1st December is World AIDS Day and we thought there could be no better time to reflect on the lives of 65% of the cast of PILI living with HIV and that of everyone living with HIV around the world. To mark this day we have released a teaser trailer of the film, just click … More A little teaser
Whatever happens next with PILI, nothing will beat what happened last week with the screening of the film to the cast and communities where it was shot. As with all endings, the return to Tanzania was filled with drama and tension, laughter, and a lot of hugs and gossip. It was without doubt one of … More The End
The completion of a project is rarely accompanied by fireworks or applause but usually an email confirmation or the handing over of a piece of work to an administrator. The completion of a project is often weirdly anti-climatic, especially when the end takes so many tweaks and is all too often nearly-finished. I’ve been here … More COMPLETED!!!
With anything big – writing a book, completing a PhD, finishing a feature film – the last bit always seems the longest. Every time you think you’re finished there’s something small and faffy that means you’re not finished. PILI is pretty much finished. The sound is good, the grade looks good, the credits (of which … More Are we there yet?
Jaws without the derrrr dum, derrrr dum wouldn’t be half as tense (not that I know, too scared to watch it) and Apocalypse Now without Ride of the Valkyries wouldn’t have made it a definitive war film (according to me, with no film critic credentials), and PILI without the excellent work of Tom, Oscar, … More Sound Edit: insect dissonance and 007
In a dark, dark (ish room), at the bottom of a dark, dark house (not at all), in a dark, dark Soho street (actually blazing sunshine) PILI is being shaped, stabilised, and warmed up by the super Colourist Malcolm Ellison in the company of Director Leanne. This morning I was allowed into the dark, dark … More Colouring and the importance of Font
Director Leanne’s short film about Ebola health workers has been nominated for the Conscious Good Humanitarian Film Festival. This is excellent news and reflects Leanne’s commitment to and collaborations with the people of Freetown. Leanne and I met because of Ebola. It was her work and focus on the everyday experiences and contribution of … More Vote for Leanne!
Deep in the depths of Maze Hill – an area of London I hadn’t heard of let alone visited – 3 talented actors + a producer and a Director invaded sound composer Tim’s bedroom to impersonate the BBC World Service for Pili to listen to on her radio. Big thanks to Andrew, Katy and Lauren … More Being the BBC
If you’re reading this in Africa, bored and want to do something entertaining: find a visiting European and serve them a nice drink with ice.* Next, watch them squirm in a way that is too polite to turn down the drink or question if the ice is made from bottled water (manners matter), but … More Fear of Ice
Thank you super clever and fantastically good-looking friends of PILI: since my call to social media action last week we’ve managed to create a little buzz around the film. The Facebook page is behaving like the most popular teen in school and has so far had (drum roll please): 835 likes, has reached over 2500 … More A Bit of a Buzz and More Malaria
Not Another AIDS Film 