You could call it a..

New start? Big change? time to get the hell off my ass and prove myself?

All of the above? Ya.

So new start; I have no day job anymore! Yay!(holy crap). It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, even though it’s a risk to not have that guaranteed income I personally think it’s worth the chance.

I’ve gotten to a point where I want to focus more and more on acting. 100% on acting. To the extent that, honestly, having no recurring pay check each week, as much as that scares the hell out of me in some ways, has no hold over the choices I’m going to make. I’ve had people wishing me luck, people looking at me like I’m a fool for even thinking I can do it. But you know what, I don’t need other peoples opinions or feeling on what I’m about to do. I know the risks, I’ve heard the horror stories and the ruined dreams, and the only thing that keeps going through my head is the simple fact that this is the only thing I’ve ever felt so connected with. Am i any good? Hell if I know. Do I want to be great? Hell yes. What’s the point in having a dream if you’re not gunna see what the real things actually like and aim to do it better than those before you? Imagination can only take us so far (ironic from someone wanting to be an actor).

So I left, and in the week (exactly 1) since I left my safety net I’ve got onto Spotlight, joined equity, and even had to change my name. Never expected having to do the last of those three, I thought my name, surname at least, was easily rare enough. But alas, no guna happen. So you are now looking at Daniel S. Thrace. Or at least you will be if you ever get to see any of my work. I won’t bore you with details of why, but it holds meaning to me, metaphor, and I like the sound of it. What else do you need!?

On top of all that, a short film I had the pleasure of being a part of, Containment, has made the short list of the Horror channels shortcutstohell film competition. http://shortcutstohell.com/?page_id=540. So guess who’s mug you’re guna get the chance to see on your television screen (as long as you have sky at least). The short itself is about a trio of quarantined scientists will be burnt alive unless they can expose and extract a deadly alien parasite that could be hiding inside anyone of them. Tense stuff ;).

It was such a pleasure to film with Glass Cannon (http://www.glasscannonfilm.co.uk/, https://www.facebook.com/GlassCannonFilm?fref=ts) again. Please go check out their work, and give the Facebook page a like. There have some serious talent between them, and they were nice enough to ask me back again, having shot two short films with them now. Keep an eye on this one, big plan’s a’ comin’. To see our collaboration take a look at Hólmganga, as yet unreleased as we’re taking it to the festivals. But do keep an eye on that one too. It’s a dark, visually stunning piece, that’s a based on Viking society and their beliefs. It also contains my first little fight scene not put together by myself or done as a background fighter. In addition to this I have two more brilliant projects lined up with Glass Cannon that I cannot wait to get into, but for now that’s all I’m giving away.

As well as those I manage to find myself with a great opportunity working with some old friends and people I had the honour of working with on a little feature film called The Eschatrilogy: Book of the Dead. They asked me to come and 1st AD for them on a new feature, and their first person one, they’re putting together called Play Judas. A crime thriller set in the uk. I won’t go to far into the details, but I’ve read the script, already know and have got to see some of the actors, and this film is already shouting good things to me. Not that I’m bias in the slightest!..

So that is a touch of whats going on in my professional life at least, I’m sure I’ve missed a few things, but I’ll get them next time. Needless to say life hasn’t exactly let up even during all of this! Rude. But who ever said it was gunna, that’d be too easy and kinda boring right.

No philosophical stuff today, but I will leave this post on a thought. No matter what you’re doing, no matter how much you love or hate it, make sure you give yourself to the task. The second you let it go a bit, the moment you let a fear or a lack of desire kill an experience for you, you’re only missing out on something you could have had the chance to truly understand be inspired by. Remember inspiration and drive can come at any moment, whether you expect it or want it. So why miss anything when everything has something new to see, and really you just gotta look.

Enjoy your evenings.

What’s the problem?/A little method.

So recently my family got some pretty bad news, on top of a whole lot of other stuff going on in and around mine, my families, and those closest to my life. At times, and anyone reading this will understand, you get to a point on days when you can’t react because you don’t know exactly how you will, or you react simply because you don’t know how you will and you have to say something or you might spontaneously combust. It seems when you’re in a state of fear, worry, any of that kinda thing you lose an aspect of control of your inhibitions. It’s why people lash out, shout, cry, any of the things they wouldn’t normally react with.

I work in a Co-op, we’re a customer facing business, so I get to see a lot of people. I’m also an actor (getting there at least), I think in a way that attempts to go past the face value of people, to look for the hidden tension to understand why they are the way they are (here’s the important bit) in that moment.

Everyone has a personality, and part of that is having an ideal side, the side of you you like and want people to see, and a reactionary side, the part of you that responds to the events and people around you in the moment. Sometimes, in differing amounts for different people, your ideal side is the one in control. You react well to anything that comes your way and no matter what you’re calm, level headed, understanding and generally react well to unfolding events. If you aren’t you ideal, or normal, self, you’re react differently. Patience becomes irritation, calmness becomes volatility and understanding becomes judgement. Everyone does this, no matter who you are. Those days where you want to shout about the little things people around you do, they nag at your mind and you have to let people know. One thing I will say is we all need those days, they’re important.

What I’m getting at though is how we react to people having those days. It’s easy to ignore whats in front of you, call the person a t!&t cos they’re acting that way, and let what they did then affect you in a way that can mimic exactly how they were acting, and yes that can then make you start acting like a t!&t too, it’s too easy to a lot of the time. Working in the Co-op there are loads of times I’ve done this, oh the hypocrisy. When confronted with, in the words of the’ judge’, misery, ignorance, anger, arrogance and anything like it, we instantly put a barrier up and inside our heads call the other person out for their fault, ignore any other reasoning and react accordingly. I think though, and try to do, we shouldn’t be using what’s in front of us to make judgement. Don’t get me wrong, if someone is acting like this, don’t adhere to it. Call them out if you can, but do it with reason, and understand that they’re probably like that because they have a life beyond that moment. We believe they’re acting up and we’re just reacting in the only way feasible with such an ignorant attitude, when really we are just empowering any ignorance or stupidity by basically responding to them in the exact way we are condemning them for acting like in the first place. We can end up so consumed by the moment and we forget there’s a whole other life in the background that we have no idea what’s going on in.

When you walk down the street what do you see? People going places? What about everywhere they’ve just been and why they’ve been there. Isn’t that a more poignant thing to understand (or at least try to)? We can never know what someone is REALLY going through, we don’t know their circumstances, and as importantly we don’t know how their ideal self views the world. Ask yourself, who is that person, where are they going and why are they doing it? Even if you make up every aspect, because you don’t know them, it’ll lead you naturally to considering the fact they have a life and a reason. Such a simple thought, but one in my experience that means you can’t not appreciate there’s probably something else going on and that maybe if you allow your ideal self to react instead of other side, you might not only get a good response from them, but you will enrich both of your days and possibly anyone else’s who are linked to either you or that person because of the good affect that you made.

 

For the sake of any actors reading, and more importantly myself as I want to use this blog to explore my thoughts on acting, thinking this way is just like considering tactics and objectives. Something I was introduced to recently in my training, and have then gone on to read about when researching Stanislavski. When you do anything like what I’ve been talking about, you’re looking for the objectives and tactics in those around you. The reasons for why they say things the way they do. You’re opening up your own thoughts and considering the bigger unseen picture of a person, the exact same thing we’re trying to recreate when we form characters. When you act, you want to be as realistic as possible, even when you’re in a fantasy, that is our goal. So use the tools that are sat in front of you, the lives of every person you come across is another character to consider and more reasons to use when creating your own tactics and objectives for a character you’re going to play. Everyone IS different, which also means everyone has a new way of seeing things, and this is something you can utilise everyday, you don’t have to be reading from a script to practice.

Make some waves.

Storyteller Final Shoot

I’m sat on the train on the way back from working with Safehouse Pictures uk. Been a bit of a rough one since the shoot couldn’t go ahead today due to issues with the generator. That and I’ve had to leave today because of shitty day job responsibilities.

It’s especially annoying since yesterday, with about 80 zombies in the fray, we worked like the best oiled machine you’ve ever seen. Saturday was a really important day in the way of the film and with the amount of people we had there, and we took to it like pros. For the crew it was a bit of a proving day again, we’d had a bit of a slow start on Friday and I think we all knew it and wanted to make up for it. So hopefully D and Nikki saw what they wanted to from us all when it really mattered.

Gutted I’m having to leave early, I know I should be there until the end. Tomorrow is a huge day for SHP and hopefully it’ll go without a hitch. Although knowing our luck something’ll crop up! to quote a bit of the film “it’s like I (we) am cursed!” not that that’s ever going to stop us.

Good luck to the rest of you guys tomorrow. I know you’ll easily get it done… Well maybe not easily, you won’t have me running round!(sorry Tim) ;). Much love.

– to see more about Safehouse Pictures and ‘The Eschatrilogy’ check out The Website

Been a while – Some good news

Been too long since I posted up here, so much for dedication!

Had to get on it tho as… The Eschatrilogy is now up on IMDb here! – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2151849/ which is awesome for Safehouse, giving it two feature films in all on the Database.

Check out the full cast and crew link to see yours truly listed as Script Supervisor. This is a first for me so pretty proud right now! Other Safehouse related stuff is we now have an official website – http://www.safehousepicturesuk.co.uk so go check that one out for some pics from the shoots and the teaser trailer. It’s looking great so far. Hope you enjoy!

Safehouse Pictures UK – Keep an eye out for us

Once again we at Safehouse are coming close to setting on that journey every production goes through for their films. THE SHOOT! This ones a little special though, we’re going to be filming the final part to the puzzle that is the Eschatrilogy. I can’t go into it just yet, but trust me, this is going to put a spin on the zombie genre that hopefully you’ll love. We’re bringing depth to the style that will truly have you engaged.

I personally read the scrip this morning and… it’s awesome. Great plot, deep characters, and a fight scene that’s hopefully going to blow you away, proving just how good Safehouse Pictures are right now, and only scratching the surface of our potential.

Check out Safehouse here http://www.wix.com/damianmorter/safehousepicturesuk, some of you may and others may not recognise the face of yours truly ready to rip your head off (don’t try method acting that one) on the main page. Took some time out of supervising the script to get my zomb on and to fight a guy who honestly you seriously wouldn’t want to piss off during Dying Breed, the last shoot but second in the trilogy.

Stay tuned though, you haven’t seen the last of this one.

Paranormal Activity 3 Review (contains spoilers)

First let me start by saying I’m not particularly a horror, ghost, suspense style film fan. So when I first came to watch PA1 I was speculative, the same went for 2 and of course for the third in the series I was only expecting something passable at best. The start was a little slow, but it was pretty informative on the families involved throughout all three, showing you more of how they grew up around the incidents. It’s very relaxed and calm, and does help you ease into the family life on screen. Personally I don’t mind a slow start as long as you’re getting something from it, and I definitely feel like I did.

The atmosphere is certainly established nicely to begin with, and this compliments the turn out of the set up. Everyone’s had some fun, and you’re laughing along, then comes the sex scene and half way through an ‘earth quake’ shakes things up a little. The amera falls and yes, a wisp of something keeps the tension up, and gets things off to a good start. The contrast of the couple having sex, slightly awkwardly since the cameras on, and something quickly taking Katie’s (Katie Featherston) attention, moves the focus like a slowly breaching dam that breaks suddenly when the shaking starts.

We then start to see a relationship building, one that feels a little familiar but works nonetheless. The girl Katie (Chloe Csengery) and the demon Toby (awesome). Making good use of her innocence and shy nature, as the obvious choice for the demon. Backed up with Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith), stating the same when researching, how children are more susceptible. For anyone unsure of why she never gets attacked; in all the Paranormal films, you ignore the presence it tends to leave you alone. Unless you’re trying to save someone who’s possessed, never works out well, as you’ll see. All of this turns out to be a great base for a demon who has a little more character than in either of the other two films. Through the the little girls conversations, and what seems to be a general rapport with Toby, you gradually get reeled in to the changes going on and the building suspense.

At this point I have to say, love the “don’t call him fat” line, it’s understandable he was on camera, everyone has insecurities.

From there the scares pick up, becoming more frequent and pretty good at catching people unawares. Katie jumping out the closet as Dennis and Randy (Dustin Ingram) investigate the noises that have become a staple part of the franchise, got the whole room jumping. Followed fairly closely by the slow closing of the bedroom door only to have Dennis burst through, timed to perfection as you expect the door to shut. The film keeps this use of subtle indication for tension throughout more so than either of the previous films, with each scare keeping true to events in the film and relating to each other well. The combination of good parallels, subtle hints at the presence, and once again strong cinematography from so few angles, create an involving mood that keeps you watching every inch of the frame.

The camera work itself is the same style as the previous films, and as in both of those it is used expertly to enhance the tension. An upgrade again to the second film we see through a camera set on an electric fan base that scans the bottom floor. This shot specifically, gives the most in the way of tension. The simple movement combined with the way you’re always watching every part of a frame, really increases your concentration on the scene and accentuates the audiences involvement.

As the film progresses the encounters get a fair bit more brutal, making you cringe if nothing else. The girl Kristi Rai (Jessica Brown) getting lifted by her hair is sudden, and the scene at night in their room definitely got my adrenaline going a bit. The demonic undercurrent forces you along, until finally the family do what every one has always shouted at every horror/thriller/supernatural film characters ever created. They leave! To Grandma’s, only from the outset when they get there, I don’t know if it was just me, but the whole thing doesn’t feel right. If this is on purpose, then my hat really goes off to the directors at this point, the shift in the feel of the surroundings somehow becomes more ominous when they were away from where all the freaky sh!t happens. The finale was good, but the old women ruined it a little for me. Not scary, and aside from the fact we know they’re a covenant, what they’re doing isn’t in anyway focused on. I know, that’s not really how the films work, but a little more than a few elderly ladies shuffling toward the camera and a small fire in the garden, they’re less impressive than a paraplegic yob. This is quickly recovered from though as Dennis gets the shock of his life from the perfectly revealed demon child. I genuinely loved the pace they got on her across the camera, something about it feels just right in the flash that you see her face. To then get off’d by a back breaker that has you looking away in pain, brings the climax to an abrupt yet well timed end.

Like I said I’m not usually a fan of these kinds of film. I don’t get scared easily, so can get bored pretty fast when a film has no real characterisation plot or to speak of, and sadly in this genre I tend to find the film can be a let down. But over the past couple of months I’ve actually got around to watching the first two, thanks to my house mate who loves anything like this, and surprisingly I enjoyed both of them. Just as the two before Paranormal Activity 3 was not a let down, in fact I’d have to say it’s the best of the trilogy, being the third that is also a rarity most of the time.

If you like film that scares you, or if you just like involving films that use the clever filmmaking to drive their scenes rather than mindless action, PA3 is definitely worth the watch.

Children of Men Review (contains spoilers)

CHILDREN OF MEN

Based on the book by P.D. James and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Children of Men tells a grim future for humanity when our race loses it’s ability to re-produce. Set in 2027 the film has a high impact start with the death of the youngest person on the planet, due mainly because of the attention on him. At only 18 years old his death instantly give you the idea of how severe the situation is. London is overrun by the military, giving a great insight into the state of affairs, the world breaking down because of it’s impending doom. Illegal immigrants have come to the UK in huge numbers and are being rounded up and controlled in order to be dealt with, the inhumanity of which is an ever present theme in the film.

We begin to see the extent of the issue as it progresses, literally the entire world has been broken by an unstoppable pandemic. We follow Theo Faron throughout, a British citizen and dejected cynic, played by Clive Owen, who gives a great but not outstanding performance, Theo is a well placed character. His struggle isn’t one of being held back, not wanting to help, instead he is forced to deal with the confrontation of a mother and child. A situation with great underlying connections from the start, and for me the major motif throughout the story: family. The way this is portrayed gives the film a unique character style that definitely makes it stand out. What I liked about the relationships that built, specifically between Kee and Theo is that she isn’t a helpless girl and he isn’t an outwardly heroic man, they both seem to just deal with the situation handed to them as best they can. Unlike it sounds, this doesn’t take away from the emotion involved or the changes as people, it brings a different approach to the idea. That being, although the films theme is very family based there is a sense of solitude from the main characters in each scene. The two never really bond, and this means there isn’t that typical section of backstory woven together by a conversation. Instead the pace of the film never really falters, they never get the chance to talk, so their bond is one of the moment. A knowledge that their lives are safe or that they must defend something at all cost.

Around the main focus of the film are other relationships, Theo and Jasper, Kee and Miriam. We begin to see how each rely on the other, and how they are the closest of friends or become something else. Everywhere they go there are underlying ties between characters. Whether a protective one from before we knew, like Kee and Simon, or the newly formed animosity between Theo and Patric, they help drive the film on with their passion. Mixed together with a multitude of side stories and sub characters that add to the breadth of the people involved, we get a better understanding of the main characters and the ongoing situation. Although only a touch of the real damage caused, the way Cuarón fabricates pasts by subtle hints and brilliant use of props means you may only hear brief parts of the main characters involved life’s, but you feel the pain of every person in frame.

It is this style that means the revelations we gain into each neccesary part of the story is done beautifully, just brushed over enough to uncover the right secrets. It makes the rate at which the viewer progresses in understanding the characters quite a natural thing. Made obvious enough so that everyone gets the idea, but incorporating real depth so it can be sought out by more observant watchers. This coupled with the individual stories of every character, that keep them somewhat a mystery to each other, creates a scenario that unveils itself not easily but realistically. People thrown together in an extreme situation that goes beyond their own importance, where only the outcome is truly significant, wouldn’t have time to think, only act. Children of Men captures that in a way that isn’t like your typical family orientated story, reflecting perfectly the fact that none of the main characters are actually related. The story is a huge part of Children of Men, giving it content that can be something of a rare commodity at times, character development. Yet this is only a small scope of what the film actually achieves with it’s interwoven style and attention to the details.

I think the first thing that really grabbed my attention, and something that is prominent throughout the film, is the colouring of the world. It really emphasises the grimness of this future, dirty, diseased and generally somewhere that looks like a war-zone. This styling also helps push the helplessness of the Baby, something that really should not be being dragged through such unforgiving terrain. That highlights something that Cuarón is particularly good at during the course of this film, using opposites to emphasise the importance or severity of the situation.

From the start there is a feeling of imminent danger, just walking out of a cafe a bomb goes off right next to Theo, making sure you never really relax. When you take this and add to it the aspects of massacre in almost every scene, and particularly those outside in the streets. Death seems to be around every corner, from bodies decomposing on their own, to those mourned by close relatives in the middle of the street. The woman wailing, over what I assume is her son, definitely hits home. Leaving you a little lost for words and deeply caught up in the emotion of the events at hand, as the world falls down all around them.

The use of Motifs in this film is stunning, underlying meaning is unmistakeable over the course of the feature. Immigrants being held in cages surrounded by free men to signify their plight. Men and women treated as second class people, thrown in cells and generally mistreated by everyone. Not only those charged with controlling them, but also by British citizen’s who do not care for others well being in a world that is dying everywhere. Among all the hate and death there are redeeming factors in this torn planet. Once again Cuarón proves his ability to bring the bad and good in spades and pull off the use of such strong emotion, this time through The Fishers. A cold-blooded group, labelled as terrorists by the powers in the country, but people who also show compassion to those they feel deserve it. They are elitist, but when it comes to Kee they instantly know the importance and understand that it goes beyond them.

Everything is a bit hazy as to why people are so cruel to each other, and there isn’t really an explanation of why all these immigrants have come to the UK, but this is a great way of representing Theo’s understanding as a character for me. Never knowing who to trust, seeing brutality and humanity at every corner, you never know who to trust, and who wants the best for the people. That haze extends to every part of the film, and specifically around the Human Project. A group who you know is working for the betterment and saving of mankind, but until the end you have no idea if they even exist. This puts the task at hand on an edge at every point, do they exist? If they do are they actually helping? Have we met any of them? These questions and more arise, used superbly to create mood and atmosphere, and the reflection of the injustice in our world. We get told about people doing good all the time, but do they actually do it? Just as Theo and Kee have to follow on pure faith, we as humanity have to have the same faith in each other for the good of the world.

Saying that brings me to my last point on the film. Atmosphere. The atmosphere of every scene in this film is incredible. Tense, angry, lighthearted or fun, the up and down emotions are always in perfect unison with the atmosphere of the combined setting, character and camera work. The camera work at parts is particularly brilliant. The long shots where we follow Theo through the entirety of a war-zone without a single cut away, mean you only see what he sees. They keep it very tense and make sure the audience is more apart of what he’s going through. This climax’s with a fight scene, explosions going off everywhere, and suddenly a baby creating a calm that engulfs everyone in the near vicinity. A stark contrast put right inside the most violent of parts, really brings this film up into something special.

Final word – Overall Children of Men was a great film. I was involved for the duration of the feature and thoroughly enjoyed the development and understanding that grew with the situation and characters as it progressed. The story was great, the look was exactly what I’d expect and yet there was one thing that held the whole thing back just enough to mean this won’t be considered a favorite for me. The acting. Although I enjoyed each actor in their role, there was just no real connection there for me. They fit their characters, I believed that each one was who they were playing, but there was a certain lack of connection. I think it was maybe intentional, it helps to push the individuals in a world where everyone is in the same boat as our race dies, and that works to an extent. The problem was I never really felt the connections between the main characters themselves, it was a fast paced film and they didn’t have a huge amount of time to connect, but I would have liked to feel Theo’s ties to the whole situation a bit more, they are meant to represent his own lost family. On the whole scale of the film though, that is fairly irrelevant. This is a truly great piece of cinema, and a film that everyone should check out.