Well - finished the Bestival video. Or had i finished that before, i can't remember. But yeah, its live on my website. Its quite funny actually, cause i finished it, and sent it to Rob Da Bank about 3 days before Christmas, and i never got a reply. I was so worried, I mean it'd taken more over three months to finish, and even after all the effort and stress of moving away from home/starting uni bla bla, it still seemed like too long -
But, on the 2nd of January, I sent him a Happy New Year e-mail and just put on the end a cheeky - 'did you get the link to the video'... and he said no. It was such a relief! Now was the second stage of worrying, waiting for his feedback. A few hours later, I got an e-mail, and he liked it. Fuck me was I relivied. I mean, that weekend remains the best weekend I have had EVER, so to make a video that lives up to that was pretty daunting - but... I did it. I really am happy with the video and stuff. LOVE IT! So anyway, hopefully Rob and Ziggy from Get Involved! are going to throw some more work my way - which would be amazing!
Okay, so one of my big missions for 2007 is to save up and buy myself a nice camera. Even if its just a Canon XL1, I just need my own camera. I had the chance to film The Klaxons DJ set at 60 Million Postcards and New Years Eve at The Lock Tavern in Camden which would have been amaing - buut I had to pass pureply on the basis that I couldnt get hold of a camera! It sucked!
Okay, so what other news! I've been talking to a very lovely and talented Photograher from Brighton (originally from Athens) called Leonidas about collaboration on my new film project. I'm really excited about the chance to work with a still photographer on the composition and aestetic look of a film, and I think this would be the perfect opportunity. Vasically, the story i'm trying to tell between this five individuals is so big, that to tell it in 20/25 minutes is going to be a pretty epic mission! And if you think about what a still photographer has to achieve... conveying a billion things and emotions in a single frame - it will be a great chance to explore how the two forms of photography, both moving and still - can complement each other.
One of my main ambitions for the next few months is still to direct at least one or two music videos. I have been speaking to a friend Jules Powell about possibly working with him in the future. His company Rebel Monk has got some really hot stuff under its belt, with some amazing directors on the roster - anyway, check the website! www.rebelmonk.co.uk !
Now lets talk about Shortbus! - Well, I watched it for the first time about 72 Hours ago, and its safe to say it hasn't left my mind. To begin with, it scared me as the film I am writing is in some ways similar, and I was worried that they may be too similar, but I figured that my film will take on its own life - I mean my style in itself is so different to John Cameron Mitchell's - so yeah. Anyway, I loved the honesty and authenticity in both the story and the characters. I have never seen a film so well acted before.
I have had the utterly amazing opportunity to exhange a few messages with actress and writer/director Sook-Yin Lee over the wonderful MySpace (if you read this, thankyou :P ) which has really made me think about quite a few things - mostly, focussing on the characters. She mentioned that its really hard for actors to find decent roles, I kind of knew this already, but hearing it from someone who is so talented really anchored the notion, I mean if Sook-Yin Lee isn't reading many screenplays that she wants to act in, the surely that says something. So this is defunately a huge priority on my new project.
Well, its 5.17. It feels like years since i've slipped into the land of nod before 4AM, something that will have to change in two days time whe I go back to Uni! I just find it so much eaiser to create things at this time in the morning. It just seems more magical.
Anyway.
As the clock ticks ever closer to sunrise - I will take my leave.
Thanks for reading!
Jason
xx
