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News Archive: June 2006
Gillian at Queen's Cup Final
Posted at 9:08 PM (PDT) on Monday, June 19, 2006
Click here to view photos of Gillian arriving as a guest for lunch at the Guards Polo Club for the queens cup final in Windsor, England (June 18th). Thank you to Philiater and Lady London for the photos.
AJS Delighted Over New Computers
Posted at 6:44 AM (PDT) on Wednesday, June 14, 2006
June 13, 2006
Dear All
On behalf of the management, staff and Pupils of Alinyiikira Junior School, I would like to thank you all that contributed money towards the purchase of computers and a printer for the school. The staff and the children were extremely happy to receive those brand new computers and a printer. We managed to acquire two computers, two UPS and a printer.
We thank you all for your kindness and generous hearts and we thank the almighty to reward you abundantly. We are looking forward to have a complete computer lab where we can have many computer sets so that we can comfortably offer computer training to the children, staff and other people who are interested in acquiring computer skills.
Attached are pictures showing the children when they are unpacking the computers, doing some practices on the computers and also showing teachers when they are learning computer skills.
Wishing you all the best.
Regards
Godfrey Ssemakula REMINDER: The school's most pressing need at the moment is classroom space. Enrollment is increasing and they need to construct another four-room block as soon as possible. We already have 73% of the money needed to build the block. If everyone who visits this web site were to contribute just one or two dollars apiece, we would soon have the entire amount needed. We could donate it to the school in honor of Gillian's birthday (August 9)! To make a donation and help us reach our goal, please visit our donations page.
New Photos: Gillian at "Bleak House" Screening
Posted at 11:12 PM (PDT) on Tuesday, June 13, 2006
 On June 8th, Gillian attended a screening of the highlights of "Bleak House" at the Directors Guild in West Hollywood, CA. The event was hosted by the Museum of Television and Radio and produced by the BBC, WGBH Boston and Masterpiece Theatre. Click here to view photos from the event, courtesy of Philiater.
Straightblog Update
Posted at 5:03 PM (PDT) on Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Dan Reed, the director of Straightheads, has updated his blog once again...
Cannes - this went really well, according to Sam our glamorous sales agent. As you know I didn't go to Cannes because... well basically I couldn't afford to go, and more to the point until Straightheads is completed in all its finished glory there's no point my hanging around festivals being the director of a film no one has seen yet!
Interestingly, three or four US theatrical distributors have indicated very strong interest in taking on Straightheads, but of course they won't buy until they see the finished movie at Toronto (the selectors now have a rough copy of the film - an AVID output with no visual effects and a temporary score) or wherever Straighteads gets its first major festival screening.
Sam reports there has been strong interest from all territories but as I say she's waiting until we have the real thing, so we can get a really good buzz going. I hope all of you people, Gillian and Danny fans and just plain shameless Straightheads obsessives out there will help us any way you can.
Much more, plus a new photo, at the blog. Click here.
Banff World Television Award for Bleak House
Posted at 1:41 PM (PDT) on Tuesday, June 13, 2006
BANFF WORLD TELEVISON FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR 27th ANNUAL BANFF WORLD TELEVISION AWARDS
June 12, 2006
Best Mini-Series: Bleak House
Produced By: BBC, WGBH Boston co-production in association with Deep Indigo
Broadcaster: BBC ONE
UK, USA
With the largest number of entries submitted over the past five years (Some 101 shows from 24 countries were nominated in 18 categories. More than 1,000 programs were entered for consideration.), awards were handed out in a variety of categories -- with 15 different countries taking home the honours. The BANFF International Jury met for several days prior the Festival to screen the 18 “Best-of” category winners and ultimately decided the Grand Prize winner overall.
Jury Chair, Loren Mawhinney said, “All members of the jury felt privileged to be given both this responsibility and this opportunity to screen such wonderful television.” The “Best-of” category winners were chosen by the BANFF Selection Jury and represent countries from around the world, including Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kenya, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
And here's an interesting little interview with Andrew Davies:
Daily Variety
June 12, 2006 Monday
SPECIAL REPORT 1: EMMYS: MADE-FORS & MINISERIES
Mini in the mix: 'BLEAK HOUSE'
By: Bob Verini
When Brit scribe Andrew Davies sets out to bring a great work of fiction to the screen, he doesn't avoid watching previous versions so as not to be unduly influenced. Instead, he actively seeks them out.
"Of course I do. I want to see what I might do the same way and what I want to do differently," says the vet adapter of close to two dozen classic novels, including Emmy contender "Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House," recent winner of the BAFTA award as drama serial, kudos that Davies shared.
"But the main reason is that because I've usually seen them before, one can run a risk of unconscious plagiarism, as there's an awful possibility that you think you've found a unique way of handling a scene that isn't in fact your own writing. It's like composing your own 'original' tunes, as I like to do, and realizing that they're actually Mozart or the Beatles every time."
The BBC's 1985 "Bleak House" struck him as "a very good adaptation, wonderful performances, but rather slow by today's standards.
"I hoped we could have an edgy and quick style that would feel modern even though it's a period drama." Principal director Justin Chadwick shaped mini's contemporary look by using fluid multiple cameras and shooting rehearsals.
In addition, "the novel's heroine, Esther, had always irritated me. Such a smug little goody-goody. I thought, there are things I can do here; I can make her more sparky and lively for the audience to relate to." By emphasizing her strength and clear-eyed vision of the world, he cracked the character, helping thesp Anna Maxwell Martin to walk off with the actress BAFTA for her portrayal.
Wrestling with an enormous, complicated 19th century novel is in many ways simpler than adapting a contempo piece, avers Davies, but both offer similar challenges.
On "Bridget Jones' Diary," he says, "we had such arguments! Helen Fielding kept saying 'it's about modern life, and the urban family,' and I'm saying no, no, it has to be about Bridget's search for love and which guy she'll end up with. So it's the same kind of struggle. You always have to find the spine of the story."
New Photos: Gillian at Museum of TV & Radio
Posted at 5:55 PM (PDT) on Sunday, June 11, 2006
NYC 06/06/06 - Cast member Gillian Anderson with writers and producers at a screening and discussion for the BBC production of Charles Dickens "BLEAK HOUSE" at the Museum of Televison and Radio. Panel Photos: Nigel Stafford-Clark, Gillian Anderson, Andrew Davies, Liz Schwarzbaum, Alan Yentob   
Click here to view the photos, courtesy of Philiater.
Film stars return to stately home for screening
Posted at 9:38 AM (PDT) on Sunday, June 11, 2006
By Jules Stevens
June 8, 2006
Norfolk Eastern Daily Press, UK
Stars of a major movie are heading back to a Norfolk stately home where it was shot to mingle with local film fans at an open air screening. The oddball Cock and Bull story starred comic actors Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in an 18th century tale which also flitted back to the present day by filming the filming. Locations in Norfolk included halls at Blickling and Heydon - as well as Felbrigg, which was regarded as another star of the show.
On Tuesday July 4 it will be shown in the walled garden at Felbrigg, where 500 visitors will be able to mingle with the cast over drinks in an event which is part of the Cambridge Film Festival.
Director Michael Winterbottom, adapted the notoriously un-filmable Laurence Sterne novel The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy Gentleman, which was published in nine volumes in the 18th century. The new film was praised by critics but performed less well at the box office.
Coogan, best known for his role as cheesy Norwich Radio DJ Alan Partridge, plays Tristram Shandy, his father Walter and himself, in the film within a film, which he described as: “one of his best films yet.” It also stars Welsh comedian and chat-show host Rob Brydon, who will be at the screening, and Norfolk's Stephen Fry, Little Britain's David Walliams and Gillian Anderson from the X-files.
Property manager at the National Trust house Ray Sandham said he was looking forward to seeing old faces, as during the five-week shoot he had got to know the team behind the film quite well. But he said: “The real star of the show was Felbrigg. It looked great in the film as it was the first time since the 18th century it was all lit in candlelight as it would have been then.” He said filming at the 17th century house had presented some problems, particularly as they shot while visitors toured - in fact some lucky tourists found themselves as extras in the film.
A lot of fragile furniture had to be put into storage and replaced with replica antiques during the shoot. And the walled garden, the setting for the screening, was transformed into a model village for a battle sequence, which presented its own set of logistical problems, he said. Other rooms that film fans who have visited Felbrigg may recognise are the Chinese bedroom and the library.
“The house will be open as usual during the day so that people can look around before watching the film,” said Mr Sandham.
The screening co-insides with the release of the film on DVD.
Tickets, which include a drink, are available from The Arts Picturehouse Box Office (08707 551242) for £10.
The film festival runs from the July 6-16. Full details are at the 26th Cambridge Film Festival web site.
New Photos!
Posted at 11:39 AM (PDT) on Thursday, June 8, 2006
Mike Figgis with actress Gillian Anderson attend the party and dinner celebrating the success of Viktor & Rolf first fragrance "Flowerbomb" hosted by Harper's Bazaar at the Elms Lesters Painting Room on May 31, 2006 London, England.
"Flowerbomb" Launch Party |
Vogue UK, July 2006 |
Click here to read the Vogue transcript. Thanks to Wendy, Philiater, Lorna, and Adry!
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