Ponderings of a Dead Tramp

At seven o'clock tonight, I set off 'over the border' in Middlesbrough to die.
By eight o'clock I was home, washing off the makeup and coughing up a little blood!

This acting lark, I tell you, it's method all the way for me!

I recalled two bits of advice from somewhere in the back of my mind, regarding on screen murders...

#1: when simulating a strangulation, the stranglee pulls the stranglers arms towards him as the strangler in turn attempts to pull away. This way, the victim is in full control of the situation and can gauge their personal level of comfort in the situation.

We tried it this way - it sucked!

#2: "the only way to really make it look like you're trying to kill someone, is to really try to kill them" - Bruce Willis, Die Hard 2:Die Harder (1990), behindthe scenes interview.

Now you're talking my language!

We did about six takes, each progressively better than the last, each time Tiny gripped my throat just a little bit harder.

Well, we got the shots in the can and now I'm home, just waiting for the bruises to show up, like they always do on CSI!


Here's a link to Andy Winward's blog:
http://winwardstudios.blogspot.com/

and his Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Winward-Studios/207540792595569

Winward Studios

I, Andy Winward, am an aspiring film maker and my brother, Tony Winward, is an aspiring actor. Together we form Winward Studios. Check out our stuff, I think you might like it.

Page: ‎432 like this.

The Cutting-Edge Horror Film Festival - it's new to me

Ive recently found out about a new film festival being held in Newcastle, which celebrates the best of the regions horror film makers and beyond!

Here's a link, strangely to a YouTube trailer but it's a start..!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUL6i6hEDL0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

It's on 26th November; that clashes terribly with CCAD open acting auditions but maybe I can do both!

Paid To Dance..!

Well, not paid. But not-Not paid... It was free entry into the Arena tonight; The Bass Theives are shooting a video for 'Banging like an 808' and put out a request for rent-a-crowd.

One good turn deserves another, says I; when I needed crowds in January, people came. Tonight I'm representing for all film makers. And ravers.

Let the good times roll!

Join here:
http://m.facebook.com/event.php?eid=270134046354525&mid=51268


and here's a link to the bands face ok page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bass-Thieves/187895497928868?sk=app_2405167945&refid=24

TRAMP! - What d'you call me..?

Nothing - it's a silent movie!

Following last weeks brief acting turn in Distraction Jackson, I'll be doing an even smaller role for Andy Winward, as a 1900s tramp who is strangled to death.

I'm looking forward to working with a new film maker in the area, better still, check out the competition from within - Andy enters film comps too..!

This is what winners look like #2

Ok, so it was only a pub quiz, but we beat sixteen other teams... And won on a tie-break question!

This was the wrap party for Distraction Jackson; a quiet drink was planned but we stumbled upon a pub quiz at the Swatters Carr (the old Empire to those old enough to remember) and we won the kitty of £43!

This went halfway towards paying the £90 entry fee for the competition itself, so all-in-all, a well spent night!


Next up: Writers Block 90-second Ghost Story comp...

Can you believe they let us film in a hospital..?

Well if the answer us 'yes', then I've done my job properly!

I'm not sure how much will be shown onscreen but the details are all there, a combination of Writers' Block furniture and most of the contents of the upstairs of my house!

Filming the birth scene was... I want to say hilarious but I'll go with 'a gamble'. Jane was made to scream the house about six times as we shot and reshot probably the longest and most important scene in the film, all within feet of the general public. During one take, I was outside the WB HQ and I thought it sounded like someone screaming for her life!

With the scene finally in the bag, the last shot at 'The Block' utilised a fake baby, made on the hoof with a scarf, a neck-tie, a roll of gaffa tape and a towel - well it looked alright from wher I was standing, helped massively by Tim Marshall's understated (for once) and sensitive performance.

James, Tim and Jay hit the road to get one last shot at James Cook Hispital but only managed to get an establishing shot outside before beingoved on by security. I'm sure they'll fix it in post...


So, that'd a wrap. Smithers film challenge in the bag.

Cast and crew screening should be Wednesday, followed by the slightly delayed wrdpbkarty. Something to look forward to until we strpbup to collect our awards..!

http://filmchallenge.org/

Oh, I feel really bad..!

Today I shouted at my fellow actor so hard that I gave him a headache! - he needed to buy some paracetemol on the way back to base!!!

I was playing a fitness trainer and, as usual, I modelled him on the drill instructor from Full Metal Jacket!

I was then required to do umpteen press-ups, perhaps to show what a superior specimen looks like? Who knows, but the rushes look damned fine!

Oh, I feel really bad..!

Today I shouted at my fellow actor so hard that I gave him a headache! - he needed to buy some paracetemol on the way back to base!!!

I was playing a fitness trainer and, as usual, I modelled him on the drill instructor from Full Metal Jacket!

I was then required to do umpteen press-ups, perhaps to show what a superior specimen looks like? Who knows, but the rushes look damned fine!

Distraction Jackson, An International Film Challenger

Halfway through the shoot and I have already acted as costume dept., art department, co-writer, stuntman and actor - and the days not over yet!

We've shot in a town house in Stockton, at the Tees barage and next we're off to Writers' Block N.E. HQ.

Shooting on a canon 5D with onboard mic - no big crew this week, just a bunch of award winning film makers and a big bag of corn chips.

Typical: you wait months for a film festival and then two come along at once..!

The London film festival kicked off today, with a host of films from around the world being shown on multiple screens in the city.

There's loads of events too, you can find the details at the end of this link:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/

I'm not sure I'll make this one, prestigious as it is, it's a long way down and travel costs so much these days...

Time will tell.

Leeds International Film Festival next month, showing The Thing (2011)

The Thing is one of my favourite films, one I can watch any time of any day, but news of a remake - well, 'prequel' filled me with trepidation.

On 5th November I get to find out if I should be worried or not.

Here's a link to the official page:

http://www.leedsfilm.com/news/inni-announced-liff25/

Regardless how the film fares, it was a great networking opportunity last year and this shouldn't be any different.

See you there if you're going...