Get Ahead of the Bride

This article refers to Shotgun Wedding Promo 02 - http://theeffortcollective.com/filter/Shotgun-Wedding/SHOTGUN-WEDDING/

I'd thought that Londoners had seen it all, and that no amount of dressing up or acting in socially unusual ways would incite so much as a batted eyelid. But when our Runaway Bride (Victoria Clare) in a full bridal gown and veil from the 80s and running mascara came hurtling down out of Brixton Station it did cause a certain commotion. Onlookers stopped and gawked, commented, shouted, whistled, honked their horns. One lady even pushed her child forwards across the road as she looked sideways at the  running bride (see photo #3 on the Urban75 blog post - http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-bride-of-brixton-tube-station/).

However, it was the pair of police officers that surprised us the most. As they approached Victoria at the bus stop, I made myself very small, and broke down my camera equipment, ready to be threatened with some sort of public order offence. But to my great heart-warming relief they had stopped merely to ask her why she was upset and crying. Was there anything they could do for her, alone and upset, on her wedding day?

Never a dull moment as we made our how-to-get-there video with a difference for Shotgun Wedding on Sat 28 July at The Windmill, Brixton.

Mexican Stand-off followed by Kiss and Make up

This article refers to the video Shotgun Wedding Promo 1

As I stand, arms folded, in the background of a Mexican stand-off between a Vicar, a Bride, and a Groom, it may look like I am calmly in command of this shoot with The Effort Collective - this being for Part 1 of our trash/glam wedding Trilogy for Shotgun Wedding on Sat 28 July 2012.

But, no. I am merely a bystander in a series of press pics being expertly choreographed by The Effort Collective's resident filmmaker, Abel Kohen. He alternately encourages and goads the Shotgun Bride (Victoria Clare) into a series of contrasting shootout scenarios involving intricate family back-stories while our cheery Groom (Nico Argast) flails wildly with his gun as he jumps through the air. Meanwhile, the ice-cold Vicar (Mike Edge) coldly calculates his deadly next move.

A little overexcited by this prelim photography I soon realise we are already running behind time. But as we swiftly move on to the video portion of the day, the expert costume stylings of Ellie Moss and make-up and hair from Sarah Ferguson and Kiera McTigue keep us moving through the day. All that's left is for me to direct about 50 on-screen kisses, 48 more than I have to my name up to now.

However, performers and friends embraced their roles with alacrity, and with a little encouragement from theatre director Vanessa Pope, all came together in a steady stream of organised enjoyment. And what better way to finish the day than to kiss everyone myself.

All that remained (ha!) was to chop the video into a thousand pieces, add a wonderfully loud beach-thedral backdrop and rock out to Mendelssohn's Wedding March. Hats off again to Abel, for his post-production magic.

Look out for Part 2 next week...

Henry IV part one

If you're not already watching it on bbc2 check it out on iplayer later. Superb Shakespeare film. Really worth a watch.

King of Devil's Island

Heart-rending and gut-wrenching film based on true events about a bad boys correction centre on an island off of Norway in the 1910s. Repression turns to revolution as the boys can't contain their hatred for the authorities who not only turn out to be immoral themselves, but seek to hide the fact.

So good it hurts.

Shotgun Wedding Promo Shoot 1

Thanks to everyone for a great promo shoot on Saturday! Just converting all the footage and looking forward to piecing a day's work together into 20 seconds and playing with what to replace the green with!