The Social Network

How many people are pushed into setting up a social networking account? I was, on both occasions, with My Space and facebook. In fact, Twitter was the only one I thought all to myself to set up!

In 2008, I was approached by my friend, Alex Barrett (currently finishing post production on his first feature film Life Just Is) to write a short film together, examining social networking sites in a satirical fashion. The film was entitled 'Paintbrush' the ficticious website which lets you connect. Made entirely of real stills from facebook, the film went onto circle film festivals in various parts of the globe. At the time, I mentioned the idea of a sequel to Alex, which would focus on the issue of death within social networking sites, which Alex didn't really get with at the time.

It wasn't until some months later when Alex read an article about the same subject that 'Paintbrush: The Epitaph' was finally born. Shorter, still made up entirely of stills and about the existence of someone's life online, after they have passed away. The film went on to do better, at bigger festivals, winning an award at LSFF in 2010, it went onto to be screened at Hamburg shorts and Kassel doc fest, with the next screening taking place at the Werkstatt der Jungen Filmszen which I thoroughly look forward to attending.

A few weeks ago I saw 'Catfish' which I was really impressed by, if not wondering a little at how real it actually was. Nevertheless, a great piece of work. When the 'The Social Network' came out in 2010, I was intrigued, if not a bit turned off by it being directed by David Fincher. I know, I know, not a very popular thing to say but my problem with Fincher is that he's full of gimmicks, twists, over-the-top played out drama, too glossy and all in all, just really not as great as other filmmakers today in my opinion. But the social network really interested me, not really in terms of my own existence in making films about the subject of social networking, but on the subject it was tackling about the birth of facebook.

So what was it about Fincher's film that lingered in my mind after watching it. There was no gimmicks, it was full of ambiguity of why Mr Zuckerberg betrayed his friend, no hero is really identified within the film, the film stays clear of Mark's parents, no sympathy is created for any of the characters, there is no speech of how Mark has gained so many friends on-line but in reality he's has no one who cares for him.

'The social network' plays it straight. It gives the saying 'an instant classic' some meaning. An important film about loyalty, loneliness, friends, betrayal, greed and the definition of a decade that brought old friends and strangers, as well as bringing us the relationship status. Where would we be without it?

The School of Sound

You could say that The School of Sound brought me to where I am today...

In 2003 I attended The School of Sound (SOS) festival for the first time but not the last. A four day event consisting of four lectures per day, attended by sound enthusiasts from around the globe.

It's fair to say that if it wasn't for The School of Sound, I wouldn't be studying my MA in screenwriting at London College of communication today. At the last closing reception of SOS 2005, I met a man whom I informed I wanted to be a screenwriter to. I had just recently completed my BA degree in film and video and was ready for the world of rejection, words on paper, sleepless nights full of endless ideas bouncing around and no money in my pockets.

This gentleman informed of six universities within the UK, which all contained MA screenwriting courses, following a syllabus that enables the graduate to gain writing work successfully in the bussiness after gathering the necessary skills from the course. At this point I said to him, 'who are you? You could potentially change my life and my decisions on what I do from now over the next year or years.' This was the point at which he told me that his name was Philip Parker, which still didn’t mean anything to me at that moment, until he informed me that he was a screenwriter and the creator of these six courses.

What can I say about Philip Parker, he had a way with his words because what he said and how he said it, gelled into my brain and didn’t leave me until I finally got onto the MA screenwriting course after five years, four applications and three interviews later. Thank you Philip Parker, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.

My first SOS's, 2003, 2005, both contained the same amount of vast knowledge and were full of immense love for the audio in all it's different forms, amongst a large group of creative, like minded people. I learnt, I met, enjoyed, networked and went away with a sense that this was a festival like no other.

Film festivals is a world I know and understand in many shapes, forms, styles, countries and SOS stands isolated as a unique festival about an art which has always fought to be remembered alongside it's partner, the visual. After the festival of 2005, I knew that I wanted to return and I hoped it would be in 2007, as SOS takes place every two year.

Exchanges of discussions took place between myself and Larry Sider, co-creator alongside his partner Diane Sider over my possible attendance to the festival in 2o07, 2009, the timing sadly never working out. I’m happy to say that I was finally able to return this year, in 2011 and I was pleased to find it hadn't changed. The same quality of lectures, lecturers, people from the world of film, theatre, games, art and music were all there, bringing ideas and wisdom to the world of sound we love and live in.

Without pointing to any lectures specifically, all can be found about the quality of the festival online at http://www.schoolofsound.co.uk/, in the speakers it has had over the years, what the festival's aim is and the books available to purchase. The only part I will mention within the Purcell room is from this year’s festival closing speech from Diane Sider. Before the routine ritual of returning the sound to its silence took place, Diane informed everyone what The School of Sound is actually about. Words that I was truly moved by, I can’t exactly paraphrase the beauty of what she said but it was along these lines.

‘School of sound isn’t actually about films, theatre, art, games, installations, it’s about listening. But are you actually listening or just catching the chatter, whilst thinking about tonight’s dinner. It’s actually a hard thing to do, to listen.’ Diane went onto to talk about freedom of speech and how people around the world are fighting to be listened to.

I sat motionless...left with only the silence.