Framegrabs from Nicolette Saina’s “Le Castle Papier”….a magical camera test/experiment week!

Gillian Abbott

I just came back from Aldourie Castle Estate on Loch Ness where I threw myself suddenly into some preliminary shooting with the crazy and delightful artists around Nicolette Saina’s new feature film, working title…”Le Castle Papier”. Production Company is ImagiNation TV and Film.
A gathering of diverse talent lived and worked at the castle for a week in order to test-shoot production design, costume design, acting/dancing talent and the exquisite location. The cast included 6 brilliant female dancers, some of them ex-performers in Le Cirque Soleil and one of them (Tara-Jean Popowich) a recent winner of the Canadian talent show “So you think you can dance” (“Strictly Come Dancing”…Canuck-stylie) . All choreography was by LA based Stacey Tookey backed up by her brother Kevin Tookey, who also performed in some scenes. Both fantastically impressive at what they do…and nice straightforward folk to boot!
The film is a kind of multi-layered fairytale set in a rich and  bountiful place…where a non-specific natural disaster has occurred. Few have survived…………but those few gradually overcome a monstrous grief  by working together to create beauty from whatever is cheap and natural. Trees and Paper figure alot…and a section of the exterior castle wall was in fact covered in paper designs for the shoot. This was done by Fin and Al of DufiArt based near Tain. Paper was also used extensively in the costumes along with autumn leaves. There was also an appearance by Michael Grab, one of the world’s top “Rock Balancers”. He spent the week working on his own around the estate creating remarkable “balances” (columns of balanced stones using only gravity to sustain them.) He’s a quietly inspiring man who’s character may well feature in the finished script.

A "balance" by Michael Grab at the shore of Loch Ness

 

Kevin Tookey, Liz Tookey

 

Kevin and Liz Tookey

Nicolette encouraged a spirit of creative openness in which I basked ! Every time I set up a shot beautiful things seemed to form in front of my lens! I did very little lighting, using or enhancing natural conditions even on interiors.We worked 12 hour days (and alot more besides) but we were fast and lightweight  and the  fantastic Scottish weather gave us all the conditions we needed….when we needed them….aided by some astute scheduling by 1st AD Eric Spoeth. Of course our principal photography will, of necessity not be quite so nimble-footed. Things will get a tad more military….but “spritely” seems worth having as a goal .

The Wedding Bridge: Liz Tookey, Emily Armstrong. Tara-Jean Popowich, Gillian Abbott

 

Maple Tree, Tara-Jean Popowich, Corynn Barron, Emily Armstrong, Gillian Abbott, Emma Annetts, Liz Tookey

 

Leaf Dance in The Great Hall: Liz Tookey, Corynn Barron, Gillian Abbott, Emma Annetts

 

Leaf Dresses by Judy Armstrong

Leaf Dance in The Great Hall: Liz Tookey, Emily Armstrong

 

Leaf Dance in The Great Hall: Corynn Barron, Gillian Abbott

 

Leaf Dance in The Great Hall: Emily Armstrong, Corynn Barron, Emma Annetts, Gillian Abbott, Tara-Jean Popowich

Emily Armstrong in maple leaf dress mourns lost lover

 

The Red Forest: Gillian Abbott, Tara-Jean Popowich....after The Disaster. None can speak or even touch.

 

The Red Forest: Corynn Barron, Emily Armstrong...after The Disaster. None can speak or even touch.

 

They begin to trust each other. Papermaking: Tara-Jean Popowich, Gillian Abbott, Liz Tookey, Emily Armstrong, Corynn Barron

 

Papermaking: Liz Tookey, Emily Armstrong, Emma Annets

This is a departure from Nicolette’s previous film work . She has made dramatic films in the past about real-life stories of terrorism and journalism. This film should go into Production this winter. Its not a musical or a ballet…there will be a narrative and some principal protagonists. The film is essentially about beauty…as Nicolette says…its a bit out there and a bit arty…but it has already attracted alot of major artistic talent because of this.
Me I’m fine with out there and arty.

Mock Fashion Show: Corynn Barron


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Shooting in Tripoli

I just returned from Libya where I was doing some preliminary shooting for a feature length documentary about Colonel Gaddafi’s famous female bodyguards who were handpicked, young, beautiful and highly trained. Jubilation and high spirits in the city of Tripoli, many guns being fired….but all in the air, fortunately. Elsewhere in the country such as in Bani Walid chaotic fighting continues. The country is having to be rebuilt almost from scratch so the transitional government is struggling. Old tribal rivalries from before Gaddafi’s coup 43 years ago are rising to the surface again. We filmed in Gaddafi’s ruined compound in Tripoli, which is vast…also in Abo Salim prison, now closed, where Gaddafi once had 1200 people shot in 5 hrs….all in one small exercise yard. Both places had strong strong spirits. The Libyans are a friendly hospitable people but they seem to be quite fond of torturing each other. Many horrible stories….but I suppose that’s war for you

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Baftas

Going to the Baftas on Sunday as An Idiot Abroad 2 has been nominated for yet another award.

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The Wicker Tree is now a top seller in the UK DVD/Blu-ray market


Anchor Bay, distributors of The Wicker Tree have announced that it is their topselling DVD/Blu-ray of the year. 2 weeks after launch it was also 3rd best seller in the entire UK DVD market….surpassed only by Iron Lady (Meryl Streep) and a Tom Cruise film…..which is pretty good for a film with no stars, other than a cameo by Sir Christopher Lee.

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An Idiot Abroad highest ranked programme ever on Science Channel

An Idiot Abroad is officially the most viewed programme ever on The Science Channel in USA.
The channel claims to be “home for the thought provocateur” and “a playground for those with audacious intellects” so you can see why an Idiot might thrive !
Meanwhile across the pond in Britain An Idiot Abroad 2 has been nominated for an RTS award in 2 categories:
Best Popular Factual and Features and Best Presenter (for Karl Pilkington).
This particular parade will be hosted by Rob Brydon at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London on March 20th.
Dawn on a live Volcano...JP and KP with Albi, The Happiest Man in the VillageAn Idiot Abroad 2 Africa-with Jessica Hippo in her living roomLeaving Karl's Desert Island

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The Wicker Tree screens in USA

See the TRAILER on the Showreels or Blog pages

wickertree-poster-cinematography-usa-theatrical-release

The Wicker Tree Poster

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National TV Awards Bulletin

National TV Awards O2

Well, like the valiant Andy Murray we didn’t win. Not only that our Idiot Abroad 2 clip, lovingly crafted by Richard Yee our Series Producer fell victim to the only visible technical cock-up at this spectacular show-biz event. None of the other Nominees in this category got their clips shown either! On the plus side we got a fantastic cheer when the programme was announced, there was plenty of champagne, some fancy little tarts described by staff as “Haggis” and we all had a superbly condensed education in popular British television. It was also a rare opportunity for me to wear a skirt….prompting the staff to offer me whisky at every opportunity.
Every important TV face was there. The men in their suits and the women poured into impossible dresses with the help of other attentive behind-the-camera folk. I enjoyed it all. Karl Pilkington would have hated it.

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An Idiot Abroad 2-National TV Awards nominee


I’m off to the National TV Awards at the O2 Arena in London on 25th January. An Idiot Abroad 2 has been nominated. Please vote for it at

http://www.nationaltvawards.com/vote-shortlist

Ricky, Steve and Karl can’t make it to the ceremony so I’m going instead along with the directors. Its a Black Tie event and Jan. 25th is also Burns Night (that’s Robert Burns, renowned Scottish poet, lefty, and ladies’man) so I think I shall air my knees and wear my dress kilt.The Awards ceremony is being broadcast live on ITV1, hosted by Dermot O’Leary.

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An Idiot Abroad 2 (The Bucket List) starts airing in USA 21st Jan.

An Idiot Abroad 2. Ricky Gervais, Karl Pilkington, Stephen Merchant

Ricky Gervais, Karl Pilkington and Stephen Merchant

An Idiot Abroad 2 starts its North American airing at 10pm on The Science Channel, 21st January. Its been screened in UK already with record ratings and has been nominated for a number of awards.
Its a very funny comedy travel series in which Karl Pilkington is sent round the world by his two friends Ricky and Stephen in order to broaden his mind.This series is “The Bucket List” or “Things to do before you Die”. As cinematographer I and the team followed Karl to Alaska, Route 66 (starting in Santa Monica), Japan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, South Africa, Uganda, Russia and China. Many adventures were had and Karl’s take on them is off the wall and hilarious. You will occasionally see the camera shaking uncontrollably!

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The Wicker Tree opens in USA on 27th Jan

Director Robin Hardy’s long-awaited follow-up to his original cult classic “The Wicker Man” opens in USA on 27th January. Its a black comedy, as well as a horror movie and a film “fantastique”, explores many of the themes of the earlier film and features Sir Christopher Lee as well as an excellent younger cast. It received a standing ovation at its premiere in Montreal last year. I was Cinematographer. Heres the Trailer:

wickertree-poster-cinematography-usa-theatrical-release

The Wicker Tree Poster

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