F5 - Recap

For those of you who live in the Big Apple (lucky you), and have their heads screwed on in the right direction – a few weeks ago you would have been sat enjoying the fabulous work that the brilliant F5 festival has to offer. For two days New York’s Roseland Ballroom in Times Square becomes a hotbed of directorial genius and breeding ground for creative inspiration.

The event not only showcases eye-popping work from many creative disciplines, it also features a vast array of well known speakers and industry luminary’s eager to give their 5 penneth for the cause. Although tickets are sold for the event, F5 is virtually a charity for creative ideas, as the organisers fiercely defend the fact that they make no money at all by putting on the event.

The F5 site boldly announces this fact in their reasons for joining in:

“Full disclosure: We don’t make any money from this. In fact, we only allow two sponsors, and we keep our ticket prices to an absolute minimum.

This isn’t about money. It’s about community and creativity.Seriously.

That’s not bullshit. We mean it.”

This community feel and enthusiasm can be seen in the brilliant speaker line-up that F5 attracts. This year included MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Media Molecule, Seed editor Jonah Lehrer, Digital Domains Ed Ulbrich and acclaimed photographer/filmmaker Charlie White to name but a few.

Not only that but – as they are such a friendly bunch – they love to share!

So here is a roundup of some of the best work to come from this years fest!

Buck: “Lumber Jack’s Wood Fest”

RE:PLAY FILM FEST: Buck "Lumber Jack's Wood Fest" from F5 on Vimeo.

Crush “Inspire”

RE:PLAY FILM FEST: Crush "Inspire" from F5 on Vimeo.

Holbrooks “Bren Hystien”

RE:PLAY FILM FESTIVAL: Holbrooks "Bren Hystlen" from F5 on Vimeo.

Other festivals should take note, inclusion, passion sociability and interest seems to be the catalyst for brilliant ideas and work. Roll on F5 next year!

NewsReel 15/05/09

You know the score – if you want us to share your news and moves just send em over to editor@thereel.net. The same address can also be used to tell us how great we are. Just a thought.

Cinema Vert-ey


Feeling green and creative? Well join Smoke + Mirrors, Marshall Street Editors and Little White Lies who are working with Gettin Hectic in developing the Film Vert competition this spring/summer. Film Vert is a new cinematic term meaning (in their own words) ‘stylish environmentally-friendly moving images — films that emphasise both the problems facing our existence on our beautiful planet and, more importantly, providing solutions to help halt the decline’. Part of Greenvoice - a charity facebook for greenies – the companies will be helping over the next year or so in their mission to save the planet!

What to do? Just visit www.filmvert.co.uk and then get filming! You can do it on a mobile phone, you can do it on a sound stage ... just do it!

Straight 8 in the Cannes


Invading the other big C event with their unique super 8 madness is this years Straight8 selection. For those not in the know (where have you been), Staright8 is a short film competition with a difference – the filmmakers haven’t seen the films themselves before their shown at the screening. Each piece is shot and edited in-camera on a 3 minute Super 8 film and processed by the competition makers. The results are phenomenal. The Reel are eagerly anticipating the Cannes Lion debut of the ’09 batch, but for all those lucky enough to be on the Croisette for the movie version, head your pretty selves here:

Tuesday, May 19th, 10pm
l’appartement kodak, international village
(between american and british pavilions)
doors/drinks 9.30pm
free entry, festival pass required

It’ll be ace!

Greg Mills in a HRA


Greg Mills, previously partner / executive producer at Democracy, has been confirmed as Hibbert Ralph Animation’s new executive producer. Mills joins HRA from mid-May. In addition to executive producing both live action and animation output, he will assume management level responsibility for new business and marketing.

Mills has been involved in the film and advertising industries in roles as diverse as visual effects editor, line producer, prod co MD and agency producer for the likes of BBH. He has additionally played key roles in establishing new production companies, like Voyager Film; he has also worked as a freelance producer for directors such as Tony Scott and the late Roger Lyons.

Catch up on your HRA goodness here - www.hra-online.com

Awaydays at the flicks


We know what it’s like, you’ve spluged your recent cinema trips on Star Trek (195% amazing) and Sounds Like Teen Spirit (196% amazing) and now you’re left wondering what else to watch. Well fear not, as your Barry Norman-esque pals at The Reel are here to point you in the right direction!

Spank’s Pat Holden uses his gritty and realistic trademark talent to direct a new feature film called Awaydays, an adaptation of Kevin Sampson’s novel set in post-punk Liverpool in the late 70’s.


Blurb time - Paul Carty is 19, good-looking, funny, clever – and bored out of his mind. His mother died a year ago. He lives in middle class suburbia with his silently grieving father and feisty young sister, Molly. Carty works as a junior civil servant and spends all his wages on clubs, records, football and gigs. It's at a Bunnymen gig that he meets Elvis.

Elvis changes everything. The Pack are notorious; they dress in a cultish, almost effeminate style that's at odds with the boneheads and bootboys they fight against. They have androgynous wedge haircuts worn with Fred Perry shirts, Lois jeans and Adidas Forest Hills. For as long as he has been going to football, Carty has been fascinated by The Pack. Now Elvis seems to be offering him a way in.

Apparently the movie pulsates to soundtracks of Joy Division, The Cure, Magazine, Echo & The Bunnymen and Ultravox, which sounds good to us. Check it out when it hits cinemas on Friday 22nd May.

If you’re interested in the work Pat’s done for Spank, check it out here - http://www.spankfilms.co.uk/Pat.html

And Finally

As well you know, we’re big promo fans at The Reel. Unfortunately we can’t feature everything that gets sent in, so here are a couple that didn’t quite make the DVD this month:


We saw this on B3TA. They rule!