Post Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:45 pm

New member - I need UK members' help!

Hi there, I'm Mark Hevingham, and recently I started production on a fan film called Bladder Run. I see that links have been posted here hence my joining. Hello to all fellow fans! Thanks to kipple for your kind words and emails thus far.

I wanted to tell you a little about Bladder Run, and to ask your help if you are within travelling distance of Birmingham UK.

Im 42 and I first saw Blade Runner as a sneal peak in 82 courtesy of Starburst magazine's free ticket promotion. Ive loved the movie ever since. I got into amateur films, initially as an actor, then camera man and editor 22 years ago. Since then I have acquired progressively better equipment and come a long way since shooting on a Betamax camera which had to unload its tape and be replayed in a VCR!

After seeing the "European/BFI" cut and then directors cut in the 90s I decided I's like to make a movie based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, but the Mercerism and certain other plot areas got my script bogged down. After making a short Star Trek parody - called Startled Geriatrics - I wrote an eight page draft of what would become Bladder Run in 1994. I re wrote and toiled wit hthe script for several years - in between work and home life. A good friend Tony Stamp suggested the title Bladder Run as it was near the original's title.

For years there was no reason WHY the story should be called that - but more of that in a minute.

In 1998 I got some work mates to act out some of the scenes and althouh it looked "OK" it became apparent that shooting on and off at weekends with work colleagues who were not actors would not work. The guy playing my protagonist - then called Dick Hard - was great and carried my scratchbuilt blaster and wore my own trench coat really well. the others were not so good. The project got shelved until last year.

At work I make promotional videos for clients so I know my way round a camera, and I own a Canon XM2 - a quite decent - albeit SD - camera.

I decided thet if the move was to get made several things needed to happen. 1) I needed to start again and write the script from the ground up. 27 drafts later I had done this. 2) I needed to use people who could act, use cameras, and audio equipment. I advertised on Gumtree.com a local networking site and got a lot of response. The local News paper - the Birmingham Evening Mail even responded - interviewed me - then to my annoyance pretty much made up 60% of the article. 3) I needed to find proper locations. Luckily a local arts centre called teh Custard factory agreed to sponsor the movie. They have many old and ultra modern buildings as well as a digital cinema which they kindly offered me to screen the premiere of the film. A local gallery - called The Public - also offered their assistance. I had a cast, a crew and a script. We had cameras, audio recording facilities, green screen capability, lights and locations. Then - I lost my job after 23 years, got really stressed and had a mini stroke. Im fine again now - but a few of the people dropped out. We went ahead and filmed some scenes and whilst they look good they would look better in HD.

So far we have not found anyone with a decent HD camera or three(!) to step in. Thats where I need your help.

By the way in the rewrite I used the character "Guff" to explain the title of the movie; Guff speaks gibberish and calls our lead - now called Rex Dickard - "Mr Bladder Run"!

About that help! Can any British fans help me with the following:

- Do you own or have access to HD camera(s)? If so would you come along and be part of the film? Its shot at weekends and there will be some evening shooting in accordance wit the exterior scenes
- Are you a CG artist? Althouh we have the green screen capability Id love photo realistic CG in the movie
- Do you own costumes and would you appear in crowd shots in them?
- Are you a Rutger Hauer look a like - I need a villain as hes one of the people to drop out.

I should point out that I am making this movie to show that "fans" can make a film on zero budget in England, and to enjoy the process too! Everyone is giving their time and efforts for free - so if you want paid sorry this isnt the project for you.

The completed film will be issued free of charge (bar disc/shipping costs) to all on Blu ray (if HD happens) and DVD.

If you can help please mail me? I look forward to hearing from you!

my email is mark_hevingham@hotmail.com

Many thanks

Mark