Friday, 30 July 2010

An extremely condensed piece on the government's failure to stop drug (mis)use...


Centuries ago the government cashed in on the drugs trade, realising the money that could be made from exporting and importing substances such as opium around the world. Even in the early 1900s people were able to purchase drugs such as coke and heroin from the best of London’s shops such as Harrods! It was only with an increasing pressure from other countries that the government decided that it was time to bring in some sort of legislation to prevent drug abuse amongst the population.


Fast forward to today and experts are saying that the UK now has one of the most drug involved population in Europe, despite the fact that the government are always amending the ‘Misuse of Drugs Act’ by changing the classification system in an attempt to make the number of users drop.


In 1997 Labour started their ‘war on drugs’ leading to them spend £10 billion on an outcome that didn’t look very different to when they’d started. Along with the wasting money and failing to produce the correct outcome, the government is also prone to ignoring advice from the Advisory Council of the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) - a group of scientists who ensure that the government is implementing the drug law correctly. A classic example is when cannabis was made a class C drug the number of users actually dropped. However the government decided suddenly to put it back up to a class B, despite the ACMD strongly advising against it, in an attempt to appear tough on drug use. But what does this really mean? A drain on money and law enforcement over something that, I’m sure is the case for many young adults, won’t change anything. Is this really going to stop people from taking a substance which is so readily available that theories of it becoming socially acceptable are becoming ever more significant?


And this doesn’t just apply to cannabis but to other substances too. After all these years and all these different laws, of which nobody really knows what means what, the fact remains that drug use is at an all time high and nothing has changed. So this calls for something bigger than just changing weed from being a bit naughty to naughtier. Perhaps it calls for drugs to be de-criminalised all together. If we can’t stop people from taking drugs then why not at least make money off of it like with alcohol and tobacco? The tax could go towards the NHS to make up for the higher number of casualties and to educate people thoroughly about the effects (both positive and negative) that these substances have on the body. This would then mean that the government had done its job in acting responsibly but that it had also accepted that at the end of the day if someone wants to take drugs it is their own choice to do so.


Another positive to the drugs being made legal is that pharmaceutical companies would produce them, meaning underground drugs would be wiped out and so the substances would be pure. For example the main reason ecstasy is so dangerous is because it is often cut with other drugs such as paracetamol, meaning that the consumer is unknowingly taking potentially large amounts of paracetamol which could lead to a damaged liver. If made legal this wouldn’t happen because it’d be in a safe and controlled environment.


Drugs are always going to be a subject of controversy and the idea of legalising drugs is a scary thought for many people. But it is about time that the government realised that their methods of controlling drug use are failing and that maybe it’s about time to listen to the experts rather than the tabloids.

Thursday, 8 July 2010

To be a graduate

unemployed, bored, graduateThe life of an unemployed graduate is most certainly nothing to boast about! After all those years of education and budgeting, you get excited about the prospect of leaving it all behind to finally enter the real world of work and money and freedom. But why do we have these delusions?

It has been far from work, money and freedom. It has been unemployment, countless job applications, obsessive waiting for the phone to call and realising that your social life has diminished so badly that you follow whoever is next through the door around the house like a lost sheep!

Now I sit here at home bored as hell wondering what I could do. There are various useful things I could be doing with my time. First of all I could be applying for more jobs- although I've done that so much recently that the idea of unemployment seems much more appealing than having to fill in the 100th application. My brain is a blur with boasts of my past achievements and my various CV layouts.

Secondly I could be writing the article that I said I would for Winchester's student magazine. But I have over a week before the deadline, have done all the research, and I think that in that space of time I could find myself even more bored than today and would really need a project like that to focus on for the day.

So that leaves me with other options. Pick a new hobby. I want to start learning to play the guitar again but being back in my parents house I have to respect the fact that my Dad works night shifts and so guitar playing is not possible until after 2pm. Even when he is awake, I'd rather not practice with him around because he hunts me out just to tell me that my playing sounds awful. This then puts me off playing all together.

I could watch a film but the weather is at that stage where its hot but cloudy and I have this weird guilt consume me, as if I should be outside all day long to appreciate that it's not raining for once.

Basically there are lots of things I could be doing but cannot motivate my brain to do any of it because I'm too busy feeling sorry for myself which is utterly pathetic. My lazy git attitude is most definitely not helping but before any of you can call me an ungrateful, moaning, time-waster I will end with a positive phrase; the only way is up!!

Monday, 14 June 2010

Dissertation? Easy! Application forms? Go away!


Ok so I'm sat here in this slightly odd emotional state of being upset because I'm leaving university but also exhausted after working so hard for so long and therefore slighly relieved that it's all over with. This means that the last thing I want to do is fill in the world's longest application form but that is what I'm doing right now and finding it ridiculously difficult!!

It's as if my brain has given up on me and is having some sort of protest and is refusing to do any sort of intellectual, challenging thinking for the foreseeable future. This comes as quite a problem as the deadline for this application form is tomorrow evening. I've completed almost all of it except for the parts where I have to address 10 different skills that they require and examplify how I possess these with my past achievements. Sounds fairly simple and yet it feels like a major hurdle to overcome and I also worry that I'm repeating myself time and time again.

It probably hasn't helped that I have abused my poor body with stupid amounts of alcohol this past week and that won't really change this week either. But I would like to think that I still have a fair few other brain cells left that would work!

So this is the end of my rant, I just had to blogg about this because I thought it might help wake my brain up and get it to write coherent(ish) sentences. I fear that it has had no such effect.

Sunday, 23 May 2010

Keeping fit, broken trains, power in numbers and bald pervs- a standard trip home?

trains

On a good day I bloody hate travelling on the train. The panic that takes over me before arriving at the station is unbelievable; no matter what time I plan to leave I always think that I will miss it. Even if I leave a ridiculous amount of time to get there, my walk turns in to more of a jog in the fear of being late.


Of course, in reality this means that I am always early and have broken in to a sweat for no reason and turn up looking a slight mess. So this was the standard series of events that occured before I caught my train(s) back to Cornwall yesterday. However, the events that were yet to unfold were far from standard!


As I arrived in Southampton Central I got off the train safe in the knowledge that I wouldn't have to find the platform for my train because it always left from the one I was standing on. I was annoyed already because I hate catching this particular train due to the fact it is only 3 carriages long and there are always so many passengers who want to get on. They all stand in the 'ready to sprint' stance, ready to push anyone who gets in their way on to the tracks below. Its everyone for themselves. Anyway for some reason, for the first time in the entire three years I've been travelling back to Cornwall, this train had changed platform. So I begrudgingly hauled my heavy bags up the stairs and along the bridge.


My panicked feeling soon returned as people, in what I exaggerated in my head to be hundreds, began to gather on the platform. Everyone realising that we wouldn't all get on began edging towards the yellow line, judging where the carriage would stop. But then, with only a couple minutes to go before it's arrival, the voice of doom announced over the tannoid that there had been a platform change. At that point everyone stampeeded up the stairs and down to the train as it pulled in. I MADE IT! I sat down in a huff at the fact that the train had arrived at the platform it had always gone to previously and decided that it was possible the government had joined up with railway stations to make people run for their trains in an attempt to wipe out obesity.


However, I was soon in a bigger huff as I realised that there were no plug points. My one form of entertainment (the laptop) was therefore only good for half an hour of the 3 hours ahead of me. I was in for a long journey.


So I began typing up some work when this strong waft of alcohol went up my nostrils. I soon realised it was the girl opposite me who was apparently quite drunk and didn't look too good. She got up to go to the toilet and as she came back she was crying. This made me extremely uncomfortable. I'm not good with tears at the best of times but when its a drunk stranger I'm absolutely clueless. So I did what most english people do and pretended that I didn't notice, engrossing myself in my work. However this girl spotted that I was chewing gum and asked for some. I couldn't ignore her any longer and after handing it over to the blubbering mess I asked what was wrong. Apparently she'd split up with her boyfriend and thought it was a good idea to get drunk on cidar, vodka and tequilla and then travel 4 hours to see her mates in Cornwall. Excellent I thought- she will definaltey vom.


She soon found out where I was travelling to which meant I was going to be stuck with this bumbling drunk for the entire journey who had just began to complain about being hungry. My stomach was aching for food too and I could picture the sarnie in my bag. I left it there in fear that she'd ask for some and I was in no mood to share with a stranger!


I was soon aware that we had been at Salisbury station for ages and the tannoid voice told us there was a fault on the line meaning we were to travel slowly for the next few miles. This meant we were in danger of missing our connection at Westbury. Great. I was not prepared to wait another hour to get home and hoped that we'd pick up speed soon and make up for lost time. Wrong!! At the next station we were, again, waiting for ages and were told that something was hanging off of the train and was being looked at. So now I was not only worried about missing my connection but worried that we could potentially die getting there!!


As the train began pulling in to Westbury the woman next to us (who had by this point joined us in the worry of missing our train) exclaimed that the train opposite was our connection and hadn't left yet! We all ran to the door and took our 'ready to sprint' position once more but I'd heard the whistle blow and thought we had no chance. The doors opened and everyone ran to the train (it was one of those old fashioned trains with windows and non-automatic doors) yelling 'stop!!' 'let us on!!' to the bloke who resembled the fat controller. 'I can't I've started the train' he yelled out of the window . This confused me- surely he could just stop the train?! But he continued to yell the same thing and so, in a moment of disbelief, everyone started grabbing the train and refused to move. This angered the guard greatly but in protest nobody moved. I felt a sudden sense of pride and a rush of adrenaline as I realised that everyone was sticking together. The fat controller had no choice but to let us all on and there was a sense of unity amongst everyone as we gratefully climbed aboard. 'Good luck with the rest of your journey girls' the woman beamed and everyone looked extremely proud of themselves.


Me and my new found friend had bonded over our success and happily found our seats which had plug points!!! She soon tottered off to get some food and I ate my sarnies and started up the laptop. Finally all was good and I was on the final stretch of the journey. Nothing could go wrong now... surely?


Of course it would. We pulled up to Taunton and it was a little while before we all clocked on to the fact we'd been there for quite a while. In that time a massive crowd of drunk, balding, fat, loud mouthed blokes had stumbled down the train clearly on some sort of stag do. It was this that was the reason for our delay. A policeman soon walked down the platform and on to the train and escorted one of the fatties off. He cuffed the man and waited for his colleague to arrive. His shameful walk past everyone was amusing and there was a sense of wonderment amongst the train. 'What do you think he's done?' Well we were soon provided with the answer as the driver, in his strong south west accent explained that the drunk idiot had decided it was a good idea to flash at a child. I couldn't help finding it hilarious that the driver thought it appropriate to name and shame him.


After another phone call to my lift home to explain about yet another delay and we set off. Exeter was in my vision and I was so happy to collect up my belongings and get ready to leave this surreal journey. I said goodbye to my new friend but had no guilt about leaving her behind. As I stepped on to the platform a dog ran around my feet. A guard grabbed it and then a dodgy, angry looking bloke with a bigger dog ran up to her shouting abuse in her face about the fact that she'd touched his dog. 'My god what is going on today?!' I thought. With that the two dogs broke lose from them both and ran up the steps. I couldn't help but break out in to a run either as I thought this weird surreal journey had no end and was following me!! I had to get away from the station before anything else happened. As I ran I bumped in to some hippy who turned around and was clearly stoned off his face and in a bombed out tone asked 'hey, do you want a chewing guuum?' Ahhhhhhhhhhh I had to get away. As I ran through the barriers I broke out in to hysteric laughter and must have looked as mental as all the weirdos I'd encountered throughout my trip.

I ran up to my Dad and he looked at me quizzingly, wondering what the hell I was laughing about. 'Lets just get out of here Dad, I'll explain on the way home'.


Most definately the weirdest journey of my life... I don't think I have the energy to catch the return train.

Friday, 21 May 2010

Oh how I roared at 'Four Lions'

Chris Morris, Four Lions,
Yes a lame play on words but I don't claim to be a comedian so sssh.

Anyway, I have foolishly kept this to myself for far too long but I'm hoping by now you have learnt about the brilliance of satirical comedian Chris Morris' debut film 'Four Lions'. If you haven't, allow me to give you a short but sweet insight.

With terrorism being the pinnacle point of society's paranoia these days, Morris has been able to whip up a storm of a black comedy about this very subject.

The film follows four British jihadists who are constantly cocking up as they attempt to carry out their fantasy of being heroes for the Muslims...well sort of. Omar is the leader and thinks it is an honour to be chosen for a suicide mission. However he is often in despair as he tries to organise his team of 'goofs' to carry out his dream.

Waj, who is completely absent of a brain, will do as Omar tells him. In the end, however, this only leads to confusion! (You'll recognise the actor Kayvan Novak- the guy from 'fone/facejacker').

Barry is a white Islamic convert who doesn't have a clue what he is on about and lacks a fair amount of self awareness!!

Finally we have Faisal whose stupidity can come across as endearing as he attempts to train crows to fly bombs in to houses so that he doesn't have to commit suicide....his sick dad has started eating newspapers you see.

It does help if you watch some of Chris Morris' previous material as it gives you a good insight in to how that bloody brilliant brain of his works. Go watch 'Brass Eye' on 4od and you'll see what I mean.

'Four Lions' is yet another example of Morris' absence of fear over creating controversy and his observant nature of just how foolish our society is- nicely demonstrated with the police cocking up just as much as the others!

Overall a film of explosive stupidity which you'll find nicely entertaining and will, hopefully, lead you to love the legend that is Chris Morris.

Friday, 19 March 2010

The delights of the sexual health clinic

Sexual health clinic
You know what really makes me laugh? That almost unbearable tension that presents itself in waiting rooms. To be specific, the waiting room in the sexual health clinic.

On my recent trip there, which I must state now was for my contraception top up, I bumped in to someone who I can't really count as a friend but more an associate. This associate has only ever talked to me during times of which I'm highly intoxicated!! So it was that awkward moment of establishing whether we remembered one another in our/my sobriety. However I went to say hello and he completely blanked me and avoided eye contact throughout the entire time I was in there.

I was, to say the least, quite infuriated by this and also slightly embarrassed as I thought maybe it was something I'd done in my drunken state the last time I'd seen him. But then, as I sat there and read my beloved Charlie Brooker article, I realised I was breathing in this weird air. There was a definite high dose of tension in the air and it was at that point that I realised HE was the embarrassed one. It's one thing to ask someone at the doctors whats up with them but in the sexual health clinic its the standard rule to avoid this question. So I have concluded that this chicken shit of a bloke probably had some kind of STD and wanted to pretend to be invisible so I would never tell anyone that I'd seen him there.

You see women have the upper hand in this situation. They can be in the sexual health clinic for a number of reasons. Going for their 6 monthly check up and stock up of the pill or other contraception, getting their smear test or finding out if they're pregnant as well as screening for those sexually transmitted nasties. However for blokes its much more limited, especially if you're of a certain age and look to be sexually experienced. This is when you are more than likely to be there for screening because you a) didn't use a johnny and now have penis rot or b) because you don't want to use a contraception anymore and want to know if you're all clear of aids, etc.

Due to how clearly uncomfortable this man seemed to look I would go with a) and also because this amuses me more.

Upon this realisation I sat there with a grin of satisfaction on my face and enjoyed watching him squirm in discomfort...although this could have been the STD playing up.

Tuesday, 9 March 2010

Log sheets for New Winchester Review feature filming!

This is a log for the first lot of filming that took place at the motorway service station.



TimeDescriptionComment
TAPE 1:Early morning image tree silhouette and cars moving on roadNot for use in final edit
0:00:00-0:00:17
0:00:17- 0:01:59:10Camera adjustment and levelling in same areaNot for use in edit- delete
0:01:59:10- 0:23:57:17Road and landscape silhouette with cars passing by (lights on) very dark skyPotentially good to use for sped up section however fault due to us leaving filter on so appears very dark
0:23:57:18-0:24:49:07Driving down rural road. Lots of trees and hedges alongside road. Not much trafficQuite a jump in colour from previous shot ? sky appears much lighter due to white balance being set correctly.
0:24:49:08- 0:25:15:17Side window view of trees and hedgesNot great quality
0:25:15:18-0:26:15:22Driving down duel carriage way- lots of signs and carsQuite a bit of dashboard in shot at times
0:26:15:23- 0:27:19:15Driving along single road, lots of treesGood shots of oncoming traffic, still with headlights on
0:27:19:16- 0:27:25:18Side window shot of signUnclear and wobbly- not for use in edit
0:27:25:19- 0:28:23:00Driving along motorway
0:28:23:01- 0:29:11:00Driving along motorway- begins with shot of other side then moves to following cars in front.
0:29:11:01- 0:29:39:05Another motorway shot- focused on other side of the road
00:29:39:06- 0:31:00:17More motorway, starts with side view shot of trees and the slip road beside the motorway. Then goes on to focus on cars in frontGood open shot of the road with lots of cars. Will look good sped up.
0:31:00:18-0:31:35:00Motorway, capturing signs marking distance to servicesPotentially good intro shot? Although bit short
0:31:35:01- 0:32:14:59Entering service station. Begins with straight view of road then turns to side view of car park as we pull in.May be good intro shot but would cut out side view of car park. Not a clear view.
0:32:15:00- 0:33:54:14View from car park looking out to motorway. Lots of cars. Also in shot the road entering the services and the under passage to other side. Trees in back ground.Nice clear shot.
0:33:54:15- 0:34:03:07Camera has been paused then jumps to same shot but bin liner has appeared in shotNot for use in final edit.
0:34:03:08- 1:00:10:00 (end of tape)Same shot of motorway. Lots of movement. Rain visible. Exhaust fumes rising.Very good shot to use (sped up)
TAPE 2:Setting up shot of car parkNot for use in final edit
0:00:00:00- 00:00:52:12
0:00:52:13- 0:45:40:00Shot of car park. Garage in background along with trees. Lots of movement with cars coming and going.Use for sped up part
0:45:40:01- end of tape.Pan left and then still capture of the rest of car park. See a lot more people as well as cars.Use for sped up part
TAPE 3:Setting up shot on sliding doors- entrance to servicesNot for use in final edit
0:00:00:00- 0:00:35:07
0:00:35:08-0:06:14:00Low shot of sliding doors (entrance to services) with lots of people walking in and outMight be good to use for slow motion part
0:06:14:01-0:07:05:10Shot repositioningNot for use in final edit
0:07:05:11- 0:55:58:00Higher shot of sliding doors- people?s faces now visible. Lots of heavy rain!Good for sped or slow motion part.
0:55:58:01- end of tapeCamera movementNot for use in edit
TAPE 4:Setting up shot of petrol stationNot for use in edit
0:00:00:00- 0:01:06:07
0:01:06:08- 0:35:23:00Shot of petrol station.Good shot for sped up- not as busy as other shots though!
0:35:23:01- 0:35:30:19Moving of cameraNot for use in final edit
0:35:30:20-0:35:58:11Pan of lorries parked alongside one another and then following lorry that leaves.
0:35:58:12- 0:36:25:03Pan of car park to lorry entering servicesGood broad shot
0:36:25:04- 0:37:04:59Shot through car window (covered in rain) of car park as leaving.Quite artistic looking so may be nice shot to use. Disregard last few seconds of shot where we drive over a pothole!
0:37:05:00-0:38:43:40Shot of exit sign and then driving down the slip road to join back on to the motorway. Captured sign saying M27. Going under a few bridges.Good shot- looks particularly good when going under the bridges.
0:38:43:41-0:38:52:10Side window shot of motorway below as driving over bridge.Poor quality shot- not for use in edit
0:38:52:11- 0:39:54:16Shot of slip road as driving to rejoin other side of motorway. Driving along motorway, again some bridges.Another good shot to consider using.
0:39:54:17- 0:41:24:03More motorway ? shots of signs.Not great quality- white balance is not set correctly. Beginning of shot is clearer
0:41:24:04- 0:43:04:10Side window shot of trees as driving along motorway. Zoom in on signs saying Winchester. Zoomed in shot of road as driving and zoomed out shot as approaching roundabout.Again not great quality due to white balance. The signs look good so may be useable for final edit.
0:43:04:11- 0:43:55:00Begins with shot of building. Follows road in to Winchester.Not of great quality- disregard.
0:43:55:01- end of tapeOpens with shot of bridge. Pans up to look at lights as driving under bridge. Follows road to junction in city centre


This is our log for our second day of filming which took place at the cinema.


TIMEDESCRIPTIONCOMMENTS
HANDY CAM TAPE:
0:00:00:00- 0:00:18:10
Begins with shot of stock and then pans around the foyer
0:00:18:11- 0:00:35:01Pan of bar and confectionary desk. Close up of sweets in jars
0:00:35:02- 0:01:03:56Shot of staff entering staff room.
0:01:03:57- 0:01:10:50Pan of books on shelf- the godfather, where the wild things are.
0:01:10:51- 0:02:01:00Begins with zoomed in shot of loading trolley. Follows Jess adjusting trolley and then follows her behind counter. Focus then switches to Ben who is loading the dishwasher.
0:02:01:01- 0:02:15:15Ab enters. Follows behind counter.
0:02:15:16- 0:02:57:12Shot of Ben making coffee. Zoom in on membership sign and pan right to jars beside. Followed by quick zoom out.
0:02:57:13- 0:03:20:17More of Ben making coffee. He then removes the wolf jumper! Focus remains on coffee machine where Ab is putting stock away.
0:03:20:18- 0:04:01:12Zoom in on bottles that Ab is putting away. Zoom out as Ben enters shot. Zoom in again on coffee machine watching Ben make it.Potential cut away?
0:04:01:13- 0:04:33:12Pans left to Ab. Focus on popcorn machine and freezer full of ice-cream.
0:04:33:13- 0:04:56:12Back to Ben making coffee (still!) Zoom in on mugs.
0:04:56:13- 0:06:25:03Focus on popcorn machine making popcorn. Ab and Jess in shot. Zooms in to watch Jess continue to make popcorn.Good shot to use. Sums up cinema!
0:06:25:04- 0:07:45:00Pans to Ab filling up box with snacks. Then pans back to popcorn machine.
0:07:45:01- 0:08:38:05Pan right to Ben filling jars. Pan left along jars. Follows Jess.
0:08:38:06- 0:09:39:04Shot of popcorn machine in action again!Another good shot.
0:09:39:05- 0:10:10:22Shot of sign “screens 1 & 2” then pans down and zooms in on Audrey Hepburn poster.Good shot
0:10:10:23- 0:13:05:13Following Ab down the corridors to drop off stock. Continues in to theatre through to stock room behind it. Follows back through to watch him go down the corridor in to foyer behind door. Bit dark at times so will have to cut this out but music in back ground sounds good. Overall a nice shot to use. Corridor shot looks good- natural.
0:13:05:14- 0:13:31:10Wondering down the corridor towards foyer. Shot of “screen 1 & 2”.
0:13:31:11- 0:14:01:16Follows the feet of customers.
0:14:01:17- 0:14:14:09Shot of Ben serving customersGood shot of steam coming out of coffee machine!
0:14:14:10- 0:14:21:00Another shot of customers feet
0:14:21:01- 0:14:30:45Shot of corridor
0:14:30:46- 0:14:48:20Shot of customer going through the door down the corridor to screen.Can see my reflection in the window!
0:14:48:21- 0:15:26:30Zoom in on sweetie jars. Pans up to follow Ab and Jess. Jess is loading dishwasher and Ab is cleaning coffee machine.
0:15:26:31- 0:15:53:45Ab and Jess dry containers.
0:15:53:46- 0:16:07:00Jess and Ab behind the desk.
0:16:07:01- 0:16:41:45Outside of the cinema. Looking over carpark entrance and pan left to door. Focus on box office and then enters through glass door.Good cut away.
0:16:41:46- 0:16:56:50Shot of cinema’s pamphlet on a table.
0:16:56:51- 0:17:08:45Follows Alice and projectionist down the corridor to foyer
0:17:08:46- 0:17:21:40Shot of behind the bar
0:17:21:41- 0:17:35:00Shot of “Screen” sign
0:17:35:01- 0:18:45:00Shot of caretaker sat calculating something. Zooms in on him writing. Zooms out again.
0:18:45:01- 0:19:45:09Shots of behind the bar. Zoom in on bottles of alcohol. Manager and Jess in shot. Manager is tidying leaflets.
0:19:45:10- 0:20:14:45Jess behind the bar sorting out letters for sign.
0:20:14:46- 0:20:54:17Ben eating sandwich behind bar. Pans to Jess
0:20:54:18- 0:20:58:00Back to Ben eating sandwich again. Pans over to Jess and Ab. Zoom in on Jess eating slices of apple.
TAPE 2:
0:00:00:00- 0:00:20:02
Jess and Ab drying containers and chatting.
0:00:20:03- 0:04:24:05Ab makes a hot chocolate for customer. Goes out back to fetch milk. Ben enters shot. Jess is still drying up containers.
0:04:24:06-0:04:57:15Ab pours chocolate balls in to a jar.
0:04:57:16- 0:07:03:59Still shot of Jess and Ab working behind the bar.
0:07:04:00- 0:08:10:05Camera moves to left of the bar. Shot of customers at the bar being served by Ab and Jess.
0:08:10:06- 0:08:52:20Focus on Ab working behind bar. Zooms in.Good cut away for when he talks to us about the job.
0:08:52:22- 0:09:31:00More of Ab working behind bar. Ben in background wearing snack box.Again another good cut away/filler.
0:09:31:01- 0:09:34:10Ben walking off with snack box.
0:09:34:11- 0:11:26:09More of Ab working behind the bar. Manager enters shot.
0:11:26:10- 0:11:45:13Enter caretaker/plumber in to building. Manager meets and greets.
0:11:45:14- 0:12:27:09Another bar shot. Same two women stood at the bar chatting up Ab. Zoom in on sweetie jars. Zooms out to manager and Ben in background.
0:12:27:10- 0:12:37:05Shot of manager through door to bar.Quite good sneaky looking shot.
0:12:37:06-0:12:52:01Shot of ticket office.
0:12:52:02-0:13:29:00Outside shot of cinema. Screen signs in neon lights and in metal. Shots of what’s on. Zoom in on “screen” signs.Good fillers/cut away
0:13:29:01- 0:13:45:58Shot of board saying what’s on. Zoomed in shot as well.
0:13:45:59-0:14:03:08Back to shot of the building. Entering the building. Admission prices sign zoomed in on.
0:14:03:09- 0:14:15:18Shot of manager in office.
0:14:15:19- 0:16:05:19Back to the bar. Same women still talking to Ab. Zoom in on clock, out of focus then comes in to focus.Good filler?
0:16:05:20- 0:16:39:04Pan left of bar. Shot of door opening. A new customer enters. Shot of the bar again.
0:16:39:05- 0:22:01:15Ab chats to us whilst clearing cups away. Zoom in on Ab whilst chatting on the phone. Ben enters shot. Ab hands paper to Ben. Jess is at the freezer loading up the icecream. Ben sits on desk playing with phone.
0:22:01:16- 0:27:00:11Ab talking about job. “Do you ever get bored doing this job?”Ben chips in. Ab continues to chat about job. Goes outside of the bar and takes leaflets. Manager hands him contact cards. Goes back behind bar. End shot of Ben and Jess.
0:27:00:12- 0:27:29:12Shot of caretaker on his ladder.
0:27:29:13- 0:27:51:21Shot of behind bar again. Ab, Jess and Ben all in shot. Zooms in on Ab.
0:27:51:22- 0:30:20:00Close shot of Ab looking at a piece of paper. All in shot. Ben appears to be begging Ab for something. Ben leans over the bar from the customer side. Jess is reading this piece of paper. Ab goes out with snack box round his neck. Follow him down the corridor and outside the theatre. Talking about what he will sell. Ends with him entering theatre.
0:30:20:01-0:30:45:25TheatreToo dark to use for final edit.
0:30:45:26- 0:31:24:17Follow Ab back down the corridor from his selling back to the foyer.
0:31:24:18- 0:32:03:00Back behind the bar. Ab gathers his things.
0:32:03:01- 0:32:34:17Ab meets supervisor. He questions filmingGood moment!
0:32:34:18- 0:34:20:00Projectionist- we follow down the corridor and up to projection room.Good shot- although some darkness when going up the stairs.
0:34:20:01- 0:34:28:00Projection machine close upGood sound!
0:34:28:01- 0:36:43:03Shot of computers used to control projection. Projectionist chatting about his job and training (reflecting). Pans around projection room.Good chat.
0:36:43:04- end of tape.Another close up and explanation of projection machine. Zoom in on mechanism and then pan up following film reel feeding along machine.

Wednesday, 13 January 2010

Will the 'naked rambler' do time forever?

Naked rambler, Stephen Gough, naturist
According to the newspapers today the naked rambler, Stephen Gough, faces life in prison if he continues to appear nude in public.

The 50 year old is famous for his two "boots only" treks from John O'Groats to Land's End. During his first hike he was arrested 15 times and spent 140 nights in jail.

The famous naturist was yesterday found guilty of causing a breach of peace by walking naked after being released from Perth prison in December after finishing a 12 month sentence for the same offence.

He has been warned that he will be jailed every time he steps out of prison with no clothing on- which at the moment is one big vicious cycle. Thus posing the threat that he will remain in jail forever. An offer to send him home in exchange for him to put clothes on was presented to him but he has rejected it stating "this is about individual freedom".

But is it right to continue placing someone so adamant to walk around naked back in to prison when it will achieve nothing? There is no law against being nude in public in the UK and to continue putting someone who poses no real harm back in to prison is only costing the tax payer more money.
So far placing Gough in prison has cost the taxpayer £200,000 and it is set to rise. Also it must surely be taking up a space that could be taken by someone who has committed a more serious crime?

I can't say that I would personally be offended if I was to see the naked rambler walking past me. But I suppose a person with children may think differently. But then what is it that they're really seeing? Just a naked man- surely something they would see or learn about in sex education?

Yes I can understand that breaking the law needs to result in punishment and if they let one person off then they open the flood gates to letting other people get away with things. But is nudity really such a crime when really it's just all about being natural? It's not as if he is flashing his sexual parts randomly at people or being perverted about it; its not anything sexual.

An extremely thought provoking debate between law, the ideals of a naturist and what's truly acceptable within our culture and society.

Sunday, 10 January 2010

'Wanted'....or not

Somewhere between the snow and the over indulgence of chocolate during the Christmas holiday I got very bored and was somehow talked in to seeing a film I knew I already hated- 'Wanted'. OK so hatred is a pretty harsh word and there are most definitely worse films out but this one just seemed to irritate me so much that I feel extremely foolish for watching it a second time round!

Sure if you like the whole Hollywood bullshit narrative and characters then go right ahead and watch it but for me it all seemed so "samey" (can you tell I'm good at English?) and laughable.

We have the stereotypical wimpy guy character (played by James McAvoy) whose life amounts to nothing and then is changed in some dramatic way and he decides to grow a pair and become someone.Wanted, Angelina Jolie

Then off course the sexy woman with attitude (played by Angelina Jolie who doesn't amount to much more than a skeleton in this one) with a stereotypical nick name such as "fox" who pulls these "I'm a hard ass bitch with a gun" faces about a million times throughout particularly when bending bullets. ha.

We have the classic older wise guy character who holds all the power and thus putting him in the easy position to screw everyone over in the end (played by Morgan Freeman).

There are also other samey characters along the way like the hard guy who likes to punch McAvoy's character in the face and calls this training and the Russian who likes vodka and explosives.

The main stupidity of the story lies in the idea of what drives this team of assassins. That is "the loom of fate". And from this Freeman's character can determine who is to be killed next just because "the loom of fate" dropped a stitch or two. There surely could have been a million other more believable and substantial methods that the writer could have chosen other than some sort of magical loom.

Of course lets not leave out the ridiculous idea that 'Fox' can drive a car with her legs whilst lying out on the bonnet shooting at the person behind and flip a car and land perfectly and drive off. Oh and as if bending bullets wasn't impressive enough she does it so well that she can kill everyone in a circle with a single bullet going through every one's skulls and finally in to her own! It's also worth noting that the bullet in the head is heavily focused on throughout the film and the makers have gone heavy on the CGI, forcing us to see every one's heads bursting open by each bullet with the splatter of blood, brains and bone. We get it- you know how to use a computer.

It isn't all bad and there are some watchable parts and twists and I'm sure Angelina showing her naked ass will keep a lot of male members engaged. But this is most definitely a film I will never watch again, no matter how boring the Christmas holidays are!