I'm mad busy producing my first music video as part of the 2weeks2makeit competition sponsored by Screen West Midlands. Following an excellent series of speakers on Friday afternoon in a workshop session at Fazeley Studios - 12 local bands were paired off with 12 local film crews and given 2 weeks to make a great promo.
I was quite anxious about what sort of band the Stickleback Productions team would get paired with but am delighted to have been paired with Wise Blood who are a great band and a nice, helpful bunch of guys.
I'm now busy arranging cast, locations and resources for a shoot on Friday and Saturday for their track TV Dinner Lady which is a very dark and gory urban tale!
I'm also delighted to be doing my first promo with the help of Director of Photography James Stoneley who made Seconds Out the last film I wrote and produced look so good.
I think we have a great track, a great crew and with the help of some great actors and helpful local businesses such as Bar Bluu will end up turning out a great video.
Watch this space!
Small But Feisty Film Making
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Merry Month of May
Seems to be a lot happening in the month of May. Hopefully the good weather we've been having will continue.
April was quite busy with a number of courses and events. The Producers Forum event featuring writer and now producer Tony Jordan (Eastenders, Life on Mars, Hustle) was excellent. Tony is a very funny switched on guy and a pleasure to listen to.
Other highlights for me were the two Script sponsored workshops I attended. The first one was on Sci-Fi and Fantasy and was given by producer Claire Ingam as part of a series of workshops on various genres.
The second was another great workshop by Professor Paul Wells called Devizing Animated Narratives which has given me some impetus to go back to my Scampenstein idea.
I think I'm going to finish the script for that and then find a collaborator to create a graphic novel of the story which can also be shipped to other platforms like Iphone and Android. Thinking 360°!
Hopefully take up of the graphic novel and platform based content will help popularize the story and find me a producer.
I'm still working on my play for the Royal Court Theatre's Critical Mass scheme but will also be jumping onto some other things with deadlines.
Screen West Midlands revised Investment Fund is open again so I will be resubmitting Finders.Keepers. based on the feedback received from last time. I will also be submitting a couple of other feature ideas as new projects.
The UKFC have cut funding to the regional agencies so competition is going to be even fiercer usual. That said there is nothing to stop people getting some actors and a crew together and just going for it themselves. No interference that way too though obviously you still have to consider due process for script development etc!
I'm fortunate to be able to get an opinion from my own talented script editor but for those writers who don't then I highly recommend that you get opinion/feedback from a professional such as Hayley McKenzie at Script Angel.
Still waiting on feedback from a producer who is looking at my teen Sci-Fi idea kidZ.
Finally I'm planning to take part in the 2weeks2makeit pop promo competition where film makers are paired with up and coming bands to create a promo. I've fancies doing a promo for ages so hopefully this is my chance to shine.
More as it happens.
B x
April was quite busy with a number of courses and events. The Producers Forum event featuring writer and now producer Tony Jordan (Eastenders, Life on Mars, Hustle) was excellent. Tony is a very funny switched on guy and a pleasure to listen to.
Other highlights for me were the two Script sponsored workshops I attended. The first one was on Sci-Fi and Fantasy and was given by producer Claire Ingam as part of a series of workshops on various genres.
The second was another great workshop by Professor Paul Wells called Devizing Animated Narratives which has given me some impetus to go back to my Scampenstein idea.
I think I'm going to finish the script for that and then find a collaborator to create a graphic novel of the story which can also be shipped to other platforms like Iphone and Android. Thinking 360°!
Hopefully take up of the graphic novel and platform based content will help popularize the story and find me a producer.
I'm still working on my play for the Royal Court Theatre's Critical Mass scheme but will also be jumping onto some other things with deadlines.
Screen West Midlands revised Investment Fund is open again so I will be resubmitting Finders.Keepers. based on the feedback received from last time. I will also be submitting a couple of other feature ideas as new projects.
The UKFC have cut funding to the regional agencies so competition is going to be even fiercer usual. That said there is nothing to stop people getting some actors and a crew together and just going for it themselves. No interference that way too though obviously you still have to consider due process for script development etc!
I'm fortunate to be able to get an opinion from my own talented script editor but for those writers who don't then I highly recommend that you get opinion/feedback from a professional such as Hayley McKenzie at Script Angel.
Still waiting on feedback from a producer who is looking at my teen Sci-Fi idea kidZ.
Finally I'm planning to take part in the 2weeks2makeit pop promo competition where film makers are paired with up and coming bands to create a promo. I've fancies doing a promo for ages so hopefully this is my chance to shine.
More as it happens.
B x
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
Haiti Benefit Result!
The final take from my Haiti benefit short film event was £198 which I am very pleased about.
£180 on the night
£13 change after paying for venue and wholesale price of booze consumed!
£5 pounds from the lovely Suzanne
DEC Haiti Appeal Receipt here.
B x
£180 on the night
£13 change after paying for venue and wholesale price of booze consumed!
£5 pounds from the lovely Suzanne
DEC Haiti Appeal Receipt here.
B x
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
The Lurgi!
[caption id="attachment_339" align="aligncenter" width="460" caption="UNCLE HANS-PETER PARTY at FLATPACK 24.03.10"]
[/caption]
Into my second week of horrible phasey 'flu that just comes and goes and seems particularly virulent at present. Its really impacting on making much progress with the play I'm supposed to have ready for 20th April for the Royal Court's Critical Mass scheme.
I had a very busy week last week as I attended the Engine Room Pitch documentary workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday which was excellent followed by 3 nights Front of House volunteering for the Flatpack Festival. Tuesday was also the last taught bit of the Royal Court's Critical Mass playwriting scheme I have been doing since January
The Doc workshop was given by Christine Burnett, Charlie Phillips and the wonderfully named Floury Crum from the Sheffield International Documentary Festival. It was really informative and useful and has encouraged me to think about making my own documentary.
Flatpack was its usual eclectic brilliance and I made some new friends. The highlight for me was the Uncle Hans Peter party event which is one of the strangest arts experiences I have ever had!
Finally last night there was an excellent debate on the future of television drama in the region which I feel will hopefully lead to some cages being rattled at the BBC and other places.
[/caption]Into my second week of horrible phasey 'flu that just comes and goes and seems particularly virulent at present. Its really impacting on making much progress with the play I'm supposed to have ready for 20th April for the Royal Court's Critical Mass scheme.
I had a very busy week last week as I attended the Engine Room Pitch documentary workshop on Tuesday and Wednesday which was excellent followed by 3 nights Front of House volunteering for the Flatpack Festival. Tuesday was also the last taught bit of the Royal Court's Critical Mass playwriting scheme I have been doing since January
The Doc workshop was given by Christine Burnett, Charlie Phillips and the wonderfully named Floury Crum from the Sheffield International Documentary Festival. It was really informative and useful and has encouraged me to think about making my own documentary.
Flatpack was its usual eclectic brilliance and I made some new friends. The highlight for me was the Uncle Hans Peter party event which is one of the strangest arts experiences I have ever had!
Finally last night there was an excellent debate on the future of television drama in the region which I feel will hopefully lead to some cages being rattled at the BBC and other places.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Film Dash Result :-(
We came joint 3rd out of 24 entries which was disappointing but I'm probably not as disappointed as Robert Williams and his team who made a great film and didn't even place!
This is the winning entry.
This came second
and we were joint 3rd with the Junction Zero team who made a nice film.
This is what the judges said about Seconds Out.
Kate Leys said this: "Ambitious, and a great central idea, but with an ambitious story you do need a really strong ending. Stories are all about their endings, and this one just wasn't very clear. Very good central performance."
Catherine Bray said this: "For my third choice I would pick Seconds Out for setting out to tell a straightforward little narrative in a limited time and having done a bit of script work."
C'est la vie.
Positives to draw from the experience were working with actors Elexi Walker and Elli Middleton who I and a lot of other people thought were great. Real champion boxer Bertrand and sparring partner Hatim who were real sports and without whose help and first time acting we couldn't have made the film plus the ever reliable Steve Rylands who has the dubious distinction of being in very film I've ever made. Thanks to all the other folk who helped in some way too.
Last but not least it was nice to work with collaborator John Hill-Daniel again and also for the first time with DoP James Stoneley and Russell Hill whose technical skills and equipment bought so much to the overall quality of the film - all underpinned by Matthew Cotterill's great score.
In other news my Haiti Fundraiser on Saturday went very well from an entertainment point of view but could have done with more customers though the door! The Flickr stream is here and a big thanks to all the film makers who let me show their films, Sandra and Lee at Friction for the venue and my small army of volunteers - Martina, Dominika, Joe, Ifti and Andy without whose help I couldn't have made it happen.
A busy past two weeks. Just have to write my play for the Royal Court theatre scheme now and I'm done for a bit!!!
TAFN
Brendan
This is the winning entry.
This came second
and we were joint 3rd with the Junction Zero team who made a nice film.
This is what the judges said about Seconds Out.
Kate Leys said this: "Ambitious, and a great central idea, but with an ambitious story you do need a really strong ending. Stories are all about their endings, and this one just wasn't very clear. Very good central performance."
Catherine Bray said this: "For my third choice I would pick Seconds Out for setting out to tell a straightforward little narrative in a limited time and having done a bit of script work."
C'est la vie.
Positives to draw from the experience were working with actors Elexi Walker and Elli Middleton who I and a lot of other people thought were great. Real champion boxer Bertrand and sparring partner Hatim who were real sports and without whose help and first time acting we couldn't have made the film plus the ever reliable Steve Rylands who has the dubious distinction of being in very film I've ever made. Thanks to all the other folk who helped in some way too.
Last but not least it was nice to work with collaborator John Hill-Daniel again and also for the first time with DoP James Stoneley and Russell Hill whose technical skills and equipment bought so much to the overall quality of the film - all underpinned by Matthew Cotterill's great score.
In other news my Haiti Fundraiser on Saturday went very well from an entertainment point of view but could have done with more customers though the door! The Flickr stream is here and a big thanks to all the film makers who let me show their films, Sandra and Lee at Friction for the venue and my small army of volunteers - Martina, Dominika, Joe, Ifti and Andy without whose help I couldn't have made it happen.
A busy past two weeks. Just have to write my play for the Royal Court theatre scheme now and I'm done for a bit!!!
TAFN
Brendan
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
"Seconds Out" Film Dash 2010
The latest film by Stickleback Productions is Seconds Out made for Film Dash 2010. I produced and wrote it but it was John Hill-Daniel's turn in the Director's chair ably assisted by James Stoneley (DoP) and Russell Smith (Sound).
Thanks to all the cast and other helpers but especially to Jon Pegg for helping us get the boxing sequences.
Fingers crossed for the moment of truth at the Electric on Thursday@7pm when the winner will be announced.
I'll also be showing the film and hopefully some other Film Dash films at my shorts night to raise money for Haiti on Saturday. There is a really strong line up plus Ken Loach has kindly donated an autographed copy of his classic film Kes as top prize in the raffle!
Fill your indie boots and then dance the night away 8 - late!!!!
Thanks to all the cast and other helpers but especially to Jon Pegg for helping us get the boxing sequences.
Fingers crossed for the moment of truth at the Electric on Thursday@7pm when the winner will be announced.
I'll also be showing the film and hopefully some other Film Dash films at my shorts night to raise money for Haiti on Saturday. There is a really strong line up plus Ken Loach has kindly donated an autographed copy of his classic film Kes as top prize in the raffle!
Fill your indie boots and then dance the night away 8 - late!!!!
Monday, 1 March 2010
Film Dash 2010
The frantic sleep depriving madness that is Film Dash is upon us again after a brief hiatus in 2009.
I have the nuts and bolts of a crew and some actors already but would be happy to hear from more actors and also people who know of good locations where we can shoot this Saturday 6th March i.e. Your Dad's office, your cousins launderette, the nice woman who owns a shop/store, hospital ward. Anything that adds visually to the story possibilities I could have in mind when I start responding to the 7pm Friday Film Dash brief.
So PLEASE if you know of anywhere then get in touch. I always give people a credit if they help the film and we'll try to squeeze them into the film as an extra or passer by if possible.
Thanks if you can help
TAFN
B
info AT sticklebackproductions.co.uk
I have the nuts and bolts of a crew and some actors already but would be happy to hear from more actors and also people who know of good locations where we can shoot this Saturday 6th March i.e. Your Dad's office, your cousins launderette, the nice woman who owns a shop/store, hospital ward. Anything that adds visually to the story possibilities I could have in mind when I start responding to the 7pm Friday Film Dash brief.
So PLEASE if you know of anywhere then get in touch. I always give people a credit if they help the film and we'll try to squeeze them into the film as an extra or passer by if possible.
Thanks if you can help
TAFN
B
info AT sticklebackproductions.co.uk
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