The Road Never Runs Smooth

Well by now I've managed to come down from what was a fairly demoralising month after Club Storm seemingly moved the goalposts hours from opening on our band night. suffice to say that those who were there got the shock of their performance lives. Anyway, least said about that the better, and my apologies extend to all those who travelled the long haul to get to the club to play and to listen.

On to more interesting news we have had our first two substantial pieces of media interest publicised via Scotland on Sunday (14/10/07) and apparently The Sunday Sport (the Kelly connection did it for that I feel) last week. One funny article and one playing on the recent televised activities of Ms Brook. It's all good!

Artwork has begun in earnest both on storyboards, concept boards, set design and costume - just to get ahead of the game slightly given the huge amount of work needed to get us ready for a March/April shoot. My thanks to those artists already giving up substantial time and talent to get on with the job at hand. We'll make some of those designs available online when the new website goes live in the next month - continued thanks to Paul Gallagher, Chris Clayton, and Steve Simmons.

We are now I am reliably informed only a matter of days or so away from final confirmation on our schedule and financing so I'm confident the next blog will be the one to announce all systems are finally go!

Thanks for keeping the faith with us.

Nick

Crank Up The Sound

On Thursday 11th October 2007, the five bands scheduled to feature on the movie soundtrack to " Hotel Caledonia " are set to play a three hour extravaganza of music in promotion of the film at Club Storm, Leicester Square in London.

The gig is being jointly promoted by Oceanstorm Films and Club Storm in an effort to increase public awareness of the production due to begin filming in March 2008, as well as to raise the profile of the bands involved.

Doors open at 7.00pm.

For further info please refer to the Club's websites - http://www.thetalentscout.co.uk/ and http://www.stormlondon.co.uk/

The bands playing are: Streetsleeper, Rue The Day, The Gekko, Eighth Wave, and Stoneleaf.

We would appreciate all your support. See you there.

Nick

Inside my head.........

This last moth has been a slow one, primarily because we are waiting for the final piece of the finance puzzle to drop into place - something we expect to happen in the next three weeks. A month of contract writing, and other legals should have us greenlit for the first week of November.

Last Monday Yaw, Darren, and I conducted the first of our by-invitation-only impromptu auditions in London, on this occasion with Gillian MacGregor who is being considered for the role of Mags Pertwee. Joining her for the readings was George Calil, an actor already attached to the project in the role of Searle Carson. It was a good day and much was learnt, both about the process and the versatility of the actors as we read from as diverse scripts as Erin Brockovich to Misery to G.I Jane and back again.

I'm glad to let it be known that it looks like Claudia Christian will be joining the cast in the role of Sheena McDonald (subject to availability and contract of course). Claudia's experience will be a welcome addition to the project and will no doubt ensure that Star Trek fans around the world check out Hotel Caledonia to see her perform. We are currently waiting on Annette Crosbie to decide on her involvement as Janet, and also waiting to approach Tommy Flanagan (Robin Pertwee) about the project. We are excited though, at an opportunity to speak with Tony Curran (Underworld:Evolution) which has also come about fortuitously in case Tommy decides to pass or is unavailable.

Come the beginning of November casting plans will be put into affect with auditions for supporting roles, and background artists and it is hoped that both London, and Manchester, will through up some great new talent (future projects are earmarked to take them into leading roles) but more on that as it arises.

In the meantime, thanks for keeping up with us. The world of independent film is an obstacle strewn one, and our path is particularly littered but we're getting there - slowly - and it'll be worth the journey I'm sure.

Nick

Through the lookin' glass

Just a quick snippet of info - good news is another member of cast has joined the production in principle, though as always this good news is tempered by condition, namely subject to contract, and tying in of finance. Unfortunately we can't give you any names (we're not allowed to mention just yet).

At this stage optimism is the buzz word (and with good reason) with the last element of finance very nearly in place. That is of course good news, as it means with all of our main cast all but secured and the project on the cusp of greenlight we are preparing to move forwards into pre-production 'proper' with the manufacture and fabrication of props, sets, costumes et al in readiness for an early Spring 2008 shoot.

Next stage in the talent chase will come once the money is secure. We will begin our search to cast Sheena and Gordo, before moving on to cast the cameo roles, for the likes of Janet, Robin, and Mags, as well as the supporting roles I mentioned in the last blog.

More info as it arises.

Nick

Bloodied but kickin'

Who'd be a producer? It's enough to leave you tearing out your hair! First one thing, then another - and just when you think you're sorted, some other little niggle jumps up to annoy you even further. What a life!

But we're making progress, albeit at a pace that would leave a snail laughing atus as we trail in its wake. I'll be needing to write my own eulogy at this rate. But joking apart (though in honesty I'm not laughing) though things have taken a turndown in progress terms, the waiting for responses dragging heels slightly, things are still on course. The one scourge that is most apparant in this business is that no matter how quickly you want things to happen, or may think things will happen, add at least 12 months onto any assumptions. Whether that be money tie-ins, cast responses, crew attachments, project readiness. It doesn't seem to matter. So much so that another project I am involved in, a short film, is scheduling for next summer before complete readiness to shoot - at the groundwork is already done. It's irksome.

However that said, we have got a great little cast developing and as soon as we can finally get Billy Boyd to commit (bless his agent) we can begin to make further progress with the lock down of the minor roles - especially for all you actors and actresses who desperately want to get in on the Hot Cal act.

Here's a quick summary of who, in principle, is attached (though always subject to contract). Those marked with an * are being approached / talked to currently.

Norman Tickle - Kris Marshall
Arty Harris - Billy Boyd *
Elsa McNamara - Kelly Brook
Casey Wright - Jemima Rooper
Searle Carson - George Calil
Amy Lowe - Joanna Taylor
William Pertwee - James Cosmo
Janet Pertwee - Honor Blackman *
Mags Pertwee - Gillian MacGregor *
Robin Pertwee - Tommy Flanagan *
Gordo Pertwee - tbc
Sheena MacD - tbc
Linda Tickle - tbc
Clifford Tickle - tbc

We have some options in mind for Sheena MacDonald but remain undecided as to the benefit to brought to the production by each. Amongst those are Pam Ferris (Darlin' Buds) and Claudia Christian (Babylon 5). For me, at least, Claudia remains a firm favourite, with her solid profile stateside, great acting ability, and the attraction factor for Trekkie fans everywhere she remains a front runner - and she loves the project as well! Perfect!

Outwith of that, the roles we are expecting to fill include:

Airline Staff
Car Driver
Trucker
Policemen / women
Paramedics
Fire Crew
Airport Passengers
Miscellaneous Backpackers
Newstand Vendor
Recovery Divers
Diveboat Pilot
Hippies & Stoners
Biker

That's it for now. Keep an eye on developments as we put info up on all our sites. Thanks for your continued interest in Hotel Caledonia (The Movie).

Nick

Keepin' on Truckin' .........

And the wheels of this rig keep on turnin'. It's been a month of highs and lows - the low really only being not having enough personal funds to make a visit to the Cannes Film Festival. That's how all-consuming the film-making journey has been for me. Busted broke most of the time!

On the flip side of things however, my friend and fellow producer, Yaw, did manage to get across to sample the festival's joys (as did our Exec, Keith Northrop) and ingratiate himself upon many an unwary financier, producer, director, and star of the silver screen. The lucky so-and-so even managed to secure a personal invite to Robert Rodriguez's villa party, and chatted the night away with the likes of Quentin Tarantino, and Eli Roth. Oh that I had been there! What Yaw brought back in contacts will serve us well now, and in the future.

This week has seen two major developments in casting issues with both Kelly Brook and James Cosmo officially attaching themselves to the project. With bated breath we await Billy Boyd's nod, and making the final adjustments to a presentation to Scottish Screen - seemingly the final piece of the financing package. We are so incredibly close to greenlight that I can feel the glowing heat of the bulb!

Everyone is feeling the strain of both anticipation, and the gnawing desire to be unleashed, and as fortune would have it, all this without having lost anyone at all from the project. A minor miracle in itself. Whether we will get enough time to film the tail end of the summer season is anyone's guess, but as things never run smoothly in this industry I am preparing myself for having to sit tight until September. That will obviously have an impact on the production and delivery schedules, but I'd rather that than not being able to make the film at all.

So, hopefully more news in a week or so.

As the day dawns, the dead will rise

Except of course Hotel Cal has been alive and kicking all along. With the inevitable and yearly arrival of the Cannes Film Festival, members of the production team have headed out onto the circuit in pursuit of further distributors for the beast that is swiftly becoming Hotel Caledonia, or as it is now being referred to in some quarters, "Nick Harper-The Movie".

With some interesting developments already tabled, our Exec and Producer meeting to secure further territory distribution, and the process of finance tie-in now under way, the project draws ever closer to its kick off date. With principle photography earmarked for late July things are finally in full swing. It's going to be a hectic eight weeks or so before we finally get on set.

Casting issues remain fluid, and no final decisions as to the remainder of the targeted talent yet made, though we are in extended talks with a number of well known British individuals. As of yet no final decision has been made on location either, as the prospect of Hungary, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Scotland continue to occupy the production team, and probably will continue to do so until the 11th hour.

So thanks for keeping the faith with us. I sincerely hope it'll be worth the wait.

Decisions, decisions....

As our Exec and Line Producers continue with their efforts to track down the most lucrative financial deals, both the Producer and Director have been extending the options for possible cast approaches. With the assistance of our US Casting Director, Zora, we have generated substantive lists of acquirable talent in both the US and the UK, and begun our approaches. With a host of top talent to choose from it has been a task identifying the possibles from the impossibles, and the likely from the unlikely. We have already had a few rejections, an inevitable process that eliminates the wish list from the truly attainable (a process we all go through). Nevertheless some interesting names have since entered the fray, and we are now trying to pin down one or two of the principal cast members to sit alongside those already committed to the project..............

Billy Boyd
Tommy Flanagan
Jenny Agutter
Honor Blackman
Summer Phoenix
Kelly Brook

As always, there is no guarantee of securing these actors, but we have been selective in our attempts to match our characters to our actors for the best possible aesthetic look as well as likelihood of agreement to attach. It's a definite science and one which takes a lot of time to get right.

We'll let you know how our approaches go.

The parameters of independent production?

As we have found in our journey towards wholly independent film production the parameters change, the goalposts of expectation are shunted, and we, as the purveyors of desire, must jump through all the hoops set before us in order to realise the dream! Nothing is ever set in stone. And nothing is ever guaranteed. And so, with the developments of the last week, the production moves into a new sphere of development, looking now at a change of shooting locations, and a revamping of the finance package. Both the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland are being considered, as each has a solid filmmaking support network and a lucrative funding system. Eastern Europe is looking ever more attractive both as a funding option as well as a location base with its rich diversity of landscape, architecture and culture. With the right combination of budget, cast, and location the filmmaking process looks set to provide a unique and enthralling experience.

We'll keep you posted on decisions as we make them. But as always, be prepared for change, right up to the point that we shoot our first frame.

British films take another hit!

With the revelation that GAAP fund utilities are being hit by government closures, and some finance houses are now facing liquidation because of that fact, we are one of approximately 90 films in pre-production that have suddenly lost a major element of funding without any choice but to find private equity or other investment from alternate sources. For the likes of some of the industry's larger financiers such as Ingenious, it means a radical rethink of fund options, but for others who rely for most of their business upon GAAP, or those like Baker Street Finance, it promises to be a catastrophic blow. This is not good news for the industry as a whole, and is yet another example of governmental greed at the expense of an industry they claim to want to support. But fear not, the filmmakers of Hotel Caledonia have other routes of finance sourcing, and will soon be back on track, even if it means having to rely upon shooting the picture away from UK shores entirely.

Screen Test

Today Yaw, myself, and the UK Casting Director, Darren Moore, conducted the first of our screen tests for the character of Mags. A sublimely funny ordeal, primarily because the script dialogue had the actors in fits of giggles, we managed to capture some great footage, even on a Mini DV camera unit.

A long days travel by coach to London from Manchester resulted in a 20 hour day - and people think we don't suffer for our art!

First Cast Readings

As of Tues 23rd Yaw and Nick are conducting a series of readings for a number of actors and actresses that have been 'pre-approached' regarding the supporting character roles in the film Hotel Caledonia.

We are keen to do the readings to help come to an informed decision about who to offer certain roles to, and what level of experience we feel is needed to carry off performances in a project of this magnitude. Helping us out on the day will be Darren Moore, our UK Casting Director, and Mark Sayles, the co-writer of Hotel Caledonia.

The first role up for grabs is 'Mags Pertwee'.

Magenta ‘Mags’ Pertwee is a 25 – 30 yr old woman, the second eldest sibling of the three children born to William and Janet. Stunningly attractive in a uniquely bizarre and quirky way, she is tall and svelte; the Highland’s very own version of ‘Daisy Duke’, with the long legs and pert figure to match. With her long, dark hair, and prominent though soft lips, she is everything a femme fatale should be.

Magenta remains a vision of contradictions – elegant though trashy, sociable though introverted, a product of her peculiarly inbred environment. She exudes confidence and vitality, though she is clearly sick and reticent in her deadly dealings with outsiders. Yet, behind the false smile and the fluttering eyelashes she harbours the same manifestation of violence that is shared with every one of her family members. Devoid of the physical strength of her two brothers, Magenta is much more reliant upon seduction as the means to entice unwary travellers into her clutches, and subsequently into the freezer.

Magenta uses her feminine wares as a black widow spider would use its markings to entice a mate. Through her flirtatious nature, and the enticement capabilities of her wonderfully supple body she draws men, and women, to her bedroom, and then dispatches them with earnest and speed. She does this in such a way, as she actually seems to derive sexual satisfaction in the ecstasy of the kill.

Magenta is much more up to the minute in terms of fashion than her brothers, and even her parents, and attempts to ensure she is well turned out whenever possible. But unfortunately, these efforts fall far short of the appearance of those females who fall victim to her. It is almost as though she is trying to emulate the fashion standards of her victims; even her make-up seems less precisely or freshly applied.

Magenta exists for the benefit of her family, and it is their inbred past that clearly lends itself to the role she can expect to fulfil in the future development and enlarging of the Pertwee clan. Having said that, she remains, in the context of this story, comparatively ’normal’; in comparison to other members of what can only be described as the most truly peculiar and inhospitable family ever found in Scotland, this is some compliment.

This has been a very difficult role for Yaw and Nick to agree on, not in terms of our different visions of what Mags should be, but in terms of who we should open the role to. The difficulty we have faced is that there is a modest amount of nudity that will be required by the role, and we needed an actress who was both experienced, and comfortable with being nude on set. That the role requires a lot of physical acting to bring Mags limited dialogue to life also meant it was unlikely the role would be accepted by anyone with even the most limited of screen profiles. We hence decided to offer out the role to talented actresses on the cusp of major television or film success as the vehicle that we hope will propel them upwards. The search has begun.................................

Casting progress

As the result of tremendous negotiation by our UK Casting Director, Darren Moore, and the continued efforts of our US based Casting Director, Zora Dehorter, the production continues to forge ahead in their efforts to recruit star talent. With good fortune Yaw and Nick should be over in LA next month to further talks with a view to getting agreement of two A-listers to star in our production opposite those already committed to our cast:

Kris Marshall - the UK's best rising talents known as 'Nick' from the hit show 'My Family'.
Jemima Roper - the talented young actress plays Thelma in Sky TV's supernatural 'Hex' .
George Calil - great rising talent from British TV starred in Speilberg's 'Band of Brothers'.

We are also in extended talks with the following with regards to their involvement:

Richard Ayoade - best known for his portrayal of 'Maurice' in the C4 comedy 'IT Crowd'.
Alice Krige - fantastic south African actress who portayed the 'Borg Queen' in 'Star Trek'.
James Cosmo - British Film stalwart in box office successes like Troy, and Braveheart.

Finance Development

Well things have taken a turn for the better this week as we push forward into the last few weeks of negotiation before signatures are obtained, and the production funds start to seep into the account. With significant interest from several production entities, facilities houses, sales agencies, and distribution companies, the project seems only weeks away from finally receiving greenlight. Yaw and I have been working exceptionally hard to ensure all the bases are covered as we move into pre-production 'proper' as we have termed it. As of next week our Executive Producer, Keith, should be getting together with us over coffee for some exciting news from any one of our four main supporters - Film Max, Metrodome, Ingenious, or The works. Fingers crossed we can get on the phone to all our heads of department to give them the exciting news.

This blog is for all those people who may be interested in following the progress of three, highly motivated, yet financially poor film-makers as they embark on an epic journey to independently finance, film, market, and distribute their horror/comedy feature film "Hotel Caledonia". We need your support, so go tell your friends all about us, and help to make this small movie a British horror/comedy cult classic. We wish you well!

Director: Nicholas David Lean
Producer: Yaw Basoah
Screenwriters: Nicholas David Lean & Mark Sayles