Currently, I am working on two projects - I am set to direct a historical fantasy independent feature film called 'The Secret Commonwealth' which is in the development stages with Workshop Productions, a production company based in the north of England, also I am still working on some short promotional pieces (commercials for broadcast on PBS WLiW21 in the States and web promotions) for internationally acclaimed singer, Fiona Kennedy's new music show called 'Highland Heartbeat'.
With 'The Secret Commonwealth', I am feeling very positive - it is a new experience for me and a new way of working - rather that having the utmost control - I have been placed in a professional environment as director - with just that role to perform. The film is essentially for commercial purposes so that also adds another dimension to the project - a real life situation - real pressures, real deadlines and most exctitingly of all, REAL money. The producers of the film (also the managing directors of Workshop Productions), Christopher Abbott and David T Guest have been most supportive through the whole process, giving me control yet also mentoring me through the processes I have not totally come to grips with yet. The film began when Workshop Productions approached me with a provisional offer to distribute my first feature film, 'Kirk', on their DVD label, A1 Pictures, after seeing the trailer online (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfpnLXkAsiE) and reading some of the online reviews written after its win at a film festival in Manchester (http://www.mjsimpson.co.uk/reviews/kirk.html & http://www.amazingmovieshowblog.com/2009/10/kirk-2009.html). We met in November of last year and after discussing the prospect of a release, we realised that the film, in it's current state would need additional work. They then proposed the idea of re-scripting, re-casting and re-shooting the film - of course I jumped at this chance. I did have to be slightly wary to begin with (having had a number of bad experiences in the past - especially a potential film I would be directing with a 'production company' called Palm Tree Films who turned out to be crooks!) although the Academy were very supportive and checked them out - and I'm very glad to say, everything seems fine and is set to go!!!
With 'Highland Heartbeat' - I am creating some short promotional pieces for the show. It is a Scottish music show led by Fiona Kennedy (daughter of Callum Kennedy) and features her and range of other talented singers from around Scotland. The show is narrated by Emmy Award-winning Scottish actor, Brian
Cox. I became involved in the project when the initial show was filmed in the Theatre Royal in 2008. I arranged to do some work experience on the show as a runner but ended up working with the Behind The Scenes camera man and shooting a lot myself. It was a great experience at the time to be involved in such a huge production which was being covered by American TV channel PBS - the show was set to broadcast with them so they came to shoot pledges for the channel as well as interviews with the cast.
A few months after this, I was invited in to watch the edit of the show at the ARC post-production facility in Glasgow (I had previously donw my school work experience at ARC so knew a few people there already). Fiona came in to supervise some of the edit and it was then I grabbed the chance to do a bit of 'networking'.
I had just finished shooting, and was in the process of editing a 40 minute teen drama caled 'When I Grow Up' and was looking for a suitable soundtrack - I asked Fiona in the edit suites if she would mind recording a song we had had written for the film and she agreed. It was after the screening of 'When I Grow Up' and after a few more conversations that she asked if I would be interested in shooting some commercials and promotional material for the show. We arranged to begin shooting in July of 2009, after I was scheduled to finish shooting 'Kirk'.
This was a totally new and exciting experience for me - I had never shot music promos before but was most definitely eager to give it a go. We shot in a recording studio in Glasgow, in the Eden Court theatre in Inverness and at 'The Gathering' festival in Edinburgh - here is an example of one of the resulting pieces - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksss-c4OlFo.
I guess this is where I am now - I will update as things progress.
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