Day 01 - Stills from Dan Warhurst

Wow! What a shoot last night! Some awesome cinematography thanks all round to the entire cast & crew. We wrapped at 3am! Still knackered and mid-prep for tonight's shoot! No time to stop, but here are some awesome moody stills taken by my bro on his flickr account. Please enjoy, favourite and share! - Col x

BASE CAMP BULLETIN...The Watcher: Set To Roll...

Sunday 24th April, 2011

Hi all

It's been a busy week up to tonight, the eve of the first nights filming on The Watcher. 

David Edward Robertson has been added to the cast as a homeless man with his own haunted past, and after a lovely evening on Thursday where I was auditioning several very talented young girls, 10 year old Hannah Green won the part of the young girl.  All the girls did so well in the auditions, it was a very difficult decision for me, but Hannah just had the right look and the talent to match in the end, thanks to all those that came along, you should all be very proud. 

I have completed all my storyboards for the film and given the script its final polish, I'm sure this will be a tale you will remember.   

Colin Warhurst has continued to produce some fabulous test shots for the film and indeed produced a stunning shot for the final film.  

Sarah Meadows and yours truly recording audio for the film, my forehead is available for advertising space, contact me for details

Barry Thompson - Wizard of Sound and Music, makes a good brew too



On Thursday evening several sound sections for the film were recorded at Barry Thompsons home/studio.  It was great to hook up with Jeni Howarth Williams, Ste Myott and Sarah Meadows, all lending their voices to a variety of characters.  When you get to hear these recordings you will hear more clues to the past of Paradise Heights and in particular to a couple of current and past characters in the series.  Barry has done an absolutely superb job in post on these recordings, more will be revealed when you see and indeed hear the film. 

Chris Lane has been something of a whirlwind drawing up a shooting script, organising the crew, acquiring desired props, setting up the schedule, call sheets, and coming up with some great marketing ideas. 

Dream Job:  Chris Lane - 'Producing' The Watcher



So pre-production complete, tomorrow is Day 1 of the shoot and I'm fired up and ready to rock - or should I say roll?  Keep an eye on the blog as I and possibly one or two more - will keep you posted with blogs, pics and documentary footage over the next couple of weeks...

Who is THE WATCHER...?  Find out on the 12th June...

Joe xx

HALLOWEEN HOODIES still required for THE WATCHER shoot...

Hi All

Another great production meeting today with COLIN WARHURST (DOP), CHRIS LANE (PRODUCER), IAN CURLEY (ACTOR) and joining us for the first time on this project BARRY THOMPSON, who will be taking on MUSIC and POST SOUND DESIGN. 

Working with Colin and Chris for the first time has proved a joy. Their excitement, enthusiasm and commitment to the project has been truly amazing.  Chris is already pulling the strings as a producer and Colin is well on with test shoots and edits.  Their track records (see previous post) more than speak for themselves and I am sure this will be the first of many collaborations - both within and outside TALES FROM PARADISE HEIGHTS, I know Colin and Chris have very exciting projects of their own on the way and I can't wait to get invloved. 

This isn't the first time BARRY THOMPSON has worked in the twisted world of PARADISE HEIGHTS.  Barry did the magnificent music and sound design for RANK - and it's elements of that theme that will be picked up and indeed built upon in THE WATCHER. 

HOODIED EXTRA'S STILL NEEDED

I'm still looking for around half a dozen gang members, hoodied, and wearing Halloween Masks in the film, this will be a night shoot and you'll probably be needed for a couple of nights between the dates of 24th April to 2nd May.

It's an exciting project to be involved in, you will of course be fed and watered and have travelling expenses reimbused. 

If you can help on any of the above please email me at joe.obyrne@ntlworld.com

Production meeting 3

Chris and I have arrived early and doing it in style. Pint and food.




- Col : Posted (most likely with spelling errors) from my iPhone

Watch out. Hi, my name is Colin Warhurst...

...and Joe O'Byrne has invited both myself and Chris Lane aboard the good ship Paradise Heights.

By way of an introduction, my name is Colin Warhurst, and I am a film-maker. Entirely self-made film-maker I must add. I started off ten years ago with a couple of quid and a camcorder, now almost ten years later I work full time for the BBC, I've made an indie feature film entirely independently, shot over 40 music videos, and between all that and my short films my work has been seen online over 60,000 times. So, I think I'm getting there.

I've been a huge fan of Joe's for years, and we've both been through similar trials and tribulations in the world of independent feature film. Joe of course has had Lookin' For Lucky set in Paradise Heights itself, and of course his turn in Diary Of A Bad Lad is superb.

(L-R: Colin Warhurst, Joe O'Bryne, Chris Lane)

Photo : Daniel Warhurst

For my sins, I was involved in a globe trotting independent film called Mancattan, which was shot four years ago in New York and Manchester. (You can watch it for free at www.mancattan.co.uk if you are interested.)

And so Indie Features brought myself and Mr O'Byrne together a while ago, yet it has taken us four years to both finally find time to sit down and work together! Now that we have, great things are already underfoot. We are all working together on a short film, which is a "spin-out" tale from Joe's play RANK. The film is called THE WATCHER...

Joe seems to think I make some half decent stuff (have a ganders yourself to see if he's right at www.colinwarhurst.co.uk) and so has asked me aboard to make this short film as another piece in the Paradise Heights jigsaw puzzle. I'm honoured, flattered and inspired, and can't wait to get rolling.

(Chris Lane and myself, Colin Warhurst.

The Producer/Director combo responsible for the

piece of crap that is www.bogstandardfilm.com)

Chris Lane is bringing his amazing and experienced Producer's eye to the table, whilst I've jumped aboard D.O.P./Editor/Camera duties. I've recently been moving more into a camera/tech sort of area and find myself directing less and less. Joe and I were both up for co-directing this, but in all honesty, Joe knows Paradise Heights inside and out, whereas this is my first foray into it's dark depths...

We're also pushing for a level of cinematography higher than we've both ever achieved before and I'm bring the Canon 5D Mark II to the table. As such, my hands are (already!) full with a plethora of camera tests, checks, animatics, storyboards and special effects, and we haven't even begun shooting yet! As a result, I'm leaving most (if not all!) the Directing and Producing duties to Chris and Joe so that I can in turn cover all the camera and tech issues, leaving them free to concentrate on their thing.

And so here we are. A DOP-Editor, Director-Writer, and Producer combo that between us have made some pretty awesome films. THE WATCHER will be the latest in that list. With our powers combined... this film is going to be GOODE.

Stay tuned, for behind the scenes snaps, previews, tidbits and shout outs for cast and crew. Please follow us on on twitter via #thewatcherfilm hashtag and we hope to have your support throughout the film. Any questions? Please holler!

Cheers folks! Col x

REMEMBER! TWITTER - #thewatcherfilm

The Watcher, Monolgueslam & Paradox, Corrie Jim, Acting Class and a VERY EXCLUSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT

THE WATCHER: A Tale from Paradise Heights

We're progressing nicely on THE WATCHER - the next screen tale from Tales From Paradise Heights.  Some great stuff came out of a pre-production meeting at mine with COLIN WARHURST, CHRIS LANE and IAN CURLEY.  Storyboarding, animatics and location work all progressing nicely - and now here is the first official shout out for EXTRA's. 

Although this is a stand alone tale in the series, there are also links to RANK - the stage play, and I'm looking for at least 12 guys to play HALLOWEEN MASKED HOODIES that are prowling the estate, so please give me a shout if you are gonna be available for night shoots around EASTER/ROYAL WEDDING week.  Email me on joe.obyrne@ntlworld.com if you are interested. 

More updates on this very soon...

MONOLOGUESLAM and PARADOX and
STRAWBERRY JACK

I attended Monologueslam at MATT & PHRED's last Sunday night and performed a monologue from STRAWBERRY JACK - the next stage story from Tales from Paradise Heights.  Apart from a wandering eye patch it went down very well with the audience and certainly whetted a few appetites with a view to finding out more about the character and the play.  I'll be repeating the performance at PARADOX at FUEL in Withington next Saturday 9/4/11, hope to see you there...still waiting on news from at least two theatres in the region with a view to the debut of the play. 

More news soon...

CORONATION STREET and 'SPOONER'

I'll be popping up on the cobbles of Coronation Street as a character called SPOONER on Monday 11/04/11 playing opposite Charlie Lawson (JIM McDONALD), I can't say anything about the storyline, it's one short scene - but the scene of course lead me to meet Charlie.  I've since had lunch with the big man and I can confirm that Charlie will be appearing in a future film story in Paradise Heights and we are in talks for him to play DEAF FREDDIE in STRAWBERRY JACK - the character has been mentioned previously in THE BENCH. 

Charles Lawson (Jim McDonald from Coronation Street) just cast in Tales from Paradise Heights

More news on this soon...

BEHIND THE MASK Acting Class

A word on my acting class that I run from Salford and Bolton, they are going from strength to strength and some fantastic stuff is coming from the students there now.  I've included a scene below (in a facebook link) from the Salford class featuring James Schofield and Julia Walsh.  Both actors give fantastic performances but what is remarkable here is Julia Walsh, she had no previous acting experience before joining the class in August last year. 

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/video/video.php?v=10150464144540006&comments


Check it out.  Julia has also just gained a place at Arden College...thinking about Acting? Act now and get in touch with me, I still have places at both schools.

And finally some very exciting news...

Tales from Paradise Heights: The Web Series

The world of Paradise Heights is now very much alive and kicking, a very ordinary council estate with the odd supernatural thread weaving it's way almost invisibly through the series.  With over 60 characters so far including the odd ghost, Angel and Angel of Death it's very fertile ground and it's clear from the success of the series so far that audiences and critics are enjoying the tales.  We've had stage stories, feature film stories and short film stories. 

I can excusively reveal that I am in the very early stages of taking Tales from Paradise Heights and crafting an episodic online series. 

So whatever side of the camera you are on this could be your chance to get involved in the series...the other plays and films will also continue to roll out, it's a busy universe...watch this space. 

I'm off down the Ace of Spades now for a drink with Frank Morgan, maybe he can fund me...What do you reckon? 

A New Dawn Over The Fortress Of Solitude

LONELINESS, INSOMNIA, MONOLOGUES, BAFTA WINNERS and a STAR FROM THE COBBLES ARRIVES IN THE HEIGHTS...

A lot has happened since my last update...so here goes.

I'm working so hard at the moment that I'm burning the candle at both ends and in the middle - but the energy is still there - as is rather worryingly the INSOMNIA, but that's good cos there's more time to work in Joe's new Fortress of Solitude that used to be home. Writing is a lonely, lonely business made twice as lonely when you now live alone - but this is not a lament - there is a new dawn on the horizon and it looks like I'll still be up to meet it. 

Writing wise this month I wrote a short monologue for CONTACT Theatre's VERBALLY CHALLENGED - a monthly competition for writers, you write a monologue on a subject CONTACT sets and it is then directed by someone else, and performed by another someone else - and an invited audience get to vote for a winner.  I made an error on the dates and thought I had a week longer than I actually had - ended up writing the thing the night before I had to get it in...but hey - with great direction from Rachel Brogan and a terrific performance from Danielle (resident actor at CONTACT) it won and the £100 prize money paid off a late parking ticket fine - fine and dandy, I really enjoyed the whole experience. 

I also wrote the film script for the companion piece to the play RANK - returning to The Lowry in June.  A film that will quite nicely link RANK and I'M FRANK MORGAN to it, the film will premiere at the end of the performance of RANK.  I had a first production meeting with the prolific COLIN WARHURST, CHRIS LANE and Paradise Heights regular actor and co-producer IAN CURLEY.  Ian will be on acting duties in this one, Colin is DOP and Chris is on Producing duties - I'll be directing - a strong team and I can't wait to get going on this one, I already have the film half storyboarded.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/colinwarhurst/5531704397/

I was on writing duties again for the GREAT website http://www.manchestergossip.com/ ran by the very industrious Craig Nelson and Maxine Goulding.  I was lucky enough to attend the Jamesons Classic Film Screening of CONTROL written by BAFTA WINNING Matt Greenhalgh and I got the golden opportunity to interview him - a lovely man...and a couple of exclusives in the interview.

http://www.manchestergossip.com/matt-greenhalgh-interview

Since my last update I've filmed my scene on the CORONATION STREET cobbles with CHARLES LAWSON (Jim McDonald) and lets just say the cobbled street leads all the way to PARADISE HEIGHTS now and I'm absolutley delighted.  Charlie was a gent, and a scholar and it looks like we'll be working a lot more together over the coming months - see the link below for details ;) The episode will be transmitted on the 11h of April.

http://www.manchestergossip.com/corrie-star-joins-paradise-heights

The fund chasing for the West End run of THE BENCH is coming up dry at the moment, starting to worry a touch about this one now.  Three weeks in London is a costly business for a fringe theatre company - the fight is on, I'm still desperately chasing around for the money - never had to go to anyone for dosh before so I'm a touch naive in that department.  My backs not quite against the wall yet - but boy, it's tough.  If anyone knows any philanthropists or has any great suggestions please get in touch!  In the meantime I fight on...

I'll be entering next weeks MONOLOGUESLAM in Manchester with a monologue from STRAWBERRY JACK (still waiting on CONTACT and Bolton OCTAGON confirmation of dates - fingers crossed!) so if you want a preview pop down, quite a few of the BEHIND THE MASK Acting Class from Salford Arts Theatre will also be down there.  Speaking of my acting class, I still have some spaces at both Salford and Bolton so if you're thinking about acting...ACT NOW...yeah, I know - that one's getting old now ;)

Finally there are over 52 characters in Paradise Heights now - I'm working on a PARADISE HEIGHTS DECK OF CARDS...and as loneliness is a theme here I'll be shuffling them for SOLITAIRE - but it won't be the only game in town...there may be the odd game of POKER - can fans of the series guess who will be THE ACE OF SPADES? ...;)