Thursday, August 30, 2007

Venice Film Festival opens with ATONEMENT


Here's one way that producers can get their movie sold around the world. Have it as the opening night at the oldest film festival.


The free publicity it generates around the world is invaluable and will certainly get international sales agents beating a path to your door.





Of course you need to get a great story to start with, add some of the today's top British actors, and get it directed by a rising star.


Director Joe Wright and his cast, including Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, were at the opening night of Atonement, based on the Ian McEwan novel of the same name.









Monday, August 27, 2007

Article in Screen International this week

.Net Magazine article on UKTheatre.Net

UKFilm.TV - The talents of Paul Greengrass (Bourne Ultimatum)



Paul Greengrass delivers again.

It's such a delight to see one of Britain's top directors competing with the best in Hollywood and pulling together yet another film worthy of awards. Too often we forget the mammoth like proportions taking on the task of creating great movies actually is.

Filmed in Madrid, Morocco, London and New York. With an international cast, crew and production team with hundreds of stunt people in each city, not to mention the immense travel arrangements needed to make it happen, makes a project like this a significant adventure and business proposition at the same time. Considering this as one of many of the career of Paul Greengrass, makes the feat even more significant.

Matt Damon delivers the goods again in the lead role as he defies attempts to wipe him out by the CIA. A place he thinks he used to work but he has no absolute recollection. As each piece of the story unfolds for him, he gains a little more knowledge, and so the energy to find out consumes every waking moment. Something that he has lots of in his insomniac world.

I loved the selection of Waterloo Station as the London venue. It's a place I've been in and out regularly this year and it brought a realism to it that I personally enjoyed. Julia Stiles plays one of his former CIA colleagues and is key to his support mechanism in finding the truth.

It's in choices of camera movements and angles followed up by hair-splitting accuracy in the editing that makes this film exciting. These are clear director choices working closely with an army of production resources.



Paul Greengrass.
5 STARS from UKFILM.TV

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Join the UKFILM.tv celebration


Hi there

It seemed appropriate that you should join me tonight and share a bottle of virtual champagne. You have helped support, encourage and spread the news about the network and I am delighted to say that BBC/Film London have accepted 'little india' into the final stages of the funding scheme.

The next steps are to work with some top directors and producers over a three day period in September. Only three films get the funding but being part of the final stage is clearly a result in itself.

Look out for Friday's Screen International as well, for a mention of Making It In Hollywood.

What a great week. The lottery numbers are definitely going on this week :)


Douglas

Monday, August 13, 2007

Uktheatre for those not at the fringe


Hello again. If you are not at the fringe in Edinburgh then there are still lots going on. Among the best is Oxford Shakespeare Company with their performance at delightful Kensington Palace and soon at the amazing Hampton Court. Blankets provided for those not so sunny nights.

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Midsummer Shakespeare


The cast of Oxford Shakespeare Company get into character before the start of the performance at Kensington Palace. Review coming soon but booking early is advised. Especially on HOT summer nights.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Stunt man jumps off London Bridge


Caught in action during a film shoot at London Bridge. It was a major shoot with at least three 35mm film cameras capturing the action. It was well shot with great precision as the team controlled the action and the crowds from the South Bank. Various rescue teams were on hand to assist the stunt man in getting out of the Thames without drinking too much of it.

Saturday, August 04, 2007

A nice way to watch film


Somerset House is the place to be. Film 4 show a number of films each year here. Tonight is a film appropriate from a Making It In Hollywood point of view. Ennio and Clint combine their movie making talents in The Good The Bad and The Ugly.