Speaking Foriegn

So we sit down, excited, finally, the long wait is over and we'll get to see the film we've been anticipating. So, the film starts, and all is well. Its brilliant.

And then the Russian begins.

Now, I know all about the film. I know that it is originally Russian. I'm talking here, of course, about Day Watch. (I've seen Night Watch and fell in love with it, awesome, kick ass film)! But I saw that on DVD, with the bliss of an English audio track.

We sit for about 20 minutes. Through which I try to translate, while I read the subtitles and watch the beautiful visuals. It was not only impossible, but extremely NOT fun. There was only Arabic subtitles.

We leave the theatre and confront the staff with the problem. They seem as bewildered by it as we were. They didn't have a clue. We did get a refund, but our evening was ruined. We were so looking forward to seeing it and now we'll have to wait for the DVD to do so.

You would think, that they would know what they are purchasing, but the folk at Dana Cinema seemed quite oblivious to the whole thing. Not least the manager, who stormed off seemingly angry at the fact that someone somewhere screwed up big time.

Anyway, so, just beware, if you want to see Day Watch. Unless you can read Arabic, or understand Russian!

Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine
Originally uploaded by Alizod

I went out the other day for a photo shoot through Muharraq. The last time I did that was at least five or six months ago. There is no doubt that there is a magical thing about that place, because every time I visit I discover new things to shoot.

After a bit of dabbling with photoshop, I came up with this photo, which keeps reminding me of the film Little Miss Sunshine. The film is a beautiful treasure and I fell in love with it from the first frame. A simple story of a odd and somewhat dysfunctional family, I know it sounds too familiar, been done to death, but trust me when I say this, there is nothing like Little Miss Sunshine. That's one film that will leave such a lasting impression on you that you'll find yourself remembering for days and weeks to come.

Not to mention the fact that it have one of the most sweet-beautiful-romantic-heartbreakting-sing-a-long-happy tune I've heard in ages. If you must download one song this weekend, make it "Till the End of Time" by Devotchka.

Now go do something useful. Bake a cake or something.

Stardust in Their Eyes

It gave me goosebumps. It made me cry. It made me laugh silly. It made me giggle. It made me reflect. It painted my world with magic and colors and starlight. When you wait for something for so long, and then it exceeds your expectations, you're left in a beautiful daze.

I'm talking here about the wondrous Stardust, the film adaptation of one of my favorite novels of all time, of the same title, by the master of storytelling Neil Gaiman.

One would usually be wear of such adaptations, but the filmmakers got it spot on here. The film was perfect, a joy, a wonder, a gorgeous journey and a thrilling adventure, one that will no doubt makes you once again believe in love, in magic, and in dreams.

I can't stress enough the need for every one of us to see Stardust. And once you've seen it once or twice, go out and get the book (if you've not read it yet! shame on you!).

To Shoot or Not to Shoot

Prep
Originally uploaded by Alizod

Started the day by having breakfast with our two actors and then driving to the location, where the crew had already arrived and been prepping things up. A few minutes before 9.30, we began rolling!

The plan was to initially shoot the film over two days but due to restrictions of the use of location, we tried to shoot the whole thing on the one day (yesterday). It started off well, and everyone was in good spirits. I've never co-directed anything before, but I thrived on the role. I loved it, and I think I did an okay job for a first timer. My previous experince was being involved as a co-producer, so being in control over the creative aspect this time was quite different.

We tried to simplify the shoot and nto try anything fancy, afterall, this is a kind of a non-budget production! But we were keen on creating something to get us into gear for bigger things. It's been a relativaly pleasant experince so far, there are still certain things that I would've liked done better, preperation wise, but we had to go with what we have.

We shot for about four hours and took a break and then restarted for another three hours. But we couldn't complete the whole shoot on the day. People started getting weary and we made a decision to call it a day, to complete the remaining scenes the following Saturday. (Not much to go though, we've shot about 70 percent of it).

It was fun, the hardest bit was when I volunteered to stand on a chair and lift the camera vertically to try and get an overhead shot as high as I could. Somehow I didn't drop the camera, crisis averted! The other bit was trying to keep the crew and actors motivated all the time. There are high and low points and as a director you'd have to constantly be on a high note.

Visit my flickr to see some production images from the day.

The Heart of the Matter

Last night we had the first read-through of the KEEP short film script. Both actors (Gavin & Simone) did pretty well and we had a good chat about the direction I wanted them to take with the charachters.

It was an interesting session as I've never had a read-through before, to see (and hear) someone performing something that I had written was quite fascinating. They had their own interpetations and they took onboard the suggestions I had made.

We are now set to film on August 10th & 11th. The film will be about 8 minutes long and will be shot in one location. We are meant to go visit the location in a couple of days and put together a shoot schedule. And on Tuesday we will be doing a test shoot with the actors.

Oh, and our Human Heart had arrived from across the Atlantic!

As for my writing, it had faltered a bit lately I'm afraid. Still, I managed to pass the 42,000 mark. I still think I need more writing to do! My new estimated target is now probably around 50k, as I mentioned before. I'm a bit gutted, coz now it looks highly unlikely that I will finish the novel before the end of the month.

And to add to all this craziness (my illustrated story, making of short film, completing novel, pre-planning Elham and writing articles), I am starting my new "full-time" job this Wednesday!

It's a Story to Tell

Ladies and gentlemen, buckle your seatbelts, adjust your seats to the upright position and secure the trays. We are 5000 words away from reaching the final destination and completing our journey.

Can I do it? 5000 more words before July 31st? Hell yeah!

It's been quite a while since I heard a piece of music so moving, so gorgeous, so stunningly emotional, that I felt my eyes well up, and a swelling pinch in my heart. This band is so good Im aching to get my hands on their new record. (click on the link and listen to the first song that comes on, you'll see what I mean).

I've also just seen what must be the best music video of the year, a splendid piece of film that tells a wondrous story.

For the Weekend

A book you MUST read...

A film you MUST see...

Bahrain Under Water

When I was a little boy, I would laugh at our elderly who kept going on and on about how Bahrain will be cursed and will sink under water one day! Back then, it seemed such an absurd thought.

Do you believe in global warming? Some people do, many don't. Or at least, many choose to ignore the facts and the signs. Because it's the easier choice. Who can blame them? But it is a reality. And if science and facts are what we go by, then our beloved Kingdom of Bahrain should be under water by the year 2100 or maybe even sooner!


And yes, you've guessed it, I've just seen An Inconvenient Truth. The documentary film on global warming by the former next president of the US of A, Al Gore. Seeing it, will put you in stark precept ion of the reality of global warming and it's effects on our planet and, ultimately, us.

The facts are scary. The figures staggering. And even if a only small percentage of these calculated predictions become true, we are gonna be in deep shit. Hell, we already are. Anyone who dismiss it as a serious threat is delusional.

If you've not seen the film, I recommend that you do and make up your own mind about it.

When You Find Two Gallants

Is it just me, or the weather in Bahrain is acting funny!? We had a cold winter, and now five days into June, and the heat is still tolerable. In fact, I was walking to work this morning (from where I parked the car) and there was a breeze. Last night, it was dry and pleasant. Of what I remember of past summers, the insnace heat hits us by mid-May! And now, there is talk of a hurricane coming our way, which is already causing thousands of people in Oman to evacuate! (http://gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=184115&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30077)

Anyway, work on the short film project I told you about previously is slowly progressing. We have now found the actors to play the two main (and only) roles. We are planning on a 2 to 3 days shoot at the end of the month. There might be slight changes in the script as we meet with the crew and cast next week.

And, on a random note, my new favorite band is...

TWO GALLANTS

A Cock & A Bull

Last night I attended a musical performance unlike anything I've heard or seen before.

Kamilya Gubran's evening could've been enjoyed even more if it weren't for those inconsiderate idiots who kept chattering and whispering and giggling and moving about through most of the performance. I wish people would just grow up and stop acting like children.

Once those irritants departed, it was easier getting into the music. Kamilya's way of playing the Oud is refreshing, teasing the tones out of it with seemingly the slightest touches of her fingertips, while her voice traveled high and low with each verse.

******

After waiting to see it for several months, I didn't expect to be in for such a disappointment. M. Night Shaymalan's Lady in the Water is likely to be his worst offering yet. The film lacked a whole lot of magic and it was no more than an average exercise that didn't amount to what it should have, which is a real shame. I wanted to like the film so much. Signs is one of my favorite films of all time and Unbreakable was excellent. So I was looking forward to this.

But I was in for a wonderful surprise in Tristram Shandy: a Cock & a Bull Story! The film was hilarious, intelligent and extremely human. Rob Brydon in a wonderful actor who's work I enjoy a lot, seeing him in the likes of Human Remains and Marion & Geoff

Lady in the Water (2/5)
Tristram Shandy: a Cock & a Bull Story (5/5)

Stardust in Their Eyes

If you know what's good for you, you'd click on this link faster than you'd say cotton-peaches!

It appears to be a temporary website for, according to Neil Gaiman on his journal. But damn, I can't wait till summer.

Quite simply, Stardust is one of my fave novels of all time. I've read it more than once, which is saying consideirng how picky I am about books. Go out and get the book, read it. Twice. I bet my CD collectin you'll love it! And then when the film comes out this summer, go out and see it. Twice. It'll be like visiting old friends!