Creating The Opening Sequence for Kaleidoscope Man

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...

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!)

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

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...

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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?

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

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....

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:

1. A story set in the aftermath of a nuclear war.
2. A woman gets revenge on the man who raped her mother when she was a child.
3. 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

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

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!