Russian Marriage Agency In Israel

Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress wins at London’s Sur-REEL & Uncanny Film Fest

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Surreal short film Osiris wowed the audience at the recent Sur-REEL & Uncanny Film Fest, a celebration of surreal experimentation in independent filmmaking. The London film festival, now in its 2nd year, awarded director Elliott Reeves the overall Best Film statuette for his cinematic gem about a young woman’s nightmare; a nightmare that weaves an uncanny trail in her waking life. You’ll find yourself transfixed by the edgy plot points while piecing together this eerie thriller. Lead actress Meg Clarke, who plays Nova, won Best Actress at the awards with Elliott Reeves triumphing in the Best Director catergory. He shares his production journey.

What inspired you to make Osiris?

David Lynch is one of my favourite filmmakers and amongst my biggest inspirations. I love the kind of filmmaking that doesn’t always directly explain everything that’s going on in the film and where there’s a lot going on that you might not catch on first watch. The sort of mystery that gets you coming back to watch the film over and over again.

Tell us a bit about your production experience before shooting Osiris

I studied film production at Staffordshire University, so a lot of my knowledge came from there and probably 80% of the films I have made before have come from there. I have made 10 short films up to this point but they were mostly co-written, co-directed projects, whereas this is the first short that I have fully directed and written myself. I have shot a few music videos as well – but no features as yet.

The film has a slick, professional look – alongside its jarring edginess. Could you tell us how you achieved such amazing production values?

I worked closely with my cinematographer Sam Powyer who is really talented – he’s shot a lot of music videos. We discussed the look of the film and I sent him reference images from cinema and photography close to the kind of vibe I wanted. There’s a photographer called Gregory Crewdson who is quite amazing in terms of surreal imagery, so that was certainly an inspiration for the cinematic look we wanted. Our cinematographer’s lighting had this amazing depth and also superbly created the uneasy atmosphere that we were going for. Post production-wise, the majority of the editing was done by me, toiling away over a year.

The film is very layered and has lots of hidden elements. Some film fans at the festival said they loved it but didn’t necessarily understand it. Was that your intention? Is there a hidden message in those undisclosed layers?

Well, not necessarily a hidden message but the story is in there. I did write and shoot it with the intention that the first time you watch it you are probably not supposed to understand it fully, but if you really want to know what’s happening, if you watch t again you should be able to piece everything together. The clues are all there.

Elliott Reeves, director of short film ‘Osiris’ with his Best Film statuette. [Sur-REEL & Uncanny Film Fest]

I am currently writing a horror feature film with my brother. But otherwise I will be creating more short films and hope to enter them for film festivals and screenings in the coming year.

This super-talented director is destined for great things so keep an eye out for updates on his horror feature. If it’s anything like Osiris it should be a sure-fire surreal and uncanny hit!

The 1950s was a boom period for cinema, which overtook art for the first time as the preferred choice for culture seekers and consumers. Much of this was down to leaps in film technology but these same developments also gave artists a much-needed look in. In the early 60s, Sony began manufacturing consumer film cameras which were bought by experimental filmmakers like Andy Warhol. A few years before, German artist Wolf Vostell had made creative inroads into video art with his 1958 artwork The Black Room Cycle but it was essentially a mixed-media collage with a built-in TV set rather than a video installation or video art piece. However, in 1959, he unveiled the world’s first video installation using working televisions. 

Korean American Nam June Paik is widely recognised as pre-eminent amongst video artists; stacking his television sculptures in a style later copied by 21st-century artists and introducing the video walls we often see in installation shows today. Amongst his most well-received and prominent early exhibitions was the 1963 Exposition of Music-Electronic Television, held at the Galerie Parnass in Wuppertal, West Germany. Both Paik and Vostell were founder members of the Fluxus movement. 

The Warhol Era 

Andy Warhol’s ‘anti-films’ set out to dismantle the narrative structure and aesthetic bounds of screen culture. They were essentially video recordings of performance art. His work encouraged audiences to shift from the cosy perspective of ‘watchers’ to less passive ‘viewers’. Check out Warhol’s experimental video Sleep, a five-hour film of his boyfriend sleeping. He also created some shorter ones: Eat was a 45-minute film of a man eating mushrooms! Some might argue a 45-minute horror film of giant Man-eating Mushrooms might have been a better fit with 1960s big-screen film culture.

Andy Warhol

Indeed, the 60s was a decade where the lines between popular culture and high culture was somewhat blurred as film was formally accepted as art. The Pop Art movement, led by Warhol himself, added momentum to what was already an unstoppable force and took cultural inspiration from movie icons like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. Few realise just how important Warhol’s contribution was. If 1963/64 were pivotal years in the emergence of video art, Warhol was unquestionably one of the pioneers; he bought his first camera in 1963 and he shot his first experimental film a year later.

The 1970s

TV offerings of the likes of Wonder Woman and Charlie’s Angels were a rich source of material for artist reworkings that ranged from the playful to the deconstructive. Artists reconfigured these images into unrecognisable simulacrum. American artist Dara Birnbaum re-edited footage from the 1970s Wonder Woman TV series starring Lynda Carter to highlight how women were portrayed as either superheroes or stereotypes – but not anything in between. Birnhaum’s practice focused heavily on television culture. 

Charlie’s Angels

So, just as one would gut a fish, TV and cinema would have its central narratives similarly extracted before being reconfigured and ‘plinthed’ in a new aesthetic as sculptural works. French sociologist and philosopher Jean Baudrillard had much to say about the disassembly of overriding narrative structures. So the next time you go to an exhibition to see a video installation and ponder whether you’re supposed to glance as you pass by or ‘watch’ ‘view’ ‘stare’ or ‘study’, remember, a French sociologist called Baudrillard predicted a lot of this. 

He would have had a soft spot for these video artists who seek to present both the real and unreal as definitively unreal. He pretty much despised high-tech realism describing it as a soulless form of digital perfection. Amongst his quotes: “Reality is disappearing at the hands of the cinema and cinema is disappearing at the hands of reality.” and “‘the intensity of the image matches the degree of its denial of the real’.                                                                                                                                                    

With this influx of new ideas around art and film came waves of interpretations, approaches and aesthetic philosophies bringing new ways of seeing. You’ll never look at a Wonder Woman movie the same way again.

The festival gets its name from founder Robert Redford’s most famous film, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. The film’s Oscar-winning cinematography owes much to the soft-focused, rich-hued aesthetic of 35mm film and photochemical processing. Interestingly, it was shot in 1969 – just as a breakthrough in digital photography was happening with the development of CCD light sensors. The light sensor captured the image and made it unnecessary to have film in the camera. This was the first hint that celluloid’s century-long dominance might be challenged. Has the introduction of digital technology enhanced or hindered filmmaking since 1969? With festivals now teeming with film submissions like never before because of the accessibility of cheap digital cameras, we examine the development of consumer camera technology and how it revolutionised filmmaking.

Considering Kodak was most adversely impacted by the digital revolution, it’s fateful that in 1975 they developed the world’s first digital still camera. Eastman Kodak engineer Steven Sasson’s prototype made use of the pioneering Fairman CCD electronic sensors available at the time but the camera was a weighty, bulky thing. It successfully captured black and white footage onto digital cassette tapes but Kodak saw no future in it and did not fund further development. At this time, the celluloid world had no reason to fear the slow and stuttering emergence of its new competitor – not with the likes of All The President’s Men, which starred Sundance founder Robert Redford, hitting the screens a year later: captured in glorious Eastman color negative 5254 and shot with Panavision’s Panaflex camera.

All The President’s Men (1976)

Pre-digital
Digital camera innovation was driven by the leaps in home filmmaking technology in the 1980s. In 1983, the first consumer camcorder hit the market. Sony’s Betamovie BMC-100 recorded onto video cassette but did not have a playback button! VHS produced a rival camera which used even bigger cassettes so you can imagine the size of it. Two years later Panasonic’s NV-M1 VHS camcorder sought to capitalise on this new technology and its marked improvements drew a larger market share. The spirit of innovation/imitation was such that within a year Sony released the world’s first all-digital camera. Unfortunately, the uncompressed format took up a huge amount of space on tape – tape had obvious limitations anyway.

The improvements offered a year later by the rival Fuji DS-1P meant footage could be captured onto memory cards for the first time. But they did not capitalise on this and lacked an impactful marketing campaign. Indeed, in 1990 the Dycam Model 1 became the first digital camera widely available to consumers who admired its cutting-edge digital capabilities and the ability to download footage to computers for the first time. Later, Sony’s MiniDV cameras eclipsed its popularity quite effortlessly.

Digital versus Film
But still, no digital film classic on our screens to unseat the market hegemony of celluloid standards such as Heat (1995) and Titanic (1997), which were around at the time. Filmmaking upstart Thomas Vintenberg shot The Idiots (1998) on the Sony VX-1000 digital camcorder and fellow Dogme 95 director Lars von Trier shot Festen (1998) on the tiny Sony DCR-PC3 Handycam (Mini-DV). Both were received with critical acclaim but were still essentially ripples on the cinematic wave – albeit, quite significant ones. They were the first digital films admitted to the Cannes Film Festival.

However, in 1999, Star Wars creator George Lucas popularised the digital format by making Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace the first major film to be projected digitally and Attack of the Clones (2002) was shot entirely on digital using the groundbreaking Sony CineAlta HDW-F900 pioneered by Lucasfilm, Sony and Panavision. The fissure between celluloid and digital widened as the camera was proclaimed the world’s first digital cinema camera thus presenting a very real challenge to film’s monopoly of major productions. In 2006, David Lynch shot Inland Empire in digital and said it was unlikely he would return to film.

Attack of the Clones (2002) –  shot entirely on digital using the Sony CineAlta HDW-F900

Regardeless, celluloid stalwarts such as Quentin Tarantino continued to champion the format and shot The Hateful Eight in 65mm. He was not swayed by the industry uptake of the new digital projection standard and said his movie would embark on a roadshow of cinemas with the required 70mm projection facilities. Now that’s what you call a celluloid champion!

SD Cards and the smartphone revolution
Does anyone remember Digital 8? Yet another hybrid digital and tape format that hung around until Sony’s first tapeless digital camera in 2003. The Sony XDCAM was priced for professionals but Sony saw a market for the consumer budget and produced cheaper versions. The likes of Panasonic followed suit. The Panasonic AG HVX200 recorded crisp high definition onto memory cards. By the 2000s, the development of smaller SD cards sped up the smartphone camera revolution. Tangerine, a film about transgender prostitutes was shot on an iPhone and premiered at Sundance in 2015 – the first iPhone film to be admitted. Do we sense the celluloid apple cart beginning to wobble? Not really.

Tangerine – shot on iPhone 5S, premiered at Sundance Film Festival (2015)

Movie-making went from ‘serious’ digital filmmakers boasting about their 2k, 4k, and 8k digital camera updates to mobile phone owners recording 8k without a sweat and wondering what all the fuss was about. Yes, Samsung’s S20, released in 2022 captured 8K at 24fps. Whatever next! The unbridled pace of technological innovation will not be slowed by demands to respect past institutions. It’s human nature to pursue whatever we deem to be better, faster, smaller, bigger even. The bottom line? Film, digital and mobile phone filmmakers should stop squabbling about what’s the most authentic format and focus on what’s happening in the frame. Perhaps, that’s where the true aesthetic lies.

Sundance Film Festival: London 2023 runs 6-9 July, Picturehouse Central

At the first-ever UK festival dedicated to the surreal and uncanny, filmmaker Rocio Rocha from Argentina wins the trophy for Best Film as her experimental short The Inhabitants Of Me wows the judges. Lisa Battocchio from Italy wins the coveted Best Director category for her beautifully shot and surreally-woven short film Cochlea.

________

This festival promised to entertain with short films and features that fit the category of surreal and uncanny and there were also talks of an uncanny new genre emerging from the confluence of the two. There were a wide variety of films under this banner; from the dream-like Rhapsody On An Apple (dir Carlos Calvar) which won Best Cinematography and Best Editing, to the classically ‘uncanny’ Moth Night (dir Nicolas Toniollo) which won Best Screenplay.

We interview BEST FILM winner Rocio Rocha about her background in filmmaking and the driving forces behind her creativity.

Rocio Rocha (dir. The Inhabitants Of Me)

Congratulations on your win Rocio. Tell us more about your background in filmmaking

My background in filmmaking outside the academic curriculum is quite narrow. I have worked as an art director for a couple of local videoclips, director of photography in a documentary about tango, and some video pieces for theatre plays. Nevertheless, my most personal works have occurred during academic life, always revolving around “strange”, occult and philosophical subjects (either explicitly or in a veiled form).

Do you remember what first inspired you to become a filmmaker?

I think of it more as a process, it happened organically. My mother was a librarian and my father a classical musician and composer, so I grew up in the corridors of a library, reading Ray Bradbury and hearing my father’s explanations on how instruments or melodies can represent the material and onirical worlds. As a child I took part in a well-known lyric theatre’s children’s choir, and had the opportunity to be onstage in several operas. I also had a major interest in plastic arts.

As I grew older I moved towards photography, scenography and costume design, and eventually filmmaking. But I’m always looking for new crossings between materials that surround me (either physical or mental), technology and different art forms. For me, it’s in the unlimited experimentation of art that the most interesting ideas come to light, things that otherwise would be hidden, even from the artist themself.

What inspired the concepts in “The Inhabitants Of Me.” Is it based on a single source of inspiration or is it purely experimental and abstract?

It first started as a direct representation on the loss of my father and my process of mourning. Actually the name came from a dream he once had (he, like me, was an avid dreamer). In the dream some men are chatting around a table, then suddenly realize the dreamer is watching and turn to camera, leaving the frame saying “let’s go, he’s almost awake”; after this, my father woke up. He titled this dream Los habitantes de mí (The inhabitants of me). This event always fascinated me.

Back to the film itself, it eventually evolved to a wider theme: nature as both creator and corruptor, and the circle of life and death. I chose to shoot it using Instagram as an experiment, since all my references came from the film world and I only had access to video, but wanted to try something different. I also challenged myself to do as many roles myself, to make it the most personal possible. Having represented three different characters, the title gained an even stronger meaning.

Do you have any creative influences – not necessarily creative-based themselves?

Everything influences me. I love wandering through the city listening to horror movie soundtracks, it radically changes your view on the world. But in a more specific way, I’d have to say filmmakers Maya Deren, Ingmar Bergman, Carl Theodor Dreyer, David Lynch, Takashi Ito, Kurt Kren and a number of horror and experimental films. In terms of photography, I always come back to Francesca Woodman, Brittany Market and Ben Cauchi. The worlds created by both Nicola Samorì and Francis Bacon in their paintings and sculptures are also amongst my top daydreaming images.

Also a huge influence in this film and my curiosity for uncanny subjects are the podcasts Weird Studies by Phil Ford and J. F. Martel, and The Magnus archives by Jonathan Sims and Alexander J. Newall. Regarding music the list would be far too long, but let’s say the Impressionist Movement has a special place to me.

Also artists such as Burial, Disasterpeace, Nine Inch Nails, Boards of Canada, Philip Glass and Agnes Obel. As for writers I’m very fond of Ray Bradbury, since he was my loyal companion growing up and also has a taste for the “strange”. I am also inspired by the magic realism of Haruki Murakami and poems by T. S. Eliot and Percy Shelley… my mind could wander forever, so let’s part here.

And here is the festival’s first-ever trophy won by Rocio Rocha for The Inhabitants Of Me.

In the background of the trophy is the Houses of Parliament and a sculpture by Rodin (Westminster)

Sur-REEL & Uncanny Fest Best Film & Best Director Winners Below:

BEST FILM

Trophy winner – The Inhabitants Of Me (Rocio Rocha)

Silver Award – Cochlea (Lisa Battocchio)

Bronze Award – The Wandering Soul (Camilo Baquerre)

BEST DIRECTOR

Gold Award – Lisa Battocchio (Cochlea)

Silver Award – Camilo Baquerre (The Wandering Soul)

Bronze Award – Matilda Friman (The Last Picture Show)

Full list of winners at surrealuncannyfestival.com

From Bond flicks to modern classics to underrated gems, this list of the top 3 casino movies with British actors, is among the very best and most exhaustive out there – not to mention tasteful!

These films are all based on real-life events and feature some of the best talents in the business. Read on for a look at each one!

Casino Royale (2006)

This film is based on the first James Bond novel by Ian Fleming and stars Daniel Craig as the iconic 00 agent.

The plot follows Bond as he tries to stop a terrorist organization from winning a high-stakes poker game. Headed up by the villainous Le Chiffre, the group is using the game to finance their activities.

The film also stars Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, and Judi Dench but is best known for Craig’s showstopping first outing as Bond.

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

This star-studded caper follows Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his team as they attempt to rob three casinos owned by Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia).

The all-male team includes Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, and Elliott Gould.

While the film is light-hearted and fun, it’s also got some great action sequences that are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Who’s the Brit here, you ask? Well, only former World Heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis, who makes a cameo in this top casino movie.

Croupier (1998)

Clive Owen stars as Jack Manfred, a struggling writer who takes a job as a croupier in order to gain material for his first novel.

While working at the casino, Jack becomes caught up in the world of gambling and begins to develop some questionable morals. British actor Owen is excellent in the lead role and the film is a tense and thrilling ride from start to finish.

The film also stars Alex Kingston, Gina McKee, and Nicholas Ball. Croupier is a dark and suspenseful look at the seedy underbelly of the casino world that’s not to be missed.

Summary

So there you have it, three top casino movies with British actors that are sure to entertain and engage you from start to finish! What’s your favourite casino movie? Any of these three and you know you’ve got some seriously great taste! Remember, next time you head to the casinos, gamble responsibly.

As with most productions, the Indiana Jones 5 process is lengthy and has had a fair few setbacks since shooting originally began in London in 2021, not least an injury to the leading actor, Harrison Ford. With that in mind, here’s an update about everything related to Indiana Jones 5, from the movie itself to the cast, crew, and popularity of the franchise.  

What Is Indiana Jones 5 About?  

The truth is that we don’t know for sure. While filming in London has been happening for around a year, the production company and director have managed to remain tight-lipped about the plot, which isn’t ideal for Indy fans. However, there are a couple of details that have been released, as well as some that have been leaked. Essentially, the movie will be a sequel to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the fourth edition in the series that pitted Jones against the Russians.   

However, it doesn’t seem as if the KGB will be involved in the upcoming release since London has been taken back to the 1960s, meaning there might well be a flashback element at the core of the storyline. The fact that Ford has been spotted wearing a mask equipped with red dots typically used for digital re-ageing is another indicator. Plus, scenes involving Nazis have been filmed, so the bad guys are likely to be German, not Russian.  

Who Will Return to the Film?  

It’s no surprise that Harrison Ford will portray the fictional character that arguably made his career. With Ford not wanting to give up the role, and the producer stating that it won’t be re-cast, it was a no-brainer. Sadly, except for Ford, there aren’t many details regarding returning cast and crew members, although John Williams will compose the score and John Rhys-Davies is keen to come back as Sallah again.  

The good news is that the new cast is very impressive. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is the main female protagonist, Toby Jones is confirmed, and so is Antonio Banderas. On top of these actors, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Renée Wilson, and Boyd Holbrook are slated to make appearances.  

Is London the Only Shooting Location?  

No. Filming has taken place in Italy and Morocco, too, which isn’t shocking considering the size of Indy’s carbon footprint. The man’s a jet-setter. However, Londoners will be happy to hear that the Big Smoke appears to be at the heart of the plot, as does the United Kingdom in general. Scotland is another destination, and Glasgow has already been transformed to resemble 1960s New York. Of course, the movie series has a close connection with Scotland after The Last Crusade cast Sean Connery as a gruff, Scottish father.  

Is This Harrison Ford’s Last Run Out as Indy?  

Nothing has been confirmed, but it’s reasonable to assume that Ford won’t be able to continue for much longer. For starters, he’ll be in his 80s by the time the movie airs. Performing the kind of stunts required for a legendary action movie is a young man’s game. Also, the time between the fifth and sixth instalment won’t make matters better. Still, despite Ford’s comments about Indiana Jones dying after he relinquishes the role, the odds are high that someone else will take over the whip after the actor retires. 

After all, the demand for Indiana Jones’ films is considerable, which is highlighted by the fact that there are five movies within the film series. Other than Rocky, not many institutions have this level of sustained consistency. Yet it’s more than the big-screen adaptations that indicate how much Indy is loved because the character features and inspires multiple releases on various platforms, such as gaming. A total of 27 Indian Jones video games exists, spanning several decades, from the Atari generation to the PC, Gameboy, PlayStation, and Facebook generations. As a result, the character’s legacy has not only survived but flourished over time.  

An excellent example of this is the move into the iGaming sector, where the market is growing rapidly. Prolific developers, IGT, have created an officially franchised Indiana Jones slot that regularly features within top new slots lists within the UK. In addition, in 2022, online casinos leverage Indy’s likeness as a theme to appeal to players, and it works, with Indiana-inspired offerings like Whisker Jones and Rich Wilde regularly appearing on the lists of the most popular online slot machines from market-leading developers. The legacy of this iconic character has been thoroughly cemented within the iGaming market, but what of other facets within the entertainment industry?

Well, there’s the spin-off TV show, Young Indiana Jones, to factor into the equation as the constant episodes will only increase the public’s appetite for another movie. The same applies to the Indiana Jones comics that are part of the Marvel franchise, and we all know how good Marvel is at capitalising on a franchise. Therefore, while it might be Ford’s final appearance, the role will continue to command big audiences in the future, which means another Hollywood release isn’t out of the question.  

When Can You Expect Indiana Jones 5?  

June 30th, 2023 is the date the owners are committed to, but it’s not that straightforward. Originally, the release date was 2019, before being pushed back again to 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to delays. Finally, the powers that be decided in 2023. However, additional delays could push it back further. Fingers crossed, then! 

But making your name as a writer in the land of English literature is never going to be easy. It’s not just the daunting achievements of the likes of Daniel Defoe, George Orwell, Somerset Maughan, Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte that one must contend with. The runaway success of a writing project might well turn your dream into a nightmare. Some writers were totally unprepared for how their success would change their lives and those closest to them. 

It wouldn’t be an English Christmas without Winnie the Pooh but did you know author A.A. Milne actually wanted to be a serious political writer and the success of the book completely derailed his career plans? He was also a playwright and poet but the success of the Pooh stories made everything else fade into insignificance. 

Image from Pixabay

Born in Hampstead in 1852, his inspiration as a writer came early. His father ran a private school called Henley House and H.G Wells was one of his science teachers. But while Wells was driven by science fiction, Milne’s fascination was his son. He wrote two books of poetry about his son, one of which sold 50,000 copies in a matter of weeks. The Winnie the Pooh children’s books that followed again featured his son and became fondly remembered classics and a globally recognised brand. The main character Christopher Robin is named after his son. Even his coterie of speaking animals is based on the stuffed toys that the real Christopher Robin actually owned. 

It all sounds pretty idyllic, doesn’t it? A doting father writing poems about his son. And then a book based on his infant adventures. Surely, the epitome of a loving, overly attentive father. But conversely, his son Christopher Robin Milne claimed his parents were cold and distant and not very good parents. He claimed his father was often absent because of work. Christopher Robin’s criticisms caused a huge rift in the family and his mother refused to see him even on her deathbed. 

Where did the fairy tale all go wrong? Certainly, today the book rights are worth millions and Disney reaps the rewards of a lucrative licensing deal that includes film, TV and merchandising. But this very success seems to be the problem. The runaway success took all by surprise. Author AA Milne was known to lament that people were only interested in meeting the real Christopher Robin and not the author. On the other hand, his son resented the fact his childhood had been taken away from him and he was unable to escape his famous name. He got bullied so badly at boarding school that he took up boxing. 

Christmas and the festive period is traditionally a time for families and for believing in fairy tales and magic. The Pooh legacy has provided children with many magical moments but unfortunately, there was never enough magic dust left to spread around the Milne household.

Every decade comes with science fiction films that capture the public’s imagination and forever shape entertainment discourse, but few can boast the legacy of the Matrix. Released in 1999 and followed by two sequels in 2003, The Matrix has become a cultural touchstone, reaching far beyond the confines of the mere film. With a new entry hitting the silver screen in The Matrix Resurrections, we thought now would be the right time to look back and see just how deep the Matrix rabbit hole goes.

Written and directed by the Wachowski siblings, the original Matrix film took obvious influence from both cyberpunk and anime. In fact, producer Joel Silver stated that while pitching the film, the Wachowski’s showed him the Ghost in the Shell movie, saying “We wanna do that for real”.

Anywhere before the late ’90s, such an idea in live-action might be dismissed as impossible, or even arrogant. While special effects had come a long way, the requirements that The Matrix demanded were unlike anything that came before. So problematic was what the Wachowski’s wanted that for certain shots, like the iconic 360 bullet-dodging scene, that filming technology had to be invented to make filming possible.

Also playing a major part in the film were elements of philosophy and identity. Though overlooked by most audiences at the time, The Matrix films have been confirmed as acting in no small part as a metaphor for the struggles faced by trans people to come to terms with who they really are. Even the red pill, which shows people the real world, was based on Premarin, a maroon tablet then commonly used in transgender hormone therapy.

When it arrived in theatres, The Matrix was met with critical and commercial praise. Making $466 million on a $63 million budget, the movie was destined for legendary status, and that’s exactly what it received. Followed by two successful though not as loved sequels, The Matrix series helped define the turn of the new millennium, and our hopes and fears about the increasingly technological world.

Totalling over $1.6 billion at the box office, there was no way that the series would remain confined entirely to the silver screen. Rather, the Matrix’s place in the zeitgeist meant it would influence an enormous number of other media, as well as myriad forms of merchandising.

In other films, The Matrix was credited as leading to a rise in slow-motion action shots for decades. Though these were already popular in certain circles thanks to action directors like John Woo, the broader appeal of The Matrix meant its tendrils reached much further. Movies like 2008’s Wanted and 2013’s Oblivion wore their appreciation for the series on their sleeve, though some efforts were considered a little too on the nose. Parodies like Scary Movie and Kung Pow: Enter the Fist were among the most blatant, though they could be forgiven as snapshots of pop-cultural eras.

More directly, the Wachowski’s also extended the story of The Matrix with games like Enter the Matrix, Path of Neo, and The Matrix Online on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 2. While Path of Neo acted more as an interpretation of the films, The Matrix Online and Enter the Matrix both expanded on the story with (probably still) canonical lore. Enter the Matrix even included new live-action shots, exploring the characters of Niobe and Ghost.

Merchandise for the film comes in many forms, again both directly and indirectly. Directly, it’s the typical likes of branded clothing, posters, and phone covers that have tended to be the longest-lasting hits. In a more modern sense, it’s collectables like Funko Pops that have served to bring new life to The Matrix’s merchandising efforts, especially with new fans.

Outside of these big three, the only real other forms that the series has taken in terms of interactive media has been seen in online casino titles. Available from many free spins no deposit websites, these games aren’t the main focus, rather they act as popular titles among many others. That said, while these services usually rely on bonuses foremost, such popular titles can act as a tipping point for some users.

Indirectly, the influence of the film on the fashion of the time was undeniable, if occasionally a little embarrassing. Popular items around the time of release included Morpheus’ rimless sunglasses, which were cool if a little uncomfortable. Less subtle was the rise in full-length black trench coats, as certain fans strived to mirror Neo’s cool. Whether or not they succeed is a matter of personal opinion.

With the world having moved on so much since the first set of Matrix films, it’s difficult to determine the legacy the new movie or movies could hold. For some viewers, they might reignite old passions, tying in nostalgia and modern sensibilities to create more timeless classics. For others, the movies could be seen as grasping at bygone age, in a pointless attempt of relevance. At least, no matter what happens, we always have the original, and sometimes that’s enough.

The Matrix 4 releases in the UK on 22nd December.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        SOUND MAESTRO Danny Jackson is more used to taking the stage at rock gigs as lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for experimental rock band Vali Ohm but in recent years he has switched his sound and music skills to the film industry as a sound editor and film score composer. He has now been appointed composer for independent horror film Blackout set in a London council flat with a creepy past. In the drama, a soon-to-be-married couple played by Annie Burkin (Kerry) and Robert Walters (Reece) move into the flat when they surge up a council housing waiting list – but then all hell breaks out during an eerie, unexplained electricity blackout. Danny shares his career path from full-time musician to editing and producing sound for film.

Danny Jackson working on the sound effects and film score for Blackout

What inspired your passion for sound production and how did you get started in the music business?

My journey into production started off when I discovered  DAW’s (audio digital workstations) and the potential they offered to musicians if mastered. For me, DAW’s opened up a door that was previously closed to unsigned artists. There were not enough hours in a day to cram in the knowledge necessary to record, mix and master all the tracks that had accumulated in my head. As soon as I could record, I did and that is where the rollercoaster started. In 2013 I was signed by a record company and I released my first album 3000 Light Years under the artists’ name Vali Ohm. Not only did I get my first signing but I also managed to work with one of my idols, Nik Turner of Hawkwind, on the album title track.”

“In 2015, the second album was released – Fragile Earth. This was launched with the help of Greenpeace UK and all of the other environmental/animal welfare organisations that the album brought attention to. In the 2 years between 2013 and 2015 there where several points that escorted me into the film industry. The first was meeting award-winning Abbey Road Studios engineer Frank Arkwright whilst mastering a track there called Drinking Man.

That encounter made me realise that I had got to where I wanted to be and most importantly I had done it by myself.  The second was being introduced to Mad Dog Casting which got me into the movies. Before I knew it I was watching myself on the big screen in films such as Legend, The Conjuring 2 and TV shows such as Man Down and Mr Selfridge. All very inspiring, but I still had an interest in sound and what better place to be. I met some of the most gracious production sound mixers in the business telling me that my background was ideal for setting myself up as a sound assistant in film.”

I have worked on films as a sound assistant, boom operator, sound recordist and composer. Not only have I worked on dramas, I have also worked on documentaries and TV pilots. One of my most memorable boom operator jobs was on set with actor Martin Freeman (The Office) in a film called Midnight of my Life. Another memorable moment was hearing one of my film scores on a short horror called EngineX4 aired on the BBC. 

So how will you tackle a horror movie which is true to its title – where everything is so blacked out you can hardly see anything?

Understanding the relationship between emotion and music for me is critical. In some films this can be easy to understand. For example, a sad scene is usually accompanied by minor keys. However, horror scores to me are a different game altogether and Blackout is no exception. There are still some basic rules to follow: understanding when music or sound is necessary for a scene, how to prepare for a jump scare and subtle background music to help complement the actors’ thought processes.

My approach to Blackout will rely heavily upon the latter and attempt to view the scene through the eyes of our main character. Darkness and poor vision will always make you feel a little uneasy. Add some strange sounds to an already unfamiliar environment and you have heightened the senses. Throw in some imagination and invest in new equipment and you may strike lucky and produce an original score.

Blackout: a chiller where household items emit an unexplained eerie, unhomely vibe

And what are your film score plans for a film where ‘homely’ items such as dripping taps, ironing boards, toys and dolls and even rows of soup cans become ‘unhomely’ and send chills up the spine?

I once managed to scare a friend with a cotton bud which was an easy task given the circumstance. Yes, 85% of Blackout is shot in the dark but the director Eddie Saint-Jean has managed to capture great motion despite the obstacles. If I had to rely on minimalist vision and ironing boards we would be entering the realms of experimental drama and the likes of “show me how to be a tree”. Luckily enough, I don’t think I will have to go there.  

(Lead actors Annie Burkin and Rob Walters sign autographs on the set of Blackout, but does Hollywood success and stardom beckon?)

Covid 19 and London film clashed Hollywood-style back in December 2020 when movie star Tom Cruise chastised his crew for breaking Covid 19 guidelines on the set of the seventh Mission Impossible film. International news platforms claimed it happened on a London film set but it actually took place at the Warner Bros studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire. Apparently, two of the crew had gathered around a computer and were less than two metres apart. He went ballistic, telling them in no uncertain terms that the future of Hollywood moviemaking was in their hands as all the major studios were watching to see how they coped with the new rules. There was considerable pressure on their production to turn things around and kickstart the industry; until then, the industry had taken a global hit so you can understand his anger. His on-set rant went viral.

Global box office receipts are down, billions in revenue have been lost and it’s acknowledged that this is the biggest financial hit the industry has ever faced. Even during the Second World War, Hitler’s blitzkrieg attacks did not keep UK cinemas from opening and this is the first time they have been closed in all the major global centres. It’s estimated the UK film and TV industry lost £2.6bn during the pandemic and employment in the creative industries dipped below 2 million for the first time since 2016. According to a report by ScreenSkills, the film industry suffered a 16% drop in employees and 12,800 industry job losses were a direct result of the pandemic

It has to be said, even beyond the battered economics, Covid 19 has disrupted the culture of filmmaking and screening like never before – from actors’ apprehensions about on-screen kissing to the minutiae of supply line essentials. Everything from the simple rehearsal read-through to the more obvious dangers of wrap party socialising became a problem. All essential ingredients of making actors and filmmakers alike feel part of the social herd and the fabric of cinema. Take that away and many can feel lost in a profession, that although glamorous and creatively rewardingly, is hard enough to manoeuvre as a freelancer waiting for the next job without the additional worry of loss of income and lack of Covid sick pay. 54% of film production employees are freelancers and therefore not eligible for Statutory Sick Pay. And it’s doubly worrying during a pandemic when health is a major issue. Economic crisis + existential crisis never holds the desired equation but there are now hopeful signs of recovery and support.

Film London and the London Film Partnership have produced guidance on filming in public spaces and this is subject to updates according to the government’s position on infection spread and hospital numbers. Even after the easing of restrictions on July 19th, the Film London guidelines are still recommended. Every UK production now needs a dedicated Covid 19 supervisor, shooting days are now shorter to cover time spent sanitising sets and additional days required to compensate for these daily lost hours. This will make films more expensive on bigger productions and mid-budget movies will also take a hit from risk-averse executive producers weighing up the pros and cons of the new film-making environment. Producers without adequate insurance cover may be less willing to take risks because of Covid costs and extra logistical issues over big crowd scenes and location. Lower budget guerilla-style films are, by nature, more flexible and best able to adapt to these challenging conditions but the knock-on effect is universal. 

The government has introduced a number of packages aimed at allaying some of these fears. Its £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund covers arts, culture and heritage – which includes film – and in June they introduced an extra £300m of third-round funding. Also, the Arts Council has a fund aimed at attracting film audiences; cinemas and festivals can apply if they fall into the category of mixed arts venues. The BFI’s £630,000 BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund also seeks to re-energise the big screen experience and win back film audiences. 

This support is vital because during the pandemic many festivals went virtual and audiences were apprehensive about returning to these venues. Also, the push towards streaming during lockdown has shown no sign of easing and this may permanently impact film screening. Certainly, there has been discussion in the major studios in support of releasing new movies on the same day in cinemas and on streaming platforms and this will inevitably impact box office returns.

If you’re a filmmaker facing production disruption you can apply for cover under the government’s Film &TV Production Restart Scheme which has £500m worth of funding for costs incurred by delays caused by Covid. It essentially protects films that are unable to secure insurance due to Covid-related issues. To qualify, 50% of the budget must have been spent in the UK.

It’s hoped that these government interventions will buoy the industry and raise production confidence and we’ll again get to see classic movies shot in memorable locations all over London. The 2021 movie Locked Down starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor successfully navigated the restrictions of Covid by setting the movie in one other location outside the couple’s home – Harrods. However, our fingers are crossed about London’s return as a major film centre and memorable London film locations like the ones below.

Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange was filmed on Southmere Estate, Thamesmead, South East London.

Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley scenes were filmed at Leadenhall Market, Gracechurch St, London EC3V  – one of the oldest markets in London.

Zombie horror flick 28 Days Later has a memorable scene on a deserted Westminster Bridge.