ScriptMonster.co.uk

The other day I attended the premier of this years Stinger films. Notable for one of the films being mine! In fact not only did I write it but I also directed it.

(Stinger = Northern Film and Media’s name for their local branch of the nationwide UK Film Council funded Digital Shorts scheme. Northern Film and Media being the North East’s local Screen Agency.)

For those people reading this blog in the UK who have aspirations of becoming a professional in TV or Film then getting in touch with your local Screen Agency and finding out about schemes like the Stingers is essential. Screen Agencies are wonderful resources. They can offer all sorts of free training, job opportunities, funding, career advice, and much much more. Go contact them!

Anyways, so it was the premier of my film; The Badass.

The event was held at the Gate cinema in Newcastle, which was a pretty typical cinema, although the screen did seem huge when I walked into the room, knowing that soon enough my little HDV short film would be shown on it.

15 Short films had been commissioned this year as part of the Stinger scheme, some with 3k budgets and some with 10k budgets; and all these films were shown back to back. (Badass was a 3k film).

As with previous years, some films were good, and some were bad. I’d like to think my film was somewhere nearer the good side! People did come up to me afterwards and said they enjoyed my film but I’m generally cynical of such statements because I don’t believe anyone would tell me it stank if that’s what they thought.

Truth be told I wrote the Badass 2 years ago and I wouldn’t say is representative of what I am capable of writing these days (You can check the script out on my writing samples page), so if it did stink… well I am better now!

I’d also be the first person to hold my hands up and say I am not the words greatest director. In fact, off the back of doing this film I basically decided that rather than be a screenwriter with aspirations to also maybe direct, I am now comfortable to be a screenwriter and nothing more.

I think everyone starts off wanting to direct, and the sooner you can realise what it is you actually are actually going to do in the industry then the sooner you can start learning your craft and making a living from the industry. This is an interesting topic in and of itself, so I will perhaps come back to it in another blog. But now back to the screening —

The screening was notable perhaps most of all for one thing. They showed all the films in 4:3 aspect ratio. Which for you none techie people means they showed films in old fashioned square vision rather than widescreen, despite the fact all these films had been shot in widescreen. Just about every one I spoke to afterwards was annoyed that all their hard work had been diminished by a lousy projection. People also seemed to comment on the picture being way darker than it should have been, something I kinda picked up on during my film but not to the point that it made me think the look of my film had been ruined.

After the screening all the writers, directors and producers hung around and got their pictures taken. I squinted every single time the flash went off so I hope I don’t look like an idiot in the pictures. I’m a short arse so I was at the front of all the pictures, so any idiot faces being pulled will be easy to spot.

After that there was a party in a nearby bar. No free booze was provided, nor was there any free food which upset my parents who were very hungry. I wasn’t expected to be fed so it was OK. I’d rather they spent the money on films than on sausage rolls.

If I can moan about one thing of the party it would be to say that the music was way too loud. In what was basically a forum for people to network and catch up and generally discuss stuff, having to shout in each others ears to be heard was somewhat frustrating. I attended last years party in a different bar and while it was loud I certainly don’t remember having to shout over music to be heard. I’m not really an out going party person anyways, I’m a writer for christs sake!! So for me having to shout to be heard is more than just an annoyance, its a hindrance to actually talking to anyone.

If anyone at NFM ever reads this blog then please note… no loud music at these things in the future!!

That about wraps up my thoughts on the night. I cant really go into which films I liked and which I didn’t because I might offend people with my comments, or just offend them by having really lousy taste in films!

Here are some stills from the Badass for your viewing pleasure. These are just DVD dumps so it will look way better in its native format.

Also… the picture at the top of the blog… that’s not a still from the film its a photoshop job by a friend