Projects in genres: Music

Synopsis

Music documentary about cult 'punk poet' Patrik Fitzgerald (born as Patrick Joseph Fitzgerald in Stratford, London, March 19, 1956) - son of working-class Irish immigrant parents, he began recording and performing during the punk rock movement in 1977. Composer of punk anthem 'Safety Pin Stuck in My Heart', Fitzgerald kicked against the punk orthodoxy by performing waif-like and vulnerably alone with an acoustic guitar and a tattered book of poems at the height of the punk revolution

Synopsis

Three students drift through the genres of their favourite Asian flicks. Their arguments take them into an array of comic fantasy scenarios, from Bollywood song-and-dance spectaculars through to blood-soaked bulletfests and creepy nighttime terrors in this entertaining comment on modern British filmmaking.

Synopsis

Jean notices a chip on a treasured vase. She accuses Maurice, her husband since whenever. He denies it. Employing a variety of tactics, Jean gets to the bottom of the situation. This unique musical-of-sorts matches every syllable of dialogue to every note from cornetist Rex Stewart's 1966 recording 'Conversation Piece'.

Synopsis

Can one man with a dream win the heart of the world's most powerful woman? This is a documentary like none you have seen before - the first musical docu-tragi-comedy in the history of cinema. Part Borat, part Fahrenheit 9/11, part Mamma Mia!, it follows a love-struck soul's hilarious, emotionally engaging, and ultimately shocking quest to woo former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.   A spin on the Rapunzel fairy-tale, this unique romantic/political/biographic feature follows Devin Ratray, a portly website designer, musician, former child actor (famed as Buzz in Home Alone), and besotted admirer of Condi, as he prepares to meet her.   As Devin travels the country, learning more about the great lady from those who know her, Courting Condi tells the life story of one of our era's most inspiring, enigmatic, and controversial figures. This film is both timely and a classic love story, punctuated by timeless songs.   It's the first retrospective of the Bush Adminstration and will inspire audiences to laugh, sing and protest about the past eight years.

Synopsis

Music promo for Richard Anthony Jay's Gone... but not forgotten (featuring Davy Spillane). The video was produced entirely using public domain archive footage and internet sourced materials supplemented with scanned items and photographs. Composited and animated digitally, the film captures the essence of shared memories through four different family histories.

Synopsis

Keith, an ordinary gaming geek who works the graveyard shift at the only all-night convenience shop in the city, has grown used to the occasional disruption to the monotony when he exterminates zombies that wander nightly into the shop. One night Keith is distracted by Suzi, and must convince her that the walking undead really do inhabit the city after she witnesses a zombie killing. They are thrown together in an adventure riddled with strange denizens of the night as they cross the infested city. But they are followed by an ancient priest-magician, mistakenly raised as a zombie by a bumbling necromancer. Suzi becomes enchanted with the Dark Lord's Gothic looks and is drawn into a sinister enchantment as he seeks to unravel the interwoven spells that have enslaved him to undead existence. Despite his jealousy, Keith vows to protect Suzi with his life. Suzi is torn between Keith's devotion and her unnatural attraction to the Dark Lord. A final showdown between the Dark Lord and Keith will determine the fate of Suzi, the city, and perhaps even the world.

Synopsis

Frank, a mental patient, receives his daily medication which causes him to run through the hospital causing havoc, but when he reaches the main gates he decides to make a break for freedom.

Synopsis

Following the success on In Search of Mozart director Phil Grabsky goes in search of Beethoven. No other composer has been so often quoted, written about, adopted for political and revolutionary causes (ranging from Marxism to fascism) and painted, but who was the real Beethoven? Who was the man behind the romantic image of the tortured artist with the unruly hair, unhinged personality and furrowed brow? This new film will explore the truth behind the many layers of myth and legend surrounding a man hailed not only as the world's first truly independent composer, but also the most important.

Synopsis

Coming off the Robbie Williams tour, musical director eighties brit pop star Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy is fed up and completely disillusioned with the corporate music machine and decides to check out permanently and pursue his folk-political roots in the countryside. Along the journey he reunites his critically acclaimed band The Lilac Time to play the Green Man Festival in Wales, and rediscovers what it was originally about. 'We used to do it for the love, didn't we. People have forgotten that.' Duffy wanders as far as Cornwall before rediscovering meaningful poetic life. Sculptor Jon Edgar makes an appearance as he forms a terra cotta head of Duffy, who he believes will remain one of the key figures in arts and culture for future generations. It's a classic story of art versus commerce, disillusionment and rebirth told through one of the UK's most prolific recording artists, with archival super 8, stills, and historical footage from the 1960s through to the present. Much of the film is narrated by Duffy himself, the director Douglas Arrowsmith has poured over the archives and Duffy's own memoir to assemble an inspiring piece for any fan of music, poetry, and life's greater meaning.  

Synopsis

Nora is based on true stories of the dancer Nora Chipaumire, who was born in Zimbabwe in 1965. In the film, Nora returns to the landscape of her childhood and takes a journey through some vivid memories of her youth. Using performance and dance, she brings her history to life in a swiftly-moving poem of sound and image. The result is a film about family dramas, difficult love affairs and militant politics, which moves back and forth between the comic and the tragic, the joyful and the mournful. It is a film about a girl who is constantly embattled - struggling against all kinds of intimidation and violence - but who slowly gathers strength, pride and independence. Shot entirely on location in Southern Africa, Nora includes a multitude of local performers and dancers of all ages, from young schoolchildren to ancient grandmothers, and much of the music is specially composed by a legend of Zimbabwean music - Thomas Mapfumo.

Synopsis

Inspired by Monty Python's Life of Brian, Not The Messiah retells the story musically of Brian Cohen born in a manger to Mandy and a Roman centurion who grows up to become a member of the People's Front of Judea to oppose the Roman occupation of Judea and, mistaken for the Messiah, is arrested by the Romans and sentenced to be crucified.

Synopsis

Keva McCluskey, lead singer of UK indie band The Grams is the real deal. A genuine artist who is tortured by his own craft and his past. Keva is smacked with injustice when their inferior rivals Transbad Saints, led by the preposterous Helmet Horrocks, hit the headlines. But a fortuitous meeting with society Trustafarian Guy de Burret boots the unsuspecting Grams straight into the harsh limelight. Helmet can't accept this and the battlelines are drawn. The Grams camaraderie is soon rent asunder, as a bewildering host of journalists, music moguls and parasites works its sinister magic. Keva has to confont his demons as The Grams have to fight to save their minds, their bodies and their friendship. They win, lose and ultimately, win again in this bacchanalian tale of sex, drugs. And rock'n'roll.