Activism and new UK Film: How The Underground Recreated The Hero : Written By Jane Mcconnell     Jane McConnell @janemcconnell  and @futureartists May 8th 2012, Salford, UK   In Emily James’ Just Do It, we watch news packages from major news outlets interlaced with POV footage from protestors scaling the giant cooler chimneys at the Ratcliffe Power Station. For a UK audience, a film like Just Do It is particularly subversive – even controversial. The protests were decade-defining – it…

#OCCUPYMEDIA.   One Film Versus The World. The Lost Generation. They occupied Wall Street. NY. DC, Chicago. London. …What if they occupied the media? #occupymedia New Manchester film The Lost Generation is the UK’s newest feature film to be released independently – at the end of the world – on the 20th December 2012, which takes a searing look at freedom, cyberwarfare and our idea of celebrity.         FILM SYNOPSIS “Think of a law. She’s broken it. Think of…

Project lost generation – a project with a new beat This article a perfect introduction to a variety of future artists workshops that will take place in Leeds, Birminghamduring October and at Channel 4 in London during November. The digital campfire – a social revolution with its own beat. (By  Mark Ashmore FRSA 29/8/11) In this essay I will explore how social communications and convergence culture has put a greater emphasis on storytelling, creating a 3rd tier content distribution network, which is unrecognised by traditional…

And there’s digital joy in London this weekend too – Digital Bootcamp is coming back to the Frontline Club (where it all started back in 2009 – which is a long time in technology years!) Digital Bootcamp is a master class designed to help you and your film navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Shooting People’s James Mullighan will guide you through a series of case studies and practical examples (with a focus on documentaries) to help you get up…

Africa United – first time feature of a Shooting People member since 2002 – opening in UK cinemas this weekend, and… well, have a read and see what you think.

Filmmaker Emily James discusses how ‘together we are stronger’ in the making of Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world – a feature documentary about climate activists, using crowd funding by donation and volunteer crew. Already there have been over 100 people who’ve given generously of their time and energy to make Just Do It happen, and no doubt there will be many more before we are done. We’ve had 31 camera people, 25 editors, 17 production volunteers,…

Filmmaker Emily James discusses why she’s choosing to fund her next film, Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world – a feature documentary about climate activists, using crowd funding by donation. So, if one’s publishing under a Creative Commons license (see previous blog), and not charging for viewing the work, how can one raise the funding to make it? In the long term, I don’t know what the big solution is. But it’s clear that big…

Filmmaker Emily James discusses why she’s choosing to release her next film, Just Do It: get off your arse and change the world - a feature documentary about climate activists, under a Creative Commons licence.

For my second blog I thought it might be useful to supply a bit of background, so that when I start ranting in future blogs about the perversity of the film business, (and I will) you will know it’s based on some experience.

Guest blogger, Emily James, is currently in production on a feature documentary about environmental direct action groups, including Plane Stupid, Climate Camp, and Climate Rush. The film is crowd funding, and will be released under a Creative Commons license in early 2011.