20 April 2010

ICARUS ALLSORTS

It's been a rather momentus week in many ways: Spud wrapped up filming on Sunday in Durban, my trip to the London bookfair was cancelled due to an Icelandic Volcano, and today is Spud's and my birthday. (For the second year in a row the little bastard received more birthday greetings than i did.)

So, the movie... what does one say after having gone through an experience like that? It was intense, profoundly mesmerising, and surely one of the greatest adventures of my life. To be back in the old haunted dormitory at Michaelhouse and to see Spud's Good Knight duvet draped over my old bed, spewed out so many memories both nasty and beautiful. So too, the euphoric pleasure of witnessing the genius of Nick Cleese inhabiting The Guv with the touch of a neuro surgeon was beyond explanation and incredibly humbling. To the producers Ross Garland and Brad Logan, screenwriter and Director Don Marsh, DOP Lance Gewer, the entire army of crew, the school of Michaelhouse and the inspired cast, i can only doff my cap to your incredible effort and passion for the integrity of the story. Considering the film is now moving into the editing phase, it's far too early to predict how good it might be come November. That said, I sense there is something incredibly special and resonant about this film and i look forward with no trepidation and only charged anticipation. Today i'm setting off into the mountains to begin work on the making of Spud The Movie which i'm writing in collaboration with Ross Garland. The book will trace the behind the scenes shenanigans of exactly what it takes to make an independent film in South Africa. The book will be released with the film in November and for those of you intrigued by Spud, films, and everything in-between I suggest you sneak a peak if you are so inclined.

One of the great ironies of my working life is that people almost always ask me about the future rather than the present. When i was touring Learning to Fly, just about everybody wanted to know about the film. Now that the film is underway i'm continually asked, "Where is Spud 4?" This isn't an easy one to answer. Whilst it's true that i haven't begun writing it, i do have a rather clear idea of what i plan to do with it. You may have to be patient, but i'm sure you would agree that I have to end this nonsense with a perfectly constructed BANG!

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Nick Kol