Tag Archives: Advice

And Action! The Making of Prose & Cons.

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So we finished with the first location for Prose & Cons. We have 53 scenes in the bag. 53 scenes. That’s 50% of our movie. Almost. The most surprising thing was how easy it was. Not that it wasn’t hard, it was. It just took me so long to make a film that I guess I thought it would be nearly impossible. It was hard work, but if you work hard it’s no biggie.

Steve McAleavy and Catherine Balavage direct Prose & Cons

Steve was amazing. We are filming on a Canon 60D and Steve is operating it. Steve is the producer/editor/co-director and all-round great guy. Steve and I both have equipment but we mostly used his. He has a lot of Phillip Bloom stuff, and a Fig rig. I haven’t asked how much it all costs and I don’t think he wants me to; adding all of that up will only be painful.

The first actor to turn up is Lynn Howes. Lynn is not only talented but very professional. She knows the script inside out, is good with continuity and thinks of the little things that no-one else does. Jack Bowman plays her boyfriend in the film. Jack is perfect as Jamie. He is very talented and Jack is also fun.

Next up is Bo Wilson. Bo plays her part beautifully. She has a day job as an editor at the Evening Standard, gets up at 5am but still manages to get to Kingston in the evening and give a brilliant performance.

We filmed in Kingston, a beautiful area. We didn’t do too many takes and the actors were professional. Although I feel that because I cast some of my friends they don’t show the proper amount of respect for me as the director. I try to be firm and tell myself; hey, at least they turned up.

Clea Myers came and played my aunt. Clea is in a poignant scene in the film and she is an incredibly giving actress. In acting it matters to act opposite someone else who is talented. The better the actor the better you will be. Clea is obviously a film actress of note. She is one of the most talented people I have ever worked with. Acting on film is thinking, but thinking hard. I read that in Mel Churcher’s book, and it is spot on.

Before we start filming I realise that our of all of the scenes we are filming I am in about 90% of them. That is a lot of lines. Directing and acting is not necessarily hard. As long as you watch the footage back and change if it is not working.

One of the actors drop out at the last minute and we have to deal with the stress of casting while we are dealing with the stress of filming. Fun. Luckily, after a few calls the wonderful Monty Burgess stepped into the breach. He gave a wonderful performance and I cannot imagine anyone else doing the part.

Steve doesn’t have any crew but still manages to do brilliant shots. Steve says that the next time he wants crew and at one point says he doesn’t know why he indulged me: “We should have made a short”. he says. He’s joking. I think.

We had a brilliant time. When you make a film you become like a family. Few things went wrong apart from a broken lens cover (not the lens, thank god), a broken HDMI cable and a parking ticket.

I am very excited about filming the rest of Prose & Cons. I will keep you all updated and get Steve to write something to.

5 Tips to cope with the Euro Meltdown

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5 Tips to cope with the Euro Meltdown by Karen Perkins.

1 Take control. Review, and keep reviewing all your savings/bank accounts etc and decide if you have anything to worry about. If yes, make a plan and act now. if not .. relax & praise yourself, at least you have acted.
2 Choose to listen less to the News .. let go of things you cannot control.. concentrate on the things you can .. you can choose to take on less stress, especially if its not your own !
3 Get over it… think of people who are much worse off than you, imagine having to walk 4 miles a day for clean water !
4 Protect ,and futureproof your current job/ business by keeping your eye on the ball , and being indispensible.
5 Help others, do at least 1 Random Act of Kindness a day , volunteer to help a charity , we are very lucky here in Sheffield ..

Good luck !

Karen Perkins is a life coach. For more information go to her site.

Top Tips To Get an Art Gallery Internship

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Getting into the art world can be hard. If you don’t know someone it can even seem impossible. Here are some top tips to get an internship at an art gallery.

Have a niche. Think about what you love the most and specialise in it.

Go to openings. Find out about art openings and socialize with the people there. Get business cards made and hand them out. Know what you are talking about. Art people are notoriously snobby but just win them over with your intelligence and personality.

Follow galleries on Twitter and like them on Facebook. We live in a world of social media. Everybody is contactable. After you have followed your chosen gallery on twitter @ reply to them (mention them or reply to one of their tweets) or retweet a few of their tweets. Flattery gets you everywhere. Making contacts with people and letting them know about you will pay dividends. It’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease!

Write letters to people. People actually love helping other people and older people are always hungry to pass on their knowledge. People love mentoring. After you have made one connection they will pass you in to someone else, who will pass you on…you get the picture. Write a brief, concise letter explaining who you are and what you want on good stationary. Don’t get upset if no one responds, just take every ‘no’ as a step toward ‘yes’.

Have a list of galleries you are interested in. If you can’t get in straight away ask about their employee’s holidays or maternity leave. They will be impressed by your eagerness and think of you next time they need a temp.

Good luck!

Boris Johnson’s Workout Secrets. (Yes, Really)

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THE WINNERS WORKOUT


Boris Johnson’s personal trainer, Jon Denoris reveals the secrets behind Boris’s workout routine

After a month working with his new personal trainer, Jon Denoris, the new Mayor of London Boris Johnson can do 100 push up’s p/session, has lost 8kg and three inches of his waistband, as well as making significant life changes.

As part of Jon’s new ‘Pop Up Gym’ initiative to improve fitness and office diets in preparation for 2012 London Olympics, he has released a bespoke workout plan; similar to Boris Johnson’s to help readers get fit at work.

7AM – Power Smoothie

Blend two scoops of strawberry whey protein, two tablespoons of bio yoghurt, a handful of granola and a cup of skimmed milk. Add ice to finish. Drink one third immediately.

7.30AM – Clock-face drill

A simple ten-minute exercise routine. Begin in the starting position for a press-up, spin your body round like clock hands with your bellybutton as the axis. Randomly choose clock-face positions to spin to.

7.40AM – Power Smoothie

Finish the Power Smoothie made earlier.

8AM – Commute

In honour of our new mayor, take a Boris bike to work or walk at a brisk pace.

11AM – Desk based exercise

Break up your morning with a quick ten-minute stretch.

With your left hand, grip the underside of your chair. Slide to the right hand side of your chair and then pull down with your left arm. Whilst doing this, turn your head to the right and place your right hand on your head. Apply gentle pressure before swapping.

11.10AM – Snack

Elevenses are the highlight of most office workers’ mornings. Ensure that your meal contains a combination of protein and carbohydrates, such as peanut butter on wholegrain toast, orange segments and cottage cheese or nuts and an apple.

1PM – Lunchtime workout

If the office doesn’t subscribe to the Pop Up Gym classes, Denoris recommends a circuit based routine designed to be done in the office or in a nearby park. Do 20 reps for each exercise and then repeat as many times as possible in half anhour.

· Body weight squats. With your hands across your chest and your backside stickingout, lower your thighs so that they are parallel to the floor. Hold and then rise slowly.

· T-stand push-ups. When at the top of your push-up, rotate the body and stretch one arm out to the side and then up to the sky. Follow by switching sides.

· Lateral lunges. Begin by standing with both legs together and then lunge sideways, bending your knees. Follow by touching your feet with both hands, keeping the trailing leg straight. Return to a standing position before alternating legs.

· Single-arm rowing. Once squatting, lean forwards, sticking your bum out until it is 45degrees to the floor. Whilst using one arm to stabilise yourself, pick up your bag and lift it up and down ten times. Then alternate.

· Bicycle kicks. Lying on your back, cradle your head with your hands. Bring your shoulder blades off the ground whilst bending your knees. Alternate, touching each elbow to the opposite knee.

1.45PM –Lunch

Aim for a vegetable and protein-rich lunch. For example, two grilled mackerel fillets on a bed of spinach, with olive oil and lemon to taste.

4PM – Desk stretch

Place your left leg on a chair or staircase. Bend your knee, extend your right arm until vertical and pulse forwards until you feel a gentle stretch through the hip. Alternate sides.

4.10PM – Snack

Similar to the morning snack, mix up protein with carbohydrates. Denoris suggests pitta bread and tuna or a hard-boiled egg and a whole wheat bagel.

6.30PM – Commute home

Again on a bike or walking.

7.30PM – Dinner

Denoris recommends chicken stir-fried in peanut oil with garlic chilli soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and basil leaves. Serve with brown rice.

00.00AM – Bedtime

Constantly restricting sleep is an easy way to gain weight. Keep your sleep and waking times consistent. Aim for between six to eight hours a night.

Does the packaging in your bin annoy you?

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Does the packaging in your bin annoy you?

Packaging is funny stuff. No-one goes out to buy it; they go to buy the things inside. And by the time you get it home, and remove (or use up) the contents of the pack, it has worked quite hard.

But most of what it does is invisible to consumers. We don’t see products stacked meters high in warehouses, stacked on an open dockside in the heat or shaken about in the back of a lorry. Even a humble crisp packet, which uses the tiniest amount of material, performs a number of jobs to ensure that crisps are crisp, not stale, and not crushed into tiny bits.

There has been lots of publicity recently for the huge quantity of food we waste in the UK each year. Wasting food is an environmental disaster, not least because all of the energy and other resources that went into growing, processing, storing and transporting it are also wasted, along with the food itself. But few of us probably realize that if the UK’s packaging and distribution system was not as sophisticated and technologically advanced as it is, there would be far more food waste.

Most food just would not be available without packaging – sliced bread, yogurt, frozen peas, rice, jam, cream cake. Packaging continually responds to changes in life style – smaller portions for people living alone; prepared microwavable vegetables for time-poor people and those who want to reduce cooking energy – in a way that few other industries have done.

Twenty years ago there was roughly the same amount of packaging in your bin as there is today, but it would have been generated by far fewer goods. That’s because manufacturers and retailers keep doing more with less, reducing the resources used to provide the same (or better) protection, information and hygiene.

On average just 1% of packaged food is wasted compared to 10% of food sold loose. That’s because packaged food does not get damaged in the supply chain and it lasts longer on the shelf.

The public mistakenly sees the packaging in their bin as a sign of failure, but over 80% of packaging can easily be recycled so clean paper, cardboard, glass, metals and plastic bottles should be put in recycling boxes, not rubbish bins. However, even non-recyclable packaging is – in the big picture of total resources used – helping to avoid waste. It also makes much of modern life possible – take-away coffee, ready-made sandwiches, microwaveable meals.

We should learn to love packaging – it’s helping to reduce waste and improve both choice and convenience. How many products can claim that?

WAIST-WHITTLING SUMMER SAVERS

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With the summer sun – and that longed-for beach break – now tantalisingly close at hand, our thoughts are turning to shedding the cosy winter layers and honing what’s been hiding underneath.

But if achieving that fabulous bikini body means losing a few extra pounds, it’s a relief to know even the smallest of changes can make a massive difference to your shrinking waistline.  Nutritionists agree that despite the popularity of diets such as the Dukan, Atkins and GI, the only path to long-term weight loss is to adjust diet and lifestyle to ensure you eat fewer calories than your body uses.

Clare Grace, research dietician at the Queen Mary University of London reports: “Weight gain occurs when the number of calories eaten is greater than the number used by the body.” In fact, to gain, and therefore lose 1lb in weight, you’ll need to eat – or avoid – an extra 3,500 calories.

Sounds like a challenge, but it needn’t be.  Cutting back or burning off an extra 100 calories a day could help you lose 10lb a year, so just a couple of changes to your daily diet could see you beach-ready and bikini fit in time for the summer!

Five easy calorie crunchers

1.    Oranges and lemons – It makes for a refreshing start to the day, but that glass of orange juice packs a calorific punch with around 110kcals for a 250ml glass. Shave 100 calories from your morning tipple by replacing orange juice with a blend of PLj Lemon Juice and water (£2.29 for 500ml from Sainsbury’s and Waitrose).  At less than 7kcals per glass, it also delivers 75% of the RDA of vitamin C in every serving so makes good sense all round!

2.    Banish the biscuit tin – It probably comes as no surprise, but biscuits are crammed with calories – just two Hobnobs clock up a whopping 142kcals!  For a more nutritious snack with your cuppa, nibble on a kiwi fruit and a Satsuma.  At 14kcals and 18kcals a piece, you’ll be laughing all the way to a lower dress size.

3.    Keep things open – Providing the filling is relatively healthy, a good wholesome sandwich can make for a tasty, filling meal.  To save on the calorie content, think Scandinavian and opt for an ‘open sandwich’, using one slice of bread rather than two.  It’ll save you around 100kcals, and if substituted with a healthy side salad and fat-free dressing, will be just as satisfying!

4.    Season for the season – Rather than smothering steamed vegetables with lashings of butter, sprinkle them with lemon juice and fresh herbs for a delicate, fat-free and calorie-crushing flavour.

5.    Winning with wine – At the end of a long day, there’s nothing quite like an evening tipple.  Every 250ml glass of wine delivers 185kcals, so opting for a small glass (89kcals for 120ml) or better still, a gin and slimline tonic (56kcals for a single serving) will help you to continue the saving.

It’s not just about cutting calories from your daily diet though – you can also make a difference by moving more throughout the day to speed up your calorie burning potential.

Five easy calorie consumers

1.    Be a mean cleaner – Throw yourself into a 20-minute cleaning frenzy of vacuuming, scrubbing, mopping or tidying, should see you burn off around 100kcals.

2.    Go the extra mile – Walk a mile further than you normally would every day and you’ll clock up a 100kcal deficit.  Running the mile will burn the same – you’ll just complete the mile a little more quickly!

3.    Window shop – Take yourself off for a 40 minute shopping spree at lunchtime and burn 100kcals while you’re at it!

4.    Dig it – Digging and raking reap the biggest benefits in terms of calorie burning in the garden – just 15 minutes could see you 100kcals down.

5.    Ironing out – Work up a sweat with the ironing pile!  Just 25 minutes of enthusiastic ironing could see you burn 100kcals!

The Bike-Owner’s Handbook | Book review.

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I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was divine. It is a classy, illustrated book on everything you could possibly want to know about your bike. There is nothing you won’t learn how to fix.

The book is small and lightweight, a proper handbook rather than those ones that claim to be a handbook but give you a dead arm and a broken bag. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover but this handbook has a great one. It reminded me of a moleskin notebook.

Inside is a step-by-step guide to everything you ever wanted to know about your bike with beautiful illustrations. No matter how hard you find instructions it talks you gently through puncture repair, brake and gear adjustments, cleaning and maintenance. I really liked this book. It is a great addition to your library and a must for cyclists and bicycle lovers.

The Bike-Owners Handbook written by Peter Drinkell.

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12 helpful tips to save your water.

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As the hosepipe ban is introduced across parts of the UK, people need to make sure they’re keeping an eye on their water consumption. The shortage will affect millions of homeowners, not to mention having a potentially adverse effect on the UK’s wildlife. Cutting down water usage not only makes good environmental sense, it can save on household bills too which is why Megaflo, the water experts, have put together some practical, everyday tips to help homeowners save precious water.

 

1.    Savings on tap

There’s no need to keep the tap running while brushing your teeth or shaving as you can waste up to 9 litres a minute by just letting the water pour down the sink , so turn it off in-between cleaning(water-guide.org)[i]. This way, we are only using as much water as we really need.

 

2.    A glass a day helps keep the ban away

Why not just use one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle as this will cut down on the number of glasses to wash, reducing both your washing up time and

 3.    Make sure your wash is a full one

When using your dishwasher or washing machine make sure the load is full as this can save gallons of water and also helps you shift your piles of washing more quickly!

 

4.    A shower of savings

Spend less time in the shower and even turn off the tap in-between rinses while washing your hair.  If you aim to spend no more than two minutes in the shower it will go a long way to helping cut down on your water usage.

 

5.    Rationalise your tea-making operations!

Fill the kettle with only as much water as you need as this will save both water and energy.  Using a cup to measure out the amount of water you put into your kettle will help reduce the strain on your bank account as well as on the UK’s water resources!

 

6.    Fix your leaks

Those leaky taps can waste gallons of water, it is estimated that just one drop a second from a dripping tap wastes nearly 5,000 litres of water a year (fhc2020.co.uk)[ii]. So get the plumber in and fix those faucets! Having a new washer fitted will be a lot cheaper than the cost of the water a leak can waste.

 

 

7.    If you can, use it twice!

Never let water down the drain if you can use it again.  Did you know that you can re-use your washing-up water to water your plants and garden?  Washing up liquid is harmless to our growing friends and recycling the used dish water ensures you are doing your bit for the environment.  You can even water plants with your used vegetable cooking water!

 

8.    Keep it cool

Keeping a bottle of water in the fridge avoids you having to run the tap for a while and waste water while you wait for it to run cold.  You can then refill the water bottle as you need it and even use the water left over in your kettle to be super-efficient.

 

9.    Wash your dishes

When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Try filling one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water and wash up everything in one go.

 

10.  Keep your greens green!

However, you can wash your fruits and vegetables in a single bowl of water instead of running water from the tap through a colander.

 

11.  Forget the hose- use a bucket and sponge

Using a sponge and a bucket of water to clean your car, instead of a hose, is the smart way to keep our prized four-wheeled friends shining, without breaking the water bank.

 

12.  Stop your flushing

Did you know that each time we flush the toilet it uses the same amount of water which a person in the third world used all day for washing, cleaning, cooking and drinking?(whrnet.org)[iii]Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily; put your tissues and other waste in the bin rather than the toilet.

 

Megaflo is showing its support to helping save water by co-funding a Pump Aid project to develop water wells and flushing toilets for 21 schools in Malawi.  Pump Aid is a charity dedicated to providing clean water and good sanitation to underprivileged areas in Africa.