Friday 21 December 2012

21st December 2012 - Post 100!

What a milestone day today has been; rather than the end of the world, it's been the end of a hard slog and the start of a glorious new dawn... The first semester has finished at college and I feel I've got everything tucked in just nice, in time for the holidays!

This time last year, I was making my Die Hard/John McClane fancy dress outfit; this year I've been making a prop/set piece for The Grand Hotel in Hartlepool. It's the last week of term and many people are winding down - some have been winding down for longer than that, but I've been at it, a million miles an hour until now. So, please forgive me for having a moment of reflection and a pause...

I'll get back to film making tomorrow (meeting one of my actors in Newcastle) but tonight I just want to rest, and if the world ends, at least my desk was tidy!

Take care all,

john

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Port of Tyne's Reflect photo and film awards

Last night Laura Degnan, Jay Moussa, James Harris and I travelled to the Baltic art gallery in Gateshead to attend the Port of Tyne's Reflect photo and film awards, in which we had been shortlisted for the final four in our category.

Their film, 'But a Dream', features a man imagining a boat trip along a river, without ever having left his armchair. Here's a link to the video:
http://reflect.portoftyne.co.uk/film/

The film was a runner up but it was still well-worth taking part.

After the event, we had the pleasure of meeting one of the judges, David Parfitt, producer of such British hit films as My week With Marilyn (2011), Shakespear in Love (1998), Frankenstein (1994) and Henry V (1989); here's a link to his IMDB profile:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0661406/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Here's the writing and camera crew - indeed, Laura did take one floor-level shot on the night!

We're all greatly looking forward to the next competition - whatever that may be!
 

Monday 3 December 2012

Bad Samaritain, Good Times

Yesterday evening saw the cast and crew screening of 'The Bad Samaritain Must Die', the 'accidental' first feature film from the Producer/Writer/Director/Actor team of Andrew Leckonby and John Raine - Hydra-X.

This is the first footage I've seen from the film I worked on back in June and finally all that banging and crashing, stomping and shouting makes sense.

The story is set against a backdrop of one man rising up in the face of a national crime-wave, becoming an icon to the disillusioned masses, and a vigilante, wanted by the police. A young girl wishes to join his movement, but his cause is more fuelled by drug-addiction and lunacy than and real political agenda.

I'm not sure what the budget was for this film but there was a real crew at each shoot and a real buffet in the green room... Using all the tricks in the book the film makers have stretched whatever budget they had to tell a small story on a grand stage and we look forward to seeing the full, feature-length trilogy get off the ground soon - before the world ends!

Here's a link to the Facebook page, I suspect pictures of the event will show up soon:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/104155326383237/230060040459431/?notif_t=group_activity

It was great to catch up with the cast and crew and a shame we had to leave early... A film premiere on a school night - who's crazy idea was that!?!