Kelly's Filmy Things #6

"The Round Up Blog of 2010"

We've all eaten our mince pies, we've all celebrated the new year, so I thought maybe now's the time to reflect upon an emotional roller-coaster of a year for The Film Obsession and me. 

Starting off in January (Because that's the most chronological order you can do when writing about a year), I celebrated my 20th birthday, had gone into the 2nd term of my first year at Sussex University, and was trying to make the blog a little bigger. 

From then until April I was reviewing films and started my obsession with Twitter, to which I have now made some excellent friends. That one little social networking device can bring wonderful things, as I am about to explain...

By the time May came round, I thought it might be an idea to start a YouTube page giving my thoughts and opinions on films of the moment. Although it was (and still is) cringingly horrible to watch myself back, the videos produced a lot of views with just under 10,000 watches. I've paused for now, but 2011 has come along bringing with it a sparkly new video camera, so look out for more of those! In this month as well, I had finished my first year of Film Studies and got a job at HMV in Brighton, Churchill Square!

As I carried on vlogging and blogging, the views on this website started to rise a little which meant I had some sort of following. Then the lovely Phil and Kat came along (on Twitter) asking for writers to contribute to Blogomatic3000. I applied and after a trial week of successful posts, they let me write my words on their website! July was when the posts started to fly in... This was the month that I posted the trailer analysis for Paranormal Activity 2, which is now the most viewed blog on my website with over 30,000 views. Ridiculous, right? I still find it hard to imagine people who I've never met reading my work. It's a lovely, silly feeling, that is. 

August was really special. Blogomatic3000 sent me to my first press screening, which was Scott Pilgrim - One of now, my top 10 films. I was sent screeners of Kandahar Break, Love Life and Night Before The Wedding to review by American film companies, and met my good old buddy Monty who I would be nowhere without at press events. And then September came round which caused even more of stir as I exclusively interviewed David Whitney (the director of Kandahar Break) and went to the launch party of StreetDance 3D! Plus, getting into the London Film Museum to meet the team behind Blogomatic3000 was great fun! We geeked out probably as much as we could over film. 

October came and I started back to University, now in my scary, everything counts, 2nd year. But this was the ultimate month for the blog. I hit 10,000 views which was incredible and I only went and got a press pass for The London Film Festival, to which me of all people, was allowed to sit in the same room with the likes of Keira Knightly and Hilary Swank - Now THAT is absolutely bloody amazing. Another amazing thing is I met some lovely people at the festival including Hemanth. His laugh is like Buble's voice to my ears. And I met (finally) the brilliant HeyUGuys team who are literally the nicest people ever. 

After this immense month I actually did have to start doing proper work for a proper degree, so the posts die down a little towards the end of the year. One last junket I did get to attend was the Paranormal Activity 2 event, in which a hotel was paid for, a screening at Paramount Studios was taken place, and a Paranormal reading of ghosts and spirits in the London Tombs occurred. I've literally never, EVER, been so terrified in my life. Without the help of Jo, I think I would of actually passed out, but she kept me grounded... Until we ran from the room, and when I say ran, I believe neither of our feet touched the floor at one point we moved so fast. 

How immense is that? Me, a girl from Crawley who moved to Brighton to study film is hanging around with top journalists? It's just crazy. I'm not showing off in this blog, I'm giving a sense of my appreciation and love for what I do. It's overwhelming the amount of privileges I've been giving and can only hope that 2011 brings with it even more heart stopping excitement (Because when I was gazing into Andrew Garfield's eyes at the Never Let Me Go conference, my heart did stop). 

Happy 2011 everyone!

Kelly's Filmy Things #5

"The Day I Got 10,000 Views On My Blog!"

So today, precisely 17 months and 16 days after I posted the very first review on The Film Obsession, I have reached a huge number of views - 10,000! This may seem relatively small in terms of what blogs can get, but it's just such an amazing achievement. I adore writing and am obsessed by film so to have this support is incredible. I've been meaning to show my appreciation for a certain number of people, and now seems like the best time.

I wouldn't be doing any of this if it weren't for my Media and Film teachers at school, particularly Justin Young and Jenna Wyatt. They are probably the best kind of people you can have to teach you. They really inspired me to do what I wanted to do. Justin even convinced me to go to University when I wasn't fussed! Now I'm studying Film there, crazy.

Romesh Ranganathan has always seemed so happy to read my reviews. I used to bring them to him once they'd been published in The Crawley Observer - He gave me the idea for the Star Ratings on them, and also announced I was doing them in assembly. Him and Mark Lotsu, who would always try and make me watch any Sci-Fi, action, superhero film possible, I loved hearing their reactions.

Andrew Sinsbury ALWAYS without fail comments on a post. It's so nice to have his kind words. And for everyone from Hazelwick who reads them now, people at Sussex University, colleagues, family and random people on the Internet from countries I never knew could read this blog until recently, thank you. You honestly have no idea how much you mean to me. I know this is like an Oscar speech, but I feel so immensely humble at the idea of having 10,000 views, it's ridiculous.

The websites www.heyuguys.co.uk started off my ambition to write online, and now www.blogomatic3000.co.uk have sent me to some of the most exciting things I've ever experienced including the Scott Pilgrim press screening and The London Film Festival. It's unreal the amount of luck I have when it comes to Filmy Things and I just can't get enough of it.

Thanks to Ben who's helped me through all these daunting journalist activities every step of the way also.

JJ, Charlie, Adam, Scott and Tom - You're always the first to know when something's happened to me and you're always there receiving my screams of excitement and tales of craziness. You've given me confidence when I've needed it, humour to strive off of and supported me endlessly.

To have almost 200 people liking the Facebook group, have all sorts of people from the film world follow me on Twitter and to have so many weird and wonderful comments left on my YouTube page just shows if you love something, do it! I mean, if I of all people can have as much success in doing something I enjoy, get to experience the things I am and meet so many wonderful people along the way, why shouldn't you?

There's SO many people I'd like to mention but just can't - That in itself is something I'll appreciate forever, the endless encouragement from you.

Kelly's Filmy Things #4

"The Day I Collected My London Film Festival Press Pass"

Blogomatic3000 gave me the chance to cover The London Film Festival AND I AM! It's absolutely crazy right now with things happening in my career. This year has really been a boost for me to figure out what I want to do when I finish my Film Degree - Break into the Journalism world, of course. So based in the BFI on Southbank (only my favourite place in London) the LFF happens once a year, and starts on 13th October until the end of the month. But before it all kicks off, screenings of films are given to the press to let them have a jump start at writing some articles.

FYI, don't drink irresponsibly, have 4 hours sleep, travel 45 minutes in the car, 40 minutes on the train and 10 minutes on the tube - It does your head a world of pain. Nevertheless, I reach Southbank as it starts pouring down with rain (a common theme in these stories) and find my guru Monty who guides me on anything to do with film. Seriously, I'd be lost without him... Mentally and physically. He introduces me to the lovely Guy and Matt who are in competition with Hemanth, who saw 93 films last year, in how many they'll see this year. Considering the festival runs for 3 weeks, 93 is quite a monumental number, don't you think?! Good luck to them...

After a little chat we bump into HeyUGuys editor Jon who is literally the best person to seek advice or knowledge on film. After he efficiently sends me through the roof with excitement about collecting my press pass, we walk to our destination for the screening of The American - George Clooney's new blockbuster. When I spot the desk where I see passes scattered across it, I hastily walk towards it.

Here it is:

Yes I have covered the ID photo with the lanyard. It's not the most attractive picture of me, so for now you can read the information and deal with my vainness.

Once we have our cards scanned and head into the cinema we find out IT'S FULL. No screening for us... So Monty, Jon and I head up to the swanky BFI bar to enjoy the drinks there and discuss all sorts of matters to do with the movie world. It's great to be a film geek and not be judged.

We head back downstairs for the last screening which we happily are allowed into, and it was a curious French film called Living On Love Alone. Now, I do enjoy a bit of le cinéma français parce qu'il est bien agi et vrai (that's right), but this one seemed a little lifeless and hard to connect with. It did however keep me entertained for 90 minutes... That may well have been me still fuelled with excitement though.

After this, I catch the train home and am reunited with my pink glitter walls and giant flower mirror. I have a lovely evening with the 'rents and tell them to stop watching Robin Hood. And finally, I find out The American has an added screening in a couple of weeks...

Privileged, I am.

Kelly's Filmy Things #2

"The Day I went to The London Film Museum to meet Blogomatic3000"

Well, as you may or may not know, I'm writing for the website www.blogomatic3000.com who sent me to the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World premier. When you write for websites, it's usually via email or Twitter that you talk to the people, not face-to-face. So when you get the chance to meet the people behind the website you're writing for, and there's free tickets to The London Film Museum in honour of the meet up, you can't say no!

So, on the gloomy day of late August, I headed for London and I found Phil and Kat on Westminster Bridge where we were greeted with torrential rain and a broken umbrella. It was also the wrong day to wear a dress easily effected by the powers of mother nature - I must have flashed half of London trying to hold an uncontrollable umbrella, a bag and a phone all at once.

When we finally found Jack waiting somewhere completely different to where we thought we were meeting, we finally made it inside. Here's a few delights from inside The London Film Museum which will give you a little film fix showing memorabilia from all sorts of films:

Queen Elizabeth and I are like this *Crosses Fingers"


Oh, Herrow!


He's such a Pre-Madonna!


This Yeti is kind of cute, no?


You do what he says.


After this, we went for drinks in Leicester Square where we were surrounded by all the FrightFest goers. I was SO jealous of them, really must get tickets for next year's festival. If you've never heard of it, it's a festival dedicated to horror movies. Yeah, you do get the odd crazy one but it's all part of life, right? Speaking of crazy, we had a lovely drunken guy come over to our table and declare I was Peggy Sue and Kat was all of The Spice Girls... Interesting.

We were also joined by the lovely Ben Mortimer who shared some juicy secrets... No wait, he didn't! He just teased us with the idea of them. Oh well, I guess I'll just watch his space. Not as in his house, that's just creepy. But he did propose so we've got a mutual stalker appeal for each other. You know what I mean! Plus, I saw Chris Bistow for a bit who seemed to attract the drunken guy's attention the most by causing the guy grab his arm and move it about.

Don't you love London?

In other news, The Film Obsession is doing well indeedy! I've gone past the 5000 viewers mark on the website, I have over 150 followers on Twitter and my YouTube channel has had over 4,500 views! Thank you SO much to all the readers and viewers, it's so incredible to have your support and to read your comments on things I do.

Kelly's Filmy Things #1

"My First Press Screening"

As you may know, on 12th August at 6.30pm I went to the Press Screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World for Blogomatic3000 held at the Empire cinema in Leicester Square. This is the tale of the day...

After having a minor heart attack realising almost no printer in my house had ink, apart from the last one I tried which allowed me to suck it's very last juicy bits out to print off the e-tickets to the event, I made my way to London. I literally was about ready to burst with excitement but I got there about 45 mins early as I was meeting JJ at 6.15, so I went and had a brownie and drink at Pret and made a few notes. I love turning into a Londoner every time I'm up there.

After my heart almost stopping a 2nd time as JJ didn't get there until half 6, and I'm usually very annoyingly (or efficiently) early, we made our way to the most beautiful cinema I have ever been in. We handed over our tickets to the people on the door and then surrounded ourselves with critics and fans all Twittering on their iPhones, iPads and Blackberry's. Plus, we all got free popcorn, so there was a lot of muching on that too before the film even started. As we were trying to spot the celebrities, the lights in the cinema were subtly changing creating such an easy atmosphere, and the seating reclined making you feel perfectly at home. The picture just shows how glorious the cinema really was... And how huge! We were half way back!

When the film actually started, they showed a trailer... But not just ANY trailer, a trailer for BACK TO THE FUTURE REMASTERED coming to cinemas in October. A room full of professional film reviewers all reduced to children screaming and clapping as this crisp looking film brought excitement to our very eyes! And when Scott Pilgrim started, people clapped! They clapped at the end too! This is surprising for a room full of movie goers that see films everyday. It shows just how moving this film really was. We were laughing throughout and I heard people saying how truly original it was. A few admittedly didn't enjoy it as apparently it doesn't live up to the comics or Hot Fuzz, but I for one thought it was probably the best film of the summer. Big statement considering Inception and Toy Story 3 have been hot topics... Oh, and The Human Centipede.

Afterwards, JJ and I met with the guys from www.heyuguys.co.uk who I have been dying to meet for so long. We found a quirky little pub and had a few drinks and discussed the industry. They're truly lovely and I really hope we get to meet again soon. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you've probably seen I've written for them, that's how I know them! That and Tweeting. We also met a few news faces which I am now following on Twitter... What a great tool.

When we left, I got offered the chance to be a prostitute for JJ as he needed to pee so thought it would be best to go down an alley way. When actually, we sneaked into another pub and used the facilities there... To pee, not for me to be a prostitute. And then we got the train home! To top it all off, I saw a shooting star. What a truly perfect evening...

It's a surreal feeling fulfilling a dream you've had for a while. Mine being going to a press screening and having a review published. It's just amazing and something I'll never forget.