"Gaia" film award - news gets about...

I see the local Bulmer Foundation have put up a little article on their website about the film award that Joe and I won from this year's Campfire Film Festival in Australia. The news was also spread around in various local newspapers, and it's nice to bump into people who you've not seen in years, who spotted the article in their local paper of choice, and offer their thumbs up.

Gaia & Genesis review...

Check out a review (that I've just come across) for Gaia & Genesis via this link:

http://www.reonline.org.uk/mm_resources/reviews.php?787

Doing Our Bit (2009)...

This was a quick project that was put together for the One Minute To Save The World competition that ran in Autumn 2009 ahead of the Copenhagen summit on climate change. Filmmakers were asked to put together a one minute long video about the environment.



Our video was based on the theme referenced in the title - the little things that everyone could easily do to all help towards the effort of making our society more fuel efficient, less throw-away in nature, and involved in recycling.



In the end our video didn't get chosen for the final selection, but there seemed to be a significant controversy during the process of picking the videos that caused many of the involved filmmakers to lodge their protest. I never really found out what that was all about, but in the end we've still been able to show this short film at public screenings and the reaction to it has been positive.


The style of the video was one part inspired by old public domain information films, one part inspired by old music show countdowns (such as Top of the Pops in its heyday), and one part inspired by the film High Fidelity. The project also allowed me to advance by filmmaking skills across several areas - conceiving a brief and sharp idea, shooting in a controlled manner to get footage that could then be edited in a snappy manner, and finally in terms of the editing process, where I further honed my skills at saying the most with the least amount of footage, inside a very tight time frame.

You can watch the film on YouTube by following this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZY55AMbyYI

"Gaia & Genesis" and "Doing Our Bit" screening...

Last week Friday we had a screening for these two films (the former in a joined-up 63 minute cut) in one of the nearby villages. The event was a fundraiser for the Climate Justice Fund, and proved to be very successful indeed (plus it got my name in the local paper for the first time in years, which was nice).

The hall was packed out with people who came to see the screening, so much so that we had to cram in some extra chairs so everyone could get a seat. As for the films themselves, they were received with rapturous applause - something which you're obviously rather chuffed to receive, but which also makes you go all a bit "aww shucks".

A number of people even came up to personally congratulate me on the quality of the films themselves, with which they were very impressed - so that was rather nice too. It was also very interesting to hear from other people who were also involved in the project itself - by means of providing additional voice overs and so on - and it was great to see that everyone 'got' the film. They understood the intention, and they really responded to the style and construction of the film, the aim of which was to help draw the viewer in and keep them constantly interested - mission accomplished on that front, I'm pleased to report.

The event itself had a very strong community vibe to it. Lots of people chipping in to help out, lots of people making tea, a whole table of home-cooked goodies, and a variety of home-made crafts on sale, so it was great to see first hand a rural community coming together under one roof to sit down and watch films I'd put together.

"Doing Our Bit" - feedback...

I've been meaning to blog about recent feedback to this film and "Skinner" for a while now, so I'll blog about the response to the latter in due course. For now though, here's some of the responses we got to "Doing Our Bit" - the entry for the 1 Minute To Save The Earth competition.

"Nic’s film, I thought, is very good, straight to the point. So pay attention everyone!"

"Great film.. Some good tips in there. Short and to the point."

"Catchy, simple and memorable. Just what’s needed."

"Like it too. It’s not rocket science - it’s common sense and we can all take heed and do it."

"Love the soundtrack - helps get the message across - that doing our bit isnt boring! Lets cut the crap and just do it…you, me, everybody. Thats what this film says to me. Yes. Bring it on…"

"Simple and effective."

"Little things matter - times 60 million (uk population) they are no longer little - times a billion or more, (population of the west) they become enormous."

"Stand out job, Nick & Co. Looking forward to your next project!"

"Cracking video joe and nick- food for thought for all of us."

...

As for the competition, unfortunately we didn't make it into the short list - which was supposed to be 20 videos (15 chosen by judges, 5 chosen by votes) but inexplicably the short list, when it went up online, was 27 videos. There seems to have been some controversy from some of the entrants over which videos got picked and why, and then even more inexplicably, long after the deadline a further 5 videos were added to the short list making it a short list (that was supposed to be 20 videos) of 32.

Naturally you can only be disheartened when you don't make it, but regardless of the methodology used to pick the videos, as well as the rather strange ignorance of the short list size as set out in the Terms & Conditions, I feel we made a cracking little video with a good, solid, positive and constructive message that set itself apart from many of the videos submitted in its own way (disclaimer - that's not me dissing other people's videos).

VOTE FOR ME! - "Doing Our Bit"...

I've entered the 1 Minute To Save The World competition, in which filmmakers are invited to create a one minute film (90 seconds including credits) about the environment and climate change, and such.

You can find my entry here:

http://www.1minutetosavetheworld.com/2009/10/doing-our-bit/

So please , would you kindly go and vote for me - but don't deliberately vote other people down - a spiffing vote for me will be very kind indeed.

I'll naturally put up a full project blogpost all about it in due course, but for now, I need me some votes, thank you kindly.

Cheers folks.

Sex & Ethics, and Gaia & Genesis reviews...

A couple of reviews for these educational DVDs - as found at www.ethicsonline.co.uk:

Sex & Ethics:

"The DVD is extremely well presented and addresses sexual ethics in a clear and concise manner. The links between sexual ethics and Natural Law, Utilitarianism, Kant and Situation Ethics are particularly good as they encourage pupils to make links between the ethical theories which is absolutely crucial at A-level. The DVD is not only visually stimulating but, more importantly, current for those who are watching, and is a must-have resource for any RE Department, especially for those departments providing A-level Philosophy and Ethics courses."

Emma Brambell, Teacher of Religious Education

Gaia & Genesis:

"This is an outstandingly engaging and timely resource that will grab the attention of students and persuade them of the significance of environmental ethics like never before. The narration and content presentation includes concise quotes from key thinkers that add depth and academic rigour to a stimulating and intelligent exploration of the main issues in environmental ethics. It would stretch the brightest at GCSE, engage the vast majority, and, inspire AS students to personal curiosity. It is visually impressive, content rich and well produced - overall a great resource."

David Potter, Teacher of Religious Studies, Ashby School

...

And here's some more short & sweet comments on the Sex & Ethics DVD:

“Lovingly crafted by Joe Jenkins, a master at producing workaday resources for hard-pressed teachers at both GCSE and A Level."
RE Online

“Highly recommended.”
Judy Grill, Churcher's College, Petersfield

“Well worth the price of a few text books."
Andrew Pearce, Principal Religious Studies Examiner

“Accessible and stimulating.”
Christine Chalstrey, Wychwood School, Oxford

“Absolutely fantastic.”
Hannah Williams, St. Helen's School, Middlesex

"Gaia & Genesis"...

That's the official title for the new educational DVD - all about the environment from philosophical, religious and scientific perspectives all rolled into one jam-packed DVD, replete with student discussion on each of the five separate films.

We're also going to cut the five films together to form one full-length version, which we're then going to submit to film festivals.

Video clips coming soon (they'll be found on www.ethicsonline.co.uk, naturally), and of course I'll be pimping up a film summary with screen shots for this 'ere blog you be readin' ... oh yes indeedy.

Of course, I'll keep on updating info about this and other projects as-and-when.

Sexual Ethics DVD - more feedback...

Just swung by Ethics Online to see if there were any new responses from those who had purchased the DVD, and indeed there was:

“A must-have resource for any RE Department.”

...and...

“This DVD will definitely help students develop their knowledge and understanding of sexual ethics. It has been lovingly crafted by Joe Jenkins, a master at producing workaday resources for hard-pressed teachers at both GCSE and A Level.”

... ... ... ... ...

As for the new educational DVD we're working on, it's coming along nicely - I'm currently doing the last of the five main films (after which there will be five short chunks of corresponding student discussion to do, as well as finishing touches to all the five main films).

Obviously as a result of my recent operation I've not been able to work on it for the last 2 or 3 weeks, but I've gotten back (gently) into the saddle and have resumed work on the last film left to edit. It's coming along well, and is probably the most complex of all the films (in terms of editing together), but also one of the ones which has afforded me the most creative freedom (in terms of trying out some new ideas, and indeed learning a couple of new editing skills).

Anyway, onwards...

Script and editing update May 12th '09...

Well From The Inside Out is still continuing, although I have been going through a bit of a dry spell with the creativity...that said, I finished the second draft of the second act today - so that means I can get onto the third act, and that means I can soon have it finished and then start on the treatment, and then start putting the treatment out there.

...

Editing wise, it continues apace - it's coming together nicely, like I said, the films are even better than last year's Sex & Ethics films, so yeah - it's good.

Scripting & Editing update-o-rama-festival!

Well, really just a normal update, but whatever.

Scripting - it's continuing to go well, although over the last week/ten days it's been a bit slow ... I was well and truly in the midst of Act II and a little bit stuck, or a little bit consumed by all the Act II elements I needed to include to fill out the meat in the sandwich made out of Act I and Act III bread ... ... ditching that metaphor however, things have picked up again in the last couple of writing sessions - the reason most likely being two-fold:

1) The end of Act II is nearing - the clearing in the trees (yes, a new metaphor, oh dear) is becoming visible.
2) I was writing another bit of horror into the script - I've been pleased that I've been able to litter "moments & sequences of horror" throughout essentially every 10 to 15 pages.

So indeed, Act II is nearing first draft completion stage - then, as per my usual, I'll hook back around and go over Act II all over again - tidying it up, adding elements in, fleshing things out, trimming dialogue and description that isn't needed etc.

Then it'll be a (hopefully) swift slog to finish Act III - and indeed the script itself - then then plan is to write up a full-on treatment for the script, including a few pictures relating to what the script is based on for visual understanding, and then sending said treatments out to various companies to try my luck - if you don't send anything to anyone, you'll never get found.

... ... ... ... ...

Editing - again, it's going well - but there's plenty to do and sometimes certain things take longer to do that you initially thought, and other things go faster. Cutting the films together is fairly straight forward, but it's the prep work - making my notes on the script, editing the voice overs, preparing the footage in various ways - that's what takes the time.

Also, I've been learning a few new tricks in Sony Vegas, thanks to some excellent little video tutorials on YouTube which provide me with the instruction I was after - simple, straight forward, pointing at this & that, which tells you exactly what to do and what to press - and all in a video, not some shoddy, nonsensical help file.

I'm currently embarking on a very complex composite-and-split-screen - all cobbled together using a huge amount and variety of footage, which all needs to be cropped, coloured and generally tweaked.

Progress today for instance, was good - but kinda slow - but only slow because of the complex editing going on ... or perhaps fiddly is a better word ... yes, fiddly.

Anyway - going well, and I'm pleased to be learning a few new tricks - I'd always felt a bit guilty about not knowing enough neat little tricks, and so far thanks to these excellent YouTube video tutorials I've been watching, it's actually rather simple to do some of these new tricks.

Right-o - consider yourselves updated ... was it fun like a festival?

Script and Editing update-o-rama...

"From The Inside Out" is still going well, it's now on page 45 if memory serves, and I found another couple of small and related plotholes ... I know, more plotholes, but as I'd said a while back, this script is a bit looser - "The End" had lots of planning, and therefore bugger all plotholes that I could find while writing...at most I just clarified the odd thing.

But with "FTIO", it's far less pre-planned, so it's a lot more free-form as I'm writing it. Fortunately, the small plotholes I come across are just that - and I have plenty of room to move to fix them - but they really are small things, solved with a couple of lines here, or a few words of dialogue in-or-out here-or-there.

So aye - the script writing is going well - once it's done, the plan is to put together a pitch/treatment and post it off to a few companies here in the UK who have recently put out low budget horror movies.

...

Anyway - editing wise, it's going well - as I've said before, I'm currently working on an educational DVD about the environment. The editing of the first film (to be tackled, not the first in sequence) is going well, nice and organised and I've been able to have more room to move around and try things, and indeed choose ideas, in the edit due to the increased organisation and efficiency on this project - so it's all good - in fact, I think it's coming out better than the last DVD, and that one has been well received, so that's all good too.

Another good thing is, once I've done another session of editing, this first film to be tackled will be mostly complete (bar credits, music, and title touch-ups for example).

Anyway - consider yourself updated.

Script update...

So - how's "From The Inside Out" going?

Quite well actually. The first act is totally done, which is nice, and I'm thoroughly into Act II after having a good spurt with it over the last couple of days, clocking up about 17 pages.

I'm staying true to what I was intending to do with it from the odd, but I'm also enjoying the ability to write this one looser than my previous script writing project - my zombie epic "The End", which was planned to quite a level of detail - so that's fun.

However, in these last couple of sessions writing, I did find myself with a handful of plot holes that I had to fix - I think it's certainly of use that I'm "one of those internet forum people", as I have spent a fair bit of my free time over the years debating movies to the nth degree and focussing on small issues in detailed ways ... so, said attention to detail, helps me in my writing - I turn on "forum mode" and dig out inconsistencies and lay down "now wait a minute, how come..." pipe ... ... and then I sort things out when "writing mode" is re-engaged.

Anyway - the plot holes were fixed with a few lines of dialogue added or taken away, or indeed clarified, as well as changing very small things in some of the "action" (description).

...

But now I'm back into "educational DVD mode", and am heavily into the editing process on the first (to be tackled, anyway) film of this new one about the environment (from a more theological stand point) ... speaking of which, I was barging some of the editing today and it's coming out nicely so far, which is good - so *touch wood* it continues as such.

There's a lot of prep work to be done to get the vast array of footage gathered and ready to be used, the voice overs edited, the script prepared (i.e. me plastering my notes all over it), doing anything special to any images that are required, doing any required composites and so on ... but once all that leg work is done, you can just barge on with the piecing together of the actual film without having to be stopping to get another something ready - basically I like to organise into chronological task chunks ... that's my style, baby.

Anyway - AVGN episodes here I come!