29/02/2020

Trying to Find Film Opportunities/Funds? Click Here!!

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happy leap year day! wow, we're not gonna have another one of these for a while so let's celebrate (I'm doing that by chilling in my pyjamas and trying to work out how to fix my broken phone lol)!

these past few days have been really nice! today I went around Birmingham with a friend and I bought some good CDs, yesterday we saw the 1975 in Manchester and the day before I was in Manchester again which is the reason for this blog post!

I went to an event organised and hosted by Screen Skills who help people get experience and jobs in the film industry, in basically all sectors of work! This post isn't anything to do with them, but I wanted to basically pass on some information I learnt to pass on to you guys!

I love days like these where you can meet others, watch films, hear what people have to say, and leave feeling inspired (and omg the chairs got so uncomfy after nearly 5 hours say in them hahah). It was led at The Shed inside Manchester Metropolitan University which is such a cool big space!

I went to 3 talks. The first was with the BBC Writers Room and looked at what they have on offer as well as how to create and promote short form stories through predominantly social media platforms. Basically the videos that pop up on Facebook or instagram and can be clips from TV shows or individual stories on their own! Here are 2 examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km1Lk6fwMsE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKHIYnFFqoY

To sum up the session with tips: digital short form is something made to be typically viewed on a mobile device, it needs to be snappy and something made specifically for social media that traditional media forms. 80% of people watch videos without sound (I'm one of them) so subtitles are a must! You've got 3 seconds to grab your audience or they'll scroll on, watch the Binbagged video above for a good example!

The session wasn't actually what I expected at all, but it was actually super interesting and possible a good place to start if you're wanting to get into comedy film making or just want to make your short ideas as much as a reality as your other ones!

But whilst we're here, I'll properly mention the BBC Writers Room! It's a great place I recommend you research and also either like on Facebook or follow on twitter for updates and great opportunities for writing which pop up allll the time!!

The second thing I went to was run by film hub north and the BFI network regional talent fund. And the third was by Creative England who were there with their most recent Short Flix applicants!

I learnt a lot of names from these 2 sessions, and they're the main reason I'm here sharing with you today. it can be so hard to get an idea up and running, but hopefully a quick google and an email with one of these will get you off into a good direction!

The BFI mentioned 2 funds:

Short Film Fund - You can ask for up to £15k for a project that runs up to 15minutes. You also get access to screening platforms and they help with development!

Early Feature Development - You can ask for up to £1.5k to help develop your feature film being written!

They also told us to set up a BFI Network Postroom Account so you do it too!!

And through some special guests mentioning things and Creative England, here are some more possible helping hands for you:

New Creatives - Something the BBC have set up, so keep up to date with things happening! - http://callingtheshots.co.uk/newcreatives/

Funny Women, Short Film Competition - Funny Women is a fab organisation, and if you are wanting to create more comedy films and feel you are the funny one, a great thing to keep up with! An amazing director/actor/queen called Sally Cancello was at the event and mentioned it, so if you see yourself making comical things, she's a good one to watch! - https://funnywomen.com/about/

South Yorkshire Film Network - If it's where you're based, might as well check it out! - https://syfn.org

Arts Council - A big name you've probably heard of. They support and fund arts of all kinds so give them a research and see how they can help you! - https://www.artscouncil.org.uk

Creative England, Short Flix - Another big name, but they host some fantastic things to help discover talent! They mainly spoke to us about the Short Flix section which sounds fab and I'm gonna apply, but on the page I've linked, there are so many great opportunities so keep checking the page! - https://www.creativeengland.co.uk/uncover-talent/


So there are some names and bits I learnt which may help you or inspire you! Like I said, going to things like this really shifts my focus and pushes me to do more! Even if there is nothing for you, it's good to keep up to date with these sort of places as you never know when the perfect opportunity for you may arise!

Some things may only be for certain parts of the country too, so bare that in mind, and other bits may only be for certain ages. I'm sorry, it annoys me too, and I may write about it one day, but for now, keep your head up and your eyes peeled for great opportunities! If you know of any, please write them in the comments for people to see!

Keep going good stuff and stay creative! You too future anna!

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11/02/2020

Did I Predict the 92nd Oscar Winners?

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hello and welcome to the aftermath of the 92nd Oscars awards show, woo.

last week, James and I chatted on the podcast about who we think might win the different categories at the oscars! I thought it would be cool to go through each category now we know the winners and compare my original thoughts! 

listen to/read the previous post before you look at this one if you want: https://annasnothere.blogspot.com/2020/02/are-film-awards-shows-still-needed.html


BEST PICTURE

My Thoughts: Joker/1917

Winner: Parasite

OMG WHAT A HISTORICAL NIGHT!!! At the time of giving my thoughts, I hadn't seen Parasite as it hadn't been released in the UK. But after having seen it, wow, what a deserved win! All the films in this category were really up there, and unlike some years where you can really guess the winner, we really were given a fab selection this year. Congrats to the Parasite team, and let's keep foreign language films in all cinemas so everyone can appreciate stories from all over the world. I really love subtitled films, especially in the cinema. You really enter into someones world, and it's amazing that the world of Parasite won the night overall.


BEST DIRECTOR

My Thoughts: Todd Phillips / Sam Mendes

Winner: Bong Joon-ho

Again, I refer to my previous comment, wow to all the directors, but a big bloody (no pun intended) congrats to Bong!!!


BEST ACTRESS

My Thoughts: Renee Zellweger

Winner: Renee Zellweger

Yasss I guessed it! I adore Renee, and she is absolutely out of this world as Judy!


BEST ACTOR

My Thoughts: Joaquin Phoenix (special shoutout to Taron Egerton!!!)

Winner: Joaquin Phoenix

Again, I'm on a roll hun!! Joaquin really put his absolute everything in to play the Joker, and he completely made the film.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

My Thoughts: Florence Pugh

Winner: Laura Dern

I ain't mad as all the ladies deserved it, it was definitely a tough one. I love Florence, but I also love Laura Dern in Marriage story, so well deserved!


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

My Thoughts: Tom Hanks - A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood / Anthony Hopkins - The Two Popes (special shoutout to Sam Rockwell, omg yes hun!!!)

Winner: Brad Pitt - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

I kinda expected this result, even though I would've chosen other winners. Doesn't mean I didn't like Brad, I'm super happy for him, but everyone in this category was fab!


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

My Thoughts: 1917 - Roger Deakins

Winner: 1917 - Roger Deakins

YES ROGER LAD!!!!!


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

My Thoughts: Knives Out / Marriage Story

Winner: Parasite - Bong Joon-ho & Han Jin Won

Again, I hadn't seen Parasite at the time, but now I know it truly deserves its win! But how amazing to have such a year of new and diverse stories that people wanted to tell!


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

My Thoughts: Little Women / The Two Popes

Winner: Jojo Rabbit - Taika Waititi

What another moment for the history books! the first indigenous filmmaker to win an Oscar!! He said in his speech:

"I dedicate this to all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art and dance and write stories... We are the original storytellers and we can make it here as well."


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

My Thoughts: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Winner: Toy Story 4

Shame about the dragons, but props for the film series we all love and adore and cry every time in number 3 to!


BEST ORIGINAL SONG

My Thoughts: (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again - Rocketman / Into the Unknown - Frozen 2 / Stand Up - Harriet

Winner: (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again - Rocketman (Elton John & Bernie Taupin)

So many good tunes!!! but yep, totally agree with the win for Rocketman!


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

My Thoughts: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker / Marriage Story

Winner: Joker - Hildur Guðnadóttir

unexpected, but congrats! I love the underdog winning (meaning, Joker wasn't high up to win this one, so amazing they get the recognition they deserve)!


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

My Thoughts: The Lion King / Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker


Winner: 1917

Interesting. I'm not disappointed, I just feel some films from this past year have been so SFX heavy (e.g. Star Wars, Endgame, etc), so I think it's interesting that they chose 1917. But it really makes me wanna look into the behind the scenes of it more!


BEST FILM EDITING

My Thoughts: Ford V Ferrari

Winner: Ford V Ferrari

Yass hun, called it!


BEST COSTUME DESIGN

My Thoughts: Little Women - Jacqueline Durran / Jojo Rabbit - Mayes C Rubeo

Winner: Little Women - Jacqueline Durran

those dresses deserve every award!!! can I have one please??


BEST SOUND EDITING

My Thoughts: Ford V Ferrari - Donald Sylvester

Winner: Ford V Ferrari - Donald Sylvester

those vroom vroom noises were spot on!!


BEST SOUND MIXING

My Thoughts: Ford V Ferrari / Joker

Winner: 1917 - Mark Taylor & Stuart Wilson

to create such a realistic war zone through sound must look like an easy task, but I bet it's the biggest challenge, so all my respect to the 1917 team!


BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

My Thoughts: Once Upon A Time in Hollywood - Barbara Ling & Nancy Haigh / Jojo Rabbit - Ra Vincent & Nora Sopkova

Winner: Once Upon A Time in Hollywood - Barbara Ling & Nancy Haigh

HOW DO THEY ACTUALLY DO IT?? LIKE HOW DO THEY MAKE ROADS LOOK OLD AND JUST EVERYTHING SO WOW?? so so so totally deserved and respected! (p.s. those questions are rhetorical, I need to know please!!)


BEST MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING

My Thoughts: Bombshell - Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan & Vivian Baker

Winner: Bombshell - Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan & Vivian Baker

yes yes yes!!! still not over that film!!


we mention in the podcast that we've not seen everything so I haven't been able to comment on about 3, but that doesn't mean those aren't important! I'm trying to source the short films to see and support, so you should too!

so I scored 9/18, 50% ain't bad! but luckily I didn't bet hahaha! might've only just broken even!

This Oscars time has been an odd one. the whole of twitter was MAD when no female directors were nominated, but now we've had the show, and some historic wins have taken place, everyone seems to be very chill. I'm obviously so so happy for all the nominees and winners, but like in my previous blog post, I feel awards shows can have a negative effect on films, suggesting the ones that aren't nominated aren't good enough. But after this show, I really hope people keep creating, telling stories, and being their authentic selves, and don't let something like this get them down. I'm gonna keep writing. I'm gonna be inspired by my favourite films from the past year, a lot amazing and not nominated. let's show them that the steretypical person shouldn't be the only person nominated. we have voices and important stories, and we'll be on the list one day.

keep going future anna, you're doing fab!

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07/02/2020

Are Film Awards Shows Still Needed?


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Hello and welcome to the 92nd Oscars, where still only 5 women have been nominated for best director in that time, with only 1 of them winning. Cute!!!!!

Last year, or maybe the year before, I wrote a blog post saying how I felt that the awards shows were fair, and if the people nominated were the best people, then they were obviously the best people and that's that. But when the nominations were revealed this year, I felt that so many good films were missing. What the heck??? I'm not saying that the people nominated don't deserve to be there, I'm saying that how is it still only a certain type of person to be nominated/win when so many incredible stories were told this past year, and they deserve just as much recognition, if not more!

The most recent episode of the podcast follows James and I, and some great others, looking at this year's Oscars and who we think/would like to win!! Listen here: https://closeupculture.com/2020/02/05/listen-to-our-oscars-2020-picks-and-predictions/

I thought it would be interesting to talk about my thoughts on awards shows here, just before the Oscars begins this year!

So, where to begin?

It's a dream to go to the Oscars one day, any awards show really. To be dressed up and in a room with so many great people would be fantastic, however I hate the idea that people and films are kinda pitted against each other. It suggests that films the academy hasn't seen, or didn't get to the final round aren't good. It makes me sad to think works of art that people spend so much time and effort on are cast to the side, to celebrate just 1 or 2 good films for a night.

People put their heart and soul into telling stories and becoming characters, yet they aren't all celebrated. Sure, people say awards don't matter, but it must feel awful to be picked as one of 5 people to represent a category, but then not win overall.

I enjoy awards season! We get to see some amazing outfits and our favourite stars meeting, but I hate that people we've never met who get to choose who is better than the others in each category. Is it luck? What the voters prefer? I hate that the world bases their film tastes for the next few weeks on these results, even if they've not seen the films themselves. Have your own opinion. Especially after what was discovered happens with the BAFTA voting: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51345085 (also who decided to name the category: best film not in the English language?? Haha I think it's funny)

I guess this is all a bit random and not properly laid out, but I hope I'm putting my point across that an award doesn't mean anything really. Sure it's lovely to get them, have memorable speeches, meme moments and a bit of glam, but if everyone got an award who deserved one, we'd be having an Oscars ceremony every night.

I want to say congratulations to the nominees, and those people who thought they might be up there. Your day will come, keep doing what you're doing! But as long as you're telling good stories and inspiring people, you are winning. You don't need a gold man to prove that.

To the winners, congratulations as well, you're obviously amazing, but make what you do count!

Yeah, those were some thoughts. I am not staying up to watch the show, I'll look on twitter the morning after and see what happened. Enjoy sleeping future anna!

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