Happy New Year

Dear All -

We hope you all had a joyous Christmas and a fun filled New Year. Ours was brilliant and spread across several different countries with Elizabeth in Transylvania, Brek in Grenada and Guernsey and Clare, well Clare manning the fort back in Blighty with the two baby tigers!

We are all extremely excited about what 2012 brings, including the development and shoot of our Russian rom com, My Soviet Kitchen. The script is very well developed now and we are currently in discussions with co-producers about logistics and will be sending out to cast in the next few weeks – watch this space. Don’t forget to ‘like’ us on facebook to be updated with podcasts and stuff! 

As well as the feature film, we were currently working with the amazing freelance theatre producer Bridget Floyer on a theatrical adaptation of a famous circus novel, more on this to come soon. We are also in talks with various television bods about an original new television concept, as well as the numerous ongoing workshops which are happening back and forth across the city. Like we said, an exciting year.

Other news Tailormade has recently moved offices and is renting a space from the fantastic Spicer and Moore guys. Please do drop us a line if you are ever near Piccadilly Circus, it would be great to say Hi.

and to conclude….. the end of 2011 saw us complete the film workshops for the Tree of Light Cultural Olympiad project. No mean feat one workshop featured 90 x 11 year olds! We will post as soon as the films go online. For those of you who have not yet seen Island (how is that possible?!), it is now available on Video on Demand and DVD sales of Island are going extremely well and we are about to embark round two of festival submissions to all those fantastic little festivals around the world so you may yet get the chance to watch it on the big screen. Again any suggestions you have are most welcome – we love big and small so write on in.

Thanks and best wishes.

The Tailormaidens

 

 

Second feature film in development My Soviet Kitchen

Dear All -

Hopefully you have now seen a few of the Making Of Podcasts for our new movie My Soviet Kitchen and the crazy new journey that Brek and Elizabeth have recently embarked on. It all started in August 2010 when we we ordered the novel by Amy Spurling from our favourite publishers Roast Books.When the book arrived in a hessian sack with a miniature of Smirnoff inside, we knew we were on to a winner! The story instantly clicked with everyoneon the team, a natural break away from the bleakness of Island and into the colourful life work of Ivy Stone.

Brek and Elizabeth wrote the treatment in May and were awarded some development funding from the British Film Institute which enabled them to go to Russia and Georgia on a scouting / research trip. Upon their return they set about writing the script of which we are currently on draft 3 and hope to go out to cast in the new year…. everyone who has read it laughs a lot which is a very good sign!

Thank you for your continuing support and look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Best Wishes,

The Tailormaidens.

DVD release and Brek’s Radio interview

‪Hello All -‬

‪Apologies for the lack of blog in the past few weeks, it’s all been a little busy with Brek and Elizabeth’s return from Russia & Georgia. We have been trying to get to as many screenings of Island as possible in the run up to the DVD release in a few weeks, as well as appearing in the media left right and center!‬

‪Listen to Brek’s radio interview on iplayer  ‬http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00hy7dw/James_Cannon_13_07_2011/‪   (scroll along to 0.47.00 to hear the full interview)‬

‪You are able to pre-order the dvd from the following websites. When you do it would be great to go online and write a little review of the film to help boost the sales, equally if you have already seen it go online and write a review. Amazon, HMV and Play all have this option so a little copy and paste to all three would be AMAZING!‬

http://www.dvdsource.co.uk/dvd_13618485
http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/film/dvd/Island/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004VQCA70/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0755309510&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=16FWSPHHZE57XNHXK5EP
http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;0;-1;-1;-1&sku=120206
http://www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/20252437/Island/Product.html?searchstring=island&searchtype=r2alldvd&searchfilters=s‪{island}%2bc{57}%2b&pa=search&page=search&d=1&ob=6&urlrefer=search‬

‪The winner of the last competition answering the question, “Who will you buy the DVD of Island for when it comes out and why?” is Jess Ashman who will buy it for her cat who is always betraying her! I think maybe a little cunning plan to buy the DVD for yourself there Jess!‬

‪And finally just a quick word about our new project, the rom com  ”My Soviet Kitchen”. Elizabeth has just completed the first draft, yikes! and have been creating quite a stir in Russia & Georgia -‬

‪Check them out in the national news coverage!‬
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=232687903423238&oid=114327075295743&comments

‪Thanks very much‬

‪The Island Team. ‬

DVD available for pre-order and Festival News

Dear All –

Thanks so much for the great attendance at the screenings – and for everyone’s amazing questions at the Q&A’s – There are still a few screenings to go before it leaves the big screen so be sure to get along.  If anyone has taken any photos at any of the screenings please post them up on facebook – we would love to see them.

Excitingly, the DVD is now available for pre-order on Amazon. It will become available in late July. If anyone has already seen the film it would be really great if you could write up a review and post it on Amazon – that way hopefully more people will be interested in seeing the film.  A fab birthday pressie perhaps?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-DVD-Natalie-Press/dp/B004VQCA70/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1308157826&sr=1-1

Some world screening news….. We have been accepted for the Haifa Film Festival in Israel in October and the Singapore Film Festival in September. We aren’t sure yet who will be going along – as soon as we have more details we will let you know.

Other news – it never stops for Brek and Elizabeth who are jetting off to Russia & Georgia on Saturday for two weeks as part of the pre-production & development for the new film My Soviet Kitchen. If anyone has any contacts please do get in touch – we are hoping for the film to be as authentic as possible. The book by the delightful Amy Spurling (www.amyspurling.com) and published by Roast Books is available on Amazon or in any good book shop. To find out more about this film please follow the tailormade twitter feed, as well as subscribing to the tailormade blog.

And finally another competition for you – We have two original Orly Orbach sketches up for grabs for the most original answer to the following probing question…hopefully one to get you all thinking!

When Island comes out on DVD who will you buy it for (other than yourselves of course!) and why? The most original answers will get these rather special prizes.

Winners will be announced in the next blog.

Thanks again for your continued support.

The Island Team xx

Competition Winners and Screening Reminders

Dear All,

Island is continuing to keep us busy with trips all over the country. Thank you to all of you who have made it along to the Q&As so far and have been telling friends/family/neighbours/pets to get along too. Last week featured a very animated Q&A at Dartington with some great questions about storyworld and pacing, and the Lexi Kilburn provided a wonderful independent cinema-going experience with a bar just off-screen for emergency aperitifs! The screenings and Q&As for Island have illustrated how supportive UK independent cinemas and their audiences are – independent UK films just need the support in getting made in the first place! If you haven’t been to see it yet the following screenings are yet to take place:

Chapter Cardiff 7th & 9th June
Riverside Studios Hammersmith 13th June
Light House Wolverhampton 13-16th June
Dundee Contemporary Arts 17th & 19th June
Eden Court Inverness 16-21st June
Hippodrome Bo’ness 20th & 23rd June
Cornerhouse Manchester 23rd June
Greenwich Picturehouse 6th July
Hyde Park Picturehouse Leeds 9-12th & 14th July
City Screen Picturehouse York 12th July
Tyneside Cinema Newcastle 13th July
Picturehouse at FACT Liverpool 18th July

Elizabeth has also managed a fleeting visit to Cannes to promote Island some more, and also to start talks on the next Brek Taylor / Elizabeth Mitchell feature film, this time a more cheery genre,  a Russian Rom Com – to find out more please subscribe to the Tailormade Blog and be sure to follow Tailormade Productions on Facebook. The script is being written as we blog, it’s great fun to be starting a fresh new project with the momentum of Island behind us.

And finally thanks so much for all the competition entries – I can announce the winners for the question “What is your favourite film adaptation and why?” are….

Sharon Sant – The Princess Bride – It retains the razor wit, subtle irony and quirkiness of the book whilst streamlining the story enough to appeal to a much broader audience than the book could ever do, perfect casting, perfect pitch, perfect film –
We can whole-heartedly agree with you on that one Sharon – a brilliant film

Kip Heath – All Quiet on the Western Front – The 1930 adaptation remains true to the book and doesn’t give in to modern temptation to make war films all about action. The film shows perfectly how you don’t need to have masses of money or special effects to tell a story that audience will remember forever.
A very valid point Kip

Congratulations to both winners, we will be in touch shortly.

Best Wishes – The Island Team

Reminder about screenings for Island.

A reminder of upcoming screenings…

Lexi Cinema Kilburn    22nd May
Barn Cinema Dartington    25-26th May
Chapter Cardiff    7th & 9th June
Riverside Studios Hammersmith    13th June
Light House Wolverhampton    13-16th June
Dundee Contemporary Arts    17th & 19th June
Eden Court Inverness    16-21st June
Hippodrome Bo’ness    20th & 23rd June
Cornerhouse Manchester    23rd June
Greenwich Picturehouse    6th July
Hyde Park Picturehouse Leeds    9-12th & 14th July
City Screen Picturehouse York    12th July
Tyneside Cinema Newcastle    13th July
Picturehouse at FACT Liverpool    18th July

May 6 ISLAND update and Competition Winners Announced!

Hello All

Thanks to everyone who is attending the screenings – there has been a great response so far. If you haven’t had the chance to see Island yet it is playing this Saturday & Sunday at the Shortwave Cinema in Bermondsey. There is a Q&A with the directors Brek & Elizabeth on the Saturday night but this is selling out quickly so if you are interested in a ticket you best be quick.  For all other cinema locations it’s best to keep checking back on the www.nbcq.co.uk/films website. Any new cinemas that are added we will post on facebook and twitter too. Sorry we can’t give you more notice but we tell you as soon as we know!

Some great news internationally! Island has been accepted into the prestigious Haifa Film Festival in Israel in October this year so our friends over there can enjoy a cold Scottish winter! We are still waiting to hear back on other festival submissions around the world….fingers crossed.

Thank you to all who have entered our Best Merlin Quote competition for the Signed DVD’s the following quotes were handpicked from hundreds of entries by Brek & Elizabeth. Many of you picked the same quotes – and with good reason because they were really lovely – but two which stood out for humour and pathos are (drum roll):

Kim Hislop – “I love old crypts. Wouldn’t be seen dead anywhere else!”

Pearlynn Ang -  “Some choices are easy. Some…stay with you forever”.

Congratulations folks! We will be in touch to find out where to send the DVDs when they are released later this year.

For the next competition we thought it would be a great idea to ask ‘What’s your favourite film adaptation, and why?”. We have two signed posters of the film to give away. Deadline will be the 16th of May and again the best entries will be announced in our next blog. Please email into info@tailormadeproductions.com or contact us via twitter or facebook.

Thanks very much for your continued support and any help with advertising is most greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards

The Island Team.

Reviews, more screenings & a COMPETITION!!!

Hello All,

I’m not sure if any of you managed to catch the papers and film blogs this Easter Weekend but we were reviewed in a fair few of them….In a nutshell a varied mix of between 2 and 4 stars – Not bad for a first film… here are a few

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/columnists/david-edwards/2011/04/22/island-film-review-natlie-press-impresses-in-emotional-hebrides-drama-115875-23078667/

http://www.radiotimes.com/servlet_film/com.icl.beeb.rtfilms.client.simpleSearchServlet?searchTypeSelect=5&frn=50717

http://www.ameliasmagazine.com/art/film-review-island-based-on-the-novel-by-jane-rogers-directed-by-brek-taylor-and-elizabeth-mitchell/2011/04/22/

http://www.dogandwolf.com/2011/04/film-review-island-2011/

http://www.close-upfilm.com/2011/04/island-15-close-up-film-review/

http://bestforfilm.com/film-reviews/drama/island/

http://www.contactmusic.com/new/film.nsf/reviews/island-1

http://www.thefilmpilgrim.com/features/island-review/3138

We have been tweeting various blog and other reviews so be sure to follow us and like us on the Island The Movie facebook page to read the latest.

If you missed out on the London premiere at the Curzon Renoir then there are a few more London screening dates announced at the Shortwave Cinema in Bermondsey. Wednesday 27th & Thursday 28th April and Saturday 7th (with a Q&A with Liz and Brek) & Sunday 8th of May. Be sure to go along and take all your friends, mention it to work collegues, tweet about it and generally get as many people as you can along.

Soda have very kindly offered to donate two signed copies of the DVD to whoever emails or tweets in the best quote from Colin Morgan in the television series Merlin. Please email info@tailormadeproductions.com. Deadline for this is the 6th of May.

A few other titbits…..

Island is being sold to foreign territories at Cannes via our sales agent Colleen Seldin at Locomotive and Liz will be there for a few days too so if you’re on the Croisette, let us know…

There will be a Q&A at the Chelsea College on the Saturday 2nd July and at the SAE on the 28th of July. These are open to the colleges’ students only.

If you are a fan of brilliant writing then be sure to catch Jane Rogers at the Q&A after the Cornerhouse, Manchester screening on Thursday 23rd June.

And finally thanks so much to all that made it along to the London premiere last night – it was a great evening and hopefully gave everyone a chance to cool down on our remote wintry Scottish island after the weekend’s heat wave in London!

Thanks

The Island Team x

Screenings across the country… Yippee

Hello All –
So it seems the opening night of Island at the Curzon Renoir on the 25th April is now sold out. Thanks so much if you are one of the lucky ones that managed to get tickets – looking forward to seeing you there.

Soda Pictures have announced the first round dates for the Island UK screenings – You can find them on the Island The Movie facebook page or the the New British Cinema Quarterly webpage http://www.nbcq.co.uk/films/ – but here is a handy list of those booked in so far!

Shortwave Cinema Bermondsay 7th-8th May (7th – Q&A with Brek Taylor and Elizabeth Mitchell)
Cornerhouse Manchester 4th May (Q&A with Brek Taylor)
Filmhouse Edinburgh 10th May (Q&A with Elizabeth Mitchell)
Glasgow Film Theatre 11th May (Q&A with Elizabeth Mitchell)
Barn Cinema Dartington 25-26th May (25th – Q&A with Brek Taylor)
Riverside Studios Hammersmith 13th June
Light House Wolverhampton 13-16th June
Eden Court Inverness  16-21st June
Cornerhouse Manchester 23rd June

We are starting to gather all the reviews from the press screenings – here are a few that we are particularly proud of!

“Colin Morgan is outstanding” Sight & Sound
“A moving story that stays with you” The Herald
“Natalie Press is perfect” Screen International

And finally – thanks so much for all your help so far in guiding us in the direction of some cool film festivals which include the Rotterdam Film festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Montreal Film Festival and the Semana Film Festival in Spain – any more you can think of would be greatly appreciated.

And also if you think your university would be interested in hosting a Q&A evening please let us know as we are really keen to share our experiences with fellow filmmakers – so far we have been to the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, Film London and TBWA advertising agency (apparently they’re keen to model themselves more on independent film-makers!). We will be holding a Q&A at the Central Film School in London in May and are setting up others as this blog gets written but if you can think of any others please do get in touch.

Thanks very much for your continued support –

Looking forward to seeing you at one of the screenings.

The Island Team x

Q&A’s and Opening Nights…

The Q&A session at Film London was a roaring success – Thanks very much to those that managed to make it along. Unfortunately everyone was having such a good time asking or answering questions that there are no photos of the event but the lovely Julie at Merlin Locations wrote up a spookily accurate portrayal of the evening. http://merlinlocations.com/?p=1501

There is to be another Island Q&A with Brek and Elizabeth at Central Film School on May the 18^th. It is for students only I’m afraid but if you are one of the lucky few do please come along.

Screen South have kindly awarded us a hardship fund (and boy are we hard up!) to help get Island into more festivals so we’re busy submitting away…

There are still a few seats left for the opening night at the Curzon Renior on Easter Monday but only a few so be sure to get yours soon before they all sell out.

http://www.curzoncinemas.com/events/details/545/island-qa-elizabeth-mitchell-brek-taylor–actors/

And finally Tailormade are busy running lots of other workshops specialising in the fantastic art of collaboration… next event up is the introductory session to collaboration which we’re running for free so you can come along and find out more about what we do. It’s Saturday April 9th 2-5.30pm at Central Film School, though please email info@tailormadeproductions.com if you fancy coming along. See the tailormade facebook page for more details.