With yet more unfathomable delays in the journey of Hotel Caledonia towards production, and some rather personally irksome developments I have decided to try to move some of my short film projects ahead as a way of focusing my energy in 2008 instead of essentially being shunted from pillar to post by people with too much ego, too little faith in others, and absolutely no creative awareness whatsoever.
As a consequence, and in conjunction with my good friend and artist, Steve Simmons, I shall be consolidating my creative juices in the production of three short scripts with the goal being finalist shortlisting for several well-known and respectable film competitions. This in itself is a first for me, given my abhorance in general of anything that remains so whimsically subjective as to be devoid of any critical use in development of craft or skill. The same goes for screenplay competitions, but on this theme as well, I am reneging on a literary lifetime of promises to myself.
So to the pudding, from which the proof of any talent in me for this crazy industry we call film, shall be eaten forthwith. HENPECKED is a micro-short / v.low budget horror-comedy aimed squarely at Horror Zone's 'Cut! 2008' competition which closes in April. It focuses on one man's efforts to finally escape from his overbearing wife by committing suicide. But his limitless ineptitude in the task accidentally leads him to realize his efforts have been mistakenly directed.
HONOUR & OBEY is a very personal story for me, reflecting a period of history that was extremely influential in forming the person I am today. A short film with a strong political and social message it follows one man's baptism under extreme fire as he seeks approval from an organisation that once accepted into it as a member he will never truly be able to leave. It is a story about loyalty, brotherhood, and the thin line that exists between duty and family.
The last of my current short projects is another micro short that was initially going to be a 60 second submission for the Bafta Orange short film competition but having only found out about the competition two weeks from closing date I have had to re-plan the projects completion for entry into next years contest. INNOCENT HANDS is another socio-politically motivated film that offers up the notion that adults no longer have the power to change the world, only to destroy it further, and that the truth of change lies with the children.
I plan to make this last script into a 5 minute piece, but editable to make the running time guidelines for the competition next year. The only issue is that the competition's theme changes annually and I won't know if what is being done will 'fit' - all I can do is make the project as multiply layered as possible and hope the audience gets it in context with the competition's theme. A gamble but heck film is all about taking risks, right?
So, basically, if you see or hear about me crewing up for a short film or two, don't panic - Hotel Cal is still going ahead. It's just I've been waiting on everyone else for so long I need to blow away the filmmakers cobwebs of inactivity!
Nick
