Tag Archives: british

50 Kisses at BAFTA for Guinness World Records

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I recently attended the 50 Kisses screening event at BAFTA. It was also to celebrate 50 Kisses getting into Guinness Book of Records as the film with the most co-writers. The writers of 50 Kisses gathered at BAFTA to celebrate the news that they had collectively entered the Guinness Book Of Records for the most co-writers on a feature film. The video, from 50 Kisses and director Chris Jones, is below. Congratulations all. It was a great event and we also caught up with British actor Jon Campling and film distributor David Wilkinson.

50 kisses BAFTA _chris jones, living spirit  50 Kisses World Record22 50 Kisses World Record108 Jon Campling
http://www.50kissesfilm.com/

 

 

Third Contact Film Review

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A permanent sense of dread and the unknown hangs over this impressive low budget British psychological thriller from debut writer and director Si Horrocks. Filmed on location in London for a shoestring budget and on a single handheld camera, the film has benefited enormously from a successful Kickstarter campaign, pulling in independent funds to secure an international screening tour both at festivals and local venues. It’s another brilliant inspirational example of filmmakers marshalling their own resources and bringing their own unique vision to a broad audience.

thirdcontactfilm

Private psychiatrist David Wright (Tim Scott-Walker) is in utter despair; he is hounded by memories of his long lost love and the guilt over a patient’s recent and seemingly pointless suicide. At his nadir and contemplating his own suicide, David is contacted by the patient’s sister Erika (Jannica Olin) who is seeking answers to her brother’s death. United by their grief and loss, the pair investigate the suicide further and soon uncover a mysterious and sinister agenda that defies both their expectations.

Early in the drama of the film, one of David’s patients relates to him the theory behind ‘quantum suicide’, a concept that theorizes that the universe can be split open at the firing of a gun into two states: one of life and the other of death. It’s a lofty, ambitious concept to hit your audience with moments out of the start gate of your movie. Yet that’s all the more credit to Third Contact, a thriller that avoids the cliches and conventions of other projects made under similar circumstances. Writer and director Horrocks discards tired indie Brit cliches of gangsters and banal romance for cerebral science fiction, with a fine eye for minute detail and delivering in a fresh, fractured narrative style. Shot on a relatively inexpensive handheld camera, Horrocks has worked wonders with the films visual look. Filmed in a bleak and stark monochrome, the portrait of urban London comes to a vibrant and urgent life whilst remaining disconcertingly alien and hauntingly lonely. It reminded me somewhat of Christopher Nolan’s debut feature Following, also filmed for pennies and looking spectacular. This is matched by the eerie and otherworldly soundscape where sound and score seem to bleed into each other and become indistinguishable, not unlike the work of David Lynch.

Horrocks has taken on a one man band approach with the project but has still surrounded himself great talent to round out the project. Tim Scott-Walker is pretty terrific in central role, successfully convincing David’s fraying mental state and anguish and his increasingly fraught encounters with those he meets. It’s a world where no one can be fully trusted and supporting players are very effective at portraying characters whose allegiances are uncertain. That this team have managed to come up with such a well constructed project with minimal resources is nothing short of remarkable as is the films unique and dogged release strategy. On the basis of this, the concept of the writer/director with a larger budget is very enticing indeed.

The Buckley Poppy Now Available in Support of The Royal British Legion

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In support of the Royal British Legion, QVC has introduced the beautiful Buckley Poppy to mark Remembrance Day on 11th of November. These great accessories are available as cufflinks, key-rings, bracelets and brooches. QVC has raised £378,000 so far, help them to raise more by splashing out.

300167 Buckley Crystal Poppy Brooch £21.00 B1077 BT747 KR007Available from QVC.co.uk

 

#OOTD goes designer with Nivea Soft and World Renowned British Fashion Designer Giles Deacon

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128 Nivea Soft, Catherine Balavage, manicure

I checked out the new Nivea Soft pots designed by Giles Deacon in the Handpicked Media London Fashion Week Suite. I love the product and the cool design. We also have a Giles Set to giveaway. This includes all three of the limited edition pots and zip pouches.

I also managed to fit in a cool manicure at the Handpicked Suite, take a look below.

Fashion Ready Skin Starts With NIVEA Soft

 

One of the hottest tickets of the London runways, Giles Deacon has lent his unique blend of superior craftsmanship and whimsical irreverence to NIVEA Soft to create three new collectable limited edition packs.  The introduction of these packs in-store in September heralds a new lease of fashion streaming to #OOTD as a panel of experts from the NIVEA Soft judge the ultimate online fashion competition.

 

Get Involved!

From 11th September until 25th September, NIVEA Soft will compile a glamorous look book of the best #OOTD and will also give out 60 spot prizes to fashionistas.  It’s worth entering just to be in with the chance of winning a Giles Deacon designer handbag or Limited Edition Soft Pots. After 25th September all entries will be reviewed by the NIVEA judges and their favourite 15 looks will be put through to a finalists gallery where they will be voted for by the public.  The top 15 finalists will need to have the style and panache to create an interesting look and a stylish statement in one fashion moment!

 

Fashion Voting & One Winner

From 25th September, visitors to the site get to vote on their favourite outfits and the person with the most votes will win the ultimate prize of a styling session with Giles Deacon!!! NIVEA fans will be invited to check out and cast their decision by voting on the Instagram gallery*. This is huge exposure for any keen style kings or queens and a great way to connect via your own facebook, instagram and blog sites.  It’s going to be fashion mayhem!

 

Styled by Giles!

The #OOTD super stylish winner chosen by the public will get a behind the scenes meet up with Giles and then a once in a lifetime styling session with the coolest fashion man of the moment. Also included will be overnight accommodation in London for the winner and £200 of spending money

 

Upload here:

A NIVEA Instagram gallery will host the #OOTD entries and votes.  The entry process is simple, just upload your image via Twitter or Instagram and include #OOTD and #NIVEASOFT for automatic entry. If you make it through to the final 15 why not include the link in your blog as well as facebook and twitter so your readers can see or even vote?

 

Fashion Ready Skin Starts With NIVEA Soft

The all-purpose nature of NIVEA SOFT ensures a quick beauty routine, making skin incredibly ‘soft’ and supple, leaving more time for fashion decisions and styling. It has a lightweight formula like whipped cream, containing Jojoba and Vitamin E that melts into skin instantly for a hydrated and refreshed feeling that lasts all day.

Vivienne Westwood is Virgin Atlantic’s New Uniform Designer

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Iconic and controversial British designer Vivienne Westwood has been announced as the new designer of Virgin Atlantic’s iconic red uniform. The collaboration between the two British brands is a long-term partnership which will see a total re-design of the uniform across all areas. With original design and sustainability being vital factors to both Richard Branson and Vivienne Westwood, this project aims to bring these ideals together in an exciting and innovative collaboration.

male_sketch

For the new uniforms, Vivienne Westwood wanted to create a futuristic look which references her enduring interest in 40’s French couture cutting techniques as well as the Savile Row tailoring heritage. The new designs will capture the glamour and style that the Virgin Atlantic cabin crew are renowned for.

Female sketch

Richard Branson, President of Virgin Atlantic commented: “Virgin Atlantic has a distinct spirit and from a design perspective we continually try to challenge the norm and stand out from the crowd. Our current uniform has been around for more than 10 years and we have seen other airlines start to copy it. When we were choosing the designer for this project, we wanted to work with a group of people who share our spirit of adventure, who believe in challenging the status quo and creating something truly memorable.”

Vivienne Westwood commented: “My clothes have always got a very strong dynamic rapport with the body- they are very body conscious, they help you to look glamorous, more hourglass, more woman. I design things to help people to hopefully express their personality. I am always trying to find fabrics that are more friendly to the environment – working with Virgin Atlantic they managed to research into this and find more eco fabrics.”

For the female cabin crew uniform the design process began by looking at cuts which encompassed function as well as form. The suit is, of course, in the iconic Virgin red and the silhouette extremely feminine to fit all shapes and sizes. The jacket enhances the female form with the aid of cleverly placed bust pleats, a nipped in waist and a curved hip line and the pencil skirt which looks deceptively simple from the front then reveals a cheeky dart and double pleat at the back. For the men, a sharp Savile Row inspired three piece suit in rich burgundy wool is subverted with shadow details in grey wool under the lapels and pockets. The effect is of a very traditional British look which is given a contemporary feel.

Over 7,500 staff including cabin crew, pilots, Clubhouse staff and Virgin Holidays employees will receive new uniforms from the iconic designer and employees have been involved throughout the design process. Passengers will receive a sneak peek of the new uniforms from July 2013 when cabin crew and ground staff trial the uniform at the airports and on board. Crew will provide feedback on the design, practicality and wearability so tweaks can be made ahead of the full launch in 2014.

Many items of the new uniform will be produced using recycled materials – in particular working with recycled polyester yarn made from used plastic bottles. The suiting fabrics will also have a nano finish applied which extends the life of garments and enables clothing to retain its colour and finish for longer. Virgin Atlantic is also developing all items with Closed Loop Recycling in mind. This new technology takes worn polyester clothing and turns it back into fibres that can be woven again into new fabrics and in turn new clothing.

Vivienne Westwood has also introduced recycled bags for the ground staff which will be produced for Virgin through the Ethical Africa Programme, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC). The bags will be created using recycled canvas, reused roadside banners, unused leather off-cuts, and recycled brass, produced in the Kibera slum, Nairobi, where discarded metal like padlocks and car pieces are collected then melted down.

To explore the Virgin Atlantic uniform project, visit our Pinterest board at http://pinterest.com/VirginAtlantic/New-Red-Threads/ and join the conversation on Twitter using #newredthreads.

Calling The UK’s Female Entrepreneurs: Enter The NatWest Everywoman Awards

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beyonce_super_bowl_The UK’s longest-running programme for championing female enterprise, the NatWest everywoman Awards is welcoming entries for 2013. These awards, in their eleventh year, differentiate themselves by recognising business success at every stage of maturity – from embryonic start-ups demonstrating promise to established enterprises that are making a significant contribution to the British economy.

The search is now on to find the female entrepreneurs who will join the ranks of past winners; Chrissie Rucker MBE, Jo Malone MBE, Cath Kidston MBE, Hilary Devey and Dame Mary Perkins as well as the dozens of other women of all ages, household names of tomorrow, who are leading successful businesses the length and breadth of the country.

The number of people setting up their own businesses has jumped by 367,000 since the start of the downturn in 2008*, demonstrating how while necessity may be the mother of invention, a recession can be the mother of innovation. Every year, these awards demonstrate how women from all backgrounds are turning to entrepreneurship to realise their career ambitions. The NatWest everywoman awards raise the profile of pioneering, innovative, inspiring women whose journeys serve to encourage others to join the existing 4.2 million business owners in the UK.

The NatWest everywoman Awards are free to enter and individuals can be nominated or can enter themselves. The core award categories are:


Artemis – given to the most inspirational woman running a business who is aged 25 or under.

Demeter – awarded to the most inspirational woman running a business who is aged between 26 and 35.

Athena – presented to the most inspirational woman running a business who is aged between 36 and 49.

Hera – for the most inspirational woman running a business who is aged 50 or over.

Specialist categories include:

Iris – presented to the most inspirational and successful female entrepreneur who runs a technology business that makes a difference provides real solutions in the world today and, ultimately, is instrumental in building a smarter planet.

Hestia – for the most inspirational and successful female entrepreneur who runs a business in a remote rural location and makes a contribution to the local community.

Gaia – awarded to the most inspirational and successful female entrepreneur who runs a business with a clearly defined social and/or ethical purpose at its heart.

Maxine Benson MBE, co-founder and director of everywoman comments: “These awards recognise that starting and building a successful enterprise does not come with an instruction manual. We understand that business success is driven by women of all ages, from all backgrounds, across industry sectors. Over the years we have recognised hundreds of women who exhibit diverse skills and characteristics that have helped them succeed. Enterprise has never been more popular, and it is encouraging that so many more women are pursuing this route. We want to search out and identify the country’s hidden female entrepreneurs, whether they are just a year into their journey or are growing an established business turning over millions of pounds. By spreading the word about the triumphs of these trailblazing women, others will appreciate how rewarding owning a business can be, and have the confidence to follow in their footsteps.”

Nominations are made online at http://www.everywoman.com/ewawards until 8 July and will be judged by a panel of accomplished businesswomen and entrepreneurs.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony held on 4 December 2013 attended by hundreds of the UK’s leading businesswomen, politicians, media and VIPS. For further information and for table bookings, please contact everywoman directly on 020 7981 2574.

Badly Behaved Commuters

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BRITAIN’S BADLY BEHAVED COMMUTERS: 

A THIRD DON’T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT DANGEROUS DRIVING

UK commuters are behaving badly behind the wheel, with 65% admitting to their own bad driving behaviours over the last year, dispelling the patient and polite British persona.

Rushed and stressed commuters don’t feel guilty about driving dangerously or being distracted on the road as they race to get to the office on time, according to new research from Allianz Your Cover. In fact a fifth (21%) blame their poor habits on other commuters.

The top five bad commuter behaviours are:

    1. Speeding (30%)
    2. Careless driving (14%)
    3. Travelling too fast for the conditions (14%)
    4. Tailgating (13%)
    5. Not looking when changing lanes (13%)

 

Commuters may however have been twisting the truth about their bad habits, as although nearly a third (30%) admitted to speeding, more than half (55%) have seen other drivers exceed the speed limit. And the bad habit bluffing doesn’t stop there:

  • 5% admit they have jumped a red light – 38% have seen other commuters do this
  • 4% have applied make-up – 22% have seen other commuters do this
  • 2% say they failed to stop at a give way sign – 22% have seen other commuters do this

 

More than half of British commuters (52%) are in too much of a hurry to drive safely and are blaming their bad driving on a lack of concentration (30%) and being tired (27%). The commuting environment impacts the workplace as almost half of drivers (43%) believe that their commute affects their mood and can negatively impact their work.

Despite witnessing the bad habits of their fellow commuters, one in four (27%) hope that a driver would stop to help them if they were in need, a lot less (15%) have actually pulled over to help. The main reason for continuing their commute instead of helping a fellow commuter is to avoid being put in danger (43%). With safety being top priority breakdown services can help out those in need enabling other drivers to continue their journey. Other reasons given for not stopping to help fellow commuters are not knowing how to help (27%), followed by being in a rush (27%).

The Best Television Shows On Right Now

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We live in a golden age of television. Film and Television used to be completely separate, but now Martin Scorsese is producing Boardwalk Empire and movie stars frequent TV. The quality just keeps getting higher. Frost did a survey of our readers for the top television shows on right now, and here they are.

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is crack in television form, and aptly so as it is about a chemistry teacher who starts to sell meth after being diagnosed with lung cancer. It is by far one of the best things on television. I have never met someone who had a bad word to say about it.

Homeland

Like most people I was addicted to Homeland and I am already excited about the new series. Homelands big advantage is the chemistry between the characters. Brody, played by Damien Lewis, was supposed to be killed off in the first season but the chemistry between Lewis and Claire Danes’s Carrie was too good and he was kept on.

The Good Wife

One of the finest legal dramas. Julianna Margulies is brilliant as Alicia Florrick. The Good Wife is now in it’s fourth season and still going strong.

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is exciting and original. It is also not scared to kill of it’s lead characters. It is brilliant television and I am not just saying that because some of my friends are in it.

Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire is set in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the Prohibition era. It stars Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson and Kelly MacDonald as Margaret Schroeder. It is produced by Martin Scorsese and you can tell. Every scene is beautiful and the costumes are great. Has a great mixture of real and fake characters.

Dexter

The show about a serial killer who only kills other serial killers is genius. The next season will be the eighth and possibly last. All of the characters are amazing. Michael C Hall as Dexter is brilliant, and real life ex-wife Jennifer Carpenter plays his sister, Debbie. Who is possibly one of my favourite characters on television.


Covert Affair

Season Three of Covert Affairs was my favourite yet. Piper Perabo plays the CIA operative who falls in love easily. Season three had you on the edge of your seat. A show that has come into it’s own.

Revenge

Trashy TV at it’s best. It is like Dallas, but with a grudge.

Whitney

Hilarious comedy from comedian Whitney Cummings. It may not be well known in the United Kingdom but it deserves a wide audience for its cracking scripts that leave you laughing so much it hurts.

The Killing

I have to admit I have not seen this yet but promised to put it in as everyone else I know loves it, and is jealous that I have never seen it and have it to look forward to.

Suits

Brilliant legal drama now in its second season. On the run from a drug deal gone bad, Mike Ross, a brilliant college-dropout, finds himself a job working with Harvey Specter, one of New York City’s best lawyers. The relationship between Mike and Harvey is brilliant and, like The Good Wife, it has a strong female lead as one of the partners in the law firm.

The Big Bang Theory

The show is now the most watched show. It is funny and smart and the characters of the awkward physicists are likeable, lovable and rich in depth. Endlessly watchable.

How I Met Your Mother

Getting ready for its ninth and final season, where we will finally find out who the mother is. It is both popular and a cult classic. Ted searches for the woman of his dreams in New York City with the help of his four best friends. The cast of Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris are all brilliant.

True Blood

Sexy, naughty, violent. In a world where vampires have “come out of the coffin”, Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress, discovers a new world of different creatures when she meets Bill Compton, a vampire.

Mad Men

A drama about one of New York’s most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm’s most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper. This show is a big hit and the costumes have sparked a thousand fashion trends.

Sherlock

A modern update finds the famous detective and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
Benedict Cumberbatch is brilliant as Sherlock. The last episode of the last season was endlessly debated.

Downton Abbey

Beginning in the years leading up to World War I, the drama centers on the Crawley family and their servants. This was a runaway success on both sides of the Atlantic, making huge stars of all of the cast.


Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23

Chloe is a New York party girl with the morals of a pirate who bullies and causes trouble for her naive small town roommate June. Krysten Ritter and Dreama Walker are brilliant and James Van Der Beek sends himself up beautifully.


New Girl

After a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. Zooey Deschanel is deserving of her own show.


Suburgatory

A teenage girl moves from the city to the suburbs. Jane Levy is brilliant and sarcastic, the script is amazing. Witty and brilliant.

Agree or disagree? Comment below.