SIMON COX BLOG

So Did Shakespeare Actually Write Shakespeare?

2011-12-08T12:21:00.000-08:00

This has been an interesting time to have a film out about the life and times of William Shakespeare. The Roland Emmerich film, Anonymous, has sparked a huge debate about the authenticity of Shakespeare's work.

A few years ago I worked with British actor, Sir Derek Jacobi, and asked him about his views on the subject and I was amazed when he told me that he believes that Shakespeare didn't write the plays.

Simon Cox with Sir Dereck Jacobi

So during the filming of Discover Shakespeare's Stratford Upon Avon, I asked Rev Dr Paul Edmondson, Head of Learning and Research at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, what his views were on the subject. He told me that the conspiracy theory was just over a 100 years old and that all of the writers that were suspected to have been involved in the conspiracy, (Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe and Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford etc) were all very good writers in their day, but they didn't write Shakespeare because their works were different in style and tone. He said that if you study the texts and compare them, they are all very different.

During the making of the film I had a unique insiders view of his life and I was lucky enough to flick through one of the first folios, and to be honest, it was pretty impressive. So if Charles Dickens can be very prolific in a short lifetime, and officially be uneducated, why shouldn't a local man from Stratford Upon Avon be able to write an incredible body of work.

Simon Cox - Back in the Saddle

2011-11-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, major apologies for the rather long delay since my last post - It's been a difficult year, mainly work wise and money seems to be a thing of the past. But alas, I have spent a lot of time and energy re-drafting my script for Kaleidoscope Man.

So what news...?

Well firstly, I have been awarded a mentorship with a top British movie Producer. This has been an extremely important learning curve and I am currently working with her on my other feature film project, The Final Reel. The plan is to make this on a budget of around £250K. Simon Bovey, the writer, is currently working on a new draft under her guidance and we expect to have around 2 drafts to do until we start approaching cast and then going for the money.

Secondly, Kaleidoscope Man. This has been a labour of love for many years now and recently I did a complete re-draft of the script. I expect there are a few more drafts to go until the new script is completely ready to shoot, but I am working hard to get it right. My mentor is also guiding me on this.

I have also just launched a rather unusual fund raiding campaign for this called Sci-Fi Shakespeare.com It's a cranky way of raising money, but its been something I've wanted to try for a long time. I have just started running a large media campaign in the USA and Canada, so it will be interesting to see if the citizens of America will get on board with my project.

You can read the US & Canada press release here.

Check Out This Rave Review!

2011-01-12T09:21:00.000-08:00

My new film, "Discover Shakespeare's Stratfrod Upon Avon", has received an excellent review on the Anglophile website. You can read the review here:

Discover Shakespeare's Stratford Upon Avon - Receiving Fantastic Feedback

2010-12-21T03:28:00.000-08:00

My new film, "Discover Shakespeare's Stratford Upon Avon" has been given a massive thumbs up from people who have bought copies. I have sold quite a few on Stratford Market, even in this horrendous cold weather.

Here is the trailer:

href="http://www.discoverwarwickshire.com/">www.discoverwarwickshire.com

Alpha Star Films Wins Prestigious Award

2010-10-16T05:41:00.000-07:00

Great news! My company, Alpha Star Films has just won the Godiva Award for "Best Business Innovation" for my film, Discover Warwickshire.

This is a very prestigious Midlands award which has already attracted a lot of press and radio. The award was presented by Andrew Didlick, Director of Communications at Peugoet, and the above picture features Andrew, my wife Angie and me.

This is all very well timed for my new film, Discover Shakespeare's Stratford Upon Avon, which will be in the shops form the 1st December 2010.

Kaleidoscope Man - Update

2010-09-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

After months of beavering away on the script in between other productions, short films and pop promos, a new draft of Kaleidoscope Man is about to surface. This draft will be significantly different from previous drafts as I have been extremely ruthless with it.

I hope to have the new draft ready by the end of September. We are still looking to shoot in 3D for a very large budget. Will let you know when there is any more news.

Keep the faith!

Fame at Last? Or the Beginning of the End....?

2010-04-27T00:40:00.000-07:00

I have been asked by my old Film Maker pal, Chris Jones, author of the Guerilla Film Maker's Handbook, to be a guest on his weekly internet chat show TONIGHT (29/4/10). It's a live internet TV show broadcast on-line from 7.30pm.

He is going to grill me live on air about Kaleidoscope Man and the other projects I'm up to. He doesn't pack his punches so it should be interesting...

It's called "The Production Office" and is a really good show. If you are a fan of films and film making, it will definitely be for you. Click HERE on Thursday 7.30pm to check it out.

In the meantime, I'm feeling kind of nervous...

Kaleidoscope Man - A New Draft

2010-04-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

A big Hollywood Producer has asked to see the script for Kaleidoscope Man - So I've just spent the last 12 hours doing a bit of a polish on it.

Yesterday, I went to a very inspiring talk by BBC Writer/Producer, Tony Jordon, the creator of Life on Mars, Holby Blue and Hustle (as well as a bunch of Eastenders scripts etc. etc). It was such an inspirational talk that I feel so fired up today it really has been the perfect day for a K-Man re-write!

If you ever get a chance to hear him talk, it would be absolutely worth it!

Kaleidoscope Man Website is Down - Don't Panic!

2010-04-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

The website is currently down and under construction. Don't panic though, it'll be up in the next few days.

At the moment I'm focusing on my supernatural feature film project, The Final Reel, while Producer Ken Tuohy forges ahead with Kaleidoscope Man. Hopefully, one of these projects will see the light of day before too long. More news very soon...

Here are some of Matt Allsopp's K-Man concept pictures to keep you going..

Selling My Films at the Christmas Markets – Final Analysis.

2010-01-13T00:51:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I spent most of December 2009 at various Christmas markets around Warwickshire furiously selling my Discover Warwickshire video and my first feature film, Written in Blood. It was cold, it was often fun, it was often tough, but was it worth it?

Well, in reality I sold around 600 units, so doing the maths, this was around £6000 I walked away with. Not bad for a months work, I guess. But nowhere near what I was hoping to make, which was around 4-5000 units, which would have pretty well got things rolling on my new film, The Final Reel. But alas, this wasn’t to be. Yet…

But it’s not all doom, gloom and despair, for one, Discover Warwickshire, has had some incredible feedback. People really do love it, and I’m not just saying that. The local press have been extremely supportive, including the BBC local news. This coverage has opened a huge amount of doors, and in the next two weeks, I will be getting a load more local press which should help sales immensely.

The internet sales have been pretty good too. Since December, we have sold 52 copies on-line. Up until now, I haven’t really spent that much time pushing the on-line side, so I am fairly happy with this. I hope to bring in a lot more from this over the next few months.

As I mentioned in my last entry, Warwick Castle, are now selling the film for us, as well as the Shakespeare Birthplace Museum (In Stratford upon Avon), seven of the counties leading Tourist Information Centers have it, ten Libraries have it, Stratford Butterfly Farm have it and the Nuneaton and Coventry branches of Waterstones Bookshop have it.

Each of these are actively pushing the film for us,

some of them have the trailer running with the video (including Waterstones, who have a very impressive display with the video running right in the entrance of their store.) We are also talking to some other big shops about stocking the film locally.

So, in the longer term, I think Discover Warwickshire could be fairly lucrative. And I hope it will drip feed cash into the company, taking the pressure of the business each

month and allowing a little more freedom to raise cash for my films. Once the weather warms up (we’re inches deep in snow here), I will continue selling the film at the local markets, not quite as full on as I have done, but maybe 1 or 2 days a week, depending on my production work.

So, still some way to go yet, but loads of very exciting things in the pipeline. As regards, bringing in the big bucks to get Kaleidoscope Man moving, well, I have plans, big plans and will do everything to get it up and running this year.

To quote Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars – Revenge of the Sith: “I may be scarred, but my resolve has never been stronger…”

Happy New Year!

Discover Warwickshire - Selling Like Hot Cakes!

2009-12-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

Here is the sequence BBC Midlands Today did about my fund raising venture:

This went on air on Thursday 14th Dec 2009 at around 5pm and since then I have been amazed at the amount of people who saw this and bought my "Discover Warwickshire" DVD because of it. Sales are increasing as we near Christmas, but I'm fairly sure we will not have raised enough cash to shoot in the early new year as I would have liked.

However, we have had some very encouraging news. Warwick Castle (Central England's leading tourist venue) has agreed to stock the DVD from early January, Compton Verney, a leading Warwickshire Art Gallery, are going to stock it, Nuneaton Library are stocking it, Rugby Art Gallery & Museum are stocking it, and today, I was informed that Waterstones, the Bookshop, will be stocking it. This will be at the Nuneaton branch to start with and then all of the stores in Warwickshire from January 2010, which is fantastic news. In the new year I will continue finding new stockists around the county to help raise the cash I need to get Final Reel made.

I have to keep reminding myself that the film has only been finished for the last three weeks. Since then it has been a whirlwind, selling it at markets and promoting it around the region. From today I have eight more markets to do before Christmas. These are the Solihull, Stratford Upon Avon, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton and Southam markets.

And from January onwards, I will continue selling the film at various markets for two days a week (depending on my freelance work) and put this money into the Final Reel funding pot, until we have raised enough cash to shoot the movie. I'm hoping it won't take to long!

If you are wondering what to buy someone this Christmas, do consider "Discover Warwickshire". It's a lovely 98 minute film, about the home of Shakespeare, some spectacular Castles and it is warm, tender, fascinating, moving, inspiring and hugely entertaining. Not only that, it looks and sounds beautiful and Warwickshire really has never looked better - Please don't worry if you don't live here, you'll certainly want to visit after watching this and anyone you buy it for will be eager to come and see the place. (Please note: the DVD is currently only available in PAL, so right now it won't play in the US or Canada. There will be an NTSC version in the new year - sorry about this).

All of the money raised goes into the pot for getting "Final Reel" up and running and if for any reason you're not happy with it, just let me know and I will provide a full refund. Check out the trailer on the top right hand side of this blog.

Many thanks and merry Christmas - Simon

The Big Festive Sale is Now On...

2009-12-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

It's been two weeks now since I took Discover Warwickshire on the road to sell at Christmas Markets. I have been frozen, drenched, blown over, but have so far managed to sell over 450 copies, and I have had some amazing reactions. People really do seem to like the film. In some cases, people who have brought a copy have come back the following week and bought more and more copies.

I am finding this a very special, almost magical experience. For one, it's a very cosy time of year, but I can't really express just how it feels to have worked so hard on a something and then to sell it to a complete stranger. It's very satisfying.

Of course, selling to the public is not always easy, and I am learning that rejection is par for the course. But most of the people I meet have been very endearing and supportive. In a lot of conversations I've had, I said that I've made Discover Warwickshire to help fund a bigger project, and they have just gone for it, buying it on a whim, saying that they want to support someone who is "having a go". Also, surprisingly, I have also sold quite a few copies of Written in Blood. I hadn't set out to sell this on the markets, I only put it out in case any young people wanted something a little "different".

I still have two more weeks of selling to go and will be at markets in Southam, Leamington Spa, Stratford Upon Avon, Nuneaton and Solihull.

I have sent out a lot of press releases and have started to appear in some of the local newspapers and amazingly I got onto the local news (Midlands Today) who gave me a sensational plug for my endeavours. A lot of people I'm meeting saw the programme and are buying the film just to back me.

God bless the British public!!

Discover Warwickshire - Now Available on DVD

2009-11-24T04:43:00.000-08:00

After weeks of early mornings and late nights glued to the edit suite, I am delighted to let you know that my new feature length documentary, Discover Warwickshire, is finally finished. And I have to say, I'm over the moon with it.

It's just under 100 minutes long and looks and sounds fabulous and I start selling it at markets around Warwickshire from this Thursday. My first market is at Stratford Upon Avon and my wife and I have been running around getting DVD's replicated, posters done etc. It's been mad, but so exciting!

Do check out the trailer and please consider buying a copy - all the profit we make goes back into our next production.

You can buy the video at: www.discoverwarwickshire.com

The Markets Are Booked!

2009-10-27T23:56:00.000-07:00

Well, there's no turning back now as I have just booked up to sell the DVD of my new film, Discover Warwickshire, at none less than 15 Christmas markets around the county. I will be combining this with a massive local press campaign, which hopefully will send people to my market stall or to the website (www.discoverwarwickshire.com). If this works and I can sell plenty of copies - filming of "Final Reel" begins in the new year!

The selling starts on November 26th and to say I am behind with the editing is an understatement!

The film covers 18 towns and villages throughout Warwickshire, and includes other areas of interest, mansion houses and historical venues. Each has had to be shot and fully researched. Then I have interviewed lots of people from Town Centre Managers to Local Artists to Historians. The film is looking wonderful, but to hit the deadlines (and do any freelance work that rolls in), I'm up an 5.30am and working late nights.

As this is a documentary, I am also writing the voice over and recording my own voice as a guide track until I have locked the script. Once this is done, I have a wonderful Voice Over Artist called, Paul Seed, who will perform it for real. He's got a fabulous voice (you can here him on the trailer).

Its a fascinating process building a script around the interviews and material I've shot. And I can't tell you how satisfying I am finding this. I think the people of Warwickshire are in for a real treat!

But enough chit chat - I've got some serious editing to get on with!

Never Never NEVER Give Up!

2009-10-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

Since putting the opening sequence of Kaleidoscope Man on the blog I've been surprised by the amount of hits I've been receiving and the fantastic comments and emails. Thank you all for your ongoing encouragement.

Over the last 6 mouths I have made a delightful little documentary film called "Discover Warwickshire" and it'll be on DVD and Blu Ray in November. I wanted to produce something that I could sell to anyone and everyone, anywhere and at any time. Then, from the sales of this put that money back into one of my films. I'm aiming to shoot Final Reel just after Christmas and my good buddy, Simon Bovey, is currently re-working the script. I know I said I was aiming to do it in October, but with work and the size of Warwickshire, I'm a bit behind schedule. It's coming on though. Do check out the trailer: www.discoverwarwickshire.com and feel free to pre-book a copy - it's only a tenner plus postage!! (Again, it won't be ready until mid November.)

The irony about Discover Warwickshire is that I have thoroughly enjoyed making it. And I have an immense feeling of satisfaction that I am doing something positive towards getting my career moving. When we have sold enough copies to make Final Reel and then sell that, I will funnel all of those sales back into Kaleidoscope Man.

By the way. I think I have one of the UK's greatest actors to do a couple of days on Final Reel. Can't tell you who, but you'll know him.

All the best and THANK YOU for your encouragement.

Simon

Kaleidoscope Man - Scene 1 (For a Limited Period Only)

2009-09-20T01:05:00.000-07:00

I've been asked to show the entire SFX sequence we've done so far for Kaleidoscope Man, so here it is!

This is a rough version of how the film will start. Some of it will be changed when we get the funding in place, and we will be re-shooting the actor shots. Steve Moya who is currently wowing us as Vampire Bill Compton in HBO's fantastic series, True Blood, kindly helped us out in this version, delivering a sensational performance one sunday morning back in June 2007.

I will only have this video on the blog for the next two weeks - so please make sure you tell your friends.

Should any of you know someone who might be interested in backing Kaleidoscope Man, please do get in contact: (simon-alphastar@hotmail.co.uk). Many thanks.

I hope you like it!

Back in Corporate Land

2009-09-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

I'm in the US at the moment working on a new corporate video. It's a 2 week job which is paying nicely.

The tourist video I mentioned a few weeks back is nearly shot and I should have it ready by the end of October. It is turning out much bigger and better than I expected and I am really enjoying the process of creating something like this from scratch. I may have found another calling here, as the more I delve into local history, the more facinating information I am discovering. Warwickshire really is an amazing place with some real hidden treasures.

I have some interesting plans to sell the final DVD directly to the public which I hope in turn will go towards funding my next movie. Some of these are a bit 'off the wall', but if it works, who knows where it will lead - We'll know for sure by Christmas. I am finding it a tricky balance though between work and family etc.

Still haven't had any news on the offer we made for that actor I mentioned for Kaleidoscope Man. Will let you know what happens here.

Kaleidoscope Man - One Page Synopsis

2009-08-13T02:19:00.000-07:00

I thought you might like to see this. It's a brief synopsis and artwork sheet that we have been sending out with the script.

Click on it to see the detail.

Kaleidoscope Man - Things Are Moving Again

2009-08-12T00:29:00.000-07:00

Some good news at last - although sadly, I can't go into much detail. However, I can say that we now have a US Sales Agent in place and we have just made an offer to a fantastic big Hollywood actor. If this actor comes on board it will mean that we can get some pre-sales made and the funds will start to come in. At the moment, we are looking to shoot in July 2010.

We still have a bit of a mountain to climb before then though...

I will keep you informed - keep your fingers crossed!

Charles Dickens's England - World Premier

2009-07-23T04:41:00.000-07:00

Last night was the world premier of the film I edited and shot 2nd Unit on, Charles Dickens's England. It was screened at the NFT on the London Southbank, on the biggest screen I have ever seen - and it looked sensational!!!

I can't begin to explain the marvellous sensation of seeing something that you have spent months shooting, editing and crafting into shape, up there in glorious high definition on the big screen.
I so want to get Kaleidoscope Man made and in front of an audience. The experience of seeing my work like this makes all the pain and suffering worthwhile! This has been a shot in the arm for me and now I am driven to get K-Man off the page and onto the screen.

Please do go and see Charles Dickens's England on the big screen if you get a chance. It's not Die Hard, but its a good little documentary about a truly "great" Britain.

Charles Dickens's England - On A Big Screen Near You

2009-07-16T00:38:00.000-07:00

The feature documentary I edited and shot 2nd Unit on is about to go on theatrical release. This will be mainly in London and then in some places around the UK. The DVD release will follow on soon after. I'm delighted with it!

Please see below the trailer.

If you fancy a few hours of cultural entertainment about a real creative genius, please do go and see it.

Many thanks.

A New Way To Raise Cash - Genius or Just Plain Bonkers?

2009-07-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

I'm going to let you into a little secret. For the last 6 weeks I have been carefully crafting another little film that I intend to sell, and from its profits, hopefully, fund my next feature film, Final Reel...

As you know, I've been trying to get people to buy my first film, Written in Blood, from which all profits go into funding my next project. Great idea, but.... a supernatural thriller, whilst that genre does have its place, is not for everyone. I believe the best place to make money on a film like this is through traditional film and TV routes.

So, I have come up with something that anyone could buy, all ages, colours and creeds. Something that, if pushed and advertised well, WILL SELL. To the public.

So here it is: I have been making a tourism DVD, about the county I live in, Warwickshire. The home of Shakespeare, George Elliot, the Cotswolds, the place where great historical battles were fought and spectacular castles still remain. The place that is the jewell in the heart of Great Britain.

Yep, that's my simple idea. I have been travelling from town to town, filming in the nice weather, each town and village, discovering the history, meeting the artists etc. I will be doing some rather fancy helicopter shots in the next few weeks. Once I've edited the film and recorded the voice over, I will be mastering the film to DVD and will get a few thousand replicated.

Then, I will be selling them from around £11.99 per copy. I intend to market them in local magazines, newspapers, tourist information centres/venues, local shops etc...

I'm hoping that with a big initial push we will sell multiple copies fairly quickly which will start to build some momentum. The video is costing a little to make, probably around £8 to £10K, so we have some way to break even first. But once we have broken even, hopefully the sales will build and I can start spending the profit on producing my next film.

What I have discovered over the last few years is that the business is changing. With the current recession new funding and sales models need to be discovered. We will soon find out whether my plan will work or not, but the thing that really excites me about it is that its up to ME. I'm not relying on anyone else to write me a cheque or take the financial risk. I can put MY money where MY mouth is.

So that's my plan. I am aiming to have it done by the end of September, with sales starting soon after. I should have some idea by late October if its going to work, just in time to start shooting Final Reel.

Wish me luck, oh, and please do buy a copy of Written in Blood if you haven't already.

Many thanks!

A Little Taster From Written In Blood...

2009-07-07T08:02:00.001-07:00

I was asked if I could show a little more of my first film, Written In Blood, on the blog, so here is a little scene.

Do please take a punt and buy a copy. Every penny we make goes into funding my new film, Final Reel, which we aim to start in October.

If you don't like the film, just let me know and I will refund you - no questioned asked. (But honestly, I think you'll be quite impressed!!)

Many thanks,

Simon

Support For Final Reel Rolling In

2009-07-03T01:25:00.000-07:00

I sent out over 1500 emails yesterday and have been overwhelmed by the response. Thank you to everyone who has been in touch and all of those who have bought a copy of Written in Blood. If you like the movie, please do ask your friends and families to buy a copy - every penny counts!

In the meantime, please see below my trailer for Kaleidoscope Man. This project is currently doing the rounds in Hollywood and the CGI trailer is generating a lot of interest. The actor, Steve Moyer, now stars in the hit US vampire series "True Blood".

For more info about Kaleidoscope Man go to: www.k-man.co.uk

The Final Reel - Story Outline

2009-07-02T00:57:00.000-07:00

This is a brief synopsis of my new film, Final Reel, written by Simon Bovey. We're planning to shoot in October and I'm sure we'll be looking for people to help us. I will let you know nearer the time how you can be a part of it. In the meantime, we still need funding help, so do please buy some of our memrobilia - every little bit helps! Many thanks.

Final Reel - Story Synopsis

Nick Foley was once a hot shot film editor but he’s now consigned to a life of corporates and wedding videos. Three weeks before Christmas, one of his biggest clients drops him and he stares bankruptcy in the face.

But the season brings a miracle. An East European movie producer offers Nick the job of cutting his next, quite unusual, docu-slasher feature. In return he will pay him three hundred thousands pounds. The only catch is, he must cut it by Christmas Eve. But little does Nick know that the producer has a very dark secret and the film Nick is about to edit will unleash an ancient evil into the world at its premiere.

Editing STUDS

2009-06-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

I've just spent the day with fellow Filmmaker, Simon Bovey, editing his new short film, STUDS. It's a great little film and I'm really enjoying the experience.

We also chatted about how on earth we are going to get our next feature, Final Reel, up and running. Simon's big concern is how to keep the quality up on a micro budget and if I will really have the space to do the story justice. As ever, it comes down to time and money. I'm still optimistic about my fundraising ideas, but won't know for a while if I'm being realistic or not, but my feelings are that if we're having the conversations and people know what we're trying to achieve, they will start to come on board.

I'm going to do a big mail out in a few days time, so we should have some idea soon...

The Final Reel - Fund Raising Begins...

2009-06-29T01:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I have just received 3000 replicated DVD disks of Written in Blood from the duplicators. My plan is to sell as many as possible in as short a possible time to finance my new film, The Final Reel.

I will be doing a massive email send out to film makers, film companies and people I've met along the way in the hope that they can help. As you will see from the column on the right of the blog, I am now starting to sell all sorts of stuff, Written in Blood DVD's and memorabilia and Kaleidoscope Man artwork. I am aiming to raise around £105K. If I can do this, I'll apply to Screen West Midlands to try and get their media fund, which could bring in another £35K.

I know it's a long shot, idealistic and possibly naive to think that people will automatically buy my film, but I am determined to get Final Reel shot this year. If anyone has any fundraising ideas, however crazy, please do get in touch.

Many thanks.

Final Reel - How Much Will It Cost?

2009-06-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been working through the Final Reel script and at the moment its still fairly big budget. Simon Bovey and I are about to re-draft and find the best way to bring down the cost without compromising the story. Thankfully, Simon has always kept this in mind that its a lower budget movie so there are no "herds of Wilder beast galloping across the open plain" shots to film.

My initial guess is that it will cost around £140K to make. I'm hoping that Screen West Midlands will come in for 25% which means that we only have £105K to raise. As I sit here, I really have no idea how we're going to do this. Only that I want to shoot in October of this year, aiming to have it complete for Cannes in May 2010.

One idea I have had is to sell 10,500 copies of Written in Blood. Is that likely? Who knows? I could sell signed artwork, Tee shirts, memorabilia, even sell Final Reel DVD's in advance. I am also thinking about selling Associate Producer credits on the end of the film + an invite to the premier etc. I don't really want to get into searching for big time investors and selling shares etc, as I got into that carrot chase with Kaleidoscope Man (although, if you do want to invest in the film, please do give me a call!!) - + 44 (0) 7791 890669.

As a coincidence, I'm cutting a Screen West Midlands funded short film called STUDS, directed by Simon Bovey, and I have to say the experience has been quite revealing. This is a superb little film and Simon is a visionary director. It's not quite finished yet, but do check it out. The website address is: http://www.studsthefilm.co.uk/

Kaleidoscope Man - What's Been Happening?

2009-06-18T00:45:00.000-07:00

It’s time I updated you with what has been happening with Kaleidoscope Man. To be honest, things have been slow and I have been working hard to stave off the recession which is sweeping through our industry like a dervish, claiming victims in all quarters.

Firstly, I met a fantastic LA based Sales Agent who is one of the best in the business. He is currently guiding Ken and I on how to get potential pre-sales etc.

Secondly, I was invited to send Written in Blood, to a top movie exec at one of the big Hollywood studios. This is a guy that Ken has been working with for years. No news on this yet, but will let you know what developments.

Both of these events, although small, are leaps forward for the production.

In the meantime, although I’m skint and struggling to find work, I feel its the best time to get out and make something. So, I have a fantastic script written by Simon Bovey, called "The Final Reel". It's a very tense supernatural thriller and we are going to make it on a low budget. Not sure for how much yet, but it has to be an amount that I can physically raise myself.

I have the camera (The Varicam Camera I keep on plugging to rent), all the HD editing facilities I could ever ask for, the locations, plenty of good actor friends and I am owed loads of favors - which I now intend to call in!!! So, once I have priced the film up, I will go out and make it - sooner rather than later.

What I am very keen to do is make something that I can get into film festivals and promote myself as a Film Director. This could also lead to getting Kaleidoscope Man up and running. Obviously, it has to be something that is commercial and that we can sell. So production values, acting etc. must be world class. Thankfully the script is brilliant.

Watch this space…

All the best, Simon.

Gone Fishing Wins Top Movie Award

2009-06-09T01:18:00.000-07:00

Well done to my old pal Chris Jones who's just picked up the Best Film Award at "The Producers Guild of America in LA", for his short film Gone Fishing. This is a film I was 2nd Unit Director on and I am very proud to be associated with.

To read more about it, check out Chris's fantastic blog on: www.chrisjonesblog.com

A New Directing Showreel

2009-05-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

For the first time in ages I have been asked to produce a directing showreel because I am up for a big directing job which may happen in the summer. As ever, I can't say to much about it on the blog, but its all looking pretty good. Of course I may not get the job so I'm keeping everything crossed!!

I have added some scenes from my first feature Written in Blood, the Kaleidoscope Man pilot and some shots from Chris Jones's Oscar shortlisted film, Gone Fishing, on which I was 2nd Unit Director. I have also added a taster from my documentary films as I wanted to show that I have worked with some big names on some diverse projects.

I find making a showreel tough as its hard to be objective about ones work.

Anyway, I hope you like it.

Creating The Opening Sequence For Kaleidoscope Man

2009-05-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a video about how we made the opening sequence.

New Artwork Added To Blog

2009-05-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

I've added some extra images to the bottom of the blog. Some new Kaleidoscope Man concept art and storyboards that you may find of interest.

Scroll all the way down to the bottom to see them.

Some Early Pre-Viz FX Shots For Kaleidoscope Man

2009-05-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

This is a selection of some pre-vized special effects shots from the opening sequence of Kaleidoscope Man. The shots are finished now and some feature briefly in the trailer. But I thought you might like to see this as it shows the level of planning that goes into CGI work just after the shoot and before the real animation begins.

The CGI work was done by Screenburn Animation.

Written in Blood - On Sale NOW

2009-04-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have asked me how they can get a copy of my first feature film, Written in Blood. Up until now, I've only ever sold it at the various Memorabilia shows I've attended around the country. So I'm delighted to be able to sell it today...

Who's in it?

Grant Masters, Sharon Small, Gary Beadle, Francis Magee, Doug Bradley, Patrick Robinson & Ben Shockley.

The story

A century ago a series of horrific murders rocked the city. Now, as the end of the millennium approaches, a copycat killer stalks seven victims, praying on the unwary - repaying a pact with the devil which will plunge the world into chaos.

Martin Harris, a best selling horror fiction writer, stands between the forces of damnation and hope for redemption. A man who suspects that his own dark fantasies have conjured the spirit of ancient evil back to renewed life, and deep below the city he learns to his horror, that death is not the end... Written in Blood is a modern film-noir thriller with the accent of mystery and suspense, Alpha Star Films presents a roller coaster ride into a dark world of paranoia and suspicion, in which the supernatural intrudes into a world spiraling towards the end of the century and into the encroaching darkness.

Duration 96 Minutes

Special Features

1.Commentary by Simon Cox

2. An interview with Simon Cox commissioned by The Horror Channel.

3. Deleted Scenes

4. 2 Short psychological Thrillers by Simon Cox

5. The Original Pilot used to get the funding.

6. Every copy is signed by the Director

7. When you have watched the film, fill in the form inside it, send it back and we'll invite you to be an extra in Kaleidoscope Man (when we finally get the film funded)

Kaleidoscope Man - Epic Locations

2009-03-30T12:51:00.001-07:00

A large part of Kaleidoscope Man is set on an Alien planet. In the script this is a hot, volcanic place, with a dramatic sea shore and spectacular vistas stretching as far as the eye can see...

Our four main characters must traverse this bleak and inhospitable landscape where the wreckage of a crashed spaceship sticks out of the ocean like a mountain.

As they head towards the wreckage they are pummeled by meteors that cannon into the ground around them and they are attacked by evil four winged Harvester spaceships.

For such an epic sequence, I have chosen to shoot on the island of Lanzarote, where just over 200 years ago, the Island's largest volcano erupted and covered half of the island in lava. Over the years this has solidified, coating the land in a black and red crust.

To see this with your own eyes is breathtaking. For me, it was as I would imagine the surface of the moon to look and back in 1996, when I first went there, I knew I would one day return to film there.

A lot of films have been shot there including, One Million Years BC and Enemy Mine.

The New Kaleidoscope Man Trailer...

2009-03-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

Ok folks, here it is!

The opening is similar to the original with the same music etc. But the ending is very different. It now incorporates the fantastic new shot from Screenburn Animation. Crank up your speakers, sit back and enjoy...

If this doesn't get the film funded, nothing will!

Do let me know your thoughts.

Kaleidoscope Man Trailer in HD from Simon Cox on Vimeo.

A Spectacular New Shot For Kaleidoscope Man

2009-03-03T04:04:00.000-08:00

Good old Screenburn Animation have done another shot to put into the opening sequence of the movie. And it’s mind blowing!!!

Ever since I've been making this film, I've been telling everyone what an epic sci-fi ride it was going to be. Well, now, with this new shot there is certainly no mistaking!

I'm cutting a new trailer together which will incorporate the new shot and will include it in the next couple of days. It's REALLY COOL!!!

Many thanks to Dave & Stuart at Screenburn Animation. www.screenburn.co.uk

Here is the pre-vis, just to wet the appetite.

Space Shot Anamatic Version 3 from Simon Cox on Vimeo.

Screen West Midlands Unable To Help At Present

2009-01-20T13:15:00.000-08:00

Sadly I received the rejection letter yesterday from Screen West Midlands. We’d applied for some financial help for the investor screenings we're having in Feb. It was a long shot asking them for help and without them to date; we certainly wouldn't have the spectacular FX sequences and artwork we now have. But it was worth the try. Sometimes you have to lose the odd battle to win the war and we're in this for the long term.

Keep the faith!

Kaleidoscope Man Business Plans Doing The Rounds

2009-01-12T09:42:00.001-08:00

Ken and I have been busy getting the business plan into new potential funding areas.

I am in touch with a local group of Business Angels who I’m hoping may be interested in the tax breaks and the opportunity to be involved with our movie. To register with this group we do have to pay a fee, so I will be doing some serious research into the real feasibility of getting funded before we part with any cash.

From the research I've already done it does seem that Business Angel Networks do require cash up from as well as a percentage of the sum raised.

I’m still busy on the Charles Dickens Documentary. I delivered a rough cut just before Christmas and start on the fine cut with Julian (the Director) on Tuesday. We should have the fine cut by the end of the month.

The Force Is Strong With This One...

2008-11-26T00:47:00.000-08:00

This weekends Memorabilia show at the NEC in Birmingham was a real blast! Held twice a year, it boasts the largest collection of sci-fi, horror and sports memorabilia in Europe, and they always have a host of celebrities there to sign stuff.

As a Film Maker, I feel its really important to have a presence at these kind of events as the people who attend, love genre films, and will be the ones going to the cinemas to watch Kaleidoscope Man when it comes out.

I premiered the new trailer and everyone seemed to love it! I also sold quite a few copies of my last feature film, Written in Blood, on DVD.

Star Wars and Willow star, Warwick Davies, watched the trailer and gave it an amazing endorsement. Check out this short video to see what fun we had..
K-Man at Memrobilia Nov 2008 from Simon Cox on Vimeo.
Many thanks to Lucia Landino and Chris Jones for their help with this video.

I Can't Say Much But...

2008-11-19T04:16:00.000-08:00

Ken has returned from the American Film Market with some very positive news about Kaleidoscope Man. Can't go into to much detail just yet but needless to say it should help the funding to come in. The pilot DVD and brochures seem to be doing the trick!

I have been in touch with Screen West Midlands asking for support to help with a large funding event we're running in Birmingham in January for IFA's, Investors and Producers. There is a mountain of work to do before hand so I'm hoping they can help both physically and possibly financially.

This weekend is the Sci-Fi and Horror Memorabilia show at the Birmingham NEC where I will be selling signed copies of my first feature film, Written in Blood. I'll also be showing the Kaleidoscope Man trailer and asking film fans to give me their opinions on camera. This will be going into a nifty little documentary I'm putting together for the funding event in January - a chance to be on the big screen! If any of you would like to come and be in it, its a great (and very geeky event) and it would be fantastic to meet you.

For more info go to: http://www.memorabilia.co.uk

L.A. Meetings Going Well

2008-11-11T01:50:00.000-08:00

I've just received a message from Ken that the Kaleidoscope Man brochure and trailer DVD's are going down a storm at the American Film Market.

Will keep you posted!

Two "Making Of" Videos

2008-11-08T06:18:00.000-08:00

Here are the two "Making Of Kaleidoscope Man" videos I've done to date, in case you haven't already seen them.
There will be some new 'Making Of' videos very soon.

Storyboarding Kaleidoscope Man from Simon Cox on Vimeo.

Creating The Opening Sequence for Kaleidoscope Man from Simon Cox on Vimeo.

Kaleidoscope Man Stepping Up a Gear

2008-11-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

I'm still busy shooting 2nd Unit on this Charles Dickens Documentary I mentioned in my last entry. I've been shooting on the Panasonic Varicam camera and with the lens we've got this is one heavy beast of a camera and I've found muscles I didn't know I had!! The quality of the images however are truly staggering.

At last there seems to be some movement on the Kaleidoscope Man funding front (no, I don't have the money yet) but today I was contacted by an organization who have offered to help promote our film proposal to their high network individuals. I'll let you know more about this as the news comes in.

The American Film Market takes place this week and Ken (the Producer) is taking the script, trailer & brochure of Kaleidoscope Man over with him. We've been working hard to get all the elements together and he has a large list of contacts to see. More news on this next week.

As I've had a busy few months recently and expect to be editing right up to Christmas, I'm going to try and take some time off in January to really push the business plan and find new investors.

I feel things are picking up again. Here is the trailer in case you haven't seen it.

New Draft Coming Along Nicely

2008-10-21T13:48:00.001-07:00

Well, after the hell of working in the corporate video world for the last 4 months I am now a free man again. The thing about corporates is that they pay well, but in return they are all consuming. I'm now editing a superb documentary about Charles Dickens directed by an old friend, Julian Richards (Summer Scars & The Last Horror Movie) and a Producer/distributor friend, David Wilkinson. Next week I'll be shooting some 2nd unit shots on my Varicam camera. So if you live in Portsmouth or Rochester and see a film crew it could well be us!

The other good news is that I have made really good headway on the Kaleidoscope Man script re-draft and aim to have it finished by the end of the month. Ken (the K-Man Producer) wants to take it to the American Film Market (AFM) in November in the continued search for funding.

Talking of which, its been pretty quiet here on that front, but we're still forging ahead. Some news soon, I hope...

What I've Been Up To...

2008-10-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

A new video! Just a brief update of the productions I've been involved in over the last few months...

This Could Take a While...

2008-10-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

I've started to get feed back from some of the potential Investors who've received the business plan. They all seem impressed with the film and the DVD, and I get the sense that there are people out there who would genuinely like to help.

On the other hand, there is grave concern about the current financial shenanigans kicking off around the globe. A lot of investors are seeing their fortunes disappear and investing in a movie seems to be the last thing on their minds right now.

I'm just finishing this colossus of a corporate video, so from next week I'll be able to get back to seriously marketing the plan. I really can't wait. I know there are people out there who will help us. I just need to find them...

Kaleidoscope Man - Draft 17 Begins...

2008-09-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

After a week of taking notes, hearing opinions and listening to a bunch of screenwriting CD's, the new draft of the script has begun. I went through the first 20 pages on Saturday, ruthlessly hacking and slashing and re-ordering scenes, and I have to say I'm delighted with the progress so far. I've ironed out the main issues with the beginning being a little slow and confusing. There’s now plenty of action and conflict and it certainly doesn’t stand still. Just another 70 pages to go!

An Investor called me on Thursday and said that he would discuss the business plan with some other film investor contacts. Watch this space for more news.

Sitting Here Watching The Wheels Go Round

2008-09-18T00:30:00.001-07:00

I'm staying in London at the moment working on a big corporate video. This job has gone on and on and the weeks are turning into months. Its hard living out of a rucksack and crashing on a colleagues sofa, especially when I have so much I need and want to do on the movie. The daily rate is very good so I can't afford not too really. I was just thinking how wonderful life would be if we didn't have huge mortgages to pay and could just focus on the things that are important to us. Ahhh, one day... But then I'm reminded that I could have a real job or be fighting a war somewhere... that sofa seems appealing again!!

I got up at 6.00am this morning and sat in Costa Coffee working on the re-draft of Kaleidoscope Man. Just making notes really and thinking things through. As I'm getting more into it, I don't think the script needs a radical re-write, more of a serious edit and shifting of scenes mainly in the first act. In the story there is a whole sub-plot set on earth and although I really like it, I'm seriously considering giving it the chop. It's good character stuff but doesn't drive the narrative as well as the scenes around it do.

I haven't heard anything back from the business plans I sent out to Investors yet, fingers crossed we'll here something soon.

Watch this space…!

Getting The Script Right....

2008-09-16T04:25:00.000-07:00

Well, a huge chunk of business plans have gone out to potential Investors. The flyers I mentioned in my last entry have arrived and look great. They'll be hitting the floors of Lawyers and Accountants in the city early next week. And I've had the first few conversations about the budget. All exciting stuff...

But, something has been nagging me for the last few months; the big ugly monster waiting for me in the corner, the thing that, if I don't sort out now, will haunt me for the rest of my life. Yep, you've got it, THE SCRIPT!!!

Now, there's nothing actually wrong with the script, it certainly works, and is a very powerful piece of narrative. But is it really as good as it can be???

Some close friends have read it recently and although they've been complimentary, the same issues come to light. They've found some areas confusing and in places it's hard to follow. The problem seems to be due to the high level of visual set pieces in the film. There is a lot of description about alien things that are hard to visualize. In my heart, I'm sure that when an audience SEES what I have in mind they will have no problem following it, but it's vital that the script works in my favor (as investors are bound to read it) so this must be addressed.

Over the last year, I've been busy on business plans, making pilots and generally working hard to pay the mortgage and get to this stage. The thought of going back to the script scares the life out of me. It's a bit like ripping your back bone out and then trying to stand. The whole thing could collapses around me. But, I have to be grown up and embrace this demon, because this has to be sensational and world class.

When I set out to make this movie, I intended to make it "one of the greatest British sci-fi movies of all time". Which is easy to say, and gets even easier the more you say it. And the more you say it, the more you start to believe it. And the thing is, I genuinely DO believe it will be "one of the greatest British sci-fi movies of all time". But, delivering on this, well, that's a different story!

So, from here on, its head down and get on with it. The new draft starts over the weekend (GULP!). Wish me luck.....

Finding Investors - The Next Step

2008-09-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned previously, the laws on raising funds are strict and we’re not allowed to market that we’re looking to sell shares in our company to raise money for making the movie. So how on earth do we get to investors to tell them about our fantastic new film?

Well, last week I came up with a cunning plan to get around this. I would write to every Accountant in the City of London to tell them about the movie in the hope that they would guide any potential Investors to my website, where these investors could watch the trailer and then contact us for a copy of the business plan. A good idea I felt. However, our Lawyers didn’t think it was so good and they wouldn't advise.

So, having thought it through, I’ve decided a slightly different approach. Instead of writing a letter, I‘ve designed a small flyer that I will send out to the Lawyers and Accountants instead. This way I don’t have to write individual letters and the artwork and website will hopefully hook them in. Printing.com have a fabulous deal on at the moment. 2000 high gloss double sided flyers for only £76 – A bargain!! The flyer will also act as a sort of business card telling people about the movie. These should be ready by early next week.

Here is the first batch of business plans that will go out later this week. I have a nice little list of potential investors they’re going to and the plans look great – really glossy, I really don’t think they could look any better.

By the way, I’m getting loads of hits on my blog at the moment. Thank you all for your support. Here's a rather nice email I received earlier this week:

I came across your blog through Chris Jones’ blog and just wanted to say that everything you discuss on your blog is extremely interesting and useful to someone like myself, just starting out in the industry. The 'making of' video entries are FANTASTIC! I want to learn as much as I can about the business, I want to see things being made, people physically using the camera, watching the editing process, directing the actors etc etc. So, THANK YOU , and I do hope you add more 'behind the scenes' video on your blog page!

Also, may I wish you every success with your latest project!!

Danny Lacey - STADA MEDIA - Thanks Danny, I'll keep the "Making Of's" coming!

Creating The Opening Sequence for Kaleidoscope Man

2008-09-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

I've put this little video together which will give you an idea of how we made the opening sequence of the movie. This video follows on from the storyboarding sequence lower down on the blog.

I'll try and keep the videos coming as I really enjoy making them (it's also a great way to use up some of the hours of footage we've been shooting). Although apologies for the dodgy voice over artist (he was cheap!!)

Once we've raised the money to finish the film, I'll keep the "Making Of's" coming.

I hope you like them!

For more infomation about Screenburn Animation go to: www.screenburn.co.uk

Finding Funding, My Plans and the Law...

2008-08-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Well great news, the Business Plan is now complete which means we now have the legal tool to go out and raise money to get Kaleidoscope Man in production.

As I mentioned in my last blog video, when I made my first film, Written in Blood, it was a case of finding the funding within the UK Film Industry. This time around I need to find private Investors to fund the film which is a totally different ball game. The law is very heavily structured to protect Investors, so we have to be very careful as to how we approach potential backers. And not being able to advertise publicly makes the process very complicated.

But I've got this far and I will find a way. We only need to raise £1.8 million and this will release a further £500K from Screen WM, which will mean we can get the cameras rolling.

One of the things I do want to do though is to be honest about the entire process. I know a lot of film makers are now looking at my blog, and we all find funding the hardest part of the process, so I''ll be straight with you about where I get it right and where I get it wrong, and hopefully, we can all learn from my mistakes.

By the way, if anyone has any ideas or experiences about raising funds, do please contact me, or comment on the blog. I really have never done this before and I'm certainly willing to learn from others myself.

Many thanks.

How I'll Get My Film Funded (Hopefully!)

2008-08-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm putting myself in the firing line here by adding a kind of "video diary" of my exploits to my blog. My hope is that you'll get to know me better and when the film finally comes out, you'll want to go and see Kaleidoscope Man because we've come this far together. So here I am, walts and all. Feel free to let me know if you'd prefer NOT to see me up this close and personal...!

Like any professional trying to raise finance for their business, a well developed business plan is the tool needed to convince everyone from the banks to Venture Capitalists that you have a well though out vision of how you intend to turn a profit. Making a movie is no different. I'm sure we'll soon find out if I've done my homework correctly.

I believe I have. Wish me luck!

New Kaleidoscope Man Trailer

2008-08-19T03:02:00.000-07:00

I know some of you may have already seen this but I've put it up for anyone who hasn't (to save you having to go through my previous posts to find it.) Enjoy....

Lots Of Goodies in The Pipeline...

2008-08-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

Well, just as I though the business plan for Kaleidoscope Man was ready to fly, there still a hitch. Just a small matter of no bank account for investors to put there money in too... doh! So, Ken and I are meeting up next week to set up an account at Barclays, Soho Square (a proper film business bank!). Then, the business plan will be complete and ready to get out to investors.

As regards Chris Jones' short film, Gone Fishing, it won best film at the Rhode Island Film Festival, which means it can now be short listed for the Oscars.

So, well done Chris and fingers crossed that you get nominated (the thought that we could actually win an Oscar blows me away!!!). I'll keep you informed...

Now, I know this blog is all about my mission to get my movie Kaleidoscope Man made, but I also have another little project on the go. It's a tense supernatural thriller called, 'The Final Reel' about a Film Editor desperate for cash, who agrees to edit a strange supernatural film. But things soon turn out bad, and he is taken on a very frightening journey where there is no return.

My writing friend Simon Bovey has already written a couple of drafts and today we thrashed out some ideas for a new draft which was most inspiring. The reason I'm bringing this up is because Ken, the Producer on Kaleidoscope Man, thinks we might be able to get this off the ground before we get K-Man funded. So fingers crossed....

The Show Is Over, But The Adventure Is About To Begin...

2008-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back! After many hours of traveling and no night time in between, Chris and I arrived home this morning. The Rhode Island Film Festival, Gone Fishing, parties and awards now a distant memory in the stew of good old jet lag. We filmed for the corporate video which went okay and I spent most of my time filming Chris for his blog, which he promptly edited and put up for the world to see. http//livingspirt.typepad.com

Chris really is a one man marketing enigma and I've certainly been taking notes during his whirlwind approach to getting his stuff out there. I won't mention the results of the awards just yet as Chris wants to show the world himself. One thing is for sure though; he can certainly whip up a crowd with his dedication, enthusiasm and articulation. In one of his speeches during a seminar on film funding (which I filmed), I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention. The audience and I were in the palm of his hand, it was gripping and breathtaking. I know he's my friend, but he really is quite a guy!

So now, back to reality and I've got to get Kaleidoscope Man financed and made. If anything, seeing the quality of the films at the festival, I'm left knowing that I have to get it done and must not let the normality’s of real life hinder me from reaching the dream. I've had time to gather my thoughts and consider a game plan. The future is in the palm of my hand and I can't blame anyone else for me not getting to that dream.

So from tomorrow morning, its business plans at the ready, because I’m going to get out there and find the cash to make my movie…

Gone Fishing - A Massive Hit in Rhode Island

2008-08-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

What an experience coming to an international film festival has been. The film I'm with, Gone Fishing, directed by Chris Jones has gone down a storm. It was the closing night screening yesterday and the film was projected on 35mm just before the big movie. It looked amazing, the colours, the sound, it just reminded me why I want to make films and that the effort and energy we put in is so worth it. The audience lapped it up. There were tears, cheers, and whoops of joy, it was amazing. Chris and I were completely overwhelmed.

We go back to the UK tomorrow and I have a re-newed vigor to get Kaleidoscope Man off the page and onto the screen. This has been a truly wonderful and enlightening experience, one that will stay with me forever...

Hats Off to Rhode Island

2008-08-07T04:45:00.000-07:00

After Tuesday's unfortunate screening problems the staff at the Rhode Island Festival wanted to make amends for the technical issues and so are going to show Chris's film, Gone Fishing at 7pm on Saturday night. We are delighted about this as it's the big night for the festival and the audience will be full of press and celebrities. Another chance for me to plug Kaleidoscope Man I hope.

Today I have been invited to host a panel about On-Line Film Distribution, which should be fun!

I see that I'm getting a lot of hits to my blog at the moment. Thank you for your interest and support. Next week I'm going to get back on the road with the business plan. I think its about time we got funding for Kaleidoscope Man sorted, don't you?

The Opening Night At The Rhode Island Film Festival

2008-08-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

Chris' film, Gone Fishing, was one of the 10 films screened at the opening night of this prestigious film festival. To say we were excited was an understatement. The opportunity to see our work on a massive screen in front of an audience of 2000 people is the dream of every filmmaker.

But sadly, the festival just couldn't get its act together and despite having a fantastic venue, some superb films and the best HD projector available, 7 out of the 10 films were projected in a very small window in the centre of the screen. It was like looking at a postage stamp.

To make matters worse, they projected it in the wrong ratio (the image was stretched) and managed to chop off the first 20 seconds of our film which was really gut wrenching. I didn't feel great about it but Chris was devastated. We also discovered that last nights screening was part of the audience award and people were voting for their best film. The whole set up just wasn't fair to any of the filmmakers.

The after show party was good through and the people I spoke to were very complimentary about the film, so who knows if we will win. Either way, a level playing field would have been nice.

I was able to pitch Kaleidoscope Man to quite a few people and was interviewed by the local TV station called "Cox Cable" (no relation!) where I did a massive plug for the movie and the website.

America Greets Us With Open Arms

2008-08-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday: Chris and I hit the ground running. The flight was a grueling 7 and a half hours but allowed me the time to catch up on a new script I've been working on and a couple of movies. When we got to New York's JFK airport we then had a 5 hour drive to Rhode Island.

Today we start work filming on the corporate video and tonight we will be introducing ourselves to the film festival crowd where we will be presenting Chris's film, Gone Fishing. I'm not sure when the film will actually be screened yet, so will let you know. I'm making a video blog for Chris which is at: http//livingspirt.typepad.com

Watch this space for more details...

Corporate Wonderland

2008-08-01T21:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week and I've been staying in London working on a very grand corporate video for a massive consultancy company.

Corporate work is the way I pay the mortgage these days and I could certainly have a healthy career doing this if I didn't want to make epic sci-fi movies etc...

Last year I was 2nd Unit Director on a short film called Gone Fishing for a fellow Director friend, Chris Jones, and this week this amazingly up-lifting little film won the best film at the Kodak awards in London. It was a fantastic event and I'm delighted to be a part of it. This is a picture of Chris, me and Harry Potter star, Devon Murray on the set of Gone Fishing.

Check out http://livingspirit.typepad.com/ to read Chris's blog and watch the video of the awards. It's a real inspiration.

Next week Chris and I are off to the USA to film for this corporate video and while over there we will be taking Gone Fishing to the Rhode Island Film Festival. We're hoping that it will stand a good chance of winning something hot on the success of the Kodak awards. This is the first international film festival I've ever been to so I'm very excited and will use the opportunity to make new contacts and build new relationships across the pond. I'll keep you up-dated with our progress.

On the Kaleidoscope Man front, I received the Lawyers notes back on the business plan and there are only a few minor changes to be done. I'll have these knocked out when back from the States and then out it goes into the big wide world....

It's a Long Road...

2008-07-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

The waiting game continues. The business plan is finished; the Accountants have given it the thumbs up, Ken the Producer has given it the thumbs up. Now the Lawyers have it and once they are happy we can get the plans printed and start sending them out. The business plan has taken nearly 8 months to complete - the length of time it would have taken to make the entire movie!

I have a small list of potential investors to approach and some very good contacts at Pinewood Studios. Of course there is no guarantees that these particular people will fund the film, but its a good place to start. I will also be approaching some Business Angel networks, which means I'll be able to pitch to investors there too.

Next week I’m off to America with my buddy Chris Jones to do some filming for a big corporate video, so as soon as I get back we should be able to get the ball rolling. I'll be visiting the Rhode Island Film Festival so I'll be gathering contacts there too.

Will keep you informed…

Simon on Local Radio

2008-07-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

Fosseway Radio, our local radio station have been following our progress with Kaleidoscope Man and recently did an interview with me which was filmed. I feel it's important to get publicity for the movie as soon as possible, and where better to start than your own home town.

Fosseway have been very enthusiastic and supportive about the film. So many thanks guys, I'll make sure you get an invite to the premier.

Business Plan Cover - New Sexy Design

2008-07-14T14:02:00.001-07:00

Here is the new design of the Business Plan cover. We've used images from the trailer and opening scene of the film and I'm really delighted by it. I wanted it to look fresh, original and exciting - a movie I'd definitely want to go and see.

The little green figure on the top row with his back to us is Matt the Storyboard Artist. The exploding city is Birmingham (with new CGI buildings added). That's the M6 at the bottom of the picture. It was shot at around 1am back in November!

Click on the image to download a high quality copy.

Storyboarding Kaleidoscope Man

2008-07-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

For me, having effective storyboards is an essential part of making this movie. I was extremely lucky to find a very talented young artist called Matt Allsopp who was fundimental in designing the spaceships and creating the really impressive look of the film.

Please see below a little video featuring Matt and myself which I hope you will find of interest.

There is still a lot of storyboarding and design work to be done and as soon as we get the finance in place, storyboarding will be the first area we focus on.

Let me know what you think...

Raising Funds. A Difficult Road Ahead?

2008-07-08T22:19:00.000-07:00

The wording on the Kaleidoscope Man business plan is now finished. Its full of very detailed information about tax breaks and the various rules and implications of investing in films. The Accountants have worked on in for weeks and have brought in tax specialists to help.

All we have to do now is get the Lawyers to vet it and we can send it out.

It dawned on me yesterday that we now have to find wealthy individuals to send it to and all of a sudden I'm nervous. Where are we going to find these people? Because of the type of business plan we have, we can only send it out to around 100 people, so we have to be very targeted.

I'm going to start listing everyone I've ever known who may be in a position to help. I'm not sure the list will be that long though. I just hope we don't send out loads of copies and get no responses.

I must stay positive.

The Accountants Have Finished

2008-07-07T10:53:00.001-07:00

Our Accountant called me today with the great news that they've finished their work on the business plan. Ken and I are popping in to see them tomorrow to go through their notes.

After that, the plan will weave its way to our Lawyers for one final check over and then we can send it out to potential investors.

Many thanks to Rashmin and Mervyn at Parker Cavendish, for their fantastic support.

Kaleidoscope Man - What Dreams Are Made Of....

2008-07-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

It’s funny, but since I was about 15 I’ve been planning “the big one”, the sci-fi movie to end all movies and over the years, I’ve been bouncing ideas around my skull. A kind of ‘War of the Worlds’ thing, big epic, thrilling, etc, but because I’ve painted this enormous picture on a Cecil B. DeMille scale, I’ve been too scared to tackle it. I tried writing it once, but it just seemed so gargantuan that whatever words were on the page, it just wasn’t right.

So the idea for Kaleidoscope Man came as a sort of second hand substitute for not being able to face ‘the big one’. Initially, I had three ideas for this, my next movie:

A story set in the aftermath of a nuclear war.
A woman gets revenge on the man who raped her mother when she was a child.
A man who wakes from one dream only to find himself in another dream, and so on.

I knew each of these ideas had something, but they were all to short for a feature film. I decided to blend them all together into a sort of anthology. But it was difficult, because they were all so different.

I’d also just done this ‘sort your life out’ course, called the Land Mark Forum, which had an incredible impact on me, and I wanted to incorporate some of the positive messages I’d picked up from the course, into the story.

I tend to do a lot of my brain storming in the bath. I just mull things over and usually ideas pop up. (I actually came up with my first film Written in Blood whilst lounging in a steaming tub!). I spent many hours soaking and thinking about how to combine each of these ideas.

But it was one hot summers afternoon, when Foot & Mouth was rampant in the British Countryside, that the idea hit me: ALIENS! THEY WERE ABDUCTED BY ALIENS! It struck me like a blast from God, and it felt monumental. From that moment on, these simple ideas became the first draft for Kaleidoscope Man.

Many drafts followed, which I tested on friends and family. During one family holiday to Majorca I read it aloud to my two brother-in-laws, Rob and Jeff, I continually picked their brains on the smallest details of the story. This went on for two weeks, driving them both insane. For me however, it was a fascinating insight into how the rest of the world would feel about the story. And it worked – I just knew it!

After about three years, I met a fellow Writer/Director Simon Bovey, who did a re-write. He ironed out any issues and did a dialogue polish. It’s now a sensational script with more twists, turns and emotion than I could ever have imagined. I really do believe it will move, touch, thrill and inspire the audience, leaving them with the feeling that life really is great, and with that wonderful thing we all thrive on. Hope.

What started as a substitute for ‘the big one’ has now become ‘the big one’. And for me it just proves yet again that life has an interesting way of dealing your cards.

I just so hope that the money to make it will come soon.

New Kaleidoscope Man Concept Art Added

2008-07-05T01:13:00.000-07:00

I've added more concept designs and storyboards from the movie to this blog - just scroll down to the bottom of this page and check out some of Matt's superb images.

Let me know what you think!

New Edit Of Kaleidoscope Man Trailer

2008-07-04T14:24:00.000-07:00

This is the very latest edit of the Kaleidoscope Man trailer. Not hugely different from the older version except that I've now changed the opening logo (the company we are funding the film through) and have added a voice over.

After showing the first trailer to a few colleagues, they felt I should give a very brief idea of what the film is about. I did get a much longer script recorded for it, but it just didn't feel right with the music and dynamic images, so I kept it very simple.

I hope you like it!

Kaleidoscope Man - The Story

2008-06-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

I am often asked what Kaleidoscope Man is about. So here is a brief outline of the story....

Jack awakes, encased in a coffin shaped pod, on a thin ledge in a giant cavern. The last thing he remembers was locking up and leaving his job as the head of a psychiatric care centre for people with mental difficulties.

Suddenly, the ledge shatters and Jack hurtles into the dark abyss below. Falling and falling, eventually he hits the ground, but instead of smashing violently against it, he falls right through it. To his absolute horror, he is blasted out into deep space. Jack had been in no giant cavern, but the belly of a colossal spaceship.

Jack stirs to find himself on the beach of a strange alien planet. As he struggles to take in the gravity of his situation, three of his patients have also escaped the ship. How on earth did they all get there?

Three different stories haunt them, each with the same three characters. Harriet: a loyal friend with a dark past. Samantha: a girl with a damned vision for mankind. Floyd: a misguided man, with delusions of being the next James Bond. Each story has a terrifying conclusion and each has a bizarre link to how they all got on board the spaceship. Jack realises that he must face up to the true horrors of their situation and find a way back to Earth where his beloved wife, Mandy, holds the key to what has really happened.

But they are alone and desperate, and stuck on an alien planet, millions of light years away from Earth, and the aliens are coming to get them…

Kaleidoscope Man is a story about redemption for our characters and their place in the world. An original heart-stopping thriller with dramatic twists and turns and a conclusion that will leave the audience inspired and elated. A roller coaster ride that explores the depths of our human emotions and how we must value our fragile place in this universe.

The Business Plan - Nearly Ready for Investors

2008-06-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

Ken Tuohy (the Producer of Kaleidoscope Man) and I have prepared a shooting schedule and production budget. To make the film to the level we would like, we need to raise £2.3 million. We expect to get at least 25% of this through our UK Regional Screen Agency, Screen West Midlands, who have already invested considerably in the development of the film. The other £75% we hope to raise from Private Investors.

The Business plan will be finished around the middle of July and be ready to send out to Investors.

The plan has taken much longer than I originally hoped because we have set the company up utilizing the EIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme), which means investors, can get extremely good tax breaks, making their investment a lot less risky. This has been a very complicated and frustrating process due to the attention to detail required. Our Lawyers and Accountants have been fantastic though, dotting the I's and crossing the T's, and I'm very proud of the document. It's bright, colorful, exciting and really highlights the fantastic opportunity the film could bring - I really hope we can find some investors who are as excited about making the film as we are.

Designing Kaleidoscope Man

2008-06-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

A big part of making a movie like K-Man is in the planning. I knew from the outset that the film was going to be extremely visual and when writing the script there was a lot of exposition explaining some of the spectacular set peices, spaceships and locations. This made the story seem clunky and over complicated and I knew I needed to be able to show people exactly what I was after, quickly and powerfully.

My Nephew, Steve Cheshire was teaching at the local art college and told me to look at the work of one of his students, Matt Allsopp. When I saw Matt pictures my jaw hit the floor. This 18 year old was producing work to the quality of Ralph McQuarrie (the original concept artist on the Star Wars movies). So we met, he read the script and came up with about 5 images that he felt summed up Kaleidoscope Man.

Well, to say he hit the nail on the head was an understatment. The guy nailed it, absolutley and completely. At last I had a look for the film and over the next few months, Matt produced some 500 storyboards and concepts for the film. I've added a hand full of his early works and hope to produce an 'Art Of' booklet when the film comes out.

To find out more about Matt, visit him at: www.matthewallsopp.com

2008-06-16T04:46:00.001-07:00

A Bit of Back Story

2008-06-16T01:49:00.000-07:00

For those who know me, you'll know that I've been banging on about this new movie of mine for years, and to date, you've only seen clips and trailers.

The truth is getting Kaleidoscope Man funded really has been a struggle. I did raise a significant amount of money a few years ago which went towards buying a large amount of high end HD kit to make the film with (and to help my existing corporate business).

However, I was promised a very large sum by a Canadian Investor who constantly assured me that the money was coming. Sadly, it never saw the light of day and as I'd spent a bit to much of my own money developing the project, it ended up sinking my company. Luckily, Screen West Midlands invested a significant amount into the project which enabled me to continue developing the script, produce some storyboards and to create the opening scene of the film.

Getting my fingers burnt made me sit back and think about things. When I was young I could afford to take risks, but now with a mortgage and a young family, I had to be stable. So I enlisted the help of a Producer friend of mine, Ken Tuohy. Ken has worked in the movie business for over thirty years, starting on the Beatles movies, Magical Mystery Tour and Let it be. He's worked with every movie star under the sun including John Wayne, Sean Connery, Liz Taylor and Rock Hudson. If anyone can help me get this film moving, he certainly will. Apart from anything else, he believes in the script and he believes in me, which is the best place to start. Ken has introduced me to the right Lawyers, Accountants, Casting Directors, PR people and Investors. It's just a matter of time before the money comes in, I'm sure of it.

Another guy who has been invaluable to the project is Writer/Director, Simon Bovey. Simon helped me turn the script into something that is now world class. It's exciting, inspiring and beautifully written.

Check Out the New Pilot for Kaleidoscope Man

2008-06-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

This is the pilot I've been working on for the last three years with CGI Company, Screenburn Animation. The aim is to show investors the type of movie Kaleidoscope Man will be. A lot of time and money has gone into to it, and I'm delighted with it.

We've done a very professional business plan which will include a DVD with this pilot and the opening sequence of the film. The Lawyers are currently raking over the details of the plan and hopefully it should be ready to go out in early July. I can't wait!!!

Sunday night and back in the office again

2008-06-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

Well I've done it. This is my first blogg. Very exciting....