A new web-based video channel called Big Picture TV gives viewers the (wait for it) big picture on the environment offering hundreds of free, thought-provoking clips of global experts in sustainability - with startling warnings, commentary and practical ideas and solutions.

Most startling of all is an exclusive video message from a haggard-looking Annie Lennox who launched the site last week. No more I love yous indeed.

Other contributors include Nobel Laureates Nelson Mandela and Wangari Maathai, Dame Jane Goodall, HRH Prince of Wales, Michael Meacher MP, soil association director Patrick Holden and eco-activist Vandana Shiva.

Big Picture TV offers a growing archive of over 340 video clips, which give viewers instant access to leading authorities on climate change, energy security, future economic and cultural trends and a whole bunch more.

Founder Marcus Morrell told D+CFilm: ”In the face of an unprecedented environmental crisis, Big Picture TV will help people see the world today in a broader and more positive context.

“Problems such as climate chaos, rising sea levels and species extinction are all too familiar but they are only half the story. The big picture is about pragmatic solutions, recognising that the crises we face bring with them opportunities to rethink, innovate and progress.”

Just be glad the site doesn’t feature a ‘big picture’ of Annie Lennox, 
right viewers?! Heh heh! (in a Beano voice).

Posted by Thin White Duke

When we interviewed filmmaker Mike Whiddon last week, he revealed he was all set to make a six-part series for One Plymouth TV, a new television channel launching later this year. Hold on a second. A new TV channel? For Plymouth?! D+CFilm was intrigued enough to find out more.

Apparently, One Plymouth TV will be aired on Sky across the UK in September, screening a buncha shows about local news, sports, lifestyle and business. Working closely with Sony HDTV, the channel will be the first in the country to run completely on next-gen broadcasting equipment.

Thirty-nine people are to be employed at the studios at Plymouth’s Tamar Science Park, but bosses also plan to co-operate with city education centres to create programmes.

Staff will work with students at Plymouth College of Art and Design, the University of Plymouth and City College Plymouth, as well as pupils at local schools.

Programmes will be aired from 5.30pm to 11.30pm daily, and bosses have plans to make the channel’s shows available online. Viewers will be able to watch sports shows on Mondays and Fridays, arts and culture items on Tuesdays, business programmes on Wednesdays and lifestyle productions on Thursdays. There’ll also be a ‘what’s on’-style programme on Fridays.

Yes, it’s all very exciting, but there’s a reason why the ‘mainstream’ channels have cut back on their regional programming - it’s cos no-one watches it. However, a fresher approach could reap dividends. We shall see.

Stay tuned to D+CFilm for more news about One Plymouth TV.

Posted by Thin White Duke

The Madrips - crazy name, crazy guys. Don’t believe us? Well, check out the Padstow lads in action below, in the video for their Hillbilly Politics ditty.

We know the promo’s been floating around YouTube for a good few months, but we were inspired to dig it out after hearing one of their tracks on the latest PRSD Melting Pot podcast.

And pretty good it is too. There’s a case to be made for the ‘too many kooks spoil the video’ theory, but they’re not very ugly and they have an invisible drumkit. AN INVISIBLE DRUMKIT! We gotta get ourselves one of those.

Anyhoo, see watchoo fink. Oh, and let D+CFilm know if your band has a video out there. We’d love to see it.

Posted by Thin White Duke

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Do you remember we mentioned local fillmmaker Mike Whiddon the other day in our MySpace MashUp story? Well, he’ll be showing some of his short films at the first Rococo Nights event - an interactive media shindig kicking off at Plymouth’s Barbican Jazz Cafe tonight.

Starting at 7.30pm, the evening will also feature art, photography and live music. Candlelit tables will be scattered with paper and art materials to encourage audiences to come over all Rolf’s Cartoon Club.

Entry is free, and there will also be drinks promotions and a chance to have a yap with the featured artists.

D+CFilm spoke to Mike Whiddon before the event and asked him how he hooked up with the Rococo bods.

“I got involved through Plymouth uni. It’s being organised by a couple of third year media arts students called Rachael and Ana so artists and filmmakers can show off their talents.”

What films will you be showing?

“I’ve got a very short intro showreel/interview-type thing I put together the other day, then I’m showing ‘The Projects’ [documentary about local contemporary artists and their gallery on Plymouth's Barbican]. I might also be showing either ‘30′, which is a sort of biographical piece, or a piece called ’Ideas For A Short Film’.

“I’m not sure yet as I’m only really happy with The Projects. It’s weird letting people see personal stuff that was only meant for uni marks.

Why are you so happy with The Projects?

“They’re all very talented guys and I knew their work would be a good starting point for a documentary. I’m really happy with the end result. It could have been better but it’s the first thing I’ve done that’s a bit more professional.”

What’s your next project?

“I’m in the middle of editing an arts and culture pilot for One Plymouth TV, the new channel which starts in September. I’ve been given the whole series which is amazing seeing as I’m still in the second year at uni.

“I’m 31 this weekend and went to see a media careers advisor before I started my degree and he told me I could be too old to get into this profession. I’m glad I didn’t listen!

“I’m also getting married - unfortunately I’m not allowed to do the video!”

For more details on Rococo Nights, check out their MySpace site. To watch some of Mike Whiddon’s films, including The Projects documentary, click here. Stay tuned to D+CFilm next week for more news about One Plymouth TV.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Funny what a fella with a fiddle and a handful of film can do. Future noir electronica guru Zan Lyons set the Centre of Contemporary Art in the Natural World buzzing when he accompanied a combination of manga film Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and his own films with his eerily dark dub in Futureshock.
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Hullo viewers! We’re off to the whizz-bang multimedia extravanganza that is Futureshock tonight.

The Centre For Contemporary Art And The Natural World (that’s CCANW ‘for short’), in collaboration with Halloween and animate!, has invited cooler-than-thou electronic star Zan Lyons to provide a live soundtrack to Mamoru Oshii’s animated 2004 classic Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. That’s nice of them, ain’t it?

We’ve just given the CCANW bods a call and there are only a few tickets left, so you’d better get your bloody skates on. Click here for booking details and to watch the trailer.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Follow the main cinema links for dates, times and matinee screenings.
Follow the title links for movie details, friendship and maybe more.

PLYMOUTH ARTS CENTRE

Bobby (12A) Click here to watch trailer

Venus (15) Click here to watch trailer

TAVISTOCK WHARF

Babel (15) Click here to watch trailer

DARTINGTON ARTS/THE BARN

The Last King Of Scotland (15) Click here to watch trailer

Casino Royale (12A) Click here to watch trailer

EXETER PICTUREHOUSE 

Notes On A Scandal (15) Click here to watch trailer

The Departed (18) Click here to watch trailer

The Last King Of Scotland (15) Click here to watch trailer

The Queen (12A) Click here to watch trailer

Volver (15) Click here to watch trailer

Bobby (12A) Click here to watch trailer

Nashville (15) Click here for Roger Ebert review

PLUS: Various Animated Exeter 2007 events and screenings

FALMOUTH ARTS CENTRE

Venus (15) Click here to watch trailer

The Page Turner (15) Click here to watch trailer

If you want your local arthouse or cinema club featured in the Arthouse Roundup, send some details to info@dandcfilm.co.uk

What better way to highlight social issues for kids than through animation? And the international Big Small People project has done just that. Those behind the initiative were at Animated Exeter to talk about what they did and whether creativity can affect social change.

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Propeller, the national channel for new film and telly, has relaunched its website. We can’t really remember what the old one looked like but we think it was a bit orange.

Anyway, the site’s gonna be updated on a daily basis (which should be a new experience for D+CFilm viewers) so local filmmakers can submit their work and get all their friends and family to vote for it. Ain’t democracy great?

At the moment it looks like you have to watch Sky or something to see the films, but apparently you’ll be soon be able to watch them on the propeller site. To submit a short, email john@propellertv.co.uk. Or you could just check out their MySpace site, if you’re into all that kind of thing.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Thinking about a career in animation? Well, it’s all stop/start. 

Suzie Templeton should know. This BAFTA winning (BAFTA winning!) stop-motion animator will be demonstrating her skill and talking about her trade to the lovely Professor Joan Ashworth (head of animation at the Royal College of Art) tomorrow evening at the Exeter Phoenix.

The sets of Suzie’s latest film Peter and the Wolf are on show at the venue too. The film? Oh, that’s sold out. Sorry.

The chat kicks off at 6.30pm and costs a tenner - unless you can get in for £8.

Posted by Cptn

A disgruntled D+Cineaste called Doug has got in touch to complain about our constant Bethemoviestar bashing. Hullo Doug!

Now, we were always advised by our abusive uncle to ’never apologise, never explain’, but we suppose, in the interests of fairness, we should print the other side of the story.

Here’s what Doug had to say: ‘Why do you continue to go on about bethemoviestar! Can’t you find something else to complain about?

‘I’ve been following the project since the beginning and the example link you have given is one of the lowest rated people on the site, and rightly so! One of my mates is on the site, and he thinks the concept is awesome.

‘Also, you can email in your AskTV questions for free - get your facts straight here! I got sent this: CLICK HERE. 

‘I can only assume you are a jilted and frustrated armchair filmmaker who loves to dish it out, but can’t take it!’

Well, that told us, didn’t it viewers? Don’t get us wrong though - we still think AskTV is a load of old bobbins. Frankly, there’d be more chance of us laughing during a Channel Five documentary about Hiroshima than during that cack-handed rubbish.

Still, horses for courses and all that. Next week on D+CJ’Accuse: Moses Barrington.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Dya remember we told you about the South by Southwest Film Festival ‘grindhouse trailer’ competition? If not, click here to refresh yer memory. 

Anyway, most of the entries have found their way onto YouTube and they’re looking pretty good. Harry Knowles has gone through and picked some of his favourites on Ain’t It Cool which makes life a bit easier, bearing in mind there’s an awful lotta them.

To be honest, we haven’t got round to watching many (this site don’t write itself, y’know) so why not drop us a line and tell us your favourite trailer and we’ll stream it. Then you’ll look all cool and knowledgable and stuff. Hey, money can’t buy that kinda cred.

But we know what you’re thinking - what the heck is grindhouse cinema anyway? That’s why we asked Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez to explain all to D+CFilm! Honest!

Posted by Thin White Duke

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Just a quick note to say we’ve had an email from a D+Cineaste in Helston called Daniel Ferguson. Hullo Daniel Ferguson!

He’s about to start casting for a film wot he is making and needs some unpaid amateur acting work.

There are two female and three male roles to fill, so if you’re interested in getting involved, give Daniel a shout on 07870 199535 or email ompfris@hotmail.com

We’ll put Daniel’s plea on our jobs page thingy, which we’re hoping to use as a kinda message board in the future. So if you’re looking for some help (strictly in the film sense) you should probably get in touch.

Posted by Thin White Duke

Those lovely chaps at Chew TV are supporting this year’s Red Nose Day by running a triffic competition. And the good news for D+Cineastes is it has nothing to do with baths of baked beans or Lenny Henry. Hooray!

To enter, all you have to do is produce a short film about happiness. It can
be in any style you want as long as you ask yourself the question: ‘What makes you happy?’.

Films should be up to four minutes in length and should appeal to children under 14. So no bums and fannies, if you please - even if they do ‘make you happy’.

Send your effort to Chew TV by February 28 and the best ones will be shown on rednoseday.com, which will be seen by squillions of people across the so-called campaign. Let’s face it, they’ll probably be more entertaining than Catherine Tate doing ‘Am I bovvered?’ yet a-chuffing-gain.

There’ll also be a buncha prizes for the winning flicks, though heaven-knows what they are. Send submissions on Mini DV tape or as a QuickTime file (full DV pal quality) on disc.

For more details, give Greg Davies a shout on 07772 565685 or send him your submission at Comic Relief Competition, Creative Partnerships, 21b Pydar St, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2AY.

Of course, the most important question is, why are the red noses so rubbish this year? They’re made out of bloody sponge! Wadda swizz.

Posted by Thin White Duke

So, what news from the Bethemoviestar website this week? Those of you who haven’t got a clue what we’re on about, check out the original stories on D+CFilm’s search engine-type thingy. The rest of yous can feel free to read on.

Well, the movie’s not gonna be called Street Voodoo anymore (there’s a surprise) cos the title’s been changed to the only slightly less awful Rapture. Oh, and AskTV, the godawful pilot they shot, is getting a ‘really good’ response.
Yes, everything’s ‘really good’ - at least that’s what they keep saying,
so it must be true.

However, all is not ‘really good’. Sad-eyed director Steve Nesbit is keen to emphasise that viewers’ comments shouldn’t be mean and nasty. “Everybody’s opinion is valid,” he opines, ”but try and be constructive about things.”

You’re 100 per cent right, Steve, which is why we were pleased to get this email from a D+Cineaste called Rich.

‘The bethemoviestar site is getting some amazing talent. (CLICK HERE) With talent like this, expect it to be a great success (best said in sarcastic tone for maximum effect).’

Oh Rich, you should know by now D+CFilm abhores sarcasm - it’s the lowest form of wit, etc. We can’t wait to see Street Vood.. erm, Rapture - it’s gonna be ‘really good’. 

On a more serious note, another D+Cineaste called Arthur got in touch with an email which was so litigation-friendly we had to cut some bits out of it.

‘The Bethemoviestar site has a video link on its homepage which asks people to go to AskTV - also owned by Bethemoviestar.

‘AskTV has a premium rate telephone service - it costs 50p per question regardless of whether or not it gets asked! Steve Nesbit is using Bethemoviestar as a means to get people to go to AskTV. He’s even used one of the candidates, Jamie Clark, as the presenter.

‘It’s possible Bethemoviestar is genuine in the sense Nesbit wants to make a film but the way he’s doing it - using AskTV as a means of extra revenue - appears exploitative.’

Well, perhaps it’s time we washed our hands of the whole thing, 
eh viewers? Why not get in touch and let us know what you think.

Posted by Thin White Duke