That’s right, January 2013 will forever be known as THE MONTH OF MOLOCH! In the lead up to the world premiere of Who Is Moloch? by Pamela Carralero we’ve got FOUR very exciting events that you’re all invited to, plus the show itself!
First up is The StayAwake at Press Play House! 24 Hours. No Sleep. What do you want to see us do? SEND YOUR CHALLENGES to events@encompassproductions.co.uk, SPONSOR us, tweet us @WhoIsMoloch #StayAwakeLive and come WATCH us in person (for free!) or online!
We hope you'll come and join us at some or even all of these great events in support of Who Is Moloch?, and then see the show itself!
Firstly a big thank you to all who came to Bare Essentials II. Our emerging artist showcase was an intimate success, with great performances from Liam Elvish, Chris Savage King and A State Of Change Productions.
A State of Change Productions
Once more we ourselves performed the work of up-and-coming writers including the monologue "Fin" by Encompass researcher and dramaturge Christopher O'Shaughnessy, and hilarious quick-witted sketch "The Interview" by Emma Minihan.
'The Interview' by Emma Minihan
What's Peen Seen was there to do a round-up of the event, and here's what they had to say:
"It is safe to say that the audiences of Bare Essentials are always open to the new and exciting work that has the potential to be the next big thing."
To read more visit the What's Peen Seen website. As usual more photos are on their way, as well as more to join our Bare Essentials playlist on YouTube. Bare Essentials III will take place on January 16th at Press Play House, where we are taking residence in the new year for our staging of Who Is Moloch?. There will be a big announcement soon about all things Moloch...watch this space!
WHO IS MOLOCH? REHEARSAL PHOTOS UP!
We've got a brand new rehearsal album of our newly-assembled cast up on our Facebook page. The team have been hard at work and have been undergoing vigorous (and painful!) soldier training with director Zuri Warren in preparation for their roles. To tell you any more would be a breach of national security!
In the meantime check out this strange article sent to us this week by a unknown source. Quite alarming if true...
Until next time! And remember...Moloch is coming...
After a gruelling three days of auditions we were finally able to announce the cast for our upcoming post-apocalyptic surrealist drama Who Is Moloch? by Pamela Carralero. The announcement was made via the show's website, which has seen some strange activity lately including an "emergency broadcast" received on Guy Fawkes Night declaring a state of war.
Just what is going on out there?
Whatever the case may be you can find the cast list below:
Major Benjamin Fuller - Austin Caley
Airman First Class Graham Maynard - Jonathan Whittaker
Command Sgt Major Dr. Bernard Baker - Andrew Miller
Areena Louis - Tara Postma
Sgt Major Lorna Blaise - Lily Carrie
Corporal Erika Furlow - Samantha Wynn
Private Dianne Lincourt - Abi Blears
Private Jesse B Conrad - Luke Manning
Private Ike Broughton - Jonathan Woodhouse
Private Annabelle Zeiger - Freya Parsons
Private Paul Lindsay - Robert Wallis
We're very excited about this new ensemble brought together for this very exciting production. We have some old hands from What It Feels Like, some more recent cast members from Stormin' Normanand a whole load of fresh new faces! Please join us in welcoming them to the Encompass family!
You'll hear a lot more about Who Is Moloch? in the lead-up to its London premiere at the end of January. For now, we hope you are all coming to Bare Essentials II: The Emerging Artist Showcase which is in support of the show itself. Taking placeat the Battersea Barge on Wednesday 14th November, at 7.30pm, we've got an even more diverse line-up of guest artists this time around - for more details click here!
That's right - the time has finally come for Norman (and indeed Encompass) to make our film debut!
Stormin’ Norman follows Norman (Christopher O'Shaughnessy), a homeless man living in London. We journey with Norman through the ups and downs of his everyday life until he meets Sarah (Eva Lea), a young woman who dares to break the routine. A film by Paul G Raymond, it is a comedy drama centred on an unlikely friendship between a grieving man and an aspiring musician.
Stormin' Norman will be part of the First Thursday Film Festival at Press Play House in London. If the venue sounds familiar that's because that's also where our next theatre production Who Is Moloch?is taking place in the new year! This is just the start of Norman's journey on the festival circuit, so why not come down and see the film before anyone else? You'll even get to meet the cast and crew!
STORMIN' NORMAN AT THE FIRST THURSDAY FILM FESTIVAL
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 1ST
PRESS PLAY HOUSE
10 Vyner Street, E2 9DG
Nearest Tube: Bethnal Green
Nearest Rail: Cambridge Heath
MAP LINK: http://goo.gl/maps/ulYmq
Don't forget you can go behind-the-scenes of the film by visiting bit.ly/StorminNormanBlog - you'll get blog entries from the shoot and post-production, along with photos and music previews from the film!
WATCH VIDEOS FROM OUR LAST BARE ESSENTIALS SHOWCASE AND FIND OUT HOW TO TAKE PART!
After the fantastic success of our first showcase we’re once more throwing down the gauntlet to our fellow emerging artists with Bare Essentials II! And just like last time it will take place on The Battersea Barge on the River Thames!
We're asking artists and companies to send us their ideas for a short piece/extract (no longer than 15 minutes) to be performed live at our event. The work can be from ANY genre of performance. We want to show bare bones performance at its best!
“Events that nurture and celebrate new talent, instead of feeding it to the sharks”
EAT Culture Magazine
Submissions are expected to be technically minimal with basic props and set. The event will take place on Wednesday 14th November.
Groups/companies and solo artists all welcome. If you have a piece but no-one to perform/stage it, send it along anyway! If chosen, Encompass will help you find a team...or may even take it on ourselves!
'SOLO' - a solo submission a solo submission which will need assistance in finding cast and creative team
'GROUP/COMPANY' - a submission which will be performed by a group/company of artists that you are affiliated with
This is a great chance to show what you're made of, to meet fellow up-and-coming artists and have a cracking night. We’ll even record it and publicise your pieces online!
Encompass are looking for cast and crew to join our production of Who Is Moloch?, a new play by Pamela Carralero being performed at the Press Play House in London from January 30th - 9th February 2013.
SYNOPSIS: In the aftermath of a nuclear devastation that begins World War III, a company of soldiers barricade themselves underground with a sleep-inducing drug and a copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Awaiting orders as the world enters a terrifying nuclear age, tensions flare as the trauma of war takes its toll and their grip on reality is put to the test.
ABOUT ENCOMPASS PRODUCTIONS:
'Outstanding. A creative explosion that'll delight, entertain and move.' ★★★★★ EdFringe Review
'Rhythm, wit and style. Stunning choreography. Impressive' ★★★★ Fringe Guru
'Imaginative, bold...visually stunning. Genuinely moving and thought provoking' - A Younger Theatre
Who Is Moloch? is the third artistic production from Encompass following our acclaimed hit What It Feels like (2011), and upcoming short film Stormin' Norman (November 2012).If you want to join a hardworking, determined and ambitious company dedicated to bringing powerful new work to the masses now is the time. This is an exciting time for Encompass and you could be a part of it!
TO APPLY FOR AUDITIONS/CREW PLACEMENTS PLEASE CLICK HERE
Hello folks, producer Jonathan here and we're back with another Stormin' Norman update!
So whilst Encompass has been busy with our new Bare Essentials event and pre-production for new play Who is Moloch? the Stormin' Norman team have been entering the final stages of post-production for this first Encompass project on film.
It's been a long time coming but we finally have a cut that we're happy with. Editing a film can be a laborious process, especially when the film in question is a short one and you have less time to play with! Simon (editor) has worked hard to fine-tune the film and has done a brilliant job responding to director and producer feedback - even when said feedback has been nitpicking! Perhaps no-one has been more brutal with his own work than writer and director Paul however - cutting unnecessary scenes and dialogue as he sees fit without any hesitation. It takes a certain artistic tenacity to be able to do this, a quality in Paul which I've had the pleasure of witnessing throughout this production.
Pan has been readying the sound, and it'll be interesting to see what he does with the urban soundscape of East London. I think after the brilliant London 2012 we all know how vibrant the city can sound! Whilst dialogue is a key component of this short (and just how much may surprise people) it'll certainly be interesting to hear how Norman's environment changes throughout his day and in the various locations.
Another part of post-production nearing completion is the score. Frequent Encompass collaborator Alex Burnett has finalised the music for the film and is recording the live elements this week. Here's what he has had via his new Facebook page:
"Creating a soundscape first can often lead to finding the right melodic material. The current film I'm scoring, 'Stormin' Norman', proved this yet again as I produced the ambient texture of the city before discovering the first melody of the soundtrack. For the final track what I wanted to achieve is a piece that not only brings the score and film to an exciting and emotional conclusion but also be a track that people can and want to listen to."
Composer Alex scoring Stormin' Norman
Alex's last project for Encompass - the acclaimed soundtrack for What It Feels Like - was produced electronically but this time he wanted to have live instruments present throughout the score, a decision both Paul and myself were fully behind. Alex is in the studio this week recording violin and guitars with EP associate performers Helena Gullan and Luke Manning respectively - Luke also appears in Stormin' Norman as 'Barry'. I'll also be dusting off my drumsticks to play drums and percussion - the rhythm is the real backbone of the score and I'm honoured Alex asked me to play for it! Paul, Alex and I felt that the blend of electronic and live elements would further extend the sonic scope of this ambitious soundtrack - it really is quite unlike anything we have heard for a short and having seen it in the context of the film we can safely say you're in for a treat! You can listen to a preview of the soundtrack below:
The exciting part of any project is seeing everything come together. Stormin' Norman is nearly complete! As we want it to have a presence on the festival circuit first we won't be releasing it online for a good while - however we will be organising screenings which you'll be able to come to! Keep an eye out...
Wow! Our first-ever 'Bare Essentials: The Emerging Artist Showcase' was a resounding success! A big Encompass thank you to all came and supported all of the emerging talent present on The Battersea Barge!
'The Professor and La Fille Danse' performed by Encompass
A solo clown show from Charlie Henry, performance poetry from Toby Wheeler, comedy from Andy Dickinson's 'Warthogs', subtle drama from Absent Theatre Company and Mixed(up) Productions, and powerful physical performances from Political Arts. Plus Encompass ourselves performed three pieces submitted by up-and-coming writers: 'Two Children' by Christopher O'Shaughnessy, 'The Ronderbrines' by Amber Hillier and 'The Professor and La Fille Danse' by Robert M. Wallis. We were delighted to give the spotlight to our fellow emerging artists, especially on a boat! We've put a huge photo album up of the entire night, so why not check it out?
Political Arts Company presents 'The Prisoner'
'Bare-boned theatre...engaging and exciting. Events that nurture and celebrate new talent, instead of feeding it to the sharks.' - EAT Culture
AT Culture Magazinehave written a fantastic feature on Bare Essentials, with particular praise going out to Encompass-performed piece 'The Ronderbrines' by Amber Hillier which was 'excellently executed'. Other mentions included Political Arts' 'The Prisoner' described as having 'powerful moments of visceral expression and solidarity' and Charlie Henry's flamenco-dancing clown as 'flamboyant...bombastic'. To read the rest of the article visit theAT Culture Website, where you'll also find heaps of features on the London arts and culture scene.
Theatre blog What's Peen Seen? also covered the event for their new feature 'Char's Stars'. Charlotte's star of the night was actually Encompass' very own Luke Manning,who performed in our staged reading of Amber Hillier's 'The Ronderbrines', an offbeat comedy about the awkward reunion of a family in a garden shed. What's Peen Seen? comments on the piece: 'I always think it’s funny how as an audience we can become so quickly lulled into believing that the characters before us are real'. You can check out the rest of the article on the What's Peen Seen? blog. We certainly had a lot of fun performing it - and with luck this won't be the last time you hear from The Ronderbrines!
Encompass perform 'The Ronderbrines' by Amber Hillier
This event was in support of our next theatre production 'Who is Moloch' by Pamela Carralero, now slated for Winter 2013 in a top-secret location! We'll slowly be trickling information on the production in the coming months, and don't forget our short film 'Stormin' Norman' by Paul G Raymond is on its way to you too! If you'd like to submit anything for our next 'Bare Essentials' event, visit our website to find out more. We can't wait to do it again!
In support of our next theatre production 'Who is Moloch?' we've created a brand new event to showcase emerging artists…and it’ll be taking place on a boat on the River Thames! We asked artists and companies to send us their ideas for a short piece to be performed live at Bare Essentials, to show that even the most bare bones performance can be the most gripping – all you need is a room and an audience! We've got an incredibly diverse line-up of talent for this first showcase, and we at Encompass will also be performing a selection of pieces submitted by up-and-coming writers.
PERFORMANCES FROM:
POLITICAL ARTS COMPANY – MIXED(UP) PRODUCTIONS – ANDY DICKINSON’S ‘WARTHOGS’ – CHARLIE HENRY, ARTIST – TOBY WHEELER, POET
ENCOMPASS PERFORM NEW WRITING BY:
ROBERT M. WALLIS – CHRISTOPHER O’SHAUGHNESSY – AMBER HILLIER
So if you're looking for a cracking night or are an artist yourself, come along to The Battersea Barge and witness and support emerging talent! We hope to see you all there!
TRANSPORT ACROSS LONDON IS EXPECTED TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY DUE TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES - PLEASE ALLOW EXTRA TIME MAKING YOUR WAY TO VAUXHALL! For more info visit: http://bit.ly/z8kVoW
In support of our next theatre production 'Who is Moloch?' by Pamela Carralero we're creating a brand new exciting event, and we want all of you to get involved!
We're throwing down the gauntlet to our fellow emerging artists and asking them to challenge themselves (but don't worry, we will be too!). So what's the challenge? We're asking artists and companies to send us their ideas for a short piece/extract (no longer than 15 minutes) to be performed live at our event. The work can be from ANY genre of theatrical performance e.g. comedy, drama, physical theatre, performance poetry, interactive...you name it! It can be from a project you are working on OR a completely stand-alone piece. We want this evening to be an exciting, polished showcase of artistic work...and show that even the most bare bones performance can be utterly gripping - all you need is a room and an audience!
Submissions are expected to be technically minimal (i.e. on/off lighting) with basic props and set - there will be a full PA system for sound/music with two microphones and stands supplied. The performance space is expected to be small - medium sized.
The event will take place around late July in London. We hope to invite bloggers and select members of the press to review the event as a whole. Encompass will also record each piece and artists will have the option to have their performance published and publicised online. This'll be a great chance to show what you're made of, to meet fellow up-and-coming artists and have a cracking night. We'll even have some post-show live music and DJs to round off the evening!
Groups/companies and solo artists all welcome. If you have a piece but no-one to perform/stage it, send it along anyway! If chosen, Encompass will help you find a team...or may even take it on ourselves!
THINK YOU'RE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?
Send your ideas and scripts to thinktank@encompassproductions.co.uk with the name of your piece in the subject heading and please state the following:
'SOLO' - a solo submission which will need assistance in finding cast and creative team 'GROUP/COMPANY' - a submission which will be performed by a group/company of artists that you are affiliated with
DEADLINE FOR ENTRY: SUNDAY 1ST JULY WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!
Hello! We've a great big update for you as Summer has now officially begun in England! We'll be telling you all what opportunities are available to become part of the Encompass team for our new play Who is Moloch? and revealing a new promotional image for Stormin' Norman - plus we'll be telling you when to expect the first trailer! We also have a bumper collection of photos to show you just what we've been up to these past two years!
Set during World War III, Who is Moloch? tells the story of three soldiers and a female civilian who barricade themselves, in an underground bunker, with a sleep-inducing drug, a two-way radio and a copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As they await orders following a devastating attack on their base, tensions flare in their struggle for survival, whilst their grip on reality is put to the test as they slide into a surreal, imaginary world. A new play by Pamela Carralero, this next theatre production from Encompass will be directed by Zuri Warren and is expected to hit in the Autumn of 2012.
CREW VACANCIES
If you want to join a hardworking, determined and ambitious company dedicated to bringing powerful new work to the masses now is the time.This is an exciting time for Encompass and you could be a part of it!
Associate Producer: We are looking for an experienced and passionate candidate to join the Encompass team in the months leading up to the premiere of our next play. The areas the role will cover are: funding and development, sponsorship, company administration, press and marketing, public engagement and social media and live events. TO APPLY - send covering letter and CV to email address below.
Set Designer: will develop all stage design elements of the production, working closely with the creative team and stage crew to bring the scenic design of Who is Moloch? to life. What would a future solider or civilian wear? We’re looking for the right candidate to answer this question and join the team for this ambitious project. TO APPLY - send covering letter and CV to email address below. Design portfolios desired but not essential.
Costume Designer: will develop all costume elements of the production, working closely with the creative team and set designer to bring the exciting world of Who is Moloch? to life. Will be expected to source material and fabrics, and will design, make and fit costumes for the actors. What would a future solider or civilian wear? We’re looking for the right candidate to answer this question and join the team for this ambitious project. TO APPLY - send covering letter and CV to email address below. Design portfolios desired but not essential.
All positions are voluntary - professional references will be provided!
NEW PROMOTIONAL IMAGE FOR STORMIN' NORMAN + OTHER TIDBITS!
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
We can exclusively reveal to you above our new promotional image from Stormin' Norman, our short dramatic-comedy film due to premier in the Summer. Check out this update from producer Jonathan via the production blog:
"Stormin' Norman is making great progress. Composer Alex has been fleshing out score ideas with Paul and myself - if it's anything compared to his acclaimed score for What It Feels Like we're in for a treat. Alex has actually been to visit East Ham (one of the filming locations) this week for inspiration - he's expressed a desire to experiment with this score...so expect the unexpected!
Writer and director Paul is currently working with our editor Simon Massey on a first cut of the film. I've seen snippets of the raw footage and I think we've got something special, with its own unique charm. Part of the reason we chose the film was that it seemed to be doing something brave - not just in terms of subject matter, but in terms of where the script was heading even at its earliest stages. I think people will be pleasantly surprised."
It was also revealed when to expect the first trailer for the film. To find out more and to see another exclusive image before anyone else, visit the Stormin' Norman Blog!
Encompass recently celebrated it's two year anniversary and as you can see we celebrated with cake - an staple food of the company! We've been very busy since our formation...21 live music and comedy events, 11 weeks of teaching kids, 3 outreach events and one hit theatre production- with our first short film and a new play coming to you this year amongst some exciting new events being planned right now! To celebrate our achievements so far we have a fantastic new album which includes some exclusive never-before-seen photos and will give you a look at what we do and how we do it! Check it out:
If you missed it we've also got a video up of Bank-Monument Complex - a new darkly comic short play by Owen Collins which was performed at our hugely successful Big Pudding Party in April. Check it out here:
Lastly we have a plethora of new photo albums via our Facebook page including:
That's all for now...keep your eyes out in the coming weeks for the Stormin' Norman teaser trailer and details of a brand new event that you can get involved in!
To celebrate our two year anniversary (more on that soon!) we've put up a new video of 'Bank-Monument Complex' - a new darkly comic short play by Owen Collins which was performed at our hugely successful Big Pudding Party earlier this month. Watch, share and comment!
A new darkly comic short play about assault, illness and hash browns. A conversation with a stranger forces David Hughes to realise some uneasy truths.
That's right, our brand new event is finally here and promises a truly fantastic evening of entertainment of all sorts! We have live music from Abi Bowden and Libby Trappe, plus DJs La Flama Blanca, Timed and Native will be bringing the house down with great music until the early morning hours. PLUS we'll be performing a brand new Encompass piece!
'Bank-Monument Complex' - a new darkly comic short play about assault, illness and hash browns. A conversation with a stranger forces David Hughes to realise some uneasy truths.' The piece will be performed by Alex Burnett, Helena Gullan and Frederick Clayton with direction from Jonathan Woodhouse and Owen Collins, who has also written the piece.
So what's the theme? That thing we all love...desserts! If you're coming along and would like to submit your dessert for our competition then you still have time! Simply email Sophie (Head of Events) at events@encompassproductions.co.uk with what dessert you'll be bringing along and that's it! Of course, you'll have to actually make it to be eligible to win a prize...
We hope to see you there!
ENCOMPASS PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS - BIG PUDDING PARTY - SATURDAY 14TH APRIL
STORMIN' NORMAN WRAPS FILMING - CATCH UP ON OUR PROGRESS!
Encompass' first production on film recently wrapped and is now in post-production! Stormin' Norman is a short dramatic comedy film written and directed by Paul G Raymond, an associate artist of Encompass who was last seen playing 'Lester' in our hit theatrical production 'What It Feels Like'.
Stormin’ Norman follows Norman (Christopher O'Shaughnessy), a homeless man living in London. We journey with Norman through the ups and downs of his everyday life until he meets Sarah (Eva Lea), a young woman who dares to break the routine. Written and directed by Paul G Raymond, it is a comedy drama centred on an unlikely friendship between a grieving man and an aspiring musician.
If you missed our live twitter feed from the shoot or haven't read the Stormin' Norman blogyet, then now is the time to catch up! The blog has an archive of all five days of shooting, each one written by a different member of the Stormin' Norman team. These blog entries provide an insight to the short filmaking process and feature exclusive behind-the-scenes images and stills from the film.You'll also be hearing updates all about the different stages of post-production as we ready the film for completion and try to distribute it to just about everywhere we can get it.
Stormin' Norman is looking for an editor and a colourist - if you're interested in being part of the team or know anyone that would be please email:
Tuesday 27th of March 2012 - the fifth and final day of our film shoot Stormin’ Norman. This was the D-day. The sun was shining upon us all as we found ourselves at the Blue Brick Café in East Dulwich for the last time (sob!). While we were waiting for our director Paul to make his appearance, runner Anthony kick-started the day with some well-needed cups of coffee and tea. Boom operator Pan even had time to fix his “seen-better-days” trainers with some gaffer tape!
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
We knew it was going to be a long and challenging day, yet filming commenced in good spirits. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, we all got to work to get the final scenes done. From time to time, curious pedestrians stumbled on our set to see the cast and crew immersed in the wonderful world of filmmaking. Demanding as our schedule was, we fuelled ourselves in between takes with the now famous banana fritters (which received a standing ovation – thanks Jon’s mom!) and delicious vegetable curry courtesy the Blue Brick Café. Time flies when you’re having fun, and today was not going to be any different. Before we knew it, the sun was disappearing behind the buildings and it started to dawn on us how much work there was still left to do. Like true soldiers of art, we pushed on to see the job done –and without a whisper of complaint from anyone. As the darkness crept in, we finally managed to get all the shots in the café done.
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
As we were already running behind schedule, we quickly made our way to our second and final location in Streatham. While our transport coordinator Josh gave his sleep-deprived eyes a well-deserved break in the car, the rest of the crew ignored all the signs of tiredness and kept going. The estimated wrap-up time had been 8pm – it was now past 9pm. This was a rare occurrence – the production had been run efficiently so far, and we even managed to cut a day of filming…but if there was any day for us to be behind it had to be the last! In spite of exhaustion, laughter and jokes were still very much part of the atmosphere on set. To boost our morale, producer Jon pulled out all the stops to fill our hungry bellies once again with some delicious creations.
As our film shoot drew to a close, I suddenly realised that after today we would all go our separate ways again. For a brief time we had all come together to create something beautiful. We had come from all walks of life, and now we would all move on to seek new adventures. The legacy of our brief encounter is the film Stormin’ Norman. And like any other film shoot, so had this one been a unique experience for us all. We had nearly two weeks of blood, sweat, laughter (no tears, sorry!) and exquisite culinary exploration together. And 120 slates later we finally heard Paul the director say the magic words: “that’s a wrap, guys!”
Sonja Linnanvuo – Assistant Camera Encompass Productions present "Stormin' Norman" Written and Directed by Paul G Raymond
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
Day Four of filming for Stormin’ Norman. From the outset I could tell it was going to be a good day’s filming from the weather forecast – unbroken sunshine and temperatures close to 20C. Probably a good thing too, as Day Four involved filming down East Ham High Street and in an open park in Dagenham – hardly ideal for cast, crew and equipment if it’s pouring down! I did, however, make the mistake of wearing a black polo shirt that day – not the best idea given the sunny weather!
My role as transport co-ordinator had already started prior to the take of the day’s filming – I had spent the previous few days researching how to shepherd the masses from their respective homes to East Ham, and then from East Ham to the park in Dagenham by both public transport and by car. Now you may think that organising transport may be a case of rocking up to the station and taking the first train or simply opening a map and pointing out a route, but I like to think it’s much more than that – it’s time saved from getting lost from not being 100% sure how to get from the station to the shooting location, or time saved not looking for a parking space because you know where the nearest car park is! That time saved could mean getting an extra couple of scenes filmed and getting ahead of schedule! Yes, I can get pretty defensive when it comes to transport!
On location I become another runner alongside Anthony, Zainab and Ashney. As well as transporting food (once again provided by Theresa and Perlita – yummy sandwiches!) and sorting out some post-production issues, I also got on with videoing some behind-the-scenes footage. This involved chasing ducks for an interview – hopefully that’ll make the final cut of the ‘Making Of’ video! All in all, it was a wonderful and productive day, which set us up nicely for the final day of filming.
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
I come from the more unlikely of backgrounds for this shoot – I studied Economics at university and hold only two stints as an assistant producer on two theatrical productions (the last being Encompass' acclaimed 'What It Feels Like'), so I do not have much working knowledge of how a film is made and produced. One of the things I’ll take away from being on the Stormin’ Norman crew is the unique insight in to what goes on behind the scenes and the immense effort planning that has gone on during pre-production and filming (especially how incredibly repetitive it can get), and a new found respect for the filmmaking process. It’s also highlighted to me the importance of the arts in these difficult economic times, and how important funding for arts projects in the UK doesn’t drop off so that projects like Stormin’ Norman can flourish and showcase the best talent from all fields in the arts. Want to help Encompass do just that? Become a patron!
I’ve enjoyed every single moment so far and I’m proud to put my name to this project. I’ll miss, amongst other things, the callsheets and the driving around to locations and meetings. I’ll also miss the banter, the laughs, and the opportunity to sound like a female sat-nav voice.
But there’s still one more day left. Bring it on!
Joshua Ramirez - Transport Coordinator & Production Runner
Assitant Producer & Treasurer - Encompass Productions Encompass Productions present "Stormin' Norman" Written and Directed by Paul G Raymond
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
Our third day of shooting Stormin’ Norman was always going to be an ambitious and demanding one. It takes us to new locales, includes the most characters, and we wouldn’t have Pearl and Theresa (our producer Jon’s mother and sister) coming over with cooked meals. We were shooting scenes from three separate days in our story.
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
We started shooting a scene that is exemplary of the routine of Norman’s day to day life. This took quite a while to perfect as our shot was reliant on cloud cover but they kept moving to accommodate the sun which, for the first time since last year’s Indian summer, blazed. The crew were all impressed with Eva’s beautiful singing voice: despite how many times she had to sing her song, the music was a welcome addition to our shoot. It’s gratifying to have that diegetic sound while filming, rather than adding it in during post, as it allows the crew to read the scene better.
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
Our next scenes filmed were a lot of fun, how can you not enjoy being given the licence to repeatedly slam a door in someone’s face? This was something our actor, Nick seemed to thoroughly enjoy. The next scene filmed was quite a challenge as it involved filming a scene of little over a minute long from 15 different angles. We managed to get it done in just under four hours. Spirits were kept high with Nick’s adlibbing and Liam’s priceless mock-gormless reactions. At one point, the cast started corpsing, but they composed themselves after a couple of takes.
Photography by Harriet Armstrong - www.harrietarmstrong.com
We shot in the Blue Brick Café, a specialist café that caters an exclusively vegetarian and vegan cuisine. The chef, Dan, generously brought us vegetarian curry and fried rice, which was cooked by our transport coordinator Joshua and our producer + 2nd AD Jon with help from our runners Ashney and Anthony. It was a treat and somehow led to a heated debate about which was the better meal, a full English breakfast or a Sunday roast. At the moment, the crew have cast their votes and it’s neck and neck, 7 for a roast dinner, and 7 for an English breakfast, it’s up to our DoP Alfred to cast the deciding vote and we will know once and for all: WHICH is the best meal of the two? What do you think will win? Answers on a postcard.
Preparing lunch courtesy of the Blue Brick Café!
We were shooting early in the morning in an unfamiliar location, after a very late shoot the night before and I am proud to have been part of such an unflappable crew and cast who brought their A game to the table and didn’t fumble.
Matt Hayoukane - Script Supervisor
Encompass Productions present "Stormin' Norman" Written and Directed by Paul G Raymond
Ladies, gentlemen, boy and girls, children of all ages, Encompass Productions is proud to present you day two on location of the Stormin’ Norman shoot. My name is Anthony Anthimou; I am one of the runners on set to assist with the coming together of this short feature production. This was my first project with the production company and I was looking forward to our new venture. By reading this you will gain insight into my world and views of the day that we had in store for us…..so here we go!
The date, Monday 19th March, the time, approximately 18:00, the crew is set the cast is ready for the second day of filming. The good thing about a second day shoot is that all the cast and crew know each other, so all the getting to know you period is over and we could all get ready to rock and roll.
This was also our first night adventure when it came to capturing the essence of Norman, this required more lighting, warmer clothing and lots of hot teas. We were using the same location as we did on the first day of shooting, Norman’s home as I like to call it. Being that we had to film at night we used a lot more equipment and had to be careful about the security of the cast, crew and equipment. As we set up for filming we had a lot of pedestrians interested in what we were shooting; when they see big lights and cameras, they are like moths to a flame. Most of which actually thought Norman (played by Christopher O’Shaughnessy) was a real homeless man and that we were shooting a documentary. One gentleman in particular was so convinced, he came up to Norman, interrupted the shoot to offer to buy him food. Even after ten minutes, the gentleman would not concede that we were filming, needed to record dialogue and thus required silence. So Jonathan (the producer) and I ushered the gentleman to the side (and out of shot), to which he explained that he was sympathetic to Norman’s predicament because he used to be homeless. The guy was pretty cool, he talked about his life and where he wants to go in the world and we wished him the best and returned to the end of the shoot.
On the whole the team was amazing, as a runner and a future film maker I learnt a lot and gained valuable experience and friends. We worked well as a unit, from the director Paul, to the actors to all the crew, it was a quality atmosphere and I look forward to more days of filming. On a side note, the catering was amazing, provided by Perlita and our costume designer Theresa (Jon’s mother and sister!). The food was lovely and the teas/ coffees were of the highest quality (only because I made most of them LOL). P.S the apple juice came in very handy, if you want to know why, well you’re just gonna have to wait to see the film.
Thank you for reading and maybe you will hear more from me, until then….peace, love and the Encompass way
Anthony Anthimou – Runner Extraordinaire Encompass Productions present "Stormin' Norman" Written and Directed by Paul G Raymond
What. A. Day. And a great one at that! The first day of a film shoot can always be nerve-wracking, and on a project like this there were many reasons to be scared. For the Stormin' Norman film crew it was the first time they had ever worked together on actual filming - some of them actually met for the first time today! For those who have been working with Encompass Productions for nearly two years, it was the realisation of not only a new project, but the first ever Encompass production on film. And without going into too many details, the journey of this project has certainly given us all new challenges and we've learnt immensely from it.
The call was 07.30am at East Ham, a town in the London Borough of Newham. This would serve as one of the places where Norman (Christopher O'Shaughnessy) - a grieving homeless man with a boundless sense of optimism - will reside in our story. Written and directed by Paul G Raymond, the short film is a comedy drama centred on an unlikely friendship between a grieving man and an aspiring musician. Today Thor Eliasson was our Director of Photography, taking the reigns from Alfred until he returns for our shoot on Monday.
Without spoiling too much, today was mostly shooting Norman's "routine". As this was on location, one of the earlier challenges was making sure the public would act natural - even with various signage and runners ushering the public! Despite these early difficulties one thing was clear: the good folk of East London were very interested in the film - once we had heard "he looks homeless" from a few people we knew we were doing something right! We'd get asked a lot of questions, and due to the content of the film many an interesting conversation was struck up with various members of the crew. We were told about the local (real) homeless man, who lives nearby. Lo and behold he actually passed by and spoke to us - Mr. Ackbar told us about London Street Rescue, an organisation that helps rough sleepers off the streets and into accommodation. He also told us about the street where he has slept for quite some time, and said that if we needed anything to come by and he'd be happy to help. The kindness of this man was truly humbling - our film is trying to portray homelessness realistically, and a big part of that is to show Norman as a person that happens to be homeless, rather than simply a "homeless person". Mr. Ackbar clearly was a real-life example of this.
Another strange co-incidence was that there was a Shelter street team today talking to locals about what they can do to help the homeless. We even had a kind lady try to offer Christopher some money during a take, not realising we were filming - she had tears in her eyes and he had to comfort her afterward. In the afternoon we passed by Mr. Ackbar again - rooting through a bin to find any thing he could salvage, eerily similar to a scene we had just shot. The line between reality and fiction became blurred as art was imitating life and at times it seemed life was imitating art.
We actually ran ahead of schedule and managed to shoot some extra footage - no doubt thanks to the work of our excellent film crew, Christopher's performance as Norman, the wonderful public of East Ham and the brilliantly tasty catering provided by Theresa (also costume designer) and Perlita - Encompass patrons also known as my mother and sister.
We'll be updating the Encompass blog very regularly over the next couple of weeks of filming. Don't forget you can join us on Facebook, and we'll be live tweeting (@EncompassOnline) each day of the shoot!
Until next time,
Jonathan Woodhouse - Producer Artistic Director - Encompass Productions Encompass Productions present "Stormin' Norman" Written and Directed by Paul G Raymond
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