h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

On Friday March 18, I'm going to see a new short film: a low-budget 30-minute sci-fi/horror production called 'At Full Consciousness'. Nothing particularly unusual about that: I go to see new movies all the time. But I am quite anxious about 'At Full Consciousness', because I played the lead role: Dr. Dell, a very sinister in charge of an experimental punishment regime for criminals in the year 2010. The film was made by some final-year film students at Bradford University, where I’m a student, as their equivalent of a dissertation. It’ll be shown at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford in a day-long screening of students’ work later this year, on a date yet to be arranged.

So what's it like making a film? Well, from my first experience: frantic, and very hard work. There were all kinds of problems with the making of ‘At Full Consciousness’. We were working on the script right up to the last minute, so there was barely any time for rehearsals. After working all day on one part of the film, I’d stay up into the night trying to learn the lines for the next day. Much of the film was shot on location in a school in Pudsey, which represented the prison hospital. We couldn’t get on the set until the filming started, so the first take of each shot was also the first time the actors would be told what actions were required.

I wasn’t used to acting on film, so I wasn’t used to trying to ignore cameras when they were a foot away from my face, or having to step over cables and duck under a microphone boom whilst acting, as I had to do while moving across the set during one scene. Not surprisingly, a lot of retakes were required. I just hope the production team have managed to stitch together a decent-looking version from the times when we got it right.

Still, we somehow got through it all. One of the other cast members was a professional actor who’d been on the set when the UK network TV soap ‘Emmerdale’ was being made. He assured us that in terms of the lack of preparation and rehearsal time, the way we were working was pretty similar to the experience of working on a TV soap.

I am not expecting Hollywood to come calling as a result of this role. However, ‘At Full Consciousness’ may go on to some film festivals after its Bradford premiere, and it is going to be viewed by a commissioning person from Channel 4, so we’ll see what, if anything, happens. In any case, I have fulfilled a long-held fantasy: I have had a film director turn to me and say 'Action'.

I am encouraged by one more thing. I tried to play Dr. Dell as a sophisticated psychopath, a little like Hannibal Lecter, though without the unusual diet. I developed a voice for him that was clipped, cold and precise, intended to suggest a lot of repressed rage. And whenever I’ve demonstrated that voice to anyone, without exception, they’ve said they find it scary, and have sometimes seemed genuinely spooked.

It’s the second consecutive cold-blooded villain I’ve played, and you know what? I think I’m getting good at being evil.

Beneath that mild-mannered exterior there just had to be a deranged megalomaniac .

I expect to hear more .

Tell me if it shows in Denmark. I think we are quite famous for our shortfilms in this country. I have a niece who's saving money to attend the filmschool in Ebeltoft where lots of competent filmmakers from all over the world teach.

get you and your fancy emmerdale mates.
Hope it all goes well, I'll keep a look out ofr it at the Edinburgh film festival this year.
Or maybe it will get picked up by filmfour - I enjoy watching all sort of unusual short films on there. Good luck.
KD

This all sounds really good Ormy!

When you know where the film is being shown will you let us know?

About 18 mths ago we got involved with something called the 48 hour film challenge. It was pretty much what it sounds like - you get given a title and a gendre and then have 48 hours to produce a 3 min film. It was hard work but we had a giggle - the actors were all very experinced on the amature stage but found having to do the same scenes over and over so it could be shot from different angles quite strange

Let us know where we can see it!

Yes, definitely do that please, it looks like quite a few of us are keen to see you on the big screen!

Jules

I will certainly let you all know when our movie's being screened. Unless I think it looks REALLY embarrassing when I see it on Friday.

Light, the big problem for me wasn't so much doing a scene several times. It was the fact that we were only told the moves and actions the director wanted just before the first take, which was also the first time we'd performed the scene on set. I'd be concentrating so hard on trying to remember the moves that I'd forget the ing lines!

Well at least on film you can go back and do it again!

The prompt on the play I am currently stage managing has been a busy lady - we are doing Pygmalion which admittedly is very wordy but the cast have not been great at remembering their lines

Well done that man

News flash: I've just accepted an 11th hour invitation to take part in ANOTHER student film drama, with shooting starting tomorrow night! An actor pulled out of this second film at short notice, so I've agreed to step in and save the day. Apparently I was recommended by the director of 'At Full Consciousness', which rather surprised and pleased me as I thought I'd struggled to get to grips with the pressures of filming.

I don't even know the title of this second film yet. But I'm playing a again - only this time a rather more sane and conventional one! I only have one line to deliver in tomorrow's shoot, but I'll have a bigger scene later.

Meanwhile, the producer of 'At Full Consciousness' - who goes by the rather wonderful name of Chelsey Smirke - has told me that it's looking pretty good. The only slight snag is that it's ended up being a bit too long, clocking in at 39 minutes instead of the 30 they require. Hopefully some tight editing will fix that. Whatever, in a couple of days I'll get to see what it looks like!

Lords and Ladies, allow me to introduce my dear friend Ormy. He's an Actor, don't ya know

(Will some of your glow rub off on the rest of us?!)

Jules

Nice one Ormy

Ormy is not an actor, dahlings. He's a star!

if you start referring to us normal folk as civilians we'll have to have a word.
Congrats - hope more comes of it.
kd

Well, tonight's first bit of shooting on Film 2 (which doesn't have a title yet) was an odd business. It was even more madly rushed than 'At Full Consciousness'! I only found out what my (two) lines were about five minutes before filming them. No time to prepare - and, unlike on 'AFC', no make-up! I just can't work like this, darlings! They'll be hearing from my agent, let me tell you! Anyway, ciao! Mwah! Mwah!

By the way, Amy, you're the real , surely? Come on, I've seen your magnificent portrayal of Antthea...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/addem/acorns.shtml

Well, I don't like to brag... and then there are the Post Office ads and I'm the one holding the f in the Channel Five trailer .

* feels all struck *

* remebers that she is currently a stage manager and so supposed to be cool about this kind of thing so nonculantly walks off and fixes something with gaffa tape *

Well done Ormy - this is great stuff!

Well, the big day came... but the film didn't. I donned my sinister Dr. Dell look one more time for some publicity pics, which was fun; but the promised screening for the cast failed to materialise because they hadn't managed to complete the editing yet. But we are now supposed to be getting CDs of the movie in the post some time soon, so watch this space.

Meanwhile, it sounds as if the public screening at the NMPFT will probably happen in the second week in June. Again, more news as I get it.