Where Did The Last Three Years Go?

I have spent the last three years studying at Southampton Solent University for a Television and Video Production Degree. It doesn’t seem two minutes since a group of very nervous students were greeted in JM315, one of Solent’s television studios and told what would be expected of them and what they could expect over the next few years. I blinked. Then I was being told thanks for coming and good luck in the future. Maybe it is because I am slightly older than most (ALL) of the other students on the course but it seems to have flown by so quickly.

I have met some fantastically talented people, who I wish every success in their future careers and hope to work with some of them again in the future.

I now seem to find myself staring at my computer screen wondering how I am going to gain employment in my chosen field of TV production? (I’m sure something will happen soon, it usually does)

The best news was the email I received the other day. I am not sure how it happened but as my main thought was “the only way I am going to stand a chance against the hoards of twenty somethings going for the same jobs, is to get the best grade possible” I couldn’t be happier.

So if you are reading this and hiring…..I AM YOUR MAN!

CineFinesse drama first viewing

Well we did it. The Adventures of Rosanna Cross was screened for the marking panel and other students on the same course at Southampton Solent University. We received some great comments from the students but then it was time to go and face the judging panel.

We got a grilling from the panel on nearly every aspect of the drama. (I am glad Julian Unthank was there as I think he was the only panel member who made a positive comment.) We entered the room full of pride at what we had achieved but left questioning every decision we made.

All we can hope for is that they pulled it apart to make sure we understood how we make a better production next time – Which we do!”

It did bring up a few questions of the edit, which will be altered before the cast and crew screening. (details of this public screening coming soon!)

Now we have to wait until we have all been marked for the project, the mark going towards our overall degree grade.

Anyway, whatever happens, I am very proud of what we achieved. We made a period drama on a very limited budget, made some new friends, worked with some really talented and creative people, learnt so much to take with us in our future careers plus much, much more.

I love the Rosanna character and have plenty of ideas of what adventures she gets up to next; So-much-so that I have already started working on the next story. (watch this space in the future for updates!)

I hope that everyone who worked on the drama feels the same way as me and I hope we can work together again in the future.

Some of the Rosanna Cross cast and crew.

 

 

“Its been a long time, Where’ve you been?”

It has been a while since I updated this site. I have been in my final year at University, so things have been a little hectic. I have managed to get a few projects in, however, gaining that all important work experience.

Recently I have worked with Solent Productions and Craig Lees – DoP, on a music video for a folk group, a promo video for a CCTV and security training company and a yacht racing series for Fast40+. I also had the pleasure of filming a promotional video for professional magician – David Major.

For the last 8 months or so I have been working on my Final Major Project (FMP) at Solent University. I have worked with a great group including, Abi Hoskins, Ally Hewitt, Jade Kingham, Jamal Watts, Lloyd Crow and Sergio Kulikovsky; collectively making CineFinesse.

Together we have produced a pilot episode for a Victorian Crime drama series – The Adventures of Rosanna Cross. This pilot sees Rosanna dragged back in to a life she was trying to leave behind and forced, by gang leader Cornelius, to attempt an impossible diamond robbery in order to keep her daughter alive.

We had a great cast to work with, with the lead being portrayed by the fantastic Barbara D’Alterio – (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1859556/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1)

Cornelius, by Simon “Bonkers” Richards – (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5890732/?ref_=tt_cl_t3) is becoming quite a regular in my films.

Other cast members include Darren Hart – (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6441721/?ref_=fn_al_nm_7) as henchman Silas, Richard Barnett as Lord Havelock, Abi Miklasz as the Lords maid, Bill Ford as the Lords Butler and Nicholas Pearce as Inspector Lestrade.

We also introduced Ellen Hutton as Rosanna’s daughter, Emma.

We had some great locations around Southampton. The days were long and a little stressful at times but were fantastic to work on. I think all cast and crew would agree it was really enjoyable and created some great memories.

We have now handed in our production for marking and we have to stand in front of the panel on Thursday 19th May to discuss the project . Fingers crossed it will go ok!

You can see the trailer on the videos page but, hopefully, the finished short will be entered into some film festivals, so it will a while before it is online to view. Keep checking for updates on Festival submissions etc.

 

 

 

Solent TV – Director Audition

I have just got back from a directors audition with Solent TV to co-direct their summer 2015 four-part drama series. It was a little nerve-racking as it was to work with two actors that I have never met. I had got through to the second round of the selection process and been given a short script, with little description, to which I could adapt in any way I wanted. My idea was to portray a Grimm style fairytale and transform the two actors, one from a princess type character into a witch and the other from a “chav” character into a frog. Not having met the actors before and not auditioning for a director role before a million and one things were running through my head. In the end it was all ok. The actors were great, I had visions of them not been happy with the idea I had come up with and having to talk them around; but they were fantastic. They both seemed really interested in my idea and, as I had hoped, found the transformations quite funny and not embarrassing. I think my nerves came in a little, you know what it’s like, when you leave and think – if only I had done this or if only I had said that!!  At the end of the day I gave it my best shot and all I can do is keep my fingers crossed until I hear back from them with their decision. As with all jobs, there are lots of people applying for the post but I should know either way by next Friday 27.02.15 (wish me luck)

Filming Character Documentary with magician Luke Lamont

On Saturday 25th October 2014, I along with Sergio, Ben and Lia set off to film an interview with the Isle of Wight based magician Luke Lamont; at the Wight Rock bar in Ryde.

After a few small hiccups with times and dates having to be re-arranged we eventually got the relevant permissions to film at the bar at 12.00. The original idea was to film slightly later and film some of Luke’s performance later on in a cabaret show in the evening. Unfortunately the cabaret show fell through and a party then booked the bar for three o’clock. This gave us a dilemma, but we decided to go ahead at an earlier time and try to get everything we needed before the party came in. With only around two and a half hours to capture the interview and some cutaways of Luke performing some of his magic, we were put under great pressure. But with the hard work of the whole team, I think, we managed to pull it off, getting plenty of material to put together a two minute, character led, documentary for one of our university, documentary unit, projects.

With myself producing, Lia directing, Sergio filming and Ben capturing sound, we all worked to the best of our abilities to get the job done. The footage has now been handed over to the other member of our group, Kelsey, who is going to edit the sequence together.

The hand in date for the film is Friday 31st October; so hopefully you should be able to see how it worked out very soon after that.

Finally I would like to say a huge thank you to the Wight Rock for giving us permission to film in their bar; It was the perfect location for what we were after. Also thank you to Luke Lamont, for agreeing for us to make a short film about his life in magic so far.

http://sh7174.wix.com/wightrock

http://www.scottjordan.co.uk/acts/luke-lamont.html

 

DAYLIGHT ROBBERY

Cast and Crew Photo

Well we did it. We had to film a short (between 3 and 5 minutes) during the Easter break for our Single Camera Unit at Solent University.

A group of us, myself, Sergio, Jamal and Ria,  got together and came up with some ideas. We decided to go with Sergio’s idea and I developed it into a script.

Everything seemed to come to a halt then as we were really stuck finding a location that fit the script. Coming in to the holiday we were still without a location and cast. As Ria and Jamal are living in Southampton and myself and Sergio live on the Isle of Wight it was tricky to find somewhere that suited everyone.  While Ria and Jamal looked around Southampton, Sergio and I scoured the Island. We eventually got permission to film at Landguard Manor, Shanklin (a place I really wanted to use for the film, so was very happy when they said yes!) The only trouble was it didn’t really fit the original script of a bank robber; so I wrote a new one. It used basically the same concept as the original idea but it changed from a bank robbery to a burglary. We now had a new script, “Daylight Robbery”.

I am glad this happened because I think the second script is far superior to the first one. (Not that I’m saying either of them are very good you understand!)

Because we were filming on the Island it was easier to cast the film from the Island. I managed to get Tim, Dawn and Shane who all live locally and I even manged to talk Bonkers and Bill to come over for the day from Oxford. (It only cost me a cheese and Pickle sandwich; an over-payment some might say in relation to their acting skill*)

The day filming went really well. Sergio and Ria filmed, Jamal captured sound and I directed. (and set the lights up) I think everyone enjoyed the day; and just hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. We even had a V.I.P. visit (my mum and dad; who made Jamal panic as he thought the were the real Lord and Lady of the Manor. (that would be that posh Yorkshire accent for you**)

Sergio has since been locked in his bedroom for hours, doing what all TV and Video Production students do in their bedroom…..you guessed it, Editing.  He showed me the rough cut that he has been working on and he has done a fantastic job, it looks great. There are a couple of tweaks to do before going back to Uni on Monday, but they should be done just in time for David (our Lecturer) to tear it to shreds. Oh well, I like it.

As soon as it is available I will upload it for all to view.

 

*This was said as a joke and in no way a reflection of Bonkers’ Keith Richards impression in the interview section! (Love you Bonkers)

**Their Yorkshire accent isn’t in anyway posh; not as posh as mine anyway. (Love you Mum and Dad)

EE British Academy Film Awards

Is it just me, but after watching the BAFTA’s last night I feel that you wont be able to make it in the film industry unless you either have a beard, wear glasses or both! Not being one to rock the system I’m off to throw away my razors and book myself into Specsavers for a check-up.

Sherlock – The Empty Hearse

Last night, New Years Day 2014, the BBC broadcast the TV programme that I, along with nearly 10 million others have been eagerly waiting for – The new series of Sherlock.

Sherlock is one of the few TV series that I enjoy so much I bought the DVD box-set of series 1 & 2 so I would be able to watch it whenever I felt like it. I like the Guy Richie films featuring Robert Downey Junior as Holmes that came out around the same time, but can’t help feel that these are totally overshadowed by Benedict Cumberbatch’s Holmes, Martin Freeman’s Watson and the writing of Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat.

I am a Sherlock Holmes fan. I have read Conan Doyle books and watched many different actors play the detective in the past. I used to think that Jeremy Brett played the best Holmes; to me, he seemed to get all the nuances that I thought Sherlock would posses. I remember hearing about the new series that would be starting in 2010 and how it was going to bring Sherlock Holmes into the 21st Century with the use of mobile phones, laptops and forensic science. I wasn’t too convinced it was going to be any good and work as a modern day story, but I thought I would give it a go. I don’t think I have ever been more wrong about anything! From the very first episode I was hooked. Everything about it is fantastic. The script, the acting, the story-lines, the little nods to the original Conan Doyle books, everything. It says to me that it has all been put together by huge fans of the original books who wanted to update them without leaving fans citing the things that did or didn’t happen in the original stories. On top of all this I am still trying to work out if the casting of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman was fete or pure genius.

It has been two years since Sherlock launched himself off a rooftop in the attempt to save those closest to him. That means two years waiting to find out how he pulled off the faking of his own death; so it was with sheer shock that I fell off my sofa when I saw Derren Brown come into shot. A scene that turned out to be just one of many sequences that could explain how he did it. As Watson said the words I tended to agree with him, It doesn’t matter how you did it, It’s just why? The thought that Sherlock is back on my TV is enough for me and I started to think It doesn’t matter how you did it, I’m just glad you did.

Last nights episode “The empty Hearse” was a real roller coaster ride that kept me on the edge of my seat, but as I watched in ore at the magnificence of the whole production, there was one thing that struck me. I am studying Film and TV Production and everyone is always talking about the pace of a piece. I have never been totally sure what they meant, is it the speed of the spoken words, the speed of the camera movement or the speed of the editing? Last night I realized that it involves everything. The speed of the lines delivered inter-cut between two different scenes had my heart pounding in places, while other scenes seemed to stop-time making it possible to reflect on what is going on, only to be quickly flipped again. If I ever have to explain pacing for my degree I will use this episode as a masterclass.

I think Sherlock is the greatest television series I have ever watched and just hope there are many more to come. If I am lucky enough to ever work in television and get involved in a production 1/10th as good I will be a very happy man.

This isn’t just Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective anymore he now also belongs to Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat.

http://www.imdb.com

Present From My Wife

This was a present from my wife, Amalia; an autograph of one of my favorite actors.

Autograph

My Top 10 (Crime Films)

A while ago some friends and I were talking about which films we would list as our top ten favourites. Have you ever tried to do this? It is such a hard question. It is a hard question because there are so many different reasons why you like a film. For example it could be that you like the director, actor or the story, production values, special effects or the emotion it makes you feel. Trying to list your top ten is made even harder by looking at the finished list and realizing all the films you like that are not on it. It is easier to name your top ten in a genre like horror or comedy; but even this is complicated by the fact that some genres overlap each other and get blurry as to which category to put them in.

I have been thinking about this for some time and I find it nearly impossible to settle on a final list. Because of this I have been thinking about splitting my favourite films into different groups. The lists below are some of the films I have come up with already. This doesn’t mean that these are the only films I like; they are just the ones that came to mind as I was trying to put together the lists. The more I think about the lists the more films I think of, so it is an ever growing list with new entries being added all the time.

This month I have listed my favourite films to do with crime. There are so many that I have broken them down into different categories, thriller, drama and comedy.

CATEGORY                                                              DIRECTOR                YEAR

CRIME (Thriller)

1. 13 Tzameti                                                                          Gela Babluani                  2005
2. Layer Cake                                                                         Matthew Vaughn           2004
3. Lock. Stock and Two Smoking Barrels                     Guy Ritchie                       1998
4. Now You See Me                                                               Louis Leterrier                2013
5. Ocean’s Eleven                                                                 Steven Soderbergh      2001
6. Se7en                                                                                   David Fincher                  1995
7. Shade                                                                                   Damian Nieman               2003
8. Sin City                 Frank Miller/Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino           2005
9. Snatch                                                                                 Guy Ritchie                       2000
10. The Usual Suspects                                                        Bryan Singer                     1995

CRIME (Drama)

1. Casino                                                                                   Martin Scorsese            1995
2. Following                                                                             Christopher Nolan       1998
3. Goodfellas                                                                          Martin Scorsese            1990
4. Harry Brown                                                                        Daniel Barber                 2009
5. Once Upon A Time In America                                     Sergio Leone                  1984
6. Pulp Fiction                                                                        Quentin Tarantino         1994
7. Rounders                                                                            John Dahl                         1998
8. Sea of Love                                                                        Harold Becker                1989
9. The Godfather                                                                  Francis Ford Coppola  1972
10. The Shawshank Redemption                                       Frank Darabont                 1994

CRIME (Comedy)

1. Analyze This                                                                       Harold Ramis                   1999
2. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery       Jay Roach                         1997
3. Bad Boys                                                                             Michael Bay                      1995
4. Bulletproof                                                                        Ernest R. Dickerson       1996
5. Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid                                         Carl Reiner                       1982
6. Love, Honour and Obey                                 Dominic Anciano/Ray Burdis      2000
7. Red                                                                                       Robert Schwentke         2010
8. Seven Psychopaths                                                        Martin McDonagh          2012
9. The Big Lebowski                                                      Joel Coen/Ethan Coen       1998
10. The Longest Yard                                                            Peter Segal                      2005

Next month I will add another list but in the mean time I would be interested to know what great films you think I have left off the list.