How to make a film . . .

How to make a film?

Step One:
Go off on your own with a pad and a pencil and have an idea for a story.

 Write it down (It doesn't have to be beautifully finished just grab the basic characters, plot points and events)

The reason you don't have to worry too much about the finer details at this point is because it will be completed by the director when he does his storyboards, decides what he can and cannot film on location, and works out what his actors can and cannot do!

Of course, if you want to present the story as a book then you'd better get writing in depth and find yourself a great editor to make it perfect with you.

Step Two:

Walk up to a) a Film Director or b) a Director of Cinematography or c) (and this would be preferable), a multi-millionaire who is one or both of the other things.  I went for option a).

Having approached the film director, or whomever, you then need to talk about your story in such a way as to appeal to their imagination and coax them to say "ooh, yes! We could make a film of that!"

Of course, at this stage, you will be thinking small and uncomplicated thoughts about a few people making a nice video like the ones you make with your mobile, or even like the ones your dad used to make with one cine camera in the back garden!

Step Three:

Take a deep breath .... the director will now bring into being a whole crew of people with the most amazing sets of terrifying talent and technical skills. 

They will walk about confidently saying things like "oh yes that can be made to fly!" and "Oh, I can airbrush that!" and before you know it they'll be looking at you like you're some kind of Industry Executive ... just smile and say yes a lot, they like that!

Steve Locsy is an unbelievably visionary special effects makeup artist - the fantasty demon monsters in Heartsfelled couldn't be being given their faces by anybody better - Steve is launching his own theatrical and film sfx makeup business and we are just privileged beyond belief to have him on our crew.
I'll feature Steve and each of the crew members individually in later blogs.

 Hair Dresser Mark Brown is another person with the gift of creative vision - not only does he do the best gentlemen's hair in all of Bedfordshire, but when his imagination is sparked he turns ordinary folk into fantasy characters as if by magic ....

Heeeeeeere's Nealy.  What a special and beautiful soul NEaly is.  She has trained in makeup and beauty but is now setting out her stall to become a tv and film makeup and special effects makeup artist with a special interest in scars and injuries (think about all those hospital programmes and the myriad of film and tv series where she could ply her trade).
Nealy is in training but raring to go and again it is a genuine privilege to have her on our crew.

Jack Wilderspin is a director in the making.  I cannot wait to do a blog about Jack in his own right.

For us he is working as cinematographer alongside our Director of Cinematography Zak Wylde Holland.

I will tell you about our actors and other good things in Friday's blog.  In the meantime here is a "Show Reel" from Jack.  If you don't know (and I did not) showreels are what actors, cameramen and directors create to show their styles and skills. ..... Enjoy:

(may contain strong language etc.)

I am truly looking forward to writing individual features for each of our team - Nigel  and Julia, Pete, Tina and Zak, and all the wonderful folk you see in this blog and many more!

If there is anything you'd love to know - do leave me a note or ask a question.

The Ghosts of Times Past! Video clip

The opening sequence of our film is designed to introduce you to the setting within which storyteller Heartsfelled exists.  You'll see the ghosts of times past going about their business because every life is a potential story and each one has, in some way, influence the storyteller in his trade. 

Our ghosts span some 1300 years. The building of Ayscoughfee Hall was completed around the year 1451.  It sits, grandly, in the town of Spalding, alongside the River Welland which runs through town. Of course, the site was occupied before this hall was started, although it is hard to say exactly who or what was there.  The important Spalding Priory was across the river opposite Ayscoughfee and was there at the time the hall was built.

Heartsfelled the storyteller occupies his “Museum of Stories” in a magical, slightly secret place which can, if you know how to look for it, be accessed through Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens … but only if you know how to look!

So, when we created “The Ghosts of Times Past” to introduce our ageless, timeless storyteller Heartsfelled, the people who have lived their lives in this place readily represent a goodly, broad, cross-section of those who might have influenced stories and storytellers across time.  Anywhere you go in this human world, If you step through the right gateway, at the right moment in time, and if you keep your eyes and your mind open to all of life’s rich possibilities, if you let yourself see the rich reflections of the layers of lives past, and the ghosts of different times . . .

The first ghost we see in the sequence is the scampering Brother Scuttle (watch this blog for little posts from the ghost of Brother Scuttle - he’s quite a character and full of interesting information).  Brother Scuttle was born in 1068 and entered the Priory of Spalding when he was 15 years old.

And what about that elegant lady in her cream lace gown with parasol, strolling and reading among the ancient yews?  Well, she is almost certainly a ghost from the turn of the 20th century - late Victorian to early Edwardian. Don’t you love her summer hat?

The next we see is a beautiful, flaxen-haired lady that we would most likely describe as “Viking” although her heritage could actually be Anglo-Saxon … as she would have been running her errands during the time of the Danelaw sometime between the mid-ninth and the mid-tenth century.

Aaah, Sense and Sensibility!  See those two Regency coquettes running and giggling through the grounds!  They will have had their fun around the beginning of the 1800s at the time when people like Sir Christopher Wren, Capability Brown, Wedgewood, and Chippendale were shaping things.

And keep an eye on the background - see our Edwardian Gentleman, Mr. Seaton, stroll along a rather poignant path in front of the spot where a war memorial now stands to commemorate the bravery of those involved in WWI and WWII - perhaps even his own son or grandsons. What a handsome ghost he is.

Back in time next, to some time around 1540 where we see the ghosts of two golden haired Tudor children scampering through the maze with their handsome m’ma in the background to the left and a very elegant young tudor lady strolling along behind in the far background.

Our next ghost, from around 1910 - Just look at that sumptuous Edwardian walking suit and hat (all hand stitched).   What a purposeful walk she is on. I wonder where she was going . . .

My how I love the Victorian gardeners of 1890, Tom and Dan.  If ever there was a story being told, I think they really appreciated the grounds around the lovely Hall and were proud to be looking after it.  I wonder what they were saying?

Next . . . a little glimpse of the Victorian cook making her way to the kitchens at the back of the Hall.

It’s 1710 at the front entrance of the Hall and we see, perhaps that’s  Maurice and Elizabeth Johnson sweeping through the door in their finery.  Maurice was a famous antiquarian and the founder of the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society.  If you don’t know about the SGS do look it up.

And finally, from around the 1860s, we see a young Isabella Johnson seeming to approve her own portrait in the library area of the Hall. She seems a little shy - for a ghost!

There were other ghosts but if we’d filmed them all then you never would get to meet Heartsfelled!!  So this is our selection - people from times past. Every time has its stories and storytellers. Maybe next time!

As the film narrator says:

Anywhere you might go in this human world, If you step through the right gateway, at the right moment in time, and if you keep your eyes and your mind open to all of life’s rich possibilities, if you let yourself see the rich reflections of the layers of lives past and the ghosts of different times - then you might just come across a little bit of magic that has been spinning around our world since the very beginnings of time.

Because when time began – the Storytellers were born!

And the Story Tellers are ancient, traversing time and space and in an intricate dance all of their own.  They are the keepers of Fīfmægen (fif-meyhan), that’s magical power!

The Storytellers are the keepers of fīfmægen, and it is their place in this world, to this very day, to be weaving the secrets of men and telling the magical, mythical tales of mankind.

But will you look?

Are you prepared to see into the shadows that run deep under the trappings of our modern society?

Are you prepared to listen with your heart for the voice that goes unheard?

Step through the long forgotten door . . .

Brother Scuttle's Reflections

Hello All,

Richard here, focus of 'Brother Scuttle' our resident ghostly, but very friendly and jolly
Heartsfelled Monk... Scuttle is a bit confused by the 21st Century, so I better pass over to him before he gets a bit grumpy! Over to you Brother!

What? Oh yes...  What ever is this Blogging? Sounds more like flogging to me! Those Normans were good at that I can tell you! I saw a few floggings in my time... The old Priory Bell would sound and a crowd would gather, no moving pictures or books then to entertain us!  Then the Normans would severely flog the miscreant outside the Priory gates...

But my beloved Priory has gone! Nothing much left at all now, just noise, hustle and bustle from horseless carts and too many people rushing about... Horrible!!!

I say those Normans... I'm half Norman myself and was two years after the conquest. By the time I entered the Priory King William I was still on the throne and Ivo Tailbois was looking after the interests of Spalding. His wife took much interest in our order and as a result the Priory grew into quite a powerful concern, far outgrowing those dunderheads at Croyland! Ha, they never got over that, and never allowed us to gain status as an Abbey...

As a cleric I was here, there and everywhere, so I was given the nickname 'Scuttle' which has stuck like fresh cow dung to thatch... Oh well, I have certain advantages and am treated very well, so I can't complain.

Then I suddenly find that I'm not only dead, but alive and well as a ghost channelled by this Richard fellow...

And I'm starring in a 'moving picture' called Heartsfelled! Actually I'm pleased. I knew old Heartsfelled back in the day and he can spin a good yarn or two I can tell you. You never know I might be brought back to star in a few more of these things... Who would have thought it?

Here's my role, scuttling into Ayscoughfee Hall with an urgent message...


Anyway I'm off back to the Netherworld to get a bit of sleep... I'll flog, er sorry, blog you again later!


Erm... yes, Thank you Brother Scuttle. More from him soon...


Richard.

Sneak preview, designs on a demon

Wowza!  Today I got a sneak preview of one of the bespoke masks for one of our demons. This is the second demon costume to come together (you've seen the preview of the first one modelled by beautiful Amy, in an earlier post).
It's so exciting to see such craftsmanship and to know that your characters are going to come to life and look so good.  The demon battles are going to be amazing, I cannot wait until filming starts this summer.
Don't forget you can pre-order dvd or book or both, or get yourself an exclusive T shirt or sweatshirt and at the same time be supporting this project just go to -  https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/heartsfelled

The Great Thirsty Higghorþ under design
in the workshops of  Barefoot Leather.

You know a good thing when you see it -

The support we're getting through  https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/heartsfelled is wonderful.
Of course Zak Wylde productions have proven their talent and skills already in the opening sequence for Heartsfelled, The Identity Stealer - so it's not hard to understand why people want to pre-order the dvd or get their T shirt or even get the chance to visit us on site during this summer's filming.  
Clearly you all know a good thing when you see it.
Truly, I am thrilled.