Sunday 17 April 2011

Extra, Extra, Extra

Someone once said 'That you should try everything once'*

So yesterday morning found me in London's Docklands, being made up to look like a Zombie.

I was playing a Zombie extra in a film.

First thing was to have the make-up applied, which wasn't the nicest experience, the fake blood is quite sticky and it never really dries so you always have this red goo on your face and hands, then it was off to Zombie School.



To learn how to move like a Zombie (it's not a easy as you think :-) ).

After that it was.... well a lot of sitting around doing nothing, it seems as making flims takes a lot of time and a lot of waiting, what for I don't know as we were never told.

When we did get on set, our part was to chase after the main characters of the film.




This involved staggering down the street after them, then being sent back to do it again.

I was luck to be in the front for most of these scenes so hopefully I'll make it into the final cut and not end up of the cutting room floor.

Overall it was a fun day and a good laugh with the other Zombies but it was tiring, I think this was all the waiting around. I guess I know that filming takes time but never realised how much time.



*There is some debate to that actual quote it's either:-

“You should make a point of trying every experience once, excepting incest and folk dancing.”--Arnold Bax


or

“Try everything once except folk dancing and incest.”--Sir Thomas Beecham


..

Friday 15 April 2011

Dales Outdoor Weekend 7-8 May 2011

Darren asked me if I would help to promote the upcoming Dales Outdoor Weekend.

Below is the piece Darren has written for it.


It seems bikes as well as boots are truly in vogue with the backpacking fraternity. The year round diary of meetings organised around the country by Backpackers Club is well sprinkled with the trips where wheels get the lightweight camper members between one pitch and the next.

Bikepacking they've called it, ever since the author Robin Adshead went ride-about and showed the way with a book that partnered his Backpacking in Britain title. (go Google it all) Robin was one of the original gang of gadabouts who helped build the backpacking in Britain image.

Northumbria Backpackers have already set the style for the Club's weekend in Bellingham, as all good Buff wearers remember. The 2011 agm weekend of Backpackers Club is back in the North east region, billed as Dales Outdoor Weekend, to broaden club appeal and get the public along to see what it is all about.

The organising team have linked into local features such as the Weardale Railway and the famed Coast to Coast hike & bike trail (C2C), Mike Knipe will help people discover more about the joys of tinkling along in an ANOB, and there's also a bike ride option.

Above Weardale sits Parkhead Station, with as good an all-day breakfast as you'll get anywhere - b&b too. The train no longer gets to here, but the old track is now National Cycle Route 7, from Sunderland, past Parkhead Station and terminating at Whitehead, or even Inverness if you are Highlands inclined.

Most people on the Weardale patch will use these tracks as part of a C2C trip - and there are some fine pitches for a tent or two you can find if you have the nose for that sort of thing. The arena for the lightweight camping equipment displays and the like is at Stanhope Showground, with hills either side, a river that burbles and all around nature at its very best.


There is also a poster with details of the whole weekend which can be downloaded from HERE.

Saturday 9 April 2011

A little walk


Start


Trees





Arty


Hobbit Hole


Cockney Horses


Red


River Quaggy