News

Dice Roll Films announces new collaboration!

Dice Roll Films is excited and proud to announce a new collaboration with stills photographer Shontelle Whiston.

IMG_0119Shontelle specialises in portrait and people photography, and is seeking to expand her portfolio. To this end, she is currently offering, for a limited period of time, free photo-shoots to interested female models.  Shooting Locations: Wilts/Dorset/Hants & London, UK.

If any models are interested in this wonderful opportunity to add to their own modelling portfolio, then they can make contact either through our contact page or visit www.shontellewhiston.com .  She only asks that any interested model include at least one headshot with their application, or provide a link to on online profile, such as at Starnow, that includes at least one headshot.

She has already worked with Dice Roll Films in producing a number of stills at various shoot locations, as well as working with local models to produce a range of high quality photoshoot images.

Samples of her work can be seen on our dedicated Photography page.  Please ‘Like’ if you like what you see!

“The Attic” now online!

As promised a couple of days ago, our latest film “The Attic”, is now online.  This short film was completed as part of the Southampton 48 hour film challenge, although it ended up taking considerably longer than that to complete!  All principle filming was completed in one day.  The story opens with a man eating a meal of what appears to be a large piece of lamb. However, the man, and the house in which he lives, harbours a dark secret; a secret that leads ultimately to the disturbing climax to the film. But what exactly is the secret, and how is the resolution to the events in the film to be interpreted? Are things just what they seem?  You, as the viewer, can decide!

We hope that you enjoy the film!  Please like/share/ forward/follow on our various platforms (website/twitter/facebook/Vimeo etc.) if you do!

Note that the embedded video will default to Standard Definition playback.  Just click on the HD button to view in all its glory!

 

Viruses, Filmses and Road Tripses

Well, it has been a mighty long time it seems since I have posted an addition to the Dice Roll Films News Page!  It is not that there has been no news, it is just that it seems that I have never found the time, which is a feeble excuse I know!

Anyway, here we are, updating anyone who wishes to be updated on exactly where we are, and where we are hoping to go.  Firstly, since the last news update, which was announcing the fact that we were sponsoring the Cinematography award at the 48 Hour Film Challenge at Southampton Film Week, we took a well earned break and went on a European road trip through France and Italy.  The intention was to produce a travelogue along the way, but the holiday just seemed to get in the way!  It is not that we didn’t film anything, just that we didn’t get round to editing and uploading it.  In fact, we did film a promotional video at one of the locations that we stayed in in Tuscany, which we have called The Italian Job, simply because we were driving around in a Mini, so what else could it be called?!  That is yet to be edited and uploaded, so watch this space – it could result in a wonderful holiday in Tuscany for someone!!  To whet the appetite, here are a few screenshots from that video…

On return from the three-week trip, after the inevitable anti-climax of returning home, it was down to work… or so we planned.  Unfortunately, a nasty viral illness struck, and any further editing of our main film of the year – Songline – was put on hold for two weeks.  Upon recovery, it was time to prepare, as much as one can, for the Southampton 48 Hour Film Challenge.  Initial ideas were bandied about, and locations considered.  At the launch meeting, a list of six film items were provided from which teams had to select three for their film.  We chose Costume, Prop and Line of Dialogue, with Waistcoat, Teddy Bear and “If you call that freedom”, respectively, as the specific items that had to be included.

Friday evening was spent coming up with a film idea, and a script put together.  Filming was set for the Saturday, when our wonderful young actress, Elena Bateman, who worked with us on Songline, joined us for the day.  The title was “The Attic”, and as may be probably guessed, it was set mainly in an… attic!  We had thought that the single location and relatively small amount of dialogue in the script would make for an easy film.  We were wrong!  Setting up lighting and cameras, and moving around in a constricted space was difficult to say the least, and everyone was exhausted by the end of the day.

After a limited amount of sleep, we aimed to film a couple of final shots early Sunday morning, with the edit planned for the rest of the day.  Unfortunately, the complexity of the edit meant that it was to prove impossible to put together an acceptable film to submit in time for the deadline.  Nevertheless, we decided that after all our hard work, we would continue to edit and produce as polished a piece of film that was possible.  Fortunately, the competition organisers were very understanding and permitted us to screen our finished film at the screening that took place two weeks after the 48 hour competition, although of course the film was not eligible for any awards, not least because it overran the competition four minute film limit by three minutes!

“The Attic” will be uploaded shortly (so you will have to hold your breath a little longer I’m afraid), but for now, here are a collection of stills from the film.  As before, my thanks go out to all those who helped make the film: Elena Bateman, who played her role wonderfully as always; Milos Kovalevsky, who provided and operated all the sound equipment to perfection, as well as providing additional lighting equipment; Sharon Bateman (Elena’s very supportive mum!), who helped out with various tasks such as assisting with the lighting; and last but not least, Shontelle Whiston who assisted with production, lighting, camera work, as well as been a great support in this film making venture!

Dice Roll Films enters 48 hour film challenge!

That’s it! We’ve entered! Frenetic madness, significant hair pulling, and sleepless nights await!  Dice Roll Films has once again entered the Southampton Film Challenge run by Exposure Filmmakers, with the 2015 event taking place over the weekend starting Friday 23rd October, as part of Southampton Film Week.  From our earlier post you may have noticed that we are also sponsoring one of the awards for this event – the Cinematography Award.

Things have been pretty quiet on our blog, as we have been very busy, continuing with the edit of our short film “Songline“, as well as other assignments and activities.  This is taking a little longer than we had hoped for, but the extra time and effort will definitely be worthwhile.  Whoever said that post-production was 75% of the time to make a film was lying!  It is more like 85%!  Watch this space for more news on progress!

Dice Roll Films announces sponsorship of Exposure Filmmakers’ 48 Hour Film Challenge!

In conjunction with Southampton Film Week, running between 31st October to 8th November 2015, Exposure Filmmakers has recently announced their annual 48 Hour Film Challenge.  In response, Dice Roll Films is happy to announce in turn that it will be sponsoring the Cinematographic Award for the Challenge.  We will, of course, also be entering the competition itself in due course, as we did last year with our entry “Loop”.

Oh, and while on the topic of sponsorship and finance, you may be interested to check out this great guide for financing indie films.

Southampton’s 48 Hour Film Challenge 2015

Just seen the following announcement:

This year for Exposure Filmmakers Southampton’s 48 Hour Film Challenge, we are looking for sponsors for the following award categories… It costs £30 to sponsor the award which covers trophy, engraving and wine for the winning team. If you are interested then please get in touch. Your company will be advertised on the website, through social media and the event flyers. You are also given the option to present your chosen award to the winning person/s.

The Audience Award
Best Actor/Actress
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Director
Best Sound
Best Editor
Best SFX

Below is this years advert, please feel free to share. Those with eagle eyes will spot three very short (almost subliminal) excerpts from Dice Roll Films’ 2014 entry “Loop” at certain points during the video!  The first to send us the time code for each of the excerpts will receive… a round of applause, and their very own congratulatory mention on the website!!

New website up and running!

If you are reading this, you could well be aware that our website has undergone a radical overhaul!  We have tried to create a more polished, professional presentation that is more attractive to the user.  Although it has meant that we have had to divert some of our time from editing our latest film, “Songline”, we feel that it has been time well spent.  There is still a little more work to do in finalising some aspects of the website presentation, particularly in the ‘Services’ section, but we are pleased with the result so far.

Have a look around the site, and send us any comments on what you think, regarding appearance, navigation or content, or anything else, for that matter!

Oh, and while you are having a look around, please don’t forget to Like or Follow us on here and on our other linked sites at Facebook and Twitter!

 

Songline trailer released!!

Here, at long last, is the release of the official trailer for our forthcoming short film “Songline” (although it seems to get longer every time I look at editing it!)  It certainly seems that putting together a trailer is more difficult than editing the film itself.  There is no script to work from, the plot cannot be spoiled, but the audience has to be captivated and enticed all the same.  All in a trailer no longer than a minute and a half or so (this one is 1 minute 45 seconds long).  Not easy!

Anyway, we are pleased with the result, and we hope that every one who sees it will be enthralled enough to actually want to see the final film.  Now the trailer is completed, we are aiming to complete editing of the film itself within the next two months.  At least for this we have a script to work from!  Please note that the trailer is in HD, but the link below will default to standard definition (SD).  Just click on the HD tab to enjoy the trailer in all its glory!

Sky on fire!

We are currently in post-production for our film “Songline”, with our first task being the production of a trailer for the film.  This should be completed within the next few days.  In some ways, the editing of a trailer is more difficult than the editing of the film itself, as there is no script to work from!  We have also been out on location filming cutaway shots of sunset scenes that will be used in the film.  As is often the case, getting a good shot is in the lap of the weather gods!  Fortunately, we were treated to an amazing scene with a mixture of dark, ominous rain clouds, sun beams, and a deep red-orange sunset which looked like the sky was on fire!  Just what we were looking for!

Enjoy the screenshots!

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“I-Psy” short film on YouTube

A while ago, I mentioned that I had been part of a student short film production at the Arts University of Bournemouth, and that editing was in progress.  Well, editing was completed by the team of film makers and the result can now be found on YouTube below:

As you will notice, I was the scriptwriter for this short film, as well as playing the good doctor.  It was great to work with a talented and keen group of film makers, and thanks go to Jemima “Mima B” Bartholemew, for uploading the result onto YouTube.  Please check out her other work, and enjoy the film!