour film challenge (it was shortlisted to the top 10 in the country!) and the third took 2 days during a creating weekend that was organised amongst some local artists.
For more of my stuff go to
Syndrome Pictures. It has a lot of this kind of thing on it as well as the professional work I do with young people as a workshop facilitator.
Enjoy!

Me.

2007-09-02T11:59:00.001+01:00

Hello all,

This is me. Joshua. I am an only child. As a result of this, I have spent the most part of the late 90s early millenium inside my head, thinking...sometimes not. I enjoy films, whether or not they are good. I can watch anything. This is not to say I don't have an opinion or some kind of standard. I just like images, colours, characters. I like different worlds. Worlds where I can spend time, by myself, in someone else's story. I try to make my own sometimes.
that's all for now. Later...