HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

Hello everyone, another year gone and a New One here.  Some interesting things happened end of last year:

1.  I filmed 3 new scenes fot the movie I made last summer, THE OTHER SIDE OF SEPTEMBER, with Lee Majors, they gave my character more depth, which made her more interesting, so was happy about that…hope the film gets a release now, it deserves it.  It is engaging, quite light hearted and contemporary, so I have hopes for it.   It was written and directed by a young man Will von Tagen, who also stars in it…a lot to take on…. but he has the drive and the tenacity to make it.  He also has interest from a Hollywood Producer who is helping and encouraging him.   Making movies is a hard road to travel and the changes in the industry have set up more giant road blocks than we have ever seen, plus created more opportunities, with the advent of digital and the Internet.   The only serious downside to this is that too many people are now trying to get into the market and the dross is drowning out some of the real talent now.  True talent had a better chance of being found when there was less lesser talent about.

2. My films on newchillingtales.com have been taken on by a British airline Monarch for in flight viewing.  This is a lead in to bigger airlines and even more exposure.  I am delighted.  Let me tell you how it came about…amusing story.  I was travelling back from London and the man behind me and I were trying the “share ”  the foot rail under my seat (his right of use I think).  However me being difficult (as I can be), tried to kick his feet away.  In the end we both started arguing and glaring at each other and then started laughing over the ridiculousness of the situation.  Anyway turns out that he and his partner were on their way to meet with the major studios, to work out the deals for films to be shown on the top airlines..that’s what his company AEROFI  does.  “Well”, say I, “you should take my films, they’re terrific, being written by some of the greatest writers in the world”….”send me the link”, says he as we exchanged business cards and there we are on our way to Monarch airlines and maybe bigger things

3.  I got an email from Dame Naomi James, the first woman to sail alone around the world in 1978, without GPS and all those useful modern tools.   I developed a movie about Dame Naomi in the 1980’s, with an eye to to playing the part, until I was talked out of it by Lord Puttnam (David Puttnam) great producer, who said choose acting or producing for this one.   We had a great screenplay from writers, I found by great good luck, not so known then, David Seidler (OSCAR winner for THE KINGS SPEECH) and Jacqueline Feather, who is now no longer in the business.   Naomi wanted to know if I thought we could maybe try again with AGAINST THE TIDE, written from her book AT ONE WITH THE SEA.   The first time she was not whole heartedly committed to the project and the timing was wrong for a number of reasons.  The climate is much better now.  We have progressed with Computer Graphics, which will help tremendously with  some of the special effects and there is more of an appetite for women’s stories, especially ones like these.   WILD is a terrific and beautifully made film with a great performance from Reece Witherspoon.   David Seidler is interested, so more discussion is on the table and I hope that we have a chance to get this wonderful story told now.  Robert Redford’s film ALL IS LOST was good, but we did not know enough about the Man and his motivation to truly engage with his problems, this story is quite different, it is riveting.   Wish us luck!