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   

Editing and making choices

The new website is up and running at www.swanseafilmproductions.co.uk.  Please take a look and watch for future developments.

When the shoot is finished the editing begins. The Doll is taking shape and with over 6 hours of recording and so much of it good, if not great, there's going to be some difficult decision making.

Taking a look at the shop, cemetery and beach scenes I can see how the film is going to shape up. With two cameras there is a good mixture of angle and view. The sound  is clear and good bt because all of the film has been shot on location this is going to be the untamed element. It's not practical or even possible to clean all external noises and often they can't be reduced because that'll have a detrimental effect on the voice quality. But that is where the crew scored with so many takes.

Once again Carli has taken to the critical editing role under the wing of Jane, who has so much experience in this area, like a duck to water.

I'm hoping we ca meet our target of having a final cut ready fior a private review by the beginning of April. These are exciting times.

Keep watching this space for more news, photos and video as we continue to press forward. Once again it's just been great working with such a close-knit team who have worked so well together and so professionally as individuals in their own fields. I believe that everyone on the production team has gained such valuable insight into diofferent aspects of film production that this can only be good for the future of Swansea Film Production.

We have some exciting ideas lined up and will be extending an offer to other local film-makers of whatever standard and experience to join the group wheee we can help each other to prioduce work of ever improving quality. So if you are interested in any aspect of film-making from writing, prop making, lighting, acting right throught to the editing then watch this space for some exciting news.

The Big Shoot approaches fast

With just 3 weeks to go before shooting the pace is certainly warming up. Currently checking out the locations as I want this to have a real Swansea feel about it with several iconic back-drops such as Mumbles through the pine trees at Newton/West Cross, the Meridian Tower, Wind Street, Waterfront Museum, the Marina, and the Sail bridge.

Swansea has so much to offer the film maker with great back-drops and views within such a small area and beach to countrysie at almost a giant leap. But not only that, Swansea has such a wealth of talented and creative people that it's like fishing in a full goldfish tank at an aquarium. You come up with a winner every time with little effort.

The READ THROUGH...

Here are a couple of photos taken during the read through by Amanda Evans, our script writer. Her face told it's own story as she listened to the cast reading her script. She looked bemused, then suprised, and finally triumphant. Seeing a great script come alive must be an amazing personal experience.

Finally we all managed to get together as a full cast and it was such a thrill to see the script come to life.

After a long couple of months and a lot of discussion's and meetings about the film as a hole, the final draft is now under lock down.

The DOLL Team are all set ready to conjure a new world of black magic, Voodoo, for the Viewers and Followers!! (and much fun for us)

In the meantime we are in discussions with a fantastic technical group of creative minds who are in the movie industry. The Shoot is set for Mid January 2011.

QUOTE - J. Hawe

You may be whatever you resolve to be - determine to be something in the world and you will be something.
"I cannot!" never accomplished anything.

"I will try!" has worked wonders.

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.

Voodoo! Hallowen and Pumpkins

Tonight is the evening before Hallowen. Tomorrow a night of witches and ghosts, gouls and vampire.

Tomorrow is a night of witchcraft and things that go bump in the night.

Don't try anything with an ouijia board or other paranoramal chants.

Don't sit around  in the dark on your youn. The demons are out and about.

And don't try making a voodoo doll and start focusing on an enemy because things can happen . . . . . . .

Yesterday's read through worked really well with the whole cast arriving on time and getting down in earnest. The script read well and just two wordrs were changed.

We are now looking forward to mid January and the shoot. Plenty of work for Carli de'la Hughes who is direcrting for the first time. She'll be great and it's obvious she enjoys a challenge. With her acting experience in all mediums she'll do a good job and has the whole team behind her.

Meanwhile back to Hallowen and a short video  found on that old idea that I know several people have tried.

Just get a friend to lie down and chant over them. Can you levitate them?
Some have found the hair on their necks rising and they feel very cold as if a chill has blown over them Watch and enjoy. But turn the volume up and concentrate as it gets very quiet just towards the end.


Fun eh! Hope you enjoyed  ha . . ha . . . ha . . . 

'DOLL' short film is CAST!!

Production Name	Doll
Production Type	Film (Short)
Production Details	DOLL short film produced by Swansea film productions, Mike Leahy written by Amanda Evans, independent writer. Director TBC Revolving around the world of Voodoo, its set in Swansea, has a theatrical play within the film (the crucible)and following the lives of two drama student Sarah & Jane. Twist of Jealousy, Friendship, and Revenge. (Michelle Morris as Sarah from The Knock 2008 and Carli De'la Hughes from High Hopes BBC as Jane. Liam James former student of RWCMD as Sarah's boyfriend Jim. Gabe Cameron former employee of BBC broadcastings London/Cardiff as Geoff, Drama teacher.)