So if anyone's interested, here's the last few months worth of blogs from the MySpace site. You'll want to start at the bottom and work your way back up. Happy reading!
As for the picture above? This is my first glorious moment on screen as I appear (for all of two frames) in the background of the trailer for the upcoming British gangster movie Rise of the Footsoldier. If only I ever got to the gym, I could have made it to the bloody front! 07 Mar 2007
All Aboard!
Well not all...Had a call from my producer yesterday which started with the words "Guess who wants to do our film!" Yes, the formerly mentioned Hollywood actress has said she'd like to take the lead female role in our rom/com! Bloody brilliant!! The next step is to get the second draft finished (which I'm desperately trying to do on my train journeys to and from work) and get that off to another 'name' who we're hoping to get on board. The latest actor we'll be trying to get is a 65-year-old 'veteran' of the British film industry. Seriously, if we can get this guy then we're rolling. The minute I heard we were thinking of sending him the next draft it entirely changed the character he would be playing (for the better). Really shows how having someone in mind for a part can enrich a character. Whether he decides to take the part or not, the character will be all the better for it. And, if you watch the Rise of the Footsoldier trailer (under history) you can see me for about two frames running with the other soccer thugs. It's fleeting, but fun.
21 Feb 2007
Key Notes
Been meaning to update for a while but haven't really had much to say. Then today I got home to find some notes on the romantic comedy from a script reader. It's always hard to see the flaws in your work, but the longer I do this the easier it is to understand how the business works and that what comes out of your head is rarely the finished article. As hard as it will be to change things I was certain were good, it's great to get feedback from a professional. I've been waiting almost 15 years for that!
On top of that, just got off the phone to my producer who told me that a reasonably well-known Hollywood actress (blonde, 31, appeared in one of the biggest movie franchises of the 90s) is interested in the idea and is reading the script at the weekend, which is phenominal news. If we can get a 'name' on board at this stage, then it's going to make the process of getting it made all the more easy. Now all I have to do is knock out a second draft that hits more of the right beats.
11 Feb 2007
Man vs Machine (Man Wins)
I did it. Don't ask me how, but I managed to fix my computer. Anyone who knows me will know my computer expertise extends to finding the right button to push to make something happen. I've never been able to handle anything to do with c:> or internal fiddling, code, settings... you get the point. Yet, with a little help (MASSIVE thanks to Steve for sussing out the problem and Jerry for pointing me in the right direction for a replacement part) I managed to prize open the dead carcas of my PC, unscrew and unplug practically everything to get the offending item out, then put a new one in. The only casualty seems to be my mouse port, but since it's a USB mouse I can live with that. Tack change: Went to see Blood Diamond last night. Easily one of the most affecting and brilliant films I have ever seen. Absolutely awful depictions of African life, played off in a semi-action movie way that never belied its weighty message. Frankly I don't ever want to buy another diamond again. My wife left the cinema in tears. I struggle to understand how people can live in a country (you know who you are...) where things like that happen, shrugging it off to "TIA" (This is Africa). I urge anyone reading this to watch it, it's an incredible film.
09 Feb 2007
Ewan Me
There's not really much to report, just thought I'd jot down some stuff in my lunch-break. Had a call from my producer the other day, asking me to insert a new scene into our rom/com (which is cool - I think it will work nicely). He's adamant that this will get made this year, God knows my bank balance wants to believe that!!Highlight of my day: Just walked past Ewan McGregor and Charlie Borman. I absolutely loved Long Way Round and Ewan's one of my acting hero/icons. Made me grin like an idiot!Picked up another project. I'm working with a fellow dissolusioned colleague who runs a couple of rock/pop/alternative/metal/dance bands. He was after some iconic illustrations of the band members of the more comic of the two, and he's been pleased with what I've done so far which is great. When it eventually lands on the net I'll post something. Until then it's a bit hush hush 'till we sort out copyright etc.
02 Feb 2007
You BAFTA laugh
Went out for drinks last night with my pal Pete and met a couple of really interesting guys. The first was a Star Wars loving (I mean, really, with a PASSION!) astro physasist - he put together the cross-section book of Episode II - called Curtis who was a really lovely, sweet guy. The second was a producer who's been out of the game for a good while but is starting to get back into it again. Pete and I met him at BAFTA for a few drinks and the conversation was just phenominal. It's not often you get to speak to someone who's acted on stage with Alec Guinness, worked closely with Ridley Scott (and was, in part, responsible for turning him towards sci-fi) and has more stories of behind the Hollywood scenes than ten autobiographies put together. When you put someone like that in a room with Pete (who has an encylocpedic cinematic memory) you might as well sit back and enjoy the ride as the train of thought constantly changes direction with barely a hope of coming back to its original station.
28 Jan 2007
Technology Hates Me!
So Saturday my PC finally gave up the ghost. It's been complaining for months (via a rather dodgy electrical burning smell that I have managed to ignore), running out of memory if you have more than one web page open at once and the like. Then, finally, I went to use it on Saturday and the bloody thing wouldn't boot up, it wouldn't even start. Tried to get a new fuse for the plug but nowhere seems to do 10A fuses. Managed to rig up my laptop to receive emails, so at least that's sorted, but I face the possibility that I've lost everything that I haven't backed up (last backup was probably three months ago).Then...Set my alarm on my mobile last night, only to wake 15 mins late this morning to find that the memory was out and it had reset the clock and lost the wallpaper. What the fuck is going on?! Seriously, technology hates me!!!In addition...I finally have man flu. Managed to dodge it this Christmas (for a change), but finally have it in full flow (literally). Feel like utter shit. Hoorah!
25 Jan 2007
Nothing Much Happening... still
I've actually got a few spare minutes this morning and I'll be damned if I'm going to start work early. The workload here seems to be relentless of late and it's really getting to me. I sit across from an Italian guy who runs a rock band (or two) and years for the more creative life that such a career would give him. In that way we're very similar. He recently brought a few projects to me that we'll probably work on together, and hopefully, some day, we'll both be out of here doing what we 'want' to do. Had a really shite day yesterday. Got in from seeing Rocky Balboa (which was GREAT!) at around midnight then spent two hours readying some submission material for a job at a prestigious film magazine. I applied online but was also going to drop in some stuff by hand the next day. I got to bed at 2am and got up for work at just after 5am. Half way through what was a horribly busy day, I get a message asking me if I still wanted to apply given that the salary is £5 lower than what I was looking for. I was SO pissed off, I'd wasted huge amounts of time (and sleep) on something. And they said 'competetive salary'! My arse!Okay, the clocks ticking... back to work.
23 Jan 2007
Almost there... (stay on target)
Well, true to form I've managed to leave it far too long between blog entries, and annoyingly there's actually been a fair amount that's happened. I feel a back-log of blogging coming on. Although, I'm sure anyone I told to keep an eye on this will have long since given up on me. So, talking to myself again as usual.
EXTRAS!
A couple of weeks ago I got a text from my producer, Terry. We met when I included his production in a feature I started in the magazine I was editing at the time, and since I effectively 'helped' get the production some publicity, he promised me a cameo in the film when it finally went into production. It's filming now. So, a couple of weeks ago I finally got a text out of the blue, telling me where to be and when... in two days time. It was a miracle that I managed to get the time off work (since I have next to no leave), but I did and on the Wednesday I found myself in Bow, London at 7.30am (in the pouring rain). Nobody knew where I should go and it wasn't until an hour later that someone with a clipboard showed up and pointed me in the right direction. The movie is based on the life of an infamous football hooligan who turned into Britain's most dangerous man and the scene we were shooting was a hooligan riot scene which happened in Manchester in 1982. Seven West Ham supporters (including the main character) arrive under an underpass and are confronted by around 20 Man U supporters. About to leg it, they find another 20 behind them. A bundle ensues which results in a car blowing up (which was GREAT!). Then, the West Ham (or at least a faction of them, called the ICF) cavalry turns up (that was us) and we run in and chase them off before the police turn up. The realities of film-making meant that, having been there since 7.30 in the morning, we didn't make it in front of the camera until about 2.30pm. So a morning and lunch time was spent on a cold bus with the 20 or so other extras (some of which were original members of the ICF gang - including the man who's life inspired this story). Great bunch of lads, even if you wouldn't want to meet them on a dark night. Highlights included half of them absconding to the off-licence (for which they were later reprimanded) and the craft services van turning up. The actual filming was FANTASTIC! The waiting around dissapearred in a blur of shouting and running which left me with practically no voice and very sore legs the next day. We saw some of the scenes on playback and they looked incredible (especially the crane shot). Can't wait to see the final edit.
ROM/COM
Last night I spoke to Terry (producer) and he mentioned that he was going to send our romantic comedy (which I finished a few weeks ago) to a production company that he's close to, to see if they're interested in making it. It's the closest I've got to finally entering the career that I've been waiting for most of my life. But this is showbiz folks and you have to take this stuff with a pinch of salt.
TRANSFORMATION
Who needs cloning! I've been slowly turning my eldest son into me, via an assortment of Marvel Playskool toys including Captain America and Wolverine. Now, I've managed to get him into Transformers. None of this new CGI crap, but the original cartoons and in particular the movie. Now his favourite song is Dare, with The Touch and the theme tune by Lion in close succession. I'll need to do something to stop the poor kid from turning into a complete geek (like his Dad), but for now it's great stuff.
ACT II
Finally got my headshots back and they look pretty good (an agent friend commented that they were 'exceptional') so I shall need to start tarting myself around as soon as possible to try and get some work. God knows I need the money! I've written a part in my rom/com for me, whether I get to play it remains to be seen. Right, that's it, lunch break over... more sometime soon.
04 Jan 2007
Okay, here we go.
Since nobody's actually going to read this, whatever I write is somewhat redundant. Still, since I have a MySpace page I might as well bloody use it. A friend of mine has a blog and uses it primarily to provide blanket coverage of what he's up to, thereby negating the need to write long emails that he doesn't have time for, to his friends. It's a bit lazy, granted, but I find it a useful (and funny) way to keep up-to-date with his antics (and there are always more than a few good ones). So what does one write to his friends? No idea. I'm sitting at work, trying to avoid actually working, looking forward to the upcoming year with a little trepidation (does this thing have a SpellCheck?!) and a fair bit of excitement.At the end of last year I scored my first acting role in writer/director Christian Dine's new short (I say short, actual running time yet to be decided, it could be a close thing) KillingTime. It was a bit of a baptism of fire - I played a paedophile who rapes his 38-year-old daughter after she travels back in time to kill him before she was born - but was nevertheless an amazing experience which totally gave me the acting bug.Those who know me well know that I've always wanted to be an actor, but never had the time or opportunity to explore it. That's something I want to change in 2007. My wife arranged for some time with a photographer over the Christmas break and so I should have some head-shots by the end of January... the sky's the limit right? Well, I'm guessing it's not as easy as all of that. Still, it's quite exciting.On top of that my writing's going quite well. I'm about to submit a two-part TV drama to a TV producer who has kindly offered to read it and give me notes. I'm also done writing a romantic comedy for a producer which at least has a better shot than anything else I've ever written of getting made (or at least getting me a much-needed pay-cheque). Stress-wise we're moving this year (probably) which is going to be the strain in the first part of the year. With any luck some of the good stuff will offset that (see pay-cheque!) but we'll see. 2006 was frankly the worst year of our lives due to one reason or another, 2007 just HAS to be better right? I guess I need to make sure it is.
