Ssh...listen carefully, I will say this only once...

My fourth short film, "Hush", is complete! Shot in the Summer of 2009, this short follows the exploits of two best friends, played by Danielle McLeod and Anna Walseth, who just happened to be best friends.

Here's the synopsis from the official site:

"Starring Anna Walseth and Danielle Mcleod as two best friends who just happen to be a pair of the best spies in the business, we follow the girls through their dangerous missions against evil, corrupt arms dealers, and rogue spies, while we also get an insight into their friendship.

With a perfect balance between their personal and professional relationship, can anything go wrong?"

Along with my other short film, "I Heart You", Hush will be sent into film festivals this year and we will be making it available to watch on the Silly Wee Films website soon.

Night is Day - The Official Movie Website - Sci-fi feature films in Scotland

- Night is  Day - The Movie (l-r), producer Lindsay Dowell, sound recordist Gregg Houston, director Fraser Coull and leading man Chris Summers who plays Jason

"Night is Day - The Movie" is the debut feature film for myself, and my production company Silly Wee Films. After making a total of 5 short films between 2005 and 2010 and quite a lot of corporate videos, I'm heading into the scary world of feature films - taking my favourite characters from "Night is Day" series 1 and 2 and taking them on a bigger, bolder adventure than they've ever experienced.

Filming starts this June in Glasgow and we will be filming at weekends until August, then the film, which is being shot in HD, will be edited, sent off for special effects, then it will be colour graded, sent off for sound effects and then music - hopefully in time for the big festivals (Cannes, Berlin, Raindance etc).

We've got the main cast and supporting actors sorted and we've already signed up Taggart star Colin McCredie to play as Taylor, an informant of DCI Mullan. We're also in talks with Rab C Nesbitt star Elaine C Smith to play Inspector Rebecca Munro's mum, "Gregory's Girl" legend John Gordon Sinclair and Doctor Who star Sylvester McCoy (The 7th Doctor) to appear as guest stars. 

Sci-fi feature films in Scotland are rare so we hope that everybody will enjoy Night is Day - The Movie when we release it next year. An official site has been set up at http://www.nightisday.net and we'll be keeping the site up to date with video blogs, trailers, production stills, director's blogs etc. 

We've already gathered a few sponsors to help us pay for props, locations, costumes, food, etc, so if you'd like to get on board to help us please email contact@sillyweefilms.com 

Series 1 of the series is already available on DVD at http://www.nightisday.com and series 2 will be launched late this Spring. The movie doesn't depend on series 1 or 2 but it will give you a deeper insight into the characters and what we're trying to achieve.

Thanks for your continued support!

There's been a murder...

Colin McCredie, who is well known for his role in STV's long running crime drama, "Taggart", took a guest star role in "Night is Day" series 2 (which is due to launch in Spring).

I've since struck up a friendly working relationship with Colin since he starred in my short film, "Two and a Half Minutes" and he will have a role in the Night is Day feature film this summer.

For now, here's Colin in Night is Day along side Chris Summers as Jason, and below is "Two and a Half Minutes" which stars John Gaffney, Chris Summers, Tam Toye, Lauren Lamarr and Natalie Clark.

Night is Day...the movie?

The entire reason for this blog was to chart my attempts of making a full length feature film. At the time it was all I ever wanted to do. However I got into this terrible habit of watching too much TV (Doctor Who, Torchwood, Chuck, House, How I Met Your Mother, Heroes etc) and decided that I wanted to be the next Russell T Davis or now, Steven Moffat (depending on what he does with Doctor Who of course), so I put all of my energies into writing the 2nd series of Night is Day, trying to make it an enjoyable programme for the sci-fi loving crowd, which I hope I've achieved, and as long as at least 10 people (who are neither cast, crew or friends of) watch it and like it, then I'll be happy.

But I know that there's a very limited chance that the BBC will look at Night is Day as a TV show and go "Wonderful! We love it! We're going to buy it, remake it and let you RUN THE SHOW!" (although that would be lovely).

Yet, I love Night is Day too much to say that after the credits roll on episode 7 of series 2 that the story is over and we won't get to see Jason fight more bad guys, or have more drama with his family, friends, loved ones, the police, Sloan or Mullan, or Mr. Philips won't come up with another evil scheme to cause havoc to the world. I just can't let go of these characters (perhaps this is some sort of addiction and I may need some help).

So I decided that the best way forward, to let Night is Day take on another medium, would be to make a feature film version. So I started writing the script in May 2009 and finished around September 2009. It's 147 pages long. It's a complete stand alone story so you shouldn't need to have seen series 1 or 2 for it to make sense, but it would help.

Since September I've been recruiting camera operators, sound recordists, directors of photography, still photographers, makeup artists, two wonderful producers, concept artists, runners and production assistants and NOW we finally have all the cast and crew! (With a few smaller parts to cast...)

We held auditions over two days in January at M8 Media Studios in Glasgow, followed by a readthrough in The Vale Bar in February and a couple of weeks ago we shot a teaser trailer in Glasgow. Filming starts in June and we will be filming at weekends until August. Once the film is finished it's off to the festivals and we will try and find a distributor or a sales agent to put it in the cinemas!

I'm eagerly awaiting www.nightisday.net to become active where I can update it on a regular basis with blogs, photos, videos and more, but until now www.sillyweefilms.co.uk/nightisdaymovie.htm and the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=237674711930&ref=ts) will have to do.

Until then, here are all the videos so far!


Check out our first official promo video for "Night is Day - The Movie" from our two days of auditions on the 16th and 23rd of January 2010!

Official website coming soon, in the meantime check out our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=237674711930&ref=ts



The first official cast readthrough for "Night is Day - The Movie", held at The Vale Bar in Glasgow City Centre on February 22nd 2010.

This is an exciting step forward in the pre-production of our superhero film in Glasgow.

Watch a sneak peak of our readthrough and let us know what you think in the comments!

http://www.sillyweefilms.co.uk/nightisdaymovie.htm




Meeting with Lindsay and Gavin, our producers, next week all going well to lock down the schedule, discuss the fundraising party, sort out costumes, makeup, locations and hopefully announce some well known Scottish actors who are joining the film!

Spread the word - Night is Day is coming to the big screen!

Night is Day - Superheroes, villains, gangsters, vampires and demons...in Glasgow?

"Night is Day" is a ongoing project of mine, my baby, if you will. It started in about 2005 when I was on the BBC Training Programme, "E-Force", at the old BBC building in Queen Margaret Drive, Glasgow. I read about a competition to make a trailer for a film that wasn't made yet. Liking the idea of "making movies", I decided to come up with an idea about a superhero in Glasgow. I was fed up of kitchen sink dramas that has plagued Scottish filmmaking and decided that if London could have Doctor Who and Cardiff could have Torchwood (although Torchwood would come later...) then why can't Scotland have a superhero?

So, Jason Mackenzie was born! 

Originally a short film with an entirely different cast, "Night is Day" would eventually go on to feature Chris Summers as Jason, our superhero, a normal Glaswegian who is left by his girlfriend, gets drunk and walks across the road only to get knocked down by a car. Left in a wheelchair for months, he decides he wants to change his bad fortune and is contacted by the mysterious Ames, a good demon who has the ability to tell the future. Jason finds Ames and asks to have bad things stop happening to him. Ames agrees and puts a lightning demon into Jason.

Jason finds himself with the ability to see someone's future just by touching them. He gets a mind numbing vision of their imminent peril and saves the day. Oh, did I mention he can create lightning in his hand?

We shot the first series in 2006 and once all the special effects, music and sound effects were finished, we put it out on DVD in about 2007 where it is available to buy at www.nightisday.com. Here's a trailer:

"Night is Day", a unique self-funded sci-fi series from Scotland! The series takes you to a normal city, filled with superheros, supervillains, demons, vampires, and gangsters, filled with action, drama and stunning special effects.

Now in to its second series, the show continues to explore the world of Jason Mackenzie, Glasgow's superhero, who was once a down on-his-luck Glaswegian, left by his girlfriend, forcing him into depression which led him to being hospitalised by a horrific accident. From there Jason met Ames, a mysterious demon in human form, who gave Jason the power of a demon so he could fight to keep us safe.

In 2008 we started planning series 2, which would upgrade from 6 episodes of random length, to 7 episodes, each lasting 25 minutes. It took us around 8 months to finish filming and due to the complex special effects needed, only now is it starting to reach the finish line - with the last two episodes now having the special effects finished.

Here's a few trailers and clips to whet your appetite!

I'm the writer and director of "Night is Day", an on-going sci-fi series with no funding, following the adventures of a Glaswegian superhero with the power of lightning and foresight.

For two years now Jason has been forced into a world of crime and supernatural demons. Now as his quest to find the girl he lost, Jason must fight supervillains, vampires and maybe even his own family.

Jason is not alone, as DCI Charles Sloan, DI Iain Mullan and DI Billy Shipton are on the case to stop the evil Mr. Philips at any cost!

Series 1 is available on DVD at http://www.nightisday.com and series 2 will be launched in the summer.

Jason Mackenzie is back in Scotland's low-budget sci-fi adventure series. After hunting down rogue demons with his guide, Sakura, Jason continues his mission to find his friend, Amy, who has mysteriously vanished. But it won't be easy for Jason as Mr. Philips works on his evil scheme to bring evil demons into our world. Jason isn't alone however as recovering alcoholic DCI Charles Sloan and his team, DI Iain Mullan and DI Billy Shipton are on the case. But just who is this mysterious girl Caitlyn? Series 2 launches this summer - http://www.nightisday.com

"Night is Day" is a self-funded superhero drama series shot in Glasgow and surrounding areas in Scotland. Following on from the first series, which started as a web series, but is now available on DVD, series 2 picks up 8 months later with Jason Mackenzie, Glasgow's superhero, chasing down rogue demons who are on the loose, while trying to find his friend, Amy Campbell, who was kidnapped by a mysterious cult. Mr. Philips is determined to complete his plan for world domination, forcing DCI Sloan, DI Mullan and Inspector Shipton to stop him. Series 2 will be launched in Spring 2010 on DVD and a full length feature film is now in the works - www.nightisday.com

Okay that's enough for this blog, next time: "Night is Day - The Movie"!

Long time no post, so let's look to the future!

Okay, so I may have accidentally forgot about this blog until some friends reminded me last

night at our usual Friday night gathering's in a flat in the West End of Glasgow.

Obviously 2007 to 2010 is certainly a big gap between updates and a lot has happened since then!

My film company "Silly Wee Films" has been going relatively strong - working on corporate videos for Macmillan Cancer Support, local councils, sports companies, and even the occasional music video, while also working on "Night is Day" series 1 and 2, writing the feature film version of "Night is Day" and making three short films.

The first short film is called "Two and a Half Minutes" and it stars John Gaffney (who also plays DCI Sloan in Night is Day series 2 and the upcoming feature), Colin McCredie who played DC Stuart Fraser in Taggart and Chris Summers who has appeared in lots of films and TV projects including my very own "Night is Day" as our superhero, Jason Mackenzie.

We shot the film over two days based on a script I wrote about 3 years ago (we slightly re-drafted it...) in Glasgow and Stirling and the final product can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ye42Nu_jHo

My second film was "Hush"...

...which follows two best friends (Danielle McLeod and Anna Walseth) who just happen to be spies. It's a completely silent film, with only music and sound effects, and it looks at the difference between their personal lives and spy lives. The film is in the final stages of post production and we're just waiting on the sound effects!

Following "Hush" I decided to make my romantic comedy, "I Heart You"...

...which stars Chris Summers, Natalie Clark, Barry McKay and Lissa Dougal. Chris plays, well, Chris, and Natalie is Kirsty, and it starts with Chris being dumped by Kirsty and then going to the pub with his best friend, looking back at his "wonderful" relationship.

The movie is finished now and I'm going to be entering it into the festivals this summer so fingers crossed.

Right that's enough for one blog... I'll start another for "Night is Day - The Movie"...