Gemma’s review of The Kings Speech

Gemma is working towards her Bronze Arts Award – this is her review of the Kings Speech

The King’s Speech

 On the 5th March 2011, I went to see the King’s Speech at the Showcase Cinema in Reading with my family. I had decided to see this film after hearing about the reviews in the newspaper and on the television.

Having booked our tickets to ensure that we had good seats, we turned up at the cinema at 1.30pm for the 2.00 o’clock showing.  Having got my popcorn I made my way into the cinema.

I was very excited about seeing the film as all the reviews had been very good and I really like Colin Firth.  I have seen a lot of films which he has starred in and they have all been very good, so I was sure the Kings Speech would be good.

I think everyone else who was in the cinema that afternoon was thinking the same thing because as the film started the cinema went very quiet and you could feel the excitement in the room.

The film tells the private story of a very famous public man, King George VI (known to his family as Bertie) and the woman who loved him and became his queen.  It tells the story of how King George had to deal with a stammer which he had had since his childhood, and how an Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, helps King George to control and come to terms with the stammer.

The film is very moving and there are some very sad moments but also some very funny parts as well.  It is one of those very rare films when you come out of the cinema and you have this warm and happy feeling inside.

I thought the film was just as great as everyone had said, and I think this film will live on as a truly great movie.

Colin Firth who played King George VI was absolutely fantastic and made you truly believe he was King George VI.  Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter also played their supporting roles really well.

This really was a fabulous film and I can’t wait for it to be released on DVD so I can watch it over and over again.

 Gemma Aged 18

The YAK SHACK … a sneak preview

The YAK SHACK’s opening wall created by Krozza, Koas, Alican, Mr Bletch, Kleiner Shames and 1995

www.kleinershames.blogspot.com
www.1995lives.blogspot.com
www.adambletchillustration.blogspot.com
www.oyaptrust.wordpress.com

Heritage Lottery Fund Fun

That is the practical bit for us finished.

I was amazed at how little of the generic presenting there was. I think that this was a relief for some of us. Whilst I didn’t mind being in-front of the camera, saying constructed things to camera is not always easy. I suppose you could say that we had quite a Ken Loach approach.  When you see us on screen, those are our words and our feelings.

That was the point of the project, to capture our real opinions and thoughts. I am really grateful that I had the chance to be involved in this project and it was a lot of fun. Being so closely involved in the whole process of filming was a lot of fun and this was where my focus lay during each day. Having had the evaluation and time to think about the project as a whole, I feel almost urgent for our film to encourage people to get involved in heritage projects.

There are so many great opportunities out there to get stuck into a site and really make a difference. A difference not just for heritage, local communities but also for yourself.

Right, I will stop the enthusiastic rant there. That is quite enough.

Just get out there to your local heritage sites. You will be surprised.

Heritage Lottery Film project – Vlog – Day 1

The Spike, Guildford

Today has completely flown by.

I managed to get the essentials into my tiny handbag and remembered to put make-up on. A must for presenting! I was up most of last night as I could not relax and was quite tired but this did not affect me at all! We were an hour late leaving the station due to Oxford’s temperamental and frustrating traffic. The schedule amended we picked up tools at Guildford station and set to recording the first scene. I was filmed in the back of a seven seater car with my director sat next to me, the camera-man and sound lady sat in-front of us. Ellie – back of car director –  was going to attempt to direct through the medium of hand (one of those faces drawn on her hand) but unfortunately this was not one of those things that we picked up and ran with. Had it have been a film for our own ends I think things would have been different.

We had a very personal talk and tour of the workhouse (‘The Spike’) and learnt a phenomenal amount about the setting up and restoration of the building, the history and lives of the homeless. It got us thinking about possible projects to raise the profile of the workhouse.  The lower floor of the building is already used as a community centre and is being used and enjoyed by the local community. Tours are a problem for them as it is hard for them to come by volunteers to carry them out which is a shame. They have a fantastic video that shows the reality of living in and around the workhouse system. They have made it like watching a soap episode so it is really engaging.   Anyone interested in old buildings (as the architecture is great), history, homeless or ‘HLF’ projects should definitely go and see this place. If you can, go when there is a tour as I think that you will get more out of it.

On Monday, I worried that I would feel that I was in over my head but I was wrong to worry. We were very well looked after by our film man (Phil from… someone help me out here) and as it happens I spent all day in-front of the camera rather than behind it. I am a little unsure about how I feel about this. I know that Friday is going to be hectic and I am going to be doing the technicals. It would have been good to have the practice so that we can be swift with the recording. One of my worries today was that we hadn’t been quirky enough with the filming as we want to steer clear of making it a dry film. Whether this will be done through editing, what we say or film angles I am not sure. With the presenting I tried to be as real to life as possible without being too cheeky. Those of you who know me, will know that I can be quite cheeky.

From an OYAP young leaders programme point of view, i am really enjoying the opportunity to get to know people through the medium of long public transport journeys. Not a mode of travel that I normally opt for on long journeys.

Friday is Bletchley park and Pitt Rivers. Until then. I wish you all a good Thursday.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Film-camp for Heritage Lottery.

Today was, as Ellie might say: “crazy-mental!”

It was our first day on a project with Heritage Lottery. We were trained to use a semi-professional camera, boom and cans. In the training we were let loose on New Greenham Park and filmed our imaginary ‘Disneyland Newbury.’ We shot as many scenes as there were positions in the team so that we all had a go at something.  It was loads of fun and it felt like we had a chance to really get stuck into something as a group.

The project that we are being trained for will be all about exploring our personal responses to Heritage sites across the South East which means filming us on site as we are discovering it!

On location at film camp

Very excited about all of this!

Over and out for now.

Becca