Glad I don't have to listen to myself speak on a daily basis

Oh my, haven't blogged for awhile so this might be a long one.

First off!

Last week I went to Guerrilla Shorts at Hyde Park picture house. It was really good. Nice to see other shorts and how they are put together. What I took from it was that short films don't try to tell a full story, but a section from a story. Like a couple of scene pulled out of a feature. It's a bi-monthly event so keep your eyes peeled for it because it needs the support. They also take submissions visit there myspace.

Righto

I've been reading loads of books about short film making, digital film making, well, anything and everything about film making and how you can achieve good cinema on the cheap. I think that's what I really want to do with my career, make good films with super low budgets. I like finding cheapo ways of doing stuff. MAKING SHORT FILMS was a good read with some nice tips and there is a couple of copies in the college library. Digital Film making by Mike Figgis is great, bought that on play.com for £7. Also, I've reading a load of scripts. its really helped me write one.

Anyway

Major project. WOW, its going great. We've really hit the floor running. We need to be though because were aiming really high. I've been playing the role of writer and producer so far. Were taking little steps at a time. I finished the screenplay today and Graeme as tidied up my appalling spelling and grammer, plus added and changed some of the action and dialogue for the better. I think we've made a really good team and work hard at it. We was on Skype all weekend mainly arguing or taken the piss, but we also sorted a lot out. The wonders of technology saving me bus fairs. If only we could get it set up in college! I wouldn't have to leave my bedroom.

I went to see a location on Monday, not sure if it'll work, but I was on the phone to Kieran the manager of Subculture (night club in Leeds) this evening and he seemed ok for us to film there, which would work. So all being well that is one location down!

What else

I tried doing a video blog on the weekend for this major project, but its harder than I thought. I'm not that pleasing to listen to, glad I don't have to listen to myself speak on a daily basis, sorry friends! Would still really like to do a Video Diary, so i'll stick at it.

Not sure if there is anything else I've done that I should report. ermmmm...

No thats it.

Asked a question to the guy thats produced the latest Bond movie.

I attend the Industry weekend at Bradford film festival. I found most of the talks helpful, and some of them seemed like the speakers of the panels just wanted to give themselves a pat on the back.

The talks confirmed a lot of what i've been thinking for the last year. Don't wait around for somebody to tell you to make a film, pick up a camera and just go make one.

Overall, good weekend, got to meet some interesting people, the writer of Donkey Punch, asked a question to Jim Clark, a question to the guy thats produced the latest Bond movie and is one of the heads at Eon. 

Plus got to hear some good tips!

...and a jeep!

I've been in contact with Gio, he runs and organises the G.I Joe animation festival. I've told him that I am going to submit a short this year, but couldn't find some cheap Joe's. Gio has kindly enough offered to send me some, along with some props and a jeep.

This really adds the pressure to make something good!

Looking forward to the challenge. 

I didn't think it was as good as BENJAMIN BUTTON.

I went to go see the WATCHMEN last night...



It was better than I thought, but I wasn't expecting much!

It did have it's problems, I've never read the graphic novels/comic books, so I didn't have anything to compare it too. At a wild guess, I bet the comic books are complex, because the film definitely was for it's running time. They should have split it into two films. As I was sat at home it felt like my head was spinning trying to think about film, Trying to remember characters names and what it was actually about.

The Watchmen story kind of got summed up in the title sequence with a few picture (maybe a bit more, can't remember). They should have explained Who are the Watchmen a little more. It was definitely a film for the fans and a commercial cinema goer will not understand it.

However, The effects are good enough to keep you wowing at the screen and the sound track is very good.



I didn't think it was as good as BENJAMIN BUTTON, which i saw last week.

Guns, blood and death...

Mat (animation) told me about this, It's The THING (movie) but made with G.I Joe's.

The tiny sets are amazing!

I've had a little look at a few G.I Joe animations as research for the G.I.J festival, there all very similar. In which I mean guns, blood and death... many having zombie's in them. I can see why zombie's are cool, and if it hadn't been done i'd do it too.

I think i'll try taking a different approach, not sure how yet...

Exactly one minute short film.

I found out about www.theoneminutes.org competition. The idea behind it is you have exactly one minute duration for your short. The website is pretty strange to navigate around and there are different competition you can enter, but it doesn't tell you what each competition is...

I am definitely going to enter it.

There are loads of shorts to watch, but here are two I found interesting.

SNOOZE.

BEACH.

Just need some G.I Joe's.

I'd really like to enter this G.I Joe festival, each year they hold a film festival with shorts created with... yeah, G.I Joe's! I have a friend that has entered it for the last few years. It's another reason to to get story boarding!

Here is the LINK.

It looks pretty funny, well worth doing. Just need some G.I Joe's and a Idea!
Anybody wanting to calibrate give me a shout.

Have a look round the website there is some great little short, but you have to find the links.
Also YouTube G.I Joe animation and you'll find loads.

I'm sure I won't be the only person looking forward to seeing the back of it.

I'm really excited about this major project. Me, Graeme and Mark are teaming up again and I think we might need another body in the group. We are really going to push the boat out this time and make something great. Seeing what Tom, Rory, Jim, Moody and Harry's group have achieved this time has been a real inspiration.

The three of us started writing a short idea over Christmas and I think we will develop that. The idea is really ambitious and will need planning by the minute. My enthusiasm is through the roof at the moment and I need to keep this momentum.

The problem with the Black Hole brief is it's got the better of all of us and I'm sure I won't be the only person looking forward to seeing the back of it.

However, filming Tim yesterday was a good laugh and I'm pleased with the footage. Tim is going to read for a part in our major project. I'd really like to use actors in their late 20's to mid 30's, because they take the project more seriously. I think sometimes young actors care more about themselves than the project and want themselves to come across looking good even if that's not apart of the storyline.

Anyway...
That's a ramble for another day.

I've tried adding myself.

I've signed up for IMdbPRO, which is pretty special.

It's got all the contacts for film companies, agents, distributors, producers, anything related to film. Can't say if there all correct, but there are email addresses and I will be contacting a few UK channels.

Also when your a Pro user you can add details to the site. I've tried adding myself and Fallout. It takes 2-4 weeks for IMdb to verify the information. So, you never know I may have my own IMdb page next month.

I think that will really spur me on to get making more shorts and features. Getting my name out there, getting credits on IMdb. I've had to credit myself as James G. Wall, because there was loads of James Wall's and I'd have been James Wall IV, but there were no James G. Wall's. Doesn't bother me, I like my middle name.

At the moment I have a free trial, but it cost about £10 a month. Not sure if it's worth that yet.

Made for around £90k, which is nothing in the film industry.

In early hours of the morning I decided to watch ONCE. A Dublin based movie about a singer/songwriter. The film was basically a 80 minute music video.

What drew me to ONCE was it was made for around £90k, which is nothing in the film industry. However, watching it you can see why. It wasn't a bad film, but the camera work looked amateur and most of the sets were on location.

When watching it i couldn't work out what the £90k was spent on, but it was surprising to see how big the crew was.

Once was inspiring on many levels, it was a good film, which got both critical acclaim and earned a massive amount of money. Also when watching it I believe I could create something visually better.

The soundtrack was superb check it out on myspace.

Confessions of an Online Stalker.

It's come to my attention that I live in a generation 

of people that stalk each other online.

A lot of the time people know what I'm doing before even I know what I'm doing. Which, is probably a lie. However, more images of myself are uploaded by other people (friends). I think I should have the right to decide what pictures are uploaded for my friends and family to see. There is the occasional night I like to get unbelievably drunk, usually with friends. This means I don't want my Nan viewing pictures on Facebook of me doing things I'm ashamed of the next day.

Anyway... I can't help stalking myself, there are a view blogs I follow and Youtube pages I've subscribed to. One guy I find massively influential is CRAIG THOMPSON. I've been watching his blog for a little while and think he posts some really nice stuff. LINK. He posts unfinished work, which I feel is a great help. It helps you understand if he is working in the same style to you or give you tips on how to work.

Craig Thompson's BLANKETS (graphic novel) really touch me and I'd love to adapt it for screen. Maybe I will one day.

Business Cards.

I've sent a business card to the print today.

I figured with me paying a ticket for the industry weekend at Bradford film festival it might be a good opportunity to hand some out.

The actual one will say my tel and email, but wasn't comfortable updating that to the net.

I know it's not very fancy, but i didn't want something too over powering. It's simple, straight to the point and cheap, so if they end up on the floor i won't be crying.

Northern Laughs 2009

North Laughs 2009 are selecting 3 comedy scripts to develop for the BBC. LINK.

This looks like a great opportunity, and I wrote down a sitcom idea. However, it does say in the guidelines that you cannot be in full time education. DAM YOU!

I'm not sure whether to enter it anyway... to see if my idea would be chosen. Surely if they think its good enough they'd let it slide I'm in college. Although i'd probably miss lots of college because there are 6 months of important dates... probably not a good idea.

The page has shown me two new networking film sites. www.visionandmedia.co.uk and http://www.northernmedia.org These aren't for our region but still good to see what close neighbors are creating. Plus it's also good to find locations.

UV FILMS

I recently emailed Neil Scholes of UV Films. The talent filmmaker has worked for the BBC, Shane Ward, Coca Cola and Vodafone, plus many other.

I asked Neil for advice on how he started out.

He has emailed me a great response. He recommended some areas I might be interested in and where he started out.

He ended the email saying "But most importantly don't give up - because plenty of people will reject you or turn you down or just say no - keep plugging away and don't limit your horizons to just this country - Nowadays China, India, USA etc anywhere making films is open to you." 

I think thats great, recently a lot of people have doubted me and you need people to have faith and it helps make me believe that you can reach your dreams.

Bought My tickets.

I've bought my tickets for the Industry Weekend at Bradford film festival. Can't wait.