Hello Bloggers
I'm totally aware that I havnt blogged in months, this has been due to a few things. The main being that I became broke and couldnt renew the domain name.....kinda stupid I know, the other reason is that I havnt had much filmy going on since I left Stoke......until now! I just entered "Marionette" into the Exposures Film Festival over in Manchester and fingers crossed it will get selected! I'm hoping that this will be the first of many festivals that it's entered into. Even if it doesnt get selected I'm definately heading over to Exposures as last year it was absolutely brilliant and a great place to just chill out watch films and think up new ideas.
I recently started a new job so I have some funds to play with (kind of) and at the moment I'm trying to get some ideas down for a new short, I have plenty of half formed monsters buzzing around the thinktank but I'd like to do something a little different, so watch this space.
I'm also in the process of procuring a new camera and I wanna get out and photograph more and build up that side of my portfolio whilst I look for the ever illusive media job. I should be heading down to Kent to visit my lovely other half in mid September and I was hoping to get to the Lydden Hill to get some crackin shots of Rallycross, new camera permitting. Before I head off for my shift at work here is a little video that I feel needs to be seen.
I believe everything the lovely bearded man says and yet.......I'm still yearning for a Canon! Im gonna try keep blogging regularly and I'm hoping that by my next blog I'll have a new exciting idea to explain but until then it's the 9-5 for me!
Cheers
Rich
Friday, 19 August 2011
Friday, 17 June 2011
Marionette is Online
Hello Bloggers
Well I have now officially finished the BA Media (Film) Production course here at Stafforshire University. I am currently posting in a room that consists of my laptop a bare empty desk and a hell of a lot of boxes as tomorrow I depart from Stoke-On-Trent for the last time. It's a very weird feeling indeed knowing that after three years of calling this place home it now isnt and all the people who made it so fun and enjoyable are now scattered hundreds of apart across the country and in some cases the world. I am however really excited about what's on the horizon, I have begun applying for jobs and will hopefully be employed pronto but if I have taken anything from my time here in Stoke, it's that making short films are something I am never going to stop making. Now Marionette has been put to bed (it will be hitting festivals) I am looking for my next directorial project and have a few ideas bouncing about. However before that the upload of Marionette has to be pushed like crazy so here you go.
Before I hit the hay for the last time here in Stokeyland I just wanna say a massive thanks and goodbye to everyone here at Staffs especially the Media Centre crew who have helped me out of more jams than I can count and to all my housemates for putting up with all the massive amount of kit that filled our tiny living room and for all the troubles and scrapes they had to get me out of.
Cheers Guys
Rich
Well I have now officially finished the BA Media (Film) Production course here at Stafforshire University. I am currently posting in a room that consists of my laptop a bare empty desk and a hell of a lot of boxes as tomorrow I depart from Stoke-On-Trent for the last time. It's a very weird feeling indeed knowing that after three years of calling this place home it now isnt and all the people who made it so fun and enjoyable are now scattered hundreds of apart across the country and in some cases the world. I am however really excited about what's on the horizon, I have begun applying for jobs and will hopefully be employed pronto but if I have taken anything from my time here in Stoke, it's that making short films are something I am never going to stop making. Now Marionette has been put to bed (it will be hitting festivals) I am looking for my next directorial project and have a few ideas bouncing about. However before that the upload of Marionette has to be pushed like crazy so here you go.
Before I hit the hay for the last time here in Stokeyland I just wanna say a massive thanks and goodbye to everyone here at Staffs especially the Media Centre crew who have helped me out of more jams than I can count and to all my housemates for putting up with all the massive amount of kit that filled our tiny living room and for all the troubles and scrapes they had to get me out of.
Cheers Guys
Rich
Friday, 27 May 2011
What's Been Going On
Hello Bloggers
I can't believe I haven't posted anything in almost a month but I have been super busy working on the cut of Marionette and finishing my BA Media (Film) Production degree. Marionette is now finally in it's final stages, I submitted a work in progress cut for my final assessments and when watching it on the big screen realised that the grading was really not what I wanted. The colours looked a little washed out and it really wasn't the sci-fi filmic look that I was striving for in pre-production. So today was spent going through the film giving it a slight green tinge and darking the blacks. The result is so much better than before and I'm much happier with it. I got to say a massive thanks to Adam Georgiou for letting me use his Magic Bullet Mojo plug in on FCP. All that really needs to be the film now before release is to touch up the special effects on a few shots and just check for any minor glitches that I might have missed.
Although my course is finished it kind of isn't, Marionette is getting screened at the BFI Film Theatre here in Stoke-On-Trent on the 10th June and I have spent the last few days designing promotional material for the film. Below is the A1 board that will grace the lobby of the Flaxman Building here at Staffordshire University, I am really happy with the overall look as it promotes not only the film but me as well and I will admit that I'm a junkie for self promotion. I decided to drop the initial poster idea as it doesn't show any of the nice stills that were taken on set and doesn't really explain much about the film. The portrait poster with Richard Hand, our Jack Ridley, on is probably my favourite as it just looks so good.
I am finally returning home this weekend for a short break and short rest. I got tickets to see The Kills at Leeds University and I really cant wait but I'm sure come next Wednesday I'll be slaving away on Marionette but it's not a chore as every little tweak makes the film that little bit better. Feel free to leave feedback on the posters and I'll update next week.
Cheers
I can't believe I haven't posted anything in almost a month but I have been super busy working on the cut of Marionette and finishing my BA Media (Film) Production degree. Marionette is now finally in it's final stages, I submitted a work in progress cut for my final assessments and when watching it on the big screen realised that the grading was really not what I wanted. The colours looked a little washed out and it really wasn't the sci-fi filmic look that I was striving for in pre-production. So today was spent going through the film giving it a slight green tinge and darking the blacks. The result is so much better than before and I'm much happier with it. I got to say a massive thanks to Adam Georgiou for letting me use his Magic Bullet Mojo plug in on FCP. All that really needs to be the film now before release is to touch up the special effects on a few shots and just check for any minor glitches that I might have missed.
Although my course is finished it kind of isn't, Marionette is getting screened at the BFI Film Theatre here in Stoke-On-Trent on the 10th June and I have spent the last few days designing promotional material for the film. Below is the A1 board that will grace the lobby of the Flaxman Building here at Staffordshire University, I am really happy with the overall look as it promotes not only the film but me as well and I will admit that I'm a junkie for self promotion. I decided to drop the initial poster idea as it doesn't show any of the nice stills that were taken on set and doesn't really explain much about the film. The portrait poster with Richard Hand, our Jack Ridley, on is probably my favourite as it just looks so good.
I am finally returning home this weekend for a short break and short rest. I got tickets to see The Kills at Leeds University and I really cant wait but I'm sure come next Wednesday I'll be slaving away on Marionette but it's not a chore as every little tweak makes the film that little bit better. Feel free to leave feedback on the posters and I'll update next week.
Cheers
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Marionette Progress
Hello Bloggerians
I realise that it's been almost a month since my last post. Recently some personal issues have been taking precedence over Marionette and my other creative works but I am once again slaving away on the flick. A rough edit was completed today with the footage looking really sweet, no re shoots needed and nothing was missing which is awesome! As the film is now laid down in it's basic form the hard work for me is over as it's now just a case of extending clips or cutting them, adding music and sfx and tweaking like a pro.
I am going to begin working on that teaser trailer I promised like a month ago and that should be on vimeo by the middle of next week. However below is an early poster concept I threw together over the Easter holiday, I was really going for a minimalist, retro look, please leave your feedback and tell me what you think.
Cheers
Rich
I realise that it's been almost a month since my last post. Recently some personal issues have been taking precedence over Marionette and my other creative works but I am once again slaving away on the flick. A rough edit was completed today with the footage looking really sweet, no re shoots needed and nothing was missing which is awesome! As the film is now laid down in it's basic form the hard work for me is over as it's now just a case of extending clips or cutting them, adding music and sfx and tweaking like a pro.
I am going to begin working on that teaser trailer I promised like a month ago and that should be on vimeo by the middle of next week. However below is an early poster concept I threw together over the Easter holiday, I was really going for a minimalist, retro look, please leave your feedback and tell me what you think.
Cheers
Rich
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Showreel 2011 (v1)
Hello Bloggers
I am back after a haircut and lots of sleeping, however you can't call me lazy as I have finally put together my 2011 showreel. This is version one as I am awaiting some ice hockey footage from a fellow student here at Staffs until then a few more shots of my Red Bull X-Fighters 2010 Entry will have to do. The showreel contains quite a lot of footage from last weeks "Marionette" shoot (nothing with any spoilers in obviously!) and I got to say I am really excited to start putting it all together later this coming week. The track used on the showreel is Jon Hopkin's "Candles" from one of my favorite films of 2010 "Monsters" if you haven't seen it yet, stop reading what I'm rambling on about and get yourself to blockbuster or something! Speaking of music I have sourced a track that I think would be awesome for the "Marionette" trailer and fingers crossed said trailer will be up on vimeo by this time next week.
I will update on Marionette's progress later in the week.
Enjoy
I am back after a haircut and lots of sleeping, however you can't call me lazy as I have finally put together my 2011 showreel. This is version one as I am awaiting some ice hockey footage from a fellow student here at Staffs until then a few more shots of my Red Bull X-Fighters 2010 Entry will have to do. The showreel contains quite a lot of footage from last weeks "Marionette" shoot (nothing with any spoilers in obviously!) and I got to say I am really excited to start putting it all together later this coming week. The track used on the showreel is Jon Hopkin's "Candles" from one of my favorite films of 2010 "Monsters" if you haven't seen it yet, stop reading what I'm rambling on about and get yourself to blockbuster or something! Speaking of music I have sourced a track that I think would be awesome for the "Marionette" trailer and fingers crossed said trailer will be up on vimeo by this time next week.
Showreel 2011 from Richard Stephenson on Vimeo.
I will update on Marionette's progress later in the week.
Enjoy
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Marionette is Shot
Hello Bloggers
This week was the production week for Marionette and what a week. After some serious trouble with other projects earlier this week, I was certain that Marionette simple wouldn't happen, but how wrong I was. The first day was excellent we shot all the exterior of the location in lovely sunny Nantwich along with some interior scenes and today was all about the key creation scene of the film. I firstly have to say a huge thanks to all my cast and crew, Orla Mullan, Richard Hand, Marco El Gabry, Ewan Dyer, Kallan Treadwell, DeeDee Carey, Ben & Paul Spencer and Bobby the Dog. You guys cheered me up so much and really went above and beyond the call of duty, so cheers. Below is the wrap photo (unfortunately some crew couldnt make both days)
I wont be touching the footage until next Monday as Marionette was the last of the trio to be filmed and I am pooped! I've been awake far too long this week and plan to become human again over the weekend, and I'll enter the edit with a full of energy and enthusiasm. More updates will be coming in a few days.
Cheers
Rich
This week was the production week for Marionette and what a week. After some serious trouble with other projects earlier this week, I was certain that Marionette simple wouldn't happen, but how wrong I was. The first day was excellent we shot all the exterior of the location in lovely sunny Nantwich along with some interior scenes and today was all about the key creation scene of the film. I firstly have to say a huge thanks to all my cast and crew, Orla Mullan, Richard Hand, Marco El Gabry, Ewan Dyer, Kallan Treadwell, DeeDee Carey, Ben & Paul Spencer and Bobby the Dog. You guys cheered me up so much and really went above and beyond the call of duty, so cheers. Below is the wrap photo (unfortunately some crew couldnt make both days)
I wont be touching the footage until next Monday as Marionette was the last of the trio to be filmed and I am pooped! I've been awake far too long this week and plan to become human again over the weekend, and I'll enter the edit with a full of energy and enthusiasm. More updates will be coming in a few days.
Cheers
Rich
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Test Shoot
Hi Bloggers
I have just finished a fantastic test shoot/ rehearsal today with the awesome Richard Hand and the lovely Orla Mullan. I firstly have to thank them for coming to lovely sunny Stoke and a massive thanks to Marco El Gabry a level 2 student here at Staffs who saved my bacon and helped out today. As the weather was so good today I decided to hold the rehearsal in the local park and it's been a nice relaxed day. We had some strong reads of the script, talked over some ideas and a great costume test.
We also took some photos for one of the sets and shot some home video style footage that will crop up in the film. It has been a fun packed day and it was great to get to know Orla and Richard a bit better and to let my Sam Ridley meet Jack Ridley. Judging from the amount of chatter over lunch I think the two were getting along fine. I am now super excited to shoot Marionette and I'm really looking forward to working with Richard, Orla and Len in just under two weeks time. Before then however we have A Baked Mess which roles into production on Sunday...eeek! The production is looking pretty strong and myself and director Steven Cooper are really just waiting to get shooting. I will update on Monday when Baked wraps with all the news and info.
Cheers
Rich
I have just finished a fantastic test shoot/ rehearsal today with the awesome Richard Hand and the lovely Orla Mullan. I firstly have to thank them for coming to lovely sunny Stoke and a massive thanks to Marco El Gabry a level 2 student here at Staffs who saved my bacon and helped out today. As the weather was so good today I decided to hold the rehearsal in the local park and it's been a nice relaxed day. We had some strong reads of the script, talked over some ideas and a great costume test.
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| Richard looking scary! |
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| Orla hugging the trees in Hanley Park. |
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| My personal favorite director's pose. |
We also took some photos for one of the sets and shot some home video style footage that will crop up in the film. It has been a fun packed day and it was great to get to know Orla and Richard a bit better and to let my Sam Ridley meet Jack Ridley. Judging from the amount of chatter over lunch I think the two were getting along fine. I am now super excited to shoot Marionette and I'm really looking forward to working with Richard, Orla and Len in just under two weeks time. Before then however we have A Baked Mess which roles into production on Sunday...eeek! The production is looking pretty strong and myself and director Steven Cooper are really just waiting to get shooting. I will update on Monday when Baked wraps with all the news and info.
Cheers
Rich
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