Sweet Sorrow

I'm spending much less time now with The Gigolos. We had become close. I grew it from a seed; nurtured it; sent it out into the world. It's grown up now. It's learned to take the hard knocks (Stella Papamichael) and to accept the praise gracefully (Derek Malcolm). And if you think those metaphors are mixed up, you should see the final accounts for the film.

I'm writing this as advice to those thinking about making a movie. It will demand your unquestioning day-and-night dedication for months, more likely years. It will make you cry with pain and joy, though mainly frustration. It will give you precious little in returns.

There are other films now. But The Gigolos will always be the first. Here's hoping it won't also be the last.

Breakthroughs

All eyes on Edinburgh as the SNP claims election victory for the Scottish Parliament. Meanwhile, a less-publicised "breakthrough" is happening. We've broken north of the border, and the first screening of The Gigolos in Scotland happens tonight at the Cameo in Edinburgh.

Waterblogged

Richard has become a columnist who blogs (a blogamist?) about film on The Guardian website. First blog went live yesterday. Subtly witty, a bit like The Gigolos. Not everyone's going to get it. In fact, let's hope lots of people get the wrong end of stick. (Let's particularly hope that Stella Papamichael from the BBC reads it & is confused. Altho she won't read it cos she'll be busy getting the wrong end of the stick elsewhere.)

I've wasted Sat morning reading posts - they're priceless! Most "commentators" seem to read the first few lines of the blog until they find something to disagree with, venting their anger without bothering to read the whole thing. Then they disagree with other people's comments, rather than discuss what the article is saying. It's like a noisy pub late at night, where a fight breaks out amongst strangers for a reason no one remembers. Concepts such as "irony" and "subtlety", carefully honed over centuries of the English language, are lost. Richard's so far been accused of being sexist, writing lazy journalism etc. which anyone who knows Richard would find hysterical.

Fortunately, nowhere near as bad as the comments which greet any Peter Bradshaw blog. It doesn't matter what he writes, readers are there ready to pounce and try him for any crime.

Are blogs perhaps replacing therapists? You read something you don't like, you get angry, post a comment, get it out of your system, then get back to normal.

South by South-West

South-West England is falling for The Gigolos. We've got week-long bookings in Exeter, Cardiff, Barnstaple and Exmouth. What is about the South West and Gigolos? Answers on a postcard. Now we need the rest of the country to catch up with the South West.

Kino - is this the future of cinema?

Gigolos Roadshow comes to Mid-Kent. In Hawkhurst for Q&A after screening at Kino, the first purpose-built digital cinema in the UK. First time watching the film on digital projection: it looks great, you can't see the joins. The place is amazing, a real passion for film and for breaking the mould. Great question from the audience: "You look like you had lots of fun making the film - did you?" We did. The most fun bits can't be mentioned, in case any lawyers are reading. But amongst the sweat & tears 0f making & releasing a film, never forget how much fun it is. I love Kino because they have the same fun & passion. If digital cinema has more people like this behind it, there will be some kind of revolution in what's screened in UK cinemas. Who knows what shape it will take, but it will change, eventually..

Gigolos on Leicester Square

Two years ago I drank Guinness in All Bar One on Leicester Sq before watching Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith at the Odeon. Two years on, I'm in the same bar with Trevor, again drinking Guinness. Except today, we're going to walk across the square to watch The Gigolos at the Prince Charles. Strange feeling, one of the strangest so far. It's Bank Holiday Monday and Leicester Sq seems busy. But will people walk off the street to watch The Gigolos? We haven't got any small green Jedi with lightsabres, although the Force is strong with Sacha when charming the older ladies.

Outside the Prince Charles people stare at the poster. Some go in. If only we had an extended run in the West End - it would work, people want to see this film.

The Prince Charles is a great venue. Top people - they show us to the Quentin Tarantino Bar (QT loves this cinema, what more do you need?), then the Kevin Smith Memorial Cubicle. Kevin Smith was here recently and joked that he deserved a memorial bar as much as QT. So the cinema gave him a cubicle.

120 or so watch the film. Good for a bank holiday. But is it enough for more screenings? Who knows. But we've achieved something great here. We've put an indie, debut Brit film with two new actors playing the leads on in the heart of the West End. Plus, Katherine Kelly who plays Becky Grainger in CORONATION STREET came, loved it & we had drinks afterwards. What more do you need?

We've caught the bug. Leicester Square is where we need to be. For this film, or the next.

Go West

6 days on.
Phonecall from Sara Ewin, our fantastic theatrical booker (who does all the bookings into cinemas and transports copies of the film across the country).
We're in the West End!
This is fucking fantastic news. Never thought this would be possible.
We're screening at the Prince Charles on Leicester Sq (love that cinema). It's the all-important toehold in the West End. We've got to do everything possible to pack out that screening and build from there.
In the immortal words of Go West, "We close our eyes to see the final frame". Whatever happened to Go West? How far west did they actually go?