No Regrets

First some best wishes:

Good luck to Alicia Arden (another LA actress I met on the beach in Cannes) and Paula Labaredas with their film No Regrets. Alicia was having great fun on the beach posing for her many admires whilst I discussed The Bloodline with her friend Paula. Following up Paula’s interest in The Bloodline I discovered this very interesting Documentary about a can do Director of the feature The Last Eve, where Paula played Lilith. Enjoy!

Did you know that Texas has overtaken Germany as the world leaders in wind power? Yes, wind turbines! And did you know the cause? G. W. Bush when he was Governor… Who would have believed that? But it’s true, at least according to the BBC. Life is full of such surprises, just look at A Question Of Content getting into it’s first film festival proper (WIFF). By the way AQOC has an IMDb page, but I’m waiting for a few votes to formalise its place, so if you click here you could add your vote. The short is not available on the web yet (as I need to wait until the festival exploitation is over) but there is a trailer on the IMDb which should enable you to vote.

Be Part Of The Miracle!!
email:- brokenarrowfilms

A Question Of Content

I’ve been holding back on some blog news for the right moment. This is the moment.


A Question Of Content has so far been entered into three film festival competitions. I’m pleased to announce that my little first attempt, thrown together short has got into the first festival that I submitted it to. This was in no small measure due to Jack Marshall who took over the editing when my system failed. Having got into the Washougal International Film Festival, by sending them a DVD, they now require an uncompressed .MOV file as an exhibit screening file. This means one more trip to Jacks place to make a few tweaks before transferring a master .MOV file to my new machine.

Watch this space!

Be Part Of The Miracle!!
email:- brokenarrowfilms

Cannes 2009 - In a Flash

A blog-moment. Last year I took a camcorder to Cannes and uploaded a brief video to youtube, I’d decided not to repeat the exercise but on the plane I rashly bought a camera so here below are my first pics with my Praktica DCZ 8.3!

Be Part Of The Miracle!!
email:- brokenarrowfilms

Glamour at Cannes and more.

Back from Cannes to end the blog-draught, but hardly a moment to relax as I travelled to BAFTA on Thursday to attend the premiere of Morrison’s Birthday Party, a short made by Frame On Frame (Trevor Hughes and Claire Barker). There was no time to discuss the Babbage feature draft three (which I’ve written for them), but Claire was able to say that we’re going in the right direction. Friday was my Creative Writing refresher course and today Diane and I are off to do some medieval re-enacting (for new readers we are archers). All this and not feeling 100%, but I’ll not bore you with that accept to say that it limited the fun at Cannes. Despite a more subdued Cannes than last year it was nevertheless a success, as I held two brief business meetings and met some interesting people. They included a Director/Filmmaker David Hewitt who had read and enjoyed an early version of The Bloodline (more on this another time!) and Paula Labaredas an American actress that looked like how I had imagined Sandie (the lead female character) when I was writing the original version of The Bloodline. Interestingly enough I had a specific American actor in mind for the male lead, James Masters. He’d be an older more evil and American version of Spike (Buffy/Angel), but we haven’t approached him because it’s unlikely that he’d wish to reprise his vampire persona. Regular readers will remember that The Bloodline location is now likely to be Portugal for funding and other considerations. Well, it just so happens that Paula has Portuguese parents (... small world no?) and she is also interested in the part! We are now in communication and I’ve sent her the latest English-location version of the script. My Producer approves the exploration of the possibilities so watch this space.

Be Part Of The Miracle!!
email:- brokenarrowfilms

Waiting

My wife is a Yoga teacher but this does not prevent her from attending classes to maintain her personal body awareness, in fact it is essential if she is to keep her own students enthralled. Likewise I’m attending a weekly Creative Writing course. An exercise set last week was to write a poem that describes an abstract noun (eg Joy), but without using the word in the poem or title. Just for fun I’ve included my contribution below (called Waiting) can you guess the abstract noun I was given to work with?

Off to Cannes tomorrow so there may or not be a blog for a few days. Enjoy!

WAITING

Woken in rain,
Barbed, cutting, malevolent rain.

Soaked in mud,
Slimed, submerging, unearthly mud.

Griped with pain,
Leached, invading, hellish pain.

Bombarded by sound,
Secreted, wailing, bursting sound.

Covered in stink,
Racked, incising, cordite stink.

Separated from man,
Misplaced, missing, forgotten by man.

How long do I wait for death’s cruel hand?
How long the torment, the suffering?
How long?

© brokenarrowfilms 15 May 2009

Be Part Of The Miracle!!
email:- brokenarrowfilms

Round Ireland with a Fridge - And more!

Yesterday I spent an enjoyable afternoon and evening with my family in Wimbledon. And, as if to prove that Wimbledon is not just for tennis, it was to take part in, the soon to be, highly successful adaptation of Tony Hawks book Round Ireland with a Fridge, for the silver screen. We were only background artists (extras) but in a small way we were doing our bit to keep British film alive. Anna Brabbins (2nd Assistant Director) ensured that we were looked after. But no money of course, however, as a filmmaker myself I admire anyone who is able to get a project off the ground! Having personally aided Tony in the lifting the fridge in question, I’m sure it’s staring role in the film will guarantee an audience of white-goods-a-philes who will be clamouring to see it on the red carpet at the premiere! They have four more weeks of filming around England, Wales and finally Ireland, so may fortune smile on them.

I’m making final preparation for Cannes on Saturday. I had planned for a quite time assisting Jack Marshall to push his projects. BUT, I now have a session tomorrow with my Pinewood producer (Len Evans – VIP) to discuss a couple of meetings he’d like me to take on his behalf. AND I’ve already agreed to update Julian Richards Jinga Films (The Bloodline Director designate) on the latest developments for my other producer Paul Dawe (Blue Rider). No rest for the scribbler!

Other News:

1) My Cannes sfc entry “A Question Of Content” now has a basic IMDb page (click here) which I hope to add to during the months to come.
2) I have completed the 3rd Draft of the Babbage feature and it’s now with the Producers, Trevor Hughes and Claire Barker (Frame On Frame).

Be Part Of The Miracle!!
email:- brokenarrowfilms

Lover and more

Apologies once again for the bloggap but it has been a busy time.
1) Yesterday I attended a film premiere, at the Solo Screening Rooms in London, of a short made by Sabina Satter called "Lover". It’s a film that left you wanting more and was well crafted with some fine performances amongst the cast (which included a 10-second moment of fame for myself!).
2) We’ve had a second development meeting (myself as writer and Trevor Hughes & Claire Barker from Frame On Frame) on the Babbage feature film project and the third draft is well on its way.
3) Movement has started again on The Bloodline feature, but I can’t say any more at this time.
4) Preparations continue for Cannes 2009 but on the wider festival front, I’ve entered A Question Of Content into the Milwaukee SFF. However, I’ve had to dispatch a second DVD to the Washougal IFF as the first copy seems to have been lost in space!
5) Oh and tomorrow it’s my birthday and over this last week my wife and I have been catching up with friends and family, culminating in a mass (family) trip tomorrow to see "Star Trek" and then a meal after!

Be Part Of The Miracle!!
email:- brokenarrowfilms