Here in the Duke household, we really know how to eke out Christmas. We take the twelve days of Christmas very seriously. For us, Christmas Day is but the start of a long and laborious process of International Phone Calls, the continuation of 'last minute postage' and the sheer mounts of food eaten. The advantage of relatives living abroad is that lte received Christmas cards have a viable excuse (they were lost in the post). The other bits and bobs that are sent include parcels of fruit cake and hard currency, wired in a matter of minutes so that relatives abroad can enjoy their Christmas splurge. Honestly, sometimes I think it would be more cost effective to jet off to the country for a few days and hand out all these gifts rather than write/phone/post/wire to them.
Of course, to make it more complicated, there are two countries involved, Seychelles (mama) and Sri Lanka (upa). That means co-ordinating with two different time zones when calling. Plus the fact that everyone is at church on those days. Then there are the ones in this country.
Thank goodness for New Year's and the Epiphany, when it gets a lot more quiet. Happy New Year everyone!
Wednesday 31 December 2008
Tuesday 30 December 2008
Monday 29 December 2008
Finally!
What I have believed in all my life has finally made it to the bookshelves of America. Apparently it is good for your body to eat, well, normal foods. That means full fat dairies, egg yolks and other cholesterol inducing bits and bobs. What has been known to anyone traveling outside the UK for many years and is only being realised in 'the West', are that diets affect the libido. You may receive a slim waistline but that doesn't mean you get the chance to enjoy it. Everyone needs a bit of cushion for the pushin'and there is far more to play with anyway.
As Christmas is coming to an end and one of the top NY-Resolutions for many will be diet, I always have to ask, how does cutting back on food make anyone happier? We have three months of perpetual darkness before the rays of spring finally decide to cast themselves on this barren little rock in the Northern Atlantic. In other words, with the cold, the lack of any holidays and the complete lack of an economy looming up ahead, why compound the misery with a lack of gastro-intestinal satisfaction? I like to cook, I like to eat and believe it or not, I like to shop for food (but not at the supermarket). Eating is an essential part of life and so why make it such a miserable part of existence. And (sod the carbon emissions) with food available from all over the world in this humble city, why not enjoy what is on offer. After all, when I am decrepit and old, the last thing I will be remembering will be how 'hunky' I looked but instead I will recount the delightful cuisines that I have sampled.
So make this New Year's Resolution something more positive. To enjoy food rather than restrict it. To revel in the richness of a varied diet rather than playing with boiled vegetables. Exercise, it gives a greater excuse to eat. And very importantly, explore food. Whether it is eating out (and it can be done on the cheap in London, especially when tee-total) or trying a new foods to cook, delight yourself in your tastebuds' fantasies. It will stop you pigging out on oversized coffees (a disgusting drink in the UK), you will have less cravings for chocolate (most of the high street stuff is vile) and booze will seem a lot less attractive (unless you are an alcoholic). We are what we eat, and so make it good!
As Christmas is coming to an end and one of the top NY-Resolutions for many will be diet, I always have to ask, how does cutting back on food make anyone happier? We have three months of perpetual darkness before the rays of spring finally decide to cast themselves on this barren little rock in the Northern Atlantic. In other words, with the cold, the lack of any holidays and the complete lack of an economy looming up ahead, why compound the misery with a lack of gastro-intestinal satisfaction? I like to cook, I like to eat and believe it or not, I like to shop for food (but not at the supermarket). Eating is an essential part of life and so why make it such a miserable part of existence. And (sod the carbon emissions) with food available from all over the world in this humble city, why not enjoy what is on offer. After all, when I am decrepit and old, the last thing I will be remembering will be how 'hunky' I looked but instead I will recount the delightful cuisines that I have sampled.
So make this New Year's Resolution something more positive. To enjoy food rather than restrict it. To revel in the richness of a varied diet rather than playing with boiled vegetables. Exercise, it gives a greater excuse to eat. And very importantly, explore food. Whether it is eating out (and it can be done on the cheap in London, especially when tee-total) or trying a new foods to cook, delight yourself in your tastebuds' fantasies. It will stop you pigging out on oversized coffees (a disgusting drink in the UK), you will have less cravings for chocolate (most of the high street stuff is vile) and booze will seem a lot less attractive (unless you are an alcoholic). We are what we eat, and so make it good!
Sunday 28 December 2008
Rock and Roll!
Today I am having a lot of fun. Despite the fact there is less than five hours to go until I have to fill out two hours of FM airtime, I am still planning a playlist to delight and shock the world in its variety and entertainment value. And this week, in a very different change of tack from the last year, and by special request, this will be a show encompassing the great and good of the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. So hold on for a bit of Rock & Roll, Sweet Soul Music, Psychedelia and groovy tunes on the Movies and Music Show from 5pm tonight!
Saturday 27 December 2008
Christmas Review
Okay, so I ate the turkey, stuffed myself with Christmas Pudding and watched far too much TV. It is good to take a 'break', but life continues pretty quickly once Boxing Day is over. I love Christmas, but it does amuse me tat we go into a state of frenzy for a one day dance. Still, it is unusual to see shops closed and streets deserted for a whole 24 hours (and let's be honest, Boxing Day is not much busier too). Some take the week off, some just take a few days, others have no time off, but Christmas is an interesting time with which to compare the rest of the year. It is also the highlight of winter. Despite the sunny weather outside, it is cold and the daylight hours are only so few. We still have three months of wretchedness until we get any decent amount of daytime hours filtering through, such is our distance above the equator.
As another year comes to an end (where the hell did 2008 go?), 2009 starts on a personal level, on a rather strange note. I look forward to the new year, but I also realise that there is much to be done in this one coming up. The end of a decade, the chance to build on the lessons learnt in previous years and real progress ahead in what I want to do. But as always, it won't be easy. It is going to be a challenge, but hopefully one that will not take place in a vacuum. I have some milestones that I want to topple next year, and in 365-odd days time, I hope to say that I have knocked them over!
As another year comes to an end (where the hell did 2008 go?), 2009 starts on a personal level, on a rather strange note. I look forward to the new year, but I also realise that there is much to be done in this one coming up. The end of a decade, the chance to build on the lessons learnt in previous years and real progress ahead in what I want to do. But as always, it won't be easy. It is going to be a challenge, but hopefully one that will not take place in a vacuum. I have some milestones that I want to topple next year, and in 365-odd days time, I hope to say that I have knocked them over!
Friday 26 December 2008
More games!
After a few days hacking away, a slightly better game than last week's attempt...
Give it a moment to load, and turn your speakers on.
Give it a moment to load, and turn your speakers on.
and don't forget to check out the vid below where El Director will be flexing his pyrotechnical skills!
- El Maestro
Thursday 25 December 2008
Christmas Funkiness (From El D. Blog)
I love Christmas, as at this time of the year the news is filled with far more interesting stories, alongside the doom and gloom as their pages and spaces and bandwidths have to be filled. Here are a selection of some of the more interesting stories I have seen on my wanderings over the past few days:
Do you really expect me to have any sympaty for these fuckers?
Hey as if giving up an aircraft is a sacrifice. Oh, and the moment where the trader goes into a fury with a cup of cola is pure classic Muppetery.
Cousin Fucking is good for you.
Apparently so. But why is there no boner in that department?
Mexican Beauty arrested on Weapons' charges.
Now, to be honest, if I have to choose a way to die, she would be pretty high up on the list of the best ways to pop off.
Oh well, off to baste the turkey. Merry Christmas!
---
Oh, and something from Vlogsup!
(Thanks to Daniel for that piece of genius)
Do you really expect me to have any sympaty for these fuckers?
Hey as if giving up an aircraft is a sacrifice. Oh, and the moment where the trader goes into a fury with a cup of cola is pure classic Muppetery.
Cousin Fucking is good for you.
Apparently so. But why is there no boner in that department?
Mexican Beauty arrested on Weapons' charges.
Now, to be honest, if I have to choose a way to die, she would be pretty high up on the list of the best ways to pop off.
Oh well, off to baste the turkey. Merry Christmas!
---
Oh, and something from Vlogsup!
(Thanks to Daniel for that piece of genius)
Wednesday 24 December 2008
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our fans and Viewers. We will be back from Jan 2nd '09 for more adventures, so watch this space!
Tuesday 23 December 2008
Monday 22 December 2008
Filming this Christmas
While many of us will be spending the holidays on holiday, I will be working like a dog, on two fronts. Firstly, I will be tearing round London's streets at obscene times of the night to put cash in my wallet. Secondly, I will be spending my days creating, what I hope is to be, a visual masterpiece.
My films up until now have been simplistic affairs. Filmed on the cheap with poor sound, no sense of cinematography and shot quickly. Essentially they have been glorified home videos. But they have got me very far, considering the ways which they were made (poorly), and the experience of film making that I possessed (none).
Starting with ideas and scripts a few years ago, it is strange to see the journey so far. The fear of switching on a camera and editing on a computer has been replaced by cocky manhandling of my precious equipment and an internet presence that would make most spammers proud.
As a person who has never been to film school, I have been clueless about films. My education in film came from the PCC, my inertia towards cinema from my own mad writings (hey, how else do you think I can blog almost everyday) and my decision to plunge into film making from my own lack of foresight. Admittedly, now I see the credit crunch unfolding, I 'may' have made the right decision in not chasing after the money. Then again...
The real eye opener to making films came at Cannes this year, when I attended the Short Film Corner. This was where I was able to meet other film makers, see what was being made and see how the 'movers and shakers' in the industry were doing things. On a more fundamental level, I actually saw why producers and distributors did business the way they did. That was really important. I got to see what people were not doing as well. Finally, I also saw what was being produced by other film makers in my position.
Skip forward six months and it is Christmas. I plan to shoot two short film by March '09 and to have everything wrapped up by May. A tall order. Each time I have started on a new project, I have advanced somewhat. Now this next step is crucial, although it is so basic to the concept of film. Firstly, to make my films actually cinematic. Secondly, to make then sound nice.
Let me tackle the sound first of all. I have got a decent mic, finally. And yes, it does work really well, but I am not going to bother with sound until February, when I make a follow-on to the adventures of Jay and Kay.
For the moment, I am tackling the problems with visuals and finding solutions to them. Creating great lighting, pulling the focus point just right, knowing how to frame the subject, camera movements, etc. Initial results are promising, but there is still a lot of work to do. This first short film should be wrapped up by the beginning of the New Year, and I should have a rough cut by the end of January. And this short film, 'The Railway Tracks' is of a very different vein to the Paint. Darker, more twisted and with some funky camera angles to boot.
It is a scary moment for me, as I have to live upto the small steps forward that I have achieved so far. As with many things in the world of film, everything rests on what I can and cannot achieve. And I do not know whether the outcome will be successful or not. Only time will tell...
My films up until now have been simplistic affairs. Filmed on the cheap with poor sound, no sense of cinematography and shot quickly. Essentially they have been glorified home videos. But they have got me very far, considering the ways which they were made (poorly), and the experience of film making that I possessed (none).
Starting with ideas and scripts a few years ago, it is strange to see the journey so far. The fear of switching on a camera and editing on a computer has been replaced by cocky manhandling of my precious equipment and an internet presence that would make most spammers proud.
As a person who has never been to film school, I have been clueless about films. My education in film came from the PCC, my inertia towards cinema from my own mad writings (hey, how else do you think I can blog almost everyday) and my decision to plunge into film making from my own lack of foresight. Admittedly, now I see the credit crunch unfolding, I 'may' have made the right decision in not chasing after the money. Then again...
The real eye opener to making films came at Cannes this year, when I attended the Short Film Corner. This was where I was able to meet other film makers, see what was being made and see how the 'movers and shakers' in the industry were doing things. On a more fundamental level, I actually saw why producers and distributors did business the way they did. That was really important. I got to see what people were not doing as well. Finally, I also saw what was being produced by other film makers in my position.
Skip forward six months and it is Christmas. I plan to shoot two short film by March '09 and to have everything wrapped up by May. A tall order. Each time I have started on a new project, I have advanced somewhat. Now this next step is crucial, although it is so basic to the concept of film. Firstly, to make my films actually cinematic. Secondly, to make then sound nice.
Let me tackle the sound first of all. I have got a decent mic, finally. And yes, it does work really well, but I am not going to bother with sound until February, when I make a follow-on to the adventures of Jay and Kay.
For the moment, I am tackling the problems with visuals and finding solutions to them. Creating great lighting, pulling the focus point just right, knowing how to frame the subject, camera movements, etc. Initial results are promising, but there is still a lot of work to do. This first short film should be wrapped up by the beginning of the New Year, and I should have a rough cut by the end of January. And this short film, 'The Railway Tracks' is of a very different vein to the Paint. Darker, more twisted and with some funky camera angles to boot.
It is a scary moment for me, as I have to live upto the small steps forward that I have achieved so far. As with many things in the world of film, everything rests on what I can and cannot achieve. And I do not know whether the outcome will be successful or not. Only time will tell...
Friday 19 December 2008
Rock Paper Scissors Returns...!
By means of a “seasonal gift” I present to you this short game that I wrote a few months ago, and then forgot about until yesterday...
This has to be just about the tackiest game every developed… but not to worry!!! V1.2 will come complete with a 3D dungeon environment shoot-em-up possibly featuring Lara Croft and a giant talking monkey. I promise :-)
http://www.nickpeck.co.uk/CWP/rock_paper_scissors.jar
- El Maestro
This has to be just about the tackiest game every developed… but not to worry!!! V1.2 will come complete with a 3D dungeon environment shoot-em-up possibly featuring Lara Croft and a giant talking monkey. I promise :-)
http://www.nickpeck.co.uk/CWP/rock_paper_scissors.jar
- El Maestro
- JAVA must be installed on your machine for this app to run (it should be there already).
- This is freeware and is to be run at your own risk, (your mental health that is, not your PC/MAC).
- I put this together in an afternoon – so haven’t done any debugging. Please report any “sensible” errors.
- No installation required. Just download & click on the icon…
Public Announcement
We temporarily interrupt this broadcast for some general fun and frivolity. After all, it's Christmas!
Thursday 18 December 2008
Wednesday 17 December 2008
Bye Bye Pownce
Pownce was a little bit like Twitter. But it was a little bt more advanced and a little less 'common'. Pownce was the thinking man's Twitter. And that was its problem, it was too elitist, to much like Sunny California rather than the Clapham Omnibus. And in today's, 'Buy-Buy/Sell-Sell' world, that means nothing.
Bye bye Pownce, hello Twitter.
Bye bye Pownce, hello Twitter.
Tuesday 16 December 2008
Monday 15 December 2008
Sunday 14 December 2008
What I wanted to originally write:
Kay looks on, happy that the four of them are united. He sings,
'Jay, Kay, Lei, May, Jay, Kay, Lei, May, Jay, Kay, Lei, May, Jay, Kay, Lei-mmm.'
May grabs his mouth.
'Quiet, you!'
---
But it has turned out slightly differently. However, I kept the names, which is why today, Jay and Kay are called so.
'Jay, Kay, Lei, May, Jay, Kay, Lei, May, Jay, Kay, Lei, May, Jay, Kay, Lei-mmm.'
May grabs his mouth.
'Quiet, you!'
---
But it has turned out slightly differently. However, I kept the names, which is why today, Jay and Kay are called so.
Saturday 13 December 2008
Filming in the Rain
This is England. It rains. Filming in the Rain sucks. Official. Next time, must film in location that is dry. Mali...
Friday 12 December 2008
Sync Up
All right, my head hurts. I have been fiddling around with major post-production facilities. And to put it simply, they are a pain n the butt crack. They seem to work for my old pieces of work; SD footage, webcams, old exported files. But for some reason, I cannot get them to work with the new camera. Is the world against me? I think so...
Thursday 11 December 2008
Wednesday 10 December 2008
Making the Characters 'Real'
Imagine if Jay and Kay were actually real people, that you met at the bus stop. After knowing what these two colourful characters get up to, their adventures together. After all, they are not just friends, but conspiritors too.
But making them 'real' is tricky. After all, I have to give them a back story, make it all match up, a purpose in life and of course a good ending so the audience will love them more. Ultimately, when it is all dusted and done, the filming can begin and voila, it is ready...
But making them 'real' is tricky. After all, I have to give them a back story, make it all match up, a purpose in life and of course a good ending so the audience will love them more. Ultimately, when it is all dusted and done, the filming can begin and voila, it is ready...
Tuesday 9 December 2008
Monday 8 December 2008
The Joys of Script Writing
The next 'big short' for Caution Wet Paint is coming in February. It will be shot on HD and will involve animated sequences and the aim is to get this released to film festivals in the latter half of 2009. It is a direct continuation from our first short, 'The Bus Stop'.
Now, I must admit, I have been having difficulties with the script. It seemed flat to me, and to be honest, nothing to do with he fun of Jay and Kay over the past eighteen months. But last night I was awake for half the night, writing and re-writing the short script. I still have a little bit more work to do, but for the first time since I started it, I actually quite like the script. I seems to fit the humour of the characters current predicament and also hints to where I want to take the feature film in the future...
Now, I must admit, I have been having difficulties with the script. It seemed flat to me, and to be honest, nothing to do with he fun of Jay and Kay over the past eighteen months. But last night I was awake for half the night, writing and re-writing the short script. I still have a little bit more work to do, but for the first time since I started it, I actually quite like the script. I seems to fit the humour of the characters current predicament and also hints to where I want to take the feature film in the future...
Sunday 7 December 2008
Friday 5 December 2008
Lights, Camera, Action...
A deep blog. Where the investments of 2008 will take me in 2009. Scary thought. Can I walk the walk, or is talk cheap?
Thursday 4 December 2008
The Suitcase
Wakes up.
Cod Sweat running down forehead.
Wipes. Clean.
Something is amiss.
Checks body. Still intact. Looks round. Nothing.
Blackness of the night.
Lays back to bed, thinking, dreaming, of the possibilities.
And then realises.
Help me...
Cod Sweat running down forehead.
Wipes. Clean.
Something is amiss.
Checks body. Still intact. Looks round. Nothing.
Blackness of the night.
Lays back to bed, thinking, dreaming, of the possibilities.
And then realises.
Help me...
Wednesday 3 December 2008
Tuesday 2 December 2008
Monday 1 December 2008
Shoping does not equal f-ing
Some people love to go shopping.
Not El D.
He despises it.
Whether online, in store or via a phone directory (what's that?), there is no pleasure in it for El D.
Maybe it is because he is evil and stingy.
Maybe it is because he has no cash on him.
Or maybe it is because he sees the futility in such purchases (blame Archaeology for that one).
El D. has shopped today.
He is not happy.
Not El D.
He despises it.
Whether online, in store or via a phone directory (what's that?), there is no pleasure in it for El D.
Maybe it is because he is evil and stingy.
Maybe it is because he has no cash on him.
Or maybe it is because he sees the futility in such purchases (blame Archaeology for that one).
El D. has shopped today.
He is not happy.
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