Congrats to The Gurkhas! 

"Shameful" is the right word.

So cheers to my old mate Jo Lumley for leading the fight! 

What a bloody disgrace but at least justice was done in the end.

Mark

No Rest for The Wicked

I am feeling rather fortunate to be working so much, to be actively involved with so many cool projects and surrounded by so much creative talent. 

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is coming out in June and it’s been, once again, another great experience. I’ve been enjoying myself thoroughly in the ADR studio this past week and I have so much respect for Michael Bay and the amazing team that’s putting this sequel together. There’s not a lot I can say right now, but if you thought the first one was a wild ride…you’d better buckle up! Michael Bay has outdone himself this time and even Steven Spielberg said: “Awesome!” ‘Nuff said!

Filming for the Blood Type teaser/trailer is completed and I have to say the terrific cast and crew made it possible to wrap with tons of amazing footage. Even London’s fickle weather behaved. I’ll be heading to Dublin in May to work on the editing and I’ll definitely post some sneak peeks here when I have more to share. The vampire “universe” John Matthews and Wil Kinghan of Mythwood Films have created, really set’s up a whole new psychological spin on the vampire mythos and I’m sure the project will pick up a strong gothic following. All you Vampire fans thirsting for more info, check back for news soon.

Many of you are asking me about The Pilgrim over at ComicMix.com – sorry we were on hold there for a bit, but we expect to have another episode up in May.  Mike Grell is a popular fellow and you just can’t rush genius, why would you want to?  Speaking of Grelly, we’ll be back at Comic-Con in San Diego in July – hope to see you there.

Clamoring for more Wuthering Heights Music?  I’m also heading back into the studio with Robb Vallier to record more tracks and working on a framework for a screenplay progresses. Remember I said there are 18 songs total?  It will be a little bit before the next one is available but please let me know how you’re enjoying the first six.  All six are on sale through iTunes and I am working on making them available on Amazon.com also.  But seriously, how chilling is Ray Winstone’s narration?  He and I are teaming up again for an independent film later this year and it’s one of the funniest scripts I’ve ever read…Really clever.  More about that little flick later.

For all you awaiting news of The Wildwood Tarot, great news!  Our publisher is presenting The Wildwood Tarot this week (as we speak) at the London Book Fair.  The project is really coming together wonderfully and our illustrator, Will Worthington, continues to turn out amazingly beautiful art for the cards.  I am confident that Greenwood Tarot devotees will love this new version.

As always, I am grateful you stopped by and I do love getting your emails and reading comments. 

Now, it’s back to work…Lots to do….

More from Blood Type - The Search

What can I say! I got back from the UK Tuesday night and went straight back into the ADR studio yesterday. So, my apologies for not posting about BLOOD TYPE sooner. I was totally blown away with the whole experience and owe so many folks a huge thank you!

We first filmed on location in London at Atlantis Bookshop on Museum Street, world-famous for its occult links with Alestair Crowley and Denis Wheatley and WW2 esoteric warfare history. The place exudes atmosphere and authenticity. Many thanks to Geraldine and Bali for their generosity and patience! 

We started shooting the opening scenes with Hamilton (Emrys Matthews) and Sophie (Emily Berrington) in the alley and moved onto the fight scene with Galen (Ed Blagrove) and Hamilton in the stairwell.

It was pretty tight maneuvering around those spaces but Anthony Straeger's “Quid in Shrapnel” productions crew, Dennis Morgan (DOP) Chris Reading (Sound) and Sally Alcott (Makeup and blood-dripper extraordinaire), all performed like magic and with exceptional good humor and enthusiasm!

Special mention must go to Anthony; he offered sound shooting advice and kept the whole thing moving as 1st AD. Also to Dennis, for capturing the incredibly claustrophobic and creepy wartime atmosphere in the period underground alleys and stairwells with his amazing use of light, shadow and smoke. Thanks a million chaps!     

Our second location was The Prebendal, Thame in Oxfordshire, an amazingly beautiful 12th Century estate and home of Robin and Dwina Gibb. Robin-John Gibb (Robin and Dwina's son) also plays the part of Belisar, lord of the vampire clans, and an amazing discovery as a new face on the screen! Without doubt a highly charismatic and poised young man, RJ took in my multi-layered direction and guidance with focus and professional skill and turned Belisar into a leading BLOOD TYPE protagonist with a mesmeric and chilling charm.     

We shot all the “Vampire Universe” scenes, including the stone circle and sword cane duel at The Prebendal. The wonderful support, enthusiasm and hospitality of the Gibb family, especially Dwina Murphy-Gibb and all the staff were amazing! Dwina, you're an angel!   

The grounds at the Prebendal are surreal  and suited to represent an alternative universe where Earth is ruled by “royal” vampire clans, and humans are slaves, owned and controlled as a convenient and docile work and food source. 

Sophie, played by the beautiful and talented Emily Berrington escapes this terrifying world and arrives in our reality during the London Blitz, running for her life and suffering from amnesia. A fugitive, carrying an unknown strain of blood, Sophie is helped by a young psychiatric doctor, played with compassion and intensity by Emrys Matthews, who discovers her unusual blood type and falls in love with her.

Galen, (Ed Blagrove) a ruthless vampire assassin sent to bring Sophie back at all costs, is dispatched by Sophie's master, Belisar (Robin-John Gibb), and the pursuit and clash of wills begins. This dramatic framework is unique, and a very colorful and darkly rich canvass on which to paint the conflicted brushstrokes symbolizing the drives and emotions churning within these characters. 

This conflict results in the deadly sword-cane duel between Emrys and Ed, who threw themselves into the fight with gusto! Very well done chaps! It looked really exciting and dangerous indeed! 

So! Thanks to John and Wil for their confidence, support and trust in me to handle their thrilling and complex material. Thanks also to the entire cast who brought it all to life!

And remember: “Lots to do. It's four o clock”... 

And...Action!

Tomorrow (Saturday, April 11) will be the first day of shooting of the trailer for: BLOOD TYPE - THE SEARCH after what can be described as a rather hectic week of preproduction, location scouts and rehearsals in Oxford, Thame and London.

We'll be moving into the world famous occult landmark: The Atlantis Bookstore in Museum Street in London for shooting tomorrow. I have to say it's very exciting and rather unique to be shooting an esoteric vampire thriller in a location so bathed in occult history. Everyone from Alistair Crowley, Dennis Wheatley, Austen Spare and Winston Churchill visited this classic bookstore in search of enlightenment over its very long and sometimes colorful history.We'll be shooting most of the WW2 scenes on the premises during the day tomorrow with Sophie (Emily Berrington) Hamilton (Emrys Matthews) and Galen (Ed Blagrove) and we'll move to Thame to shoot the "vampire world" stone circle scenes with Belisar (Robin-John Gibb) and sword-cane duel on Sunday.

It's nice to actually commence the shooting and directing phase after choreographing and training the actors for the fight and choosing authentic 40's outfits from Vintage Years Costume Hire in Leicester and sword canes from the unique and mind-blowing collection of weapons at film and TV armorers: Bapty's in Southhall, London. The schedule is tight, the concept is complex and dark. Great! I'll let you know how the first day goes…Mark

"Blood Type - The Search"

I'm here in Oxford preparing to direct the teaser promo trailer for a new vampire Sci-Fi show called BLOOD TYPE!
Written by John Matthews and Wil Kingham, BLOOD TYPE is a multidimensional new take on the ancient story of Vampires. Two very different Vampires form an unlikely alliance to hunt for a girl who holds a terrible secret in her blood. The show revolves around the struggles and conflicts of two alternative universes, one ruled by vampires where humans are feudal slaves, kept as a subjugated food-source, and our own reality, where vampires are only perceived as creatures of myth and legend, their real interaction with our world a well kept but deadly secret.
Starring Emily Berrington, Emrys Matthews, Edward Blagrove, Robin-John Gibb and narrated by Jason Connery I was very excited to be asked to direct the promo-trailer: BLOOD TYPE - THE SEARCH here on location in UK.

I'll also be choreographing a sword-cane duel between the two main protagonists who both search for "Sophie" (Emily Berrington) who's escape to our world triggers the struggle to control her destiny, as her blood contains a cure for the deadly epidemic now raging through the vampire world.

It's great to be working with John and Wil on BLOOD TYPE - THE SEARCH and many thanks go out to all who have supported the project including: Dwina Murphy-Gibb, The Atlantis Bookshop, Anthony Streger and of course Caitlin Matthews.

Shooting commences in London on April 11th at various locations in London, Oxford and Thame.

Love to all…