Showing posts with label DISS. Show all posts

Ben Wheatley, Alex Zane & Edith Bowman talk Jameson DISS & the state of the film industry. Ben Wheatley talks A Field in England & updates us on High Rise & casting Tom Hiddleston - In CONVERSATION

Ben Wheatley in conversationLast Saturday I went along to the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Global Final which as expected turned out to be a great evening celebrating the aspiring filmmakers whose 60 second films ran in the competition. The DISS competition culminated with David Smith being crowned the winner at the prestigious Jameson Empire awards the following evening for his incredibly entertaining Done in 60 Seconds version of There Will Be Blood.

Along with some other film type people I was fortunate to chat with some of the the Done in 60 Seconds judging panel specifically Edith Bowman, Alex Zane and the man in black himself - Ben Wheatley.

The chat was lighthearted with lots of laughs being generated by Alex Zane's sharp wit and Ben Wheatley's black & bone dry humour, whilst Edith Bowman kept it grounded and focussed. Ostensibly we chatted about the importance of initiatives like the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds competition, their judging criteria, recent films they have enjoyed as well as the status of the film industry. But I couldn't resist sneaking in a couple of cheeky questions to the notoriously (albeit rightfully so) very reserved* Ben Wheatley about his much anticipated upcoming adaptation of J. G. Ballard's influential novel High Rise. I have met Ben a couple of times and is never too keen to talk specifics or details - so I was really quite chuffed at his frankness when discussing things at the roundtable. *Wheatley actually expands on his reserved approach towards the end of the chat.


Wheatley follows Steven Spielberg who adapted Ballard's Empire of the Sun and David Cronenberg who took on the controversial Crash. With a tale that seems tailor written for Wheatley's style. Things are going to get insane. From the book's synopsis:

The unnerving tale of life in a modern tower block running out of control. Within the concealing walls of an elegant forty-storey tower block, the affluent tenants are hell-bent on an orgy of destruction. Cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on 'enemy' floors and the once-luxurious amenities become an arena for technological mayhem...In this classic visionary tale, human society slips into violent reverse as the inhabitants of the high-rise, driven by primal urges, recreate a world ruled by the laws of the jungle.

Film is kind of an art and shouldn't be analysed like that,”
                                                             - Ben Wheatley

The Establishing Shot: JAMESON EMPIRE DONE IN 60 SECONDS JUDGE & CULT DIRECTOR MR. BEN WHEATLEY
JAMESON EMPIRE DONE IN 60 SECONDS JUDGE & CULT DIRECTOR MR. BEN WHEATLEY

I head to the very swish Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Global Final #JamesonEmpire60Secs - EVENT REPORT

Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds 2014 FinalOk! So on Sunday night Jameson & Empire may have brought out the big guns for the 2014 Jameson Empire Awards but the real fun went down a day earlier, on Saturday night when fledgling film-makers from around the world had their efforts celebrated at the 6th annual Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Global Final here in London.

From a staggering 800 entries from around the world (which means someone spent 13 hours on the first pass selection), a final set of 24, 60 seconds shorts were chosen to compete in the final round of selection held live on stage at the special  Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Global Final dinner. From the 24, 5 final shorts were chosen by the panel of special judges made of; leading cult filmmaker & the man in black Ben Wheatley, Director Jon S. Baird (if you haven't already check out Baird's latest engaging & mind warping film Filth it is outstanding!), the always dapper/gorgeous & hilarious entertainment polymaths Alex Zane & Edith Bowman and Empire Magazine's main man behind the scenes Editor, Mark Dinning.

JAMESON EMPIRE DONE IN 60 SECONDS GLOBAL FINAL JUDGES ALEX ZANE, EDITH BOWMAN, BEN WHEATLEY & MARK DINNING
JAMESON EMPIRE DONE IN 60 SECONDS GLOBAL FINAL JUDGES ALEX ZANE, EDITH BOWMAN, BEN WHEATLEY & MARK DINNING

Klaxon: Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds UK finalists announced! See the UK finalists short films here! ! #JamesonEmpire60Secs - FILM AWARDS NEWS

Jameson Empire Done in 60 SecondsThis weekend the Jameson Empire Awards 2014 will be taking place and that means the winner of the Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds 2014 winner will be crowned at the event.

Before that though, finalists for DISS 2014 from across 21 countries, including the the 5 finalists from the UK, will gather for a special dinner in a secret location - where a judging panel that includes; DJ and presenter Alex Zane, BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Edith Bowman, Empire Magazine’s Editor-In-Chief Mark Dinning and notorious British indy cult film director Ben Wheatley will hone the selection down to the final five finalists that will attend the prestigious Jameson Empire Awards ceremony this Sunday, where one final winner will be chosen and begin their journey to becoming a fully fledged filmmaker.

Joining the ranks of previous winners like; Philip Askins who with his 60 second, film noir-inspired remake of Blade Runner and UK indie Claymation buff Lee Hardcastle, went on to have a short screened at Cannes, worked with film distributor 20th Century Fox and has taken his next major project to Kickstarter to crowd-source funds for a feature length film more information here: http://leehardcastle.com/

The 5 talented UK filmmakers who secured their place on the shortlist after beating hundreds of other UK based filmmakers are; Tony Byrnes, Claire Carter, Jonathan Farrelly, Michael Hall and David Smith you can find more info about these talented up and comers below as well as view their 60 second masterpieces below.

Good luck all! But you are already winners in our book having taking your first steps. In case you don't win big this time around, we have decided to bestow your films with our own awards:

1. Claire Carter's The (con) Artist wins - Fanciest footwork. Most Flagrant Flaunting of Body Parts and Best In Show Dog Pun
2. Jonathan Farrelly's Manhattan wins - Best Woody Allen Walk
3. Michael Hall's Gravity in 2D wins - Best Translations and Cracking Dialogue
4. David Smith's There Will Be Blood (Milk) wins - Best Daniel Day Lewis Impersonation ever, ever
5. Tony Byrnes' Dead Poets Society wins - Best Pre Release Viral Buzz Marketing Campaign aka The Kubrik

See the 5 Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds DISS UK finalists short films

Jameson Empire Done In 60 SecondsFive amateur filmmakers from across the UK are in the running to rub shoulders with some of Hollywood’s leading stars after making it through to the final five of the Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Competition.

Mark Hampton, Philip Askins, Charlie Hall, Michael Hall & Oliver Graves and Matthew Brackenbury beat off stiff competition to make it into the top five for the UK and will go on to meet finalists from across the globe at the Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Final in on March 22nd 2013.
Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds 2013

From here, the hopefuls will go into a second round, where an international judging panel  including  Avengers Assemble star Tom Hiddleston, BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Edith Bowman and Empire Magazine’s Editor-In-Chief Mark Dinning will shortlist five Done In 60 Seconds entrants, who will go on to attend the Jameson Empire Awards on Sunday March 24th 2013.

Each of the budding talents produced their own 60 second take on a film to be considered for the final.

Charlie Hall, 30, London, started making films when he was 10 years old before breaking into the top five with his entry of You Only Live Twice.

The Establishing Shot: Five Jameson Done In 60 Seconds Global Finalists go through to the finals today!

Jameson Empire Done in Sixty Seconds DinnerToday the 17th Jameson Empire Awards are being held in London, but on Friday evening a perhaps less well known but just as prestigious event took place at The London Film Museum.

If you followed some of my tweets over here @TheEstShot you will know I was fortunate enough to pop along to the 2012 Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds or Jameson DISS Finalists Dinner on Friday. Sitting in the very plush & jovial dinner hall amongst the final 28 International nominees (5 from the UK) and their teams - you could be forgiven for thinking that the film-makers invited from all corners of the planet were party mad funsters. But the dinner event was actually a celebration of the aspiring global film-makers efforts, a chance for them all to be recognized for their talent as well as possibly be nominated as one of the five global finalists - with only one being crowned the Jameson Done In 60 Seconds winner today at the Jameson Empire Awards and possibly opening the door to a future career as a film-maker.

The Establishing Shot: See The 5 Jameson Done In 60 Seconds DISS UK Finalists short films right here

Done In 60 SecondsThis Sunday 25th March, another highlight of the glittering UK film season takes place. I am of course talking about the 17th JAMESON EMPIRE AWARDS! Where, after fans (& regular people) have chosen their favourite films and stars of the year to be taken into consideration, they are possibly celebrated at the awards ceremony held annually at the very swanky Grosvenor House Hotel.

After months of fans (& regular people) voting on the Jameson Empire Awards website it all comes down to this one star studded event. Where everyone who is anyone (at least in the world of film) walks the red carpet for an evening of not just awards but lots of fun as well.

Don’t underestimate the fan (& regular people) aspect of this. This isn’t about a bunch of crusty old men needing pampering while the discussing their choices like “well it’s not so much about it being a national pastime, in fact the film kind of kills the humanness behind the sport in favour of a numbers/computer driven approach - but rather it’s about him bringing his leggy wife & that funny kid who has the important 20 something vote.” And “well, no it’s not just because, that guy reminds of the guy who lives next door to my Hawaiian holiday home, although he is just as funny and wears the same type of shirts - really we need him to bring some glamour to the show and they ain’t pitching up without being nominated. So as lame as their films are they’re in”

This is all about the people who are actually paying for film tickets choosing their favourites. But this post isn’t just about the Jameson Empire Awards 2012. But rather one of the 12 categories - The Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds or DISS short film competition. If you have been living in a hole on Blackheath common for the last 4 years and unaware of DISS:

Now in it's 5th year the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds is an annual amateur film making competition. In no more than 60 seconds, film buffs are required to recreate their favourite, iconic movie from any genre by distilling the film down to its essence and creating a one minute masterpiece. Even though it's a very glam affair with the winners receiving their prize at the prestigious and star-studded Jameson Empire Awards ceremony - it's really a fun opportunity for aspiring film-makers (and funsters) to show their skills and get some important exposure.

Here is a short clip of this year’s DISS Ambassador and funny man Chris O'Dowd talking about the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds  as well as his work including his upcoming participation in the 2012 Olympics.

Chris O’Dowd announced as Done in 60 Seconds ambassador for the 2012 Jameson Empire Awards

Done In 60 secondsThe Jameson Empire Done in Sixty Seconds or DISS short film making competition is back.

Last year Mr. Tom Hooper the man behind The King's Speech was the Done in 60 Seconds Ambassador, you may remember our chat with him over here! Looks like this year's ambassador was on the DISS team last year as well as is one of the nicest people in show business and 2012 BAFTA Orange Rising Star Nominee... Mr. Chris O’Dowd 

The Establishing Shot: Tom Hooper Interview: Done in 60 Seconds competition, The King’s Speech and inspirational thoughts for aspiring filmmakers

Tom Hooper Jameson Done in 60 SecondsThe one in which I chat with BAFTA Best Film winning Director Mr. Tom Hooper about the Done in 60 Seconds Competition, The King’s Speech, his mom’s advice, Darth Vader, inspirational thoughts for aspiring filmmakers and his take on James Bond.

Last Friday I had the distinct pleasure to briefly chat with Mr. Tom Hooper. Yes, the same Tom Hooper that directed the magnificent King’s Speech.

Tom Hooper Jameson Done in 60 Seconds
Too be honest I thought I would wait for the Blu-ray but we were enthusiastically invited to see it by a Darcy fan who was quite chuffed that both Darcy Colin Firth and Elizabeth Bennet Jennifer Ehle were in a film together again. And I’m so glad I did it’s a moving portrayal of individuals, friendship and overcoming demons. Much has been made of Colin Firth’s performance and after listening to a recording of King George’s original 1939 speech I can appreciate Firth’s chameleon like performance with more understanding but I really enjoyed Geoffrey Rush’s performance as Lionel Logue. Humorous, bold and endearing. The King’s Speech is a damn fine film but is also important for a number of reasons:
  1. It reminds the world that the UK not only excels at making knock off gangster, juvenile street crime & flying wizard films and harkens to a time when Britain was known for it’s high standard of film making. When quality was unquestionable.
  2. It is a triumph of independent film making proving yet again that big isn’t necessarily better.
  3. It is one of a dying breed of films that doesn’t need special effects, aliens, a twist in every scene, guns or explosions - it allows, as well as relies on performances & the humanness to tell it’s story.
  4. It raises awareness of just how much the UK Film Council will be missed.
  5. Possibly and most importantly it is not only a film, but a time capsule, showing us the hidden world behind an event that would otherwise be lost.
But I wasn’t invited down to the swanky Sanctum hotel in Soho on behalf of Live For Films along with film bloggers Alan Simmons and James Kirby just to talk about The King’s Speech and it’s staggering 33 nominations, 1 Golden Globe and 5 BIFA wins. It had in fact just announced that the so hot right now Tom Hooper will be head of the Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds Competition. And this was a rare opportunity to chat with a leading filmmaker and hear his thoughts on the Done in 60 Seconds Competition as well as glean as much advice from his experience.

As exact specifics were kept under wraps my interview questions had to be fairly flexible so to allow for any changes closer to the interview time. As the day worn on and Tom Hooper’s availability became tighter our interview window became smaller. Fortunately my fellow bloggers were quick on their feet and as flexible, so we agreed that we would conduct the interview session in a round robin panel style hopefully allowing everyone to ask their priority questions.

My heart pounding in my ears due to, well nervousness and copious amounts of strong coffee I made my way into the plush, state of the art deco screening room of the Hotel – an suitable arena for a chat with Tom Hooper.

After setting up and some chit chat. Tom strode confidently into the room; tall, lanky, sharply dressed, and exuding an air of approachability he took his seat. He was exactly what you would expect of a man that draws incredibly engaging performances from some of the world’s finest talent - knowledgeable yet quietly authoritative.

It fell upon me to kick the session off and after a bumpy start, mainly due to my impromptu impression of Colin Firth’s stammering performance in The King’s Speech - we were away. It should be noted that due to time constraints and in order to get as many questions out as possible – we minimised banter and tried to keep discussion brief to hear Tom’s thoughts.

Firstly, congratulations on The King’s Speech, it’s a phenomenal success and an incredible achievement. Thank you for taking time out to day to chat with us.

Tom Hooper on the Done in 60 Seconds Competition
Craig Grobler: We are here today to talk about The Jameson and Empire Done in 60 Seconds Competition. Can you tell us a little bit about the competition itself?

The Establishing Shot: Jameson Done in 60 Seconds short film-making competition is back

Jameson Done in 60 SecondsNow in it's 3rd year the Jameson Done in 60 Seconds short film-making competition is back!

If you haven't heard about the Jameson Done in 60 Seconds short film-making competition I would be very surprised as it is fast becoming the premiere (and fun) short film making competition of the UK calendar year. And the next one promises more of the same! But just better. The gist of it is you remake a film in just 60 seconds. I make it sound easy but for a more insightful description - see the video clip at the bottom of this page.
Jameson Done in 60 Seconds
As before, Jameson have teamed up with Empire Magazine (the UK's greatest film magazine - or so they say) to discover aspiring film directors in the annual film-makers’ competition Done in 60 Seconds.

Even though it's a very glam affair with the winners usually receiving their prize at the prestigious and star-studded Jameson Empire Awards ceremony. It's really a fun opportunity for aspiring film-makers and funsters to show their skills and get some important exposure. Not only are the UK's top film talent at the Jameson Empire Awards but the shorts are judged by a panel of notable talent. Last year's panel chose Mark Wong's Top Gun as their favourite :


Here is some info on the pretty damn fine prize you could win, stolen from I mean inspired by the official JAMESON DONE IN 60 SECONDS COMPETITION website:

“All eligible countries will hold a local final (with the exception of the UK, where Empire will pick the cream of the crop) and the best filmmakers from each nation will receive an all-expenses paid trip to a fancy London location for the DISS final on March 25.

This year's event is kind of a big deal, with more guests than ever before gathering for a what is sure to be a visual feast. Here, the cinematic mini-masterpieces will be judged by a celebrity panel, who will pick 5 nominees.

Those finalists will go on to attend the star-studded Jameson Empire Awards on March 27 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, where the ultimate winner will be announced. As winner, you'll have the chance to rub shoulders with the movie elite, and perhaps make that all-important connection with a Spielberg affiliate who will launch your career into the stratosphere. After all, this is a big showbiz event, and anything is possible in showbiz.”
Now I know it's not easy turning your vision into flickering frames - so to help, this year Jameson and Empire have created the Jameson Film Academy - an online resource full of helpful tip and hints from people in the know (which could really just be clips filmed in a backroom at Moviecon 2010 with an ambient crowd soundtrack laid over the top). See below:


The Jameson Done in 60 Seconds short film-making competition is back closes on Monday the 31st of January.


Jameson Done in 60 Seconds short film-making competition is back

When:
Midnight, Mon, 31 January, 2011

More information here or enter here
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