It's snowing in Spain!

On the 9th February 2012 I found myself in Camberforth, Selby in Yorkshire UK, there was snow on the ground and it was very VERY cold but myself and a bunch of other actors were all pretending we were in sunny spain.  

Wait a minute I'm jumping ahead of myself though, let me go back a couple of days.   A talented director friend Phil Hawkins gave me a call, he was due to shoot a set of idents for Bavaria Lager Shandy and the client had wanted to change a casting and suddenly I had a job, yeah!   

So the day before the shoot I drove up from Cambridge, checked into the hotel and met a woman called Lisa who spray tanned me into a spanish glow.

I also got room service for the first time ever...     

ok so it was a burger but it was still cool.

The next morning at 4am my alarm went off and it was time to get up, shower off the spray tan and head out into the cold.  I'm pretty sure the day started in minus figures.

The location was a pool side bar in the garden of a large house.  Luckily no one was required to actually go into the pool as some of it was still covered in ice!  I did feel really sorry for everyone else because although I got to wear thermals and ugg boots under my costume, most of the others were in bikinis or shorts.  They were all troupers.

 

So here are the finished idents.  Enjoy!

"Give me a hug"

Little man trapped in the TV

Our director, Phil Hawkins

The crew

Not so sunny spain

Amazing cupcakes

Broadcast Video Expo and The Production Show

This week I went along to the Broadcast Video Expo and The Production Show down in Earls Court London.  It's a large event that takes place over 3 days from the 14-16 February, though I only attended one.  The hall was filled with loads of stands and theatre space for talks and demonstrations.  For anyone interested in cameras and lights and cranes etc it's a toy wonderland.

 A model tries to hit ping pong balls falling from the ceiling for a slow motion camera

It was a very interesting place to walk around.  Lots of expensive gadgets to look at.  I love slow motion so enjoyed the displays for the Phantom and other slow mo cameras.  As well as the stands there were talks going on every day and they were very popular, it was almost impossible to get a seat.  I went along to 'Financing your feature and Cannes on a budget.'  I found it very useful.  I already knew some of it but it's always good to be reminded of things plus it helped me to focus on the goal of going to Cannes this year.