Mobile films, but not on your phone

My love of all things South West continues. Check out this press release. This sounds like a lovely project. I really fancy doing some kind of mini festival in North West London where I live. I'm going off to google hosting your own festival.

A restored 1960s mobile cinema is to star in a new BBC Two Daytime series on Britain’s film heritage.

The Vintage Mobile Cinema, which is shortly due to embark on a series of six screenings across North Devon, has been chosen by the BBC to provide the backdrop for a new series on archive film, The Reel History of Britain.

The mobile cinema has been touring villages across the region for the past year, following its painstaking restoration and subsequent involvement in a project backed by South West Screen and the UK Film Council.

Following its forthcoming tour of six venues*, the bus will accompany Melvyn Bragg as he travels across Britain filming the brand new series. Over the course of 20 episodes, Lord Bragg will retell the fascinating stories about how life in Britain used to be, through the film collections of the British Film Institute and regional film archives.

The new documentary for BBC Two Daytime will trace the descendants of those featured in the films, as they come face-to-face with their ancestors to discover how they lived their lives. Along the way viewers will see how ordinary British people worked, loved and lived in the 20th century, as seen through social documentaries, tourist information films, newsreels, and government propaganda films.

For each of the 20 episodes, the production team and the mobile cinema will travel to a different location in Britain. It will also be used to screen some of the archive film footage.

The unique 1967 cinema bus is the only surviving one of a fleet of seven that were built by the Government to showcase modern British production techniques. Five years ago, the bus was saved from following the other six into disrepair by owner, Ollie Halls, with the help of a small grant from the Transport Trust and assistance from Hill’s Body Works in Exeter. Seeing its potential, the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon came on board, applying to South West Screen for a £40,000 UK Film Council Digital Film Archive Fund grant to fund access to and digitization of archive film. Bus and film then came together under the Museum’s North Devon Movie Bus project, under which the restored vintage bus has spent the last year touring the local region, complete with a 22-seat fully tiered cinema, a high definition (HD) digital projection unit and Dolby 7:1 surround sound for the full cinema experience. Its incongruous appearance - part space craft and part luxury cinema - surprises and delights audiences at every screening.

*The Vintage Mobile Cinema will embark on its last tour as part of the North Devon Movie Bus project on March 10^th, 2011 and will visit the following venues:

Thursday, March 10^th: Hatherleigh Community Centre, 5pm – 8pm
Friday, March 11^th: Torrington South St (Sydney House Carpark), 1pm – 7pm
Saturday, March 12^th: Barnstaple - Lighting Up the Museum, 2pm – 8pm
Thursday, March 17^th: Chittlehampton Village Square, 5pm – 9pm
Friday, March 18^th: Bideford Quay, 1pm – 8pm
Saturday, March 19^th: Barnstaple - End of the Movie Bus Project! 10am – 5pm

For more information visit http://www.moviebus.org.uk/

Cornwall is beautiful

This year we drove down to Cornwall for a few days. We moved location every day and stayed in B&Bs and it was just gorgeous.

The first night we booked into what seemed to be a new guest house near the Eden Project. The couple who owned it I felt were townies like me, who had decided to change their lives. They were amazing hosts. They have chickens running around and one of the chickens thinks its fun to see you off from the car park. At one point she scarpered under the car. I was convinced we were going to run over our hosts' chicken. She was having great fun. That evening we ate in a little seashore village called Charlestown. It wasn't the Doc Martin village but typically Cornwallian as we found out over the next few days.

The Eden Project is quite something. Hot in that rainforest dome, but really worth seeing. My favourite was actually the outdoor area. How they have put such greenery in an old chalk quarry is amazing.

Our next stop was St Just, right down at Land's End. It's a little market town. It was the Friday that England were playing Algeria so it wasn't a great night for celebrating. It's an interesting place though. Just behind the market square is a social housing estate and our hotel owner reassured us about where we were parked. Just 'cause you're in Cornwall doesn't mean you can forget real life was my feeling.

Land's End the next day was dramatic and quite surprising. I expected some, well, tourist attraction. There is that if you want it, but the end of Britain itself is stunning. It was drizzling and perfect for the location. Slippy underfoot, so at the cliff edges you really do need to be careful. It is great listening to the sea crashing into the rocks below though.

We headed down to Penzance that day to stay at The Lugger, a pub/inn on the seafront. This one was basic but absolutely my favourite. The view over to Michael's Mount and out to sea is just wonderful. As we approached though I did say, "I hope it's not that one with all the St George's flag bunting", well of course it was. Not too noisy though. It closed at 11.00pm and the whole place was just restful 'cause all the late-night venues are up at the back away from the seafront. Fish and chips at the quay front pub rounded off the perfect Saturday night.

We climbed Michael's Mount next day. Great views and worth taking the little boat out. Not everyone's favourite as it's practically vertical but it is called a mount after all, I'm not sure what some people expect really.

That day we headed up the west coast. Craggy and extremely different from the seaside towns. Porthcowan, Padstow, St Ives and Boscastle, the latter three are total tourist haunts and not much fun. Porthcowan has the cable museum which is fascinating and is next to the eccentric and beautiful Minette theatre. The gardens alone are beautiful and watching a show there must be incredible.

Our last night was spent up at Tintagel. Now where do I start with that. We stayed in what is reputed to be a scientologist-owned hotel - we didn't know that when we booked. The Camelot Castle is a funny old place. A big railway-style hotel blotting a beautiful place, but still, it has its attractions. The ensuites are portashowers stuck in the great big rooms, but the sunset is to die for. Just do not stay more than one night. You've done it in one night. Also forget paying to see the pile of rocks that is supposed to be Camelot, walk out on to the promontory opposite, you get a much better view.

I had heard people talk about Cornwall and how beautiful it is, but I had not expected such breathtaking and romantic moments. I am from Scotland and I never thought I would see anywhere as theatrically stunning, but I think Cornwall is it. I can't wait to go back.

Cannes time

I'm heading out to Cannes as part of the Short Film Corner and taking some footage from my unfinished short film, Stripping Victor, to show to anyone who will watch. It is new territory for me as I usually go as a journalist and I'm looking forward to learning a lot.

I'm expecting less of a splash than the last blockbuster festival back in 2006 though Tarantino and Brad will be there, well not that any of us will be mixing with them. In 2006, a big Da Vinci Code marketing machine moved in but the recent cash constraints are likely to make the huge events a bit thin on the ground this year. Cannes is still such a magical celebration of film though and I seriously want to see Looking for Eric with Mr Cantona himself. Wow, will that one cause a stir on La Croisette. The last time I saw a French football star appear in person out there, it was mayhem.

I'll keep posting my experiences. I think this year will be fun.

Fadin' out

Dorset: the movie location

My holiday recently was wonderful. Such a gorgeous Autumn week weatherwise, crisp and dewy in the morning and warm and still in the afternoon. It made walking around and seeing the sights such a pleasure.

We started near Bath in the loveliest little country hotel, moved on to Dorset and finished on the south coast at Weymouth at a very trendy style B&B or B+B in their case. Wall to wall Ikea, literally.

On the way we must have seen so many film locations it was incredible. Some of them were closed to the public, at this time of the year it is taking a chance to go along to them without checking first. Chettle House was one of them, Dyrham House another, though we did walk around the deer park there. It was used in Remains of the Day. We happened upon Milton Abbas, a model village with an amazing history, all related to this place Milton Abbey which is now a school. Worth reading the history of this place.

This was one of my favourite Dorset locations though, Athelhampton House where they are shooting From Time to Time directed by Julian Fellowes. I'm keen to go have dinner there sometime. The gardens look amazing.

It has all spurred me on a little to get something together for this competition sponsored by Alfonso Cuaron. It sounds like a challenge and I only have short time, so it will be quite raw, but I'm keen. I'll keep you posted.

Fadin' out...

RIP Paul Newman

If there ever was anyone who proved that the eyes are the windows to the soul it has to be you. Bright, clear and sensitive. A quietly philanthropic man, who has done so much for charity without making sure it was slapped all over the papers.

And you played some of the most iconic characters on film: Butch, Luke, Lew Harper, Henry Gondorff, Eddie Felson and, my favourite of all his roles, Frank Galvin in The Verdict. Could it get much cooler?

We'll miss you.

There was no fat lady singing

coliseum_front,
originally uploaded by enowebmaster.

We went along to the opera last night Cav & Pag at the Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. Really good evening. The performance was incredible, very emotional because both of the operas are really sad. The Coliseum is wonderful though. Very stately. All in all a great night out.

This weekend was Open House weekend, where you can gain free access to interstesting buildings even private homes. We went along to one of those in the afternoon. An architect's house called Loth House. Quite something, it is just up the road from St Pancras International in a quiet little street. His office is in the basement of his own home and he has a small garden out back with a lovely little waterfall. It was a really cool space.

Of course, we were so close to St Pancras we just had to head down there to have some champagne before going out. The champagne bar is really cool actually, you're right in the thick of things. It reminds you of the time when rail travel was the upper class way to travel. I recommend spending half an hour in there, you really are watching the world go by.

Fadin' out...

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Open hair day

I had my hair done today, now I know that might seem boring to you but it has been five months with my grey roots coming in, yes Madonna gets those died dark, and I feel I can earn enough now to cover the cost. Those were the two important considerations. I go here la Kutt Zone. It's not just a salon, it's a great experience.

Anyway this weekend is open house weekend so I get to go nosey around in architects' lovely houses, the ones that I would never see unless I were invited to dinner, which is not likely to happen any time soon. Check out Open House London to find some venues you might want to have a look at.

I do wonder at the Bank of England still being on the list though, with all that has happened this week. Do they really want irate investors and customers in the building? Annoyed mortgage payers may take up residence, if foreclosure on their own property is an option. The Bank building may be a bit hard to heat though, but the echo when you sing in the shower would be good.

Fadin' out...