Pre XMAS shutdown

Signing off from 2009. Still shellshocked from the intense activity December brought forth around the project. Now at the stage of recovering, regrouping and preparing to re-engage with the audience and new contacts we've been making.

It has been odd to be blogging the project this year yet keeping so much information close to the chest. I feel that next year we need to open things out and find a voice for this blog that can talk about the pressing issues of the day as they happen - we're learning so much in this new area of storytelling and we want to share it out and make some new connections.

Can we do it? We'll have to give it a go...

Salut from 2009 at AWP Xxx

Pre Xmas Saturday

The response to our AWP launch has been amazing so we're heading into the New Year much enthused. Our XMAS 2008 footage is going up really scrappy so we'll have to refine that along the way. Membership is rising steadily - the tech is holding up (though we're crying out for a new server) - and some really interesting partnerships in the offing.

We're talking with a couple of excellent musicians: NSG and James Kelly about using their music for AWP. Both really talented guys, so hopefully you'll get to see the results on a screen near you soon.

We're going to try some new things out next year: new stories, concepts and characters. Not sure how much to say just yet so will assemble my thoughts on it now...

Post AWP Launch

...that was hard work - but the clips look great!

Last night was frantic, disorganised, late, bizarre and exhausting. I'm writing about the launch of The Alexander Wilson Project' - a special screening of exclusive AWP footage and the shooting scenes set at Alex and Becky's media studies xmas party 2008.

Neil Bell was an excellent compere playing the disengaged tutor Simon Quilter. I'm just running the tapes now and we have stacks of good stuff from everybody.

Thanks to all who contributed and came and saw. Will post media up soon.

Standing up in the kitchen

that's where I'm writing this...

Strange day (another) getting ready for launch. All sorted with actors and Dawn is helping with some organising which is a huge help. The original Alex Wilson* is helping us edit the half hour edit for the launch which is cool.

*- story to be told at a later date

Lots of dev going on the website - keep checking it and there's a few days left on our first editing competition so if you want to win some cinema tickets, a t-shirt and a mug then get to it but the competition is harsh - check out the entries so far....

I'm booked to do a thing (possibly a workshop?) with Scott Kirsner who has a great book out at the moment called 'Friends, Fans and Followers'. It's in January in Liverpool so maybe seeyou there - should be very interesting - Scott's book is right on the money about the new ways that artists and creators can earn a living by connecting with their fanbase on a global scale.

I'll put links in later as my LT is about to run out of b

AWP in the real world

It feels like I should write something but not sure what to concentrate on...

We're getting things ready for the launch event on the 3rd December. We'll be shooting scenes for AWP half the time and screening AWP for the other half - 1 input 1 output same crowd same actors. Could be hard to do but it feels like the right thing.

I can't really give the game away about the scenes we're shooting yet so what's the launch part going to consist of?

Neil Bell will MC the evening in the guise of disengaged media tutor, Simon Quilter who will run a workshop about multiplatform entertainment shows. Then:

• Screenings of Alex's and Becky's short film work.
• Live music from The Announcer's band.
  
• Special Guest Stars.
• Screening of AWP trailer competition winner.
  
• Games and online hocus pocus.
  
• Previews of exclusive AWP footage.
• Screening of AWP Episode 1 - MELTEZ.
  

03-12-09 LAUNCH

The launch of episode 1 - MELTEZ is coming up fast. There's plenty to do organising the party in Newcastle (or is it Sheerport?), getting ready to go to 5 clips a week with extra content and developing the technology that will really make this project tick-tock in 2010.

The launch party is on the 3rd December coinciding with the public unveiling of the episode on the web here, here and here.

We're shooting lots more footage and heading into the darkside of Sheerport as the story unfolds. We will start running 5 new clips a week soon, soon, soon...

We're still ironing out some issues with the system we're planning to use to deliver the full AWP experience starting in January 2010. Is it a grid, a storyfeed or a world of interactive video you get into for hours at a time - a bit of everything probably.



See G-MAN's latest ideas here:

Episode 1 INCOMING!!!

It's a dark month of creative differences and resource problems... membership working ok, timelining the next 6 months of material, automating delivery, mixing 2 interfaces together and a launch event to organise... oh fuck I;m writing another list...

be thankful for Tandi in times of stress

Halloween in Sheerport

Whooo! Scary! I have been blogging the AWP process on the quiet for a while but it now seems like a good idea to open things out. Both in terms of making the blog visible and also using the blog to talk in more detail about what how we're making this sprawling beast of a project.

I guess this new focus is derived from some of the transmedia* projects I have seen recently and the researching of Vloggers and Musicians on Youtube while looking for collaborators for AWP.

I'm astounded at how the barriers have come down and the line between the scene and behind the scene has blurred totally.

What this means I don't really know - let's see what happens.

*  latest in a long line of buzzwords

and the winner is...

not us - some people have no taste!

Power to the Pixel was a really great event. Highly recommend you all attend next year if you are interested in new forms of filmmaking infused with the power that computers and the internet can bring OR if you are interested in new ways of distributing and financing more traditional feature films.

AWP was well received in its fledgling state at the Pixel Pitch - thanks to everyone who supported us and congratulations to the winners of Pixel Pitch - Desedo Films with 'Heart of the City' and best of luck to all the other participants with their projects as time rolls on...

So what's happening with AWP?

Plenty - we've 3 new clips a week going out and we're launching Episode 1 - MELTEZ on the 2nd December 2009. Following on will be 'The Sheerport Convention' where the story will start to unfold - as it should be told.

2 posts in 1 day

The project has been shortlisted for the Pixel Pitch at Power to the Pixel 2009. Great chance to get the project in front of some interested parties and push further into the public conciousness.

Hmmm

Re-reading the prvious post from 6 weeks ago and sniggering at life's cruel irony - things have changed again and again - it's all good - the new website is cracking allowing us to throw loads of story and media at it.

There's a bunch of new clips weekly and the story is really startingto happen.

From Bios Mode

The Sheerport Convention is coming soon. We have had our excellent actors back to shoot some more brilliantly intriguing content: 'Why I Killed Lady Di', 'Remy Da Costa's Foneclip Fiasco' and 'Alex Wilson 2007'.

Counting down to episode 1!

Also enjoying some thoughts from Cluj, Romania - check it out here:
http://www.sectorulcultural.info/etribalart/

Interactive Thriller 'The Alexander Wilson Project' Teaser - Jawbone.tv

Interactive Thriller 'The Alexander Wilson Project' Teaser - Jawbone.tv

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Save Our Sheerport

a random post from Sheerport where things are on a go slow... that's not to say there's nothing happening... it's been a maddening few weeks with many more revisions to the plan... and there's still a long way to go till we can let the cat out of the bag... there will be some more material soon...

Current Trends in Urban Living?

A Late Tribute

Sorry Mr Jim for the lateness of this post but I was busy all yesterday. Your influence on this project and the lot of us involved in it is huge and not just in the (ab)use of your name. I am thankful that you were such a prolific writer and there are many of your stories I have yet to read. Dystopian Comfort. We are all still abuzz about your last great work 'Kingdom Come' - who knows where your back catalogue will take us now... You are a shining fucking star!

Read on Viewser

The Best Laid Plans

Signing off for a rest over Easter - the news is good though - we will be in touch soon and you can meet the rest of our characters - you haven't seen much of this project yet because we're making sure it's right.

It's worth noting here a lesson already learned several times before - you can plan and plan and write the script, polish the strategy, ask the experts, consult your audience, run it up the feckiing flagpole, throw on the lake and see if it skims (and you really do need to do all this) but until you see it on that monitor/phone streaming in off the server... you don't know anything - does it work? Probably not.

Why? Because there is nothing like this out there... yet! No reference points - just a feeling in the gut. This isn't just a random stream of nervous twitching. We have been here before.

I NAME THIS SHIP...

April 1st 2009 - more appearing here soon...

POST PILOT SHOOT

It's exactly 7 days since finishing the pilot. It was a great shoot - hard work but we're sure we got it. More to show and tell soon...

Moving Swiftly Onwards

Casting is now complete - thanks to all involved for contributing their skills and hard work. We were very sorry to let some very talented actors go but we are now sure we have the right cast to go forwards.

So who has been cast ? - we're not going to let you know that yet - you'll have to wait and see...

Shooting starts this Wednesday (11th March 09) - expect the unexpected!

Shortlist

Following on from last week's exuberance we are having a call back audition this Friday with a shortlist of 5 actors for the 3 main roles. Then we need to be shooting very soon afterwards...

Auditions

Yesterday on the 17th of February 2009 we held the final auditions for the project at DNA Performance Resource in Manchester.

The good news is we have a cast - we are going through the tapes and are very confident we can let everybody know what's happening next by this Friday (20th). The bad news is we saw some excellent people and will be sad to inform some of them that we don't need them at this stage.

But WE HAVE A CAST!!

Casting

Ok - so now we're casting - newcastle on the 14th Feb and manchester on the 17th Feb. We're seeing about 50 people and heading fast towards shooting the pilot early in March.

We will keep you posted along the way and I also want to use this space tosound off about other projects we like: SufferRosa, Four Eyed Monsters and loads more.

Also look out for ongoing calls for music and other related content which will be happening on a regular basis but for now it's goodnight at 3.55pm

over and out!

Sum explanation

What is this?

This is a blog about a new interactive film -
The Alexander Wilson Project.

Is it a film?

Yes.

Is it a game?

Yes.

Who is Alexander Wilson?

Who are you?

What is this?

What is this?


Is it a film?


Is it a game?


Who is Alexander Wilson?

Sheerport Maryland?

We're in Baltimore... imagine the views... the vistas

Not Baltimore MA - but Baltimore Court, Silver Quays, Sheerport, NE99 1XQ.

Email the Silver Quays Client Liason Department: happytobehere@visitsheerport.com


Let the show begin!