Greetings bloggers.
I've had the busiest couple of weeks with a ton of work being completed. After a relatively quiet spring, concentrating on short films for Merrin & Nick Hudson, it all kicked off again in June.
I don't think a day has gone by since where I haven't been working.
I have plenty of audio/visual treats in store until December, but until then , have a look at the work I've been doing at this year's Supernormal festival.
Regular followers of this blog will be familiar with this great little event in Oxford that brings together artists, entertainers, filmmakers and musicians and pretty much turn them loose to do whatever they please (almost)
There is literally no boundary between the audience and the performers, which is pretty unique these days.
The organisers are a lovely bunch too, granting me entry to the festival to create unique films mashing up surreal imagery with the natural soundtrack of the environment, be it a band, or just the natural acoustics of the forests. It's a style of film making I've been trying to push for a while as I think the average 'live band video' is really, really boring. The Supernormal is the perfect environment to experiment with different styles and working out creative shots in an organic way.
The shoot wasn't without it's problems though. Arriving late after some technical hicups really set me back. And, on finding out some tragic news from home, I had to leave a day early. So in the end, what you are about to watch all took place in a single 24 hours period.
Lessons to be learned for next time - try and bring two camera's OR bring a separate condenser mic to capture better, undistorted live music.
Aside from that, I've happy with this selection of mini experimental films.
I hope you do too, enjoy.
Dethscalator : Supernormal 2013 from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Mugstar at Supernormal 2013 from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Greta Pistaceci : Supernormal 2013 from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Art of Burning Water from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Guitar in the Woods from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
In the Woods : Supernormal 2013 from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Hookworms from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Guitar jams at Braziers House - Supernormal 2013 from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Red Square : Supernormal 2013. from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Dead Sea Apes - Supernormal 2013 from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Duke Garwood : Supernormal 2013 from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
These are my personal favourite films from the weekend. They incorporate lots of editing tricks to imply there was more than one camera capturing the action (something I feel I'm getting quite good at if I do say so myself)
I'm really not so sure where these video's could find an audience at the moment, although my work from last year was shown at a Japanese festival a few months ago. I'll try and enter a few pieces into experimental film events, but having been to a few of those in the past, I still don't feel these films would find a home as they aren't visually abstract.
It's a hell of a shame, but it seems the only way I could enter any of these films into the experimental arena would be to mess around with them visually and add a mountain of needless-effects, which as far as I'm concerned is a lazy technique destroying what makes them worthwhile.
But hey, that's showbiz, folks.
Sunday 22 September 2013
Sunday 23 June 2013
Letters to the Dead
After many month's being enclosed within the sleeve for the vinyl press of Letter's to the Dead, you can finally have a sneak peak of the accompanying film.
I've spent a lot of time & money trying to get this into festivals over the last few months, to no avail.
Myself and Nick have a few other ideas for festivals we can submit this unique film to, but we will be taking our time on that now. Personally, the festival I have in mind for this piece of work doesn't start submissions until September so I'm waiting until then.
This might only be online for a short while, as some festivals are fussy about films being seen before they exclusively show them.
So if you have time, close the curtains, turn the volume up and sink into the darkest film I've ever made.
There are still some copies of the record containing the DVD left. You can purchase them here, at Antithetic Records
Letter's to the Dead from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
I've spent a lot of time & money trying to get this into festivals over the last few months, to no avail.
Myself and Nick have a few other ideas for festivals we can submit this unique film to, but we will be taking our time on that now. Personally, the festival I have in mind for this piece of work doesn't start submissions until September so I'm waiting until then.
This might only be online for a short while, as some festivals are fussy about films being seen before they exclusively show them.
So if you have time, close the curtains, turn the volume up and sink into the darkest film I've ever made.
There are still some copies of the record containing the DVD left. You can purchase them here, at Antithetic Records
Letter's to the Dead from Chris Purdie on Vimeo.
Tuesday 18 June 2013
Interior. Exterior. Day.
It brings me great pleasure to announce that Interior. Exterior. Day has been accepted into the Eyes Wide Open festival in Brighton. It's due to be screened on the 1st of August and I can't wait.
Speaking of the film, I forgot to present it on here.
Overall, it was a success and features some brilliant cinematography (if I do say so myself)
It definitely works as a companion piece to the recently finished Letter's to the Dead - if not in tone then definitely in style.
This will be my first festival piece and I look forward to more in the future.
Until then, please enjoy the film.
Speaking of the film, I forgot to present it on here.
Overall, it was a success and features some brilliant cinematography (if I do say so myself)
It definitely works as a companion piece to the recently finished Letter's to the Dead - if not in tone then definitely in style.
This will be my first festival piece and I look forward to more in the future.
Until then, please enjoy the film.
Thursday 16 May 2013
Interior.Exterior.
I've been back in Brighton this past weekend, filming with Nick Hudson who previously collaborated with me on Letters to the Dead (which is now available to purchase - Letters to the Dead )
We set up to work on another film. Although we were still working together, this was definitely more Nick's film in term's story-telling and directing. He is currently in the final stages of completing an MA in Film, and this project forms part of his dissertation. However, I found myself directing every now again still, despite trying to hold back. I just cant help myself sometimes.
As a follow-up to 'Letters' it works quite well. By follow-up, I don't mean in the literal sense. This film is far more rooted in reality. But we revisited some familiar spots in Brighton and aimed for a similar visual approach along the lines of a Terrence Malick movie. This film is quieter though, and more poetic.
We're sitting down for the first editing sessions next week.
I'm looking forward to finished article.
In the mean time, have a look through some stills.
We set up to work on another film. Although we were still working together, this was definitely more Nick's film in term's story-telling and directing. He is currently in the final stages of completing an MA in Film, and this project forms part of his dissertation. However, I found myself directing every now again still, despite trying to hold back. I just cant help myself sometimes.
As a follow-up to 'Letters' it works quite well. By follow-up, I don't mean in the literal sense. This film is far more rooted in reality. But we revisited some familiar spots in Brighton and aimed for a similar visual approach along the lines of a Terrence Malick movie. This film is quieter though, and more poetic.
We're sitting down for the first editing sessions next week.
I'm looking forward to finished article.
In the mean time, have a look through some stills.
Sunday 7 April 2013
Phantasm - Short Film
Here is the film for Phantasm, which was shot for Merrin last month.
It turned out pretty well, all things considering.
The film has been designed to provide a backdrop to a live show, and in that regards, I think it's very good and can't wait to give the film it's 'Live Premiere'.
There were some issues with the film though, as there are on all zero budget projects.
To begin with, we lost our leading man the day before the shoot, so everything needed juggling around.
I stood into the leading role and hastily re-wrote the script to include Lyndsey Muller in an extended role from what was originally planned.
I also doubled up to portray the antagonist of the piece (which was always the original plan)
Playing two roles proved to be a challenge, but it was enjoyable. My AD stepped in to play the antagonist in one shot, so we could have us both in vision at the same time. It's a quick cut and not too obvious.
As a result of my extended role in front of the camera, I couldn't focus on the shots as much as I would have liked so some elements of the film suffered. The first was the lighting, which while good, wasn't perfect, and was a little dark. I had to add a large amount of color correction of the shots to make both camera's match up. The backdrop was supposed to come out white, as a contrast to the black's and red's in the foreground, but it turned out more like beige.
In correcting the colors, I had to de-saturate the stronger colors a little, so we lost a lot of the striking color contrasts (There is a lot of Red in the film) as the strength of the colors became dulled. It's not a huge issue, but it was a shame to lose that element as it was in the original shooting plan to have them. Still, you can't win them all and the white backdrop was more important.
The other gripe is that I couldn't control each shot, leaving it to my AD David Chandler to shoot much of the film. He did a brilliant job too, but there are definitely some shots I would have done differently - not to improve upon, you understand, it's just my personal vision that had to be mildly sacrificed to get the film completed.
These things happen in every production though. In fact, I find that a production that refuses to compromise usually doesn't get completed.
Overall though, I'm very pleased with the finished product. I feel it's a unique film that truly reflects my imagination and voice, and suits the song perfectly.
I hope you enjoy it too.
It turned out pretty well, all things considering.
The film has been designed to provide a backdrop to a live show, and in that regards, I think it's very good and can't wait to give the film it's 'Live Premiere'.
There were some issues with the film though, as there are on all zero budget projects.
To begin with, we lost our leading man the day before the shoot, so everything needed juggling around.
I stood into the leading role and hastily re-wrote the script to include Lyndsey Muller in an extended role from what was originally planned.
I also doubled up to portray the antagonist of the piece (which was always the original plan)
Playing two roles proved to be a challenge, but it was enjoyable. My AD stepped in to play the antagonist in one shot, so we could have us both in vision at the same time. It's a quick cut and not too obvious.
As a result of my extended role in front of the camera, I couldn't focus on the shots as much as I would have liked so some elements of the film suffered. The first was the lighting, which while good, wasn't perfect, and was a little dark. I had to add a large amount of color correction of the shots to make both camera's match up. The backdrop was supposed to come out white, as a contrast to the black's and red's in the foreground, but it turned out more like beige.
In correcting the colors, I had to de-saturate the stronger colors a little, so we lost a lot of the striking color contrasts (There is a lot of Red in the film) as the strength of the colors became dulled. It's not a huge issue, but it was a shame to lose that element as it was in the original shooting plan to have them. Still, you can't win them all and the white backdrop was more important.
The other gripe is that I couldn't control each shot, leaving it to my AD David Chandler to shoot much of the film. He did a brilliant job too, but there are definitely some shots I would have done differently - not to improve upon, you understand, it's just my personal vision that had to be mildly sacrificed to get the film completed.
These things happen in every production though. In fact, I find that a production that refuses to compromise usually doesn't get completed.
Overall though, I'm very pleased with the finished product. I feel it's a unique film that truly reflects my imagination and voice, and suits the song perfectly.
I hope you enjoy it too.
Monday 18 March 2013
-MERRIN- Phantasm Video Shoot
This weekend just past, the team travelled to Northampton to shoot a film for my musical project,
-MERRIN-
I've produced a few films for this, as has my friend Danny Naylor from Derek's Don't Run films.
Derek's Don't Run
The idea is that I create narrative films that I can perform live soundtracks to.
We set down in Northampton this weekend, at Amplitude Studio's to create a homage to David Lynch.
Amplitude Studios
Previous works have taken on the template of Slasher Movies, Occult, New Wave, No Wave & 80's Thriller's. With this film, I decided to take a long hard shot at the surreal back catalogue of David Lynch's golden works (ie, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead & Mullholland Drive)
Here are some screenshots of the shoot.
-MERRIN-
I've produced a few films for this, as has my friend Danny Naylor from Derek's Don't Run films.
Derek's Don't Run
The idea is that I create narrative films that I can perform live soundtracks to.
We set down in Northampton this weekend, at Amplitude Studio's to create a homage to David Lynch.
Amplitude Studios
Previous works have taken on the template of Slasher Movies, Occult, New Wave, No Wave & 80's Thriller's. With this film, I decided to take a long hard shot at the surreal back catalogue of David Lynch's golden works (ie, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead & Mullholland Drive)
Here are some screenshots of the shoot.
As you can see, we had plenty of fun during the shoot. I cant wait to show off the finished product in about two weeks time. Until then, I hope you enjoy these photo's.
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