2011

The BUFF Blog (by Sheila Nortley – December 2011)

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In keeping with the tradition of listening to a rather powerful woman just before you’re about to embark on what’s really important – or maybe you’ve already squashed Christmas lunch by the time your attention is perhaps swayed by a certain Elizabeth Windsor – its’ time we took note of another Christmas message – the one being brought to you by another powerful woman (Sheila Nortley) who is fast becoming a regular fixture on the urban independent film circuit. And before we hear from her, BUFF would like to thank all of this year’s guest bloggers who’ve graced these pages with their inspiring words including Anjela Lauren Smith, Wil Johnson and Kamara Bacchus – long may the passion continue. We leave you now with the December edition of the BUFF Blog, guest-written by Sheila Nortley…

This has been the year of who are you and who do you think you are. For many I have spoken to, a year of self reflection, growth, preparation and development. I find it hard to separate myself from my career, and I don’t really think this is a bad thing. Designed by the mind of the Most High and Most Near, I’d assume that we are complex and deep beings. And everything we do and say is as a ripple in the ocean, a butterfly effect. So my career, my family, my character, my talents, my mood, my prayers, my fasting, my being – all are very much related.

This is why I nearly told Emmanuel that I didn’t want to write the blog and that I had nothing to say. The premise of having my 15 minutes doesn’t do much for me. I nearly told Emmanuel that I didn’t want to write this blog because it would be hard for me to write about my year, my career, my hopes, dreams, and aspirations without, in one way or another, writing about my thoughts, my opinions and thus my self. Thoughts are precious things to be valued and treasured and nurtured when productive – regardless of what Twitter tells us – and I didn’t just want to ramble on. Why would I? Like, who am I? And who do I think I am? This has been the year of who are you and who do you think you are.

I’m Sheila Nortley. Writer. Producer. And a Managing Director of Kingdom Entertainment Group. I am also a daughter, a sister, a friend, a niece, an aunty, a cousin, an enemy, a mentor, a mentee, a believer, an unbeliever, an entrepreneur, an employee, a contact, a fan, an ex, a partner, a memory of a smile from a random stranger passing, a sista, a human, a queen and a slave depending on the transcience of context and perception.

Here and now, in this context, on your browser, I’m assuming the honour of being the guest writer for the final British Urban Film Festival blog of 2011, yet it’s ironic that I’ve been asked to write this blog as I don’t really like to talk much. I’d like to think I’m of those who’d rather do. I do, until I have little time left to be. And then I be, and in that time I do not like to do. Whilst trying to find the balance between doing and being, what time is there really to talk?

So, I was going to tell Emmanuel: “Brother. I’m sorry. I have nothing to say right now.” Who really cares anyway about the eccentric nuances and electric abstractions which dance around in the synapses of my mind? And even if suddenly everyone wanted to know – for some reason – what I thought and felt about my year, I rarely feel the compulsion to share such intimacies with a bunch of strangers when even good friends are hard to find these days. (I hope this doesn’t offend you – I know you know what I mean.)

So yesterday, I was going to tell Emmanuel: “Sorry brother. I have nothing to say.”

And then, Jacob ping’d me. His BB status said: “why am I fighting to live if I’m just living to fight”.

For those of you who don’t know, it was the conversation I had upon meeting Jacob in the park in summer 2010 that inspired me to embark on a venture which consumed my time, my mind, my resources, my energy and my heart throughout 2011. My film, Zion. We met by ‘chance’ in the park – what I know to be the undeniable poetry of the One who knows all things and His eloquence with time and destiny. Jacob was a sixteen year old boy with a seemingly broken hand, who was scared to go to the hospital because he’d seen so much death there. A boy who had been labeled with ADHD since he was 4, yet spoke with the softness of a broken boy with a gentle soul, or a gentle boy with a broken soul – one or the other. A young man who, when asked where he saw himself in 10 years time, said to me: ‘To be honest with you, Miss; I don’t.’ One day, 6 months later, a script was written, and a beautiful cast and talented crew produced a short film called Zion. Jacob was supposed to attend the premiere but he didn’t.

He had community service and was so upset he couldn’t make it. I told Mr Elusive he should write something on the Facebook wall; told him I would mention him in every interview and that people would soon start to suspect if he’s even real. (He said he would, but he hasn’t yet.)

In light of the success of the night; the glamour, the inspiration, the buzz, the hype, the excitement of friends and family, supporters of and believers in, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and celebrities, thespians and socialites, speakers and thinkers, doers and dreamers, lovers and, dare I say, “haters” (cringe) despite all this magic on the premiere night of a film inspired by the conversation I had with him – here he was, on my BB, yesterday sad as ever. I could send you a screenmunch (screenshot of phone screen). His BB status said: “why am I fighting to live if I’m just living to fight.”

I asked him what was wrong and he replied: ‘Had a madness. Dere’s guna b a prob dis tym tho…’ We spoke a bit more, and I felt so useless; I asked him if he could ask God for one thing what would he ask for and he said ‘To hurry up n end it. Big man ting. Jus feel 2 give up’.

This is a boy that on a dark night, if he rolled up to you on a pushbike with his hoodie down low, would frighten you – here he was telling me how vulnerable he is. I lament for all the victims, misrepresented as the villains – even those who become villains at the torment of their very nature. If you don’t see the value in your own life, or your purpose for living, the consequences could be dire – you don’t have to be a young black child growing up in the estates of South London to know this. We can all relate to this one way or another. At some point, we have all doubted our value, and deviated from our purpose [if we ever knew what it was]. Wow. He confided in me that he wished God would end it all. That hurt.

Then my thoughts turned to the inTOUCH youth event that the team behind Zion held just before our glittery premiere. It was set up for the young people to speak up and have an open forum with Ashley Walters, Jaja Soze, Rashid Kasirye, Dexter Simms etc, watch some films, and some performances and just vibe. Wow. What an unruly group we had. Some of them were so disrespectful, talking over speakers, talking over the films, fighting, arguing to the point that security had to get involved.

…But wait, this is for you. Why is it so hard for you to accept this small gesture? Perhaps it is so unfamiliar to you that you do not know how to respond to love? If you don’t see the value in your own life, or your purpose for living, the consequences could be dire. If you don’t respect yourself, how are you going to respect anything else?

InTouch was, to be honest, a bit of a nightmare – let’s keep it real – like, it was a nightmare. BUT this simply illustrated how much attention the youth crave and confirmed that the film was necessary.

The Premiere event followed – I couldn’t have asked for more. The film was well received. Reviews have been excellent; better than I could have hoped. Who for a minute underestimated the minds of the masses and thought that spoonfeeding us mind-numbing rhetoric day in day out on mainstream TV, would cause us to forget the sweet delights of independent cinema, in all its’ rugged imperfect and beautifully raw glory?

To every single person that came and understood the film, I thank you and celebrate you daily. There were so many people behind this production and so much inspiration drawn from so many more people.

And, as a self-confessed Ebenezer Scrooge who denies many of the festivities of this season, who else would I celebrate? I’d celebrate the writers whose plays this year moved my mood like the moon controls the waves; Arinze Kene and Beau Willimon. The people I’ve worked with all year; Najan, Duane, Abiola, Daniel Bailey (you know its a powerful brother when you can’t mention an individual without including the surname), Sebastian Thiel, Aisha of Red Pepper Agency. Thank you for putting up with the idiosyncrasies of a mad scientist – I hope I’ve made it interesting for you. And of course, Miss Kyle Frye and Shomari Brown: the future of black British cinema whose talent has found that perfect balance between refinement of the craft and raw talent. Ryan Samuda, my director and friend [thank God we’re still cool after this film] and the entire Zion team. I respect the inspirational entrepreneurs I’ve met this year like Dexter Simms, Ismael South, Raymond Douglas – inspired visionaries that build and strive day in and day out for the people and not just for material gain or status.

I respect people like my dear friends and mentors, Stephen Lloyd Jackson and Andy Mundy-Castle. I respect people like Richie Campbell, Sway and Ashley Walters who have managed to stay so grounded, down-to-earth and humble despite their massive success and achievements, actors and artists who have refined their art with mastery, and not at the expense of their sense of humour and good manners.

I respect people like Jahnoi Cranston and Alesha Pryce, who love their art and work hard to achieve their dreams and have an impact in whatever piece they are working on, and do so with a smile. I respect people like Kamara Bacchus and Dionne Reid and Anisa Kissoon, who are smiling high-achievers with such grace and elegance and inspiring other sisters to dream big and never lose themselves. I appreciate and love my mum and my dad who put up with this black sheep through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, and taught me to follow what I believe in. My family is the best and without their support, I’d have nothing to celebrate.

I would like to celebrate the British Urban Film Festival for providing a platform for us to present the fruits of our labour for public scrutiny, praise, constructive criticism and thought-provoking discussion. I was greatly humbled that this year I discovered by chance that I had 3 films I worked on accepted in the festival (David is Dying, Special Delivery, Drink, Drugs & KFC). Had Zion been ready earlier it would have been four, but I stubbornly refused to hasten the process, advised by wise words from Wil Johnson at the Screen Nation nominations launch by the bar. Emmanuel’s kind words and support for me this year have been so encouraging. Thank you Emmanuel and also to the stunning actress Anjela Lauren-Smith, who is often seen with him. Thank you Anjela.

And as we celebrate together we give all thanks and praise to the One to whom it all belongs. The final curtain is drawn as we enter the last few weeks of 2011 and the energy at the moment is buzzing with anticipation as the promise of 2012 draws closer. As the world gets crazier, some aspiring filmmakers are zealous with drive and passion, and others crazed with an unquenchable thirst for prestige and power, success and fame.

With the social entrepreneurs building new doors to previously inaccessible pathways, and the game-changers marching into the brick wall (which used to seem so high and wide and solid before) brick by brick it crumbles away and the army begins to march through, together, to a triumphant fanfare. Together, as romantic as it sounds, seems to me to be the only way to progress. Competing with anyone would suggest that I think success is much more dependant upon my competence and determination than it really is. I’m not saying that I don’t work really hard, but I know Who gives and Who takes away. Everything is written. So I just do the best I can and try to trust Him. Yet, I have seen ego drive people to the point of loneliness, paranoia and writers block. The concept of all three frighten me. (You need to be open to bring anything into being) It’s nearly 2012.

Time has flown by like a jet-fighter and whether or not you entertain a conspiracy theory or two, or have any religious inclination indicating the dawn of a terrifying New World Order, then you will at least know this: by the time you have finished reading this you are closer to your death than you were before you started reading this, and let this undeniable fact encourage you to make the most out of every second and every opportunity to achieve true success in this life and the next.

So that was today’s message – just when you think you had nothing left to say, remind yourself of all that you are grateful for and give thanks for what you have been blessed to achieve so far. And just when you think you had nothing left to say, remind yourself of how much work we have yet to do and how much further we have to go to honour the struggles of those who came before us and prepare the way for those who are yet to come.

In the words of Kelis: Learn from losing, Cherish winning.

Happy New Year everyone.

 

(C) Sheila Nortley/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

The BUFF Blog (by Bernard Kordieh – November 2011)

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From Top Boy to Wuthering Heights, the much vaunted and much celebrated prominence of cultural diversity in British film and TV shows no signs of abating and continues to rouse and excite cinema buffs both here and abroad. In a month which has already seen Sket, Demons Never Die & Death in Paradise entertain the masses, there is much to take in – including yet more awards for David is Dying; introducing the newest member of the BUFF board, journalist and filmmaker Jessie Grace Mellor; and not forgetting the latest James Bond title as the year draws to a close.

Much has already been said about Top Boy – most of it true. Ultimately, one does feel that with each re-invention of the wheel, there must be other kinds of stories that can do the job of re-inventing the wheel much more potently. For the million or so viewers who stuck with it over those 4 nights of primetime, it will be very much a case of ‘same again’ with news this month of Channel 4’s re-commission of the drama in 2012. Perhaps the answer lies back to the future as seen with Andrea Arnold’s re-invention of the Emily Bronte vehicle Wuthering Heights. Comfort can be taken in the case of David is Dying and Sus – 2 films to name but a handful for whom ‘re-inventing the wheel’ has paid off with a raft of awards and critical acclaim to boot. Needless to say, BUFF has always been at the forefront in terms of re-inventing the wheel and championing the very best in urban independent cinema. In addition to awards for messyrs Stephen Lloyd Jackson & Clint Dyer, the last 18 months has also seen success for other BUFF filmmakers including Wil Johnson, Mawaan Rizwan, Ida Akesson and Rohan Green.
Over the next 12 months, whilst we will be talking about Top Boy (again), BUFF’s cards have already been marked with a whole raft of potential BUFF titles from festival filmmakers past, present and future. And that was before the call went out officially for submissions for the 2012 festival earlier this month. The bar’s been raised (to paraphrase from a certain guest blogger) – buffness awaits… go to www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk and click on ‘BUFF submissions 2012’ for more information as the countdown begins in earnest…
Now about that guest blogger for whom ‘raising the bar’ has become his mantra ever since BUFF first crossed paths with him on November 29 2001. Yes its’ been 10 years since BUFF met Bernard Kordieh as a young, brash, 22 year old aspiring TV presenter in Northern Ireland. 10 years on, the youthfulness and the brashness remains in tact however his passion for the camera (as it turned out) now lies behind it. Bernard has been known to tell a few stories and where better to tell a few stories than on the BUFF Blog… so in his own words BUFF presents to you another of its’ board members and fellow entrepreneur, filmmaker and friend of the festival – Bernard Kordieh…

 

In November 2001, 3 ambitious young Londoners embarked on a special mission. They had each been shortlisted from thousands of talented young applicants to take part in a first-of-its-kind UK initiative bringing together some of the hottest young creatives in film and television.
The destination – Belfast, the initiative – The Cinemagic Unlocking Talent Awards – a unique 4 day boot camp consisting of masterclasses conducted by the industry elite. Think Big Brother, meets The Apprentice with a dash of The X Factor.
All the candidates had one objective in mind – to win an award in their category. For the majority of hopefuls – this was not only their first taste of ‘Hollywood’ but a real opportunity to stand out from amongst the crowd and be noticed by the people who mattered.
And if ‘being noticed’ was a special category on the final awards night, each of the Londoners would have been nominated. From special appearances on the regional news to opinionated discussions in hotel receptions, positively getting your point across became a London thing.
I remember witnessing a celebrated film producer at a full capacity Q & A session being probed about why his film (which was shot in West London) did not include any ethnic minorities.
Alas, no awards went back to London on that visit, instead, lessons learnt, pacts were made, and a lot of free alcohol was consumed. 10 years down the line one of the Londoners is the founder and director of the British Urban Film Festival – the definitive festival for the best in UK Urban Film. The other 2 are creating shock waves in film and television.
I remember Emmanuel calling me several months after our Belfast experience to tell me that he was the festival Director at the bfm (Black Filmmaker Magazine) International film festival. He asked me if I wanted to help out. I asked him how much he was going to pay me. He replied ‘I’ll pay for your petrol’. And that was pretty much the beginning of a beautiful working relationship.
To be honest, it was never about the money and for someone who initially wanted to work in front of the camera, being introduced to film via the bfm international film festival was truly a defining moment in my career.
What does it take to be a festival director? Total commitment to the cause and real passion for film. I’ve had the privilege of working with Emmanuel from his early days at bfm to his current at BUFF. He is undoubtedly one of the most focused and driven individuals I know in the game so when we sat in my car that evening 7 years ago, going through countless acronyms (BIFF, BAFF, BOFF, BAFF) I never had any doubts about the British Urban Film Festival soon becoming a reality.
I’m proud to say I was there at the Eureka moment.
I’m proud to say I’ve been there to watch the festival grow to become a major highlight in the UK film calendar.
I’m proud to be the first person to ask that most frequently asked question: ‘Bruv who’s going to pay for it if it’s free?’
Last but not least, I’m proud that through all adversity, BUFF 2011 was the biggest and most successful festival to date.
As a film-maker, I’ve been on the receiving end of the BUFF hospitality when my film ‘Stick With Me’ premiered on the opening night of BUFF 2009. As a BUFF board member I know about the hard work that goes into making each festival happen year after year so I have to give props to the dream team for the way the festival was executed this year.
They say sometimes in order to move forward you must look back. Well 10 years ago, 3 ambitious young men from London shared an experience which positively encouraged them to shout even louder to be noticed. And It’s in this same vein that BUFF continues to reach out to film-makers all across the UK to bring to you the best offerings in Urban Independent Cinema.
BUFF has showcased close to 100 films (and counting) and has created a viable platform for UK Urban Cinema. And with technology becoming more and more accessible, and more film-makers producing great independent films, its’ even more important for festivals like BUFF to keep doing its’ thing.
So what’s next for me in 2012:
If you haven’t heard of Manorlogz, check it out. The UK’s premier Spoken Word Showcase will be making some big boy moves in 2012.
Look out for the launch of my new show Quality Control – A ground breaking music show with a twist.
Look out for the launch of 4frontTV – our new online entertainment platform.
On a personal note, I’ve always said to Emmanuel that with the amount of time he spends watching films, isn’t it time he made one himself? ????
Just a thought bro.

Bernard Kordieh

Executive Producer
Manorlogz Xtreme Spoken Word
(C) Bernard Kordieh/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

The BUFF Blog (by Charles Thompson MBE – July 2011)

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Who would be a media mogul ey? The last few weeks and months has seen the likes of Simon Cowell and Rupert Murdoch become the story for the wrong reasons. For months, the press were told who was in and who was out in the game of musical chairs regarding this year’s X Factor judges. Eventually we said goodbye to Danni Minogue and Cheryl Cole and hello to Kelly Rowland and Tulisa Contostavlos (Peter Dickson, the voice of X-Factor will certainly have his hands full announcing her name in full every week). Eventually we got a date for the launch of the American X Factor which heralded the return of Paula Abdul (formerly of American Idol) and once again, the exit of Cheryl Cole. And then there was the furore regarding anonymous blogs and the tapping up of contestants in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent.

In January, the ex-footballer and Sky commentator Andy Gray was caught on camera asking to rate how buff a female lineswoman was. Other evidence then came to light which showed him to be even more cruder and it led to his sacking by Murdoch. His TV partner, Richard Keys also fell on his sword. And in the last few weeks there has been the issue regarding alleged tapping of voicemails, unethical payments made to police officers and the closure of the News of the World, a brand which stood for 168 years until it was deemed as toxic despite being Britain’s most commercially successful newspaper by its’ owner, Rupert Murdoch. And at the time of writing this blog, ‘hackgate’ has seen the demise of the Metropolitan Police commissioner, the arrest of Rebecca Brooks, and demands by the leader of the opposition to dismantle Rupert Murdoch’s vast media empire.
At the other end of the scale there are other moguls creating legacies and needless to say with stories to share though not quite as newsworthy or deemed as topical as those that have been highlighted thus far. That said, news outlets and news values are not restricted to your usual news at ten bulletin, your free edition of the standard or your 24 hour news channels. The BUFF Blog stands out more than most because of the unique range of voices and stories that have been shared on this platform since the first publication back in April 2009. This month’s edition is guest written by a mogul, an MBE, a mentor, a friend and someone for whom if it wasn’t for their passion then there may never have been a British Urban Film Festival let alone a BUFF Blog. In his own words, Charles Thompson MBE writes exclusively for BUFF (note to the press – there’s no scandal here!)

 

Keep your friends close and your frienemies closer still.. Now that’s a saying that was made for the movie business if ever there was one, but also one that I’ve never quite fully subscribed to as I would have thought that you should keep your friends closer. Maybe that shows I’m really a romantic at heart and besides it’s just a saying, a good one, but just a saying like the one that says ‘you are only as good as your last picture’. Now this one I subscribe to much more as it’s sometimes a reasonably good measure for producers when assessing whether to work with certain individuals in this business called show.
Fortunately for me after being ‘out of the movie-making game’ for a good few years, the last picture I was involved with as (Associate) Producer was a good one, the barnstorming new Nollywood African cinema production, The Mirror Boy (wri/dir/prod Obi Emelonye). For the many of you that have never heard about this picture, it’s a low budget (under $100K) movie shot last year in the UK & Gambia and starring British born Ugandan newcomer Edward Kagutuzi and two of Africa’s biggest movie stars, Genevieve Nnaji and Osita Iheme (popularly known as Pawpaw). www.themirrrorboythemovie.com

So why do I, as a grizzly veteran producer describe this picture as a good one, well because it’s a success, simple as that. For such a small independent African/UK picture to do as well as this one is doing in the highly competitive theatrical marketplace is something that I’m more than happy to shout about and be very proud of my contribution at the same time. I won’t list all of its now historic schedule of achievements save to say that it was the first new Nollywood African movie to premiere at The Empire, Leicester Square, first movie of its type to be released across the UK on Odeon screens (opening at No.5 across Odeon London screens and 28 across all UK Box office on only 10 screens & still showing now 6 weeks later (1 screen), its been nominated and won awards across Africa, Europe and USA and is on course to possibly become the highest grossing of the recent crop of new Nollywood films, and earn the producers (including yours truly) some nice returns on our profit points.

The Mirror Boy has been released in Gambia and my home country of Ghana and will premiere in its natural home of Nigeria on 5th August and I wish it well on its journey of success around the world. Talking of success, it is especially pleasing for me to know that I can tie the success of The Mirror Boy opening weekend release with my own personal success of receiving an MBE for Services to the Global Black Film Industry in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. What a weekend that was!

My own personal success aside, for me the honour I received also reflects recognition of the recent success of British urban cinema. I enjoy much of what is broadly described nowadays as the urban cinema genre, but some of it is also very weak and exploitative and as long as Gunslinger/Revolver have the market cornered in terms of production, financing and distribution not much is likely to change. But let me flip the script a little and say that having been in the game as long as I have, I see urban (aka mostly black British themed) cinema in a slightly different way, as for me its history goes much further back than say Kidulthood. That is a whole other conversation, but one I think the young guns should begin to have more with the OG’s, especially in this the 30th anniversary of one of the most seminal British ‘urban’ films, Burning an Illusion (wr/dir Menelik Shabazz).

For those that do not know, Menelik Shabazz is one the UK’s most talented and sorely underused film director’s (of the standard and peer of Stephen Frears) and with whom I’m proud to say I had the honour of co-founding the (now defunct) bfm International Film Festival and where I first encountered Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, who would go on himself to found the British Urban Film Festival. I’d like to think that the experience that Emmanuel had with bfm Int. Film Fest during my tenure had much to do with him moving forward to create BUFF. Only he can really say.

What I can say is that my own experience leading the bfm Int. Film Fest for 4 years to become the UK’s leading black-themed film showcase and the 3rd largest in Europe, set me up for founding in 2003 the event I produce now, the Screen Nation Film & Television Awards aka ‘the black Bafta’s’.

With 6 editions under our belt and having taken a hiatus for the last 18 months, many readers will be happy to hear that the Screen Nation Awards will return in grand style at the Indigo O2 this coming October. For those that have never been before you can expect to mingle with the crème de la crème of the black British and urban media scene across film, television, music and new media and participate in a fun filled night of celebration of black British achievements. Anticipated guests for this year include most of the writers of this year’s BUFF blog plus talent as diverse as Idris Elba, Thandie Newton, Adam Deacon, Bunmi Mojekwu, Lenny Henry, Sir Trevor Macdonald OBE, Noel Clarke, Femi Oyeniran, Naomie Harris, Aml Ameen etc, etc.

It is talent at the level of those listed above that I’ve had the pleasure of working with for over 20 years as a producer and hopefully many more to come. Many of those people no longer operate in the UK or are at the autumn of their careers, but it’s on their shoulders that almost all of another kind of BUFF, the British Urban Film Fraternity now stands. Being someone with broad shoulders myself, not a lot of people know about my film & TV making history and certainly imdb doesn’t hold all my important credits. Something I should really try and change soon now I’ve been given a gong.

Its only when I think back that I realise that I have been fortunate to have a career that has weaved its way through the first films of many now established and outstanding British film and television makers, actors and professionals as well as many other important works that have stood the test of time.

In the very short term, what I look forward to now is hopefully soon moving into pre-production with one of my last UK pictures 10 Seconds, to be directed by Kolton Lee (Freestyle, Cherps) and written by the now Nigeria based Bafta winner Tunde Babalola. Talking of Nigeria it is there that I will be looking to make another of my next projects, a major disaster movie and where I plan to extend the Screen Nation brand onto the continent with the creation of Screen Nation Africa. I can’t wait!

With more and more exciting collaborations happening in the black British filmmaking scene, continued positive developments in urban television, both online and on satellite, plus the fantastic opportunities that digital distribution brings for black/urban media content, I hope when I’m next asked about my next last picture that I can confidently say that I’m still as good as the one I made last.

 

(c) Charles Thompson/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

The BUFF Blog (by Daniel Buckley – June 2011)

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Online, on-air and in person, this is BUFF. And so said the voice of BUFF which greeted the masses of online followers with the May 31 announcement of this year’s opening feature. And though the dulcet tones of Ewan Allinson and DJ Elayne Smith will continue to form a cornerstone of the BUFF movement, things are going to be a little bit different round here. From September, the 2011 British Urban Film Festival will be coming at ya with a whole new look which means, finally, that the buffest film event of the year will be upon us. New films, New venue, same old BUFF – continuing to deliver the UK’s buffest films as it has been since 2005. And as it was back then – from ITV’s headquarters on the South Bank, to this year, from the TUC’s headquarters in Tottenham Court Road – the latest edition of the annual showpiece continues its tradition of reaching out to new audiences, year in, year out.

As part of last year’s 5th anniversary festivities, BUFF announced that it was going on tour, taking the festival to towns and cities across the UK. And as we enter the next 5 years, globalisation beckons. With British actors, directors and exhibitors making their mark in North America, the Caribbean, West Africa, and Central Europe, BUFF will be there at the heart of the action, reaching out to welcome more new audiences all the time.

This month’s edition of the BUFF Blog takes us back to last summer when the festival was contacted by Daniel Buckley, the curator of ‘C the Film’, part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – the world’s largest arts festival. First established in 1946 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe takes place in Scotland’s capital for four weeks every August.

The Fringe mostly attracts events from the performing arts, particularly theatre and comedy (which has seen substantial growth in recent years) although dance and music also figure significantly. The role of the Fringe Society (the organisers) is to facilitate the festival, concentrating mainly on the challenging logistics of organising such a large event. Ultimately, the society exists to honour the wishes of the participants, to promote them collectively to the public. Early administrators of the society were adamant that it did not come together so that groups could be invited, or in some way be artistically vetted. What was performed and how it was done was left entirely to each Fringe group. This approach is now commonly referred to as an unjuried festival, an open access arts festival or a fringe festival.

An exchange of emails soon transpired between BUFF and **C venues, a package was despatched north of the border and soon enough on August the 4th 2010, those that were fortunate enough to have attended the Fringe would have come across a selection of short films from the BUFF 2009 archive. And as this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe looms near, it seems as good a time as any to hear from Daniel about how it all went ‘up north’ – plus his take on the film industry. A reminder that the BUFF Blog is out monthly and the call for submissions continues until 5pm, July 25. Full details about our roster throughout the year can be found via www.twitter.com/buffenterprises

 

The film industry has, and I suspect always, will be a difficult beast. It at once screams big business – the establishment, Hollywood, obscene amounts of money – yet it is also traditionally considered to be politically very liberal; consider films like Milk and M.A.S.H. As well as this, film is considered, and has been since the ‘70s, an art form, just as worthy of study as poetry or painting.

Yet, even with this political and artistic diversity, genres are all too easily pigeonholed and formulaic, which can damage genres massively. It might be fair to say that this is becoming the case with ‘urban’ film as well. Yet urban life is nebulous, fluctuating from one extreme to the next. The British Urban Film Festival understands that it is this nebulosity that makesBritain’s urban sprawl such an exciting subject for film.

I first came into contact with BUFF while curating the C the Film festival at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2010 where we did special showcase days of other film festivals from around the country. I remember thinking I knew exactly what to expect when I sat down to watch the DVD’s Emmanuel had submitted, and as such I was surprised to see exactly what I had been given.

BUFF is unique in its specialist interest in urban filmmaking, and the films we showcased on their behalf took in everything from straight-up drama to social satire to science fiction, all the while never losing sight of the real world and its’ issues that the stories they tell sprang from. Having been snowed under with short films in the preceding weeks, I was also pleased to see a brave predilection amongst BUFF’s selection for longer form short films, a rarity for even the most accomplished amateur filmmaker. These films added a new, rawer dimension to the films on offer at C the Film, which already counted Cornish dance and Scandinavian comedy amongst its offerings.

I’ll try not to dwell for too long on what has gone before, but the best way to understand BUFF is through some of the films on show at Edinburgh last year.

Virus (dir. Kole Onile-ere), was a surprisingly abstract sci-fi short about a dystopian future, expertly executed with a slow-burning sinister fear at its heart. Ominous Thoughts(dir. Tyrone De Grosvenor) was another sci-fi offering that had a terrifying air of inevitability as the characters hurtle towards a future that they cannot control. Colour Blind (dir. Amanda Baker), one of the funniest films on show, took a look at race relations with some very clever use of colour to visually portray racial stereotyping. The wittily titled Much Ado About a Minor Ting(dir. Jesse Lawrence) while more conventional on the surface, mixed edgy humour with heart-stopping action. Fresh Off da Boat (dir. Femi Oyeniran), one of the most accomplished films on show, managed to make the story of a young immigrant boy funny, heart-warming and sad, while Brothers (dir. Diane Musafiri) not only examined issues surrounding single parenthood, but also the emotional pain that can surround them. Still Life (dir. Nelson Sivalingham) was a refreshing change of pace – a modern Asian ghost story that addressed the delicate subject of gang violence.

And as I think this little playbill shows, BUFF may well limit itself to ‘urban’ films, but there is literally no limit as to what ‘urban’ can mean. Urban can be sad. Urban can be funny. Urban can be exciting. Urban can be weird. Urban can be whatever it damn well wishes to be, and no one should try to tell it otherwise.

Daniel Buckley

Curator, C the Film

(c) Daniel Buckley/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

www.cthefilm.com

**C venues has a festival team of 180 people and is based in northwest London excluding July and August, when it is based at Adam House, Chambers Street, Edinburgh.

 

The BUFF Blog (by Anjela Lauren Smith – May 2011)

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Pictures courtesy of Alex Winn.

From a spunky heroine to ‘the’ flashback, from ‘Babymother’ to ‘Sus’, Anjela Lauren Smith has graced British cinema for the best part of 2 decades and continues to adorn the big screen and the small screen. Behind the scenes, her versatility and passion for the industry shows no sign of abating either. The latest string to her bow was her recent appointment to the board of members at Buff Enterprises. We’re delighted that Anjela has accepted this position at a time where British actors and actresses are very much the flavour of the month both at home and abroad. The likes of Aml Ameen, Noel Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor are sprinkling some of their golddust to other disciplines with the three in question turning out to be pretty decent film directors aswell. And to paraphrase that often trotted out cliché, the world is indeed anyone’s oyster. For now though, Anjela’s focus is on this month’s edition of the BUFF blog – the blog written by those ‘in the know’…

 

HOW DID IT ALL START OFF?
My journey began at a very young age… I always had a hidden desire to perform when I was a child. There weren’t many of the drama workshops and classes that are so easily accessible to children now. My performing was limited to dance and singing shows at school. My love of film stems from the many VHS’s (that’s what we had back in the day) that my dad owned of classic films and musicals; I would spend school holidays watching films over and over again.

In my teenage years, I fell by chance into being a fashion model – it was either that or go to university at the time. I chose to give modelling a try as I thought it would be a good experience, it’s as simple as that! Through modelling I then got to utilise my dance skills working on music videos, touring and travelling frequently – all the stuff my dreams were made of. Music videos were different back then; it was all about a performance, usually some narrative and not just shake your booty. I am very proud of those days – I met a lot of interesting, talented, creative people and for me it wasn’t about being famed for my looks or being the best dancer, it was a time in the 90’s that people were expressing themselves as they saw creatively fit and continue to do so. Many of the people that I worked with, partied with etc. are now my peers in the industry and I’m very proud of them… it was all about life experience – then and now. Experience in front of a camera helped me to learn about how any production works. I also worked in events management during that time… I will always give something a try, or challenge myself.

In my late teens – I made the decision to move away from fashion and music to explore my desire to act; I joined a youth theatre group (Second Wave) at the Albany Theatre in Deptford. I spent my days working as a booker in a character agency and as an assistant to a casting director, where I gained a lot of valuable insight into the business side of the film industry. I am a big fan of ‘learn at every opportunity’… the learning never stops whatever age or stage you’re at in life. I also took classes that were Stanislavski based for 3 years at The City Literary Institute and Oval House Theatre – any drama workshop that could help me grow and build my confidence as an actor. I look at those days fondly, as I was very hungry to learn. It wasn’t in a pretentious way… I worked very hard to prove myself at all junctures, as it is easy to fall prey to the assumption that because you were a former model it made it somehow made it easier. You spend years trying to prove that it didn’t just fall off a tree! (No chip on the shoulder intended!)

My first film was very low budget and shot in and around Notting Hill – In ‘Respect’, I played a community activist called ‘Angela’, it was through a friend that I found out about the audition and pushed myself forward to get seen, as I didn’t have an agent at the time. I managed to get my Equity card and a showreel together, which led me to meet my lovely agent Elaine Murphy. Within 3 months I was auditioning for the lead in a feature film, ‘Babymother’… 10 weeks and 9 screen tests later, I was cast in the role of ‘Anita’. Playing Anita was a role that I had to fight for; at least 500 actresses, singers and dancers had auditioned. It was a year of beginnings and endings, as I gave birth to my son 7 months before being offered the role and my dad passed away – so spiritually I felt connected to the role in terms of being a young mother and also the loss of a parent. Both my agent Elaine Murphy and Michael Keane have always had belief in me which really helped me as a young actress, who had a lot to learn!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THE MOMENT?

I’ve just been asked to be on the BUFF board of members which is cool! Thanks BUFF! I attended BUFF for the first time last year, as ‘SUS’ was launching the festival; SUS is a feature film starring Clint Dyer, Rafe Spall and Ralph Brown. It is a very powerful independent film that was shot over 2 weeks and has had a really amazing response. SUS has screened at many festivals worldwide, Clint has won many awards and it secured a cinematic release in the UK last year – all very positive and BUFF have been supporters of the film also.

I am also working with a youth education company who do motivational work with young people – I’ve just started facilitating with them. Whatever help I can give to inspire young people on their paths, I will always do when I have the time.

Acting wise – at the end of last year, I filmed a few episodes of a BBC teen drama – ‘The Cut’ – which was a lot of fun, albeit my character was part of a very sad storyline. THE CUT gave me the chance to play a character who was very vulnerable as ‘Carly’ is an agoraphobic. I’m also amongst the cast in ‘The Shadow Line’, a noir conspiracy thriller starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Christopher Eccleston, Rafe Spall, Lesley Sharp and many others. The first episode aired on BBC 2 on Thursday 5th May @ 9pm… It’s very stylish, with complex characters. I had a very enjoyable time filming and Hugo Blick (writer & director) is sheer brilliance. Even if I didn’t have a moment in the series, it would be top of my list to watch as some of my favourite actors/actresses, whose work I’ve seen and have been inspired by, are in the episodes. It is also a genre that I love, so I’ll be watching the whole series (7 episodes).

I’m also writing – which has been a passion for over 10 years now – more to come on this later! It started with poetry and now I have a few things that I would like to develop: acting is my first love, but all across the board in the industry many performers are writing, producing, directing. It does seem like a natural evolution. There is no rush and by no means am I a seasoned writer, but I truly believe that we all have a few stories inside that we could tell…

WHAT IS YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE FILM ‘SUS’?

I am ‘the’ flashback! (laughs) Without spoiling the film for those who haven’t seen it yet, I play the allegedly murdered wife of Clint’s character, Leon Delroy. I have been talking people’s’ ears off about this film since last year – please note it isn’t self promo. I am always grateful for every role that I am offered regardless of whether it is a lead or a supporting role, because I always feel very lucky to be able to do what I love – which is to play as many interesting characters as I can. SUS has historical relevance, it is a period piece. It’s a film that is shocking, moving and educational – a portrayal of one man’s torment during a police interrogation, a victim of SUS. It is based on a true story, written by Barrie Keefe.

Playing ‘Georgie’ was purely a visual performance – but for me, that Clint and Robert Heath (Director) would want to include me in such an inspirational and important piece, I am eternally grateful! I know it sounds gushy, but truly I am happy that I still have interesting work after 21 years of being in entertainment in some shape or form. I have worked with Clint on a few occasions, he is a very special human being and multi-talented – there, gush again! Clint has been a huge support to me and many others in the industry, which I value.

SUS will be screened on British television some time soon; it is also out on DVD so its’ journey continues.

WHAT DOES BUFF MEAN TO YOU?

BUFF represents a refreshing forum for the seen and unseen film makers in the UK & worldwide. It is a celebration of the passion, diversity and forward thinking in film. As a free to attend festival, it is inclusive and gives the audience a chance to see some unique styles. Many of the films are made on low budgets and most films make their premieres at the festival. BUFF has energy to it and it isn’t ego driven.

BUFF is provocative, outspoken and supportive – hold on am I talking about BUFF, or the director of BUFF?! Joke aside, the festival is growing and is definitely one to put in your diary.

At a time when budgets are being slashed and arts funding is very selective, festivals like BUFF keep the line of hope there for all of us. There are a few surprises in store for this year’s festival, so keep an eye out on the BUFF website.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO BUDDING FILM MAKERS AND ACTORS?

Several come to mind, hard work and belief. Film making is a long process, a united effort and some may say a healthy risk as you don’t know what the audience’s’ perception will be when you are creating… that is why belief in your talent, yourself and others – plus a thick skin – are needed. Hard work is never a negative thing – but for actors and film makers, they make something look effortless and natural which requires energy. Most of all enjoy, enjoy, and enjoy it!

The social networks have definitely had an impact on the way some films are marketed now in addition to the profiling of actors; some prefer a more subversive approach but I feel it’s whatever works for you. Find like-minded people (I don’t like the word ‘network’). Triforce Events (i.e. actors Fraser Ayres, Jimmy Akingbola et al.) are a good example of this – I have been to some great screenings, readings and nights out that they have put on – everyone is friendly, supportive, productive – and that organically produces results. I also attended the Ameen Dream Entertainment launch at BAFTA recently, which was both very uplifting and progressive.

Every opportunity is an opportunity – gain whatever positivity you can from it.

WHICH ARE YOUR FAVOURITE FILMS?

Quite a few and of those I include the following: ‘The Imitation Of Life’, ‘The Godfather’, ‘Leon’, ‘Malcolm X’, ‘La Vita E Bella’ (Life is Beautiful), ‘The Knickerman’ (A short by Sonja Phillips), ‘Dirty Pretty Things’, ‘City Of God’, ‘American Gangster’ and ‘Dodgeball’ – I love comedy ????  I still have a bunch of DVDs that need to be watched!

FAVOURITE ACTORS/ACTRESSES?

(in no particular order): Samuel L Jackson, Jodie Foster, Angela Bassett, Gary Oldman, Robert De Niro, Helen Mirren, Ray Winstone, Don Cheadle, Kerry Washington, Tom Hardy, Denzel Washington, Samantha Morton… This list could be very long so I’ll stop. Acting requires guts, so I respect all actors!

FINAL WORDS?

‘If life gives you lemons… Make lemonade’ (Norman Vincent Peale).

www.anjelalaurensmith.com

(c) Anjela Lauren Smith/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

The BUFF Blog (by Kamara Bacchus – April 2011)

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(from l-r: Kamara Bacchus, Aml Ameen, Sheila Nortley, Najan Ward)
For many people, British urban cinema came into its’ own with the premiere of ‘Adulthood’ on June the 20th 2009. 2 years on, the genre has now spawned its’ first spoof with the cheekily titled Anuvahood. It was at the Adulthood premiere when BUFF first caught up with messyrs Aml Ameen & Kamara Bacchus. It wasn’t your standard red carpet interview. Such is the beauty of the English language that a word can mean so many things to so many people – let’s just say the word BUFF was used in a completely different context!!!
The next crossing of paths occurred just a few weeks ago. Its’ the launch of Ameen Dream Entertainment at BAFTA headquarters, Piccadilly London. Once again, BUFF was armed ready with its’ questions for messyrs Bacchus, Ameen, Nortley (Sheila Nortley) & Ward (Najan Ward) – otherwise known as the powerhouses behind this newest of film franchises. And having watched the 3 debut shorts on the night along with the film & TV actress (and newest member of the BUFF board – Anjela Lauren Smith) the temptation was there to ask a question about buffness given that all 3 films had something of the buffness about it. But no – this was a different atmosphere. In an audience littered with members of Aml’s acting school, fellow actors, actresses & peers, fans, observers, film directors & journalists – this was another watershed moment in British urban cinema – and naturally BUFF was there to see it happen. And to think that 24 hours previously, BUFF was in the very same building attending a Q&A which was headlined ‘Making a drama out of diversity’ – highlighting the supposed paucity in creative talent from the minority ethnic communities. Anyway, we’re delighted that for this month’s BUFF blog, Kamara has taken the time out to put together in her own words how Ameen Dream Entertainment has gotten to this point…

The Idea behind AmeenDream Entertainment had been a long-standing idea and dream of Aml’s for a while. It wasn’t really until ‘The Pick Up’ came about, that everything really started to fall into place. THE PICK UP was initially a script presented to Aml by a student of his drama school ASA (soon to be AmeenDream Entertainment). It was this script by Najan Ward (who went onto produce it) that really put the wheels in motion; it was exciting and vibrant – just the right tone of film that was needed to be our first project. And so Aml and Najan had many meetings regarding how it would work. I eventually came onboard one evening when we had the initial script breakdown at a restaurant called ‘Los Toreros’, and it was literally the 3 of us sitting in this Spanish restaurant secluded from the busy streets of London planning and plotting how we could make this film amazing and inclusive of all the best ideas we had. It was important to Najan that the film was supported by an upbeat club soundtrack – an element that was new to both Aml and myself.

Najan really educated us with this as he had successfully owned both a record shop and a record label (‘Lost my dog’). It was understandably important for Najan as a writer to keep this interest running throughout the film and marry his two worlds (music and acting) together. Neither Najan, myself or Sheila (Nortley) had been given roles at AmeenDream at this stage – we were all just kind of hoping for the best… Flash-forward a year or so and after many rewrites and Aml’s’ input and development of the story, the script was ready:

THE PICK UP Synopsis
THE PICK UP follows two 20 something socialites Jay (Najan Ward) and Adrian (Aml Ameen) on their quest to win the attention and possible one night-stand bed posts of feisty university club queens Roxanne (Elizabeth Kostantino) and Hannah (Amy Connery). The adventure turns sour when the boys’ squeaky- clean mate David (Sam Underwood) sticks his nose in. With fast-paced club action and slick dialogue set to the backdrop of popular House music, THE PICK UP is set to capture the magic of nightlife in London – the greatest city in the world.

Everything was a bit of a blur from this point on, there were many casting sessions, I think they saw in excess of 100 actresses for the roles of Roxanne and Hannah – it was crazy!! It was literally a case of divine intervention during the later stages as everything kind of fell into place by accident. Elizabeth Konstantino was a favourite for Roxanne from pretty early on; Amy Connery was a wild card that came in right at the end shortly before filming – their chemistry just lifted everything off the page. The same can be said with Sam Underwood – he rose to the challenge and was an actor that Aml had spotted in another short previously. Sam subsequently would sign up to play David – with ease and style as it turned out – and just like Aml thought he would. Looking back, the cast of THE PICK UP was very impressive and diverse, and gave AmeenDream a group of actors and perhaps more importantly, access to a group of willing and lovely human beings who we would continue to work with throughout the next three projects. One of these amazing human beings as it were, was Sheila Nortley – an award winning short film producer (‘The Hydra’ – BUFF 2008) who humbly came on board as an assistant. I guess I worked with Sheila the most on THE PICK UP as we both were running around trying to keep everything in place. We had in excess of 250 supporting artists who all came down for nothing, just to be there… amazing (There are so many people that need thanking on this journey). Ok, so after the successful shoot on THE PICK UP, the team was pretty much established: Aml – at the head of AmeenDream; Najan as his resident producer plus Sheila and I who would go on to claim roles as co-producers, working closely with Najan.
With THE PICK UP in the edit we were all still reeling (literally) from the experience so we decided to strike again… this time it would by my script – SPECIAL DELIVERY – in the spotlight. SPECIAL DELIVERY was a film I wrote about a postwoman, which surprisingly was a very organic story for me. I just wanted something beautiful with a romantic element to it – that I would be able to star in also…
SPECIAL DELIVERY Synopsis
SPECIAL DELIVERY is the story of a postwoman (Kamara Bacchus) who is bored of her life, and trapped in a mundane routine in which she wants out. When the possibility of a new route arises, this changes her path, and she finds herself led on a journey of adventure and an unusual love affair. This short film, written by and starring Kamara Bacchus (‘Dr Who’, ‘The Bill’), and directed by Geoff Searle (‘Madness in the first degree’), is a truthful insight into the sometimes monotony of life and how one moment or decision can change everything.SPECIAL DELIVERY was the only one out of the 3 films we would go onto make, that was written with the director in mind. I wrote the film all the time thinking that it HAD to be directed by Geoff Searle (‘Madness in the first degree’). He is just a genius and I knew that in order to get all of the shots I had written (and specifically envisioned) – we had to use Geoff. I mean there was a shot in particular where the camera goes through the letterbox and, continuously, into the film – with no cut – and Geoff just said ‘Yeah I can do that’ and there was no problem. So I sent him the script, he was excited and confident about the writing, and so I got more excited. Najan and Sheila organised everything in a day. Aml took on the other acting role and there we were on the set of our second film – SPECIAL DELIVERY.
With the confidence of two shorts under our belt, Aml had this idea that whilst he was in America that we had to make another one… This would turn out to be the most ambitious of all the projects. ‘Drink Drugs and KFC’ was initially a feature film script that Aml had written a few years back. This script was now to be adapted into a short with Aml ready to direct on his return from America – over Christmas! There were so many challenges involved in scheduling a film over the Christmas break but it all worked out – and more than perfectly.
DRINK, DRUGS AND KFC synopsis
DRINK, DRUGS and KFC explores the dynamics of friendship between a group of young boys growing up in London. Comical, yet heart-warming and real, we watch young Nathan and his friends Max, Derek and Skipper head to an under-18 rave. Cue drama, jokes and fights all in the name of teenage bravado and hopes, impressing the most popular girl at college – the beautiful Montana. The night takes a turn for the worst when Skipper’s ticket goes missing and in their desperation to get into the club they end up pocketing the ticket of Gamu Simpson, the younger sister of two local bullies Jimmy and Jason Simpson.
As an introduction to the feature film, ‘DRINK, DRUGS & KFC’ sets the pace for the fun and often humourous fond memories young people share growing up in London. Initially Aml and I were both based in America – Aml was working on his show ‘Harry’s Law’ and I had gone out there to follow up on auditions and meetings. Long story short I came back to London and helped Najan and Sheila with the task of producing the film. We really wanted to cross new boundaries with this film and we used it as a way of learning how to make a feature as the film was running at about 25 minutes long. It was a long casting process – we had 7 lead roles to fill! Not to mention a number of minor roles to cast – we ended up auditioning actors for a total of 7 weeks – 6 hours at a time. Without going into too much detail, we ended up with such a stellar cast. Everyone gelled and worked hard. We looked into other areas on this project – we had PR companies wanting to work with us and propel things further (with just the 3 of us in London at the time)- going to meetings and producing the film, casting the film, catering the film, interviewing DOP’s and editors etc. Essentially it was all the work of a feature film in a short. I mean it was such a testament to us 4 as individuals and our strengths of character – obviously real life was still co-existing alongside this particular film. We had to encounter sicknesses in our families in addition to life testing situations – but the show has to go on because there’s no one else – just us 4.
I think its’ this attitude that we’ve all put in to our work at AmeenDream that has shone through – especially at the pre-press screening we organised at BAFTA (which we are still reeling from). To be honest the amount of work that went in to it was just like another film… it would not be wrong to say that the screening should earn the title of our fourth film!
The dedication, hard work and love that the 4 of us have for each other – is so real because we’ve lived each others’ lives throughout all the projects. We have produced successful work – and I say that boldly and confidently because I know that we started as outsiders; as just actors with a bit of knowledge. We have turned ourselves into a machine – we work hard, we seek to learn what we do not know and we provide opportunities for new and established actors alike to be part of a fun community. We actually filmed another short the weekend before the screening (though we had all agreed to rest). I just came onboard as an actor on this occasion, and it was great. So it’s something else to look forward to as well as the 2 feature films we already have planned for the summer – and so it starts again!
We would like to take this opportunity to thank absolutely EVERYONE who has supported us with all of our current and future endeavours
Contact us at

info@ameendreamentertainment.com for any enquiries

From the desk of Kamara Bacchus
http://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/1/F99029

 

(c) Kamara Bacchus/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

The BUFF Blog (by Wil Johnson – March 2011)

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Some people call it a newsletter, most delete it from their inbox, others try to emulate it, and for the rest of you – well, going online isn’t quite the same until you’ve received it… its’ the BUFF Blog!!!Until recently, most BUFF blogs were written by the BUFF ghostwriter. In the 2 years since the advent of the UK’s 1st ever film festival monthly blog, a variety of voices from the world of film and TV have been invited to offer their own unique voice on the industry by which they make their name and their living. This month’s edition is guest written by an Oscar award winner no less (albeit by association) and arguably one of the busiest men in the business. It was during the FIFA World Cup last summer when BUFF was fortunate enough to have asked actor Wil Johnson when would be his next day off such was his demand at the time – and continues to be. The day in question just happened to be that very day itself – a day England football supporters would rather forget – and sure enough, that match was soon forgotten and in next to no time, we were discussing Wil’s ideas to pen a script for a cop drama whilst tucking into some delightful king fried prawns.

The next time BUFF met Wil was the day before the Notting Hill Carnival only this time we were in situ at the Bernie Grant Centre in Tottenham putting together the final preparations for the British Urban Film Festival. It was during this juncture that Wil mentioned another script which had just been finished by actor Adam Deacon which he was very excited about – the script was billed as an urban comedy in which I was told to imagine as a cross between Adulthood and the film Friday which was written by and starred Ice Cube. That was August the 28th 2010 and so fast forward to March 2011 and the UK premiere of Anuvahood. High time we hear from Wil Johnson himself – in his own words…

 

Ok people!
Wil Johnson here…
Greetings! This is my first blog! Never written one before, but as they say, there’s a first time for everything. What an interesting last six months people, lots of changes, developments and potentially really interesting projects on the cards!!! I first met Emmanuel, the man behind BUFF a few years ago and found him to be a sound brother with integrity…Something that is very rare in this business. A person prepared to go out on a limb and make a difference…For that I salute him. I approached Emmanuel with a film that I had co-produced and starred in called ‘DISORIENTED GENERATION’ which he very kindly screened at the BUFF festival back in 2009…Since then I supported and attended various screenings of the BUFF Festival in 2010.

Right! What’s been happening with me since then???? Fortunately quite a lot….
2010 was a brilliant and busy year filming WATERLOO ROAD, WAKING THE DEAD, ANUVAHOOD and the provocative new feature THROW OF A DICE hitting our screens later this year! Phew!
WATERLOO ROAD was well received and went onto win the NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARD for Best Drama series 2011, WAKING THE DEAD is being aired to huge appreciation nationwide, and to cap it all, a Danish feature I shot in Kenya 2009 Directed by Susanne Bier called IN A BETTER WORLD went onto win the GOLDEN GLOBE and OSCAR for Best Foreign Film 2011!!!! Not bad for a boy from Tottenham eh????

Currently, I’m co-producing another feature with my business partner, Writer, Director, Producer Christian Ashaiku called AMINA starring the brilliant and multi talented Nollywood Actress Omotola Jalade, Ghanian Star Van Vicker and Myself…A powerful drama about a woman who after suffering a series of traumas in her life, has a breakdown and ends up in a mental instituition under the careful guidance of Dr Johnson (Played by myself) Amina begins the slow road to recovery but not without powerful discoveries along the way…We’re in pre production and start shooting next month…
I don’t want to come on this blog and bemoan the challenges that our industry faces, but celebrate our achievements and potentially what’s to come…

MIRROR BOY had an amazing Premiere at the Empire Leicester Square, ramming out the venue to capacity, further displaying the need for more African stories told through the medium of cinema..yaaaaay!!!! Long may the films success continue…
ANUVAHOOD, the British urban comedy opened last Friday and was the number one film across London over the weekend…

Right across the board film makers young and old are opening up their laptops and writing!!! Getting things together…Young blood Ashley Chin has a feature coming up this year – VICTIM – hopefully we’ll see this film hit the cinemas this year. Q, a legend, released the very brilliant DEADMEAT on dvd this month and is in post production on his current feature – FEVER – which judging by the teaser clips I’ve seen so far is gonna be cooking with gas!!!!
Well people, slowly but surely with the demise of the UK film council, independent companies are springing up and people are hiring those RED 1 cameras and CANNON cameras and getting out there and shooting!!!!!

Looks like BUFF is gonna be busy this year with features flooding their gates….
Until the next time people I’m out…
Pre Production calls…

Blessings
(c) Wil Johnson/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

The BUFF Blog (by Janice Charles – February 2011)

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This month’s blog is guest written by Janice Charles, newly appointed social media strategist for BUFF Enterprises…

Well first of all, I don’t want to be seen as a guest because I actually work for BUFF Enterprises. I was actually given permission to hijack Emmanuel’s email accounts and write whatever I liked which in my opinion would continue to get the word out regarding BUFF. Now we all know that Emmanuel could speak for England when it comes to BUFF so I actually offered to put a few things out there on his behalf (and mine whilst I’ve got the opportunity) – needless to say, he reluctantly agreed. Between you and me I think he wanted Valentine’s Day off to make himself useful – whatever making yourself useful means on Valentine’s Day. Of course I wouldn’t know anything about that because I only work for Emmanuel anyway that’s far too much information for a blog of this repute!!!

So here we are then, another month down the line, another blog with which to inform, educate and hopefully entertain the fans and followers of the British Urban Film Festival. As a social media strategist it would be unremiss of me not to acknowledge the fact that this blog is not a one-way street which is what blogs tend to be. This blog should always be about feedback, response and debate from you lot – so please, after you’ve digested this month’s BUFF blog, get in touch and let us know what you think: email us: info@buffenterprises.co.uk, post your comments on the facebook wall, or tweet us: @buffenterprises.

In fact, whichever social network you’re reading this blog – please feel free to get in touch accordingly – we’d love to hear from you. So what do I want to talk about from the confines of Pretoria in South Africa? Well let’s talk about the BAFTA’s shall we and for a moment during last night’s ceremony there was the distinct possibility that if the publicity-shy Banksy had won the BAFTA for outstanding debut then he would’ve had to have outed himself in public. Though given the choice, if Banksy wins the OSCAR he may have no choice but to come out of hiding. That said, he could rely on Jaimie D’ Cruz, producer of the nominated documentary ‘Exit through the Gift Shop’ to do the honours or better still take the credit, why not? As it turned out, the BAFTA went deservedly to writer/performer Chris Morris for ‘Four Lions’. The thing that makes Morris stand out for me anyway, is his ability to infiltrate the system and disrupt it with what I can only describe as Morris’s unique subtlety if there is such a thing. One look at Morris’s track record would seem to suggest that there is – and long may it continue.

Congratulations also to David Fincher who won best director for ‘The Social Network’ which also won best adapted screenplay and best editing. ‘The King’s Speech’ won 7 out of the 14 awards it was nominated for including best actor, supporting actor and supporting actress. ‘The King’s Speech’ is a bittersweet victory for the British Film Industry because by the time we come to the giving out of the Oscars, the film will have made over £125 million pounds at the box office – all great PR collectively but with the UK Film Council now little more than another victim of the UK recession one has to ask where do we go from here?

Another potential victim of the UK recession is the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. I say potential because its’ still in our hands so to speak. I know that over the past few months that Emmanuel has been working in his capacity as a co-producer for 4front Films, the company behind the online poetry slam ‘Manorlogz’ which has thrown its weight behind the ACLT and supporting it with the concept of a charity manorlog – a poem specially commissioned with the ACLT in mind and performed by numerous actors, artists, and other high profile names in showbiz and entertainment who have come together in a relatively short space of time and given up their time to take part. The poem will launch via the 4front i-player service from Tuesday March the 1st and will be widely available on all of the main social networks (www.4fronttv.com). At the time of writing, there are ongoing talks with other media outlets and an announcement will be made shortly regarding when and where you’ll be able to watch the ACLT Manorlogz Extreme Fundraiser featuring amongst others Wil Johnson, Ashley Walters, Terri Walker, Henry Bonsu, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Akala, Ty and Judith Jacob. It is hoped that audiences who will watch the manorlog will be encouraged to donate to the charity as a result. By the time of the next BUFF Blog we will get some idea as to whether Britain’s best known black healthcare charity will be in a stronger position to raise the £80,000 pounds it needs to survive (www.manorlogz.co.uk).

By the time of the next BUFF blog we will have witnessed what’s been reported as the UK’s biggest Nollywood film event with the Leicester Square premiere of Obi Emelonye’s ‘The Mirror Boy’ (www.mirrorboythemovie.com). Emelonye has certainly come a long way from his debut movie ‘Echoes of War’ back in 2003. 2003 was also the year when London audiences were 1st introduced to Melvin Cartright – otherwise known as the self-deluded narcissist who milked everyone in his midst with no apparent ounce of remorse in his body. From that description one may question quite rightly why they would want to spend good money immersing themselves with such a lowlife character (I couldn’t help myself at this point but Emmanuel doesn’t bear any resemblance to this character at all LOL!!!). I digress…

Here at BUFF we like to think that we have the answers to most questions and for this particular one look no further than the man behind ‘Melvin: Chronicles of a Player’, award-winning director Lawrence Coke, the latest filmmaker who has just launched a scheme designed to create associate producers who will be encouraged to invest in the movie which is currently nearing completion (www.indiegogo.com/melvinthemovie).

You could do worse like say invest in certain PR agencies but let’s not go there shall we?? I’m sure that as long as Emmanuel is still breathing, there will have to be one blog devoted to PR agencies. Until then, I hope you’ve enjoyed my 1st proper contribution to BUFF (famous last words)… Whatever you’re watching this month, long may the passion continue…

Janice Charles (find me on facebook)

 

(c) Janice Charles/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.

The BUFF Blog (by Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe – January 2011)

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No matter how many times BUFF ventures down to Soho to get entertained, the result is always the same. And no matter how you dress it up, January is almost invariably a month-long period of attrition, angst and apathy. So it seemed perfectly reasonable to expect a good time to be had when yours truly was invited down to Soho on a cold and wet Friday evening for a preview screening of ‘David is Dying’ – the debut feature-length drama penned, and produced by Stephen Lloyd Jackson and Andy Mundy-Castle. Needless to say, Friday nights in Soho rarely disappoint.

It has to be said that there’s nothing like watching a really, really good film ‘in secret’ so to speak. The sensation that one gets coming away from the screening and wanting to bang on about how transfixed they were by the whole experience – whether it be the acting, the writing, the direction, the lighting, choice of music etc. For most people, these attributes should be a given. The one thing that stood out after watching 2 hours of raw, unadulterated, mental torture – both beautifully told and shot – was the authenticity of the main character and the sense that BUFF was amongst friends with this tortured soul. The tortured soul in question is played by Lonyo (yes, that Lonyo) whose music can also be considered an acquired taste. As for Lonyo Engele the actor and the film tells the story of David Brown, a very confused and tormented man, haunted by his past, in which, as a boy he fell in love with his mother. She was a beautiful woman and a courtesan who entertained men for money. She eventually dies from a drug overdose in David’s arms. In his adult life, David finds a woman (Carla), who is identical in appearance to his mother. He falls deeply in love and plans to marry her. However, through an intense therapy session with his psychiatrist, we observe how David tirelessly attempts to control and possess Carla as a replacement for the love he so yearned for from his mother – cue the fireworks…

One is reminded of similar experiences having recently seen Tyler Perry’s ‘For Colored Girls’ – a film which beautifully portrays its characters who all are ultimately f***ed up. Some people compare ‘Precious’ to ‘For Colored Girls’, ‘Precious’ is a better film. The labour of love that is ‘David is Dying’, though not quite in the same genre but very much geared at a female audience, is a quality film and carries more kudos in that although the plot is not entirely original, there is a freshness about it – and besides, the other 2 films are American and are based on adaptations.

Previous BUFF blogs have observed the strategy, flexibility, diversification, call it what you will, of musicians and performing artists making the seamless transfer over to cinema and to that you can add our man Lonyo to the list. Lonyo dominates the screen as does his impressive female lead Isaura Barbe-Brown and in keeping with recent BUFF screenings – think ‘Sus’ just last year – we truly have another british urban classic on our hands. Without wanting to pre-empt the choices of the BUFF viewing panel – September the 3rd can’t come soon enough!!!

One was reminded of ‘Sus’ recently when the nominations were announced for this year’s BAFTA’s. BUFF had high hopes of Barrie Keefe’s adapted stageplay making it onto the shortlist but alas, no cigar. Having seen Oscar-winning Danny Boyle’s latest, ‘127 Hours’, students of cinema will have noticed striking similarities if you’ve been fortunate to have watched both films – and yet ‘127 Hours’ is up for several  BAFTA’s. And Sus? Well at least we have the network television premiere on the BBC to look forward to. And off the back of that, BUFF will be putting together a special programme featuring interviews with Clint Dyer, Ralph Brown, Anjela Lauren Smith, Rob Heath and Barrie Keefe. Watch this space for further details. BUFF can also announce that last year’s chosen online screenings which formed part of the festival – can now be seen in full via the BUFF website – many thanks to the filmmakers for their patience and support – it has been a while. That said, we’re delighted that audiences can now get a chance to see the depth and breadth of UK film talent that was on show at BUFF 2010 in addition to the other films that were showcased last September.

This time a year ago, ‘Precious’ was the most talked about film in the industry, the year before that it was ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. On both occasions the hype was justified and they both duly obliged to pick up some very big prizes. At the time of writing, BUFF has yet to watch ‘The King’s Speech’ – and from all accounts, the people behind this will be making a fair few more in the weeks and months ahead if the Golden Globes are to go by, the Golden Globes being the self-appointed indicator as to what wins the big prizes at the Oscars. We’re not quite at the end of January but already, the die is cast for the year ahead. BUFF predicts that Justin Timberlake will walk off with an Oscar for his part in ‘The Social Network’. The Social Network was a big winner at the Golden Globes though Colin Firth did pick up best actor.

One cannot complain being in the seasoned position of watching films both for business and pleasure and its’ going to be an interesting night on February the 27th. Just who will get what? Its going to be an interesting blog next month – so much to talk about, and that’s before we get around to passing comment on the Oscars of which BUFF has no vested interest, well not yet anyway. And if you must know, Lonyo (also known as Comme Ci Comme Ca) was a 2-step producer and MC. He had a hit in 2000 with the single, ‘Summer of Love’, which reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart. The follow up ‘Garage Girls’, released in April 2001, peaked at number 39. He later joined forces with fellow producer, Kevin McPherson and released a single record under the moniker of Bon Garçon, (‘Freek U’) in 2005. Whatever you’re watching this month, long may the passion continue…

 

(c) BUFF Enterprises