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Telling Stories whichever way I can

My love of theatre is still strong and will never go away, but I’ve been making strides into film. In the last couple months we (Johnny Blanchard & I formed Roguegunners Productions- he writes & I direct) have been making more low budget short films. In June, we made A Stepmother Speaks – a dark comedy monologue- then last month a two hander called A Night of Dogs- which about a man’s struggle with Depression.

We also tried to crowdfund for Inside Voices – about Imposter Syndrome— which would been our the biggest short film, but that failed. Yes, I’m admitting failure here. It happens. Especially when you’ve got no money behind you. Yeah, I definitely dream of winning the lottery to be able to make the work and just to pay bills. Don’t we all?

Though, we can’t just stop, as we’re good at telling stories, but we knew we needed to take a step up. We had another script which we loved, Lost & Found (about a brother & sister who are clearing out their grandma’s house after her death), but it too needs more money and maybe even more polish. We knew that we needed more funds and it was time to get crew and equipment behind us. That’s when I sent out a Tweet about a month ago asking if anyone knew a DOP and a friend (Thanks, Sajeela K) responded that they knew a guy… Dishad.

So now next Friday 3rd Sept, we’re making the first 3rd of Lost & Found with the cast of two – James Dart & Anna Tammela. Then we film the rest of Lost & Found in 2022, after we crowdfund to finish it with more cast & locations. I can’t wait to start filming!

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And now for little bit of extra…

In the background, in between rehearsals of few other projects and Stray Dogs (which sold out at the Bread & Roses. Thanks!!), I have been working on making a monologue to camera. We began working on it in April. It’s not a film, more digital theatre but admit it was always planned to be filmed. It was also really good to be behind a camera and get it in the bag. I filmed it with Ashleigh Loeb in on Friday night and with magic of editing you can watch it now ( link below )

It’s called A Stepmother Speaks. Jayne has definite views on Stepmothers and she’s insistent you hear her out. Why?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HoNx5UHxnac&t=50s

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Bringing a Play to Brighton Fringe & London in June.

So the amazing Anarchy Division Productions & myself as director are taking Matt Wixey’s new play, Stray Dogs to the stage. It’s an examination of police culture, pack mentality and the rotten heart of being a ‘real copper’. Matt is a former policeman himself, so we’re getting real insight here.

Dates & info are: 12th – 13th June in Brighton & 28th – 30th June ‘21 at the Bread and Roses Pub Theatre in London. For tickets under £15 click below: https://anarchydivision.co.uk

Our two hander is already in rehearsals, Richard De Lisle and Catherine Adams are certainly lighting up the words & now it’s your turn to come join us. Get Booking!

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14 Selections (Film Festivals) & 1 Win!

There’s been a lot more activity around releasing a micro budget Sci-Fi short film than I anticipated. On a whim & I mean that literally, Johnny (writer & editor) & I decided we believed in Control enough to put it into Film Festivals. We didn’t think it’d get selected; let alone win, but we were proud of it because of acting, story & work put in. The more people saw its worth or even just watched it, the better was for us. That was our main goal. We choose Festivals we liked, or I can’t lie- picked something visually arresting about their Internet presence- that appealed.

So imagine our shock when we got our first selection for Best Short from Madras International Film Festival on 27th April! We’re ecstatic & happily told our actors. By then, we’d had 3 /4 rejections already or ‘not selected’ as festivals call it , so we knew it was a hard path & we’re not expecting more. 1 & Done!

Now… it’s 14 selections later- within that- 1 Semi Finalist (LIFF), 3 Finalists (PIMFF, KIMFF & BCIFF) & 4 Special Jury Awards & a win for Best Female Director of Short Film for New Fort International Film Festival!!

Thanks to everyone involved (Johnny Blanchard, our actors: Catherine Harvey, Eva Fontaine, Elizabeth Webster, Nancy Baldwin, Nadia Shash & Keith Hill). Also thanks to all those who selected us & to everyone who has watched Control. Couldn’t do this without you all. 😘

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I made a SCI-FI FlLM called CONTROL!

Control is my very first Sci-fi in any form. Theatre rarely uses Sci-fi- yep, no idea why not. But in film….

I was intrigued by approaching a new form. We made it unusually (for me) with the images in mind before we even got to the script. The filming is fairly functional because of how we made it (remotely filmed), but the style was deliberately chosen. I knew it was always going to be Black and White with 2 colours in the fonts but that’s it. This was partly practical and more importantly a choice so acting and story would the main highlights. Enjoy!

Dr. Amerson is celebrating 2 years of the project.🎉

Teaser: Two years after its inception the base on Proxima-b suddenly stopped responding. What’s happened? (Subtitles are available) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8J3rEa7JCpk

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Belated Valentine’s film- A Door

Despite a fondness of reading romance novels (which started as teen ) and being a bit partial to a good rom com, I’m a bit jaded when comes to Valentine’s Day. If I’m with someone, I’d like a gesture towards it and yes I’ll return it readily, but I don’t like the rubbing in of coupledom and huge big budget gestures. But I like that other people care’s for someone or even lots of other people. Love is Love, so when Maev (the other half of Merry Spinster Theatre ) asked me to make a romantic film that she had written then I said yes. It was even more of challenge as it’s a monologue and meant to contain another character whom she’s talking to, but we had no one who could be there- especially in the times we’ve living in. So it’s up to you to decide how successful we were in solving this and enjoy the romantic ride – even if or maybe even more because because V Day is behind us.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=60qbNIWc27A&feature=youtu.be

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Control…not just something I’m trying to gain but also a film

I said on my last blog, that I started making films and now, I’m about to start my forth short film- Control. This one isn’t a theatre piece reimagined. It’s just a film. A Sci-Fi film at that and our Table read is today – in less than 2 hours time. I always enjoy the first time the cast gets together and we hear the words out loud and I start to properly imagine the world I’m creating. This time it’s in SPACE!

It’ll be available from April 16th 2021. Nope- I’m not telling you more- you’ll just have to watch it when it’s out.

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The New Normal…that led me to film!

Hello, Patch.

So this has been a very strange and stressful year for everyone in UK Theatre, the UK and the whole World. I naively never thought a pandemic would affect me or my life. But it has. And the Industry shut down from March to August. And now it’s sort of open – depending on which Tier they’re in and if they have money to attempt to put a socially distanced show. All Big If’s!

Now, after doing nothing because where was going to go on??! , Covid recovery and a general feeling of hopeless- I made the decision to make a show. Firstly, I directed a monologue but it had to be filmed. Remotely, at that, and I had picked a Theatre Uncut political short release play (rights return to the playwright at end of Nov) – so it wasn’t forever available. It was still great to be rehearsing again, even if was via Zoom. And to work on forming images and words. But making a film was new to me. Camera angles? Have silence at start of filming for sound’s sake…. New! Oh so new and I had to learn quickly. The oddest point is not being there when the audience saw it. Just sending out a link and hoping it’d get watched…

I also decided it was time to make a Christmas fairytale short for children. Lots of children/young people aren’t going to get to go to Panto or Christmas plays this year. I so wanted to make it live, but safety and lack of funds made that impossible. Sigh. But remotely filming the monologue gave me an idea! Let’s have a fairytale that incorporated the fact that none of characters would be in the same room or even house. Set it now, and make via Zoom & phone cameras. Send small props/costume choice to the actors, get someone to write it (Johnny Blanchard) & get rehearsing.

So here it is, ScreenTime. It’s for 7+ years old & the whole family. It’s about Jessica (our modern princess) who is stuck at home with her phone data running out and no way to contact her friends, her boyfriend or anyone really. Then a Shooting Star falls and she starts wishing…

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah. And I hope 2021 is brighter for us all. Enjoy! Ex

https://youtu.be/aKeLFsCPv6E


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Lockdown & Shutdown

This is our current new normal. Our amazing Tell it Slant opened (thanks to everyone who came & supported us and to my wonderful team – yes that includes you, Johnny Blanchard ) and ended on the 14th March. Theatre Shutdown occurred on 16th March.

Now it’s May and remote Zoom meetings are our new workshops/teaching, social life and entertainment. I so miss getting together as groups of people and the freedom to go where I please, but I also understand the necessity of what we’re doing Worldwide to prevent contagion.

We will be back – when I can’t say but theatre can’t be put down!

Stay well & safe.

Erica x

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We’re putting on a SHOW!

The Hope Theatre has given us – Maev Mac Coille and I (Merry Spinsters ) – a 3 week slot for a play. Maev has written Tell it Slant– a dark comedy about the difficulty telling the truth when lies are more flashy & I ….drum roll….DIRECT! It’s on 25th February -14th March 2020 at 7.45pm.

I have just finished casting my four talented actors, got a set /costume designer, brought on a lighting and sound designer on board. It’s been and still is a whirlwind. But the show is worth it. Get booking tickets, people!!