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Monday, September 01, 2008
Terry Gilliam let loose with a welder
It's Sunday morning and I'm just mulling over the shenanigans of the last 24 hours and I don't think I would have been able to make it up. After a morning of room service and light browsing at Shnucks...
... to procure illegal (in the UK) teeth whitening products to take back home - and fighting my way through the graduation ceremonies, wedding parties and John McCain security and the Straight talk express.
Stewart contemplates the McCain campaign
John McCain is staying in this very hotel right now. No sign of him but the shifty security, complete with ear pieces are very much in evidence. i doubt I'll see him as he's all over the news pushing his lady running mate. I just can't help thinking he's the living embodiment of Elmer Fudd, and can't bear the idea of this elderly fellow leading this country.
Mike picked me up and after a short trip to the car wash - very much an American institution, all automated foam jets and buffers - we met up with Stewart and were all set for the road-trip to Columbia, about 100 miles down the road.
Rag Tag Cinema were going to be showing a double feature of Teenland, the film I made for BBC4 a couple of years a go, followed by a sneak preview of Goth Cruise.
After about 2 hours we made it to Columbia, a lovely looking town straight out of an Americana picture book and ambled over to the Rag Tag with about 45 mins to spare. As we locked up the car i had and awful nagging feeling and checked my bag. To my horror I found 6 copies of Teenland which was the first film in the double bill , I had dv cam subtitled, ntsc dvd, pal no subtitles but NO copies of Goth cruise, anywhere, at all. After convincing Mike that I wasn't tricking him in a rush of "British" humour and in fact joking, Stewart and he swiftly got on the phone to find someone who could bring a copy of the film down to Columbia. in the mean time I met with the projectionist at the Rag Tag to set up Teenland.
It's a beautiful cinema of mis-matched vintage chairs and sofas, with a very laid back feel. That laid back approach was frustrating in the lack of urgency to sort out the screening, but also deflected what could have been a very stressful situation. The film eventually started after negotiating the differences between pal and ntsc dvds and Teenland was rolling. I've not seen the film in over a year so it was actually good to see it again after all this time, it felt satisfyingly claustrophobic. I left after the first 15 minutes to go and grab a drink and check on the Goth Cruise progress.
With the clock ticking and the screening in about 2 and a half hours (with St Louis at least 2 hours drive) Stewart had somehow managed to track down his good friend Cody who dropped everything and hit the road to deliver the film - what a star.
Drink over, I thought I'd check to see the last 10 minutes of Teenland, only to see the house lights up and the projectionist wandering out of the cinema. The audience were then asking me - "is that really the ending? Really". I couldn't believe that anything else could be going wrong but It turns out that the film had cut out 45 minutes in and the projectionist had assumed that it was the end. We ended up swapping the disks and re-assumed the screening after a 8 minute break. Rubbish! The audience, to their credit were wonderful, stayed throughout all the nonsense.
After an engaging Q and A and a breathe of fresh air, Cody arrived with about 2 minutes to spare, completely saving the day. After all the dramas, the disk went in and without any tweaks looked and sounded great. The relief was amazing but i couldn't help feeling that it was a HUGE effort all round for a missed opportunity really - a very small (but beautifully formed none the less) audience. Q and A over with hysteria levels cranked up, we hit the road back to good old St Louis with Mike and Stewart dissolving into gradually more and more incoherent banter to my British ears. Hysteria was passed long ago and we rolled in at 3am. In spite of all the dramas, maybe because of all the dramas I love hanging out with these charming boys. It wouldn't be quite so much fun if it all went to plan.
posted by Jeanie Monday, September 01, 2008 | 0 comments
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Made it to St Louis, escorted by nuns
Despite going to bed at 7am (GMT) Jet lag wasn't apparent - apart from a weird 3.30 am compulsion to call the front desk in a mid dream interruption and a flashing red bedside telephone. After a relaxing morning of the "This American Life" podcast and room service breakfast, Mike picked me up to go down town. After a brief visit to an enormous deli - the women at the checkout were gossiping about John McCain's controversial choice of a female running mate - "does he think we're stupid, that a woman, any woman will just do?" - and we drove down to the museum.
This place is hatstand crazy -, like being punched in the mind. Imagine if Terry Gilliam has just back from Park Guell (Barcelona) with a welding qualification and you're not even half way there.
Mike snuck us onto the (not open to the public yet) roof terrace which was littered with construction workers and amongst others - a huge copper praying mantis, a runaway school bus and an elephant water feature. The building has no insurance and feels genuinely dangerous, which of course is much of it's charm. I, unlike Crispin Glover, declined the huge outdoor metal slide.
An obligitary trip to the HUGE arch of St Louis meant that I got to eat my sushi lunch with he archway in front of me and Tom Sawyer river boat, with Dixie band behind me. This city is completely different to what i expected. I'm not sure exactly what I expected - maybe something along the lines of Portland where you can walk around, but St Louis is much, much bigger. It feels like somewhere that would be incredibly difficult to navigate without a car, and makes Nottingham feel like a small place, far, far away.
Coffee in a bank vault
A quick detour to Borders for obligatory dvd purchases, including - This American Life, Heavy Metal in Bagdhad and the best of the best of The Electric Company. for Betsy.... obviously.
The Electric Company
Before I knew it, it was then time to quickly get changed and hot foot it over to Webster for the Goth Cruise screening. The hullaballoo of the day meant that I had, had little time to compose myself and actually prepare for the screening. Before I knew it, I was being called up to a miked lecturn to introduce the film to a busy theatre. I was, in spite of my good intentions incredibly nervous. This was the second public screening of the film ( a "sneak preview" in fact) that I have attended and I know I should be cooler and take it more in my stride, but there is something very exposing about showing your work to an audience. Obviously this feeling doesn't last and the film goes out into the world, but the transition from private to public can be very daunting.
The film was received incredibly warmly by the 100 strong audience (they usually get about 60) and really great, astute questions from a film literate crowd and a good smattering of Goths. There felt like there was a good buzz (believe me, if there isn't, you know!) and I even signed some autographs - eat your heart out Sheil. The evening was then topped off with cocktails in a local bar along with Kate Berman (Chicago) who worked on the Goth Cruise pilot and taught us the ways of the world in America, Stewart (who I met at Big Sky a couple of years ago) and Virginia Hunter who made a lovely documentary - Carny which I recently saw on More 4. My fate for the rest of the evening was sealed when I ordered a vodka and tonic and it arrived in a pint glass.
posted by Jeanie Saturday, August 30, 2008 | 0 comments
Friday, August 29, 2008
Meet me in St Louis
So I made it in one piece to St Louis.
What I really enjoy about travelling on my own is the chance encounters that happen. I have to admit that an English accent in these circumstances helps, or at least facilitates strange encounters.
After my 8 hour flight I meet it bleary and weary into Detroit for my 3 hour change over. After the salt laden airline meal the sushi bar with authentically earnest chefs looked to meet like a lighthouse in all the hullabaloo of travellers on a mission. Installed at the sushi bar I ended up sharing my meal with a bankrupcy attorney from Glastonbury, USA. He offered my legal advice if I ever had the need and made the common assumption that the British are pre-occupated with the Royal Family.
While waiting for my flight I eyed up the passengers and spied a small nun, dressed in blue. I imagined who I would be sitting next to and wondered what it would be like to have the clarity of vision that a life in the church would one for me. As I boarded my flight I found myself seated next to sister Mary. She was from the Phillipines and was en-route to her house in St Louis. As i listened to tell me about her life i just kept imagining what it would be like to live without a relationship, children, television and although I liked her very much i couldn't even imagine the faith in her life. I did, however ask her to party for my devoutly Catholic Grandparents as they are both facing challenges with their health, and I knew that Gran would appreciate it.
When I went to pick up my suitcase I was introduced to all of the sisters from the church and Mike (Steinberg) found me surrounded by ladies in blue, almost all called Mary.
After a brief stop off at the hotel - St Louis Hilton, all chandeliers and pillow cart - and we were invited for dinner at a friend of Mike's. It was so good to visit someone's house. After an amazing meal we sat down to watch Obama accept the presidential nomination in front of an adoring crowd of 84,000. As a Brit, watching this live, with a receptive American audience I felt incredibly moved and felt very strongly the yearning for "a new day", as they say on the Wire. If the election can be won on charisma alone then he has no competition. It's a whole different approach here, much more confident, more polished and I tried to imagine Gordon Brown, Blair or hilariously Boris Johnson in the same arena.
posted by Jeanie Friday, August 29, 2008 | 0 comments
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Goth Cruise (the movie) is done and dusted
So, it's stupid o clock in Heathrow airport. I'm sure I've been here before.
A combination of my nervousness about missing my flight (running to the gate in bare feet, clutching my wedges and distracting the gate attendant by dropping the content of my handbag on the floor so that Mark (Bushnell) had enough time to run back to security and retrieve his mic on the Goth Cruise pilot shoot, as he screamed "this flight's going, are you going on it" has done it to me. In theory it should make me more reckless but the lingering memory of tucking into breakfast the wrong side of security and realising that the huge queue was still ahead of us) and staying with the in-laws within earshot of Heathrow meant that I was through security and checked in more than 3 hours ahead of time. So now I'm hoovering up coffee with the flotsam and jetsom of Heathrow Terminal 4.
Heathrow, and it's surrounding area seems to be the backdrop to this year.
Sheil grew up within spitting distance of the end of the runway and the flights team over relentlessly. We've spent a lot of time here, visiting his parents or bringing our daughter down to stay. It's also the setting for his horror feature "Mum & Dad" which for economy's sake is the "Heathrow Texas Chain saw Massacre".
We travelled to Edinburgh film festival for the premiere - which saw the brochure contain the first official warning for years. It's not that grisly, well I guess it is, at times. Edinburgh was a full on onslaught of parties and films, like Glastonbury in heels.The fragrant Dido Miles aka "MUM" at Fright Fest, Leicester Square
Last weekend was the English premiere at
Fright Fest and I had the pleasure of viewing the film in Odeon Leicester Square along with about 600 ardent horror fans. It's amazing what the dynamic of an audience can do to a film. At Edinburgh it felt like the crowd winced with each new horror, at Fright Fest they revelled in it and each deserved death was met with cheers, leers and applause. Sheil introduced the film by telling the audience that "his mum had asked him to say that he came from a loving home and that this was no reflection on his upbringing" which got a big laugh, but is true. I don't think his parents will ever see Mum & Dad, and they probably shouldn't but we've had some weird stares when we've told people that our daughter "is with Mum & Dad" in Hounslow, you know, near the airport". Since the premiere I've been repeatedly asked - "what's it like going out with someone that dark?" and Sheil's stock response is "better out than in" but I love the fact that horror is the complete polar opposite to my work, in outcome, if not approach. And to be honest it's quite nice asking "kill many people at work today darling?" as the new scripts take shape.
The reason that I'm sat in the hinterland of T4 is that I'm waiting for a flight to St Louis. I'm taking part in some "meet the film-maker" events and sneak preview screenings of Goth Cruise at the Webster Film Series, St Louis, and a double bill of Teenland and Goth Cruise at Rag Tag Cinema, Columbia, 100 miles up the road. I'm being brought out by the lovely Mike Steinberg whom runs the Webster Film series and I met at Big Sky Documentary Festival, Missoula, Montana.Last time I met I was showing Teenland and Goth Cruise was merely a twinkle in IFC's eye. I can't believe that the film is done and dusted so quickly. I'm very interested to see how the film goes down with an American audience. We had a special screening, here in London about a month ago in support of the Sophie Lancaster charity at Rich Mix, London, which sold out and went overwhelmingly well. I got a lot of feedback after that night...
"Really, really enjoyed it - funny without being gratuitous; sweet without being sentimental."
"Don your best black eyeliner and run to see this film…. Whilst we went along expecting a giggle at the men in black, we actually saw a funny and touching portrait of a bunch of mostly very sweet, intelligent, welcoming misfits who are fiercely proud to be different and don't give a toss what the "norms" think of them." MTV
I think the aspect of the film that was perhaps surprising and I think is a strength is that the protagonists are given time to present themselves to the world, for good and bad, without being torn apart fro the amusement of the audience a la wife swap and other TV docs of their ilk. This isn't to say that I let my character's off, rather that I would rather people had time to present their story, again for good and bad, than be hamstrung by a damning voiceover.
It was all incredibly nerve-wracking - I've talked to Sheil about this and agree that it can be very exposing, you are putting your views out there to be liked or rejected, or worst of all - met with an indifferent shrug. Prior to the screening I had shown the completed film to about 10 of my nearest and dearest, full stop, so the prospect of showing to a sold out house was faintly terrifying.
The fastidiousness of the ushers at the cinema and enforced comp ticket seating, meant that I was seated directly behind Ian and Bridie (both in the film) and both seeing it for the first time as well. This made for a somewhat painful experience for me, as I anticipated each new scene, but they responded warmly and have come up with strategies for playing the film at Whitby Goth Weekend which would be a fitting home-coming. Wayne Hussey and Voltaire who are both in the film are appearing there this year so the timing seems fortuetous, watch this space. The film, as it is now, out there in the world, feels complete in a way it never could, sat on my shelf.Crispin after touching the archway (courtesy Mike Steinberg)
I have no expectations at all of St Louis. I saw some great pictures of Crispin Glover racing up some steps to touch the archway - he was last week's guest at Webster - and the city looks bigger than I imagined. Apart from that it'll all be new and I'm open to anything.Labels: crispin glover, Goth Cruise, st louis
posted by Jeanie Thursday, August 28, 2008 | 0 comments
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Love Takes hits Missoula Montana, and the Big Sky Film Festival
Goth Cruise the Movie trailer - a 'Gothumentary' from jeanie finlay on Vimeo.
posted by Jeanie Tuesday, June 10, 2008 | 0 comments
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Goth Cruise the movie
If all the technology has joined up than this rather more general blog will be post on the page for my film Love Takes which will be getting it's Montana Premiere in February 17th at the historic Wilma theatre.
Love Takes is the first 'proper' film that I ever made after years of skulking around galleries and tinkering with large projections. By proper I mean that you can watch it in a cinema and it has a beginning and an end, basic criteria I know but other work I had made prior to this was much more experimental or non linear and much more in the art camp.
I really like this film, shooting it on my own and with my partner and DOP Steven Sheil was very liberating; It made me feel that film-making was an exciting medium and I could just go out with my wee mini dv camera, be with people and maybe capture something that could be moving or give a glimmer into somone else's life.
I've continued this love of portraiture and trying to capture this 'intimate something' in my two subsequent projects. 60 minute Teenland for BBC4 which showed at Big Sky in 2006 and my first feature "Goth Cruise" for IFC, which is as we speak almost, almost complete and heading for post production.
It's been a terrifyingly quick jump from 10 minutes in 2003 with Love Takes, 60 mins in 2006 with Teenland and 80 minutes in 2008 with Goth Cruise but I hope there's a line that runs through all the work holding it together. It's just the telling is bigger!
I'm still umming and aahing as to whether to make the 3 flights out to Missoula from the UK. My visit in 2007 was amazing, my first trip to the States and like a breath of fresh air, literally. I saw amazing films, met great people and got to walk in the steps of David Lynch (his home town) and couldn't help but see Twin peaks everywhere I looked. The post schedule on Goth Cruise make mean that it is impossible and if this is the case I will have to cross everything that this film makes it out as I really want to go to Big Sky again.
Watch this space.
posted by Jeanie Saturday, January 26, 2008 | 0 comments
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
morning make up
5 days to go until the main Goth Cruise shoot starts in NYC, then it's 5 days at sea sailing from New Jersey to Bermuda. I've set up a new blog so follow the journey here - www.gothcruisethemovie.com. Wishe me luck, I'm going to need it!Labels: Goth Cruise
posted by Jeanie Wednesday, October 10, 2007 | 0 comments
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Stupid o clock, Vancouver airport
posted by Jeanie Saturday, May 26, 2007 | 1 comments
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Half hearted upgrade
Wednesday 23 May
I got in at 8pm, met paul Joyce, Nige and wee Finn at the airport then had a whistle stop tour of downtown Vancouver. My brother being a chef, delicious food was almost compulsory.
My brother is head chef at the Alibi rooms which is run by his school friend Nige and is really well known in Vancouver. Aparently Skinny Puppy (Vancouver Goth Royalty) were in there all the time when they were recording their last album so I’m hoping to let them know that if I get to meet them. A kind of reference if you like.
Being out with them at a new bar was like going out with Norm from cheers - either everyone knows each other in the bar world or Vancouver is a very tight town. Some lovely wine which felt like (at about 7.30am GMT) about 45.% proof, goats cheese cake and I was ready for my 3 hours sleep before I had to be back at the airport.
So I'm here waiting for my Portland flight and everything looks very shiny - how the hell I’m going to last to 2am when the planned party ends I don’t know, hey I’ll sleep when I’m dead.
posted by Jeanie Wednesday, May 23, 2007 | 0 comments
Goths, Lemon tops and Dessie the Egyptian Pantomime Horse
Tuesday 22 May 2007-05-22
Well, one delayed visa and passport, one missed flight, and I'm finally sitting in Business class, 3 glasses of wine and a vodka and tonic down the line on my way to Vancouver trying to put all the dramas of the last week behind me. My last minute booking wasn't processed correctly so I earnt a last minute/half hearted upgrade from Globespan - the easy jet of long haul. This included a massive reclining seat - fantastic, but the exclusion of the gourmet Business class meals, apparently there wasn't the cutlery! So while my fellow passengers ate a deli counter platter, scone and fine wine at tea time I had a cheese torpedo and a mars bar. The disparaty between our meals made it all the more depressing. I never usually drink on flights but the stream of complimentary beverages is certainly helping the flight go quicker, if not better written or better catered.
I'm off to the states for a week of shooting for the pilot of Goth Cruise, pausing briefly in Vancouver for a wee stop off with my brother. The passport delays - omg, six hours waiting in the US Embassy for an interview, then incomplete paperwork meant that I've spent the last week haranguing the poor staff at Broadway - has my visa arrived, has my passport got here? Then on Friday the inevitable happened – it was nowhere to be seen - the courier company blamed the embassy and vice veca, I missed my Sunday flight and I went into crisis talks with my DOP Mark about whether he could conduct interviews on my behalf. For a controlled (freak) director such as myself the idea of directing by email was stressful beyond belief. This is no 'War Tapes' (where the director sent instructions via email) I want to be there to help frame up the shots and get to meet the people I have been talking to on the phone in person for so many months.
So, all that is behind me now, I am officially a 'journalist' and will be meeting and filming people going on the Goth Cruise in October in a cross country sprint encompassing 7 flights and 3 cities - Portland Oregon, Tampa bay, Florida and Charlotte, North Carolina.
This will be the second half of the Goth Cruise shoot; the first was attending Whitby Goth Weekend about a month ago. I think that shoot was the most fun I have had as a filmmaker - we met fantastic people, everyone, bar one 'gothier than thou' media-shy paranoid woman everyone else was amazing. Generous, interesting and most importantly for a documentary willing and enthusiastic about talking on camera and being filmed.
Whitby is one of my favourite places in the UK anyway and the sight of the town overrun by Edwardian and Victorian suited and booted peacocks and elegant dandies made me feel like I was watching a party I really wanted to attend. I know some of the hardcore Goths will disagree and say that Whitby is turning into a fancy dress festival but I really loved the dressing up and sheer exhibitionism.
First USA stop off is Portland for the annual Convergence festival. Misery Tree has arranged press laminates for us so I am looking forward to getting that all important night time filming action, let's hope the pag lights hold out. I'm hoping that (apparently media shy) Goth royalty Skinny Puppy will allow us to film their performance. I will find out when we get there. I'm crossing everything, as I really want that 'Gimme Shelter' shot from behind the stage, through the band of the crowd. Here's hoping.
posted by Jeanie Wednesday, May 23, 2007 | 0 comments
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Horror Widow
Labels: filming, goths, international documentary challenge, whitby, Whitby goth weekend
posted by Jeanie Tuesday, May 01, 2007 | 0 comments
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Painful joints, disturbing props and an indestructable head
It's been a strange few weeks - I've moved offices, hurrah we have light!, been trying to plan a shoot at Whitby Goth weekend and a trip encompassing 4 American and Canadian cities in 10 days for my new project with Tigerlily; Goth Cruise. To top it all I have officially become a horror widow.
Sheil is now on his third week of shooting his feature horror Mum and Dad, which has been tiring and draining all round for lots of different reasons. For Steven, the insanity of keeping the script in his head and dealing with, special effects, actors, a crew of 33 and a punishing schedule. For me, trying to plan my own feature doc while doing most of the childcare and Betsy's chosen phrase for April is BUT WHY?
Sheil has been leaving and returning to the house at stupid o' clock so on some days she's barely seen a glimpse of him, so I've been taking her down to the set some days at lunchtime. This has been fraught with the possibility that Betsy might glimpse a severed hand, naked male torso, blood in bags or any amount of other unsavoury props that would take an awful lot of explaining and are not at all suitable for a 3 year old's eyes.
Meeting the actors has been odd, it is fair to say that the script contains some very disturbing scenes and they keep asking me the same question - 'what's it like living with him?', as if they can't seperate the gruesome horror from the calm father that does half the childcare and likes comic books and car boot sales. Alex Thomson, sound recordist extrordonaire and my sister's boyfriend felt quite weird after reading the script, said it showed S in a completely new light. God knows what the press are going to make of it - Empire Magazine and The Times were down yesterday with one interview going down the 'torture pornography' route.
Sheil's official line is 'it's better out than in' and I tell people that sometimes it's like living with the love child of Charlie Brooker and Dario Argento, because sometimes it is.Labels: goths, horror, mum and dad, sheil
posted by Jeanie Tuesday, April 24, 2007 | 0 comments
Dot to dot daddy
I'm not quite sure what's more disturbing - the fact that this is a prop in the film my partner and father of my child is making 'Mum and Dad' or that my youngest cousin Simon made it for him.
On the set of 'Mum and Dad' Betsy and I listen to the pre roll action.
Greenich tries out the rubber mallet in my cousin Simon's sfx room.
Labels: film, horror, mum and dad, props, sheil
posted by Jeanie Tuesday, April 24, 2007 | 0 comments
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Ellie carries all the champagne and rose
posted by Jeanie Saturday, April 14, 2007 | 0 comments
Friday, March 30, 2007
Makka Pakka
Ellie carries all the champagne and rosettes and publications and papers from the studio to the train. Henweekend has started.
Labels: ellie harrison, hen weekend
posted by Jeanie Friday, March 30, 2007 | 0 comments
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Loving the Dolly - Vegas comes to Sheffield
My daughter has been suffering with the ear infection from Hell this week so I've been watching more Cebeebies than is healthy. That includes this new programme from Ragdoll (the makers of Tellytubbies) In the night garden which is the most truly surreal programme I've ever seen on TV. Betsy, of course loves it.Labels: betsy, in the night garden, surreal, tv
posted by Jeanie Thursday, March 29, 2007 | 1 comments
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before
On Saturday a little piece of Vegas glamour (about 5ft) came to Sheffield in the shape of the rhinestone goddess Dolly Parton. From the opening bars of Hello Dolly when she ascended the gold and sparkly staircase like Kylie's godmother it was a fantastic show. The first half was dominated by her bluegrass back catalogue and she let Jolene out of the bag staggeringly early - third in the set. There was an audible intake of breath when the familiar opening bars of Jolene started up so early. Dolly interspersed all of her songs with the personable patter we've all come to expect - "thanks for buying your tickets this evening, I need the money, it takes a lot to look this cheap etc" If you watch the clip from about 30 years ago (below) much of the patter is the same but I doubt I would have been alone in being disappointed if she hadn't talked the talk.
One of the oddest things about the show was the lack of close ups on the big screens. The backing singers and the 10 piece band were shown in close up glory but Dolly always remained in a wide shot and she was forever a shiny, tiny outline. Some online rumors have suggested that this was to cover up the fact that she was miming, and if she was I don't really want to know, but the largely acopella version of Little Sparrow proved the strength of her voice. I suspect it was good old vanity and an over enthusiasm for the surgeons knife that kept the close ups away.
For the second half Dolly changed into a yellow pant suit, like Kill Bill does Country and rattled through all the favourites and the mixed crowd of Dolly lookalikes, older lesbians, Yorkshire cowboys and everyone in between lapped it up. I loved it all and bought my obligatory tour t shirt for the gym. Not sure whether wearing Dolly Parton in pink glitter emblazoned across my breasts is a great look for passing incognito in spinning class, but hey Dolly had sparkles on everything.Labels: country, dolly parton, music, stetson
posted by Jeanie Sunday, March 25, 2007 | 1 comments
Friday, March 23, 2007
Dolly minus 2
I've just heard this cover of the Smiths by Mark Ronson, now I don't want to come over all Smiths purist but frankly I feel soiled, shudder.
posted by Jeanie Friday, March 23, 2007 | 0 comments
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Gothy Bento
Only 2 days till Dolly at Sheffield Arena - to say I'm excited is a total understatement. The Woman is a legend in her own Rhinestones, hmm should I wear my genuine Montana Stetson or not....
Especially for Gareth here is a picture of the lovely lady.Labels: dolly parton, stetson
posted by Jeanie Thursday, March 22, 2007 | 1 comments
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Betsy Miller and a dusty man
posted by Jeanie Thursday, March 15, 2007 | 0 comments
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Sent to Coventry
Aah, the neverending glamour of life in Nottingham!
Only joking, here's Betsy at the foot of Green's Windmill in Sneinton where she was convinced that princesses lived, until we met the dusty, beardy man who mills the flour.
Labels: nottingham, windmill
posted by Jeanie Wednesday, March 07, 2007 | 0 comments
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival - Montana Meth
Spent the day in Coventry with Anna from Broadway on an Independent Cinema Office training day. Tried explaining the phrase 'being sent to Coventry' to German Anna, but not sure the translation was quite right.
Highlight was seeing Rabbit by Run Wrake, a short for Animate. Must get it for Broadway.
3 trains home, then on to Angel Row for hangover inducing private view wine and old faces.
posted by Jeanie Saturday, March 03, 2007 | 0 comments
Friday, February 23, 2007
Reunited with my baby in London
Just found this photo on Flickr - I was in the film at this point and had no idea how busy this 'blockbuster' was. Wonderful photo.
posted by Jeanie Friday, February 23, 2007 | 0 comments
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Stuart, Mike and Doug - The St Louis Three
26 hours of travelling - 1 yellow cab, 3 flights, 2 trains and 1 black cab and I'm back in rainy but green Nottingham. Sheil and Betsy were in London and they managed to change their train so we could all travel back to Nottingham together which was lovely. Sunglasses were obligiatory by this stage as the jet lag was really starting to kick in and everything had gone a wee bit shiny.
So was it worth the long trip out to Missoula - absolutely, definetly. Would I do it again? in a second.
I met the nicest people, saw some great films, got valuable feedback on Teenland, got to see a whole new part of the world - a very beautiful part of the world - and sealed my determination in making another film. I don't think you can say fairer than that, oh and got a really great stetson and cowboy boots for my baby.
Here is a non-exhaustive lists of Do's and Don'ts of festival trips
Take lots of Berocca and try and eat / sleep well or you will in no fit state for anything
Try and see as many films as possible but don't be afraid to miss films for dinner / drinks. Socialising is as important as film watching.
Make time to look round the town and locale, don't just see the inside of a cinema.
Take a large poster - A1 at least. I really regret the tiny A3 posters we took, although budget dictated the size.
If you can, put up loads of publicity materials for your film before your screening / flyer the local area, you never know who might see them.
Take at least 25 screeners - you will get rid of them all.
Do ask festivals if they will consider waiving the submission fee.
Subtitle difficult regional accents - even if you think the English is comprehendible.
If your film is showing at the wrong aspect ratio get up and tell the projectionist there and then, during the screening.
Take more postcards than you think you'll need and make sure they have website / contact details on them
Take less clothes - I always over pack
Don't bother with a camera - just take a camera phone - I'm loving my Sony K800i which I have used in this trip with built in supershot camera.
Don't be afraid to give your film to people and ask for feedback.
Try and blog in the present!
Take a small hand luggage suitcase and pack extra clothes in it in case you are stranded in an airport without luggage.
Buy roaming wireless minutes for the airport.
Heathrow, at last
Missoula Airport
posted by Jeanie Wednesday, February 21, 2007 | 0 comments
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Last night - Shorts, gourmet food and getting legless at the old post
posted by Jeanie Tuesday, February 20, 2007 | 0 comments
Les Blank - in praise of gap toothed women
The world famous Wilma W, star of the Big Sky trailers
Next up was the evening Shorts programme.
An incomprehensible but beautiful Australian film Dig (made me wish I'd shown the subtitled teenland again as I couldn't understand a word of the thick Australian voice over).
Next was Memento: a boulder life line, which was a shot on film, crane shot heavy, boulder climbing film. It was absolutely stunning but the length (44mins) was about 10 times too long and the Red Bull product placement got to be hilarious. Climber reclines back for a relaxing sip of the highly charged caffeine drink, wearing his matching logo laden hat and trousers before he attempts to conquer another challenging boulder. You could here the whispers in the audience - how'd they afford that crane crew and the film? then the logo would come clearly into shot and the answer was obvious.
Next was Silences, one of my favourite films of the festival. The beautifully told story of the bi-racial director trying to get to the bottom of his untold history. A fantastic portrait and moving story told with sensitivity.
Then Stewart's film In the glow about blank billboards which had some very memorable shots of thousands of insects hurtling towards a huge white light. I was desperate to interrupt Stewart's Q and A with the question - how many teeth do you have? a continuation of a running joke. His friend is a stand up and will tell this joke until no one laughs - I have 1000 teeth, no 36, no, no no, 90, no 35...etc it doesn't really translate but Mike has an injury on his head that he got from hitting his head on the table he was laughing at it so hard last night.
We then found fine dining in Missoula with gourmet dinner at Scotties, all served by a very brusque waitress who had the unfortunate habit of brushing customers with her breasts.
Scotties, last night meal, missoula
I sat next to veteran filmmakerSteve James at dinner (Hoop Dreams, Stevie and the war tapes) who was very interesting about IFC (who my new project may be funded by) and his new project about the death penalty. He took a copy of Teenland and promised to give me some feedback and any ideas of places it could play.
By the time we hit the bar, the Old Post, everyone was in high spirits- the old drinking at altitude chestnut! Pretty much most of the festival had made it over and we took over most of the bar. I started to realise that there was a genuine buzz about Teenland - one guy said "oh, you're the Teenland Girl, everyone's talking about that film, there was someone talking about it when I got to the airport" which was very heartening and shows that even though I had only 60 (at most) people at my screening that word of mouth is a very powerful thing. One of the key things I wanted from this trip was to get direct feedback about my film nd I think I have more than achieved that. feedback I have got includes: "unusual, unconventional, moving, beautiful, insightful, surprising, untraditional film-making" which is all good (noone gives bad feedback to your face, do they?) and reassures me that there is an audience for my work.
Mountains hiding behind the fire escape.
Teenland poster spotted on the Hip strip.
Labels: big sky, missoula, steve james
posted by Jeanie Tuesday, February 20, 2007 | 0 comments
14 hours sleep and the Norma Jeane diner start
I feel so settled now I can't believe it's my last day. The altitude here is so high it really does take a few days to acclimatise properly and it's difficult to keep remembering to drink water ( as I was warned on my flight on the way in to Missoula).
I start the day off with a couple of films - the devastating The Portraitist which is the emotional and moving story of a photographer who only survived the nazi concentration camps because he was documenting it all for the Nazis, including Dr Mengele's abuse and experiments on young women. When Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians all documents were ordered to be destroyed but he saved the archive so no one would ever forget what had gone on there. It really was moving and brought something new to a story that I have seen in various guises over the years.
Next up was When fried eggs fly about a US high school teacher engaging his class and their parents in a progressive programme of group composition. It was cute and nice but there was no real umph to the story. Etre et Avoir has a lot to answer for and is a difficult film to follow.
I snuck out early to attend the programming masterclass with programmers from Big Sky, Full Frame, Silverdocs, True False, AFI and the producer of Iraq in Fragments, moderated by Mike Steinberg. It was a useful session and something I wished there had a been a bit more of at Big Sky. They discussed the issue of a film's premiere - how important it was to get it right, not to give it away too soon. and what to expect of your festival experience. Length was seen as a bit of an issue. 60 mins was a fine length to programme but only if there was something else easy to put it with. Sales agents were seen as a 'sometimes useful tool' to getting a film accepted into a festival but Doug Hawes davis alsos described the pleasure and surprise in opening a package and having no idea about the film or maker but looking forward to being surprised. Sky from Silverdocs also added that it didn't hurt to fire off a friendly email to the programmer to see if they had got your film - which I will be doing shortly!
It was a good session and Doug Whyte gave me some other good advice afterwards - Always ask a festival if they would be prepared to waive the fee after sending them a link to a trailer and synopsis. He utilises this approach and says it's a god way of guaging response to your project. He also talked about the pros and cons of hooking up with a distributor - you don't have to pay to submit your film to festivals - the distributor may not push the film as hard as you would yourself. I think I may take the Bataville approach and see if we can arrange a short dvd run which we sell via the website. It's exactly what Les Blank does....
Another successful meal - sushi grade ahi BLT sandwich with sweet potato fries, just over the bridge on the hip strip. I know I keep going on about food but I can't stress how bad I feel if I eat too much crap/whaet/caffiene/sugar/salt/not enough fruit & veg & water/ on top of jetlag and general tiredness. I think it's easy to underestimate how much food can affect your general well being when away from home and burning the candle at both ends at a festival. I am continually dosing myself with Berocca because it's an awful long way to travel to get ill.
Straight into another session with a full belly! This time legendary, veteran filmmaker Les Blank who was presenting 2 works in progress - 'Being There' and ' Butch Anthony' about an outsider artist in the smaller Wilma 2. After the films he talked candidly for a good half an hour about his approach to work, his relationship with Werner Herzog, how he just shoots, cuts and distributes his own work now. the questions just kept coming from the in awe audience and he duely responded in his laid back southern drawl. True to his word his back catalogue was for sale in the foyer.
I am now the proud owner of 'gap toothed women' and Burden of dreams (about the making of Fitzcorraldo, including a short where werner herzog eats his shoe in a bet he lost to Errol Morris) by Les Blank. When I got my copies signed he told me I should embrace my gapped teeth - 'all power to the gap toothed women, I rate them'. Made me feel good about oh so not perfect UK teeth in a landscape of perfect, braces trained USA gnashers.
posted by Jeanie Tuesday, February 20, 2007 | 1 comments
Monday, February 19, 2007
waiting for my food in the norma jean diner. I have had so much sleep it's untrue.
Well, it's early Sunday morning and I can't believe it's my last day in Missoula. I just started the day with THE most enormous diner breakfast - pancakes, bacon, eggs - medium over easy - maple syrup and oj, coffee. I left half of it but it was so nice to have found somewhere good to eat. I, as a rule, don't add salt to anything, when I'm cooking or when I'm eating food. I've found the amount of salt in everything so difficult - the other day I had breakfast in the motel, mmmm porridge I thought until I tasted the salt, then OJ mmmm healthy, it was so laden with sugar it was unbearably sweet. It was like a scene from Goldilocks and the three bears. Talking to Stuart from Tennessee he told me that when his friends visited the UK all the food was SOO bland, they couldn't bear it.
I have a full day of films ahead of me so I'm glad to be here
