It's strange how things work out

A summary of where we've come to with the feature

Now that we really do have the entire plot for the new film sussed it's strange how may connections lie between it and the previous films we planned to produce after Hag of the Bridge premiered - each of which was pushed off the production line for a variety of reasons...so we thought it would be good to share all these productions, a wee bit of each's story lines and why it was canceled!

PROJECT 2
Project 2 was based around the story of an archaeological dig in Carrbridge. It eventually was not produced however as a result of new ideas coming into play and the story line not being complete. The similarities between it and 'The Guild' lie in the fact The Guild is, for a great deal of the film, based around the secretive 'Project 101'

RUGGED
Rugged was supposed to be based around a drug story but we did not think this to be appropriate at the time so it was canceled - and it isn't really related to The Guild either.

THE ARTICLE
This film was based on, as the title suggests, a newspaper article. It was not eventually produced because the plot did not allow for enough flexibility to become anything longer than a short film. However, connections still lie with 'The Guild' - seeing as it is also based around the writing of a specific newspaper article!

THE REBELLION
This, our final prospect idea before 'The Guild', was taken the furthest before being canceled - indeed, this is the only film that can truly be said to have been canceled. All the graphics had been complete and we began production the day of the Golden Spurlte in Carrbridge (2007). The plot was loosely based around a train crash and company called 'The Wethcon'. Unfortunately, it can't remember why it was axed...which is strange. Think it was something to do with the plot...

Find out more about 'The Guild' see www.theguildiscoming.co.uk

Working towards the 26th...

Preparations for Rachel's concert!



We've recently been preparing for Rachel's concert - that's why there's not been much news on anything else! Last night we did a wee photo 'shoot' for promotion of the concert (photo from which can be seen here)
Also, there been much discussion about directions to take the concert, how it will be staged and promotional stuff! Hopefully we'll be getting a wee mention on MFR along with one of Rachel's tracks playing soon so stay tuned for that...we'll let you know if it happens.

Also, Carve Carrbridge this weekend!!




I'll be back at this years event filming and photographing. Missed last years film - see it here

More news...we've just been granted permission by Peatbog Faeries to use one of their tracks in the film of Carve Carrbridge 09 which is great!! Big thanks to them. Check their myspace to hear some of their music...

Think that's all for now. Will be back with another post on Sunday perhaps with photos from Carve Carrbridge so keep checking back.

Filming with Jamie

Jamie Thom returns as the news reporter!

We were filming with Jamie once again on Monday. Jamie previously appeared in Hag of the Bridge with the very same role - a news reporter. His part was so well received that we thought he had to be brought back.

A few photos from filming:

Dragon Strings and Cocoloco Twitchers

Pictures & info from recent event...

Dragon Strings Concert at Loch Morlich and Cocoloco Twitchers...

Dragon Strings is an exciting and versatile electric string ensemble based in South Wales, UK. Made up of local musicians who all have vast experience of classical string and orchestral playing but also have a vision of music for the future. On Thursday 7th August they took to the stage for an evening performance at Loch Morlich against the backdrop of Cairngorm Mountain. The concert was well attended with over 500 enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, fantastic weather and wonderful music.



Cocoloco is a performance company which covers almost all areas of performance from poetry and street theatre to cabaret, film, lectures and workshops. Thursday 7th August saw them taking their outdoor street 'Twitchers' - a surreal roving act - to the Badenoch and Strathspey area. Twitchers have spent so long bird-watching that their heads have transformed into nests. As the performers slowly move around the site, birds appear from inside the nests, surprising and delighting an amazed audience. Some of the birds are mechanical, others hand puppets.

Check out pictures from the event here (film coming soon!)

Starting on the set

Last night we started one of the sets for 'The Guild' which is being built in a garage, and being a garage it's full of lot's of stuff...stuff that has to go. Here's some pics
of our progress so far!


Before clearing...



After: Not exactly clear yet but getting there...

Jamie & The Great North Run 09

One of out Actors, Jamie Thom, will be running in the Great North Run this year in aid of Traidcraft and is on the lookout for sponsorship!

Jamie previously appeared in Hag of the Bridge as a News Reporter (most commonly remember by his outtakes!) and will proceed to take on a similar role in 'The Guild'

If you can, please sponsor him online by clicking here...

A Funny Valentine

SEPTEMBER 10TH 2009 @ 7.30pm

Carrbridge Village Hall
Tickets £8/£6 under 18's
Carrbridge Community Arts Ticket Line: 01479841211
Tickets online at www.thebooth.co.uk

Funny Valentine

The story and music of Chet Baker told by Mike Maran with live music on stage arranged and performed by Colin Steele and Dave Milligan directed by Patrick Sandford.
It’s 1961 and Chet Baker is in jail in Lucca. He had been voted best trumpet player in the world only five years before – now he’s doing time in an Italian jail for drug offences. Italians strolling around the town walls stop and listen to the sound of Chet’s golden trumpet wafting through the prison bars. Chet shared his prison cell with a storyteller. The storyteller became his friend.

Twenty-eight years later, Chet shared a hotel room in Amsterdam with his friend. That was the night Chet Baker died. Only the storyteller knows what really happened. He knows the whole story – and now he’s telling it. With live music on stage arranged and performed by Colin Steele (trumpet) and Dave Milligan (piano) this is an unforgettable evening of jazz, junk, and genius!

Not suitable for audiences younger than 15 years. www.mikemaran.com

Do you have the perfect porridge?

Photo by James Ross (see his PBase Gallery here)

NEW GOLDEN SPURTLE WEBSITE & GLOBAL RECIPE COLLECTION

The Carrbridge organisers of the annual World Porridge Making Championships are aiming to establish one of the largest collections of oatmeal recipes from across the globe with the launch of a newly designed website.

The new Golden Spurtle site, which went "live" for the first time last week, invites internet visitors to submit their favourite recipes which can be rated by other website users to find the most popular.
The voting will close on the morning of the World Porridge Making Championships to take place on Sunday 11 October 2009 in Carrbridge with the winning submission to be awarded a specially inscribed championship spurtle.

The idea for the recipe collection was put forward by the Golden Spurtle website designer, Roy Brown who explained that a variety of different recipes had already been gathered over the years.

"As well as being used for making porridge, oatmeal is among the basic ingredients in creating a huge range of sweet and savoury dishes including everything from fruit crumble to bread, scones and muffins and even onion soup. The aim is to build up our recipe collection and just see how many different oatmeal recipes we can add to the list," he said.

Think you have what it takes or want to try out some of the recipes? Visit the new Golden Spurtle site @ www.goldenspurtle.com

Dalnahaitnach Shoot!

Firstly, we're going to keep any blogs related to the feature film on this blog as opposed to the previous dedicated blog - that way we can keep all the news in one convenient place!

Today we ventured 4 miles up Station Road (Carrbridge) towards Dalnahaitnach in order to film quite a prominent section of the opening of the film. Rachel Sermanni and Joanne Wood and myself (Fergus Thom) all took to our bikes and cycled the route - not expecting the weather to be quite as hot as it was after checking the internet and finding out it would be cloudy and quite possibly rainy!

The video diary below documents some of the happenings of the day and below are also some photos:



See some pictures from filming here

London Shoot Video Diary

Here's a wee video diary of footage shot in London and Rachel telling us all what's goin on...



To see some pictures from the London Shoot visit the website @ www.theguildiscoming.co.uk