Friday 9 December 2011

Where we are at...

A general post this time around, almost a Christmassy newsletter type thing.

Rome was great. Des & Mo went down well and I was really pleased with the occasion. The IrishFilmFesta was a great event and Susanna & Nick do a wonderful job of running it. I highly recommend it.

Tonight I'm screening 'I've Got This Idea For A Film' in my beloved Spotted Dog in Birmingham. It next gets a screening in Berlin on the 11th February during the Berlinale. Very exciting. It will also make an appearance in the Symposium for my students later in February.

I'm back to Dublin next week, and there's embryonic discussions about another possible 72 movie (just to end the trilogy!). Watch this space for more details!

James x

Monday 28 November 2011

Spotted Dog - 9th December

'I've Got This Idea For A Film' is being screened in Birmingham on Friday 9th December at 8pm in The Spotted Dog. It's currently the only opportunity for the rest of 2011 to see the film until February 2012!

If you're interested in seeing it, simply come down...

James x

Sunday 27 November 2011

Not long until Rome!

Des & Mo is playing on Friday in the Casa Del Cinema in Rome at 6pm. It has been described as a cinema lesson, so I'm not sure what we are going to learn. How exciting. There's also a possibility of getting Des & Mo back in front of people in Dublin & Birmingham before Christmas. I'll post more details when I know more.

The documentary 'I've Got This Idea For A Film' will get a screening at the Film Symposium in Stoke in February, and hopefully a play in Berlin during this years festival in the same month.

Busy times!

James

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Des & Mo - pirated?

According to Youtube, you can see Des & Mo online, but only if you subscribe to win an iPhone 4S first. Piracy, a flattering form of plagiarism. Except only nine people have viewed the clip. Which is more embarrassing...

Tuesday 8 November 2011

News

Hello! It seems like a quiet few weeks on the 72 project, but there's lots scuffling around in the background. As the major investors in Des & Mo, the university has sent Peter Rudge over to the American Film Market, so he is busy with bits over there. I'm trying to sort more screenings for both Des & Mo and the documentary.

Our provisional date for getting a whole package of DVDs sorted is Valentines Day. That is the plan at least!

If there is any more news, I'll keep you posted,

James x

Wednesday 26 October 2011

The Weight of Trolls?

We got into a discussion yesterday because of the success that the film has had in Melbourne (where it was in the top ten audience choices of the festival), Raindance (where one reviewer made it her 2nd best film of the festival) and Solihull, which gave it 89% approval rating - yet on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), the movie scores 6/10.
When you take a closer look at the stats, you see that it is some two young men and a weird weighting system that can twist and distort these figures, but when so much business gets done on the wisdom of the crowds (especially when funding new projects), it is a really frustrating representation that seems to discount all the positives. Don't get me wrong - I'm sure loads of the people who gave it 10 were connected to the project and were bias, and it is good to avoid vote stuffing. But to have an arithmetic mean of 8.5 and a weighted average of 6 is quite sizable! Take a look at the stats and come to your own conclusions....

Solihull has spoken...

Solihull Film Society gave Des & Mo an average of 6.2 out of 7, which is 89%! They haven't updated the website yet but this puts us up there with the best of the year in joint 3rd place!!!

Thank you Solihull! x


Saturday 22 October 2011

That went well...

Two screenings of two different films in two days, in two different countries to two very different audiences. One universal response though - positive and bright about 'Des & Mo' and 'I've Got This Idea For A Film'. I'm really happy but so tired. I'm hopefully going to find time this week to do some editing on some other projects, but can't wait to set up some more screenings to keep the momentum going! I'll keep in touch when I have more news!

James

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Rome?

Des & Mo was seen at Galway by Susanna from the IrishFilmFesta in Rome and she contacted me today to sort finer details. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say this but it's being screened on Saturday 3rd December! Shh.... we like an exclusive! I'm really bloody excited to be honest, just to see 'incazzato britannica' in the subtitles when they say 'pissed Brits'. I'm thinking of getting a tee shirt made...

Monday 17 October 2011

Hit me again!

The 72 project got over 450 unique hits over the weekend, which I believe demonstrates how our films and experience upon the project still have an impact. Please continue to share the website with your friends as the word of mouth is becoming increasingly valuable in this noisy planet!

The website will continue to grow with more information and details. It isn't a graveyard, it's an encyclopaedia. If you want something added, let us know and we'll add it! You can find us online at www.facebook.com/the72project also. In case that is more of your thang.

James x


Sunday 16 October 2011

Screenings!

Two different films, two dates, two cities. It's a busy weekend next weekend!

"I've Got This Idea For A Film" - fresh from it's world premiere at Raindance, this documentary will screen at Filmbase, Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin at 7pm on Friday 21st October. Drinks are at 6pm. Get hold of James if you want to go...

The film is screened at the Solihull Film Society, Solihull Arts Complex, Homer Road, Solihull, (B91 3RG) at 6.30pm on Saturday 22nd October. The challenge is to score the best movie of the year in their notorious marking system! For tickets, contact the Box office 0121 704 6962

James is presenting at both events.

Friday 14 October 2011

What's going on?!

Last week I was ejected from the 72hourmovie Facebook page and blocked from viewing it by the other admins. Naturally I'm gutted because I feel as if I played a big part in developing the group in the first place, and to be ejected is petulant.

A disagreement has arisen between the team over the documentary for the 72 project, "I've Got This Idea For A Film". This disagreement led to the film being pulled from the Galway Film Fleadh in July 2011 despite being selected in the programme. This was a huge disappointment, especially as we were so desperate to get films into festivals 3 years earlier that we were willing to make them in three days!

As far as I'm aware, the disagreement surrounds the fact that James Arneman and Katie Mitchell's documentary doesn't include all of the crew in Melbourne and therefore isn't a fair representation of the 72 process. The documentary isn't by any means negative of the process or by any means derogatory towards what was achieved in Melbourne. Personally I believe it shows us under an incredible amount of stress and emotional pressure and I think it is a fairly objective view of the production, but everyone is welcome to their own opinion.

It is because everyone is welcome to their own opinion that I cannot stand the decision to eject me from the Facebook group and delete evidence of the documentary. For a project which prided itself on transparency it is a shameful low to censor the project in any way. Besides, I continue to promote the films in festivals, including last week in Raindance, and ejecting me is simply denying all those who worked on the project to hear about the project's progress.

I've decided to distance myself from this latest debacle by establishing a website that collates many details about the 72 in one accessible place, and where all details about the project will continue to promoted. It's at www.the72project.org

Hopefully see you there...

James




Friday 7 October 2011

Curious & spurious

Hmm... I no longer seem to be an admin on the 72hourmovie Facebook page and all evidence of the 'I've Got This Idea For A Film' documentary about the 72 hour project has been deleted. If you find this curious and would like to know why such strange things may happen, why don't you come along to the documentary's premiere at Raindance on Saturday 8th October at 1230 in the Piccadilly Apollo Theatre in London. It's followed by a screening of 'The Ballad of Des & Mo'. The films are followed by a Q&A with myself and the post-production supremo Mike Fisher.

Tschuss,

James x

Thursday 10 March 2011

Hello again

Sunday 20 February 2011

Thoughts on Berlinale. Thoughts on Libya

I have just returned home from 12 days in Berlin and I am exhausted. After screening the film at the Kino Sputnik I immediately spent the last week at a conference exploring ‘Art as Cultural Diplomacy’, something that the 72 Hour Movie unwittingly fulfilled by arriving in Australia via the Irish Embassy and using an international crew. I am now planning to describe myself as a cultural diplomat instead of a filmmaker in the hope I can have more money, immunity and WikiLeaks as a promoter.

In all seriousness, whilst we were all taking on the challenge in Melbourne, we were actually engaging with new people from different places and exchanging ideas about our beliefs. We asked everyone to think differently about the process of filmmaking and what we could achieve collectively. I would argue this is actually cultural engagement as opposed to political diplomacy, but seeing as the Irish Embassy proudly hosted us (the Irish Film Board weren’t so proud), we can take pride in our new political status.

Why am I mentioning this? Well, I believe that the greatest asset about the digital ‘revolution’ and the ‘democratization’ of media is NOT that every wannabe can imitate Hollywood with a Canon 7D DSLR. The greatest thing is that these tools can spread new ideas – helping us connect and communicate with one another in ways that were never previously allowed or feasible with traditional media. We can work differently, we can tell different stories and see different perspectives.

I am simultaneously excited and scared about what I currently read about Libya. I am excited that people have the courage to rise up, but I am scared for my friends there. I made a film in Libya in 2007 with small consumer MiniDV handicams. It was a film that could never have been made if I had waited around for traditional funding streams to stump up cash and then stamp their own ideology on top of it. The film is quite simply how I subjectively saw things whilst I was there. It is not my favourite film; in fact it is probably my worst. It is at times miserable and self-indulgent and I apologise for that. I cringe at some of it and I’m proud of other bits. Filmmaking is a learning curve and I have always learnt more from my mistakes than I have my successes.

I want to selectively share the film now on the basis that deeper understanding is necessary in these difficult times and that traditional media will always have their own agendas; Libya is a political hot potato. This film is about cultural engagement and I hope that it offers a new perspective that isn’t perhaps reflected currently in the media. The film has recently been unavailable for viewing as I am currently in the process of re-cutting a documentary about the Sahara in general, but I am sharing it now, for two weeks, in light of the recent news. I have password protected the film for the sake and safety of the people in it, but will share it with you if you write to james (at) hellocamera (dot) ie

James

Tuesday 25 January 2011

The plan...

Oh! How the months fly by! One moment there is silence and then I am spewing over the cybernetic walls again. Apologies for the prolonged silence - we were quite simply sorting ourselves out. Not that we are fully recovered even now!!! But here is the news - we are now turning our attention to the northern hemisphere, and getting audiences to see 'The Ballad of Des & Mo'.

In the coming days and weeks we'll be announcing various screenings, Q&As, documentary details and loads more, but to whet your appetite now, a trailer for your perusal...

The Ballad of Des & Mo - Trailer from James Fair on Vimeo.



Much love,

James

Thursday 23 September 2010

Long time no see

where we at? from James Fair on Vimeo.

Tuesday 31 August 2010

Monday 23 August 2010

The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning?

Hey 72 peeps

So no video for only the 2nd time in this crazy blog. I'm giving the camera a break!

I leave Melbourne on Friday after 2 months of absolute craziness. Is this the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning? I can't really tell, but the fact is that the 72 Hour Movie project must now be called 'The Ballad of Des & Mo' and recognised as a film in its own right. I'm looking forward to seeing it again once I'm in the Northern Hemisphere, and getting out to all the other people who would love to see it.

So much focus in filmmaking is upon getting the film MADE and not the film SEEN. This now becomes the centre of our attention. Please bear with us as we go through all the small steps that will make the film ready for the release it deserves!

In the mean time, I must get back to the teaching. If you want to see me here in Melbourne, come along to the Open Channel FRAMED event on Thursday and we'll try and sneak a cheeky beer somewhere afterward.

Much love,

James

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Thursday 15 July 2010

Hello Paris

Hello Paris from James Fair on Vimeo.

Wednesday 14 July 2010

Death by email

Death by email from James Fair on Vimeo.

Sunday 11 July 2010

The forest

The forest from James Fair on Vimeo.

Wednesday 7 July 2010

Tuesday 6 July 2010

Friday 2 July 2010

TAKING CHANCES

Taking Chances from James Fair on Vimeo.

Go to the things mentioned in this vlog! JOHN BOORMAN - CHANNEL 4

Wednesday 30 June 2010

Friday 25 June 2010

London

London from James Fair on Vimeo.

Monday 21 June 2010

New York

New York from James Fair on Vimeo.

Thursday 17 June 2010

The 72 Diet

The 72 Diet from James Fair on Vimeo.

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Friday 11 June 2010

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Busy, busy, busy

Busy busy busy from James Fair on Vimeo.

Friday 4 June 2010

Casting closed. Shop open. Sun is out.

Casting closed. Shop open. Sun is out. from James Fair on Vimeo.



Go to the things mentioned in this vlog! FACEBOOK PAGE - THE 72 SHOP

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Gary has gone

Gary has gone from James Fair on Vimeo.

Wednesday 26 May 2010

This is the news

This is the news from James Fair on Vimeo.

Monday 24 May 2010

Disaster Strikes

Disaster strikes from James Fair on Vimeo.

Wednesday 19 May 2010

Friday 14 May 2010

Friday Feeling

Friday Feeling from James Fair on Vimeo.

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Sleepless Nights

Sleepless Nights from James Fair on Vimeo.

Friday 7 May 2010

Tuesday 4 May 2010

May Day

May Day from James Fair on Vimeo.

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Juggling

Juggling from James Fair on Vimeo.



CHECK OUT THE NEW FACEBOOK PAGE

Thursday 22 April 2010

Adventures in Social Media

Adventures in Social Media from James Fair on Vimeo.

A superbigmassive thanks to Turlough Rynne, Usna Tunney, Clara Walshe & Amanda Grady for all their help on making 72 come into the 21st century!

Sunday 18 April 2010

The End Of The World

The End Of The World from James Fair on Vimeo.

Go to the things mentioned in this vlog! THE BENJA MEN - ELEANOR GARRAN - FRUTALOKA

Wednesday 17 March 2010

James leaves 72*

James leaves 72* from James Fair on Vimeo.

Friday 12 March 2010

Sunday 28 February 2010

February round up

February round-up from James Fair on Vimeo.

Saturday 20 February 2010

Berlinale

Berlinale from James Fair on Vimeo.

Go to the things mentioned in this vlog! MULTILAYERLADEN - BERLINALE FILM FESTIVAL - BEN ARNTZ - MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL