So, the world hasn’t ended yet but there’s still time…
We hope not though, because although 2012 was the first year we haven’t filmed any Zomblogalypse since we began in 2008, it’s been Zomblog-heavy with the planning of the feature film. With our Producer, Steve Piper, taking the web series to Cannes to pitch the film version, things really started entering the big leagues for MilesTone Films.
We also filmed a music video for the wonderful Nine Black Alps, and additional scenes for our follow-up to CrimeFighters, Dogme-esque comedy drama Amber, to create a 70 rather than 60 minute feature from the improvised material.
2012 was also the year we had the most extraordinary time filming Whoops!, our most ambitious feature to date, with a fantastic cast and crew. You can watch Charlotte Boyle‘s EXCELLENT video blogs on the making of the film here and here.
Without further ado, here are 12 pictures that sum up our year of filmmaking. It’s been amazing. As for next year… that’s going to be amazing…er.
Pre-Cannes photo shoot for Zomblogalypse. Pic by Jamie McKeller
A Jubilee happened. Also we started writing the Zomblog movie
TP (too tall for photo) and Tony working out the Whoops! shooting schedule
Whoops! promotional event
Chloe Furze making Emma Keaveney up for the first lot of Amber pick ups in the spring
Hannah and I visit the Spaced house, which was unreal. And was actually my second time because I am a massive geek
Tony and Tom Dunne get to grips with the RED MX on the first day of the Whoops! shoot
The awesome Elaine Glover as serial killer/wife/ mother of two Rose Clements in Whoops!
The state of the Whoops! script near the end of filming
Taking a well-earned break for a Firefly/Serenity marathon with filmy chums at 1331 cinema
Filming the Nine Black Alps music video ‘Phosphorescence’ with Tony, Tom Kirby and Charlotte Boyle
Getting Charlotte Gee back into skates for Amber pick ups
And as per tradition, here’s all the stuff we put online this year. Quite a lot of stuff, actually:
When you’re a filmmaker with little to no startup money, what better way to show investors the kind of film you plan to make than to put together a no-budget ‘trailer’ to give them an idea. It’s worked for us several times and as they say, pictures speak a thousand words.
If you’re proposing to make a film, there’s nothing like showing people a film about your film!
Our buddies at Glass Cannon Film have just put out this POC trailer for Frostbite, an action horror feature they want to make next year. As you can see, it’s a great mix of maritime adventure, thriller (or should we say chiller) and horror.
We can’t wait to see this go into production:
Here’s one of our favourite POC trailers: Neill Blomkamp’s original test film for District 9:
Although POC trailers, out of necessity, generally feature your actor mates rather than a final cast, and rough versions of special effects, music and cinematography, they serve as a cinematic ‘sketch’ of intent that can really help convince people how the film will work, as well as helping the filmmakers start thinking about how the film will look and sound.
A moving, speaking storyboard.
Here are proof of concept trailers for a couple of films we’d like to make in the future:
Comedy crime thriller A Simple Investigation:
Live action/anime apocalypse feature Journey’s End:
Fantasy comedy Bob The Great:
Depending on how the next few years go, we may make some or all of these films, we may adapt elements of them into other films.
One we did end up making was Whoops! in the summer of 2012. Here’s the POC for that:
…and here’s a snippet of what we ended up making:
Behind the Scenes of Whoops! (Day 5) from One&Other TV on Vimeo.
Finally, our web series kind of serves as proof of concept for the upcoming feature version of Zomblogalypse… although there’ll be an official POC trailer out next year…
In the meantime, if you’re a filmmaker planning a feature, we can highly recommend making your own Proof of Concept trailer. It’s a strong first step on a long journey.
Not entirely sure we’ll end up making this one though…
It’s been a long and tough and great and frustrating and amazing year, and like so many people, we’re taking stock of it all.
We learned a few lessons, made another feature film, an ambitiously handsome short film, relaunched our web series, played with CGI and green screen, were hired to make another feature and made significant steps in developing the indie filmmaking scene in York for the future.
Which means 2012 is going to be even more amazing.
Here’s 2011 in twelve glorious pictures, followed by a retrospective of the stuff we put out there this year.
Our third, somewhat experimental feature, Amber
Celeste Wong looking stunning in our short film Gallery, directed by Paul Richardson
60s icon Emma Keaveney taking a break during Amber
Green screen fun with Tony's anime-style fight film Journey's End
Striking final composite shot in Journey's End
More Zomblog tomfoolery with Hannah back in Blighty
The wonderful cast & crew of Amber
Jonny Dobbs, this season's resident zombie in Zomblogalypse
Indiana Will, sound man extraordinaire, on the Amber set
Filming near Clifford's Tower for Tony's short film A Simple Investigation
Doing our latest movie deal with Sam Robinson (case full of money for comedy effect)
More zombie fun with the Zomblog Olympics
And here’s the stuff we put online this year:
5 more demented episodes at ZOMBLOGALYPSE.COM
The Sorry Kisses have been busy too: DESERT MINE MUSIC
Amber will be coming early in the New Year, as will our fight films Leaf and Journey’s End, our ‘anti-romantic comedy’ Gallery and Tony’s short proof of concept film A Simple Investigation.
If this doesn’t happen first:
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS AND ALL WHO’VE WORKED WITH US.
Here is our new showreel containing clips from things you’ve seen and some things you haven’t yet.
Among our features CrimeFighters and Amber, moments from our short films Bob The Great, Gallery and some concept work, you’ll find clips from our short fight film Leaf and our anime-style apocalypse short Journey’s End… with a soupçon of our technicolour noir A Simple Investigation.
If you look carefully you’ll also spot tiny cameos from Tony and I, and some truly artful camera, lighting and effects work from our esteemed filmmaking colleagues including Paul Richardson, Jenni Suitiala, Tom Dunne, Tom Kirby, Rich Bennett and Alasdair Beckett-King.
Hope you enjoy. We’ll be back soon with exciting things and stuff.
Tony’s been editing the teaser for our proposed feature film A Simple Investigation and has released these rather ace images from the edit.
Credit to Jenni Suitiala and our amazing camera and lighting crew for making the film look moody and fantastic, and it’s absolutely wonderful to see the CrimeFighters cast in completely different roles!
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting pretty excited about this film…
Emma Keaveney as the punky, perky cinema cleaner Mary
Harry Humberstone as dishevelled genius hero Joe
The radiant Georgina Hope as sassy cop Kat
The plot thins as Joe discovers the body of Vic (Peet Sutton)
Joe gets more than he bargained for when he begins his Simple Investigation
I’m reliably informed there’ll be a teaser trailer soon. To quote a friend of ours, WOOBERRIES!
