THE STRONGEST OAK

In late November, we invited Andrew and Wendy Morris, and Fleur of course, to come down to Birmingham for some publicity photos and an on-camera interview that will form a companion video for the feature film.

The filming location was the Old Rose and Crown Hotel, an historical landmark building situated in the heart of the stunning Lickey Hills (a favourite filming location of ours).

The day started with some outdoor filming in the beautiful grounds of the hotel itself and we captured some great shots of Fleur!

Fleur being a natural in front of the camera

• 

• 

• 

Next was the interview with Andrew and Wendy. It was great to hear them tell their story in their own words.

• 

• 

The interview with Andrew and Wendy Morris being edited.

Of all the good luck messages Andrew and Wendy received while Fleur underwent her life saving operation and recovery, there was one in particular that summed up Fleur’s spirt:

‘The strongest oak tree of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It’s the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun’

The completed interview will be posted in January, so stay tuned for that!

A big thank you to Andrew Hodges, the General manager of the Old Rose and Crown Hotel, for his hospitality and generosity during the shoot.

DOG DAY AFTERNOONS

Our current short film, OF WOLVES AND MEN was made in association with Birmingham Dogs Home, in order to help promote the great work that they do for our four-legged friends.

Last Wednesday afternoon, we visited Birmingham Dogs Home to meet the guys who run the place. A big thanks to Fi Harrison and Rachel Frost for taking the time to show us around their wonderful premises.

Also joining us for the afternoon was Andy Wheelan. Andy is a member of the board of trustees for Birmingham Dogs home and he was instrumental in first introducing us. It was great to chat about future collaborations.

If you have the means, please do consider supporting the wonderful work they do in helping abandoned and abused dogs to find their forever homes.

From left to right, front row: Dominic Higgins, Dotty the Bulldog, Becca Bryant, Ian Higgins. Back row: Rachel Frost, Nigel Davey, Fi Harrison, Andy Wheelan. Photo credit: Jilly Rivers

Dotty enjoying the attention. Photo credit: Jilly Rivers

Photo credit: Jilly Rivers

The following afternoon at 12 pm, OF WOLVES AND MEN had its first showing on the big screen at a live movie event held at Birmingham Business Park. Huge thanks to Park Development manager Liz Allister!

In the audience was a very special ambassador for Birmingham Dogs Home, Reeva and she gave the movie a 5 paw review!

Rachel Frost with Reeva watching OF WOLVES AND MEN at the live cinema event in Birmingham Business Park.

OF WOLVES AND MEN is available on YouTube and is free to watch.

A SPECIAL INVITE FOR A VERY SPECIAL CAUSE

On Wednesday, 2nd September, the Pixel Revolution team of directors Ian & Dominic Higgins and producer Nigel Martin Davey were invited to represent the field of film in Birmingham, and be among 250 specially selected recognised dignitaries from all industries, to sign ten Limited Edition Prints of the ‘Forward in Unity’ Graffiti Art by renowned Birmingham street artist Gent 48.

From the official website:

This epic depiction is of the City’s NHS and front line workers fighting back against the evil grasp of the virus that has taken hold of the social lives and economic well being of the residents of Birmingham. You can go and see this current masterpiece by Gent 48, in the flesh, on Meriden Street in Digbeth.

All proceeds from the selling of the prints will go Acorns Children’s Hospice, St Mary’s Hospice and SIFA Fireside.

Also, among the dignitaries yesterday adding his signature to the prints, was advertising legend and BAFTA winning film producer, Trevor Beattie.  

It was a great honour to be invited! A huge thank you to Prof. Paul Cadman and Nick Herd.

Also to top the week off, our most recent short film, OF WOLVES AND MEN has picked up it’s second award, Best Animation at the New Cinema Lisbon Monthly Film Festival.

OF WOLVES AND MEN PICKS UP AWARD

Our animated short, OF WOLVES AND MEN has just been awarded Best Animated Film at the Reale Film Festival monthly awards.

If you haven’t seen the film yet, check it on YouTube!

OF WOLVES AND MEN RELEASED

Yesteday was National Dog Day and to mark the occasion, we released our short film, OF WOVES AND MEN, which imagines how humans and dogs first became the best of friends.

We were delighted to produce the film in association with Birmingham Dog’s Home. If you have the means, please do consider supporting the wonderful work they do.

OF WOLVES AND MEN is available on YouTube and is free to watch.

ANIMATED SHORT – LOCKDOWN FILM MAKING

We’ve always said limitations are essential for creativity, and are very often the genesis for some of the very best ideas we have as filmmakers.

However, in the current situation of a national lockdown, with its ultra-strict limitations on human interaction, making a film, even a short one, would seem to be an impossible task.

But it was perhaps because of this seemingly impossible set of limitations that we felt the creative urge to make one.

We decided on a short film that would be connected  to the feature project we currently have in development, Fleur, which tells the story of a rescue dog. So, it had to be dog themed.

We’ve always been fascinated by how humans and dogs became the best of friends, so it didn’t take us long to decide on what the film would be about…

OF WOLVES AND MEN tells the story of an imaginary first encounter between humans and wolves and how this meeting would change both species forever.

Watch the trailer below:

To make the film we mixed specially created CG animated sequences and illustrations with stock footage and outtakes from two previous films we had shot, All That Remains and Evolution.

Designing the CGI characters that will be incorporated into live action elements.

A digital Matte shot, blending photographic elements with CGI.

Actor Leo Ashizawa in make-up to play a prehistoric man for our short film Evolution.

We were very excited to cast Peter Egan as the narrator of the film (thanks to our amazing producer Nigel Martin Davey). As well as being a respected actor and very well known face on TV (staring in shows such as Downtown Abbey and After Life), Peter is a passionate animal rights activist, so we felt he was the perfect choice from the moment we started penning the script.

We are also very pleased to be able to use the film to raise awareness and support the great work done by Birmingham Dogs Home. Please do check out their website and consider lending your support.

Below are some stills from the film:

Of Wolves and Men

Of Wolves and Men

A huge thank you to Tony Ellis, Sally Humphreys Wood and Andrew Whelan and Rachel Frost of Birmingham Dog’s Home, and of course, special thank you to Peter Egan, Leo Ashizawa and Kanae and Anna Kimura for helping make the film possible!

Watch this space for news on when OF WOLVES AND MEN will be released.

INTRODUCING… FLEUR.

Fleur with Wendy Morris

As the new year gets underway, we’re very excited to announce a brand new feature film project is also getting underway!

We’ve been eager to make a film that explores the human/animal bond for a number of years now and after exploring several possible ideas we found a story that we feel is a perfect fit for us a filmmakers.

Romanian rescue dog Fleur was the winner of the Animal Hero Rescue Award 2019 by the Daily Mirror Newspaper and her story is truly one of the most incredible and inspiring stories of beating impossible odds we’ve read!

Her story has been turned into a book titled, “Fleur – The Dog who Refused to Die” by Wendy Morris, who along with her husband, Andrew, adopted Fleur after seeing a photo of her taken in a so called “kill shelter” in Romania.

Directors Dominic and Ian Higgins with “Lady Fleur”

Working with directors Ian and Dominic Higgins will be producers Nigel Martin Davey and Sally Humphreys Wood.  Nigel has worked with Ian & Dominic on their last three film projects and Sally is a successful producer of both theatre and film, and a passionate dog lover, so we’re very excited to have her join the team!

Producers Nigel Martin Davey and Sally Humphreys Wood with “Lady Fleur”

We met Fleur, Andrew and Wendy last Saturday at the Westmead Hotel.  

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

A huge thank you to Ben Panesar, owner of the Westmead Hotel and his staff for their hospitality and giving Fleur the VIP treatment she deserves.

7 DAYS NOW ON GENERAL RELEASE

Making 7 DAYS – THE STORY OF “BLIND DAVE” HEELEY has certainly been a long journey. A journey that started over three years ago when our producer, Nigel Martin Davey first approached us with the idea of turning Dave’s incredible story into a film.

But more than just a journey, as every film should be, it’s also been a process of evolution for us as film-makers. Through the process of making this film, we experimented with our approach to working with actors, our reliance on storyboards and we’ve embraced new technology, particularly with our extensive use of smartphones to shoot several of the scenes.

So, as this journey finally comes to an end, we find ourselves even more excited than ever to begin all over again!

BBC West Midlands talk about the launch of 7 DAYS below:

Here’s a link to an article in the Express and Star  and Athletics Weekly on the release of the film.

 

There are so many people we are indebted to for their assistance and support, but in particular we would like to thank the Heeley family, the late Sir Doug Ellis, Tony Ellis, South and City College, Hillscourt Conference centre, Kay Wilton, Antony Bowater, Moondog Labs, BBC Midlands, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Express and Star Newspaper and Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

7 DAYS – THE STORY OF BLIND DAVE HEEELY is now available for download at REELHOUSE.

The film is also available here with Audio Description for visually impaired viewers.

7 AWARD NOMINATIONS FOR 7 DAYS

7 Days – the Story of “Blind Dave” Heeley has just picked up it’s seventh award nomination!

This time it’s the LOS ANGELES CINEFEST, an international event, consisting of live screenings (and of course a red carpet!) scheduled to be held in Los Angeles in January 2020. Fingers crossed!

The film should be released to the general public and available for purchase late September – so stay tuned for more info!

A SONG FOR NAGASAKI

Today marks the 74th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in Japan.

The 9th of August is a date that we can never forget. It stirs up images of utter devastation and intolerable human suffering on an unimaginable scale.

It was after reading “The Bells of Nagasaki” by atomic bomb survivor Dr. Takashi Nagai that we felt compelled to try and bring his story to the screen.

The result after more than 5 years, was ALL THAT REMAINS

Above: Stills from All That Remains (c) Pixel Revolution Films

As we remember Dr. Nagai and all the other victims of that fatal day in 1945, we thought it fitting to include this beautiful version of “Nagasaki No Kane” (The Bells of Nagasaki) by Opera singer Yumiko Okada, who performed a special and very moving rendition of the song for us, during our trip to Japan.

People say that Nagasaki is famous for persecution and devastation, for it has known much in it’s history. But Nagasaki is not the only place that has experienced both persecution and destruction The reason Nagasaki is famous, is because it is rebuilt, because it has always survived.

Dr. Takashi Nagai

ALL THAT REMAINS is available on Amazon.