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NewsMarch 2007: Opening in new festival The opening has been accepted into the BANG! short film festival held in Nottingham. This year, it takes place on March 25th at 8.30pm at the Broadway cinema. Hope to see you there! In the meantime, Owen has been busy at an unprecidented level. He's been developing several stories on his own, with a writer, with a poet, with a producer, with another writer, with his friend Tom Wadlow and with a stuntman. He's directed photography on a short, gaffered on a short, sparked on a short, focus pulled for a day, camera assisted for a few, shot a documentary about fans of Madonna, shot a promotional film for a care home for autistic children, taught ninety 6 year-olds how to make a movie, been offered a new pair of scripts to DOP on, and has barely slept.
January 2007: The Opening is completed It's been a long haul. One HELL of a long haul. Forget all that, though because it's all been worth it. The Opening has finally been completed and is being sent to festivals around the world as we speak. Above is an image of the cast and crew on the last day of the shoot. The Opening is a sumptous short filled with metaphor and danger. There's essays to be written here, but we'll save that for the DVD. Owen will be making The Opening a DVD packed with extras but in the meantime, if you'd like to see the film and can't wait for the bumf, contact Owen using the link above. He's not after cash on this one - let him know where you live and he'll just ask you to pay the cost of a blank disk, an envelope and postage via Paypal or whatever - in the UK that's about £2.00, £3.50 for most of Europe. A big thankyou is owed to all the folks who worked on it with him - everybody did far more than their roles asked of them; actresses helped with set design, producers made lunch, people playing corpses did special effects makeup, actors accidentally got stabbed and rushed to casualty (no, that really did happen - sorry, Jon...); everybody pitched in just for the fun of it as no money was being thrown about. Owen wrote, directed, edited, shot, recorded sound here and there, lit a few scenes, lit several fires, you name it. The thing is, it's normal for a director to do loads on a zero budget short. But to get such a stellar cast (Rupert Procter, Jon Glentoran, Elaine Davidson, Olivia Barnard-Firth, Owen's own wife and superstar Emma Tooth and of course a cameo from director-buddies Joe Barcham and Kelly Holmes - directors of 'The Grab' - playing corpses) and an utterly brilliant crew is both incredibly lucky and testament to the wealth of talent Owen has met on his many sojourns into the creative circles of the country.
November 2006: Owen's film Conceptual gets great review in TOTAL FILM OWEN is sat on the sofa writing the script to his latest short film idea, Vitreous, having just sent off the final version of the new Metro / Quad advert to the lab for printing. TOM (other half of Light Films) is reading Total Film magazine - November 2006 issue. TOM (looking up from magazine) OWEN (this banter carried on for some time - perhaps shorten for film version or it'll get boring) Indeed he was - Total Film have reviewed Conceptual on page 140 of their fine magazine after finding it on Atomfilms.com Thrilled? Indeed.
October 2006: New Metro and Quad trailers shot on 35mm, plus shortlist for funding...
Owen had just completed the edit on a pair of adverts he shot on 35mm for the Metro / Quad Cinema in Derby. He shot on a lovely camera lent by the fantastic guys at Panavision, worth £100,000 - an Arri Moviecam Compact if you're interested. He was sad to see the camera go, but then thrilled to see the rushes and get down to editing. He shot a pair of films. The first one, to be shown soon, stars Jon Glentoran {who plays the Blacksmith in Owen's film 'The Opening' and also the lead in 'The Grab' which Owen shot } advertising the fact that the cinema is changing location.
The second advert is to promote a loyalty card scheme running from january onwards once the cinema has changed name to QUAD and become a far bigger, better entity with two screens, an art gallery and a bar etc. This was hard to advertise because the building doesn't exist yet, but the advert works brilliantly. It starred several actors from about the country - Lee Mann, Jacqui Dawson, Nina Hatchwell and Lucie Bingham. Also involved behind the camera (as DOP and Camera Operator respectively) were Mark Rickitt and Paul Ullah who Owen worked with on the Brum feature 'Whatever Happened to Pete Blaggit?' as well as fellow Derby boy Barry 'Baza' Squires as Focus Puller / Camera operator. The man you see blurred in the background? That's John Rankin. He's an old friend and was DOP on the first film Owen ever worked on outside University. Owen quickly roped him into the role of 'Background Artiste' when he came to visit the set. In related news, John hadn't slept that night as he was in casualty with Darrell Buxton, co-writer of Owen's 'The Opening' who had tripped and concussed himself. What a tangled web of film! Get well soon, Darrell... The artworks in the background are painted by Owen's beautiful multitalented wife Emma - the red one is a self-portrait and the yellow one on the left is of Owen. David Beard is presently scoring the ads which will then be printed and run in the cinema before every film. In entirely different news, Owen has had a script short listed for funding by the DV Shorts scheme this year. What does that mean? Well, Owen will now be attending weekly sessions to develop his script and in the next few months, may well have a commission to shoot it. The development process is great fun because the people running it are asking to sort of questions you need to ask to make a script better, such as "Why is this script so crap?". Ok, they're actually incredibly sensitive but it's such a breath of fresh air to have people who know what they're doing to help your script be perfect (ovno) and it really does feel like the onus is on development of talent rather than a hoop-jumping contest to get cash. Until next time.
September 2006: Owen's films in festivals, new commissions, new jobs, secret to eternal life...
Owen directed photography for the super short 16mm film 'The Grab' by Kelly Holmes and Joseph Barcham. Wow! Owen recently completed work as a spark on a 16mm feature named 'Whatever happened to Pete Blaggit?' an unfunded and intriguing production. Directed by Mark Jeavons of Sepia Films in and around Birmingham, it was a great shoot. Owen is beginning work on a new series of trailers for Metro Cinema, Derby. Metro Cinema is moving building and becoming a new altogether better entity named QUAD. Shooting in the next week, quite possibly on 35mm, it's an exciting project - especially as it's advertising something which as yet doesn't exist! Owen's business with Tom Wadlow, Light Films, will now be the company under which all Owen's films are made. Things are moving fast under the Light Films banner, with a new web site, trailer, ident and job list well on the way. Rest assured you'll be kept informed. Because he's been so busy, Owen hasn't had time to find the secret to eternal life. Keep watching - maybe next time... August 2006: Owen works as crew on feature by Anton Corbijn "So, what do you do?" "I'm a singer." "Oh, what's your band called?" "Travis." (at this point Owen dies a little inside from embarrassment) "Hmm. I think I may have heard of you..." June 2006: Light Films is launched. Opening wraps production.Owen has teamed up with an old friend, Tom Wadlow, to make a new limited partnership - Light Films. Light films will specialize in creating the kind of videos most people think of as dull to make - weddings, events, corporate work etc. Except for one thing - they plan to do them WELL! "What?" we hear you cry, "a good wedding video? It can't be done!" Rest your fears. It can and it has. Visit www.llightfilms.co.uk to find out more.
Anything else? Hell yeah! The Opening has wrapped production! The final shots have been completed and it's well into post production now. The final scene was shot at the home of one of the stars, Olivia Barnard-Firth. Actress, show-girl and costume designer, Olivia bought something special to the mix. (pictured below) Joining her onscreen was none other than Owen's wife Emma! You'll have to wait for the film to be released to see all the images.
Editing will take some time due to Owen's business commitments with Light Films and a few other projects, but it is moving swimmingly. Sound master Grant Bridgeman is busy creating the complex foley needed, while composer David Beard takes the word 'Genius' and balks at it with his score. Still in the tweaking stages, David's score has blown Owen away and truly lifts The Opening to another level. All that remains is a perfect cut.
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There was a documentary crew filming the film makers and becoming embroiled in the story, while other cameras filmed the documentary makers, while Owen filmed Elvis in the background. In the meantime, there were viking re-enactments and viking zombies, and Loki and Odin made appearances. It's all very confusing and beautifully convoluted in a way we just know you'll love. 
Sensorium has just been accepted into the 
February 2005 SinIsEasier project in final stages.Owen has been working with Ali Pow3rs on a pair of short films for Threshold Studios around the concept of Synaesthesia. This is basically where senses mix or become confused. For instance, you might see in colours what someone has said to you etc. From the working title of SinIsEasier, they came up with the final title of Sensorium. It is about the last few minutes of a man's life, as he enjoys the messages his confused senses give him while his senses flow into the forest surrounding him. Taking this starting point, Owen and Ali made two short films which are designed to run back to back, or on a DVD as alternate angles. More will be posted soon, but at the moment our exciting contract means we need to keep some of it a bit hushed for now...
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January 2005 Owen works on all star short!
Owen was the director of Photography on Amir Bazrafshan's short 'Hate To Love You' about depression brought on by unemployment. It starred Greg Chism of 'One for the Road' fame, alongside a pair of other 'name' actors. Here's what BANG! (Nottingham) film festival has to say about it: "Feeling trapped, desperate, finding it hard to find work? Sometimes it's just a matter of perspective. Great cast in a great looking film, by the way... a fascinating debut by a new director."Great looking film, eh? Cool! Amir's a great director, too, with real vision and an uncanny ability to talk people into things. I'll be working with him again soon, I hope. December 2004 - Metro Trailer sees light of day!At 4pm on December 11th, Owen's 35mm print of a trailer for the Metro Cinema in Derby will have its first screening, followed by plenty of wine. A long time in the making, it's an advert and yet it's art. Come see for yourself the beautiful sweeping camera work, and find yourself strangely compelled to buy things from this December onwards!  |
November 2004 - Catharsis and Arachne in LIFT festival
Owen's shorts Catharsis and Arachne were shown recently at the LIFT festival in Derby. The festival, an amazing mix of talent from the region with guest speakers from around the country, was the first of it's kind in Derby. Chris Cooke, director of the marvelous 'One For The Road' (check it out if you haven't seen it!) was taken ill, so he couldn't be on the panel for the audience's Q&A session. So... guess who took his place? That's right! Owen is now officially the relief Chris Cooke! Fielding questions from 125 audience members was a bit of a surprise to him, seeing as he was just there to mingle and watch films, but he enjoyed himself immensely when he wasn't quivering in fear.
November 2004 - Conceptual in yet ANOTHER festival in the US!
Conceptual has made it into another festival in the USA, this time being shown in the Portland Underground Film Festival (PUFF, formerly Sick Puppy) on December 9th-12th in Portland, Oregon..
October 2004 - Hair of the Dog Productions sinks its teeth in.
Owen & Ali (Hair of the Dog) have just finished shooting another dance video for UpBeat Dance in Derbyshire, using students from Merrell College. Editing is progressing as we speak.
Their Art Film SinIsEasier has now received finding and is in heavy pre-production, with preliminary shooting in the first week of November. The film will be effects-heavy, although not in any normal way. Produced for DVD, it will feature switchable angles and soundtracks.
On top of this, Owen has agreed to help shoot another video later on in the month, and Conceptual is being shown this Halloween at the Metro Cinema with Dawn of the Dead and Shaun of the Dead.. Phew!
Owen and Emma's Honeymoon pictures on lineTake a peek into Owen & Emma Tooth's honeymoon in Japan here... |
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October 2004 - Conceptual gets award in Salem, USA!
You read right, folks! Not content with Hollywood, Conceptual now plans to take over the world - starting with Salem, Massachusetts. Conceptual has garnered the 'Honorable Mention Award' in the Salem Amateur Horror Film Festival 2004. It will be shown six times on Sunday October 24th. Visit www.salemfilm.com for more info. In other news, it also received 'Highly Commended' in the 15th Manchester Festival of Fantastic Film, UK. Technically speaking, that makes Owen an multi-award winning, internationally acclaimed director!
October 2004 - Hair of the Dog gets funding.
Owen's pairing with the mad genius Ali Pow3rs has led to funding being given for development and creation of the entirely abstract short 'Sin is Easier' which will be a feast of visual effects, slurring the audience into a lolloping dream. You'll see!
September 18th 2004 - Owen Tooth weds childhood sweetheart!Uh huh! Owen has married his love of over eight years, Emma Simcock, now Tooth. Their wedding was an awesome event held in Hedingham Castle with an all black dress code. Besides being a visual feast, it was also the most romantic day anyone could dream of. |
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September 2004 - William's Tooth Goes to HOLLYWOOD!!!!!!!!!
Conceptual has just been accepted into the Shriekfest horror festival in Hollywood! No kidding, straight up, the goddamn Owen, this is true. (Goddamn Owen is rhyming slang for 'Truth' as in Owen Tooth) . Conceptual will now be reviewed in Cult Cuts Magazine and on the pretty-scary web site, dedicated to women working in horror. Conceptual's Producer, Co-Director and Star were all women (besides which, Owen's a bit girly himself). The festival takes place September 24-26. Other than that, the answer print on 35mm for the Metro Trailer has arrived and looks gorgeous. It's one cross-fade away from completion.
August 2004 - Trailer on its way. |
Owen has ventured forth on his own to make his first commissioned film! The Metro Cinema, Derby's premiere art cinema (read: only) has asked Owen to create a thirty second trailer to advertise their Moviegoer Scheme (Ie pay some money for a card that saves you more money). Owen was tempted to make a crap advert, but then he had a change of heart and decided to make a gorgeous one instead, full of glitter and flowers. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Well, it is - kind of, but pretty dark, too. Shot on Super16mm film, it will be blown up to a 35mm print and shown twice daily at the cinema. David Beard, the man behind the soundscapes for Catharsis and Russia, has been draughted in to create the score. The film has now been shot, and is currently being edited. More to follow... |
August 2004 Conceptual in new festival!
Conceptual has made it into the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films! The festival, taking place August 20th-22nd, is a great festival which hosts all kinds of amazing films and visitors. Conceptual made it into the 'Independent' segment, a step above the 'amateur' line-up, at least in terms of what it looks like we spent on it. (WARNING: PLUG ALERT!) If you can't make it to the festival, why not look at Conceptual's page and buy yourself a copy? It's a 'sexy, Hitchcockian thriller' (according to one reviewer!). Go on, treat yourself!
July 2004 Owen Joins New Production Company
Owen has become half of a new production company! That's right. Not content with William's Tooth Productions, Owen has now also become half of the creative team, Hair of the Dog Productions. Owen has already worked as an editor for one piece, a dance video, and is has just finished directing photography on another for UpBeat. He is also the editor for the piece. The other half of the duo, Ali Pow3rs, directed the films and wrote music. Both pieces involved young dancers in derbyshire. Watch out for Hair Of The Dog's upcoming short, 'SinIsEasier'.
June 2004 More Festival Outings for Conceptual!
| Conceptual Was shown in the Real to Reel Tenth Anniversary Short Film Festival in Glasgow this June as a contender for an award! Ok, it didn't win an award, but that's only because the judges for that particular competition are notoriously jaded and not open to new ideas in cinema. (either that, or the other competing films were just better. We here at William's Tooth Productions are simply unwilling to contemplate that absurd notion). In any case, big pats on the back for us all! |
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May 2004 Conceptual - first cinema screening confirmed!
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May 2004 International acclaim
Owen's second to last film Arachne has just made it into the Artreach Showcase festival in Barcelona, to be shown 11th May 2004. If you're a Spaniard, or are planning a trip over, make sure you're there to see it! Arachne is one full minute of digital gorgeous death. Or watch it on www.britfilms.co.uk who are also showing it online, if you prefer. (Like we said, Media Whore...)
April 2004 Owen becomes a lecturer. Aged 23
Always one to try something new, Owen has now become a lecturer. Only for one day, mind; local Derby arts cinema The Metro invited Owen to give a one hour lecture to generation X (sixth form colleges) about becoming a successful little film maker for their Media Careers Day. The talk went well, judging by the fact that when the time for the famous last words 'Any questions?' rolled around, there were, in fact, loads of hands raised. They say, "Those that can do, those that can't teach". Owen does both. He likes to be the exception to the rule whenever possible.
March 2004 Bad news for Owen.
Owen Tooth FAILED to get the £8000 funding he was short listed for with the DV Shorts scheme. Owen declined the opportunity to comment himself, stating that he was devoting the next few weeks to finding his inner sanctum. Speaking exclusively to his psychologist, we have the following report:
"Owen seems rather positive about the whole affair. He thought of the funding opportunity as the pivotal and defining moment in his career, like his Holy Grail. I told him not to place such weight on it, but he was determined that nothing could be more important to him than the opportunity. When he didn't make it past the final interview, I was expecting him to relapse and then we'd have a repeat of last year's problems," explained Dr Fueubenstein, "but he seems to have taken it well. He keeps repeating, in a sort of off-kilt mantra;
'It has to be good. It has to be good. I mean, if the funding really was as important as I thought, then this would be terrible, right? I mean, it would be the single most crushing event of my life. What would be the point of living? No, it has to be good. There's got to be a reason for all of this, right? It has to be good.'
"His seeking reassurance is a positive move, although he will never fully come to terms with his loss if he doesn't admit that perhaps it was a bad thing. I think Jung would say he's in his second phase of realization right now, while Freud wouldn't touch him with a barge pole. He has some serious issues."
March 2004 William's Tooth Productions gives birth to a new monster.
It's been a lot of work, but it's all paid off as the Conceptual DVD has finally been unveiled.
You can be among the first to see it by buying yourself a copy of the gorgeous DVD by clicking here.
The film is a disturbing and uncomfortable short set in an art gallery, exploring the possible avenues of
conceptual art and its darker side.
On the strength of the piece and his gloriously overzealous application, Owen has now been shortlisted
for the DV Shorts fund, which puts him in the running to receive up to £8000 to make his next short.
March 2004 Owen is given a new commission and a lecturing opportunity.
The Metro Cinema in Derby has commissioned Owen to make a thirty second advert for the
cinema's membership scheme. Production will begin shortly, shooting on Super16mm and
being blown up to 35mm to be shown twice daily.
He has also been asked to give a screening and question and answer session at one of the
local sixth form colleges for their 'Careers in the Media' day.
Feb. 2004 Catharsis rears its head again.
Catharsis has seen a new release on a covermount VCD on DVD World Magazine Issue 6.
Jan 2004 Owen Tooth's filmic tour de force, CATHARSIS, is now available on DVD in the shops!
It appears alongside Ivan Zuccon's Italian horror flick The Darkness Beyond (aka. L'Altrove), and also the feature
Pornogothic, one of Forbidden Planet's best sellers over the last few months, courtesy of Salvation Films.
There is also a feature section on Owen and his work. Buy it now!
More details here and here and here...
Feb 2004 It's official! Owen Tooth is in fact a Media Whore.
On Saturday Feb 14th at 2pm (Yes, that's St. Valentine's Day), Owen poured his heart out to the country
on BBC1 in a 'Videonation' devoted to love. The video can still be seen on the BBC web site if you search
for Owen Tooth.
He was also interviewed on ITV news, shown in the Midlands at 6pm Feb 17th, about being a creative film maker in Derbyshire.
Site design Emma Simcock-Tooth