Post on 05-Apr-2018
7/31/2019 Its Nicks Birthday Press Kit
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UK (English language)
2009
35 minutes
Super-8mm with digital transfer for exhibition
A short homemade musical
Directed by Graeme Cole
Music by Aidan Smith
Produced by Mick Sugden
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Contents
Page 3 Synopses
Page 4 Honours, festivals, contact
Page 5 Director statement, biography, filmography
Page 6 Composer Aidan Smith
Page 7 Film notes
Page 8 Credits
Page 9 Music & photo credits
Page 10 & 11 On-set stills
Page 12 Digital screen shots
Additional images
Page 1 Promo poster/postcard image
Page 3 Super-8 screengrabs
Page 4 Digital screen shot
Page 5 Director photo
Page 6 Composer photo & album covers
Page 7 On-set still
Page 8 & 9 Super-8 screengrabs
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A home-made Super-8 musical. Over an all-day drinking session, the
dreams of a troubled romantic and his companions are worn away by
ennui and isolation. With songs by Aidan Smith.
A home-made Super-8 musical. Nick can accept his fading youth if only
Liz will acknowledge there is an impossibly profound connection between
them. The binds of human communication fray as they shamble through
the last day of his twenties with nothing to do but tolerate his verbose
mate and her (half-) sister.
Capturing the unconventional handcrafted aesthetic of Aidan Smiths
songs, this is a musical for those who wouldnt normally go near one. The
dancing creaks and the vocals strain when four ordinary folk attempt to
impose meaning and colour on their mundane and aimless lives. Sundays
dont come with a three-act structure, and we dont have hidden reserves
of magical talent. We have mood swings, private theories and temporary
epiphanies.
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Special Mention from the Jury, 6th IndieLisboa International Independent Film Festival
UK GLIMMER: The 7th Hull International Short Film Festival, April 2009
International INDIELISBOA09: 6th Lisbon International Independent Film Festival, May 2009
Please seehttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/inb.htmfor up to date list of festival appearances.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1387512/
Graeme Cole (Director)
graeme@zoomcitta.co.uk
+44 (0) 7913 026 913
http://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/inb.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/inb.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/inb.htmhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1387512/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1387512/mailto:graeme@zoomcitta.co.ukmailto:graeme@zoomcitta.co.ukmailto:graeme@zoomcitta.co.ukhttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt1387512/http://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/inb.htm7/31/2019 Its Nicks Birthday Press Kit
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"I established L'Institute Zoom in 2003 with Mick
Sugden and Anselm Burke to make films in ways
that other people aren't. I also write screenplays for
directors who are driven to play with expressionist
ideas, pooh-pooh Britain's realist canon and who
instinctively know that film is not storytelling, it is
the choreography of light and sound. The films that
I direct vampirise my own personal crapness to prey
on the ludicrous assumptions and conventions of
cinema."
Graeme Cole was a winner in 2002 with his short sci-fi Grand Guignol Christmas movie
script, Rarely-Done Juan. In 2003, Graeme wrote and directed A Case Of Making The Knife Fit The Woundas his debut
short, which premiered at the . Pilot For A 22nd Century Sitcom(writer/director, 2005)
played at over 20 festivals and film nights and received a Special Mention from the jury at the
. Graeme has been on the jury or selection panel at the and festivals in Manchester and the
in Berlin and was selected to attend the in 2008. He is based in
Manchester and open to offers.
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Aidan Smith was born in
Hackney, London and grew
up in Eccles, Manchester. He
has released 52 tunes on
compilations, e.p.s and two
albums on 3 independent
record labels. He has
soundtracked 6 short films.
He co-wrote and played in
"The Tale of Club Vaudeville"
at the Green Room theatre in
Manchester in February
2009. He enjoys playing
croquet and his favourite
colour is green.
http://www.myspace.com/fancybarrel
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Its Nicks Birthday is a true story based on the fictitious life of Nicholas D.
Hill: aeroplane enthusiast, outsider and some-time LInstitute Zoom bit-part
player. Shot in the delirious cold morning light of a February many of the
crew had intended to sleep through, they were instead mobilised with
buckets of paint, green, orange and pink, to slosh over the shop fronts of a
Manchester suburb which returned the favour with the Ribena-loaded water
pistols of riled scallies. Seeking cover, soup, and a soft bed for Doris the
Canon 814 Super-8mm camera previously active onGrandma and the
Monster(2006) the team occupied Elizabeth Gaskell House, negotiating the
atmosphere with walls saturated in the history of the Victorian writer and her
houseguests (Bronte, Dickens), and now sealed in the signature emulsions of
the Its Nicks Birthday project. All the time, art director Louisa Birkin was
stockpiling more foam, cardboard, tomato sauce and fog juice than a bedsit-
blues finale could ever need...
Conceived and credit-card funded by Graeme Cole and Aidan Smith (who last collaborated on festival favouritePilot
For A 22ndCentury Sitcom[2005]), Its Nicks Birthday is a lo-fi tale of shambolic misfits who share a time and space,
yet are unable to reach each other. Drawing comparisons with Dancer In The Dark, The Umbrellas of Cherbourgand
the mumblecore genre, the film is all the same a unique and uncompromising cinematic interpretation of the
incommunicable essence of experience, and the fundamental rubbishness of the Nick in all of us.
http://www.exposuresfilmfestival.co.uk/watch/monsterhttp://www.exposuresfilmfestival.co.uk/watch/monsterhttp://www.exposuresfilmfestival.co.uk/watch/monsterhttp://www.exposuresfilmfestival.co.uk/watch/monsterhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.zoomcitta.co.uk/pilothome.htmhttp://www.exposuresfilmfestival.co.uk/watch/monsterhttp://www.exposuresfilmfestival.co.uk/watch/monsterhttp://www.exposuresfilmfestival.co.uk/watch/monster7/31/2019 Its Nicks Birthday Press Kit
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Credits Developed by Graeme Cole and Aidan Smith
Written & Directed by Graeme Cole
Music by Aidan Smith
Main Cast Nick Stuart Brown
Liz Catherine Traveller
Harry Garth Williams
Cat Tuesday Betts
Main Crew Producer Mick Sugden
Production Manager Jonathan Addy
1st Assistant Director Debbie Steer
Choreography Fran Higginson
Cinematography Joe Mannion
Art Director Louisa Birkin
Hair & Make Up Ivana Petrovic
Location Manager John Barnes
Sound Design Bernie Steer
Editors Jonathan Addy & Debbie Steer
Credits
& promotional design Elly Strigner
Website Emma Hardy
Executive Producers Anselm Burke
Graeme Cole
Mick Sugden
Its Nicks Birthday is 100% independent and self-funded.
Shot on location in Manchester, and in The Studio at the Royal Exchange Theatre.
Shot on Kodak Ektachrome and Vision2 Super 8mm filmand brewed on Keemun tea.
LInstitute Zoom 2009.
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Music credits (Rights entirely cleared for use)
Nicks Narration Chant
Written, arranged and performed by Aidan Smith
Sung by Stuart Brown
Nick and Harrys Connection Song
Written, arranged and performed by Aidan Smith
Sung by Stuart Brown & Garth Williams
Sometimes Nothing Happens
Written and arranged by Aidan Smith
Trumpet played by Luke Das-Gupta
Sung by Andy Yates, Stuart Brown, Garth Williams, Tuesday Betts & Catherine Traveller
Happy When Hermit
Written by Graeme Cole
Arranged and performed by Aidan Smith
Sung by Catherine Traveller
Sleep When You Reach Tired
Written, arranged and performed by Aidan Smith
Sung by Tuesday Betts
La La La Liz
Written, arranged and performed by Aidan Smith
Sung by Stuart Brown
Press kit photo credits
Front image Elly Strigner
Pages 3, 8, 9 Joe Mannion
Pages 4, 5, 6, 7 John Barnes
Others as credited.
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Brown, Higginson, Williams in rehearsal (photo credit: Catherine Traveller)
On location in Manchester (photo credit: John Barnes)
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Cinematographer Joe Mannion loses custody of Doris the Canon 814 (photo credit: John Barnes)
Producer, Mick Sugden (photo credit: John Barnes)
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Production still (photo credit: John Barnes)
Production still (photo credit: John Barnes)