You can relive the event on the blog at www.saltburn.org.uk or if you really want to re-run the event in the order it happened click here ( it builds slow but quickly gets media rich) – just read each page, scrolling down and then click “older entries” at the bottom.
The event saw the world premier of “The Force is With You” which you can enjoy below.

Featured this year will be World Première of “The Force is With You” which has been produced in partnership with the Institute of Digital Innovation, the Skinningrove Community, Whitecliffe Primary School and Redcar & Cleveland Community Safety Partnership. The school children will get their own matinee screening at 1.30 on the same date.

During a recent International workshop in Vienna one of scenes in “The Force is With You” was “voiced” using the services of some of the workshop attendees. The film clip below is a sneak preview of one of the scenes and a behind the scenes look at how it was put together.

Trouper 1 is played by Markus Petz from Finland, Trouper 2 by Thomas Chepaitis the Minister of foreign affairs of Uzhupis Republic (Lithuania) Arthur Vador is played by Steve Thompson and Barry Hunt the Mayor of Loftus is camera operator.

In the background is Laura Pakalne, Senior Officer in the Public Relations Department in the Ministry of Justice, Latvia who is most interested in our working with the British police and the movie production team on more collaborative projects. Markus has delayed his return to Finland to travel to Saltburn to assist with a hook-up with Latvia during the event on the 11^th. It’s quite possible that people all over the world will be able to participate in the event. More information on this will be released closer to the event.

“Can’t I get some decent staff to work with: poets and bloody parish councillors – other people get professionals – what do I get, bloody poets and parish councillors!!”

Straad Tomsen – Director

Shit ! – this virtual movie making is growing more like Hollywood every day. An embarrasing on set account has leaked to Facebook with some unauthorised stills from the production (low res as you’d expect). http://www.facebook.com//note.php?note_id=247317871177

Steve T

Posted via email from The Straad Players

All the locations have been scouted for the new production. I visited today with a lady called Samantha Glume who has built a great Space Station Sim. She gave us the green light to shoot there and when I explained one of the shots she gave me permissions to pilot the space shuttle. Only then I realised that I could not fly the shuttle as I would be shooting the scene. She agreed to give one of my troupe the perms. So, who should it be? Well why not a VIP pilot? so I summoned up Ashok Kumar MP and he was given his “wings” (see pic). On reflection I wondered if it should be Cllr Mike Findley as he is the “Flying Mayor” but perhaps he could have a cameo shot.

Shooting starts this week with a full day of sessions on 8th and more on 11th. We still need more avatar drivers (actors). If you’d like to be involved please go to http://www.doodle.com/bghz9pxwcbmwuzrpand tick all the dates you could do.

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Arthur Vadors two sidekicks are now on board. It was kinda funny having to give each of them some money to go buy their outfits (see pics) The lads are bald in the first shot as I had not yet supplied their rugs.

The Skinningrove Village square set is coming along nicely except for the fact that I accidentally turned Paul Li’s beautiful backdrop into concrete! Still, I had a great visit and chat this morning (inworld) with a guy called Markus. I was shopping around for a Holodeck or a scene for our existing Holodeck to shoot the star-ship scene in. Markus offered to build us a huge Holodeck surrounding the set onto which we would past the Skinningrove real world backdrop. Markus sells these things but he said he’d loan us one for the movie shoot. He also pointed out the significance of 2010 – A Space Odyssey – wonder if we could incorporate a nod and a wink to that? We’re going to need some panoramic pics of the Skinningrove backdrop. Any of the photographers among us up for that? I need couple of voice characterisations. I’ve decided to voice Arthur myself as I’ve already provided his resisting of arrest outbursts in Loftus Police station (that’s another story). I need a couple of mean sounding voices with demonic laughter for Arthurs White Lightning Troupers.. Any volunteers? I’d prefer to record it all on Teesside in one go.

That’s all for now. Happy New Year everyone.

The Skinningrove Village Square set is coming along nicely http://slurl.com/secondlife/TeesLife/110/185/148

Meanwhile I’ve been scouting locations for other scenes and have come across a great location for the Classroom Scene. All the childrens voices (Whiteclffe Primary) and the Police anwers are in the can so we’re good to go. The location is Kinsford Academy and the owners of the Sim have kindly consented to the movie shoot. It’s a role play sim so we could be able to recruit some child actors for the parts. One, Sesame March is already on board and she’s done Machinima before. That still leaves 4 adult roles to be played, that of the head teacher and 3 policemen. If you want to be involved and haven’t allready done so please go to the Doodle http://www.doodle.com/bghz9pxwcbmwuzrp or the Wiki http://straad2010.wikispaces.com/ and let us know ALL the dates you copuld be available for the shooting of scenes. (All times GMT)

Straad T

Posted via email from The Straad Players

All the best

Straad T

Posted via email from The Straad Players