Thursday, June 16-

Day trip to National Film & Television School

My face is cut out- but Sterling always has me cracking up!

To Beaconsfield we go!

CGI lab where newer students were completing their first assignment of filling in shot elements such as the entire image in the mirror along with other green screen portions. One student made her into a werewolf. Each's is unique.

Sound mixing studio at NFTS.

One of the composers' rooms at NFTS

The NFTS miniature set construction area -- three separate sets were being created whilst we were touring.

Leaving the NFTS TV studio, heading by what's called 'West Berlin' (it's the newest building on campus with offices, meeting areas, and a screening theatre.

Everyone that goes there is a graduate student and there are only 200 students. The talent that comes out of that school is amazing. So many mainstream movies have alumni from the NFTS. The director of HP 5 went to the school. Danny Boyle did too. They showed us a flim when we first got there about the school and work that the students and alumni produced. Never Let Me Go and Atonment had credits by NFTS alumni.

We were given a tour around the offices and studios tha the students work in. You have to know exactly what you want to do in the industry to even be considered and then there are only 100 open spots a year. You had to chose a position (editor, director, dp, sound mixer) and take a 1 to 2 year course with it and tuition I imagine is hella high!

Train Trip back- we were tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiired.

After we return we run to Camden for dinner and for a beatles satchel for Lisa to take to Scotland-

Baby Stawberries- Strawberries are in season here!

Introduced Lisa to "Nevermind the Buzzcocks" a music trivia game on BBC. This episode they have the idiot twins "Jedward" who are the but of all jokes the whole episode and they don't seem to catch on. lol.

Wind up pocket watch I found in Camden on top of my NME magazine with the Smiths on the cover!

Wednesday, June 8- Planet Called Camden

Wednesday, June 8

"A Planet Called Camden"

We rolled out of bed at 9am and got to Camden Town by 11am. Used no maps and it took us NO time at all to get to Camden! We just hopped on the tube, went through two stops (Tuffnell - Kentish Town - Camden Town). We made our way out of the tube and discovered on that literally when you walk out of the tube station it’s right there on the right!

Oh man… the pictures on google of Camden Market are amazing but nothing compared to it in actuality! They only scratched the surface of what’s there hidden beyond the shops on Camden’s High Street. The first shop we went into I bought some pocket watches and a flask while the Rolling Stones were playing in the background. Then in the next market door had rows and rows of clothes and they were playing Flight of the Conchords, “Ginger Balls”.

All the shops go DEEP back and once you pass Camden Locke (only 200 feet down the road) there’s a line of Vespa seats facing the lock and all these exotic kiosks serving cheap and yummy food! We didn’t get to stay there long but I did find a shop that sells my Chelsea Boots and Joan Jett Leather Jackets (I shall return!)

Camden Locke

Lunch on the Locke for 5lbs while sitting on vespas.

After that we went to class at 1pm (by memory!) and the author of the book, Andrew Crisell, reviewed us on his book. As normal and English as he looked, he was a riot. His book is boring but he is far from it! His daughter spoke to us about working for BBC News and Newsround on Cbeebies.

Went to dinner after that. We can not decide in large groups. Nor can we find enough seating for all of us. One word to describe London, Compact. We all split up trying to find pubs that serve food and can fit all 15 of us. Impossible and everyone is afraid to speak up because they’d be deciding for the whole group and there’s always an objection. So Lisa, Chase, and I ate at The George while Sterling and Steven had a drink down at the pub.

Then we went to the taping of “Quote or Unquote” at the BBC for Radio 3. When the panel rolled out I was disappointed that they were all much older and no one I recognized. They introduced their names and when the man at the very end of the panel started talking in his VERY distinct Irish / sing songy accent I had the biggest “Ahh-ha” Moment! It was that foreign comedian I saw years back on Comedy Central Presents who performed in a purple suit! No wonder I could never remember his name- Ardal O'hanlon. He looks much different now. Back then he was pale with dark brown hair and now he’s tan with orange hair and it must have been 10 years ago that show aired! Also he played the Brannigan, the cat man in the episode of Doctor Who titled, “Gridlock”! He was funny and he said his grand mother was the most quotable person he knows. Every time she went to the toilet she said, ‘She’s giving her sentiments to parliament”. Haha

There were two tappings and the first one I was dozing off and doing the blinkity eye dance.

After the show we all got on the Northern line and us Tuffnells got of at our stop and headed home in the twighlight. The sun doesn’t even full set til after 10pm.

We got our baths (a bath with a corded shower head), looked up Ardal, watched parts of The Big Fat Quiz show with the best of Noel Fielding and Russell Brand’s parts, introduced Lisa to The Hitcher (comedic character- cockney geezer who rapes ands murders and taught the Ripper everything he knows—while sporting a polo mint as his “solo polo” vision who loves to eat eels) performed by the duo The Mighty Boosh.

Ardal O'hanlon

Watch Ardal (here)