Comments on: official: hallam foe rocks!

By: Harold J. Johnson

Harold J. Johnson — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 13:07:43 +0000

Jamie Bell is shaping up to be a fine actor. Anyone see The Chumscrummer? Kind of a rip-off of Donnie Darko, but it’s different enough to make it a worthwhile film to watch. More than worthwhile actually, especially if just to watch Bell’s performance.

By: David Mac

David Mac — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 06:27:03 +0000

I am very happy that my friends can get into the film (even at this rough stage). And yes relieved too! But the big question for me right now is how to get the rest of the world into it. Yes it is a fucked up coming of age movie of sorts. But I hope it is a lot more than that.
We really need to find a way of expressing what makes the film special and why people should go and see it. I am way too close to it right now to be able to do that. I know the responses to it in the 4 rough cut screenings we have shown so far have been overwhelmingly brilliant, so that is really encouraging. But I really want to find a beautiful, clarified way of communicating what it is that doesn’t rely on cliches and reflects the film accurately.
The proplem is that it is a complex movie about a difficult stage in a young guy’s life and any attempt to reduce it to an easily digestible soundbite/pitch seems to take away the magic of the film. We know we need to find this pitch in order to capture the imagination of our potential viewers, but we don’t yet know what it is.
This search for the film’s identity is the challenge of the next few weeks for us and I hope Hugh is going to engage his readers in our quest . Any help much appreciated.

By: shelley Noble

shelley Noble — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:22:08 +0000

Great post, Hugh. Your earlier life sounds just as colorful as your present. Although, I’d be happier to read about the point in life when you found True Intimacy. I’ll keep checking back. Rock on.

By: Nia

Nia — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 19:55:58 +0000

It’s very hard to explain how coming of age feels, but you manage it perfectly. A great post, one of the best I remember.

By: eugene007

eugene007 — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 19:47:23 +0000

this feels right. we all know that talking about stuff with your mates helps make your mind up much more than seeing a poster or watching a tv ad but with film the effect is so much more huge. if you know someone and respect their opinions you’ll go see the films they like and vice versa. i don’t know you hugh but read your little ditty now and then and quite like some of the stuff you put out there. i’ll be checking the movie out for sure. i used to work in the film business and the idea that talking about the film or the process of making it (marketing it or whatever you want to call it) before it’s even close to being finished is going to be a shock to the system for loads of execs. not for the film makers though — more power to them. nicely done

By: Hugh MacLeod

Hugh MacLeod — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:20:55 +0000

Good points, John…
Remember, the blurb on imdb was written by someone who actually hasn’t seen the film.
So far, the only people who have seen the movie are people connected with the project.
I’m interested in what people who aren’t connected with the project have to say… and one has no control over that. I think as amarketer all you can do is listen and “get out of the way”.…

By: Peter Jinks

Peter Jinks — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:19:56 +0000

I’m flattered you think Jamie Bell bears a striking resemblance to me, Hugh. However, I think I still have the edge in terms of raw sexual charisma.

By: Hugh MacLeod

Hugh MacLeod — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:15:32 +0000

Cinderella Rockefeller’s on St Stephen’s St. Ouch. Pain.

By: Frank

Frank — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:40:33 +0000

Neat summary — I may well seek out the reels. However.…
It’s Outrageous.……
If your Whighams time was around 18 to 20 years ago (OMG) then HEY — I PROBABLY MET YOU HUGH!!!!!
I drank in there a LOT…
Being in the New Town, your ‘experiences’ probably also involved Cinderellas??
BTW I’m still looking for ‘Stormbooze’ in my local highstreet wine portal…Ink-on young lad.

By: Lee

Lee — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 08:21:34 +0000

What i found most refreshing was how palpable the whole experience of seeing the film was.
I’m doubtful that i’ve truly passed what Hallam was going through… looking forward and looking back at the same time… having confidence in himself to walk away from his literal nest but finding that it’s not a new nest or new friends or new relations that define you but who YOU are, that we never walk away from ourselves.
It tip-toes across a myriad of situations that echo some of my own personal experiences and it’s clear it’s done the same to others who’ve seen it.
To bring a little visual grammar to the table, there is a shot at the end of the proposed trailer with Hallam literally looking out at the audience and it felt that the film and Hallam are clearly looking out at you!

By: DK

DK — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 03:57:17 +0000

Looking forward to catching the film when it goes on main release — you may want to take some inspiration from http://www.foureyedmonsters.com/ who have managed to use nearly every web 2.0 trick to find an aduience for their film… just a suggestion given with respect and no expectations

By: John Dodds

John Dodds — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 03:06:19 +0000

Hugh — I wasn’t suggesting that it was. I was just very taken by such an explicit example of how the worldview of the consumer (for want of a better word) shapes the experience they have and the implications that has for marketing in all spheres.
Incidentally I’d like to start a groundswell for the development of a script based on yours and David’s 1984.
“Two Macs on the Pull” or “Hugh and Dave’s Lecherous Adventure.”

By: colin kennedy

colin kennedy — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 02:33:35 +0000

Whoah! What a massive post.
So here is my first comment on Gaping Void. I too loved the movie and in some senses you evoke a similar feeling of what was descibed to me by DM’s brother Al as ‘relief’ when he saw the film.
There’s no doubt about it that when you’ve worked on something for as long as we all have that to see it on the screen and know that the movie doesn’t suck, let alone to know that you are involved in something special, has elements of relief about it.
I think the movie is fantastic. DM has managed to construct a brilliantly engaging yet entirely plausible world for all it’s oddity and one that I know makes me think of the time I went through making my own less exceptional journey.
It’s been an exciting day.
Great post Hugh.
ck

By: Hugh MacLeod

Hugh MacLeod — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 02:26:25 +0000

John, the point of my post wasn’t “Here’s why you should like it” or “Here’s why some hypothetical audience should like it.“
The point of the post was “Here’s why I like it”.
There are a lot of bad movies out there with great synopses…

By: John Dodds

John Dodds — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 02:14:56 +0000

It’s interesting that your take-away from the film is different from the synopsis that appears on imdb. Perhaps that suggests multiple marketing strands might work and each attract different tranches of audience. Personally speaking, I’m more interested in the voyeur element of the script (and perhaps I should be worried about that).
As for “Young Adam” meets “My Life As A Dog”. Well very few people saw Young Adam, not many more have seen My Life As A Dog — so the combination of the two of them as a descriptor (while perhaps accurate) is meaningless to most people. I think plot is the source of more incisive and accesible descriptors.