Scene 50: My First Awards Ceremony!

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. 

Scene 46: Review, Nothing

I've been managed to watch quite a few films this last weekend, and out of all of them, I decided to review this one, Nothing (2003), because it is the weirdest film I have ever seen. Directed by Vincenzo Natali, who also directed the cult film Cube (1997) and Splice (2009), and starring two of his friends from school, Andrew Miller and David Hewlett. 

Nothing is a film about two guys who are having the worst day of their lives. Both are in trouble with the police, their home is about to be knocked down and a huge crowd are baying for their blood. However, just when it looks like they're doomed to be dragged away by the cops or killed in the demolition of their house - having hidden inside -  suddenly  all the noise and commotion outside stops. They go out and look to see what's happened and find...nothing. Just a big empty, white void. 

I thought the film felt slightly familiar as I watched it, to a certain type of film that seems to have developed in the recent decade, which involves slack-eqsue, nerdy, socially awkward protagonists who encounter something extraordinary. It particularly felt akin to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost movies. In those films too, you have two geeky friends who have to cope with a load of weirdest – in particular the scenes of Dave and Andrew playing computer games reminded me of Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Spaced, and the samurai sword that Dave welds also reminded me of Paul. 

However, the relationship dynamic between Andrew and Dave is quite different, and is allowed to be more deeply explored. The film has room to do this, because unlike in the Pegg/Frost films, once we reach nothing in Nothing, we only have Andrew and Dave. There are no extra characters that require having attention and development - no girlfriends to win over, no family to impress, no outside antagonists.

The other big different is that both Paul and Shaun of the Dead played on genres and cliches. Whilst the concept behind Nothing is just really, really original. I've noticed that Vincenzo Natali has a good knack of keeping his audiences intrigued - Cube is a brilliant idea and Splice, though less original, still pulled me and kept me watching and wanting to know - and Nothing is the same, you just want to know what's going on and how its going to end. 

The film isn't perfect of course, some of the jokes are hit and miss and there's a running sequence in the void that goes on for far too long. 

The production values on though are good. The interior of the house is a particular triumph. Covered in great swathes of paper and clutter, to the point of being almost surreally messy, it absolutely filled with details and I personally think the team who had to stick all those posters and pieces of paper onto the set should be given a worthy mention – it must have taken ages.

The white nothingness outside does feel a little enclosed rather than vast, but that's probably due to the fact that's been obviously shot in a studio, and that the actors voices echo. However I did like the idea that floor was bouncy, and though it looks white, is shown to be actually transparent. The CGI is acceptable, though not incredibly realistic compared to the type of CGI we can achieve now. Whether that is due to the fact the film was shot in 2003, or because of the film's budget, I don't know. Nonetheless, the 'pooling' or 'stripping' away affect of bits and pieces throughout the film, is rather good.

The film also uses some fancy editing, in a sequence where Andrew and Dave go exploring and in a scene where they dual on a boxing computer game. Both sequences work well, especially the fast pacing, whirling affect of the editing during the computer game boxing match, which made the scene funnier and more exciting than a more conventional, slower cut would have. 

In summary, like a good sci-fi story Nothing gives you a fascinating concept, plays with it for a while, and then ends in a strange way, that is satisfactory but still open enough to leave you wondering. 

Scene 38: Doctor Who and the Christmas Round Up

Ah, Christmas, and the annual Christmas television - the Christmas specials, the 'classic' Christmas films and the Queen's Speech, which this year  is in 3D, for some reason. 

So, here's my brief round up of some of the Christmas specials - those one-off episodes of popular television series centred around the Christmas holiday itself.

As usual the BBC has a Doctor Who Christmas special, which is - I think for the second time in the reboot's history - acting as a bridge for the series into the New Year. 


It's interesting to note that the last two specials have both been inspired by Christmassy stories - A Christmas Carol and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - and wonder if it'll turn out that the coming special gives a nod to another literary classic this year. Though so far the trailer does not seem to suggest it - though the Doctor in a top hat does remind one of the Madder Hatter somewhat. These specials can be a bit hit and miss, and I wasn't to keen on last year's. However this year looks like it might be rather good - with deliciously creepy looking snowmen and the addition of Richard E. Grant and Ian McKellan doing some voice-acting. 

There's also going to be plenty of period drama from Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife and The Making of a Lady.

There's plenty for young children as well, with the sequel to The Snowman - The Snowman and The Snow Dog on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve. Whilst on Christmas Day, there is the animation Room on the Broom on the BBC, which features a whole host of voice talent that adults will enjoy recognising - including Gillian Anderson, Simon Pegg and Sally Hawkins. 

Well that's a quick look at what's on telly, for more Christmas listings and reviews, check out the Radio Times site.

Merry Christmas Everyone!