AD Holmes - it's a wrap!

Well after a long and productive shooting weekend we have finished AD Holmes. Peter Kershaw is hand delivering the film to no.where in London to ensure their safety. The costumes and make up were great, the performers and crew even better. Well done and thank you to everyone involved. Shoot photos available soon.

Now is time to gear up towards 'The Lost Princess' shoot week commencing 23 July - more info on call times tomorrow.

Camera's roll this weekend! Extras needed!

After all the scriptwriting, auditions, rehearsals and workshops, the camera's are ready to roll for “Dr A.D. Holmes”! Last Sunday Madeleine was busy rehearsing the actors in the Gate Theatre. AD Holmes director, Beth was being pulled between rehearsals and our production nerve centre were production co-ordinators Duncan and Jo were working with our young production assistants on call sheets, risk assessments and other pre-production work and working with our film crew on the ins and outs of our incredibly cool and retro Super8 film cameras.

I was busy working with our art department who have been producing an army of cockroaches and huge placards for the street demonstration. My art apprentice, Debbie was busy designing beautiful title cards amongst a myriad of other jobs. On top of all the work on AD Holmes, Tom was busy demonstrating his watercolour talents for a painting for “The Lost Princess“ and Samantha is working flat out on her very own drawn animated sequence for the end of the film.

Councillor Brian Rust has been indispensable in helping us find locations for filming. Duncan and Jo are doing an incredible job behind the scenes this week making sure everything comes together in time for the shoot with Nicola Dixon at Goole Town Council. Director Peter Kershaw is back from feature film work in Greece and ready to work with our crew for the entire shoot!

We are hoping for sunshine for location filming around Old Goole! The rain has been torrential the last few weekends. (At least we have an underwater camera if the heavens open!)But don’t let the fear of a few drops of rain put you off joining our team of extras this weekend. It’s going to be quite an experience and we want as many people as we can get! If you’d like to be join us, email goolesilentmovie@hotmail.com.

All go

Well things are really moving fast now. Madeleine started working on the two scripts today with our cast while I worked with our Art crew. For Dr A.D. Holmes we've are busy making model cockroaches to be animated in stop motion, placards and title cards. On The Lost Princess we have a whole ship and ocean which we are animating in drawn animation.

Today we also welcomed two new apprentices. Duncan Laing is taking on the task of production assistant on The Lost Princess. Debbie Harman is supporting me with the Art Department. Jo, fresh from her ITV success is moving to AD Holmes after doing a brilliant job starting up The Lost Princess.

Young directors Beth and Martin get to grips with the production challenges with production assistant Duncan Laing.

Meet the cast!

"Dr A.D Holmes"

Dr A.D. Holmes - Steven Anthony Bennett




Mr Ellis - Brian Rust

Mrs AD Holmes - Hannah Littlefair

Miss Peacock - Emily Britton

Albert, head of council - Luke Erickson



Young boy - Ryan

"The Lost Princess"


Anastasia - Rebecca Ellerington

The Butler - Luke Erickson





The Inspector - John Andrews


Cleaners - Martin Ward and Beth Horncastle





Magistrate 1 - Robyn Caldwell

Magistrate 2 - Taryn Preston


The Judge - Peter M Kershaw

Hotel manager - Hannah Litllefair

Hotel guest 1 - Emma Thompson



Hotel guest 2 - Rebecca Stothert



Hotel guest 3 - Emma Gill



Policeman 1 - David Bunting

Policeman 2 - Kirk Argun

PRODUCTION STAGE TWO

With any luck, our brilliant PRODUCTION COORDINATORS, KIRK and EMMA will covered your script in coloured markers and from this produced a LIST for each element - Characters, Props, Costume, Location, effects, make-up, etc.

With shooting just weeks away, Kirk and Emma have a new challenge from Peter (Don't panic - Jo, myself and the rest of the team are on hand to help).

For Stage 2, you have to start to source the elements by working down each list and ticking them off. As your PRODUCTION COORDINATORS titles suggest, you are also in charge of co-ordinating the teams..!

It is your job to give the DESIGN TEAM the costume, make-up, props, set lists - all the design elements - see that they are finding these items. Check with them every week.

EMMA RENHARD will be co-ordinating costume and CHARLIE OSWIN will be working on MAKE-UP.

The production co-coordinators need to talk with the APPRENTICE PRODUCTION person on each film about checking these areas (costume and Make-up) that they are covered and what is needed. Give them your list.

We will need to store the items we make and source - TALK TO NICOLA & DAVID about storing at the GATE THEATRE.

With the DIRECTORS - YOU NEED TO LOOK AT LOCATIONS.

LOCATIONS bring new questions like permission, contacts, access, toilets, parking, and while DIRECTORS and PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATORS can identify these places they need to pass on any information to the APPRENTICE PRODUCTION person on each film to secure access, permission and if the location can work.

A film is made in pre-production - what happens on set is simply the carrying out of the planning that went into pre-production. It is the most important time in the life of a film!

Peter

Jo scoops ITV job!

Congratulations to our fabulous film apprentice Joanne, who has started a new job working for ITV’s Factuals department as a Production Secretary, covering both the Manchester and Leeds sites.

Jo, who is acting as production supervisor for "The Lost Princess" in Goole Silent Movie, is a BA Honours graduate in Contemporary Film and Video at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her student film ‘School Daze’ was voted runner up in the ‘BBC’s Best of North West’ category in the 2006 Exposures Film Festival and won the North West region’s ‘Best Student Drama’ award by the Royal Television Society.

You'd think she'd be busy enough, but Jo says she enjoying the challenge of "assisting students create a fantastic piece using the exploration of different Medias."

She also says she is enjoying "working with professionals and learning new skills and techniques, as well as expanding her knowledge of silent movies and working with 8mm film."

If you think you recognise Jo, it might be as a dancer or actor! She and has performed at many prestigious venues including Sadler’s Well’s, The Royal Albert Hall and Disneyland, Paris. Her television credits include At Home With The Braithwaites, A Touch of Frost, Emmerdale and Heartbeat. She even finds the time to teach dance at the DM Academy in Shipley. Jo, who is an inspiration to the entire silent movie team, deserves it all. Well done!

Fantastic 4

To make two films at once - who's idea was that anyway?! - we will be using 4 (fantastic) alternating teams who will become experts in their chosen area. Many want to experience life in front of and behind the camera, which is a great idea. These 4 make it is possible to do both! The teams cover the following crew rolls:

DIRECTOR TEAM
Director, Ass't Director, Production coordinator, location, script editors, etc.

CAMERA TEAM
Operator, Ass't Cam, stills, clapperboard/loader. (those with a technical mind will like this team)

DESIGN TEAM
(for the creative ones) Very important in a silent film. Includes those responsible for Costume, make-up, props & set. Emma Renhard from Yorkshire Coast College will be working with those interested in Costume.

SPECIAL EFFECTS TEAM
has been created to cover - Animation, all visual effects/artwork. Uniquely on these films, we are using techniques used on silent films. Here is a chance to work with a real live animator - QUICK ON A PENCIL - David Bunting!

There is still time to add an interest in or join our CREW. Just contact Nicola at the Gate Theatre.

Peter M Kersaw
Producer/Director
Duchy Parade Films