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NEWS

(17.12.2011) VAN-HELLHESSIAN 2: FESTIVE SACK RELEASED!
Seasons greetings! To celebrate Christmas we've made a little film! It's a sequel to our semi-improvised Halloween sketch Van-Hellhessian (2009). With an extra £2.50 spent on this, the leap in production value is alarmingly marginal but that shouldn't diminish your enjoyment too much, we hope! From all of the team, we wish you a very Merry Christmas! This is Van-Hellhessian 2 – look upon it! WATCH IT HERE.

(16.10.2011) ANTI/NIGHT A GREAT SUCCESS!
This week I attended Anti/Type's exhibition showcase evening (Anti/Night) with the lads. Lyle Jackson's 'The Fourth Wall', which I appear in alongside Sarah Atkinson (who you might recognise from her cameo in 'Unlucky Actor' as the lonely girl in the corner). It got frequent (and rather loud) laughs which was a massive relief for me, personally. Well done to Lyle for sticking with his instincts, taking risks (not least on myself) and kicking them all out, alone and trembling, into the wild, unforgiving darkness of a cinema auditorium. The mark of a true director. Strange seeing my face 10ft high, literally talking to the audience at one point. I feel a personality cult coming on...

Elsewhere, 'The Latter Death of Descartes' (the short I co-directed with Ben Cook) was premièred too and was well received. Steve Campbell's performance was jaw-dropping. As hard as Ben and I worked on this film, it's success was very much hinged on Steve Campbell's remarkable thesping. He's a bit like a dog you can trust off the leash!
Let the festival submissions begin!

(19.09.2011) PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON RESTING COMPLETE
I spent this Sunday directing the majority of scenes for a new short film/pilot episode of a potential series called Resting written by actor and all round movie buff Alan Wales, who has made regular appearances in many of my other short films since our first collaboration on EGG in 2008. The shoot took place at the Criterion Theatre in Earlsdon, Coventry and I'm still in a grateful daze over how kind and generous they have been in allowing us to film all over the venue (as well as consenting to a brief return visit to get a couple of shots we didn't manage to get on Sunday). I'd say we crammed about two days worth of principal photography into just under eight hours. As always, had a another great cast and crew to help me manifest the film that has been flickering in my head for the past few months. I can't heap praise on them enough. Thank you guys! We have one more scene to shoot, which takes place at a beauty stand somewhere. As soon as we identify a location for that, we're gonna shoot that shit. Otherwise, Resting should be completed and available to watch towards the end of the year. So, as they say when there's nothing to see yet - watch this space!

(16.09.2011) BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE PROSPECTS
Documentary film-maker Alan Van Wijgerden was on hand to shoot a behind the scenes film for The Prospects, and has since waded through two hours of footage (of what was undoubtedly some of the most virtuosic film-making ever!), and strung together quite an energetic, quirky insight into the shoot. Thank you, Al. The film is available to watch here.

(15.09.2011) UNLUCKY ACTOR AT PORTOBELLO FILM FESTIVAL
...directed by some guy called Brian Harvey apparently (Bastards).
Normally, I'd get a letter and a brochure in the post but this year, I didn't. I just happened to check in on their site to see if they'd made any announcements, only to find the programme is out and the festival ends Sunday! Oh. well. It's in the video cafe section, not a dedicated screening slot this time, but it's good enough - earns the film another little bit of ink (and kinda keeps the Portobello run going too!) I'll see if I can get my hands on a couple of brochures for the scrap book. Well done all!

(06.09.2011) ANTI/NIGHT SCREENING
Antitype's recent slate of five short films produced within the last twelve months are set to première jointly on 13th October at Leamington's Royal Spa Centre. Among the program is Lyle Jackson's The Fourth Wall, in which I play the 'role of a lifetime' as an annoying cinema attendant! There's also The Latter Death of Descartes, a Short Night co-production, which I co-directed with Ben Cook. There's more details over at the Anti/Type camp including a lovely little image comprising never before seen glimpses from each of the new films. See you there!

(26.08.2011) THE PROSPECTS PITCHING PILOT SHOT AND WRAPPED
A couple of months ago I was invited to direct a pitching pilot for Coventry teen band The Prospects. Without giving away the whole pudding, the concept for the pilot (and a potential show) inclines towards a Monkees style format but with a particular emphasis on the band's real life journey as young musicians. Today, we shot this bad boy on a tight schedule, in the teeniest location and with no money but with the truest grit around. They'll be more information soon over in the film section but for now I just want to thank and congratulate the band for their energy, creativity and good nature and sing the praises to my fantastic crew, who I paid in bananas. Go Forward!

(19.08.2011) UNLUCKY ACTOR SHORTLISTED FOR 2ND ROUND OF AESTHETICA MAGAZINE'S SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Encouraging stuff. The finalists get put on a DVD with the December issue! Keep your fingers crossed please! 

(15.08.2011) UNLUCKY ACTOR TO SCREEN AT ARTS FEST, B'HAM
Unlucky Actor has been selected for this year's Arts Fest in Birmingham, programmed by the folks at KINO 10. It will screen as part of the comedy section at the Crescent Theatre from 5:40PM on 10th September. Hope to see you there!

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