Film News

More 'press' about the Light House screening. I'm getting nervous.

I'm just sitting here laughing, little old me

Hey, each and all.

I haven't been very 'bloggy' over the past week because a) I've been trying to finish a couple of things which have lead to many a late night, early morning and b) I haven't had much to say.

I have been enjoying YOUR blogs as always. I try to look at each and every one of the Blogs listed in my Links and you have all provided me with thought provoking and hilarious reading matter so thanks for that.

Uh, Not a great day for music news; Grandaddy and The 22-20's have decided to call it a day. :(
NME.com has the stories should you want the 'dirt magirt' (ODB reference) you can find it between news about the (Overrated) Artic Monkeys waffling on about something or other (Possibly proclaiming that they are "the best band in the world" as popular bands usually do when too much coverage goes to their skulls)
And news of Pete Doherty being arrested for the seventh time in two days.
I have decided NOT to split up. Everything is fine in my camp.

Tonight, as you will no doubt be aware, is the start of something I like to call The FREAK END. I shall be drinking and dancing at Ramshackles, Birmingham.
I shall we wearing my Charlie Brown tee that Tom brought for me and those specs you seem to like (Not all of you, some of you)

Next FREAK END is "The Brighton Birthday Bonanza" which will see Nick, The Steve, Mark and yours untruly heading down to the seaside to see Stephanie and the seaside.

I hope you all have great FREAK ENDS. Talk to the best kind of strangers (The ones that buy you drinks and stroke your egos) and thank whatever is up there that you don't have to go to work for a couple of days (I'm sorry to those that work weekends)

Oh, and hello Helen.

Love and Ha-Do-Ken's (Down, down towards, towards, punch)

Chris

Bent Soul

"Bent Soul" is on Simply Scripts for those of you that would like something to read.

Stephanie may recognise the synopsis. (I hope you don't mind but I used a portion of the nice review you wrote a while back)

There is also a forum if you want to throw your thoughts at me. I always like to hear what you guys have to say.

Jesus Peas

Whilst having a pre-Blast Off/ Corrosion meal last night I was shocked to discover the face of Christ in my peas.

(I'm sore all over and the cobwebs are all but brushed off and back to normal. Phew. More to follow. Tales to tell for those that give a hoot)

Sarah Sarah Sarah and Freakend Wishes For All!

Thanks to Sarah for the super awesome banner you see at the top of this Blog.

Sarah Laughs...and rules!

Thanks again, darling!

Have a great freakend everyone!

Have more cool news but I shall leave that until it's concrete.

I'm off to secure a future that will make sure that I'm not living in a cardboard box, being waved at by some idiot in an office.

Word to your momma and papa.

I'm off to dance with The Steve and Nick. I wish you could join us!


C-Bizzle

Trix asked..

Personal Piffle

What Ho!

Last night was pretty eventful. After visiting the folks I then went home to collect my thoughts and check my email.

Amongst the spam I found an mail from Peter at The Light House who was worried that he hasn't received the final cut yet. He was nervous about the quality and said that he may only show 15 minutes of Death Rides the Nine as a safeguard.

I wrote him back and told him that 15 minutes of a 25 minute film wouldn't sit right with me or anyone watching (I put it better and nicer than that) because it just wouldn't work. It would be like cutting someone off mid conversation.
I told him that I'm expecting the DVD from MME before the end of the month and that, if it pleases him, I will meet up with him and show him the final-final cut to assure him that it's of (Good) sound quality. He did say, however, that he will have an earlier showing for friends, family and curious parties at 6:30. The actual 'event' needs places to be booked.

I'm hoping that he will agree to show the WHOLE film at the 'Shoot the Writers' evening especially as it's been advertised as such and there will be a lot of important people from a variety of media organisations in attendance. I can't see the problem with showing the whole film. It's not like its King Kong length.

Fingers and toes crossed.

Either way, it'll be screened (Maybe twice in one night if the omens are good. One and a half, if the omens are not so good)

Regardless of that, I hear that the film is doing well in the U.S and is going out to festivals over there so people are seeing it. It would have played at some festival called 'Laugh Dance' but it got cancelled (Probably because it was called 'Laugh Dance')

I also sent off 'Bent Soul' to Simply Scripts. I'd like it to be on their site because it's one of my favourite sites and, well, look what happened last time.

I've not far from finishing 'Random Acts of Mindless Kindness' which is my attempt to write a love story. When I explained the plot to Tom last week he seemed impressed (And, he's heard a LOT of my dumb ideas). I've been writing bits in random order, depending what mood I'm in and piecing them all together until the early morning. I've been doing that all week in an attempt to get it all down before I get bored with it.

We're set for Brighton for Nick and Steve's BIG BIRTHDAY WEEKEND (Official weekend name to be decided)
We'll be paying a visit to Stephanie. She's going to give us a tour of the sites and bars. Last time I went down it was absolutely brilliant (Okkervil River at The Hanbury Ballroom being the musical highlight)We'll have a riot I'm sure.

I'm pooped.

It's JUMP-OFF-A-BRIDGE-WEDNESDAY!

Yeah, I'm in a sour mood and it's not shifting. Something isn't sitting right. Maybe it's something I miss or something I haven't got. Maybe it's just the winter blues. Either way, it sucks to be this sad for no discernible reason.

I haven't been really sad for a long time.

Sorry.

(In-Correct) Answers.com/Wikapedia

Found this. I'm not sure who submitted it but it's based on the early script version of 'Death Rides The Nine' and the main protagonists name is wrong. It's Sam, not Steve.

Hi-Jinks and High Kicks

Gah! Weekends are way too short! One minute we are planning and plotting our freakend adventures, the next we are back at work drinking machine tea and day-dreaming about the events that occurred.

I started things off with a trip to Tom's place. We went to the Light House for Xtra night (Mostly indie) and had a few cheap vodka/energy drink combos (For much cheapness. We bantered and plotted. It's funny and moving how we always feel we could take on the world and make something of ourselves; Maybe we could if we had the tools.
We kind of lost ourselves for a little bit. A lady came up to me and said something strange whilst a load of guys pretended to be Liam from Oasis and Ian Brown.

Tom and I left when the music went a little too 'Brit-Pop' We went back to his and resisted the urge to call a late night radio talk show.

I woke up Saturday a little sore (Tom has a tiny sofa and I sleep in strange shapes) I watched a couple of episodes of 'The Batman’ and wondered why they are calling him 'The Batman' these days. It was a good cartoon though.

Tom dropped me off home and I spent the rest of the day getting myself together and visiting the folks. We're all going to be a 'something' again. My little sister is pregnant with her second child.

Truman gave over as we began our evening earlier than usual. He kicked my ass on Smackdown as we listened to Giant Drag. He knocked me down a couple of pegs because I'd been mocking him and hyping myself up like wrestlers used to do before WWE became a sweaty soap opera.
After a crushing defeat (Made worse by the fact that he used a very weak character to my powered up big guy) we headed up to Wolverhampton and started our frolicals at The Royal London before moving to The Little Civic.
Matt said that I shouldn't 'dress up' and 'pretend' at the upcoming Light House screening. Noted.
After we'd had enough vodka-whatever’s' we piled into Blast Off, threw in our requests and danced like we always do. It's always better in the first couple of hours when they play edgier stuff and floor is less crowded.

The appearance of 'That Damn Girl' couldn't ruin it.

Don't spend too much time on the other side
let the daylight in,
before you get old and you cant break out of it my old friend,
cause its getting winter, and if you want any flowers you gotta get your seeds in
and I worry about you, why? because you want me to.

('Strawberry Wine' by Ryan Adams)

Chris

P.S Thanks Stephanie for the nice texts.

Listening to: Idiot Pilot. Kind of like a shouty Postal Service.

Death Rides The Nine Music

Here

Have a good freakend.

Chris

Non-Horrible, Non-Bone Chilling News

I showed Tom and his brother Sam the final cut of 'that film I wrote that I'm always talking about' and they both seemed to love it. Sam was very impressed and was chuckling about certain scenes long after he’d watched it.

I ‘Googled’ myself and found a bunch of sites that feature bits on DRTN. It made me feel very strange. I suppose because it’s not mine anymore and it’s out there for everyone to like/dislike.
Anyway, as I was online at Tom’s (He was on the phone for ages with his new girl. Ahh, new love! I remember those days)

Kyle, the director of our future non-Sundance winning masterpiece, started talking to me on MSN. We had a chat about screenings, what I liked and disliked about the film (I said that I didn’t dislike anything which is true. This is amazing because, up until recently, I've never really been proud of anything I've been involved in.) I joked that the worst part of the film was that ‘I don’t have a writing job with them anymore’ and he said that he’d find me something because he'd very much like to work with me again. Goooood news! Music to my little ears!
He then said that he had a film based on a single shot, a disused frame from a past project. He wanted to build on it and run with it.
He has the story down but he wants dialogue for a couple of crucial scenes. He gave me the run down and asked me if I’d like to have a crack at it.

I jumped at the chance.

I always jump at chances. Interesting things happen when I do.

I've got a month to turn in the goods.

I want...

...One of those machines they use in 'Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind'. I'd like to forget certain things so I can go back to that naive, innocent time when I thought LOVE was all sunshine and roses and I didn't know any better.

Monday Already?!

Thanks to The Steve and Nick for a fun time in the 'second city' on Friday. There are some pictures below and a little info on Steve’s electronic home.

Saturday was a bit flat, Most likely because I'm on a self imposed (But much needed) booze detox. It's been something I've wanted to do for a while it just so happens that it's after Christmas. I made a vow to myself to eat/drink/live healthier for a while now and I'd like to live up to it. The downside of not drinking is that it's harder to relax when you're in a room full of drunks. If the music is bad or dull (And it was at Blast Off on Saturday) then you notice it. When you're drunk you'll dance to anything. Hell, I've even danced to Ashlee Simpson (Throw your rocks. I deserve it)
A lot of good people dropped out of the evening for various reasons. We went from a big group to a trio so it wasn't going to be the free-for-all we'd planned for. I understand that people have other lives, loves and reasons not to trek all the way over to Wolverhampton in the bitter cold and that's why I'm so eager for the winter to bugger off and let the spring do its thing. People, including myself, come out of social hibernation to embrace the sun light.
Still, it wasn't without its chuckles and, as a person that looks for the upside of down, it could have been worse. I could have been at home alone watching 'Celebrity Big Brother' or something.
One of the smiles raised was whilst we were at The Little Civic (the support act to Blast Offs headliner) the cute D.J played some good music and I requested some songs for Nick and myself (Sadly, she had left her Ryan Adams records at home because 'Nobody ever asks for any'. She did play Manics though)

We tried to win some kudos from the quiz machine. I decided, after failing to answer the world's most obscure film questions, to check out the 'What's On' area to try and see if there were any good gigs and films coming out.

(I try and book tickets for shows and such in advance so I have something to look forward to each month.)

It was then that I happened across a flyer for the 'Death Rides the Nine' Light House screening along with a programme which features it in the 'upcoming Events' section. I didn't even know there were going to be flyers or some such.
I grabbed a bunch for my friends and family (As proof if nothing else) and it gave me a little charge (Of both excitement and fear) the closer it gets, the more real it becomes. It made me wonder how many people have seen the programme and flyer and how many people are coming along. I won't really know until the day and that's going to be a strange day indeed.

It's okay to be scared, right?

I hope all of your weekends were jolly.

Love and crescent kicks,

Chris

P.S Check out King Biscuit Time's (Former Beta Band front man’s new musical endeavour) 'No Style' EP It's much greatness.

Freakend Frolicals

Ramshackles @ Carling Acadamy

"Let's Dance, Bitch*"

The Freakend is almost here. The first REAL Freakend of 2006.

Everything is back to normal! Everything is open! Rejoice!

The Steve and Nick want to head to Ramshackles in Birmingham. This should be pretty cool because we haven't really been out for what seems like months.

The Steve and Birmingham don't really gel, so it's surprising and cool to hear that he'd like to give it a decent shot. If Steve is The Steve! (TM) tonight then it'll be a feast of frolicals. The club is now open until 4am for extra indie joy-joy.

Blast Off tommorow.

Else things:


*Been watching Nicks 'Firefly' DVD and have become hooked.

*I have written a little Biog for The Light House which they're going to use as press for the screening. I think there is going to be some sort of mini-site dedicated to each film. I'll link it as soon as they let me know.

*Belated congratulations to Adam (My cousin) and Victoria on their engagement.

*Thanks to David J for his New Years party. I haven't posted anything on it for some reason but it was good fun despite the fact that I was really tired. Thanks also for the cool tee-shirt.

*Something else...


Chris


(*The title comes from a text I had whilst at Blast Off a couple of years ago. Ahh, not-quite-so-happy days!)

Death Rides The Nine Synopsis and Notes

Offical Synopsis for Death Rides The Nine:

When a bus driver denies Death and his latest victim, Sam Winter,
transit to the Afterlife, they find themselves at a bar discussing life, death, Heaven,Hell, jobs and women. Faced with the opportunity of retrospection, Sam discovers he's not so willing to give up the ghost. Given a rare moment to shed his persona, Death makes a few personal discoveries of his own. Will duty and loyalty to 'The Big Boss' prevail, or does Death really have a heart under all those black robes?

• I had a mini 'screening' of the final cut at Westfield with Nick, Dad, The Steve, H and Mark. They seemed to like it, REALLY like it and they are honest people. It had special effects in. Proper effects! It looked amazing and much more polished than the rough cut we saw a while ago.
• The UTAH screening at The Tower on December 20th went well according to the director. It bodes well for the Light House screening on Febuary 16th. I'm currently writing a 'biog' for the website. I keep drifting into fantasy as the truth is a bit of a fluke. Hmmm.. I'm a bit nervous about the Q & A.

Plans (Plan A)

- Travel more (Around Blighty and abroad)

- See even more gigs than I did in 2005 (That's going to be hard)

- Push the creative elements as far as they will go.

- Visit more people (Old and new friends)

- Get fit or die trying.

- Be more assertive and direct.

- Stop saying 'word' instead of 'Okay' and 'I see...' It confuses most people.

- Be more Hugh Hefner and less Hugh Grant (i.e More confident around the opposite gender. I used the Hef because I couldn't think of anyone else.)

- Go to at least two festivals (Already got tickets to one so that shouldn't be too hard)

- Discover a bunch of new bands and feed the music addiction.

- Shmooze