After going dark for many months I thought it was about time that I posted another blog. So here we are a selection of things I have done, some thoughts I have had and a few rants along the way. What have I been up to? Lets just say i've been asking myself that very question almost on a daily basis.
I went to see Springsteen in December with Daniel. London O2 Arena (Millennium Dome for those that aren't cultured enough). Just to add to all the madness we decided to drive down there too(950 miles there and back) so it was a Road trip in its own right (hence the Road Trip video). I filmed the journey using Dan's Digital SLR Camera so we're not talking Full HD quality, but it was a lot of fun filming/editing it with a random London-by-night tour after the concert. The concert itself was fantastic of course. The Boss certainly did not disappoint and had a full back catalogue of songs to please the crowd. All I can do is recommend all of you to get your hands on tickets for his open air stadium gigs across the UK over the next few months if you haven’t already.
After the London gig, Dan and I started filming more road trip vids and have planned many more (generally the distance got longer and longer building up to what will be our year long delayed Euro Road Trip next Easter). Such projects have kept me busy over the coming months. Our latest project which shall remain nameless is almost done in the edit and ill fire it up on here once its done. I applied for a Working Title Films Internship in January which was a big jump, but long story short over 3'000 people including me applied for 3 posts and I didn't get it. I also had an interview with South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) for a Directing job in one of their newly Lottery-funded Online video services. Didn't manage to get that one either, but all feedback was positive. I applied for a whole bunch of other things aswell, but as we all know…sometimes people just don't get back in touch which really stops things from moving along.
I attended the Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) in February which was a good laugh. Attended screenings/master classes and drank far…far….far too much. So much so that I cant even recall what films I went to see……well 2 come to mind. Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream at the Opening Gala and John Sayles' Honeydripper. Despite the poor reviews from the critics on Allen's latest film I really enjoyed CD. Especially Colin Farrell's performance. I also attended the John Sayles masterclass which was great. He's one of the few talented Directors (in my opinion) in the States that also writes his own scripts. He spoke about his career from past to present and I had the opportunity to meet him after the screening of his latest film Honeydripper too which was great. I also met Gary Lewis at the Opening Gala Afterparty. He's worked with a number of big name Directors like Martin Scorsese and Stephen Daldry so we had an interesting chat about that over a beer or 10. I also networked at a couple of open panel discussions on short films and professionally whored myself out to another producer or 20. Its always a bit daunting at first, but I think i've pretty much mastered the whole process now.
Recently, I got a job with a company called Accidental Media (www.accidental.tv), an award winning Indie production company. I start tomorrow (Tuesday) when their latest project goes into production. They are shooting on 35mm film a music video for the band 'There Will Be Fireworks' and after asking around the music scene there is certainly a lot of buzz about the band said to be the next big thing to come out of Scotland. With a background in Music this certainly fits the bill…..and it's a film credit which I can say for sure is pretty rare to get in Scotland. Ill be assisting throughout the production/post production edit and of course on set which is in Barra in early June. Its all pretty exciting really, with a potential for a lot more – some documentaries, a drama in the Highlands, maybe even another music video. Watch this space.
Over the past few months, the majority of my funds have gone towards my unhealthy addiction to Cinema and films in general. Summer is here and brings with it many highly anticipated Summer Blockbuster Movies; Ironman, Prince Caspian, Indy 4, The Dark Knight just to name a few. I am currently desperately trying to avoid being dragged to what can only be described as the anti-viagra-personal-hell-slagcom that is the Sex and the City movie. After narrowly escaping a trip to 27 dresses with my girlfriend, who helpfully informed me "that it looked like a really nice film. It's about dresses" I'm putting my foot down and boycotting this man torture and any of many to come. I suggest all other men do the same in such a footus downus manner.
Anyone seen Indy 4 yet? Well here's my take on it. Despite the uproar in fan disappointment online on the, in my honest opinion, the minute details, since its release on Thursday May 22nd, im sticking by the raving critics reviews on the 19-year-long-awaited addition to the franchise. I went to see it in the morning with my dad – both of us big Indy fans. ***SPOILER ALERT*** It was exactly what I wanted it to be. 20 years down the line and they managed (Ford especially) to retain the original Indy. The cinematography was outstanding – I really enjoyed the pastel look they went for. As always of course top direction from Spielberg. 2/3 of the film was just pure Indy fun – the opening scene, the motorbike chase, Indy’s dry one-liners and of course the action sequences once again raising the bar. Oh and don’t forget the fantastic original score by the genius that is John Williams. I was also concerned about the addition of Shia LaBeouf to the cast….but it certainly worked in my opinion. He's a great actor and one of the few promising actors to watch for the future. Cate Blanchett was a nice addition also….not the best of villain’s though. She seemed to be smiling….ALL the time. Ray Winstone only seemed to talk to Indy now and then throughout the last act….just kinda tagged along and didn't say much. John Hurt just seemed to hold onto the skull and mumble a lot. These are top rate actors – which I felt were left with not much to work with. Also bringing back Karen Allen was a bit of a waste. Sure – she's Mutt Williams( Shia’s character)’s mum…..oh and guess what…that makes him Indy junior Junior – hmm.
The final 3rd act of the film however, as im sure a number of you have read about just gets a little crazy. Shia swinging in the trees like Tarzan with a group CGI monkeys in the Amazon……Intergalactic Aliens from a space between spaces in space or some shit. Perhaps I was just a little hungover at the time, but a lot of scenes were pretty much a mind-fuck with some overly complex chat between the characters about Crystal Skulls.. Possible Indy Jr Jr franchise to come? They play with it a little in the end scene as Shia plays with donning the Fedora. I guess it all depends on the success of this film. I can see it being one of the highest grossing opening weekends of all time. I stick by Empire's review - 4 Stars.
On an entirely different note I would like to address the evil that is Reality Television. Although this is not a new topic I cannot help feel, that with the continual increase of these programmes, that the reality tv star is still rising, and not as predicted waning. As someone who actively avoids watching these programmes I am astounded that I know who half of these people are. With the media's continual exposure of these characters, the saturation effect is complete. Having never watched these mediums of evil I still know who Chanelle
Hayes is and that she is attempting to carve out a pop career for herself and more shockingly have come to understand that the fat reprobate that is Kerry Katona has given birth on camera during her reality programme (definitely someone who should be considered for sterilisation). These programmes offer a stage for the thick and uncultured. If ignorance is bliss then they are fucking ecstatic!
Programmes like these have created a society where ignorance and loutish behaviour is rewarded. The fact that Jade Goody, possibly one of the dumbest people in existence is a millionaire speaks very gravely of the direction society is headed in. When 24 hour news channels are reporting on a minute by minute basis the goings on in the Big Brother House you really have to take a minute, step back and ask why? Additionally, talent shows such as X-Factor and Britain(supposedly)'s Got Talent are merely vehicles for on-screen humiliation and pushy mothers promoting there oh so talented children. With so many millions of pounds going on this shit the injustice throughout the industry is strongly felt. With so many documentaries, dramas and independant films being shelved you cannot help but feel that producers have by-passed the genuine talent and gone straight for the same old formula of bland idiocy with a hint of racism. From Beauty and the Geek………to Big Brother….to X-Factor…..Nancy and Joseph….Dancing on fucking Ice…..what the fuck is next seriously. Big Brother will probably keep plodding away year after year getting more and more controversial until they fill the house with murderers and rapists that'll end up killing each other. Who knows....it would probably get the highest ratings of all the BB shows. So who comes up with these things?. 80% of TV today is just absolutely SHITE, dont you think? Just imagine...the producers sitting round a table thinking up such 'creative' drivel. The brains of a blood orange and the imagination of a Bin…... Entertainment at its worst and in its quantity, not in its quality. Anyway, ill stop this one short before it easily goes to 10'000 words.
Hope you're all well
R x
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