Just showing Helen of Jack Drum Arts the joys of multiple blogging, twittering, facebooking and Flickering and whatever elsing

Hey Tweet your Twitter Up

Nearly all scenes are in the can so the editing has now begun. So to keep you interested here are a few behind the scenes glimpses.

You can take a look at the Skinningove set here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkKtVXcnLwk

And creating voice overs and ambiences here http://tvcm.co.uk/vienna/loose-ends-before-we-go/

The second one is part of our video diary because Barry and I are off to Vienna for a two week series of workshops. The edits will be done there.

You can follow our video diary here: http://tvcm.co.uk/vienna/

"Can't I get some decent staff to work with: poets and bloody parish councillors - other people get professionals - what do I get, bloody poets and parish councillors!!"

Straad Tomsen - Director

Shit ! - this virtual movie making is growing more like Hollywood every day. An embarrasing on set account has leaked to Facebook with some unauthorised stills from the production (low res as you'd expect). http://www.facebook.com//note.php?note_id=247317871177

Steve T

All the locations have been scouted for the new production. I visited today with a lady called Samantha Glume who has built a great Space Station Sim. She gave us the green light to shoot there and when I explained one of the shots she gave me permissions to pilot the space shuttle. Only then I realised that I could not fly the shuttle as I would be shooting the scene. She agreed to give one of my troupe the perms. So, who should it be? Well why not a VIP pilot? so I summoned up Ashok Kumar MP and he was given his “wings” (see pic). On reflection I wondered if it should be Cllr Mike Findley as he is the “Flying Mayor” but perhaps he could have a cameo shot.

Shooting starts this week with a full day of sessions on 8th and more on 11th. We still need more avatar drivers (actors). If you’d like to be involved please go to http://www.doodle.com/bghz9pxwcbmwuzrpand tick all the dates you could do.

Hello All,

I've been making some more progress with the movie. I’ve been buying up some props and I have a sleek spaceship to fly Inspector Bell out of Skinnimngrove . I also have a couple of suspended animation chambers for Mk 1 and Mk 2.

Arthur Vadors two sidekicks are now on board. It was kinda funny having to give each of them some money to go buy their outfits (see pics) The lads are bald in the first shot as I had not yet supplied their rugs.

The Skinningrove Village square set is coming along nicely except for the fact that I accidentally turned Paul Li’s beautiful backdrop into concrete! Still, I had a great visit and chat this morning (inworld) with a guy called Markus. I was shopping around for a Holodeck or a scene for our existing Holodeck to shoot the star-ship scene in. Markus offered to build us a huge Holodeck surrounding the set onto which we would past the Skinningrove real world backdrop. Markus sells these things but he said he’d loan us one for the movie shoot. He also pointed out the significance of 2010 – A Space Odyssey – wonder if we could incorporate a nod and a wink to that? We’re going to need some panoramic pics of the Skinningrove backdrop. Any of the photographers among us up for that? I need couple of voice characterisations. I’ve decided to voice Arthur myself as I’ve already provided his resisting of arrest outbursts in Loftus Police station (that’s another story). I need a couple of mean sounding voices with demonic laughter for Arthurs White Lightning Troupers.. Any volunteers? I’d prefer to record it all on Teesside in one go.

That’s all for now. Happy New Year everyone.

Steve T
Straad T

Steve Thompson
Community Media Manager
Institute of Digital Innovation
Teesside University
M - 07795 826953
E - s.d.thompson@tees.ac.uk
W - www.steve-thompson.org.uk

The Skinningrove Village Square set is coming along nicely http://slurl.com/secondlife/TeesLife/110/185/148

Meanwhile I've been scouting locations for other scenes and have come across a great location for the Classroom Scene. All the childrens voices (Whiteclffe Primary) and the Police anwers are in the can so we're good to go. The location is Kinsford Academy and the owners of the Sim have kindly consented to the movie shoot. It's a role play sim so we could be able to recruit some child actors for the parts. One, Sesame March is already on board and she's done Machinima before. That still leaves 4 adult roles to be played, that of the head teacher and 3 policemen. If you want to be involved and haven't allready done so please go to the Doodle http://www.doodle.com/bghz9pxwcbmwuzrp or the Wiki http://straad2010.wikispaces.com/ and let us know ALL the dates you copuld be available for the shooting of scenes. (All times GMT)

Straad T

Yesterday I watched a craftsman, Paul Li, at work. I learned so much just watching and was inspired to improve my own build. The Skinningrove set is well on it's way now as you can see by visiting http://slurl.com/secondlife/TeesLife/110/185/148 or looking at the accompanying pictures. You'll see by one of the pics I've added a production trailor, gotta keep the crew comfy. Dates for shooting will be early in the New Year and will be published shortly.

All the best

Straad T

Hello,

Arthur Vador has arrived (see pic). Perhaps he needs ugglying up a bit? His name in SL is Vador Abbot if you want to friend him (shame on you)

I made a boob with the set which I've got around by moving the it 40 metres higher (wish I could lose all my mistakes that way) It's here now http://slurl.com/secondlife/TeesLife/109/193/148 - sorry Kate there is now a piece of Timms Coffee House roof floating 100 m over the University of the Year !

With the script cleared we're ready to start recording the dialogue but my audio device went on the blink and I had to drive to Newcastle for a replacement. Big UPP to Sounds Live for help. www.soundslive.co.uk

Whilst in Newcastle I naturally had a nice lunch (Big UPP to Uno's Trattoria). Kinda strange to dine alone among so many office xmas get togethers. However I used the solitude to re-consider the script and I hit upon a new opening scene which I think will set it off much better. I took Arthur to the Wastelands last night where I want to shoot this scene and he got booted out for being a newbie. Typecasting allready huh?

Straad T