2014 - The Year in Review

Hey Guys,

   So I'm starting the year as I mean to go on, with a new blog post - and one which looks back at 2014.

   In many ways, last year was a bit of a 'hangover' from 2013, in that many projects which started in that year were carried into 2014. 
On the Night Owls set with Neil Oseman.
Photo credit: Dimitri Yiallourou

   The main one of these was, of course, Night Owls, which ended a successful Kickstarter campaign in January 2014. We were able to shoot the piece - after many hurdles and a complete last-minute re-cast - in May 2014, and that was an absolute dream. I'll treasure those two shoot days for as long as I live - and I look forward to finishing the film in 2015.

   My previous film, Ashes, hasn't done well at festivals, in spite of a plethora of submissions, and this was last year's biggest disappointment. But it did get into Derby Film Festival in May 2014, and I'm hoping to show it at a few local film nights now that it's in the last two months of its festival run. In spite of everything, I'm still proud of the performances and the talent on show from the film's crew.

Representing Stop/Eject at Raindance 2014
   Stop/Eject also got into one festival last year, but that festival was none other than Raindance! And what's more, it then made it onto the long list for Best British Short Film at BAFTA 2015! We're not expecting it to go any further, but it's still a sure indicator that the film will get the success it deserves.

   I also helped out on some other peoples' films this year. I was Costume Designer on Neil Oseman's Amelia's Letter, which will be finished soon. I look forward to seeing the finished piece, and to hopefully releasing the second half of this blog post.

  And in the Autumn of 2014, I popped over to witness the creation of Ren, a new fantasy web series. I was only there for four days as a production assistant, and I doubt I was very much help in that time. But it was wonderful to see the birth of a great new British piece. I expect to see the series, and director Kate Madison, go far.

   In terms of promotional films, Triskelle Pictures - which became a limited company in 2014 - produced two; a music video for The Oramics Machine, and a promo video for Wan2Talk. Unfortunately the release of both has been pushed back until this year, but I'll try and do some 'behind the scenes' blog posts for both when they're online.

 I also tried my hand at creating a short video for Tori Amos, as an entry to a filmmaking competiton.
Roadtrip to Bradford Film Festival
with Tommy Draper

  I attended four film festivals in 2014 - Derby Film Festival and Raindance for Ashes and Stop/Eject respectively, and Midlands-based New Wave Short Films, as well as Bradford Film Festival at the start of the year (where I attended a talk with the phenomenal Sally Potter).

  2014 was also the year where I started working at Dynomite Productions, which was a massive personal achievement for me; I'd set myself the goal of leaving my non-film-related day-job (which I disliked) last year, and it was great to be able to tick that one off.

  Finally, in my life away from work, I was finally able to afford a mini-break with Edward  (to my beloved Whitby) and we got a second guinea pig, called Carlton Cooper. All in all, not too shabby.

   So what do we have to look forward to in 2015? Well, the main thing is the completion of Night Owls and all that goes with that. Next stop is the soundtrack, which I'm really excited about. I'd love to return to Cannes this year, taking the film with me, but that will depend on my finances.

   I'd like to produce more music videos through Triskelle Pictures; I've already become a Radar Plus member and sent out a variety of pitches - now we just need some of those to bite. Ideally that's the direction I'd like the company to go down, with fiction/narrative pieces on the side.

   Speaking of which, 2015 looks set to be the first year Triskelle Pictures produces a film without myself involved! We're in talks to collaborate with Exoris Films on their new script, and I've offered Laura Cann - who's worked with TP for two years - the opportunity to produce under our label. I'm sure she'll do a fantastic job, and I hope to tell you more about the project soon.

   I'm also hoping that Flitter Films will get the funding they need to bring Her Song to the screen, which I'm attached to direct. There's a great actor and location attached, so it would be nice to bring that romantic script to life.

   And I'm determined to find the time for a 24hr Film Competition this year. Here's looking at you, 5Lamps Films!

  So, that's the general plan for 2015. I'm willing to let this year take me wherever it wants me to go. I hope you all have a great one, and that you achieve all your goals.

Me on the set of Night Owls, May 2014. Photo credit: Elly Lucas.

Sophie


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