Tenterhook Time

So the judging is over and we have to wait for news.

I imagine we might get to hear if we're in the running if we get invited to the awards event at a Curzon Cinema 'in London' on 31st March.

Not too long to wait I suppose, but there's also a possibility of some of the films getting shown at the rally in Hyde Park for the March for the Alternative on 26th March.

I'm going to be trying to film some young members for that and I'm going to hire a high-definition camera from DV Camera Hire in Holborn for the day - although as its a Saturday I have to pay the weekend rate £45.00 plus £4.50 insurance. Couldn't get a Canon as it was already booked but they said the JVC was just as good. Will be interesting to try it out.

Wooooh -hooooh!

We got shortlisted!

The shortlisted films (which can all be seen on the site) are:

1) Misterpopvideo 2 ‘Cuts’
2) Prospect Union ‘Worst cuts of all’
3) RMT Television ‘The big con’
4) Agitator studios ‘ We’re all in it together’
5) Media Cove ‘A career after the cuts’
6) 2011 Restless ‘ The cuts game’
7) Digital against cuts ‘Don’t cut us out, coalition blues’
 8) Malfunctioning robots ‘A novel solution’
9) Badbonobo100 ‘Hardtimes’
10) EdinUniAnticuts ‘Invest in our future’
11) Bisqarella ‘Flatbroke Homespun Blues’
12) Ben Furber ‘Just one cut’
13) 6 productions 1 ‘TUC scissors’

and of course

14) Unison Vids ‘Mary’s Big Day’

Hit count

The film has been up on YouTube just over a week now and we're nearing 200 hits.

I promise that not more than 10% of those are me!

And 40 votes as of now on the TUC 60 seconds site averaging a 3.88/5.00 rating.

All in

The competition deadline passed at midnight last night and there are almost 40 entries.

Some of them look very professional indeed and perhaps we ultra-low-budget amateurs shouldn't be judged in the same category as those, although at the same time I think I'd like to win in our own right against all comers! Who said it's not about the winning?

Anyway, for what it's worth, I really like the entries by Isobel Foulsham, 2001 Restless, RMT and Isobel Smith.

It's also interesting to see a significant number of entries by disabled people and groups.

They are online and can be rated at www.tuc60seconds.org.uk/gallery

Premiere!

We had a great turnout - must have been the lure of the cava.

Slight technical hitch when the laptop got temperamental despite the fact we got it to work fine earlier in the day (so that's what could go wrong), but then plain sailing.

The Director's Cut is definitely better than the film we are submitting, but it doesn't meet the brief for time so that's that.

Deadline for entries is 14th March, with judges meeting 21st March. Just wait and hope now.

Premiere preparation II

The cable has been replaced and its all working smoothly now.

Cava in the fridge, Julie buying another bottle and some cake.

What could possibly go wrong?

Premiere preparation

So we've invited the great, the good, and the average to our film premiere tomorrow at Mabledon Place.

We're laying a glass of cava and maybe some cake, and Talya's coming with Kate too. Possibly Anna form the TUC, too.

It's difficult to comprehend in quite what rotten shape our IT services are in, but we need a key cable replaced so the picture will synch with the sound! It's all in the preparation....

Director's cut

Pure self-indulgence, maybe but I did want a version with a couple of scenes/angles and a credits section that the 90 second running time ruled out in the final cut.

Here it is then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jekEav2Nc5c

Final cut

After much tinkering I decided to include Mary's 'trial and error' comment. Although it meant dropping Talya's credit - too distracting from the dialogue - it does seem to work and Julie agrees.

http://www.youtube.com/v/RA1VJ0CEQkw

Colin's clappering

Entertained myself with an edit of Colin's clapperboard contribution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwwU8iYRV-c

Trailer

I put a trailer on YouTube and my Facebook page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSAZkEiKRI4

Filming - at last

What a great day!

From initial read-through and spotting any problems through scouting out a location at the hospital (in Leyton) to final take (Hornsey Road) we took less than six hours, and that included a lunch at the Hamlet café (where there was a power cut just after our food was served).

Clive and Kate helped out with tea and wardrobe etc. and Colin did sterling work as our clapperboard boy, and transportation & location manager. Great camerawork from Julie who remained unflappable throughout.

Talya was absolutely brilliant. We couldn’t have got through it all so quickly and efficiently without her.

And it was all very exciting, but we focussed so well. It’s a cliché but the whole team really did run like clockwork.

Bloody freezing up at Whipps Cross, could barely make my fingers operate the camera.

I learned some important things:

-       You really can’t plan too much in advance.

-       Continuity is a bugger, especially when filming scenes out of sequence.

-       Lighting is just SO BLOODY important.

-       Sound tests are crucial in getting levels right – I sound way too loud.

-       Leaving time between start of take and start of action is very helpful

-       Running film on briefly after take is also very helpful

-       Fake blood is incredibly gloopy and staining (although it does wash out)

-       I don’t want to hear my voice on film ever again.

Smashers

Bought a couple of plain white plates for the breaking of at Robert Dyas at the Brunswick for the grand total of £3.98.

Strangely, the man at the till asked me if I wanted to buy a cheap tube of superglue, as though he knew what we wanted them for.