Bearcraft Part IV: Edit

Again, a bit of a half-assed post because there's not loads to show here. Especially since the pic was shot on my slightly crappy phone. But we're slowly getting through the editing. Which has taught me A LOT about things like 'flopping' and 'prerolls'. And the importance of considering shot continuity while you're filming. Oops. Sean, who's been dealing with our complete lack of technical knowledge, has been a total star. But I'm definitely understanding now why most music videos are just a montages of people singing to camera in a few different places. The next coupel of weeks are definitely going to be a challenge. More results soon.

Bearcraft Part III: Shooting!

I wasn't really sure how to label this one. I started wanting to file it under 'stuff', but the shoot turned out to be a really good laugh that brought loads of different people together. So if nothing else, it ended up feeling more like a project that made 'community' instead. So I've pushed the boat out and tagged it as both. That aside, the shoot was brilliant. I slipped into the director role, which was really fun. And despite not knowing what we were doing technically, we managed to keep the phrase 'that'll be sorted out in post' to a minimum. But after 19 hours, I think we've got everything we need. So if everything goes to plan, it should be finished and on MTV in a few weeks. Exciting!

One man's trash is another man's, erm, trash.

Wandering home through central London the other night, I stumbled (literally) across one of those giant rolls of industrial cling film. So, naturally, I picked it up. And in homage to Shane Waltener (who I have a massive friend-crush on), we set to work making a cling-film web across the footpath. The idea could have been a good one. But to be honest, the end result was completely terrible. Still, some of the pics looked nice. So here they are.

The way to a man's heart

It was my birthday on Friday. But after the cleaning up the carnage from our last party fiasco I was up for something a bit quieter. And not at my house. So we made a little nice-food, nice-drink, nice-people bubble for ourselves in the park. I have to say, I was a fan of picnics before. But after this one, I'm a complete card-carrying evangelist. And already scheming on how to make a bigger and better one for summer. Watch this space.

Bearcraft Part II (and a bit) - test shots

We've finished up the props so me and Ben had a go at some test shots in the studio. Not much of a post, but it's looking good so I thought I'd put it up anyway.

The Egg Burglar

I've got a secret obsession with Eglus. So when my pal at work, Al, told me he's got one at his place I grilled him about it for days. Seriously. After a week or so, my incessant badgering must have spilled over into his home life because one morning a fresh egg appeared on my desk. Al's little son Cameron, had carefully wrapped it up to give to me. Awwww. Actually, it didn't taste that great. But the thought was nice. So I made him a mask to wear when he was out collecting eggs. By all accounts, he totally loved it. And he made Al read the card out to him about 20 times. Result!

Bearcraft Part II: Props

To stop our untiring procrastination on the Bearcraft video, we've set a shoot date for the first May Bank Holiday. Which has miraculously made us spring into action. So we've all been getting busy in the studio making props and sets. Jess, an illustrator and all-round craft magician is styling a bunch of masks and scenery. Ben, graphic novelist and fountain of eternal niceness has been doing the same. Dicky's been working up a giant logo. And I've been reviving my recyclable Christmas tree idea and labouring away on a set of cloud light-boxes. I've also forayed into styling and put together Dicky's outfit for the shoot. All we need now is someone with actual music video experience and we'll be all set.

Porn-paper

About a year ago, I took a trip to Soho Book Stores to buy some B-grade pornos for a bunch of collages I was working on. I liked them, but without exception, everyone else thought they were extremely, erm, ill-advised. So they won't be appearing here. But it made me sad to see the '40 Sluts Over 40' gathering dust on the shelf, so I got snipping for a friend's 30th wrapping paper. This is Christie. She skipped the 'Convincing Expressions and Poses' module at porn school. For which I will be eternally grateful.

Bearcraft video PART I: The idea.

After playing all over the place with Scritti Politi last year, my amazing friend Dicky has started up a band of his very own called Bearcraft. He's having a single released at the start of June, so four of us have been getting together to collaborate on the video. It's been a really fun process so far. And after a night goading Dicky to dance around in fairy lights, we've settled on a kind of surreal party idea. All shot in the dark. I've put together a pretty rough animatic of what will happen. If the drawings don't really makes sense, don't worry. The final product will reveal all...hopefully.