Super Size Me

((((( SUPER SIZE ME ))))) A FILM OF EPIC PORTIONS
I watched Super Size Me this week, and although I'm not a huge fan of documentaries (with the exception of Michael Moore's films) I thought it was excellent. It makes you realize that a) McDonald's food is crap poisonous junk and that b) they're a bunch of evil bastards trying to tempt our children into their stores. Watch this movie and I challenge you to ever Set food in Maccas again!

Check out the link.

Lighting up Girl Alone

lights
Got in touch with Sanwa today to get a quote for hiring lighting for GIRL ALONE. It costs about 8,000 Yen a day to hire lights. The guy a spoke to was very polite and helpful and very quick to get me a quote.
If anyone has any suggestions for a cheaper lighting option then let me know.

Camera in hospital!

My poor little Canon has been packed off to the Yodabashi repair centre to get fixed. There is something wrong with the lens/viewer connection; ie, I can't see shit. So it'll take about two to three weeks to fix. The shop assistant said it will probably be free to fix which is a relief because it didn't cost that much in the first place.

Girl Alone Update 2

This is T. E. I met T this week and we discussed the possibility of her being the lead for GIRL ALONE. She's utterly charming and I hope we can now start to think about Pre-Production for the film. With one casting worry out of the way I'm going to concentrate on taking the screenplay and developing a comprehensive shot list. T is a little busy at the moment but hopefully by the end of February we can start rehearsing.

NIGHT WALKER

NIGHT WALKER
This is a link to another film-maker in Japan's Blog. This is the site of Simon Dean Hilton. My good friend Rob Moreno worked with him on a film called NIGHT WALKER. I have no idea what its all about but it's nice to know we Gaijin are building up a little community in this city.

Adam Williams: Live In Aobadai.

My buddy Adam Williams is from Wales and in his free time he likes to play acoustic guitar and sings at various places around Yokohama. He's pretty good. He sings a lot of classics like Tom Waits, John Lennon, Neil Young, Bob Dylan etc. I recently captured some footage of him live in concert in his mates bar in Aobadai in Yokohama. We plan to make a short video centered around his performance of a Tom Waits song 'Poncho's Lament'. The footage isn't too bad (my little Canon FV300 isn't good in darkened rooms!) but the sound will need some work I think. The song goes well with the idea of loneliness and isolation and I'd like to think the finish video will complement GIRL ALONE in theme and style.


These 3 screen-shots capture Adam in full flow belting out his tune, a couple of Adam's female admirers and a neon filled exterior shot.

The song in question was 'Poncho's Lament'.

Well the stairs sound so lonely without you
And I ain't maid my bed in a week
Coffee stains on the paper I'm writing
And I'm too choked up inside to speak
And Yes, I know our differences pulled us apart
Never spoke a word heart to heart
And I'm glad that you're gone
But I wish to the lord that you'd come home...

Shingo & LOTR (1978)

Those of you out there who live in Japan will be aware of Shingo Katori the only member of SMAP worth talking about. He's in a new Samurai TV drama showing now in Japan. Caught this image of him on the back of a magazine and thought it looked cool.










Back when I was at Art Collge I remember watching the origanal LOTR animation, we were examining the technique of rotascoping. Well I was walking down the street on friday and happened to walk past a video store selling the 1978 cartoon for just 990 yen. A must have I think!

Angel Heart : Influences Pt1

Directors often talk about the films that influenced them in some way so I wanted to tell you all about a film that influenced me like no other. Angel Heart (Alan Parker, 1987) was probably the biggest influence on me as a film maker. I know that's a bold statement to pin it down to just one film. But I really can't think of another film that had that effect on me. Mickey Rourke is Harry Angel, a private detective, assigned to a missing persons case by a mysterious lawyer Lou Sypher (geddit?) played by Robert 'God' DeNiro. Well, it all turns out badly for Angel as the devil gradually tries to get back the soul he was promised and Angel falls deeper into psychosis. I loved that fact the Devil was playing a game (for BLOODSHOT read Angel, Tom Melesky) and that Angel (read Joe, Ali Jaffer) had no idea who he 'really' was, ie; a deranged razor blade wheeling psycho. The loss of identity and the seemingly unstoppable force of a supernatural being were the two main themes of BLOODSHOT and in many ways my short is a homage to Alan Parker's masterpiece.


The torment of looking in the mirror and being unaware of your real identity is explored in both Angel Heart and BLOODSHOT. Check out the bathroom scenes (x2) in my film.

"I know who I am!"

BLOODSHOT Actor 5 : Dana Hunter

Dana Hunter. The girl from Canada...Dana had a small role in BLOODSHOT as a psychiatrist which she did a decent job of. She came to Japan to hang out and have some fun and she was HELLA fun to have around set. The problem is that I can't seem to locate her anymore as she went back to Van City never to be heard of or seen again. Does anyone in Blogger Land know about her? Is she out there?

BLOODSHOT Actor 4: Yorie Akiba

Yorie is a professional actress and has recently appeared in mostly stage productions although she has done TV CM too. She came to me via Ali (friend of the family) and was great to have around the set. Her experience around the set helped with creating a more professional atmosphere. She's a cool girl and really deserves a lucky break in acting.

Girl Alone

I've decided that my next project will definitely be called 'Girl Alone'. I wrote a short script about 12 months ago and started to rehearse it with a couple of actors (Thanks Andrey Surceck, Masayo Fujii, and Yuuri Kaburagi) but it just didn't work out so I'm going to try and do it again...I have an actress waiting. Her name is Terumi and she was in JR's short Monster Removal I just hope that she likes the script and says 'yes!'. This is going to be directed, shot and scored by me, but I will need an editor which is more difficult to find.

GIRL ALONE... B/W, around 10 minutes. 3 Actors. Acoustic guitar score...

I want to start filming around spring.