It's a Riot!

It's a Riot! was about 3 youths that wanted to stand out and prove themselves to be real gangsters to a local shop keeper who laughed at their pathetic attempts to rob his shop. They form a small gang and storm the shop with weapons, one being a gun. It's a comedic story of the tense relationships between the 3 guys, ironically they storm the shop just as the London riots  in 2011, making the police think they were the gangsters that started it all. Leading to them being wanted men all over TV and Newspapers.

I really enjoyed working on this shoot because of its multi-locations and great cast/crew every day was a laugh and we stuck to the schedule the producer and director made. Because it was a low budget independent film i didn't have headphones or a monitor to watch the action on, i had to script supervise it live, as i saw it/heard it which i found a real challenge but really good experience and practice. I worked well on this shoot and made sure the actions were the same in each shot.

 One of the first takes of the living room scene where the boys are planning the robbery when one of their mums walks in.

 A quick rehearsal before a take of the main character assigning roles to the other guys for the robbery, getting inspiration from Al Pa-chino films

 

The director and crew watching back some of the footage to make sure everything was perfect before continuing on to the next scene.

It's Just a Number

'It's Just a Number'

 A short and sweet film about an elderly couple who attend bingo regularly only to be disappointed as the same people win each time, Dorris, believes they have someone on the inside. Jim is approached by the annual winner to be recrited on her team as her current partner has bad eyes. Dorris  catches them flirting and Jim puts her straight that she is the only one for him.

The script i was working on just before we started to shoot. I had to run through the lines so i knew who was saying what and when, i noted down an changes in the script throughout the day.

 Everyone preparing for the next shot, running through the scene and dialogue so the actual takes run smoothly.

 Ian Jenkins, the actor who played Jim, i found him really easy to work with and easy to talk to when he would miss out lines or mess up he'd realise or would be appreciative when I'd mention it to him.

One of the main shots in the short film, Jim and Dorris going through their lines as the numbers are called out by the bingo caller and the exras look on.

The very last shot of the day, me, director and writer all looking closely at the monitor to make sure everything is perfect.

Post-production, I edited the final cut for It's just a Number, i met up with the director and producer numerous times over a few months and created several final cuts before choosing one.

Bare Feet- Virgin media short

Bare Feet was a short film i worked on as production assistant, Location assistant and AD on the shoot days. It was a really good shoot and I worked really hard, gaining good reviews from the Director Amy McIntyre and producer Lucy Lincoln. 

Synopsis - Terry has become disenchanted with the beautiful game. He longs for a return to it's true nature - the bare feet of football. 

 http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/4997/bare-feet#.UlxYQCTU6CR

Terry has become disenchanted with the beautiful game. He longs for a return to it's true nature - the bare feet of football. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/4997/bare-feet#.UlxYQCTU6CR

Terry has become disenchanted with the beautiful game. He longs for a return to it's true nature - the bare feet of football. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/4997/bare-feet#.UlxYQCTU6CR

Terry has become disenchanted with the beautiful game. He longs for a return to it's true nature - the bare feet of football. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/4997/bare-feet#.UlxYQCTU6CR

Terry has become disenchanted with the beautiful game. He longs for a return to it's true nature - the bare feet of football. - See more at: http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/4997/bare-feet#.UlxYQCTU6CR

 Glen Mortimer, the main actor of the short film, in the left of frame is me being an extra in one of the scenes.

One of the scenes i was an extra in the stands for, the lighting department are setting up as the director over looks the progress.

On the location scout, i took a few pictures of the grounds for evidence and so i could create a location recce.

The D.O.P and producer discussing the set and where the lights will need to go through and where they can get electricity from.

The place where the external electricity will be used for lighting and everything else in the equipment that needs electricity.

                 Producer and art director discussing the locations of props such as the nets etc

The outside of the stadium, i sent this to the cast and crew so everyone knew what they were looking for on the days of the shoot. 

Hidden- Black Toffee Theatre group

Written by Laura Lindsay & Peter Carruthers
Presented by Black Toffee & Harrogate Theatre  

Synopsis and information-  http://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/page.aspx?parent=18aadf8c-40a3-46f7-bf6c-e960d786908e&showIdentifier=8cf6230e-a98e-46ca-8f5f-001b2002cf4d

The trailer- https://vimeo.com/70033958

Hidden is a darkly comic story. The intriguing puzzle of how six people's lives interweave and unravel in a modern urban world. Hilarious and poignant in equal measure.

I worked on this as an assistant/runner/extra actor. I helped wherever i could, acting, carrying equipment, going to the shop for cast and crew etc. It was a great shoot and i made some good contacts.

 

 

 

The first shooting location, train stop where one of the characters spots a woman in a red coat (I acted as that woman) I also helped carry equipment to and from the set.

 

The second location, a street close by where one of the actors is running behind 2 joggers (I acted as one of the joggers)

                            Not the best screen print but this is me and the other extra as joggers.

3rd location, the supermarket where one of the characters comes out of, this was during a rehearsal.

Inside the super market the Camera operator Sam Okell, discussing the shots with the director Amy McIntyre.

4th location, outside a chemist in Heald Green where one character comes out of the shop with a pharmacy bag. I helped carry some equipment then held the black out up for the camera to cut to.

                                                              The Pharmacy we shot outside

The 5th and final location was a house in Heald Green, while everyone was filming i made th cast and crew cups of tea which were much appreciated.

Spilt Milk -short film by Gareth Finch

                                   Me setting up the sound equipment before we started shooting

                                              Everyone working hard on set during a take

                                                      Some of the sound equipment

                                                         Sound mixing during a take

 Where i had my sound cart, next to the director so we could decide what was the best sound take.

                     The photograph of the cast used for the advertisement of the short film.


This was a fun shoot where i was the sound mixer. It was about a team of cleaning ladies in a run down school, one of the ladies found out she has cancer while she helped a new cleaner out and hid it from the others, who later found out and comforted her.

Rbbit Hole- Summer days

Rabbit Hole- Alex Hollowbread

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXUQPjLStoU

 

 This was a music promo i worked in art department in the pre-prodction. I helped paint and sew together the main rabbit hole, it was hard work as there was a lot to sew and i wasn't very well. I worked hard all day and got the job done. I mixed paint and mud together for the muddy wall effect int eh rabbit hole. 

The Pre-Production

This was the set build for Alex Hollowbreads shoot, a third year students fmp where a young boy falls down a rabbit hole. This was me working on the inside of the rabbit hole.

 The inside of the hole at the beginning before i sewed branches and fabric to the roof of it and everyone helped to paint it brown with muddy clumps and twigs in the paint to make it look like it was underground.

 This is what the hole looked like from the outside, the chicken wire is what i had to sew the fabric to from within the hole.

 The next few pictures are of me sewing the fabric to the chicken wire, it was hard because the wire was pulled so it was hard to bend between the fabric.

                             

Fairytale of New York

                                                The car we used for the 1940's scene

                       Lighting department setting up the lights while i prepare my notes

 Me and Sam Marsden helping out the sound mixer (radio mikes were in the car and he needed us to read the lines from  the script so he could get the levels right)

                                                   Ben focus pulling on a static shot

                                    The two actors just before a take rehearsing their lines

 Me listening to the actors rehearsing their lines through the radio mike so i can correct them before a take

 Me and Howard (art director) discussing the art department for an upcoming shoot.

This was a student short film i script supervised for this week. The story was about a gangster that lost his family in a car crash, only his sister survived. He went on doing crime to support her but ended up in jail, when he came out he wanted to join a gang but had to prove he was the cold hearted thug he portrayed so they made him take part in a gang rape of a girl who had a bag over her head. afterwards they removed the bag to reveal it was his sister. It was a grim storyline but a great script, on this day we only shot the detective scene where 2 detectives are discussing the case. The rest will be shot in July where i have been asked to come back and script supervise for them again.

                                                    PART 2- November 2013

This was outside of the Mansion, it was all run down and gross but an excellent filming location. You can see the producer greeting the female actor.

This is the director talking to the assistant director about what shots he wants to get first.

This is the crew setting up lighting and tracks  for a shot and the art department dressing the set

The art department setting up props and dressing the set before we started shooting.

This was all the menly men helping to carry a piano up the stairs for a prop.

What the scene looks like on the monitor i have to watch for continuity errors

The director giving the actors some advice and notes on exactly what he wants from the scene.

The producer was a stand in so the camera department could get the right framing and lighting while the actors got ready.

One of the last cut aways of the day, i had to make sure the hat went in the same position every single take.

Actions from the second day on the shoot where the main gangster was coming down the staircase.

This scene was hard to work on because of the nature of the story and because there was so much action it was a lot to look out for but i feel i did a great job.

The actor relaxing and giving lines while the sound guy got his levels right between takes.

Just before a take where the make up artist was adding a few extra touches to the females cuts and bruises.

Me recording the time of a take while i take notes on the action and continuity.

                                                3rd shoot day- pick ups 11/12/13

 Setting up for the first shot, a slow track in to show a picture of the 2 main actors as kids

                                                The Judges mallet hitting the desk

                                  Adele, the female character being bagged and kidnapped

                                 DIT working on the shots as soon as they were done and during takes

                                                                  The three gangsters