Entertainment at its best

Helen Oakleigh invited me to Shakespeare's Globe tonight.

I won't preempt her review, but WOW. In the pub afterwards I noticed the Evening Standard critic gave it 2 stars, which makes a mockery of critics. What do they really know? Do they represent an audience ? No they don't. They seem to have an isolated ill educated view on what constitutes good theatre. I had a look around and saw everyone engrossed, amused, entertained.

Get some Shakespeare in your soul this summer. You will be glad you did.

Douglas

Coffee in London

Afternoon tea with Film London and then early evening coffee with Graham Norton, and his dogs, in my local Starbucks.

Tea time in London

Five minutes ago I took the latest jump into the world of filmmaking. 'Little India', a comedy feature was entered into Film London's Microwave scheme. The building in the picture, which looks as if it should have been demolished decades ago, is home to a wide range of companies including Film London on the 6th floor.

The deadline was today for applications and this week has been very stressful preparing the reams of paper required to justify why Little India should merit an award of 50 thousand big ones.

Not a lot of money for a feature film but given the backing of a great team at sponsors BBC, the award winners stand a better chance than most. I will keep you posted on progress in the coming months.

Look out for more filmmaking news tomorrow. An even bigger project is next up.

It IS all happening.

Douglas

An audience of one

I know. I know. I am a lucky guy.

Making It In Hollywood had a private screening this morning with the founder of London's Raindance festival, Elliot Grove. I arrived early so that he could watch it before the class started. By the time it had ended the whole class had arrived and it was exciting to hear a filmmaking audience enjoy it.

Elliot then said 'It's good. It'll sell' and asked to keep the dvd. I told him it was his personal copy and he asked me to write my mobile number on the back.

It's so true. There's no business like show business.


Douglas

Launching 4TALENT

Channel 4's Chief Exec, Andy Duncan (pictured), announced the launch of their 4talent website. It's a resource and opportunity website to provide much needed support and development of new talent in the UK. Much like we do at UKTN.

Members of the UK Theatre Network will recognise the lovely Claire Sweeney in the picture. You can see more of her on the UKTHEATRE.TV website. We filmed her last year for the launch of the Guys and Dolls tour, so it was nice to see her again looking fabulous.

It was a great night with great champagne, good company and celebrating 25 years of talent on Channel 4.

Douglas

Firing on all cylinders

Do you find that when you are in a creative frame of mind, that ideas connect and present themselves in front of your very eyes ?

This morning I received some emails about film financing and low budget filmmaking which Raindance are holding in the coming weeks. By 9:30, I had booked two courses, paid for them by paypal and submitted MAKING IT IN HOLLYWOOD into Raindance Film Festival !

Tomorrow is the deadline so I had to make a quick decision but it was made easier because I had done all the preparatory work on WITHOUTABOX.com for the Cannes Film Festival. All the press release information, production notes, stills from the film, credits, synopsis and other relevant information were completed last month, so it was one click to submit, and another to pay $42.

Easy when you know how, but if you'd said in February that this year I'd be submitting a film to Cannes and Raindance, I would've looked at you very confused and had no idea where to start looking. The power of the Internet delivers yet again.

I'm off to the launch of 4Talent tonight at Channel 4's offices in Horseferry Road tonight. I'll blog a picture or two tonight if I can.


Douglas

Mister Myspace

James Fabricant, Head Of Content and Marketing at Myspace.com. A very busy chap as you can imagine. See blog below.

Confusion at Channel 4

Ok, I admit. It's a headline to grab your attention and not a dig at the wonderful people at Channel 4. There is a reason I said it though, so read on.

I was delighted to be invited to the Channel 4 events this week and I decided the best one for me, was the 'making it multi media'. Apart from the fact that it fitted nicely with the 'Making It In Hollywood' theme which readers of this blog will be well aware of, the event was hosted by some of the top people in the new media business who I had been contacting for over 18 months via email. Tonight was a great chance to hear what they think and put a face to a name.

Adam Gee on the left. Channel 4 commissioning editor for factual entertainment. Emily Renshaw Smith, formerly of fourdocs but now with CURRENT.TV otherwise known as 'Al Gore's web tv station'.

Next to Emily is James Kirkham who heads up Holler, the creative company behind E4's SKINS marketing and promotion.

Out of picture, but will be on the blog above this, is James Fabricant, Head of Content at Myspace.

An exclusive and influential group of people in the world of new media I am sure you will agree.

The night was a very pleasant introduction to what each of them do and where they are successful. However it soon became clear that while they had cracked it for a few select projects, which used their collective online platforms wisely, there remained significant doubt (read opportunity) over how the commercial prospects of content producers were going to be sustained in this new world order. Enter 'Making It In Hollywood'. I dont have the answers either but I was somewhat reassured by their confusion by conveniently being half way through a journey with the traditional film festival route. While at the same time evolving an online experience through UKTHEATRE and UKFILM networks. Being in the eye of the storm is a nice place to be but that doesn't mean it will be easy. Understanding it and sharing it with you, is enough satisfaction for me, and perhaps at the same time I will stumble across, erm I mean, successfully create, some of the answers to REALLY 'Making It In Hollywood'. The new media way. Answers on a postcard please.

We live in interesting times.

Oh, and the lovely peeps at Channel 4, have invited me to their 4
Talent party tomorrow night. Yay.

Douglas

Cancer Victims' Anthem Of Hope

UKGigs.TV were pleased to produce the Indiana Gregg Home Concert at the North London Ovarian Cancer Support Group. The UK's press have featured the concert on their websites.

You can read more here:-

CANCER VICTIMS' ANTHEM OF HOPE

All the world's a stage

Hope you like the picture. Its from the Globe Theatre on the South Bank. Its a beautiful day in London and the South Bank is very busy with lots to see and do within a short stroll.

This morning I was with Lyn who has been reviewing in Glasgow and moved to London two weeks ago. She is keen to continue reviewing down here. A quick visit to The National Theatre and it looks like the new writing week in July will be Lyn's first project.

There are lots of new reviews this week at www.Uktheatre.net and some opportunities for producers and actors. Look out for an Indiana Gregg video on The Mirror site later this week. I am in the middle of editing as we speak.

My Bebo adventures continue and I am delighted and honoured to have a section on uk theatre in their new look video section. Email me your mpg video and I can include some footage in a 'whats on' feature.

Finally, all the world continues to be a uk theatre network stage. Members are connecting up in New York, Toronto, Hollywood and France. Long may it continue.

Have a great weekend.

Douglas