You lost today kid, but it doesn't mean you have to like it!

Just wanted to say a big thank you to all those fantastic people who believed in and supported Blackout over the last nine months of this amazing competition. Despite coming an extremely close second, we had a really positive response from the industry and are both really proud of what we have achieved. It is by no means the end, in fact it is actually just the beginning, so thank you again for all the votes and generous support. We promise to continue our efforts in 2009 to make Blackout a reality!

I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank the Moxie Maker team for creating this brilliant scheme. I know they have all worked their cute arses off all year and so really appreciate the 24 hour advise, support and mentoring that has made Blackout such an attractive and achievable project.

Thank you all!

Derek Boyes & Bex Hopkins

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Fantastic Casting News!

I am very proud and excited to announce that the incredibly talented Martin Compston is attached to play the lead role in our dark gritty thriller Blackout. Martin said about the script:

"I read Blackout last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was refreshing to read a dark indie that was exciting and clever"

He first appeared on our cinema screens in 2002 as Liam, the lead in Ken Loach's award winning film Sweet Sixteen, having been discovered at a school audition. His subsequent film career was comparatively low key as he wanted to "serve his apprenticeship" with a regular role in the BBC drama serial Monarch of the Glen. His hard work has paid off with impressive performances in Red Road(2007), A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006) and the soon to released Ipso Facto film Souled Out (2009).

Watch the new BLACKOUT trailer and vote with confidence!

On behalf of Bex Hopkins (producer), Tarn Willers (sound recordist), Richard Chester (composer) and the rest of the cast and crew who helped us, I am very proud to present this promotional teaser trailer for Blackout. I hope this will give you a thrilling taster of what's to come and also give you the confidence to vote for Blackout.

This was a no-budget production shot on a very cold wet and windy Sunday in November, using mostly local volunteers with no filmmaking experience, so I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone who helped out and supported us.

Please crank up your speakers, click your desired viewing size, sit back and enjoy! HIGH QUALITY VERSION 

PLEASE NOTE YOU WILL NEED THE LATEST QUICKTIME INSTALLED TO VIEW TRAILER! If you don't have it click here or watch the YouTube version below.

Writer and director - Derek Boyes
Producer - Bex Hopkins
Camera - Anka Bogacz
Sound - Tarn Willers
Make-up - Rebecca Kempton
Sound Design - Dave Hunt
Music - Richard Chester
Picture Grade - Doug Shannon
Production Assistants - Hannah Kay and Lucinda Sen
Land Rover Driver - James Kay

CAST
Gary - Elliot Henderson-Boyle
Dead Girl - Charlie Farge
Policemen - Darren Reeves and Ollie Ward
Farmer - Alan McEntee

Nearly There Now, Radio Ga Ga!

Well no doubt this time next week, there'll be a warm smelly lump in the back of my pants. Yes we are just seven days away from The Big Pitch and yet still there is so much to do. However, I can finally announce that at last the teaser promo trailer for Blackout is finished! Hurrah! All I need to do now is to learn my pitch off by heart and convince you all out there to vote - Look into my blog, into my blog, not around my blog but into my blog ...and you're under. Vote for Blackout, vote for Blackout, vote for blackout! ...you're back in the room!

Anyway, I thought I'd share with you the final dregs of behind-the-scenes footage of the trailer, including an attractive morning intro from me, followed by some radio gibberish and more windy, rainy antics. The Big Pitch - Bring it on!

Meet the sound recordist Tarn Willers

Tarn Willers is a fantastic sound recordist that I worked with on a short film I made called In-between at The National Film and Television School. I have always enjoyed his soft northern voice and queer sense of humour so am delighted that he has come on board the crew for Blackout. Not only do I have to thank him for standing in the rain all day shooting our trailer on his day off, but he was also the one to recommend Bex Hopkins as a producer for this project. Well enough of my sentimental nonsense, here is Tarn being forced to promote Blackout before he was allowed to go home on Sunday.

Guerrilla filmmaking at its best!

Delboy here, just thought I'd tell you about our jam packed weekend of wind, rain and broken camcorders! Yes we braved the weather this weekend to shoot a small teaser trailer for The Big Pitch final. Over the next few days we'll be uploading two or three little 'behind the scenes' sneak previews of our trailer with and even balance of useless and insightful information.

It turned out to be quite an expensive weekend having to cough up nearly £200 for police uniforms and then deciding to blow up my small loyal and trusted little DV camcorder in order to see what a shotgun firing into camera would look like! Anyway, here's what happened. Note how casual I am about the whole thing (I was acting very well!)

Meet the producer Bex Hopkins

Blackout makes it to The Big Pitch final!

Moxie Makers announce that Blackout has been chosen to go through to The Big Pitch final on December 6th 2008. The decision was made from a panel of five industry experts including Christine Alderson (CEO Moxie Makers), Mark Vennis (Head of Acquisitions, Moviehouse Entertainment), Eve Gabereau (MD Soda Pictures), Denise Parkinson (Head of Film Bauer Media) and Damon Wise (a professional film critic).

Marketing material finished ready for The Big Pitch final

Handed in the final draft and marketing pack of Blackout to the Moxie Makers team. Now my producer Bex Hopkins and myself wait anxiously for October 20th when the four finalsits are announced!

Completed EPK on feature film shoot in Stoke-On-Trent

Completed ten days EPK filming on Ipso Facto's latest feature film Souled Out, a microbudget romantic comedy drama set around the Northern Soul scene in Stoke-On-Trent during the 1970's.