Trail Blazing

With just over two weeks since we completed the shoot (except for a couple of cutaways) Mike Leahy is pleased to announce that the trailer is now at "Final Cut" stage and so should be available to see after Monday.

This has taken several hours work for Carli de'la Hughes, director, and Jane Hosgood, director of photography, together with Robin Dobson, second camera man. But it is looking good and we all hope it will attract attention both at the premiere and film festivalsin which it is entered.

The story line has been kept pretty close to the original idea through screen-writer Amanda Evans's script and it seems to work well. It's hoped that Amanda likes the trailer and can see that her trust in the director and camera crew has been fulfilled. And of course Amanda is now working on her next script which we eagerly look forward to reading.

And now for some good news for local Swansea Bay and South Wales film makers. Swansea Film Productions are opening up to any film-maker in any discipline and intend becoming a hub to promote local film makers and help them create new and exciting films that will be shown. It's a sad reality of life that many films are created and made taking up great chunks of time for everyone concerned and then never fully promoted. A full announcement will be made shortly (hopefully before the end of March) when the idea has been fully explored and there is a concrete plan of how it will work.

Meanwhile, keep watching for the next exciting stage of The Doll   

Carli De’La Hughes - Director of "The Doll"

Director of DOLL. More than one string to her Bow...

Swansea born actress Carli De'La Hughes, is now on a new adventure in the world of the Arts.

Carli is the producers assistant & Directing the first short film "The Doll" for Swansea Film Productions. She has alreadycompleted auditions, casting the film from a large number of actors who came forward. She has chosen locations and and is now making plans for the shoot with the creative team on board the project.

Carli's words..."I was always active and hyper as a child and my parents must have felt the need to convert my hyperactivity into something else.. so I first started out as a Welsh Gymnast for City of Swansea Gymnastic team. At the age of 12 I became a member of Stage Coach in Swansea got my first TV job for a Welsh series of ARACHNID, ON S4C: taking the lead role of Ni. From then I found my feet, realized that this kind of work was right for me.

"I went to a Welsh school Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr. After my GCSEs I decided to study Performing Arts at Gorseinon College. After a lot of hard work and auditioning I was awarded a place in the prestigious Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD). There I became the actress known to day as Carli De'La Hughes.

I love everything to do with Film/TV industry, and my ultimate ambition is to be successful in all I do and achieve.

I have a dream: to direct and star in my very own action film, or action/drama series, and to do all my own stunts with no body double because I know I can do it! In this industry you got to believe in your self and work hard and keep Knocking on Doors until one OPENS.

"Right now I'm really looking forward to January when we start shooting The Doll with the great team we have pulled together. So far we have had 2 months of meetings. The cast is great and I have found them full of inspiration and joy to be around. I would like to thank everyone on board this project and I know they are as eager as I am to start this amazing well written short film. I'm look forward in all that's to come"

Carli has more than one string to her bow, she teaches drama to a variety of age groups from 10year old up to 50+ in the drama school "Super Stars in the Making".

Not only with a Degree in Acting, Carli can Sing, Dance, performs in both Welsh and English language, not to mention the accent ability and has a Silver in Stage combat.

Represented by EMPTAGE HALLET Agency.

In 2002 she landed the lead role of Sam, in a new s4c drama series called '2Dy a Ni' (2HOUSES AND US) aired for 2years.

Her on-screen credits also include: Comedy High Hopes for BBC, Feature film's 'Freestyle'. Down The Dark Road.

As as well as short films Reunited, Resuscitation.

With a variety of theatre credits, New Arrivals for Sherman Cymru and Carribean Angels, and Solitaire for Chapter.

Work shops for the National Theatre of Wales.

Radio credits for BBC Radio4 include, SAFE, STEEL STITCHES, THE NIGHT HORSE, produced by Kate Mcall and Willa King.

Commercials and Rehearsed Readings, now with a directing Credit, she is set to fly.

Michelle Morris as Sarah

Michelle morris interview by MikeLeahy

I met Michelle when she performed with Matthew Healy (best known as Matthew King in Emmerdale but with a string of tv credits to his name) and Christopher Villiers (Grayston Sinclair in Emmerdale and much, much more).

The play was Inside Job by Brian Clemens and they were touring as part of the Repertory Season at the Grand Theatre in Swansea.

The play takes place in a Spanish villa situated in some isolation in the foothills a mile or so from Marbella. I thoroughly enjoyed the play and Michelle kindly gave me a short impromptu interview for my on-line radio show "In Town Today" which is currently "off air" but will be returning.

Michell agreed to take a look at the script for the Doll and we met for coffee. I sat on the chair edge whilst she looked through. Then I askjed if she'd consider taking part and was delighted with her agreement.It was great to see her again for the Read Through on Friday.