That's a genuine Margaret Thatcher quote. Classic. I found it while I was searching for good quotes from famous people about life, religion, belief, etc.
You see, yesterday and today, we've been working on some videos for a big church event that's happening in our city next week, called "Love Dundee". I've been searching for quotes that could be used in one of the vids, while Stu's been pulling together clips from classic, instantly-recognisable movies (like The Matrix, or Pirates of the Caribbean.
Many won't know this already, but our office is actually in the vestry of a church on the Perth Road, Dundee. The church is called Gate Church International and both Stu and I are really involved in the work that goes on there. We're both Christians (Shock! Horror! Please don't run away screaming, atheists and liberals!) and can tell you why, but that's for another blog.
The church use the vestry on Sundays as their room for live internet broadcast of services, and they have some cool computers and software. We made a deal with them, where we get to use the office rent-free, but have to make video announcements for them every week (plus the odd major event like this one coming up).
I'm telling you this, because it's a really cool thing to think about if you're starting out in film-making. What people or organisations do you know, or have links with, that have amazing equipment or studio space you could borrow/use/hire, etc.?
Think creatively! Not just about the content of your films, but how to get them made too! My band just finished a demo, and we managed to get some sweet recording time at Abertay University by offering the free use of our tracks in videos produced by their "Whitespace" team (which means we also got free advertising!!!).
A wise friend in business recently said to me that "money should never be an excuse not to do something", and he was right. If you have a creative goal, don't write it off just because it's too expensive. There's (nearly) always a way.
Peace.
L.
Subscribe to our youtube channels!
www.youtube.com/manalivestudios
www.youtube.com/manaliveblog
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Robo Boogie
Hello out there, blog fans (yes, Phil and Pavel, I'm talking to you)!
What a long time it's been since our last blog! Never fear, a new wave of blog euphoria has swept the "man ALIVE" office and we intend to blast you with a barrage of blog-type ammunition every day for the foreseeable future. We're even about to set up a new youtube channel that will provide little easter eggs for you, yes YOU, to check out as you read. Isn't that special?
Today, Stu and I are deliberating over some ideas for our new project with the Scottish Social Work department. The aim is to communicate the Codes of Practice in an entertaining way, and we've finally all agreed that the best way to do this is to bring a very small robot into the mix. If you have any ideas for funny scenarios involving little robots, feel free to send them our way, although we'll nick them and use them, so be warned!
One of the reasons we've taken so long to blog again is that we've been away in Poland, which was INCREDIBLE! If you'd like to hear about why, or you just want some banter, please add us on facebook (stu/liam) or twitter (stu/liam) or both, and send us a wee message.
In the meantime, here's a couple of our most recent sketches to keep you occupied...
Much love!
Liam.
P.S. When you say someone is still "green", you know, like a "rookie", is it because bananas are green when they're not ripe? curious...
Subscribe to our youtube accounts!
www.youtube.com/manaliveblog
www.youtube.com/manalivestudios
What a long time it's been since our last blog! Never fear, a new wave of blog euphoria has swept the "man ALIVE" office and we intend to blast you with a barrage of blog-type ammunition every day for the foreseeable future. We're even about to set up a new youtube channel that will provide little easter eggs for you, yes YOU, to check out as you read. Isn't that special?
Today, Stu and I are deliberating over some ideas for our new project with the Scottish Social Work department. The aim is to communicate the Codes of Practice in an entertaining way, and we've finally all agreed that the best way to do this is to bring a very small robot into the mix. If you have any ideas for funny scenarios involving little robots, feel free to send them our way, although we'll nick them and use them, so be warned!
One of the reasons we've taken so long to blog again is that we've been away in Poland, which was INCREDIBLE! If you'd like to hear about why, or you just want some banter, please add us on facebook (stu/liam) or twitter (stu/liam) or both, and send us a wee message.
In the meantime, here's a couple of our most recent sketches to keep you occupied...
Much love!
Liam.
P.S. When you say someone is still "green", you know, like a "rookie", is it because bananas are green when they're not ripe? curious...
Subscribe to our youtube accounts!
www.youtube.com/manaliveblog
www.youtube.com/manalivestudios
Monday, 18 May 2009
Some Work and No Play Makes... sheesh, I'm bored of typing...
Brothers and Sisters of Blogdom.
Greetings.
I am writing to you after what was possibly the slowest week in the history of man alive. At least since the "tuna digestive" famine of 2007 (a bleak period indeed).
Our productivity hit an all-time low, we had to film exterior shots for a promo of incredibly dry subject matter in weather of an incredibly wet persuasion, and, speaking of persuasion, I even got a bit confused...
In other news, we watched Star Trek, saw the end of LOST - Series 5, and worked on a new, innovative and, above all, scientific approach to dieting. Oh, and I went undercover at the X-factor auditions in Glasgow. So stay tuned to our blogs, 'cos there should be more on these things later and they'll be worth the wait. I'm SURE of it.
L.
Greetings.
I am writing to you after what was possibly the slowest week in the history of man alive. At least since the "tuna digestive" famine of 2007 (a bleak period indeed).
Our productivity hit an all-time low, we had to film exterior shots for a promo of incredibly dry subject matter in weather of an incredibly wet persuasion, and, speaking of persuasion, I even got a bit confused...
In other news, we watched Star Trek, saw the end of LOST - Series 5, and worked on a new, innovative and, above all, scientific approach to dieting. Oh, and I went undercover at the X-factor auditions in Glasgow. So stay tuned to our blogs, 'cos there should be more on these things later and they'll be worth the wait. I'm SURE of it.
L.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Back to "Work"
Hello again, faithful readers (yes, both of you)! :-)
We're back from a week off, which mainly involved lots of going for coffees, playing video games, catching up on Prison Break and hitting the pubs. Essentially it was just like any other week in the office.
This week we've been busy setting up meetings and getting ready for our next projects with the Social Work and the NHS, but we still made time to chat about some personal issues....
...and last night we went to see Wolverine for "research purposes". It was enjoyable, but not great. Go see it for yourself and tell us what you think!
L.
We're back from a week off, which mainly involved lots of going for coffees, playing video games, catching up on Prison Break and hitting the pubs. Essentially it was just like any other week in the office.
This week we've been busy setting up meetings and getting ready for our next projects with the Social Work and the NHS, but we still made time to chat about some personal issues....
...and last night we went to see Wolverine for "research purposes". It was enjoyable, but not great. Go see it for yourself and tell us what you think!
L.
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Shall Nimoy Return?
Hey raiders of the lost blogs,
First things first, has anyone seen the trailer for the new Star Trek film. I've never been known to get excited at the thought of a new Star Trek film but I saw the trailer at the cinema the other day. It looks pretty darn good I have to say.
That being said, lets get down to the good stuff. Who wants to see another sketch? Ok ok, here's one that you will only have seen if you've already checked out the manaliveblog channel on youtube.
More sketches on the way people so check us out at least once a week for something cool.
Stu
First things first, has anyone seen the trailer for the new Star Trek film. I've never been known to get excited at the thought of a new Star Trek film but I saw the trailer at the cinema the other day. It looks pretty darn good I have to say.
That being said, lets get down to the good stuff. Who wants to see another sketch? Ok ok, here's one that you will only have seen if you've already checked out the manaliveblog channel on youtube.
More sketches on the way people so check us out at least once a week for something cool.
Stu
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Chain Gang
Yo!
So, you may have read Stu's last post where he said we were working on, "yes, this is why i became a film-maker" stuff. Sadly, today he is at home, eating humble pie, weeping, and saying the word "why?" to himself quietly.
Here's the lowdown - Stu and I were invited to join in with a "chain film" project. This involved us receiving a film from another film-maker, watching it, producing our own film based on something from their film, and then passing that on to someone else. We agreed wholeheartedly, especially as the finished work is supposed to be shown at the DCA (Dundee Contemporary Arts) Cinema. However, we forgot about this until Monday, and it had to be finished by... Tuesday!
So, together we watched the other film and studied it, and the best we could come up with was a silly short about a pteradactyl in the woods. We "scripted" it and "organised" to shoot the next day. The rushed finished project is unlikely to rock Hollywood, but hey, it MIGHT gently nudge a small village like Helmsdale or something.
Prepare for the horror that is....
TERRORDACTYL!!!
Was it worth us missing out on two of our weekly sketches to make this? Haha, yes! It was fun.
'Laters.
L.
So, you may have read Stu's last post where he said we were working on, "yes, this is why i became a film-maker" stuff. Sadly, today he is at home, eating humble pie, weeping, and saying the word "why?" to himself quietly.
Here's the lowdown - Stu and I were invited to join in with a "chain film" project. This involved us receiving a film from another film-maker, watching it, producing our own film based on something from their film, and then passing that on to someone else. We agreed wholeheartedly, especially as the finished work is supposed to be shown at the DCA (Dundee Contemporary Arts) Cinema. However, we forgot about this until Monday, and it had to be finished by... Tuesday!
So, together we watched the other film and studied it, and the best we could come up with was a silly short about a pteradactyl in the woods. We "scripted" it and "organised" to shoot the next day. The rushed finished project is unlikely to rock Hollywood, but hey, it MIGHT gently nudge a small village like Helmsdale or something.
Prepare for the horror that is....
TERRORDACTYL!!!
Was it worth us missing out on two of our weekly sketches to make this? Haha, yes! It was fun.
'Laters.
L.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Friends of Steve Buscemi
My friends in Blogworld!
So far its been a great week for the man ALIVE boys. We've been out and about doing some of the more mundane film makery stuff as well as the "yes this is why I became a film maker" stuff. Yesterday saw Liam and myself take to the woods to film our newest short film due to be screened at a local art centre ('center' if there's any American followers) later in the year. More on that later, unfortunately its not edited yet so I can't add it to this post, so instead i'll add a couple of our more recent sketches.
BUT BEFORE THAT, Liam and I are really excited to say that thanks to the communicative powers of TWITTER, we've been able to chat to THE REAL Steve Buscemi. A friend of ours Mr Gregor Maltman messaged Steve on twitter suggesting he watch our Award winning Matt, Ben and Buscemi. In short, he watched it, he liked it, and he told his 7000 strong following to check us out. So if you're here because Mr Buscemi sent you, WELCOME.
A special thanks obviously goes out to Gregor and the man ALIVE Award for 'making our week the best ever' goes to the man, the myth, the legend, Steve Buscemi.
Enjoy the sketches!
Cheers!
Stu
So far its been a great week for the man ALIVE boys. We've been out and about doing some of the more mundane film makery stuff as well as the "yes this is why I became a film maker" stuff. Yesterday saw Liam and myself take to the woods to film our newest short film due to be screened at a local art centre ('center' if there's any American followers) later in the year. More on that later, unfortunately its not edited yet so I can't add it to this post, so instead i'll add a couple of our more recent sketches.
BUT BEFORE THAT, Liam and I are really excited to say that thanks to the communicative powers of TWITTER, we've been able to chat to THE REAL Steve Buscemi. A friend of ours Mr Gregor Maltman messaged Steve on twitter suggesting he watch our Award winning Matt, Ben and Buscemi. In short, he watched it, he liked it, and he told his 7000 strong following to check us out. So if you're here because Mr Buscemi sent you, WELCOME.
A special thanks obviously goes out to Gregor and the man ALIVE Award for 'making our week the best ever' goes to the man, the myth, the legend, Steve Buscemi.
Enjoy the sketches!
Cheers!
Stu
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