Success is a journey, not a destination

Life Just is

2012-01-22T05:19:00.001-08:00

In 2005, my friend Alex Barrett graduated from university with the aim of making a feature film. That finished film today is titled 'Life just is.' http://www.lifejustisfilm.com/

Made up of a stellar cast that includes Will De Meo, Jack Gordan, Nathaniel Martello White, Jayne Wisener, Fiona Ryan and Paul Nicholls, the film examines university graduates having trouble making the move into adult life.

From its first initial script, which I was privileged to read and feedback on, Alex began on building up a cast and crew from people he had worked on over his short films, some of which myself and Alex made together, whilst he attended film festivals, plucking talents wherever possible, knowing their contribution would be invaluable to the making of the film. One of the great things about Alex, is his ability to meet talent and show his dedication in continued communication, never letting them get away. During the two week shoot in October 2010, I had the chance to attend the shoot for a few hours, the cast and crew was a delight to meet, professional, creative and dedicated.

‘Life just is’ is an independent film. In light of the recent report that the British film industry should back more mainstream movies, needless to say it is of course impossible to judge what will be a commercially successful film. Instead, we should be looking to films like ‘Life just is,’ a film made on a shoestring budget, with filmmaking passion and a heart to express people’s emotions within a realistic world. Filmmaking was born on images, sound and story, not money.

After attending a test screening of the film in 2010, it was at my second viewing of the film, as the finished product, where a particular scene resonated in my mind. In a scene where Pete, Tom, Claire and David finish watching a Hollywood film, they examine the ending of a film they’ve just watched which reads as follows…

DAVID: It’s entertainment guys. You’d feel pretty gutted if you went to see a rom-com and it ended up with everyone being murdered in a car accident wouldn’t you...

PETE: Okay, yeah fair enough. But, I mean, at least that would have a vague resemblance to reality. I mean all these happy endings...I reckon they fuck you up far more than downbeat endings would…because it’s not how life works. So all they’re actually doing is giving you false hope that your you’ll get the job, get the girl, get laid, be happy, whatever. But that’s not how it works…I just think psychologically it makes less sense. Does more damage.

It speaks for itself...it’s one of my favourite quotes from the film. It speaks volumes between the worlds of filmmaking, how parts of the globe approach their projects differently; Sátántangó could never have been made in Hollywood nor would they choose or dare to remake it for that matter.

I would like to congratulate the entire Life just is team. A feature film, in the can and ready to see the world, is an honourable achievement. Myself and Alex being huge Stanley Kubrick fans, it’s only fair that the grand master has his say…

"Anyone who has ever been privileged to direct a film also knows that, although it can be like trying to write 'War and Peace' in a bumper car in an amusement park, when you finally get it right, there are not many joys in life that can equal the feeling." -SK

To end, a review of the ‘Life Just is’ by film critic Brad Stevens

To describe Alex Barrett's LIFE JUST IS as being, along with Woody Allen's YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER, the most impressive British film of recent years, would be both to damn it with faint praise, and to risk being actively misleading. Because aesthetically, Barrett's film, like Allen's, has no connection with anything in contemporary British cinema, a cinema in which the camera is so often either used as nothing more than a tool to record whatever happens to be taking place in front of it, or (the other side of the same coin) allowed to swamp onscreen events with flashy but ultimately empty pyrotechnics. In his first feature, Barrett has already acquired the skill to know exactly where to position his camera in order to suggest a view on the material without ever imposing such a view artificially. His influences clearly are not British, but rather European and Asian: the directors whose names occurred to me while watching it included Hou Hsiao-hsien (a shot in which an actor moves out of frame and the camera remains focused on the empty chair he has just vacated, patiently waiting for him to return, evokes memories of CAFE LUMIERE's opening sequence), Robert Bresson (the elimination of all superfluous elements, such as establishing shots and non-diagetic music, as well as the rationing of camera movement), Jacques Rivette (Pete's emotional collapse), and even Carl Dreyer, one of Barrett's favourite filmmakers: the shots of Pete's head framed against a white kitchen wall as he talks about his dream of Saint Francis were surely inspired by similar imagery in Dreyer's THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC. The only American filmmakers with whom Barrett would seem to have an affinity are such European-style directors as Abel Ferrara, and perhaps Michael Cimino: the communal song with which the film concludes recalls the similar ending of THE DEER HUNTER. But the name that came most frequently to mind was Ozu Yasujiro, whose habit of shooting dialogue scenes in group shots viewed from various angles (but only rarely with close-ups) by an unmoving camera is frequently echoed here. Far more important, however, is the ability Barrett shares with Ozu to view his characters with unashamed love and affection without ever being tempted to indulge them. It may be a cliche, but Barrett's key influences clearly come not from art but rather from life, from the generosity and curiosity with which he has observed both his contemporaries and himself...for it seems to me that each of the central characters represents a different aspect of their creator's personality. It is tempting to describe LIFE JUST IS as one of the most promising debuts in contemporary cinema, but this temptation should be resisted. We are not dealing with promise here: we are dealing with achievement.

- Film critic Brad Stevens

Sátántangó

2011-12-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

Film. Bela Tarr. 1994.

In a small dilapidated village in 1980's Hungary, life has come to a virtual standstill.

7 hours. 12 minutes.

Not a minute too long.

A masterpiece.

This is not a film

2011-12-22T07:08:00.001-08:00

I remember the first Jafar Panahi film I saw, 'the white balloon', a story about a seven year old girl who wants to buy a goldfish, set against the corruption within the city of Tehran on new year’s eve. I was thrown by back by it’s simplicity whilst capturing the essense of a city. The film has since been a massive influence in the stories I strive to tell today.

Panahi would go onto tackle issues concerning the struggle of women in modern day Iran in films such as 'Offside' and 'the Circle' and how social unbalance can lead a person to crime in 'Crimson gold', making Panahi one of the most contemporary and important filmmakers of the last decade.

On the 20 December 2010, after being prosecuted for “assembly and colluding with the intention to commit crimes against the country’s national security and propaganda against the Islamic Republic,” Jafar Panahi was handed a six-year jail sentence and a 20-year ban on making or directing any movies, writing screenplays, giving any form of interview with Iranian or foreign media as well as leaving the country. And so with this, his latest work is ‘an effort’ as the credits read to express himself the only way he currently can.

And what an incredible effort it is. Shot with a PD-150 digital video camera and a smart phone, the result is a very textured and layered documentary about so many things, numerous viewings are required to enhance the audience’s mind further. Jafar Panahi and Mojbata Mirtahmasb explore the mind of not only a filmmaker, but of human beings.The two friends banter back and forth, even hilariously arguing at times about who's really directing the film. Panahi performs and reads a script he wanted to make before he was sentenced within his living room concerning a woman’s wanting to take up an art course at university, much to the dislike of her family. The passion to pursue the performance until the end falters unfortunately as Panahi wishes he could just make a film.

Whilst the subject matter of 'This Is Not a Film' may seem depressing, in fact, it captures more warmth and beauty within life's details more than any other film I can think of in terms of it's circumstances. The film itself is not an attack on what has happened to Panahi, it's more an observational piece of a man's final hours before the new year arrives. Whilst we watch Panahi eat breakfast, he questions whether if this is pretentious film making before they find subjects to bring into the documentary.

A neighbour calls around to ask Panahi to look after their dog. After he is pushed into taking on the responsibility and the dog won't stop barking, he quickly tells the neighbour he has changed his mind. We don't see the neighbour but yearn to behind an open door as the camera hides from the neighbour and watches on as Panahi converses. One of the greatest stars of the film is Panahi's lizard which roams about the room, at points over Panahi's chest and shoulder.

In one of the funniest and warmest scenes I have ever seen in cinema, is when Panahi follows a fill in custodian for the building out of his flat. Panahi rides down the elevator with the young man as he reveals he was in the building the night the police raided Panahi’s apartment and arrested him. We yearn to hear more of the custodian's story as he is constantly interrupted by stops to collect the trash. The pauses seem to last forever. The conversation flows effortlessly and with so much joy, humour and surprise in this small journey which ends with this final long take in the elevator and into a fiery darkness. At last venturing outdoors, Panahi comes across the streets of fire, celebrations and yelling, a haunting final image and hopefully not the last image he will ever film.

Considering the deeply saddening circumstances of 'This Is Not a Film', the film is in fact an act of celebration and defiance, something akin to a miracle.

'Our problems are also all of our assets. Understanding this promising paradox helped us not to lose hope, and to be able to go on since we believe wherever in the world that we live, we are going to face problems, big or small. But it is our duty not to be defeated and to find solutions …The reality of being alive and the dream of keeping cinema alive motivated us to go through the existing limitations in Iranian cinema.' - Jafar Panahi

Air at the imperial war museum

2011-12-21T13:42:00.000-08:00

http://thedfg.org/news/details/1093/london-recut-film-screens-as-part-of-imperial-war-museum-film-festival

2011-12-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

When I had the opportunity to see Sofia's Coppola's new film 'Somewhere' in 2010, being the last film at that particular film festival, I was more than skeptical and not so excited as I was not a fan of her commercial hit 'Lost in translation.'

From the opening credits, I was surprised and fascinated, as a sportcar drove fast around a desolated racing circuit in the desert. The camera observes this statically on a tripod. The car eventually stops. Johnny Marco, Stephen Dorff emerges and stands nonchalantly.

Through the film's 98 minutes, we are delivered scenes in much a similar style. The camera shows, rather than tells, as Johnny smokes in his hotel room, watches girls pole dance in his room, breathes underneath a mould casting of his head, sits outside a restaurant before a random text comes through on his phone such as 'Why are you such an arsehole?' A text never explained, never acted on, never brought up again. A moment in the film, nothing more, nothing less, reflecting Johnny and who he is.

Instead, 'Somewhere' focuses on an aimless actor, whilst he spends time with his 11 year old daugther Chloe through moments. In a scene, when Johnny watches Chloe ice skate, the camera simply cuts from his POV back to his profile over a few minutes before she finishes and he claps. Or to take another scene, where Johnny lies on his bed being entertained by a pole dancing duet, the camera simply follows the same aesthetic.

Whilst all this may seem devoid of any meaning or substance, Coppola's virtuosity is in keeping empathy for characters without pouring out mushy sentiment. Johnny Marco as a character goes along a journey and he changes in the end but the film's brilliance is in not speaking to the audience with a hollywood language. The story subtly guides you along a more comfortable, more moody and a search for the essential in quiet scenes.

I was astonished to read the screenplay recently, which begins with the opening scene taking up less than a quarter of the page. In screenwriting language, a page equals one minute in screen time and in the film, this scene takes up nearly three minutes. In fact, the entire script is full of short scenes which are blown up in the film, constrasted in it's 98 minutes duration, to it's 44 page screenplay.

The winner of the Golden Lion at Venice in 2010, the year Quentin Tarantino was head of the jury, 'Somewhere' is something to remember. Like 'Lost in translation', it follows a relationship between a woman and an actor, but in this case, it's a father and daughter and a far better film overall, less potentious and arrogant but some people may think it's the other way around.

The story of film: an odyssey

2011-12-19T10:30:00.000-08:00

'At the end of the 1800's, a new artform flickered into life, it looked like our dreams...' During the course of fifteen weeks, we were hugged by cinema through an odyssey of passion and innovation, based on Mark Cousins book, of the same name in this epic documentary.

I remember when I first heard about the idea, how large scale it was, how exciting and refreshing this was to visualise. During the course of 900 mins, we are taken around the globe and introduced to an array of film languages.

Whilst people may say, it didn't cover everything, how could it? Yes, there is a number of films, directors we could all name that didn't make an appearance or got mentioned but like any great film, we are told what the film-maker chooses to tell us, it's their story. I'm sure there is alot on the SOF editing floor, which may make it to the DVD, like the lost gem deleted from City lights, as shown in episode 2.

Starting with people leaving a factory and ending with dreams within dreams, Mark gave us what he called 'a taste of each film', avoiding his own presence on screen, using only his voice as a classic storyteller. So where did this innovation mainly start from? The camera, the cut, the sound, the future of how the medium could be challenged within a social and political world and survive, became the active question.

The story of film is less about learning about cinema but more about celebrating it as an artform and how film-makers have used it to speak to the individuals of the world.

The most incredible aspect of the documentary for me, was in the end where I learnt something quite important. Whilst a particular film may not interest me, I should however take a moment and think, what are they doing differently, what's new about their approach to the story?

The epilogue of the story of film is hauntingly disturbing, beautifully moving and poignant to an artfom that has changed all our lives.

It's sad that the story of film is over but the story of film itself is not yet finished...

The Social Network

2011-05-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Best. Trailer. Ever.

2011-04-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

Life

2011-04-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

Born.

Work.

Live.

Love.

Die.

How much does your life weigh?

2011-04-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

'All the things you probably hate about travelling -the recycled air, the artificial lighting, the digital juice dispensers, the cheap sushi- are warm reminders that I'm home.'

In 2009, I sat within an cinema audience for a screening of Jason Reitman's third feature film 'Up in the air', up until this point I had been impressed by 'Thank you for smoking' and had understood and appreciated 'Juno's success but I had no idea that the film I was about to witness, would still have me thinking about it now.

The film was enjoyed by the crowd, laughing in the places where the film wanted you to laugh but what made me feel inferior to the rest was when the film ended and we all applauded, it somehow felt polite as opposed to a general love for what they had just watched. I included a large WHHOOPP which I think the film deserved. I remember someone slightly turning their head, almost as if they were thinking, 'what's wrong with you, you liked that film? I couldn't stop thinking about it...but why?

Was it the false pretences in which the film seemed like it was going to turn out in the end but didn't, this ain't no romantic comedy. Was it the world in which our protagonist was in, a man who fires people for a living, mirroring the current recession of the new millennium? Was it the fact that people fired in the film did actually lose their jobs in real life, the life imitating art factor with Ryan Bingham being played by George Clooney, the sharp comedy of the script, the gentle and subtly played out drama of a man learning the beauty of having a 'co-pilot' in life.

Ryan Bingham is a man who learns that the life he has been rejecting for years is actually much better than the life he has been living confidently in. He continues in his job to no satisfaction, his family regard him as a ghost, the woman he finally falls for, already has been living what he realises he now wants, so what has he got left...?

Ryan brings another future to Natalie Keener with his enthusiastic reference...with the final scene looming, where is our scene informing the audience confidently that Ryan will be okay, smile at a woman on the plane before he starts talking to her, using the Hollywood technique we'll lived with for years, that idea 'that everything will be alright in the end.'

Well...we do get it, Ryan stands with destination endless, acknowledges the audience with a sadness in his face, with a voice-over describing whilst happy families will carry on tonight, the stars will shine before disappearing and the final light of hope...will be his wing-tip flying over. Dead. Silence. The audience is left with clouds...Ryan is alone...

Why did I like this film? The man from the cinema and most of the audience who heard that loud whoop, seems like they thought the same or maybe they were too stunned or taken back by what they had just seen? I love it because I can't believe I see it...

Ryan Bingham learns but he doesn't change...he is the same man at the beginning and the end, only left with more pain...

In a great scene where he learns who he actually is, where he's from, what is at the centre of his life, the pilot asks him whilst they sit side by side on the plane 'where you from?' Ryan replies...

'I'm from here.'

Ryan Bingham: 'How much does your life weigh? Imagine for a second that you're carrying a backpack. I want you to pack it with all the stuff that you have in your life... you start with the little things. The shelves, the drawers, the knickknacks, then you start adding larger stuff. Clothes, tabletop appliances, lamps, your TV... the backpack should be getting pretty heavy now. You go bigger. Your couch, your car, your home... I want you to stuff it all into that backpack. Now I want you to fill it with people. Start with casual acquaintances, friends of friends, folks around the office... and then you move into the people you trust with your most intimate secrets. Your brothers, your sisters, your children, your parents and finally your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend. You get them into that backpack, feel the weight of that bag. Make no mistake your relationships are the heaviest components in your life. All those negotiations and arguments and secrets, the compromises. The slower we move the faster we die. Make no mistake, moving is living. Some animals were meant to carry each other to live symbiotically over a lifetime. Star crossed lovers, monogamous swans. We are not swans. We are sharks.'

2010-12-12T04:38:00.001-08:00

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0422498/

Quoted

2010-10-07T03:04:00.001-07:00

http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/art-culture/storyoflondon/blog/digital-london-confronts-its-analogue-past?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4cacb50a9d7bc440%2C0

The Bill (1984-2010)

2010-09-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

'We've all got it coming son, today's your turn.' Detective meadows uttered to the last caught murder suspect on the final episode of what would sadly be the end of 26 year old 'The Bill', one of the longest running series in British TV history. The end for a great show is always sad but some are inevitable...they will end...most things do. However in the case of 'the bill', it's end was more to do with change destroying it, as oppose to cutbacks.

'The bill' was originally a half an hour slot, like most TV shows into the 90's, an hour was now the standard format and so it followed. With it's initial first line 'okay Carver, let's do it.' The ending titles sequence of the police officers feet walking down the street, was always pictured as it official image, even after it was dropped for a more upbeat, uptone, "modren" title sequence. 'The bill' was about police officers, the law and their work. The bill may have had storylines over the years with certain characters but essentially the bill was not a soap, which made it stand out from all other British TV programmes.

I throughly enjoyed watching it over the years, I always knew I could come back to watching it after a long period, not worried about missing any huge continous plotline, because there usually wouldn't be one. I was tuning it for a gripping story, based on people living in London, a crime, suspects, investigation, solved, end. No gimmicks, no music to disguise the reality, in fact using ambience sounds to their advantage, creating high realistic drama.

The most remembered and favourite TV year of the bill for me is quite recent with 2008, in which they had a very ambitious and extremely successful eight parter titled 'witness', which focused on knife and gun crime within young children on a council estate. 'Witness' was unrelentless, gripping, powerful and thoughtful drama. Later that year, a two parter 'Hold me tight' tackled the murder of a eight year school girl and the main suspect a young boy around the same age. In the end, the boy was convicted of the crime after confessing but the officers were not sure weather to file the crime under murder, accidental or manslaughter. 'Over the limit' focuced on PC Sally Armstrong, who drunk a bit too much at a nightclub and crashed her car into another, the episode focused on three of the officers as they attempted to avoid anyone else at the station finding out about the incident and Sally being involved. The episode ends with Sally not being found out. As the bill carried onto other episodes and other storylines, this was never referred to again, PC Armstrong never got her comeuppance, noramally forbidden in the TV world.

The bill changed it formats over the years, adjusted to the times, sadly it was change that brought about it's demise and sudden lowered viewing figures. The change was to happen in September 2009, in which the format changed the gritty cinematography to glossy, from handheld to dolly. With a title sequence, devoid of it's original music of 26 years, now replaced with a confusing other track, murky ambience and pointless fast images. It was a sadly a matter of time, as the Bill now, was no longer gripping, exiciting, relevent or interesting. With an ambitous final steadycam one shot through the station, moving outside the station, crane shot up and end credits, the final epsiode entitled 'respect' dedicated it's long TV run to the men and women of the Metropolitan police force, past and present, as the final words of detective Meadows echoed...

'Today was one of the good days.'

The bill, ordinary people in a uniform, taking a responsibily for society.

R.I.P. You're nicked!

French film-maker Claude Chabrol dies

2010-09-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/sep/12/claude-chabrol-dies

When does it end? You decide!

2010-09-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

In the great words of George Constanza 'It's a show about nothing.'

On the 14th July 2000, after the milluenium didn't crumble the world away, TV was about to take a leap into another direction and would never look back. Orwell's 1984 created the name for what was deemed originally as a social experiment, ten people unknown to each other, entered what was only known as a house back then, and were watched by the curious small public of audience over a half an hour slot, six nights a week. The show rattled along, people drinking tea, dinner, breakfast, taking care of the chickens, running around naked, playing games, arguements, flirting, likes and hates. It wasn't until the cheating scandal that rocked the nation and the front pages of the newspapers then, in which Nick Bateman manipulated hosuemates to vote his way by writing housemates names on pieces of paper, a house quickly became a big brother house and the reality TV show was born.

You could argue that without Nick Bateman, there wouldn't have been a funeral and a celebration for Big brother at it's demise on the 10/09/10. At the end of series one, the winner Craig Philips donated his winning prize of £70,000 to his Down's syndrome friend Joanne Harris to help pay for her heart and lung transplant in America. This all made it seemed so important, like the show had a purpose, that people had been watched, examined, judged, reflected on, and in the end, a hero was chosen and a life was saved. Watching it at the time, it changed the way I saw soaps, I stopped watching Eastenders, I was instead enjoying 'reality.' The editing of the show was incredible, how they mangaged to create narratves through hours of nothing, each day, for every night's show.

As Big Brother continues a year later, BBLB was born, a pre show to the main show, there was an episode of the main show on now everyday of the week, and once again, people sat around and mainly did nothing. Big brother would continues onto his most sucessful series three in 2003 and into it's least sucessful four, at which point it all changed. The idea of people doing nothing, suddenly wasn't so interesting anymore and big brother had become dull. A revamp was born, the evil big brother, where everything and everything was thrown at the show, like a overloaded garden shed.

Back in the days of 'the word', the greatest talk show ever created, where a section titled the hopefuls where indidivuals would do anything to be on TV, was now what Big Brother had become. BB was now an event, a show where people's lives were edited and played with, to create an entertainment. The show became a platform to gain instant fame, get your magazine deals, do a few TV jobs, some other reality TV shows, including making small appearances on shows related to big brother such as big mouth. Social quickly turned into ego, followed by hungry, followed by freaks. It's quite fitting that for the last series of the show, the house was created and decorated as a circus.

In January 2007, Big Brother would make world headlines and be at the front of what is ignorance and what is racism. The infamous race row, detroyed the career of the most famous housemate to come out of Big brother and challenged the public and disturbed ofcom in weather they were right in what they were broadcasting and how. Big Brother would later start to donate a part of the viewers phone phone call votes to charity, to show some charity.

As the old saying goes, all good things come to an end but let's not forget one thing. If someone says, 'I don't watch reality TV', they are sadly mistaken, as Big brother spawned all that defined the genre of what is considered to reality TV. From the farm, to I'm a celebrity, get me out of here, masterchef, the apprentice, survivor, come dine with me, love island, X factor, Britain's got talent, Big Brother created the idea of putting individual strangers together in front of cameras, the rest continues to dominate the TV ratings.

With it's brilliant advertising for the final season, in which past housemates bury the diary room chair from the first series, the show has ended on a rather simple note, celebrating what it once was and is today. BB, the show that changed the way TV is watched and made, whether you like it or not, the father of new genres, always goes first. The social experiment is over

R.EYE.P. Big Brother is no longer watching

But you have alot of friends...

2010-08-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

That's the first thing she said...as Anamaria Marinca stood there in the corner of the Young Vic stage in July 2009, dressed in jeans and a white vest top, standing against a background of a wall with two narrow exits each side ,nothing more, nothing less. And so 4.48 Psychosis Psychosis began...my first experience of watching a one person stage play. I had loved Anamaria Marinca in '4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days', was surprised to see her pop up in the brilliant 'five days of heaven' and found it to be great pleasure when I got to meet her at the 2009 world cinema awards, as she gave a heartfelt thank you speech as herself and Cristian Mungiu accepted the best film award. At first I thought she was nervous and didn;t know what to say as she followed Cristian's speech with 'this film is for all the lost ones...we shall never forget you.' I ran into her during Berinale 09 a few months later, at an incredible Romanian party!

4: 88 Psychosis kept my attention, I throughly enjoyed it. After about an hour and fifteen minutes straight performance, she never moved from her one spot on the stage. It was a truely challenging and fantastic role to see her in.

My first stage play to be written with a one person would only come recently, as it coincided with me seeing Meera Syal act it alone in 'Shirley Valentine', a very talented woman whom I always enjoy watching, it was fantastic.

The one person stage play is a challenge...I plan to see more and hope that my first one person stage play, is the first of many more to come...

2 days in Paris

2010-08-15T05:18:00.000-07:00

Marion: "It always fascinated me how people go from loving you madly to nothing at all, nothing. It hurts so much. When I feel someone is going to leave me, I have a tendency to break up first before I get to hear the whole thing. Here it is. One more, one less. Another wasted love story. I really love this one. When I think that its over, that I'll never see him again like this... well yes, I'll bump into him, we'll meet our new boyfriend and girlfriend, act as if we had never been together, then we'll slowly think of each other less and less until we forget each other completely. Almost. Always the same for me. Break up, break down. Drunk up, fool around. Meet one guy, then another, fuck around. Forget the one and only. Then after a few months of total emptiness start again to look for true love, desperately look everywhere and after two years of loneliness meet a new love and swear it is the one, until that one is gone as well. There's a moment in life where you can't recover any more from another break-up. And even if this person bugs you sixty percent of the time, well you still can't live without him. And even if he wakes you up every day by sneezing right in your face, well you love his sneezes more than anyone else's kisses. "

Chequered History

2010-08-07T01:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/sep/22/fashion.middleeast

Somewhere in-between sunrise and sunset

2010-08-07T01:08:00.001-07:00

'Memory is a wonderful thing, if you don’t have to deal with the past…'

My mate took a girl to his place for a date once, whilst we were at uni, to watch Before Sunrise. I had never seen it up until to this point. My mate told me 'oh you'll love it, it's just two people walking around a city and talking.' Sounded great to me!

I don't recall the frist time I saw the film...I think it was on videotape, perhaps the same one my mate used for his date...uni is a strange time, framented in places. A few years later, I heard about a sequel, Before Sunset, much to my sickness. A film which is originally about two people finding something in each other, the bravery of trust, the magic one night can bring and what really is love. In the end, is love a few hours spend together, leave it at that, make love, share and say goodbye, cut all strings loose?

And so Before Sunset seemed like it was to cut all this away, as it intruduced with the tagline...'what if you had a second chance, with the one that got away.' Before Sunset became the most commercial of the two films, confusing new audiences over which one film came first (America entitled the second one, Before Sunset 2) I remember the first time I saw Sunset, I had just finished my degree and gone back home, from Farnham, to London. My house was in a decorated mess, I had no bedroom, nowhere to really work, no job, only a laptop and a library down the road currently with an offer of free DVD's. As I watched Sunset, something came over me, as I ended up watching the film five times in a week. Was it the joy of seeing two people having the chance to be happy, did I just fall in love with Julie Delpy's character, was it the city of Paris, did it encourage optimism for love within me?

Being in a relationship at the time, I showed it to my girlfriend, who had not seen the first one. After watching it, she said...'it's not real.' What did she mean? Can two people not find such chemistry as is shown in the film or did she mean the film is so polite about the idea of chance, romance, chemistry?

I recently showed both the films on a date...perhaps if the date was the bit better, I might have got a better response than the one I got, which was that 'the first one was better.' It was at this point that I knew this date was over, perhaps I have the 'Before' films to thanks for this realisation.

When I saw Julie Delpy's on a panel discussion in Berlinale 2008, an audience member said to her, 'before sunrise and before sunset are two of my favourite films of all time, will there be a third one?' Julie Delpy was currently promoting her directing debut 'two days in Paris', a film which attempts to capture what a real relationship is like, can be argued in a more pessimist way, she replied to the audience member 'well, you're a romantic.' Perhaps that said it all...why I watched the second one five times in a week and why I'm writing this blog...

To end...

Jesse: Oh, God, why didn't we exchange phone numbers and stuff? Why didn't we do that?
Celine: Because we were young and stupid.
Jesse: Do you think we still are?
Celine: I guess when you're young, you just believe there'll be many people with whom you'll connect with. Later in life, you realize it only happens a few times.

London Recut

2010-07-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

It was the middle of June, I had recently had a blast for a week in Hamburg at the film festival, I had a week left before I was to head off to Edinburgh for their film festival. With piles of work for me to do, I always have a bad habit of adding more work to my palette (I never want to miss an opportunity) which London Recut was indeed. I found out about the competition (funded by both Film London and UK Film Council) on my way to work one morning, whilst reading the Metro. I immediately became excited at the prospect of working with footage which has made up the city I've grown up in and love to this day.

That same week on a Friday evening, I got to work, sifting through the footage, searching for a direction. My initial thoughts were to make a film connecting me and London. With footage ranging from 1900 through to the 1970's, being of a first generation here in London, I found this quite difficult to achieve. I started to look through the underground footage, a mode of transportation which has been a huge part of my life, going to school, going to work, travelling within London and began to attempt to construct a film. At this point, I had only images but no links, no subject, no idea. I didn't know what I was making and I wasn't sure I was going to get anywhere.

With time being a constraint, I suddenly clicked on the London at war folder. I didn't know it that evening (it now being sometime after 10pm) at the time but the human spirit seen clearly in the footage, is what inspired me to make the film 'Air.' A few hours later, (2am) half of the film had suddenly disappeared (the online editing program had some faults but essentially it was a good simple program) However, the fact that I had lost half of the work suddenly, was exactly why I was still up editing that night. I decided not to rely on technology, to keep going and finish the film I had in my mind, not thinking about the next day or how much sleep time I had left. I finished and successfully loaded the film online at around 4am (maybe later than that?)

As I jetted off to Edinburgh, I was very pleased to be shortlisted and of course, told by the producer Kerry McLeod towards the end of the festival that the Jury's decision was unaimous in choosing 'Air' as one of the four winners of the competition. As the journey continued with 'Air', meeting with Kerry, putting together the publicity, editing the film at Mosaic studios, looking at all possibilities for where the final version of the film could go and finally the having the screening. Andy Robson was extremely helpful with his archival knowledge, Anton Califano brought alot of ideas to the final edit of the finished film and Kerry kept the project on track, they were all a pleasure to work with. In all, I loved every moment of it.

At the screening, I finally had the chance to meet the other three winners (me being the only guy) and of course, having the pleasure to view all their films.

In my interview about the process of making the film, I was asked what would I say to someone if they were going to fund a project similar to this, I replied that I think it's very important not to ignore archive material, as time moves on, the past disappears and begins to seem less real but with a photo or a moving image, it reasures us that it was there, that it did happen, for happy and sad occasions. Preserving archive material is crucial, allowing others to view it and work with it is very important, as all this material helps us understand the world we live in more today.

Finally...here is where you view and edit archive footage, read about all the winners, as well as watch the films.

http://www.londonrecut.co.uk/

Special thanks to Mosaic Films for this opportunity, it's something I would love to do again.

Your screenplay sucks

2010-07-24T06:19:00.001-07:00

http://yourscreenplaysucks.wordpress.com/

Red Riding

2010-07-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

In June 2009, I had the great pleasure of meeting the screenwriter Tony Grisoni, for the second time. The first time had been a few years before at the eat our shorts festival at the BFI. As we got ourselves a drink, we got onto talking about the Red Riding Trilogy, in which Tony adapted all three screenplays from which the books are based.

Tony asked for my opinion, concerning my viewing of the three films, with not so great results. At that point, I told him how I found it very hard to watch the first part in the trilogy, as I didn't believe the main character of Eddie Dunford played by Andrew Garfield. Tony listened with great interest before descending into black humour regarding my lack of taste, as I wasn't able to watch the other two films as a result. As we discussed the joys of being a screenwriter, the conversation ended with me wanting to give the trilogy another go, this time seeing all three of them through, and here is the result...

1974: I was pleasantly surprised at as I watched it this time. I was throughly interested, as opposed to my first outing with it, which I was so distant from. My feelings about the main actor's performance, him not convincing me, wasn't as bad this time and I suddenly became intrigued by this story about police corruption and child abductions.

1980: I was really excited to getting around to watching this second installment, with both Considine and Clarke as the main leads. This second part I felt was quite an amazing piece of filmmaking. Through incredible cinematography and thoughtful direction, this was a fascinating piece to watch and probably, for me, the best in the trilogy, in many ways.

1983: David Morrissey's performance in this final installment, blew me away, he was simply masterful in this role. This last film had an eerie edge to it, as the missing girls over the years were shown in portraits before the Red Riding title card. I thought it was a fitting end to a large story that had alot to say.

All together, I think that the Red Riding trilogy was a very, very dark piece of British drama, that I haven't seen on British primetime TV in a long time, unless there's something I've missed. This was about topical issues and subjects, that have been going and are still going on today. Extremely intelligent, not spoonfeeding the audience but challenging them until the very end. I loved it, am throughly impressed and am thrilled to have seen it.

Move over Cannes

2010-07-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2008/aug/18/festivals1

BBC to launch new TV drama for Bangladesh

2010-07-04T09:28:00.001-07:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/23/bbc-new-tv-drama-bangladesh

EIFF 10 (hair of the dog)

2010-06-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

EIFF 09 was quite a year, it was my first time in Scotland, my first time showing a film made by myself and Alex Barrett at the film festival, I was there the night Michael Jackson died, I met many great people, fell in love with the city and saw the most diverse, most exciting range and some of the best films I had ever seen in one week, so EIFF 10 had alot to live up to...

On arrival, it all came back to me, the warmth of the delegate centre, welcomed by the lovely volunteers (the best people you'll meet at any film festival, as I've mentioned before) queuing for the computers and attending the hair of the dog (networking with plenty of drinks) My hostel turned out to be great, situated near the castle, with a 45 degree staircase to climb each night back to the my dorm. My room was entitled the underwear room and the bed I was sleeping in was entitled panties. (don't ask)

On my first evening, I relaxed and got into the mood for the week ahead (okay, okay, I was trying to find out where the party was) As I caught up with old friends, I eventually found out that the party for Saturday night was the ceilidh. which was my first time witnessing the famous dance, which I found a joy to watch and...I ate haggis, for the first time (I loved it!!!)

With my usual routine of partying into the night, sleeping little, waking up early, finding any spot to eat, the festival was in full swing and started with the film Cigarette girl, an interesting parellel story about libel laws in a world between two cross sections titled the smoking and non-smoking section, where cigarettes are sold on the black market. As I said all week at the festival...I've seen worse films...

As I go into the rest of the films, I shall give brief reviews of the films, until I decide which one deserves more attention...

Act of Dishonour, not very convincing, I felt no emotion to the story or cared much

Au revoir Taipei, a quirky, off beat, funny, entertaining, sweet, engaging, story

Kick off, not rememorable enough, but had some good photography and some good performances

Street Days, not very good

My son, my son, what have ye done? Unsual, strange, good story, enjoyable.

Kawasaki's Rose, I have no idea what this was...

Superhero me, very good for a first documentary, full of enthusiasm and passion for the subject, only one small ten minute section is dull and all in all, it could have been more fun, but edited well, Steve Sale has a great presence and the film deals with a subject relevent today.

The dry land, soppy, sad, not so engaging but Ryan O Nan and America Ferrera are very good, basically through, this is no Jacob's Ladder...

And so to A spanking in paradise produced by Andy Mass, whom I met at the festival last year, with a short film in competition. Spanking has many great things about it, Uncle Rab's (Simon Weir stories, told in long takes, lasting almost ten minutes, with hardly any cutting away at all. With an unusal setting in a brothel and a great array of characters, this was a film proud to be set in Edinburgh and was full of energy. Whilst the story is fast and made by a young crew of filmmakers with a young lead Andrew Hawley, who holds the film together well, the film has a surprisingly, relatively slow pace. The film was shot in only three weeks and finished just under a week before it was first shown at the press screening. I spoke to Andy about the next festival for the film, to which I heard something I have never heard before...

'Forget the next festival' he said, 'we're going to make the next film.' In fact, Andy penned out to me the next five projects that he and his crew were planning on making over the next few years. As I found this surprising, I also found it refreshing, that this group of filmmakers were not interested in looking back, only forward. I admire this, at their panel discussion talk, they spoke of the word development and how it can go on, as opposed to just going out and making the film.

So back to the list...I saw some great short films within the black box 2 section, put together this year again by the Kim Knowles, notably movement #1 and abstract? Other great shorts I enjoyed included Polish short Echo, Arnica, Barber's dozen, the poetic Ashura and the stunning Crook and the highlandman.

The 40 second animation, The tail gunner, short and sweet.

The final programme, psychedelic, fun, entertaining, iconic central performance by Jon Finch.

Long shot, film within a film type of thing.

Made...poetry of a endless time

The Days of Desire, whilst my friend and collaborator of the short film we had screened at EIFF 09 thought this was a masterpiece, I thought it was conventional, almost trying to be a Hollywood film, a film overpowered by music, amongst nice cinematography. The film does however, have a great central performance by Orsolya Schefcsik.

After seeing Postales, I spoke to the director, John Hyde, about something which intruged me. Most young, new, indie, hip, whatever you want to call it filmmakers, most of the time, deal with adult issues in their films, at an adult level. Postales however, has a very family feel to it, a sense that it was appealing to all. I can't remember if ever, I last saw a film like this calibre at a film festival. Josh's reaction was one of great interest, as he spoke of his immense detail and thought around making the film, including all the elements he looked into, in and around the film. The filmmkers were all great people and I look forward to seeing them again and indeed, viewing their next project.

And so to the film, which mostly blew me away...Police adjective, alot to say, or maybe nothing to say at all...with time, this could become one the greatest films I have ever seen, even though I didn't fully realise it whilst I was watching it. Nothing happens...the plot is shown to be complex to the audience, when it is in fact, so simple, a challenging, thought provoking, demanding, riveting, clever and powerful film from

Romania

. Purely incredible.

Until I had seen this, I felt quite disappointed with the array of films I had seen this week, nothing had really blew me away. Normally I go with the flow, take it easy, I don't read what the film is about, I think that's the best way. As the last day ended with me attending the 81/2 foundation screening, Mark Cousins and Tilda Swinton's new charity to inspire chidren at the age of 8 and a half with cinema, before we watched the magnificient the white balloon, Tilda ended with saying...

'Thank you so much for coming this afternoon, especially when you had absolutely no idea what was going to happen.'

And as they pointed out at the beginning of the screening, not knowing what you're about to see in cinema, that's what it's all about...

Positive tube strike guy (Remembering)

2010-06-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

To the beautiful, lovely, sweet lady I met at the back of the 74 bus, on the second night of the tube strike, May 2009. You asked me when Marble Arch was the next stop, as the bus stood still in limbo.

Orange top, grey skirt, multi coloured belt, ginger blonde.

Laugher ensued us, the tube strike situation being the main topic of conversation.
I suggested you were having a great time, sitting on the crowded bus, going nowwhere fast.

We were both lucky to have seats...next to each other.

'It's different' a positive remark from you in regards to the strike situation.

4 hours of travelling a day it was costing you, in need of a bottle of wine later tonight

Wish you hadn't had got off the bus...

Remembering

Positive tube strike guy

11/6/09

26th in Hamburg, going on 27th and more

2010-06-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

International, no budget, three minute quickies, what do all these words have in common? Whatever you're thinking, stop! They're all sections from the 26th international short film festival, which I was lucky enough to attend this year, in the wonderful town of Hamburg.

In town for a short film, made by myself and Alex Barrett, Paintbrush: The Epitaph received a welcome and warm reception, as I was offered a drink by the barman in the very characteristic Lichtmeb cinema, only to be told to put my money away, after being told it was a super film.

As I enjoyed the luscious weather walking around town, I carried my trusty map and most importantly, the pocket size film festival schedule. With an array of short films, in sections that included home grown Hamburg short films and German, the festival also offered a children's film festival, entitled the mo&friese, now in it's 12th year. Within this section, were films considered to be suitable for children, made by adult filmmakers and films made by children themselves. This being my first children's film festival, I would love to see more of them around the world, as I saw a collection of delicate, creative and well made films

To mention a couple, a film entitled Herzschmerz (Heartache) an animation made with lego by thirteen year old Lennart Dohle, a film which deals with two characters who share the same feelings of lost and loneliness. When Hildegard's handbag is stolen by a thief, new friend Tim is at hand to the following consequences that follow, with a story that carries many old tradition values. So moving, it's hard to write, let alone think about this film again as I was lucky enough to see it twice. Jeremy Philip's Milchzahm und silberhaar (Milk tooth and silver hair) deals with a grandfather's story of the past to his grandchild, thoughtout camerawork and an easy to follow story, made this a simple and effective film.

One of this year's special programmes was films from Thailand, which I was lucky enough to see one film from, shown in the opening ceremony. A very interesting piece, which may have been only the beginning for a great array of short films which I'll sadly never find out, the unfortunate and always way of life with so many great things to choose from, you can't have it all.

With my many hightlights of the week, around meeting wonderful people from around the world, filmmakers, team members of the festival, natives and of course the lovely volunteers, (whom I have always enjoy meeting at all film festivals, of which are some of the greatest people I am still lucky enough to have today in my life)

I now have to mention the open air night. Situated on the top floor of a car park, in the parameters of Rathaus and Willy Brandt-Strabe, unsual short films from the three minute quickies and of the past, were introduced and screeened in the heart of the city, with an astonishing view, food and two euros bottled beer. At the end of the night, people started to fold and carry their chairs. Me and Alex sat confused, as to whether the chairs were owned by each person or was a tradition that we were about to insult. Mixing into the crowd seemd the best bet as we we picked up our chairs and followed the crowd, as we all walked down the car ramp from the seventh floor, of the kitchsy entitled park deck kino. Never done that before!!! I'll never forget it. Here is a picture, courtesy of Simone Werder, whom we met going down the ramp.

Rather than make this whole article about only the film festival, I would like to mention my wonderful hosts, Steffen and Frajo, who welcomed me and made me feel at home in their apartment, greatly located in a lovely part of the city. To you both, Ich danke Ihnen!

The city of Hamburg I have fallen in love in, people ride their bikes like they're stirring sugar into their tea. As my flight flew in, ready to land, I could see how stunningly beautiful the city was and on arrival, it became even more gorgeous with it's amount of greenery, warm people, relaxed way of life, great venues, shops, bars and casual atmosphere. In Hamburg, I felt like people were enjoying their lives, taking it all for what it is, something I myself value and appreciate, it's nice to see.

And so...with an endless list of parties, a range of contacts, fond memories, many beers, quick meals, not much sleep, awards given out and some last minute dancing, the festival bittersweetly came to a close. But like the director of Camerimage once told me, as me and other friends sat around with miserable faces in the club, on the last night of festival, asking what was wrong. We told him with sadness, 'it's over.' Marek replied with joy and positivity, 'Don't worry, they'll be another camerimage next year' and so...they'll be another international Kurz film festival in Hamburg...

I'll be waiting...

Those residents, however, are willing to shell out the hefty sum of 30 to 50 toman for the hottest bootleg in Iran: LOST

2010-05-28T15:20:00.000-07:00

So after six years, each series declining lowers in episodes, the show that had millions worldwide hooked, finally comes to an end. The question everyone is asking ,was it worth it? In my case, yes but not for the reasons many would think.

Firstly, let me begin by saying that the show's last two hour finale was disppointing, not as exciting as LOST was over the years and definately a very average episode as opposed to the other series finales.

LOST was entertaining, it had mystery, it had great characters, it had flashbacks, action, humour, multicultural people, subtitles. It was new, exciting, it was thinking outside of the box.

I'm not part of the group that declares LOST that greatest show ever made, I disagree with that entirely but it had elements that were striking, moving and very powerful at times. Most of this, stemmed from the fantastic charactisation of each character, we knew and found out nearly everything about everyone, from their past, through to their future. The attention to detail was impeccable, if only done in a mainstream way, which let's not forget, LOST was.

Whilst the show had any layers going on at the same time, the question was always the same, when will answers come. The genius of the show, as people know, lay in the answers never coming, right through to the penulitimate episode. Each series answered about one question in very fine detail and many viewers wanted the last episode rightly titled 'the end' to do this. Others just wanted a deserving end to a show they invested so much time into.

Me, I don't care about answers, I don't want answers and I never expected any. But this was not the problem with the finale.

The penulitimate episode ended as best as LOST had done over the years, I was excited, I was hooked, ready for the last chapter in the saga. What I was given was two hours of TV which meant nothing! It was like the creators had been away for so long, working on Fringe, Flash Forward, JJ on MI3, Star Trek and they both came back to pen the end, which fell flat on it's face. It wasn't moving, it wasn't very enjoyable and it just didn't work.

To say anymore would convince you all, that I wanted answers, that I'm in denial, that that's really my problem but infact I did get some answers...we all did.

So they have been living two parallel lives, so what? LOST had darkness in it, the idea that evil constantly lives amongst hope and faith.

Looking back on it, Desmond saved the show for me. His love for Penny was so strong that the creators would have been hunted down if either Desmond or Penny had been killed. In the fouth season episode, 'The Constant' the moment they speak to each other for the first time in over three years is one of the moving scenes from the entire show, the love these two characters had for each other was so real, strong and convincing, it bought hope to the old fashioned concept of 'love.'

So now what, some people will say it was the greatest show that ever lived. The great elements that the show had over the years, can never be taken away but every story must have a great end, one that makes sense to the entire story if not answering anything at all or not even being that coherent.

LOST sadly was not found, it sunk into an abyss, broke up in chunks and was never to be seen again. A sad end, for all the wrong reasons...but never forgotten...

Iran's secret obsession: Getting Lost in Tehran

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1958971,00.html

TV drama gains Islamic apporoval as 'Lost mania' grips Iran

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/13/lost-tv-drama-iran

Free Jafar Panahi

2010-05-23T04:19:00.000-07:00

One of the most important filmmakers of the new wave, Iran and the entire world, needs you, please end your hunger strike.

Please find all the support you deserve right here...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=341946171819&ref=ts

Sign the petition here...

http://www.petitiononline.com/FJP2310/petition-sign.html

Free Jafar Panahi, he has done nothing wrong

The First Movie

2010-05-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

Part documentary, part essay, part contemporary memoir.

From watching short films within a film, from watching an young audience watch feature films for the first time on the big screen, Mark Cousins ‘the first movie’ is a multi-layered film, which creates a ‘real’ cinema experience for the viewer never seen before, in a very innovative way.

During the screening’s Q & A, a nine year old girl told Cousins, ‘I always thought of Iraq as a bad country but I will now be saying good things about it.’ Through his own presence on screen and in his own voiceover, Cousins begins his film with no titles to indicate location, to avoid stereotypical images which are most of the time created by the press, therefore allowing the audience to view the film freely without any preconceived images. Cousins talks of his original upbringing in Belfast but only for a ‘wee’ minute, rather than create a formulaic doc where the filmmakers life is similar to what he is witnessing, whilst cutting back and forth, Mark avoids this cliché approach and instead allows the images being seen around him and by the kids, in the small of Goptapa, to speak for themselves.

Whilst Cousins film may be about his own identity, to this small town and these kids, the film becomes an entirely selfless film, about so many other things. A child’s spirit in a country torn apart by war, as the children play with balloons, a scene more moving than watching a plastic bag dance in the wind. A child’s imagination as they talk the kind of stories and genres they would make films about, talking of comedy and love. A celebration of cinema as Cousins set up a cinema, showing them films that he considers to be the best children’s films ever made, amongst them Astrid Henning-Jensen's Danish film Palle Alone in the World (1949), about a little boy who wakes up in the world without grown-ups. The children stare in awe at the screen, laugh and attempt to touch images flying off the screen, as they are taken away into the world of storytelling.

Cousins gives three of the children he meets whilst filming, their own cameras to play with, one of which comes back with footage of a child playing with mud in water, for a duration of one minute and twenty two seconds, with a narration by the young boy filming him. The short instanteous piece of film is more incredible, moving, real and multi-layered than any filmmaker can ever truly imagine to achieve after years of preparation. Whilst Cousins film is uplifting, sad and moving, it never overplays any elements by being too over dramatic or oversentimental. The film movie is real, based on real lives, in a real town, within a real country all captured in a real, entertaining, simple, open-minded, open-hearted and thought provoking way.

'Is that my milk tray!!!!' shouted Mitchell

2010-05-07T01:07:00.000-07:00

Is that my milk tray!!!!, a line I've always remembered from 'Claws', one of my favourite plays, along with 'Potentials', written my friend Dominic Mitchell (or Mitchell as I like to call him) The first conversation we ever had was on the second day of our university term, within the IT suite, meeting each other for the first time. Mitchell had a passion for film, like myself, and an eye to succeed with his creativity and intelligence, traits which to this day, still shine through.

His most recent play, 'Don't look back', performed at the Young Vic, surprised me with his ending. I liked the play, it was as mad as a Mitchell play normally gets, playing on a myth that's supposely true, I was only confused by the straight ending which he never does. For the first time, there was a much more sombre, peaceful, happy end, like everything is going to be alright. You see, Mitchell creates unusual worlds with his plays.

In 'Claws', the focus draws from creating the idea that everything inside is safe inside and bad outside, as one of the children from the large age group, ages ranging from 6 to 18, returns back home after escaping weeks earlier. The older kids, named after looney tunes characters such as tweeny and bugs, tie him up and hang an anvil above his head. These are children who believe in Santa Claus and sing jingle bells as their prayers so when a homeless man, breaks into their home, dressed in a red suit, they beleive him to yours truely. The play was performed as a rehearsal at Polka theatre, I'm lucky to say I caught it but I'm sad to say that's the last time it was performed, as it remains one of my favourite plays.

As more Mitchell plays circled London, ranging from more rehearsals, to a few days perfomances, to one week runs, Mitchell was about to have a play entitled 'Potentials', which was about to have a run of just under three weeks at the Tristan Bates theatre. I'll add a link here so you can read more about this extraordinary play...

http://www.whatsonstage.com/reviews/theatre/off-west+end/E8831241782752/Potentials.html

The play blew me away, at the age of 27, the issues within it, had been central to most of my life and I think will always be even after the age of 30.

Mitchell's stories are a mix of the surreal, the shadows and the rawness within each of us, played out with political, social and dark humour. His characters look out towards what lengths a human being will really do and feel, given any time, place or situation, to any depths. Diverse, exciting, intense, revelant, Mitchell.

So what's next...well, Mitchell currently has a blog through writers room http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/dominic_mitchell/

and is developing other projects, which I'm not sure if I'm allowed to talk about or not...either way, you'll hear from him soon.

But for now...'Is that my milk tray!!!!'

Solocypher

2010-04-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.vocalswords.blogspot.com/

http://www.myspace.com/solocypherthevocalsword

LD 1

2010-04-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

'Look, I'm not a cool guy or anything, I haven't been on a date in twelve years, but I would love to waste your time for a couple of hours. What do you think about that, can I do that, is it possible?'

Larry David

An innocent girl, a harmless drive. What could possibly go wrong?

2010-03-12T11:19:00.000-08:00

'Buckle up, son! This is the real world out here!'

'License to drive', the never talked about 1988 film starring both Corey Haim, Corey Feldman and a then unknown Heather Graham, remains one of the funniest films of all time, whilst also representing the issue that a driver's license respresents individualism, liberation and freedom. This all may seem like an over exaggeration but when a film has a clear set out idea, that begins with Les Anderson, (before there was Mr Anderson in Matrix, who stands for so much less in comparison to Les) chained to a school bus and his attempt to escape this kind of future for his life, and his dream of getting the girl and the car. Because in life, without a license, you have nothing...

'Les, that license in your wallet, that's not an ordinary piece of paper, that is a driver's license, and its not only a driver's license, it's an automobile license, and it's not only an automobile license, it's a license to live, a license to be free, a license to go wherever, whenever and with whomever you choose.'

There's too much for me to say really about 'License to drive', for me it is a brilliant film, clear in what it is about, what it is trying to achieve in it's genre and style, it uses childish techniques at times, empathising certian sounds and edited cleanly with some old fashioned flip cuts in places. Whilst I might make it sound, as if the film takes itself too seriosuly (and maybe the filmmakers did) far from it coming across like that in the film, as the script is direct, funny and of course the performances shine through, with Corey Haim brilliant as the young kid with the American dream...a joy to watch everytime and a film which deserved to be known.

Of course, one of the most famous films of Haim's career is 'the lost boys' (1987) which displays the idea of being, acting and feeling differently to our parents and siblings, it is at the end of the day, essentially a good old fashioned, fun -vampire-killer-slasher film, made to better standards to ones in the genre today.

In 1986, 'Lucas' showed adolescene in one of the best possible ways as Roger Ebert once described...

"Haim ... does not give one of those cute little boy performances that get on your nerves," wrote Ebert. "He creates one of the most three-dimensional, complicated, interesting characters of any age in any recent movie. If he can continue to act this well, he will never become a half-forgotten child star, but will continue to grow into an important actor. He is that good."

I remember seeing it at a young age, (it was an after midnight fill-up-the schedule screening on ITV) I haven't seen it since but have never forgotten it, how much I felt for Lucas and what he was trying to acheive and prove, to himself, to the girl he lusted after and the world around him. It was a powerful film for me and I look forward to seeing it again.

As with many shocking deaths in life, they always leave at a point when there is so much left behind, his mother battling cancer and talk of a career comeback, to name a couple in Mr Haim's life. Corey Haim once said...

"I want to be the guy they talk about when they talk about comebacks," he said three years ago. "I want people to learn from me, see I'm human, and understand that I make mistakes just like they do, but it doesn't have to consume you. You've got to walk through the raindrops, and that's totally what I am trying to do."

R.I.P.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2010/mar/10/corey-haim-lost-boys

Do the right thing (Fight the power)

2009-09-22T04:01:00.000-07:00

Twenty years ago, 'Do the right thing' was released, a film that focuses on racial tensions within a block of Brooklyn.

Today, if you ask someone about a film which tackles such a subject, they'll probably mention Paul Haggis's Oscar winning Crash, a propagandist tale about race relations in LA.

Mr Lee pointed out in his BFI independent interview (21/09/09@NFT), that the film was inspired by New York at the time, which doesn't in that form today. However, the issues still remain in our world and still to Mr Lee today, a black film director, working in America.

A trademark director, with his direct monologues, conveyor belt tracks and introductions to a Spike Lee joint.

Whilst 'Do the right thing' must not be confused as a film that's saying 'you're racist', it is talking about one's fear of the opposite race, love for peace within humanity and the hatred of the truth.

In one scene, Mookie, played by Spike Lee, asks Pino, whom his favourite basketball player, actor and singer are, who all turn out to be black people. Pino, a man living in shame from his friends mocking, in fear of the black men in the neighbourhood and using racism as a shield, can't justify his answer except by only saying 'it's different.'

This interview, was one of the greatest live interviews I have ever seen with a filmmaker, of how, like Spike Lee's skin colour, racial tensions within humans, will sadly never change.

Do the right thing, ends with two quotes, one by Maritn Luther King and Malcolm X. I shall end this entry, same as the film.

Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. It destroys a community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence ends by defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I think there are plenty of good people in America, but there are also plenty of bad people in America and the bad ones are the ones who seem to have all the power and be in these positions to block things that you and I need. Because this is the situation, you and I have to preserve the right to do what is necessary to bring an end to that situation, and it doesn't mean that I advocate violence, but at the same time I am not against using violence in self-defense. I don't even call it violence when it's self-defense, I call it intelligence.
- Malcolm X

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/oct/16/spikelee-race

Way down in the hole (The Wire: Part two 4-5)

2009-09-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

I've never seen anything like it. Just when you think you know what to expect, 'the wire' takes it and slams it upside down in your face.

No establishing shots, until the very end. No montages, until the very end. No satisfaction of letting its guard down, to finally give the audience what it wants, what all TV shows give audiences, until the very end. 'The wire' never gives the audience what it wants.

Unlike most TV shows, screen time is usually equal amongst cast members. In 'the wire', some characters may pop up for a second, disappear entirely for a season or even skip a couple of seasons and then pop their head in suddenly just to say hello.

Intelligent right through to the end, demanding the attention of the viewer and challenging them at every word spoken and shot taken. With each season, capturing not only the world of Baltimore, but also the world we are living in today.

One the best pieces of TV, I have ever seen, and demands a second viewing and maybe more.

'you happy now bitch?'

I certainly am.

The wire continues.

The meaningless-X factor

2009-08-22T03:03:00.001-07:00

With the new series of the X factor starting today, its stands a good chance of nominating viewers, newspapers and conversations over the next few months until christmas, where the winner will probably once again grab the christmas number one spot.

As the judges make their comments, the contestants cry and pray to get through each round and the great British public watch in laughter and excitement, an important week in Afghanistan regarding it's future, still remains unannounced regarding it's winner in the election.

Whilst shows such as X-factor, Britain's got talent and American Idol were basically created by the mind of Simon Cowell, they only have one meaning in the place of the world and that is that without them, Afghan Star wouldn't exist.

Afghan Star, is essentially X-factor in Afghanistan. The only difference being and it's a massive one, is that whilst all Simon Cowell shows are about one person's dream to become rich and famous, (quinessentially, it's means nothing) Afghan Star is about the native people singing to escape from their reality, watching the show in an escape from the harsh realities of war, how even though it is a popular show, it is also a dangerous one, where singing is putting your life at risk, within a dictated and dominated country.

I would rather watch Afghan Star.

If you want to know more, follow this link to read more about the fascinating documentary http://www.afghanstardocumentary.com/watch_sm.html

Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

2009-08-07T02:42:00.000-07:00

John Hughes defined a decade in the 80's, where no filmmaker since has been able to capture the role that is of a 'teenager.'

I think I saw 'the breakfast club' first, I had heard alot about it growing up and one night when it was on late on BBC1 in the early nineties, at around 11.25pm, I finally witnessed and understood a part of film culture I had never experienced before. The film had humour, reality, a philosophical and thought provoking style, a direct and honest approach, which I hugely enjoyed. 'Do I stutter???'

The film had a profound effect on me, these five characters each spoke to me in ways that any individual could understand, regardless of your nationality or where you were from. At one point in the film, Andy asks Alison 'is it bad? parents?' which I think out of context seems a little confusing if you haven't seen the film but that one line, shows how much John Hughes understood about the pressures of growing up and being a forever mirror to your parents. 'His name is Blane? Oh! That's a major appliance, that's not a name!'

Today, the teen-angst genre that Hughes defined in the eighties is today no more, dead. Filmmakers since have tried to capture it but have all failed due to a real lack of understanding it. One filmmaker that may come close is Richard Linklater, with films such as Dazed and Confused. 'It's better to swallow pride than blood.'

For anyone who has never seen a John Hughes film, take your pick, how about a teenger's frustration at her parents forgetting her birthday, whilst fancying the school prince and getting constantly hit on by the school geek. How about two guys wearing bras on their heads whilst creating the woman of their dreams. How about a day when life is deemed more important than the four walls of a school classroom. The frustrations of travelling, a Romeo and Juliet story with the rich and poor, a three way love triangle, the fun of having a house all to yourself or how individuals connect, despite their vast differences. 'You had to be big shots didn't you. You had to show off. When are you gonna learn that people will like you for who you are, not for what you can give them. Well, in your race for power and glory, you forgot one small detail.'

Today we have...'she's all that' and Freddie Prince Jr...I don't think so! What the teenage world of today don't understand, unless they've seen John Hughes films, is that he created, shaped and defined the teen angst genre, it dies with him. The end.

Maybe I haven't been clear enough...in fact, I made a mistake, John Hughes didn't define a decade, he defined a generation.

"Many filmmakers portray teenagers as immoral and ignorant, with pursuits that are pretty base," Hughes told the Chicago Tribune newspaper in 1985. "They seem to think that teenagers aren't very bright. But I haven't found that to be the case. I listen to kids. I respect them. I don't discount anything they have to say just because they're only 16 years old."

R.I.P. John Hughes

The Wire: Part one - Season 1-3

2009-07-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

For a few years now, the wire has been heard nibbling about the circuit, being spoken about, discussed, and eventually shown on TV and watched on DVD. I knew the day would eventually come for me to finally watch one of the most critically acclaimed tv shows of all time and wonder what is it was about it, that it earned this now classic status.

At first, I found it to be a complete drag, every hourly episode seemd to drag on and on. I said to myself, it's not my fault, it's BBC2 showing five episodes a week, at around 11.20pm every night. But eventually I chose it as a drag but kept watching...

As Season 2 began a few weeks later, with a more reasonable amount of three episodes a week at still the same silly late hour, to watch again, wasn't a question. The main reason being, I started so I'll finish and hopefully understand what it is about this programme that has made it such a hit! But there was another reason brewing inside of me, of why I was watching it, as I later found out.

Season 2 ended with me reasonably pleased and satified, I enjoyed it and was looking forward to season 3. During these times of season one and two, I was joking with a friend about 'looking forward to it ending' and 'what a drag it was.' As season three finally began, I finally realised..

Not only did I realise, I started to enjoy...but that's not even the point.

I realised that the wire, doesn't care what I, you, them, us, we, or anyone thinks, in fact, it's doesn't give a fuck, famously quoted by David Simon himself, the show's creator. This is a show depicting life in the city of Baltimore, from all angles, without any use of cliffhangers, musical crescendos or any other tv production device from the tv series we have loved over the years. It's aim is to be real through how people really talk, what they really do in their lives, and how they are all really connected, whether they're on the side of criminal or law.

And so, as the final three episodes air this week, of the third season, I'm really looking forward to it and look forward to seeing how the last two seasons play out for McNulty, Bunk, Stringer, Barksdale, Daniels, Bubbles, characters names that I have finally learnt because it ain't a drag no more. This is intelligent stuff and demands the viewers attention more than once.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/mar/27/david-simon-wire-newspapers

The wire doesn't care...and from this, viewers have fallen in love. Says alot about tv and the world. When people are faced with reality and bravery, they embrace it.

The wire continues...

Persepolis 3

2009-07-08T00:56:00.001-07:00

http://www.spreadpersepolis.com/

Wimbledon 09: Murray

2009-07-03T11:18:00.001-07:00

After missing a whole week and missing the chance to go down there to see some live tennis, (all for good reason, concerning the EIFF 09 :)) It has surely been quite a second week of British tennis.

In short, Andy Murray played an incredible set of matches through to the semi-final, where the other Andy, Roddick, played a better game on this particualr day and he deserves to go through, where he face Federer, a man trying to break all the records, and he could.

Of course, I would have loved Murray to go through, but I'm sure the man himself would agree that he was just that little more outplayed by Roddick. But Murray gave it his all and played wonderfully and I have no doubt, that he is going to go from strength to strength, until eventually being the first British player to win Wimbledon since 1936, in due course.

So for now, it's Roddick VS Federer...

New balls please...

EIFF 09 (an indescribable week of eclectic films, meeting people and parties!)

2009-06-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

For your information...

Kabuliwallah http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049393/ a rare opportunity to see,

Nirjan Saikate http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323414/ a pleasure to watch, a film to remember and hopefully to see again

Shallow Grave (New Print) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111149/ from the dark days of British filmmaking, now no more

Jerichow http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1224153/ it was a long day

Jermal http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190073/ too much story, otherwise great stuff

Devi http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053765/ always a joy to watch a Ray film

Days and nights in the forest http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065417/ so much fun, amongst Ray's usual issues being discussed

Sharmila Tagore: in person http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0846616/ a gracious and beautiful woman, a pleasure to listen to, interview lead by the one and only Mark Cousins

Gulabi Talkies http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1437827/ an unsual and lingering film

Surrogate http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1407081/ a well made, interesting feature film running from just under an hour

Outrage http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1049400/ excellent documentary, which packs a powerful punch

Milk (Sut) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1284591/ not to my liking but striking in places

Meera Syal : skillset in person http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0842934/ 18 years ago we had Bhaji on the beach, today we have Slumdog millionaire. Funny, real, beautiful, Meera Syal has gone through the real age of an Asian's presence in British TV and film, playing on the stereotypes, making us laugh, whilst also addressing serious issues along the way. An inspiration.

Antichrist http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870984/ one to see!!! striking photography, interesting subject matter and constructed film. Would love to see Willem Dafoe in an interview, what a career he's had!!

The masque of red death http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058333/ so engrossing!

black box shorts 1 : space and place. An engrossing bunch of experimental films.

Pontypool http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226681/ slow at first, weird and unsual, funny, interesting, hugely enjoyable!!! (come on sequel!!!)

Romeo and Juliet vs the living dead http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1344430/ not as clever as it should have been but still great fun

The wild angels http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061189/ where the biker genre started

Roger Corman: in person http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000339/ not as interesting as it should have been, but Roger is a lovely guy to listen to

black box shorts 3: Phenomena in flux. A second bunch of engrossing experimental films.

The Trip http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062395/ a real film, about a real person, made at a special time, incredible film, written by Jack Nicholson

Cinema extreme: shorts: One went too far, too were dull but aesthetically great and the last had something going on.

Moon http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1182345/ won the main prize, so should I say anything?

The st. valentine's day massacre http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062301/ not as interesting as his others films but still interesting in parts of filmmaking

Company limited http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067729/ one of the most incredible films I have ever seen!

Thank you EIFF, hope to see you next year :D

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

2009-06-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

In this lifetime, nearly everyone has bought an album by Michael Jackson. Mine was Thriller and it was bought way back in the days of cassettes.

Influenced and captured by his energy, creativity, owning of the dance floor with his striking moves, incredible love for his fans and of course, his varied and wonderful thought provoking music through the years since his ABC's, Michael Jackson leaves us with a heavy collection of wonderful music to enjoy forever.

Being at a party in Edinburgh at the time, at a place called the caves, I was told the news by someone I had met during my week up there. Unless you hear it or visualise it for yourself, the process of accepting that it's true, is even slower.

As it eventually sunk in, me and some others who ventured out onto the dancefloor, could think of only doing one thing.

And so I approached the dj and asked him if he could play Michael Jackson music, at which point, we danced into the early hours, celebrating his music and honouring his fitting legacy to the music world, which we can thankfully, all enjoy forever.

Michael Jackson 1958-2009 R.I.P.

Kieslowski, quote 1

2009-05-31T08:01:00.001-07:00

Kieslowski said the following in an interview:

It comes from a deep-rooted conviction that if there is anything worthwhile doing for the sake of culture, then it is touching on subject matters and situations which link people, and not those that divide people. There are too many things in the world which divide people, such as religion, politics, history, and nationalism. If culture is capable of anything, then it is finding that which unites us all. And there are so many things which unite people. It doesn't matter who you are or who I am, if your tooth aches or mine, it's still the same pain. Feelings are what link people together, because the word 'love' has the same meaning for everybody. Or 'fear', or 'suffering'. We all fear the same way and the same things. And we all love in the same way. That's why I tell about these things, because in all other things I immediately find division.

SK on KK

2009-05-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

Stanley Kubrick wrote the foreword to Kieslowski & Piesiewicz, Decalogue: The Ten Commandments, London: Faber & Faber, 1991:
“
I am always reluctant to single out some particular feature of the work of a major filmmaker because it tends inevitably to simplify and reduce the work. But in this book of screenplays by Krzysztof Kieslowski and his co-author, Krzysztof Piesiewicz, it should not be out of place to observe that they have the very rare ability to dramatize their ideas rather than just talking about them. By making their points through the dramatic action of the story they gain the added power of allowing the audience to discover what's really going on rather than being told. They do this with such dazzling skill, you never see the ideas coming and don't realize until much later how profoundly they have reached your heart.

Stanley Kubrick January 1991 [1]

ER (1994-2009) R.I.P.

2009-05-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

And in the end...as so rightly titled it was, ER waves goodbye after fifteen years, twenty-three emmy's, hundreds of patients, doctors and nurses flying in and out and plently of drama that has been at it's very best.

It all started with a dark room, with the words 'Dr Greene' being spoken by a nurse, and all ended with 'Dr. Greene, you coming?, asked by Dr Carter to Dr Greene's daughter, now pursuing a career in medicine, as Mark Greene was woken up to the drama and traumas of county general hospital back in 1994.

I grew up and throughly enjoyed ER since the beginning, when I was just twelve years old. As I went onto university, I missed a large chunk of seasons, (episodes I'm looking forward to watching in re-runs, as well as the whole 15 seasons again) After graduating and getting back to it, I was throughly impressed to find that the drama hadn't lost any of it original magic.

There are so many things one could say about ER, and I think with the following example of George Clooney return said it best. Free from ego, a gentle and calm entrance, in new scenes away from county general and with his name credit the same as it always was, with no reference to special guest star, the 'Old times' episode of ER, showed that ER always chose realist drama, as opposed to having Dr Ross come rushing through county general doors, ready to save a patient's life, whilst pretending his life hadn't moved anywhere when in fact, him and Carol had now a new life with two kids, working in a organ transplant hospital in Seattle.

Below, I have pasted the second part of Doug and Carol's scenes together, which I feel is one of the best last scenes of ER's final season, as Susan Sarandon's character is asked about her grandson, now braindead, and if he was a generous person, who would donate his organs if he could, is classic ER.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvvca-HX2Bs&feature=related

ER was a show that inspired other TV shows, many of which are huge hits today. ER is from another time in TV, away from reality TV and grew older within this change.

To end, I would like to quote from a review that Stuart McGurk wrote a few weeks back...

'ER left us with a lot. It showed high-drama can mix with knockabout comedy, that you don't need to understand every sentence to know what's going on, and that TV can be just as visual and kinetic as film.'

R.I.P. ER, you were phenomenal

And in the end...

Taste of cherry

2009-05-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

If you look at the four seasons, each season brings fruit. In summer, there's fruit, in autumn, too. Winter brings different fruit and spring, too. No mother can fill her fridge with such a variety of fruit for her children. No mother can do as much for her children as God does for His creatures. You want to refuse all that? You want to give it all up? You want to give up the taste of cherries?
Ta'm e guilass-Abbas Kiarostami

Four days

2009-05-25T15:42:00.002-07:00

Bank-words-pens-plans-papers-no sleep-coffee-sugar-cake-delete-holiday weekend

Tony Hart Quote-An Inspiration

2009-05-24T08:36:00.001-07:00

"I hope that by example, and by humour, children will start to make pictures for themselves. Show them, don't tell them!" Tony Hart

01.56, up late writing, irregular sleep pattern

2009-05-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

One more thought,
leaves enough space for another,
the power and cruelty of the human mind,
has no compassion for any other

...

2009-05-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

There's always another way

Poilane

2009-05-22T04:11:00.000-07:00

I once met somebody who had brought a loaf of bread from Poilane, 46 Elizabeth Street, London, SW1W 9PA 020-7808-4910

http://www.poilane.fr/index.php?passer=1

The lady offered me a taste but I declined.

It looked incredible, anyone tried bread from there or indeed anything else?

Dream Diary 1-Krzysztof Piesiewicz

2009-05-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

March 2009

I was at some sort of event, don't remember any other people there though, it was a large, spaced area. Krzysztof Piesiewicz was there, standing alone.

I wanted to ask him about Purgatory, the third and last in the trilogy, I was anxious, him being one of favourite screenwriters.

I managed to speak to him, he was pleasant, wanted to talk. I told him I liked Hope, Heaven, Hell, he was happy to hear that. I added that I thought these films were moralistic, he wasn't sure about this comment.

I told him, that he's from a good background, from previously being a lawyer to now a screenwriter, brings an incredible advantage to the stories he's written over the years.

"We touched everything. I was defending bandits and heroes and Kieslowski made fantastic documentaries, but he came to realize that they had barriers that didn't meet his artistic needs. You can't intervene with a camera into the intimate world of human beings. It's barbaric to try to enter, but you can with fiction. And I had similar problems in my work as a lawyer. I was not so much interested in what man had done, but why? What happens to a human being? What should we do with him? Why does a human suddenly become an animal?" - Krzysztof Piesiewicz

Andrei Tarkovsky quote 1

2009-05-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

“Juxtaposing a person with an environment that is boundless, collating him with a countless number of people passing by close to him and far away, relating a person to the whole world, that is the meaning of cinema.” - Andrei Tarkovsky

1st

2009-05-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing.