tentation

The Brits have television series called "Big Brother" and "Celebrity Island" where a cross selection of oddball characters are filmed continuously whilst undergoing mild forms of torture. Its cheap television and sometimes dominates a whole channel for days at a time.

The French have a television series called "Ill de la Tentation", where fit, beautiful people are filmed continuously on a paradise island whilst being expected to pair off in front of the cameras, whilst drinking Pina Coladas and Mojitos.

The Brits seem to feature the unclothed upper bodies of participants in their tabloid press, where they become minor celebrities and some of them make a lot of money on the appearance circuit later.

The French seem to feature the unclothed upper bodies of participants in their tabloid press, until those featured cry 'non' and take them to court for image infringement and overtime abuse for being filmed 24x7 in a series when they are only expected to do a 35 hour week.

I see the first three French participants have just been awarded payments after court appearances for the abuse of working hours whilst performing hard on a sunny fantasy island in the Maldives.

political pause

I arrived near Westminster a little early in the morning before a planned meeting. Instead of heading for the nearest coffee shop, I decided to wander along the South Bank.

It was a crisp and slightly foggy along the Thames, with the sounds slightly damped by the mists. I thought the Houses of Parliament looked quite thoughtful and relatively peaceful before the usual political hubbub begins.

Eros

Many folk will be thinking of the Italian Cupid today; I thought as a Londoner, that the appropriate Greek Eros of Piccadilly would be my slight variation. In one story, Apollo made fun of Eros by saying he was a poor archer, and in return Eros caused Apollo to fall in love with the nymph Daphne who was not so keen on Apollo.

The main story, though, is about Eros in the struggle between love, trust and the soul epitomised by Psyche. Eros's mum, Aphrodite gets a bit annoyed that men are finding Psyche too attractive. Eros is told to make Psyche fall in love with someone ugly. Unfortunately, Eros then falls for Psyche himself but gets betrayed by her jealous sisters and has to make a wounded escape, leaving Psyche looking for her lost love. To gain reconciliation, Psyche performs three tasks using powers of nature to eventually become immortal, gets reacquainted with Eros and eventually bears a daughter Hedone named after pleasure.

So next time Cupid fires his bow, remember it can sometimes get complicated, though its great when it ends with happiness.

re: cycle

I see that there's a plan to increase the Congestion Charge in London for Chelsea tractors, from the current £8 per day to £25 per day. It applies to cars in Band G and is supposed to start in October. Announced a few hours after the plans to set up a Velib style bicycle rental scheme for London, along the lines of the one in Paris.

I think the bicycle idea is a good one, although there are always stories of schemes where all the bicycles get stolen, like the previous scheme in Cambridge, where the full set of 300 bikes disappeared on the first day.

Some places like Amsterdam seem to have solved the bike theft problem, mainly by everyone driving around on slighlty old looking bikes all fitted with the same strange back wheel locking device. The Amsterdam weather is similar to London, so that should be a good sign.

In Paris the Velib bikes are a sort of gun-metal colour and very heavy, so whilst quite retro stylish, they are not particulalrly nickable or usable out of their home context. Unfortunately because of the first 30 minutes being free, then chargeable, there's a new style of bike-rage when the bikes are being returned to the sometimes insufficient docking stations. Paris also has a few interesting hills, so bikes can be in short supply at the top of some areas.

It will be interesting to see whether the new Green Low Emission Zone to restrict smelly lorries, the increased fees for gas guzzlers in the centre, the relatively pervasive and good value Oyster card and now the rent-a-bikes will somehow change the nature of travel in the centre of London.

I enjoyed the zone around Leicester Square on Sunday with quite a few of the roads closed to traffic and people able to walk around large but still relatively accessible central areas like a super pedestrian precinct.

So now the "soon for re-election" Mayor of London has to see whether (a) the schemes and changes get accepted and then (b) whether they really make a positive difference.

I hope so.

close to the edge

I just watched a television advertisement for Ebbsfleet, which is the intermediate train station for the Eurostar to Paris. I was trying to place Ebbsfleet, which isn't somewhere I've spotted in the past. There's a virtuality about some of the outer edges of London now, like the new green signs proclaiming the 'low emission zone' called LEZ, which is now another perimeter defence for the Capital.

There's nothing obvious as you pass these new signs, which seem to be on every side road into the centre, except if you are in a big truck with insufficient exhaust management when it will create an instant £200 fine for every visit. Apparently cameras spot the licence plates of undeclared vehicles and send bills to the driver.

And there's nothing obvious about Ebbsfleet either, except a train station and a football club that used to be called Gravesend. That gave me a clue to Ebbsfleet's location and I find fitting that its also declared itself very 'Green' no doubt because it, too, has those special signs. Roger Dean, the famous artist from nearby Ashford in Kent may have been prescient with his early drawings inspiring the M25 and these new worlds.

Shoot Bafta

After Saturday evening which involved very late car rides, private screenings and then an early start on Sunday, we finally arrived at the British Academy of Film and Theatre Arts at around 11:15, or putting it another way, just before the bar opened. Others drifted in shortly after us and by midday we were ready for a short screening before we were let loose to the streets around Theatreland to 'Shoot Bafta'.

The streets were closed to traffic in several areas, because of Chinese New Year, although that did mean that the areas around Lisle Street were rammed with people, and there was even a pedestrian one-way system in some parts.

At various times throughout the afternoon fireworks exploded loudly with plenty of smoke then curling across Leicester Square from Chinatown.

We eventually made our way to Covent Garden, checked out the red carpet which was still being prepared and then found some nice reserved seating from where we'd be able to watch proceedings in the evening.

Later we viewed the "15 shorts" (introduced by Mark Kermode). These are fifteen one minute movies - I liked "Frank", "Speed Dating" and the "Little Dinosaurs". Then (fanfare) we had a private screening of our own handiwork of the day in the "Shoot Bafta" Awards.

The scene by the red carpet area is quite amusing, with so many people jostling for views. Ubiquitous photographer step ladders and many people hoping for a glimpse, touch or autograph.

There's police everywhere and a huge procession of limos of all shapes and mainly large sizes.

We had our special wristbands which meant it was easier to wander past the various security folk with red jackets and into our special area.

So we watched a few friends from the movies arrive and then took our seats for the main event. Here's a short excerpt with Marion Cotillard winning best actress.

Technorati Tags: rashbre, bafta, shoot+bafta, shootbank, london, theatreland, chinese, new+year, marion, cotillard, keira, knightly

Covent Garden

One of today's destinations, along with 195 Piccadilly then Leicester Square, Chinatown for the New Year of the Rat and then later along to The Royal Opera House for some film celebrity moments.

With yesterday's unexpected two thirty bedtime and this morning's early start, right now I need sleep.

celebrity

Some of you will be aware of my prior Britney Spears collaboration, so would therefore understand that whilst I like photography and even candid shots, the hounding stalker-like paparazzi stuff is somewhat distasteful. So a simple shot grabbed at an unexpected moment of a few media celebs hi-jinxing is fine, but not exactly a calculated moment.

That will be different tomorrow though, when I join the gang trying to make sense of the awards in this list.

BEST FILM
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Brian Grazer/Ridley Scott
ATONEMENT – Tim Bevan/Eric Fellner/Paul Webster
THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Quirin Berg/Max Wiedemann
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Scott Rudin/Joel Coen/Ethan Coen
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – JoAnne Sellar/Paul Thomas Anderson/Daniel Lupi

BEST BRITISH FILM
ATONEMENT – Tim Bevan/Eric Fellner/Paul Webster/Joe Wright/Christopher Hampton
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Frank Marshall/Patrick Crowley/Paul L Sandberg/Paul Greengrass/Tony Gilroy/Scott Z Burns/George Nolfi
CONTROL – Orian Williams/ Todd Eckert/Anton Corbijn/Matt Greenhalgh
EASTERN PROMISES – Paul Webster/Robert Lantos/David Cronenberg/Steve Knight
THIS IS ENGLAND – Mark Herbert/Shane Meadows

THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD FOR SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT BY A BRITISH DIRECTOR, WRITER OR PRODUCER IN THEIR FIRST FEATURE FILM
CHRIS ATKINS (Director/Writer) – Taking Liberties
MIA BAYS (Producer) – Scott Walker: 30 Century Man
SARAH GAVRON (Director) – Brick Lane
MATT GREENHALGH (Writer) – Control
ANDREW PIDDINGTON (Director/Writer) – The Killing of John Lennon

DIRECTOR
ATONEMENT – Joe Wright
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Paul Greengrass
THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Joel Coen/Ethan Coen
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Paul Thomas Anderson

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Steven Zaillian
JUNO – Diablo Cody
THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
MICHAEL CLAYTON – Tony Gilroy
THIS IS ENGLAND – Shane Meadows

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ATONEMENT – Christopher Hampton
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY – Ronald Harwood
THE KITE RUNNER – David Benioff
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Joel Coen/Ethan Coen
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Paul Thomas Anderson

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY – Kathleen Kennedy/Jon Kilik/Julian Schnabel
THE KITE RUNNER – William Horberg/Walter Parkes/Rebecca Yeldham/Marc Foster
THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Quirin Berg/Max Wiedemann/Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
LUST, CAUTION – Bill Kong/James Schamus/Ang Lee
LA VIE EN ROSE – Alain Goldman/Olivier Dahan

ANIMATED FILM
RATATOUILLE – Brad Bird
SHREK THE THIRD – Chris Miller
THE SIMPSONS MOVIE – David Silverman

LEADING ACTOR
GEORGE CLOONEY – Michael Clayton
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS – There Will Be Blood
JAMES McAVOY – Atonement
VIGGO MORTENSEN – Eastern Promises
ULRICH MÜHE – The Lives of Others

LEADING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
JULIE CHRISTIE – Away From Her
MARION COTILLARD – La Vie en Rose
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY – Atonement
ELLEN PAGE – Juno

SUPPORTING ACTOR
JAVIER BARDEM – No Country for Old Men
PAUL DANO – There Will Be Blood
TOMMY LEE JONES – No Country for Old Men
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – Charlie Wilson’s War
TOM WILKINSON – Michael Clayton

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT – I’m Not There
KELLY MACDONALD – No Country for Old Men
SAMANTHA MORTON – Control
SAOIRSE RONAN – Atonement
TILDA SWINTON – Michael Clayton

MUSIC
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Marc Streitenfeld
ATONEMENT – Dario Marianelli
THE KITE RUNNER – Alberto Iglesias
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Jonny Greenwood
LA VIE EN ROSE – Christopher Gunning

CINEMATOGRAPHY
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Harris Savides
ATONEMENT – Seamus McGarvey
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Oliver Wood
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Roger Deakins
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Robert Elswit

EDITING
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Pietro Scalia
ATONEMENT – Paul Tothill
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Christopher Rouse
MICHAEL CLAYTON – John Gilroy
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Roderick Jaynes

PRODUCTION DESIGN
ATONEMENT – Sarah Greenwood/Katie Spencer
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE – Guy Hendrix Dyas/Richard Roberts
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX – Stuart Craig/Stephenie McMillan
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Jack Fisk/Jim Erickson
LA VIE EN ROSE – Olivier Raoux/Stanislas Reydellet

COSTUME DESIGN
ATONEMENT – Jacqueline Durran
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE – Alexandra Byrne
LUST, CAUTION – Pan Lai
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET – Colleen Atwood
LA VIE EN ROSE – Marit Allen

SOUND
ATONEMENT – Danny Hambrook/Paul Hamblin/Catherine Hodgson/Becki Ponting
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Kirk Francis/Scott Millan/David Parker/Karen Baker Landers/Per Hallberg
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Peter Kurland/Skip Lievsay/Craig Berkey/Greg Orloff
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Christopher Scarabosio/Matthew Wood/John Pritchett/Michael Semanick/Tom Johnson
LA VIE EN ROSE – Laurent Zeilig/Pascal Villard/Jean-Paul Hurier/Marc Doisne

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Peter Chiang/Charlie Noble/Mattias Lindahl/Joss Williams
THE GOLDEN COMPASS – Michael Fink/Bill Westenhofer/Ben Morris/Trevor Wood
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX – Tim Burke/John Richardson/Emma Norton/Chris Shaw
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END – John Knoll/Charles Gibson/Hal Hickel/John Frazier
SPIDER-MAN 3 – Scott Stokdyk/Peter Nofz/John Frazier/Spencer Cook

MAKE UP & HAIR
ATONEMENT – Ivana Primorac
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE – Jenny Shircore
HAIRSPRAY – Judi Cooper Sealy/Jordan Samuel
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET – Ivana Primorac/Peter Owen
LA VIE EN ROSE – Jan Archibald/Didier Lavergne

SHORT ANIMATION
THE PEARCE SISTERS – Jo Allen/Luis Cook
HEAD OVER HEELS – Osbert Parker/Fiona Pitkin/Ian Gouldstone
THE CRUMBLEGIANT – Pearse Moore/John McCloskey

SHORT FILM
DOG ALTOGETHER – Diarmid Scrimshaw/Paddy Considine
HESITATION – Julien Berlan/Michelle Eastwood/Virginia Gilbert
THE ONE AND ONLY HERB MCGWYER PLAYS WALLIS ISLAND – Charlie Henderson/James Griffiths/Tim Key/Tom Basden
SOFT – Jane Hooks/Simon Ellis
THE STRONGER – Dan McCulloch/Lia Williams/Frank McGuinness

With the strange depletion of wordage from LA, this could be a strong year for London to strut its stuff at the awards. Roll out the red carpets. Good luck to Keira and Atonement to bring back some prizes.

ramble on

Some week. A deceptive one. No big travel. It started quite well planned, but was like one of those moving floors you step on in some airports that some how gets faster on the long straight stretches. Today was like a special extra mini dexterity test at the end, with lots of spinning plates to manipulate, including some early moments that could easily knock one off balance.

But by tonight I'm feeling sort of triumphant that all of the various ticks seem to be in the relevant boxes allowing me to pull out a few plugs for the weekend. With a bit of luck I'll be able to stay away from the blackberry until Monday when the floor will start moving again.

So tonight, I'l watch some television as well as this Super 8 based pop video from Noah and the Whale, directed by James Copeman who also made the Laura Marling video on here a couple of days ago. Laura also pops up in this video, which has some clever After Effects editing.

With this amount of attention to movie making detail anyone would think I'd be going to the Baftas on Sunday. Oh, yes, come to think of it, I am.

create your own political commentary

Pick and mix:

toe-to-toe, decisively, neck and neck, knockout;
super, coalesce, coast to coast unity;
smart time to get act together.

bread and butter issues;
rhetoric, spending and taxes;
watching the pocketbook.

serious economic problem;
crisis, recession, foreign policy:
not learning on the job.

technicalities.
super delegates into play;
grandees decide.
slap in the teeth for voters.

a long process.

a spatter a scatter a wet cat a clatter

Norwich today after a rainy and blustery hotel stopover.

I drove into increasing darkness, arrived in an anonymous car park, entered a modern hotel with Eurostaff on the lobby counter and then to a room that smelled of American air-conditioning.

As is the way sometimes, I found myself in autopilot mode and was just setting my phone alarm forward one hour when I remembered I was still in the UK.

Then today's chilly, subterranean day followed by resurfacing in time to watch the big red orb of a glorious sun set during the long drive home. In a flash-back moment, it reminded me of sun-sets in Key West.

sooper

I've only just got over Super (Bowl) Sunday - which has a slightly bizarre coverage on UK television because the extensive advert breaks are instead covered by three men wearing very large headphones and talking cryptically. I think its because the two American presenters didn't always understand what the Brit anchor person was saying.

And that brings me to Super Tuesday, which I think is pronounced Soooper Toozday if I'm to get it right. Its supposed to be the next critical moment in the American election campaign which some how runs all the way through to the end of the year. And most of the coverage seems to be about the Democrats and whether gender or ethnicity affects outcome. The other guys carrying the Dubya banner and hiding the recession don't seem to get a look in - I wonder why?

It seems odd that everyone votes at different times (presumably so the candidates can visit more areas) and then the big places like New York, Califormia and another 22 States all vote on the same day. A strange dance.

Someone has worked out that a single candidate needs to accumulate 2025 delegates to be in the lead, and I guess it makes me wonder just how many delegates there are crammed into the main Houses of the US Government machine. And what's a super delegate? Do they have special powers? Can they fly? Do they get a 'by' into the next round? Its all very confusing.

Maybe thats why it seems to be mainly about two personalities rather than the intricacies of why 26 of the 53 Democratic congressional districts in California will award four delegates requiring a candidate to get 62.5% of the vote in that district to be sure to win.

I still apply my 'racing to Calais' model to this type of thing. You start in Cannes and drive to Calais to catch a ferry. At the start you only need to average 45 km per hour and can have two pit stops. Somehow, by the time you get to Dijon, after a couple of major delays, the average for the rest of the journey has become 95 km/hr. Still doable, then that big roadworks with the white robot flagman costs an hour and mysteriously you now need to do 120 km/hr. And then each time the brakes go on, the average speed for the remainder mysteriously increases. When it gets to over 150 km/hr, you finally phone ahead for another hotel night somewhere.

I guess one of the candidates will be doing that at some point near Dijon Denver, when it becomes inevitable that the lead has moved incontravertibly to the other person. Its a great tactic at the moment though, because the rest of the world is hardly even hearing about Republicans and thinks that McCain is a type of (ironically) French Fry.