This Saturday morning seems a lot quieter around and about. The strong wind must have died down overnight. Yesterday it was rattling the spare tiles so much I thought parts of the roof were going to come off. It also rained for most of the day giving us a stock of fresh water in the sterna, which is handy. But it did also mean the cat was reluctant to go out and about overnight and spent most of the early hours purring in my ear, when he wasn’t sticking his nose in it, sitting on my head, or digging claws into me.

I have ‘cut 5’ of the Judas Curse to look at later today if I want to. The news on this project (as the backers should already know) is that it has been with the editor for a while, the producer/director has been working with him on it, piecing together the scenes and shots that make up the story, and it is now in the hands of the composer and sound artist. I’ve heard some of the music and we’ve seen most of the visuals – all of which is pretty stunning.

Symi comes off well in the visuals. I mean, this isn’t a holiday video or a promotional one for the island, but it looks great as a backdrop to the action. All very spooky at times, which is why it was chosen. Early on there are views from the sea and later, when things start to happen, there are plenty of views around the village, lots of detail too and some great locations. It all looks very atmospheric and eerie.

I’ve not heard the music over the film yet, so I’ve only really heard parts of that, but that’s coming together now, and the sound has yet to be finished, all the ‘Foley’ needs to be added. Foley (you see ‘Foley artist’ at the end of films, on credits) is basically the day to day sound effects. When you shoot a film you might shoot ‘atmos’ in the background, the general atmosphere of the location, but you don’t worry too much about the footsteps or the door closing, the window creaking or the wind, that kind of thing. All that has to be added and timed in by the Foley artist later.

BTW, it’s called ‘Foley’ after Jack Foley who was the originator of sound effects when ‘talkies’ first came in, and many of his techniques are still used today.

After all that’s done there is the final colour grading to do on the film, making dark places lighter, creating an overall feel or sheen or colour for the total image. Then there are the credits to be created and added, not only the text but any visual credit sequence that might be wanted. And then the hunt for the distributer gets started and who knows how long that might take. Before then the compnay have to set up the final contracts and deals with the other producers and put in place the insurance. This might scare you:

“Before you can sell a film for distribution you have to have what is called Errors & Omissions Insurance. It’s like buying a car. No distributor will touch the film unless you can produce the ‘log book’. The log book most importantly consists of this E&O cover. This indemnifies the seller and every buyer down the chain from being sued. Well, it doesn’t stop you being sued, but if anyone does sue, then your legal costs are covered after the first £10,000 and up to £3 million. People sue for the craziest of things: committing suicide after watching the film, for example.”

Never knew there was so much in it eh? Me neither. Just a reminder if you donated £20.00 or more, to send your head and shoulder shot in for the credit montage, or send a note if you don’t want to have your photo used, this is so they know who to chase up and who to leave unbothered. Send your pics to the email address on the last Kickstarter update – and have a good weekend!

Share on Facebook

A bit of a later entry today following the birthday festivities yesterday and an early alarm call from the cat, followed by dozing off on the sofa listening to the shutters rattle and the spare roof tiles clatter about above.

Thank you to everyone who sent messages and emails and texts yesterday, pretty overwhelming really. Hundreds of best wishes on Facebook too, and not just a quick ‘hippo birdy, two ewes.’ It was lovely, I had a great day and was ‘well spoiled.’ The next celebration in the social calendar will be Easter in a few weeks’ time.

It’s been very windy these last couple of days. There was (or still is) a ban on shipping so no big ferry is due in today, at least not at the right time. I just had a look at ‘live ships’ and it is still in Piraeus. It looks like the wind is coming from the east, or north-east; it looks like the sea is being blown inland.

 

I can’t believe it’s nearly nine and I haven’t even posted this yet, so I won’t hang around this morning, I’ll get these photos of yesterday up and leave it there. There is now some recovering and catching up on house duties to see to. (The cat litter got wet in the rain yesterday so that’s a job to look forward to. Not.) Thanks again for the birthday wishes; normal service will be resumed shortly.

 

Share on Facebook

The following are (mostly) taken from History channel and its Day In History, and other history websites, word for word. You will be able to tell when the other words are mine, I hope. This day in History, March 26^th

 

1484, William Caxton printed his translation of Aesop’s Fables

1799, Napoleon captures Jaffa (I suspect he was after the smashing orangy bit in the middle)

1824, 1st performance of Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis”

1827, Beethoven died in Vienna, aged 56 (‘I shall hear (it) in heaven.’)

1839, 1st Henley Royal Regatta

1845, Joseph Francis, NYC, patents a corrugated sheet-iron lifeboat (nice try!)

1859, 1st sighting of Vulcan, a planet thought to orbit inside Mercury (live long and prosper)

1874, Robert Frost born

1881, Thessaly is freed and becomes part of Greece again

1885, Eastman Film Co. manufactures the first commercial motion picture film

1886, 1st cremation in England

1904, Xenophon Zolotas, Greek economist, Prime Minister of Greece (d. 2004)

1910, US forbid immigration to criminals, anarchists, paupers & the sick (what went wrong?)

1911, Tennessee Williams born

1916, Birdman of Alcatraz receives solitary (fill in the missing word: solitary what? Cage? Diamond? Cuttlefish?)

1920, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first novel published (‘This side of paradise’, in case you were wondering.)

1934, Driving tests introduced in Britain (made no difference)

1940, Ernest Hemingway & Benjamin Glazer premiere in NYC (Premiere in what? ‘Top Hat’? ‘42^nd Street’? ‘Much ado about nothing’?)

1953, Jonas Salk announces polio vaccine (one wonders how? ‘Mr and Mrs Scene and their son Vac,’ perhaps?)

1956, Red Buttons debuts on TV in Studio One (meanwhile on BBC2 you can catch ‘An evening with a purple zipper.’)

1957, The European Economic Community was one day old (bless)

1963, James Collins, born (not many people noticed)

1971, East Pakistan became Bangladesh

1973, Noel Coward, English playwright, dies

1979, Israel-Egyptian peace agreement was signed (presumably by Israel and Egypt)

2000, Vladimir Putin became president of Russia (oh dear)

2008, Ford sells Jaguar and Land Rover to India’s Tata (so they said ta-ta to them then)

And let’s leave it there, except to add that on today in history, Richard III of England was re-buried, and I turned 52.

Share on Facebook

Today is Independence Day all over Greece and so there will be a parade in the harbour later this morning. The weather forecast is suggesting cloud and wind, but it’s all calm and reasonably clear down there so far, mind you it is only seven. And last night saw the festival at the church of Saint Evagelismos where lanterns are lit along the path leading up to the church.

I called down to the harbour yesterday to collect some supplies for His Lordship the cat, and staggered back up the steps under a few hundred weight of cat litter and food to find the courtyard covered in cat litter where he’d been enthusiastically digging around in his tray. It had all gone soggy thanks to the rain so that was a fifteen minute joy, sweeping and washing down, and sifting through, and cleaning out.

His Lordship also decided to go out last night. I left him sleeping on one of his sofas at 10.00 when I went to bed, at 11.00 he called me as he wanted a door opening, and then at 4.00 he called Neil to open the same door so he could come in for a midnight snack. At 4.30 he was making himself comfortable on my head, and at 6.00 we finally gave up any hope of sleep and gave him his second breakfast. He’s now up on the roof watching the cat next door and being quite happy.

While down in the harbour I noticed many businesses preparing for Summer, or being ready – almost. Symi Tours has been having a makeover, Meraklis the taverna is being done up, as are several others, To Spitiko looks like it’s well on its way, and the Vapori bar has had its tables painted for some time now. It’s all starting to kick off. If you are heading over to Symi for Easter then you might like to know that the Dodekanisos Seaways timetable is out and there are several crossings from Rhodes to Panormitis, and then on to Symi, over the Easter weekend.

Yesterday I did some more work on ‘Stuff and Nonsense’ the collection of stuff that I have written about nonsense, and I also have the last two chapters of ‘Lonely House’ ready for editing and setting out by the editor. This means that we should soon be able to go through and check for widows and orphans and check the layout, we’ll then need the cover sorting out and the ‘front matter’, and be ready to get a proof from publishing. Hopefully not long to go now. Mind you, this is a horror story so not everyone who likes the Symi blog is going to want to read it. ‘Stuff and Nonsense’ might suit you better when done.

And I’m done now, off to work. Have a good Greek Independence Day.

Share on Facebook

First: The Judas Inheritance – update

 

I received word yesterday that the film project now has ‘almost ready visuals’ meaning that a final cut of the film is nearly ready for the next stage. That stage is music and sound and the cut has been sent to the composer, Michael Bishop http://www.michaelbishopmusic.com/ who will start adding music. Things have been delayed slightly as Chris Hastings has been in hospital – he is now fine and recovering.

 

But this news did remind me that I need to find a photo and you might need to as well. I know the Kickstarter backers have been contacted about this but in case you let it slip, if you donated £20.00 or more, you get to have your photo in the montage in the credits. A smiling, happy, head and shoulders only shot. If you don’t want this ‘perk’ perhaps you can let them know. They’ve had some pics in but there are some folk who have not responded as yet and I’d hate you to miss out. As usual, all enquiries should go to the email address sent with the Kickstarter update. Thanks.

This morning’s early walk had to be postponed; rain stopped play. And it was going to be a very early one, thanks to the antics of the Alarm Cat who has now taken to waking us up by leaping on the bed and purring loudly at 5.00 in the morning, sticking his nose in where it’s not wanted (the ear) and ditto his claws (the head). Never mind, I have to go down the steps and find some new cat litter later today so will get some exercise that way. Seems life is currently being ruled by the cat.

But not so on Sunday when we all went off for a day out. First to an exhibition of children’s art down at Villa Sofia in Harani. Sam had some work n show, as did many other youngsters, so we called in to admire and take a look there. After that it was off around to Nimborio to enjoy the sunshine and have a barbeque.

The new paving is going down, a lot of the old path has now been done but not all, and you just have to watch out that it’s not too slippery when you’re heading down or up the hills. We found a jetty to hang out on, got the portable barbies going (slowly) and the boys went off to do boy things; throw rocks in the water, pull ropes, get wet. We grownups sat and chatted and did grownup things; poked at things on the Barbie, took photos and admired the warm, clear afternoon.

Later we walked back and up over the donkey path, across the top and back down into Yialos where the boys went and played on the new playground in the town square and where Harry became very philosophical. ‘They don’t care about us in the village,’ he said. ‘They have a new playground here but we have nothing, just a big hole in the ground.’ ‘Ah yes,’ I said, ‘but that’s because they are building us a new hospital.’ He thought for a moment. ‘I’d rather have a playground.’ (I think I heard that there are plans for a new one in the village but can’t remember where or when.)

Monday’s early morning walk didn’t happen either, for the same rain stopped play reason (it’s been a bit dull here these past couple of days), but we did tap in the evening, even Neil, whose bad foot had been playing him up all day. He could hardly walk in the morning, but managed a section of 42^nd Street in the evening.

That’s caught you up on the weekend, there’s not much planned for the week ahead. Neil’s doing his aerobics with Dawn, as long as he can walk when he gets up (it’s still only 6.00 thanks to the AC) and we’ve a birthday evening planned on Thursday. Apart from that, it looks like it’s going to be a quiet week. Cloudy, damp and quiet.

Share on Facebook