Today sees the release of the new trailer of my latest and most ambitious film project. In doing so I am following the sound advice of Richard Hamming and forcing my own hand. With the trailer now on public view, I will definitely have to finish the film.
The video started life in the midst of bloody battle — when I was a participant in the online competition I’m a scientist, Get me out of here back in June last year. Turning to desperate measures in my efforts to connect with the school-children whose questions we had to answer and so persuade them to vote to keep me in the competition, I made an initial trailer and promised that, if victorious, I would use the prize money to make a film about what it is really like to be a scientist.
As history has recorded, I emerged a winner at the end of the intense but very gratifying competition. I am now almost ready to deliver on my promise. After months and months of rumination, filming began back in March, when I held the first of six interviews with different scientists. Once the interviews were transcribed, I could construct a storyline, write links between the different segments and assemble a rough cut, all of which occupied large chunks of my summer holiday. The links were shot in the past couple of weeks and the final day of shooting was, I hope (!), last Saturday. So the project is now ‘in post’, as we like to say in the movie business.
The final editing shouldn’t take too long. Watch this space. But first, please watch the trailer:
Plot spoiler: the high energy physicist did it in the bathroom with a synchrotron
No it wer’n’t! It was the biological statistician wot did it.
Dammit – how did you know?
Elementary my dear Curry, elementary.
Excellent, Stephen. I love the initial sound effects… BANG!… BANG!… BANG!… *tink*
Can’t wait for the theatrical release. Hint: we have a rather well-known film festival here in Toronto. It’s… er… now. Are you in it?
Maybe next year…
I’m sure I know at least one of your victims.
Brilliant argument for funding “how to talk and write” courses for scientists and engineers, and of course I benefit directly when they open up the money bag locally, Stephen. Thank you and hurry up, please! (Although if all these articulate people turn out to be articulate on the fly, it’s no good and I’ll have to stick to the trailer.)
You look intimidatingly hip in that first sequence, though. I mean till the beady-eyes part.
Amy – Sorry to report that all six scientists talk candidly and articulately about being a scientist (though there was the odd re-take…!)
“Beady eyes”? Whatever do you mean?
Awesome mate! You’re quite the dab hand at this movie lark now, aren’t you!
Looking forward to the big screen premiere. I assume we’ll all be walking the red carpet as your…um inspiration?
Thanks – Don’t know about a big screen, but hopefully will be in high definition…
I heard that these two were arguing between rating it either a 12 or PG respectively. But seriously, I hope this is released before the iPhone 5 is 😉
I meant the BBFC and the IFCO in the above two broken links!
Me too…
Oh, it’s be on a big screen – I’ll make sure Grrl projects the full version onto the wall of our living room.
Hopefully it won’t be too scary when magnified…
Actually, there will be no banging or intimidating looks in the final film. In this regard, the trailer is entirely mis-leading. 😉
In the words of true american students…will this be on the exam? Seriously though, can’t wait. Trailer is a great teaser!
Ha – thanks Eileen. Hopefully only a matter of days now.
Hope the family are all well. Give my best to Thomas when you next bump into him.