Wow, isn't that serendipity for you, the day I go to my first awards ceremony is also the day I write my fiftieth post!
Yes, I have been to my first film awards ceremony as an entrant, so to speak. Last year I helped out on the production of a short film called Coins, a Victorian drama that was funded by First Light Movies, which was created and starred young people from my local area. Check it out on the Vimeo.
Then a couple of months ago we heard that the film had been nominated for an award in the Best Drama category at First Light Movies own Awards Ceremony at the Leicester Square Odeon in London.
I ended up organising the basic arrangements of informing the cast and crew, and then securing the tickets. I had a few problems along the way, but ultimately a small group of cast and crew all made their way down to London today, including two of the actresses, Kim and Estella, and the writer and star of the film William Jones.
The info pack had said that judges of the films had included Matt Smith, Toby Jones and Martin Freeman - but unfortunately none of them turned up to the ceremony. However, to my extreme surprise and delight Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright - of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead fame - were there to present the award for best comedy. To my delight again Damien Molony from Being Human was also there to present a prize!
The ceremony was lots of fun with a comedian and a puppet dog Hacker from CBBC hosting, and a YouTube comedian warming up the crowd at the beginning. We also got free goody bags containing a book on Bond villains, popcorn and a voucher for money off at Odeon, almost other things.
All the films shown looked very good, and I was impressed with the quality and ideas all the young people had come with, and with the documentary topics - which ranged from charms to drugs.
Our category was at the very end, and unfortunately we did not win. Nonetheless, I think the experience has been great, that merely getting nominated was an honour and that all the young people involved should be proud of the film.
After all the wards had been given, we then went on to an after party at Planet Hollywood, were we had some snacks and mingled with the other entrants. One girl in particular, in a red hat with a Ghostbuster badge came up to me and my sister to compliment us on our Whovian hats - mine is a Dalek, my sister's is the TARDIS - so I'd like to give a shout out, as it were to her and her friend, who were part of the group who won the comedy award.
And that's pretty much, in condensed form, what happened - and it was pretty awesome. There are just a couple of extra things to mention, first on the way back from the party, we ran into a crowd of people outside another Odeon near the one we were in, all waiting by a red carpet and realised we were walking past the beginning's of the premiere for Danny Boyle's new film Trance!
Secondly, as Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright walked past our seats after giving out the prize, Pegg started to high-five people on the end of the rows - including my sister who put her hand up! Talk about an incredible moment. I'm quite jealous actually.
Anyway, an excellent if tiring day, and I recommend you check out the young talent that one day may be making the next big films at First Light Movies website.
So, this is post is a little late - as I usually post on Sunday's - but I've been really distracted and busy the last few days, and of course Christmas is coming up!
Anyway, exciting and sad news. I sent a script into First Light Movies as part of a pilot grant with a group of filmmakers, but we sadly did not get the funding.
However, I have decided that I am going to do the film anyway. Its a short of course, in fact its short film I pitched at the Second Light Producer's Lab a few months ago, and I wrote it with the idea of making it on almost no budget.
I remember a lecturer at the Producer's Lab telling us how about a web series that was meant to be nearly no budget, had actually cost about about £1,000 pounds to make!
Now I know in real terms - when we're talking about budgets for films like The Hobbit or Cloud Atlas, or epic television shows like Battlestar Galactica and True Blood - that £1,000 is amazing cheap. However, I was still really surprised - a £1,000 is not no-budget!
My goal, at least at the moment, is to produce stuff to a high standard on barely any budget. Which I suppose at this stage in my career, I can. Because I know people who are trying, like me, to break in and who may own better equipment or have different skills, but are happy to go in for free so they can gain a credit for their developing CV.
Also the advent of YouTube has allowed lots of people to create lots of cheap but creative media. That's another subject I want to explore in a post, web series and online series - but that's for another day.
So, I haven't posted for a month and a half - but I am back, with a new view to be less inconsistent with my posting, and an aim to write once a week on all the wonders of the film, radio and tv industry.
Well I say wonders. Let's not be coy here, the media industry, and the film industry in particular, is difficult to break in to. Especially, according to a producer friend of mine, if you are in your early twenties. Which is partly why I knew I had to return to this blog, and start writing again - because in this industry you have to show what you can do. I like to think I can write, so here I am. Again.
And I have lots of plans for blog posts - Halloween is coming up next month, so a short history of our very own home-grown Hammer Horror films seems appropriate, as well as perhaps a guide to the best movies to watch on Halloween for those who don't like serious or gory horror - such as the Saw franchise.
I also recently been to an excellent course, again run by First Light/Second Light, but this time in collaboration with the The Script Factory. It was an excellent course on screenwriting, with some great speakers - such as TV writer and director Michael Walker who had written an episode of Primeval and co-wrote Collision with Anthony Horowitz.
And going on the course has reminded me that I've picked up some useful tips, links and general knowledge about screenwriting over the last few years that are worth sharing with young writers, like myself, who may not have come across them - for example, Mandy.com and Talent Circle are two great sites to browse for media jobs/experience in the UK! - so I'll probably sit down and write out some of my favourite screenwriting tips and links.
Then there's also all the classic films I have that I keep intending to watch, which I could review, for example The 400 Blows (1959) and The Stranger (1946).
So in short, I have plenty of material to bore the internet with.
And again, I offer you the opportunity through these blog posts, to join me in learning more about film, TV and radio, and the world of the media.
I've just had a busy, but wonderful four days at the Second Light Producer's Lab in Nottingham. It's a workshop available to young people who want to go into the media so they can learn more about certain roles and gain skills - I think, check out the website for their official explanation of what they do.
The workshop was also organised by the Producer's Forum, a sort of networking and information site for UK producers.
Anyway, I have learnt a lot about producing this week and I feel much more knowledgeable about producing, as well as marketing and distributing from one of the speakers, Jon Reiss. I suggest indie filmmaker's check out his book Thinking Outisde the Box Office, which I believe was the basis for his talk to us. It's a really useful overview of making, marketing and distributing films in the newer, non-traditional ways. Includingcrowdsourcing and crowdfunding to make films, putting films up on the internet and the benefits of organising film events.
I also met some really friendly and interesting people on the workshop too - so in short, a great four days!
