Update: Stickleback Productions back in the swim

I have now decided to pursue solo interests for the time being back under my Stickleback Productions shingle following the production of Film Division's Around Again - a really excellent entry for the London Sci-Fi Society 48 hour filmmaking competition 2012.

Here are some pics from the shoot. Film Division's best ever in terms of production value.

Cast and Crew in the Bunker Scenes shot on Saturday 14th April at The Old Print Works, Birmingham

Clapperboard: Around Again.

Our mate Dean Bamford showing Adam Lawrence whats what.

Local sound production warlord Billy Bannister stands in as a wounded French soldier. Props supremo Craig joins in the fun.

Doesn't look like Hopwood!

My pals Paul Woolley and Craig Morton enjoying a laugh between takes.

The SS charge through the pyrotechnics!

The car is the star! The Citroen Traction Avant we used courtesy of Jim Fox (www.avant-cars.co.uk)

Matt Harper from Trinity FX blows up a big one. (www.trinityfx.co.uk)

Me with everything under control (Don't panic. Don't panic)

Film Division Seek Executive Producers For Latest Sci-Fi Short!!!

Ever fancied having an executive producer credit on IMDB - the Internet Movie Database? Well now you can!

Sponsor Film Division's 2012 48 hour London Sci-Fi society competition team to help us pay for cast and crew food, art department and camera equipment budget. We've got something really special planned this year which we're hoping will help us win the development deal prize that is on offer from Vertigo Films. The winning films and runners up will also be featured on the The Guardian Website.

£50 pounds gets you an Associate Producer credit on IMDB.com.

£100+ gets you an Executive Producer Credit on IMDB.com ranked according to size of contribution.

Smaller uncredited donations also welcome. All £5+ donors invited to screening.

Please send donations via Paypal to brendan.j.oneill AT gmail.com or arrange BACS transfer with me via same address.

This is what 50 volunteers made in just 48 hours last year.

Film Division Night at Ort Cafe 27th January

Our kind friends at Ort Cafe have chosen to host a Film Division Night on Friday 27th January, 7.30pm. 

"Film Division are an up and coming local filmmaking partnership. They will be screening a selection of their recent film work including award winning shorts, world premieres of new shorts and also work by close associates. For one night only at Ort! http://ortcafe.co.uk/

Panny Hire to offer new camera and Final Cut training courses

Film Division's recommended hire partner Panny Hire are now offering new camera and Final Cut training courses in Birmingham or at client's premises UK-wide.

Final Cut Training Courses

Apple Final Cut Studio Training

This hands-on course covers basic editing functions while becoming familiar with the Final Cut Pro user interface. In this course, you will learn to use the same tools that are being used to cut music videos, documentaries and feature films.

Start with basic video editing techniques and work all the way through Final Cut Pro's powerful advanced features. Learn to mark and edit clips, mix sound, add titles, create transitions, apply filters, and more.

Topics include basic setup, customizing preferences and settings, capturing video and audio, various editing and trimming techniques, Ripple, Roll, Slip, and Slide tools, audio editing and audio creation, finishing and final output.

Apple Color 1.5 Colourist Training 

Final Cut Studio edit suite already has a piece of industrial-strength color grading software integrated directly with your existing Final Cut workflow.

It's called Color.

Complex color corrections are no longer limited to high end post production houses. Color is an incredibly powerful piece of color correction software, designed for professional colorists, that allows you to create stunning color grades and effects. While Color is tightly integrated with Final Cut, it can also interpret EDLs from other editing environments, including Avid and Premiere.

In our Apple Color 1.5 Training course you will learn:

Understand scopes

Diagnose and correct common color deficiencies in your footage

Guarantee consistency between shots in a sequence

Create moods

Isolate and adjust specific features of your shot

Simulate different times of day

Relight scenes for corrective or creative purposes

Draw your viewer's eye to specific parts of your image

Simulate film stocks and processes

Build sophisticated procedural effect trees.


Apple Final Cut Pro X Training


Final Cut Pro X has been rebuilt from the ground up to meet the needs of today’s creative editors. With its revolutionary Magnetic Timeline, powerful media organization, and incredible performance, Final Cut Pro makes editing faster, more fluid, and more flexible than ever.

We provide 1 day, 2 day, and 3 day Final Cut Pro X courses in Birmingham or we can travel to your studio/office/home.


Camera, Cinematography and Lighting Training Courses

Camera Training Courses in Birmingham or at client premises - We provide hands-on camera training courses with the camera of your choice.

We specialise in training with these cameras (but we can train you with almost any):

* Canon 5D MK2 Training

* Panasonic HVX200 Training

* Panasonic AF101 Training

* Sony EX1R Training

* Sony EX3 Training

* 35mm DoF Adapter Training

* SGBlade Training

* Letus Ultimate Training

* Follow Focus Training


Cinematography Training

The 5 C's of Cinematography Course is hands-on training with Stewart Addison of Panny Hire & Film Division. This course branches out the five central subject areas; the 5 C's - Camera Angles, Continuity, Cutting, Close-ups, and Composition.

Included in the course in detail are these topics:

* Cinematic time and space

* Compositional rules

* Point-of-view (POV)

* Camera height and angle

* Master scenes

* Types of editing

* Screen direction and much, much more


Lighting Courses

Lighting knowledge & technique courses for corporate, film and broadcast television. Detailed guidance on lighting in studio and on location.

Hands-on practical workshops covering the following areas:

* Basic portraiture lighting

* Basic studio lighting equipment

* A strategic approach to basic location lighting

* Lighting for HD drama

* Training in the control of exposure, white balance, shutter and use of filters

* Risk assessment and professional safe working environment practices

* This course includes studio lighting methods related to multi-camera productions.


Contact Stewart Addison at www.pannyhire.co.uk (0121 469 0070) for more information on training courses and the best deals on dry/wet camera hire.

Some more good news

Following a Directors workshop at the Nottingham Playhouse given by Michael Oakley courtesy of the JMK Trust we were all encouraged to apply by letter of application to the Young Vic Directors programme. This is a great London theatre so I thought I'd give it a go and apply. The good news is that they've accepted me even though I come from a very non drama school or theatre background.

In other news I'm helping some other people with shorts in an associate producer capacity. I'm also preparing my own short Squeaker which I'm hoping to shoot after Christmas subject to the talent I'm after being available. I've had some very encouraging responses from some great potential actors and agents.

Its a story about a gang bullied boy who meets an ex-boxer pigeon fancier. A sort of a modern day take on Kes.

I'm also hoping to spend more time developing my Roaring Forties men of a certain age football themed sitcom with my pal Dominic Carver now that winter is setting in. We have a producer on board who is going to help us pitch the project to the Beeb so full steam ahead on that one.

New Scampenstein Blog

I've started a new blog for my Scampenstein feature animation project. Click the image to go there.

Scampenstein 

The original poster was created for me by talented Birmingham artist Andy Baker.

Two Awards for Dwarf Vampire short

Press Release

Jazz Virk and Brendan O'Neill of Birmingham based indie film production team Film Division are delighted that the pro bono project they did to help growth disabled student Carsum Din has now received 2 awards.

The 8 minute film Wilhelm the Dwarf Vampire which was shot at historic Aston Hall in just 1 day received Best Overall Media Production Coventry University and Best Degree Show Media Production Coventry University 2011.

Producer Brendan O'Neill commented:

"We're delighted for Carsum and hoping that the film will now do well on the festival circuit. I'm told that Carsum has now received interview offers from various places and even the offer of an acting role from a Pinewood based production company so we're doubly pleased to have been able to help.

I'd like to thank all the cast and crew for giving up their time to help with special thanks to Gurminder Kenth and her staff at Aston Hall and Stewart Addison of Pannyhire (www.Pannyhire.co.uk) for providing the camera equipment."

The film starred starred George Appleby (Being Human, Fanatic) alongside Coventry based actress Joanne Ryan with Birmingham based Sezer Unver and Dean Bamford in supporting roles.

Pictures Courtesy of Adam Hale Photography (http://www.adamhale.co.uk)