Hotel view

Another photo attempting to dismantle the notions of luxury hotels during location filming. No glittering city skylines, no sundrenched beach views, this is Birmingham. You get a car park and you be grateful. Anyway better dash the spa closes at 8pm, what a joke ey?

Animals At Sea - "Sailing Boats" - Free Download

Free download of this Live recording here

Operation Dragoon - 68th Anniversary & Dragoon - Short Film by Guy Phenix

Part of Operation Dragoon © link

5th Scottish Parachute Battalion

At 0440 hours this morning sixty eight years ago young Scottish men parachuted into the German occupied area around Cannes, Southern France. These Scottish soldiers made up only a part of the large assault on Southern France by the Allies, it was called Operation Dragoon.

On that morning 68 years ago as the planes flew across the Mediterranean the weather worsened. This meant that drop zones were missed and parachutists were dropped far apart across the French countryside. This left many soldiers separated, in a foreign country with an enemy searching for them. By about 0800 hours the majority of the soldiers had regrouped. They then proceded to capture German occupied villages right across the South of France with the help of the French resistance.

  Enroute to Southern France / Operation Dragoon aboard USS LST-659 / Aug 1944 © link

Often referred to as the "Forgotten D-Day" Operation Dragoon I feel is a under appreciated part of World War 2. This is why I have written a short film from the perspective of one of the soldiers from the 5th Scottish Parachute Battalion. The film depicts the hours between 0440 and 0800. It follows the story of one Scottish soldier left to fend for himself in the forests of the French countryside. He deals with issues of fear, loneliness and faith as he tries to avoid capture and to regroup with his battalion.

The film does need some funding as I want to use props and costumes as historically accurate as possible. I have set up a Sponsume page for donations but even just sharing the page is real help.

The Sponsume page.

Filming production hotel views a la @PhilipBloom

You have seen the photos, production crew staying in amazing hotels, showing you their views. Just to make you feel better this is mine. Bristol, England.

One year as a runner at the BBC

Well today marks a year that I have been working as a production runner at the beeb. A lot has happened so I felt it deserves a blog post.

In this time I have been to every country in the UK, been further North than I have ever been before, worked with some incredible people and been seen by a few million people in a few tv appearances.

3rd AD - A Relative End - Short Film 

It has really been an amazing opportunity.

I came in to the runners pool as a recent graduate with a bit of experience from indies and BBC NI. It was a tough process, a number of group and single interviews and a few hundred applicants.

I made my way working hard, asking questions and absorbing as much as I could, from some very experienced crew and production staff. It is a case that you are only as good as your last job and that is what you have to remember and give 100%. It is also often a rather tedious job, looking after crew and talent but you have to do it and do it with a smile. People appreciate that and remember you.

I would not have wanted to spend my first year after graduating with a media studies and production degree in any other way. I love working in production. Everything from Cbeebies right through to factual it has been great. I have learnt so much that a degree could never teach but the work experience I achieve via my degree I am sure was essential to this job.
Well that is one year down here is to perhaps a few more, but will have to wait and see what this next year has in store.


N.B This has turned into some sort of runner advice post. If you are a runner or hoping to become one and want advice leave a comment.