Sci-Fi-London 48 hour film challenge

Over the weekend of 12-14 April, I once again took part in the 48 hour film challenge which is part of the annual Sci-Fi-London festival. It's known for helping directors get a first feature launched, including Gareth Edward's 2010 film Monsters (the sequel to which is now in post, and directed by my NFTS friend Tom Green, for whom I edited the short film Brixton 85 while at film school).

Last night were the screenings of the top 20 films out of the 217 submitted at the end of the challenge. We knew going in that we were shortlisted to the top 10 - and therefore our film was being watched by the jury including Danny Boyle, Warwick Davis, Professor Brian Cox, and Neil Marshall.

I'm very pleased to announce that we came 3rd; we're all very happy. Seeing the top 20 all in one go and discussing them afterwards really emphasised how difficult it must have been to judge such a wide range of topics, and how subjective enjoyment of a film really is.

 

Here's our third-place-winning entry, as directed by the very talented Christoph Keller (with the support of his team, he'd insist I add):

 

Written, shot and finished in two days.

3rd place at the Sci-Fi London 48hr Film Challenge 2014.

BRIEF
Title - Life External
Dialogue - He signed enlistment papers. He took an oath.
Prop - Dice. We see a character roll two dice.

 

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Pirates Trailaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrs

The first teaser trailers are out for Pirates!

The first is the UK version, with the "In an Adventure with Scientists" tag. Based on a good old sea shanty, this is the one that most of us (in a rather informal poll around the table at lunch) prefer:

 

 

And then there's the international version, tagged "Band of Misfits". The more cynical among us wonder if the mention of science in a movie title could put some people off. Probably. Still, it's of a different tone to the first. And less claymation-Aardman, in a sense. Which would be fair - the techniques employed in the film are significantly more technologically advanced than anything they've done in a feature film before - see Wired's "How Aardman is embracing the digital age" article for further musings.

 

 

Still, public reaction so far seems to have been good, our director and producer are off out in Cancun and LA doing the initial promotional circuit, and I'm looking forward to the world finding out more about the film.

Cherry takes on London

The line-up for the 53rd London International Film Festival was announced today, and you have not just one opportunity to see Cherry on the Cake, not just two.... actually, I'm not quite sure how many times they'll be screening it. But there's certainly a lot of opportunity to engage with it!
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Cherry on the Cake - coming soon to a festival near you

Cherry on the Cake (2009)

 

 




Writer/Director/animator: Hyebin Lee
Producer: Michelle Eastwood
Production Designer: James Spencer
Cinematographer: Felix Wiedemann
Editor: Judith Allen
Sound Design: Gunnar Oskarsson
Sound Editor & Dubbing Mixer: Linda Brenon
Composer: Jon Opstad
Mother, Mary, Cherry and Berry voice : Michelle Archer
Father and Policeman : Rupert Degas

 

[IMDb]

 

.... yes, Cherry's been doing fantastically well on the festival circuit, and I'm very much hoping to be able to go to the London Film Festival's screening at the very least.

 

Director Hyebin Lee is now represented by Casarotto. Expect very interesting and fantastic things.

 

... I haven't had much to say lately largely because of a lack of editing work. A lack of freelance work (owing in part to the recession, no doubt in part to my lack of contacts having just emerged wide eyed and blinking from the NFTS) means that I've taken a staff job as a tech/ edit assistant at a small post-production house in Soho. I've learnt more about the technical side, advised people on how to set up what they need, and generally been "of use" to those who are working here. Plus it's a regular wage, which just wasn't happening on the freelance side. Hopefully soon I'll be able to get back into the paid editing/ assisting work.