A couple of weeks ago I filmed my Review of 2011. I’ve been so busy that I only just got round to editing it together. In 7 minutes, I talk about my 3 short films, explain how I’m completely independent from my parents, and outline the relationship between hair length and my personal happiness. I hope you enjoy.
I’m off to Portland tomorrow for another 3 month stint writing the Bigfoot feature film. Will send news just as soon as I capture one.
Meriel - Photographed by Me
I’d like to share with you my friend Meriel’s site. She’s a talented and beautiful actress who recently set up her website to showcase her work. I did a photoshoot with her a while back at Alexandra Palace and Meriel has kindly used the photos on her website. Check it out to see how great she looks, and also what’s she’s been up to. Oh, and if you need a massage, she’s also your girl!
A couple of weeks ago I met a fellow writer/director, and real good egg, Mustapha Kseibati, at a LOCO comedy event. It turned out we have a lot in common. We both love comedy, we both enjoy long walks off short piers, and we both share an unhealthy obsession with Tom Cruise. Effectively we’re cut from the same cloth. The only down side is I can’t pronounce his name. So most of the time I just call him “man”.
Man is very talented, and has already made some big waves in the UK with his short films. His short from last year, “Skateboards and Spandex”, which is much better than anything I’ve ever done, is now free to view online. You should watch it below to be entertained and inspired. We’re working together on some exciting projects and I have no doubt that you will be seeing this man’s work on the big screen real soon… hopefully with me in it. Big Tingz. Believe.
I was filming some pilot scenes for a sit com, Mind Your Own Business, this weekend. It’s written by myself and Matthew Adam, and stars us, playing ourselves (and with ourselves) as we try to strike upon a successful business idea. We’re planning to take it to some of the comedy production companies with a long term plan of getting it commissioned. It was a mad weekend running around london, but we had a great crew (Seth Ward, Kate Herron, and Mustapha Kseibati stepping in to direct) and lots of laughs were had.
As it’s Valentine’s Day I thought I’d share with you a romantic scene from the rushes, as Matt and I share a bed in our London flat…
Morning Glory
For more information as MYOB progresses keep one eye on our Big Bright Lights page.
The Artist
With The Artist looking a good bet to clean up at the forthcoming Oscars, the multiplexes might be forced to realise that artistic and inventive film may still have a place in popular cosciousness. This can only be a good thing. The fact that a black and white, silent film is showing at Odeons across the country offers a glimmer of hope. For every screen showing The Artist that means one less screen showing Sherlock Holmes 2.
I have long believed that the average audience is severely underestimated by Hollywood and the multiplexes, who still insist that sequels or big budget blockbusters are the only sure way of making any money. This argument is self-fulfilling because most of the time we don’t even get the chance to vote with our feet. If you want to see anything that might challenge you, inspire you or move you to tears, you have to go to one of the clutch of independent cinemas across the country. This fact alone means that, of course, box office fees for these films will never impress. Unless they happen to be fortunate to be acknowledged by the Academy.
Maybe I’ve naive and idealistic (I am), but I think if the people who were responsible for booking these films into cinemas showed a little more faith in the public taste then we’d see more success stories like The Artist start to emerge. And this might cause a knock on effect with the types of films being funded. It’s a myth that artistic, or personal films can not also be entertainment. But it’s unfortunately a myth that Hollywood continues to perpetuate.
While The Artist may not exactly high art, it is still inventive, bold and undoubtedly the work of an artist. It is exactly what we should be showing at the cinemas. A marriage of art and entertainment. In fact it owes a big debt to Hollywood of old. But we could learn a lot from those golden years. How many of todays’ mainstream films will be shown in thirty or forty years? I look forward to the Michael Bay retrospective at the Odeon in years to come.
Bringing things back to me (as I often do) I made a silent film a year or so back called “Smile”. Directed by Ryan Turner, and starring yours truly, it’s nothing like The Artist in terms of scope or style. But hopefully it’s still entertaining. Maybe I’ll make more silent comedies in the future. My hero Charlie Chaplin would certainly approve.
Here’s Smile, for your enjoyment…
Last weekend was the Loco Comedy Festival at the BFI, London. Amazingly it was the first ever London film festival dedicated to comedy!
As part of the calendar they organised a two day event on the Thursday and Friday called “Kickstart Your Comedy Career”. It was for anyone who’d made a comedy short film or a TV pilot so the room was full of talented and inspiring people… and me. We were lucky enough to hear from some fantastic talkers, including the Head of Comedy at Channel 4, Sky and BBC, comedy actor and funny bastard Marc Wotton (Shirley Ghostman, La La Land), the British director Ben Wheatley (Kill List), Alice Lowe (Garth Merenghi’s Dark Place) and a whole load more.
But the best part of the two days was hanging with the eclectic audience, united in their love of laughter. I was left in no doubt that the future of UK comedy was in that room.
I’d like to share some of my new found friends and their work with you.
1. Mustapha Kseibati
Mustapha Kseibati
I already knew Mustapha through facebook. I had cyber stalked him, when I found out he was making a film with my friend Benny Wong. He is a very talented writer and director, and also an amazingly positive guy. He also has one of the best afros I’ve ever seen on someone of Arabic descent. You can see the trailer for his new short “Painkiller” below. Expect big tingz from this man in the next year…
2. Kim Albright
Kim Albright (centre)
Like Mustapha, I was a fan of Kim’s hair even before I had spoken to her. We met at the hot water dispenser in a break. She’s one of those people who you know is talented the moment you meet them. When I got back from the course I looked at her work and I wasn’t disappointed. She is an accomplished director who has done some great commercial and film work. You can watch the trailer and read about her new film Albatross here.
3. Jai Rajani
Jai Rajani
Jai has acted in some of Mustpaha’s short films. We instantly clicked, mainly because he also is a fan of Nandos. He’s a funny man. If we ever start up a British Frat Pack like Will Ferrel and co. he’ll definitely be part of it. As well as acting, he has some serious passion for making comedy evidenced by his establishment of the online comedy show The Sketch Bank. Check it out below…
4. Abi Blackmore
Abi Blackmore
Abi’s already an established actress having appeared in BBC sitcom “Pulling”. She was actually on a panel talking about her short film “Blind Date”. Having also made a film called “Blind Date”, I was interested in how hers compared to mine. The main difference is that hers is brilliant and has won a load of international awards. Mine hasn’t. She’s a very funny writer and actress who I would love to work with. Here’s a stalker comedy from her youtube channel…
5. Nick Scott
Nick and I were the last men standing on the Thursday night, after everyone else had gone home to their lives. He’s a good egg and a very good filmmaker. His ingenious short film “School Portrait” got into Berlin this year, which is very impressive considering a work in progress of “Fired!” didn’t make the cut. “School Portrait” has been viewed by over a million people. Now it’s your turn. Smile!
There were, of course, lots of other great people present. This is just a smattering. But after many years of believing I was fighting a one-man battle to revolutionise UK comedy, I now realise I’m far from alone. The future is bright!
I like following signs. Road signs, signs of life… signs from the universe. I think if we’re open to them, there are clues everywhere that can guide us which direction to go next. Unfortunately, most of the time, we are so caught up in things that we fail to notice. When we do become aware of them we usually just dismiss them as “weird ass shit”.
For the past 6 months, I’ve been mulling over an idea for a feature film comedy about Bigfoot. Well, about 2 guys who travel to America to hoax a Bigfoot sighting.
For a long time the idea of making a feature film has seemed a long way off. While I was filming my short “Mr. Invisible” just over a week ago though, and surrounded by all these talented and enthusiastic people, it started to feel a lot closer. In the week leading up to it I had even had a breakthrough with the plot that I think would make it a much stronger concept.
On the third day of the short, we were filming a scene at Aylesbury library. The clock was ticking. We were up against it. But between takes, I happened to glance over at a bookshelf, and the one book I noticed out of all the books in that library was this one…
The Truth Is Out There
I excitedly took it over to Matt, my Producer. And he pointed to the author’s name that had been partially obscured by the library sticker…
Maybe it’s just coincidence. But I prefer to treat this as a pretty clear sign that the Bigfoot film should happen. I guess what you think depends on your world view. If nothing else though, being open to signs like this makes things more exciting.
So be clear of what you want to do, ask the universe for it, and be open to what it throws up in your path.
And pay attention to road signs. They’ll probably save your life.
While we were filming my next short film “Mr. Invisible” in Aylesbury last Saturday, our local paper, The Bucks Herald, caught wind of it and sent a reporter and a photographer down to record it all. Obviously being a true artist I was too caught up in the filming to really notice them, but between takes they dragged me over for a little interview.
I usually only read film magazines and culture sections of broadsheets. But yesterday, I happened to be idly flicking through one of the 3 copies of the Bucks Herald that my Mum had happened to buy, and I came across this…
The Bucks Herald
Some nice photos of the stars Julian Glover and Omid Djalili. All you can see of me is just one of my beige mittens poking round from behind the camera. That’s a relief. I like to remain anonymous as possible as I walk through Aylesbury’s market square. Can’t say as much for the mittens. They are now destined for a life in the spotlight and will soon be snapped with their fingers round the waist of some glamour model on holiday in Iceland.
It’s a lovely write up, marred only by a misquote where I refer to Julian Glover as Justin. As far as I know there wasn’t and has never been a Justin associated with this film, and I deny any knowledge of a Justin ever being on set.
The local community of Aylesbury were very supportive of our shoot, and it’s nice that Tilbury’s butchers get this sort of coverage as a small thank you for their generosity. They haven’t had this level of publicty since the hygeine scare of a couple of years back! Joking aside, it’s great when people are supportive of productions like this and it’s nice to know that people who I grew up with might read this and have some idea of what I’m up to (in case they’d missed the barrage of self-promotion on Facebook).
You can read the online version of the Bucks Herald article here.
We finished filming Mr. Invisible last night. It was a relentless 4 day shoot so I’m feeling a bit like I’ve just come back from a weekend away with Charlie Sheen, but it was also a really rewarding weekend. We had a ridiculously gruelling schedule so I didn’t have much time to step back and enjoy the process very often, but there were a few moments where I looked around and pinched myself. The crew were fantastic, and of course Mr. Glover is incredible and so consistent. When you’re surrounded by talented people, good things happen. And I think we’ve created a really special film.
We filmed a scene with Omid Djalili in an Aylesbury’s Tilbury’s Butchers and half the town and the local papers arrived to see what we were up to. I was like “I’m really not that interested in giving an interview”. Then 2 minutes later I was giving an interview. I think I gave Julian some good direction at times, which was nice, and there was a particular moment when he asked me to act something out for him, which was quite special. And the final day when we filmed the big set piece in Bedford Square with 20 actors, police, and a car was pretty damn exciting.
Now I just want to edit it. I think the plan is to finish it in time for the Cannes Official competition deadline in March. I’ll hopefully be able to share some photos or screenshots in the next few days but need to check with my militant producer Kieran O’Brien first.
I made 5 resolutions for 2012. I’d like to share them with you. Because as you know, if it’s on the internet, it must be true…
1. Less Computer
I recently realised that although I claim to be a “writer” I very rarely actually “write”, but instead spend most of my time “typing”. I think there’s a difference. There’s a lot of distractions on a computer. I check email too much, I’m on facebook too much and spend too many hours sat at a desk. I’d like to reserve my emails and facebook checks to twice a day, and do more freehand writing. Irnincally I’m typing now…
2. Meditate Every Day
I practice mindfulness meditation most days, but don’t do it as often as I should. It really does help reduce stress levels and makes me feel happier and more grounded. I can actually feel the difference in my mental and physical state if I have a few days without meditating. I’d like to be stricter with myself to fit in at least one session every day. It’s so much more important than an extra 30 minutes in bed. I also plan to give Transcendental Meditation a try and have signed up for a course at the end of the month.
3. Be More Active
As I mentioned I spend far too many hours at a desk. I started to feel the negative physical effects of this last year. Scientists recommend at least 20-30 minutes of high-tempo exercise a day. I try to do this through jogging and playing football occasionally. But if you are sat at a desk all day, this isn’t really enough. It’s far better to be active throughout the day. I think I’ll take up Yoga and maybe start another martial art again this year. But I also want to spend more time just on my feet, which links to spending less time on the computer. It all ties together in the end.
4. Read More Books
I love reading books. But I always forget this simple fact. It’s not until I get sucked into a really good novel that I remember it again. I think our generation might forget the pleasures of reading if we’re not careful. With wikipedia we think we have everything we need to know at our finger tips. Not true. Read more books. With pages. Not on a screen.
5. Set Realistic Goals
I have a lot of ambitions. As well as writing scripts and making films, I’d like to write novels, create sitcoms, a sketch show, perform stand up, and start a worldwide movement to help people achieve their own goals. But not all of this can happen at once. I have a habit of putting too much pressure on myself and worrying about all the things I’m not doing. This has the effect of making me not get pleasure out of what I am doing, and creating a lot of stress (see above). I need to get better at letting some things go and being more realistic with my expectations.
A lot of people are cynical about new year’s resolutions. Mainly because they usually break them. What’s the point, people ask. Why not make these changes the rest of the year, people say. And yes, in a ideal world, we would wake up each morning and change our outlooks on life and our targets. But, the fact is we don’t. It’s the same as those people who claim they don’t need to express their love for a loved one on Valentines Day. They may have a point. But how many of them actually express their love the rest of the year?
The fact is our brains are programmed to think in a habitual way. You’ve heard the phrase “old habits die hard”. And when you’re tired, hungover or stressed out, they die even harder.
So, the start of a new year is a good time to tell your brain that things are going to be different. And as far the argument that you never keep your resolutions, well who’s fault is that? We all have the capacity to change. These don’t have to be big revolutionary steps. Maybe you have project in the back of your mind that you’ve been meaning to work on? Or maybe you have an interest in learning a new skill or hobby? Or maybe, like me, you just want to reduce stress and find a healthier ways of living?
When I Grow Up I'd Like To Be Tom Cruise
It feels good to make small changes, as it fills us with confidence that we can do much more than we are currently doing. Think about how different the world would be if eminent people had not decided to make changes. There’s a myth about successful people that they were born different. But really, all they did was refuse to accept the way things are and strove for more.
I often think about Tom Cruise. (Does this make me gay? ) He’s obviously a very successful actor, and it’s tempting to look at the perfect smile and think he had it easy. But Tom Cruise didn’t wake up a movie star. Yes, he was blessed with good looks and charisma, but he’s had to work very hard and overcome a lot of obstacles to get to where he is now. He suffered abuse as a child from his father, he was bullied at school, and he initially began training as a Catholic priest before making the change towards being an actor. And as his career has blossomed he has consistently pushed himself to achieve new heights. How many other 50 year olds would throw themselves off the world’s tallest building for the sake of creative integrity? Yes he has his detractors, and he’s by no means a perfect role model. But I’d assert that it’s his willingness to constantly reevaluate his choices in life and push himself that has meant his film’s have grossed over 8 billion dollars worldwide.
This photo just sums it all up for me. It was taken by my friend’s Dad, David James, so I can assure you it’s completely real…
Just Chilling on the World's Tallest Building
So go on, it’s not too late. Make some changes in 2012. Look yourself in the mirror and ask ”What would Cruise do?” And tell people your ideas. Make them happen. The world’s gonna end anyway so we may as well have some fun! That’s kind of my motto for this year…
