Weekend academics

Following a kind invitation from Meg Jamieson to speak at a conference in Cambridge (Women in Film) we've just spent a slightly surreal couple of nights inside the modernist splendour of Murray Edwards college (formerly New Hall but that is another story). Despite growing up a stones throw from the town this was the first real taste I've ever had of Cambridge academic life from the inside. Actually despite the massive collection of women's art (this is an all women's college) we spent quite a bit of time admiring the exterior splendour of some really quite 'out there' planting combinations deployed around the modernist complex. Our fantasies around the character of the college gardener were rewarded on the last evening when she was revealed to also be a female film maker ...

Posted Sunday 23rd October, 2011 at 10:02 pm by Nina

We're at Cambridge's Festival of Ideas soon

We've a nice weekend screening and talking in Cambridge on Oct 21/22/23

as part of MIRROR/LENS: WOMEN IN FILM & WOMEN MAKING FILM

Posted Friday 14th October, 2011 at 1:03 pm by Karen

Somewhere on TV

Somewhere recently achieved its broadcast premiere, albeit uncredited!
Karen filmed her house - the Love Shack -  for inclusion BBC2's The Culture Show - for their coverage of the Royal Institute of British Architects 2011 Awards.

Posted Wednesday 12th October, 2011 at 9:33 pm by Karen

We're sad it's all over ...

Last week  - a year and a half after starting our shoot - Somewhere went for a final time into the edit and almost escaped from Jaywick Escapes. Despite two days of 'buffing' sound and vision we still have some tiny audio tweeks to do but essentially the film is finished!

In the meantime Laura from UP projects was overseeing the last 3 days of the floating cinema in West London as part of Design week ...

So by Friday evening both of our two major projects drew to a rather rushed and un-celebratory close when I had to leave the edit at top speed to catch a train for a family party!

Posted Wednesday 28th September, 2011 at 10:43 am by Nina

Harvest Festival Time ...

It's that time of year again and the Harvest Festival is looming!

This FREE EVENT is organised by the Friends of Abbey Gardens and will be taking place on Saturday 17 September 1pm - 4pm 
Abbey Gardens, Bakers Row, London E15 3NF

• Take part in the 2011 Vegetable Games 
• Enter our sport-themed cake or vegetable sculpture competitions 
• Chef Beatrice Millner will be cooking produce from the garden for everyone to enjoy 
• Enjoy live jazz music all afternoon from G & G Jazz Trio 
• Garden tours and gardening tips from Hamish, our garden club leader 
• Tea and cakes for small donations for the garden 
• Kids’ activities related to the garden Activities are free of charge.

Food, drink and honesty stall produce are available for donations. Cake competition entries to be prepared in advance. Vegetable sculptures can also be created on the day.

Posted Monday 5th September, 2011 at 3:19 pm by Nina

Nice botanical busk

...aboard the Floating Cinema with nature guru and personal hero of mine, Richard Mabey. I now know a lot more about weeds, and we rounded off the day with a half in an East End pub and a fascinating chat about the future of the countryside and other little issues on our minds.....

Posted Thursday 25th August, 2011 at 11:42 am by Karen

Fancy Dress Fantastic Mr. Fox

We had an amazing turn out for Fantastic Mr. Fox shown from the Floating Cinema right outside Three Mills studios where the film was made ... you can see some more pictures from the night here.

Posted Sunday 21st August, 2011 at 9:15 pm by Nina

We're in the Yellow Book!

Yes we have achieved what some see as the ultimate gardening accolade - we have been accepted by the NGS (National Garden Scheme) and next year Abbey Gardens will appear in the all important yellow book. Put it in your diary now - Saturday the 8th of September! 

Posted Saturday 13th August, 2011 at 9:44 am by Nina

Olympic Cup Cakes

I can't actually remember now where/when/how the idea for serving themed cakes for the Outsider Guides to the Olympic Park occurred. However, Team-Floating-Cinema ran with it in a big way and Rosie Heafford (who also works at UP projects) took on the challenge of creating any 'themed' cake the speakers leading the tours desired (see here for yesterdays creation for Iain Sinclair). The production of the themed cakes has at times threatened to overwhelm all other creative development with Susie & Jemima going a cake-first-routine-second route.

It seems though that they are not the only ones obsessed with the idea of Olympic-themed cake ... on the 'test tour' into the park Claire from the ODA design and planning department suddenly chipped in that she'd been asked to make Olympic themed cakes for a party at the office ... I'd say she more than rose to the challenge -here you can see a fuller impression of her comprehensive approach!

I'm now thinking we have to include a cake maker in our 'Unexpected Moments of Everyday Brilliance' films ... I can see that slow motion piping nozzle action even now.

Posted Friday 22nd July, 2011 at 10:30 am by Nina

Downloadable version of our film 'Bata-ville: We Are Not Afraid of the Future'

Via a circuitous and fortuitous route involving a nice visitor to Grizedale Arts' HQ at Lawson Park, we find our first film 'Bata-ville: We Are Not Afraid of the Future' now distributed in Europe via the fantastic online film hub Doc Alliance. There's even an enjoyably Czech typo in Nina's surname...
The amount you pay (between 1.5 and 5 Euros - a snip) to watch varies by quality / viewings / stream or download and though I'm biased of course, it really is the kind of site where you can lose hours watching the kind of quality films that are nearly impossible to catch outside festivals.

And in case you're wondering we do in the end get some of the payment ;-) so it works out for little filmmakers like us....

Posted Tuesday 19th July, 2011 at 3:45 pm by Karen