General Musings for 2010

As we approach the end of the year a lot of people start to put together their lists of 'The Year In review". I'm not going to do that, not really. If you want to see what I did this year just look back at my posts for 2010 (Link here). Alternatively you could have a look over at my other main blog (which is my 'day job') to see what's happening in the world of Business Process Consultancy (Link here) 

What I did want to do as we approach the end of 2010 is to think about the upcoming year and what it holds. Things are always in a state of flux with the kind of work I do. At the moment I am sitting at home with no real income (other than the tiny bit that clicking google ads brings to me). However I have had a good year this year in terms of income generally - helped by a nice 3 month contract in the city at the start of 2010 - and I'm hoping to do the same next year.

Money is one of those things that I long since stopped worrying about. Not because I have enough - I don't- but because I stopped worrying about the things that I need money for. As long as I have enough to pay my mortgage and some food I can survive the rest. I would like to be able to take a vacation from time to time, but with the kind of work I do I get to be off work quite a lot and these become mini-vacations in their own right. I know when I spent three months working on the Major Hollywood Film between August and November it was great to finally take time off and sit at home with the cat. 

Money - or worrying about money - is something that cause a lot of people a lot of stress and heartache. Indeed I have a close friend who has just separated from her husband and is now going through the stressful activity of working out what her financial situation is and what she can and can't afford to do. When she was with him he had a good income and they didn't worry too much about what they spent. Now she has a much lower income and needs to find somewhere to live and some money to buy things like furniture for her new place. It's difficult. I know she's very stressed out about the situation and I'm trying to show her that as long as you're careful - with what you spend and where you spend - it you can survive on a lot less than you think you need.

On a brighter note I have a couple of films to look forward to in the new year which I hope to appear in.

As an example I did some time on Madonna's new film 'W.E'. It's the story of Edward and Mrs Simpson retold with a slightly modern flair about it. Look out for me in the scene when the Prince of Wales goes to visit a Welsh mining village.

I'm also in Maggie Gylenhall's new film 'Hysteria', which is the story of the vibrator. Or, more accurately, it's the story of how women were liberated from the oppresion of being thought mentally ill when they were merely sexually frustrated. Watch out for me in the White Tie scene.

The two big films I'm looking out for are 'The King's Speech' and The Big Hollywood film.

In 'The King's Speech', I play a royal photographers assistant, alonside my friend and colleague Michael Andrew who plays the royal photographer. We appear at two points in the movie. One when Colin Firth is having an argument with his father, Sir Michael Gambon, about doing a speech on the radio. At the end of the scene I appear alongside my colleague and we take the photo. (There's a funny story about that scene which I will tell you one day). We also appear in the latter part of the film when Colin Firth's character successfully makes his first radio speech to the nation about the war. As he leaves the radio booth he marches down the corridors of Buckingham palace, sits at his seat and we take another picture of him. That scene is actually in the trailer.

The Big Hollywood Film comes out at the end of 2011 - almost exactly12 months from when you are reading this - and I suppose I can tell you a little more about it. The film is "War Horse" and it stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Jeremy Irvine, David Thewlis and Tom Hiddleston (amongst many others). It is based on Michael Morpurgo's book of the same name and the stage play which is currently doing great business in the West End of London. I did three months shooting on it and, hopefully, I get some screen time on this one. I did shoot a little 'cameo' scene which might make it into the final edit, but given that I actually had 5 separate costumes throughout the three month shoot there's a good chance you'll see me in a couple of shots. Working with Steven Spielberg was an absolute dream come true and he is a very pleasant man but one who demands the best from his cast and crew. Can't say too much more but there will be more to say after the film is released.

This will probably be my last "General Musings" post for 2010 (or maybe not). So let me wish all my readers a Very Happy Holiday Season.