Diary for 'Monsters of the Id' (MOTI)

'The hardest part is not the computer graphics but rather having the will to complete a project this massive'   - Laurie Calvert, UK.

Back to www.monstersmovie.com Home on

Monsters of the Id web site

          See various free clips on YouTube: http://uk.youtube.com/results?search_query=calvertfilm 

MySpace at www.myspace.com/lauriecalvert 

Some music track examples at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/calvertfilm/MOTIMusic.htm

14th October 2009 - Updating web site.

14th July 2009 - The 7th was MOTI's 2nd birthday of the release. I haven't heard much from Film 2000 but the actual distribution company is Sony Distribution. Film 2000 is my link to them. The movie is still available online.

26th Jan 2009 - Put nine tracks of music samples online at this link: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/calvertfilm/

9th Jan 2009 - DVD sales of many videos are generally very low. The world-wide credit crunch of the past few months is taking effect. Film 2000 is still going and hopefully their web site will be alive again soon. But the loss of Woolworths and Savvi is making it hard for the independent films to get shelf space. There is only shelf room for the major titles in the remaining retail outlets. Online sites are great but how can the smaller films get spotted there? Tough times. MOTI is still being distributed via Film 2000 and Sony distribution. At least it is still 'out there'.

9th July 2008 - MOTI had a 1st birthday two days ago. It is still available to buy and on release online and I also saw a copy still in the shop HMV. All sing along now....

22nd June 2008 - Lovefilm has a review of MOTI on there which states that the ideas within the storyline of the film have helped a child overcome their nightmares: '....and through the suggestion of this film he has developed a strategy to cope with his nightmares and the fear of the dark that caused. Anything that can do that gets my vote.' The story involves someone using dreaming that they are a superhero to fight their nightmares. That's cool.

29th April 2008 - 'MOTI' gets shown at a film festival: The Big Gig festival this year is on 18th and 19th July 2008 in Thurso, and 27th July in Wick. 12 of the 15 films are from Calvertfilm (numbers 2,4 and 11 are not), plus 'Monsters of the Id' will be shown. Yippee! Click on the link below in the note from the organiser for more cool info.

1) War Of The Starfighters (trailer)
2) "The Big Gig" 2009 (teaser trailer)
3) My Mate Rex
4) Most Haunted
5) The Intrepid Finale
6) Starfighters Attack
7) The Force Of The Starfighters
8) Johnny Lightspeed
9) The Lone Starfighter
10) X-Wing
11) The Assasination
12) Going To Extremes
13) Duke Starkiller
14) The Brave And The Valiant

15) Creatures of Hate

This programme is sci-fi based content including CGI animation and special effects with live-action as well.


"Monsters Of The Id" will be in Programme B and F as it will be shown in Thurso and Wick. If you have any more films you'ld like to have included in our 2009 event, we are now accepting entries. You can also join our group at www.bebo.com/THEBIGGIG where regular updates are posted.
kindest regards
Darren

20th April 2008 - Calvertfilm web site reaches 100,000th hit since set up March 2000. Took a little longer than YouTube which took just 8 months. In fact YouTube has gone up to 142,000 hits today, 42,000 in 40 days.

16th March 2008 - Working on a short time travel story called 'Time to Tell'.

11th March 2008 - 'Racer' was finished on 10th March 2008 and was 74 mins 51 seconds long. It gets a first viewing today. YouTube hits reach 100,000.

9th March 2008 - 'Racer' went feature-length in the edit yesterday and is almost finished. I just need to edit the end titles. I know it will have a 75 minute running time. I've used some images from the game and elsewhere and blended them together for still sequences. This sped up the process. This is just for my home use and not for release. I just made it for fun and no financial gain. I also used Poser 4. Another Machinima type film to see just how quick a movie can be made. This was about 40 hours work this way.

Also my YouTube hits are currently at 97,600 for 77 movies.

6th March 2008 - My latest movie is now called 'Racer' nice and simple. I hope to upload a trailer to YouTube very soon, within the next few hours. So far I have made the first 6 minutes and edited the front titles fully. Plus I have made a trailer and developed Mark Storm, my lead Poser character. This movie I intend to make all with subtitles overlaying music and sound effects, so no voices needed. This movie will be suitable for deaf people completely. The racing scenes generated by Gran Tourismo 3 will be interspersed with Poser 4 stills of the characters with words coming up a bit like comics.

5th March 2008 - I'm working on a 3rd feature length movie made from video game captures (Machinima). This will be my 3rd such film (feature length) and my 5th feature (MOTI was my 2nd). This new movie is based on Gran Tourismo 3 and has the working title 'Vette Dreams'. It features Corvettes, racing Corvettes, and Skylines racing, set to some pretty exciting music, with a storyline with characters in between. It is just for fun/home use, not for release of course as material is copyrighted from the game manufacturers. Good fun though. I like making films this way for a change. The film making comes in the editing. You can't keep a good film maker down! I just love making films (movies, videos, whatever you want to call them) any way I can.

15th Feb 2008 - Got a cheque through for MOTI which was well timed. YouTube hits are 76,000. Current rate is 800 per day. I've added lots more Calvertfilm material. Remember that Darren Manson has selected MOTI to be shown at a Film Festival he is organising. This festival will be in Thurso, Caithness with the current date set at 18-19th July 2008.

3rd Feb 2008 - The Lost Wars is completed yesterday and details finished today such as web site and cover. A feature length movie made in 12 hours over 5 separate days.

23rd Jan - YouTube hits reach 60,000. Current rate is: 14 days = 10,000 hits. This is 714 hits per day. Calvertfilm is on 95,000 hits too, so hopefully just a few weeks to 100K. MOTI is still available online. I am thinking of selling it at Cheshunt UK Toy Fair sometime. First one of these fairs is on 27th Jan at Grundy Park Leisure Centre. Four more planned for the year. I won't stall out on the first date but may on future ones with MOTI. Meanwhile I am looking into making a couple more feature length Machinimas using PS2 games - one called 'Lost Wars' which is based around Star Wars and some lost battles that are recovered as recordings on a lone Seeker Droid.

I am also planning another film around the Gran Tourismo game, which is about car racing. Working title is 'Vette Dreams' since it is a fantasy about Corvette racing. These are for fun, not to sell.

15th Jan - Added YouTube videos throughout the site.

9th Jan 2008 - YouTube hits reach 50,000. Current rate is: 17 days = 10,000 hits.

25th Dec 2007 - The last five days have seen myself and the kids playing Playstation Robot Wars fights featuring a CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) version of Lightning. We have made over 20 fights that will come together to form our own CGI feature length movie made in as simple a way as possible. This is called Machinima style, in its simplest form. Poser software will be used to make the team characters of myself, and sons Laurie and Jon. This will be my third feature movie in a way but it is not a conventional movie, just being made in a fun way, and it is not for release of course. I have used some of the dialogue from the real Lightning footage on the real Robot Wars. In this movie Lightning flips opponents, pits them, throws them out of the arena, and does demos in special locations available in the game such as a Scrapyard and Oil Rig. I have used the CG Lightning to win the UK and World Championships and the Assault Rounds. Film/movie is called 'The Lightning Wars'. YouTube hits on 40,000.

9th Dec 2007 - YouTube hits on 32,000 - a further 9,000 in 17 days. MOTI price may be dropping soon.

I'm working over a live action horror idea called 'The Windmiller Man' (working title) about a wizened old grey-skinned creature that lives in a disused windmill. Anyway, I'll probably never make it, and it needs more development but 'The Windmiller Man' story now exists. I am also working on a simpler version called 'Freaky'.

18th Nov 2007 - YouTube hits on 23,000 - a further 9,000 in 25 days approx. 'Going to Extremes'  - my model rocket movie, is the most viewed currently. MOTI has been out 3 months now, so expecting first royalty payment soon. The Calvertfilm movie 'Rap Raptor' has been archived in the IAC (Institute of Amateur Cinematographers) film library which is nice. You can see it on YouTube. MOTI price may be dropping soon to about £4 approx.

I am working on a short story idea about time travel. The premise is that people in the future do indeed come back and visit us. But so as not to change the timeline they cannot interact in a way that we are conscious of. They exist around us in another dimension. In fact, in the future you can book a type of 'holiday' to travel back anytime and observe events in history. Where would you go to? I like to think this may be happening and the upbeat moral of the story is that nobody ever dies therefore as we can all live again in this way. 'Forever Alive' is the title.

24th Oct 2007 - 14,000 hits on YouTube in 3 months. I have about 50 clips and films on there now. I am adding another 6 MOTI clips which include most of the actors voices. The 'Heroes' clip will contain the voices of Garrick Hagon, Phil Delancy, Eileen Daly, Rosie Jenkins, and Marsha Crenshaw. The 'Ice Robot' clip will contain Claire Spence. The 'Shark' clip will contain Samantha Pilley. Ed Bishop is in the 'Volcano' scene. Warrick Davis's laugh is on the 'Ruins' clip. The clips will show scenes with a shark, volcano, action, talking, Robot battles on an ice field, fighting and all sorts of stuff. This brings the total clips up to 14 for MOTI. Enjoy. The movie has been out 3 months now.

10th Oct 2007 - MOTI has been selected by Darren Manson to be shown at a Film Festival he is organising along with several of my other short movies such as 'X-Wing', 'The Intrepid Finale' and 'Starfighters Attack'. This festival will be in Thurso, Caithness with the current date set at 18-19th July 2008, and possibly an earlier date too in April 2008. Meanwhile the DVD is still available on the HMV shelves, which is nice to see.

15th Sept 2007 - 4,000 viewings of Calvertfilm clips on YouTube (link above) in about the first month. Also the combined counts for Calvertfilm web site www.calvertfilm.fsnet.co.uk and MOTI web site www.monstersmovie.com are just a few days from reaching 100,000. Uploading a lot more Calvertfilm videos to YouTube over the next few days. Search 'Calvertfilm at www.youtube.com for details. 3D World Magazine issue 96, has published an article I've written about releasing MOTI in their 'Business End' section. Available world-wide. I got mine from WH Smiths in the UK. Lovely stuff.

28th Aug 2007 - 3D World Magazine issue 95, has printed a letter of mine about the movie. In next month's issue 96, they are running an article on it. 3D World has a circulation of 15,000 (readership of over 20,000) people world-wide and it is about computer graphics, so an ideal place for my story. I am grateful to the editor Jim Thacker. Also MOTI is featured in 'Film & Video Maker' the IAC magazine on pg 4.

24th Aug 2007 - Spoke to Film 2000 today and we discussed USA release, sales and advertising in the media. Had a good chat. First months sales figures are good and about the same as another release of Film 2000's from that period. The other film has a fan following though, so that is good news for my film.

23rd Aug 2007 - MOTI has sold a few copies (I haven't got the sales figures as yet though) and has had an article in OneHMRC magazine, a national publication for a 100,000 personnel section of the Civil Service. The web site has hit some real highs with as many as 264 hits on one particular day after posting in the CG (Computer Generated) forums. YouTube clips are doing very well too http://uk.youtube.com/results?search_query=calvertfilm 

1st Aug 2007 - MOTI is on some HMV shelves and at London stores. I've seen it at HMV London in the Children's section, and HMV Southend in the Anime section. It can be ordered from any UK HMV store too. Also a nice article about the Premiere in the Southend Echo pg 9 - thanks Lindsey. The IAC magazine, Film & Video Maker, is running an article on MOTI too starting on pg 4 of the next issue. P.S. Web site hit 264 hits on 2nd Aug (that day).

29th July 2007 - Premiere event at the Southend Odeon went extremely well. Thanks to friends and family that attended plus the actors present, Eileen, Phil and Samantha. Film started at 10.43am and ran to 11.58am. I did a little 2 minute speech beforehand too. Took some video and lots of pictures. Even sold a few copies, and several people got autographs of the stars. Was a fantastic day.

24th July 2007 - The IAC has done a great article on MOTI: http://www.fvi.org.uk/resources/distributing_a_feature.html An article I've written is due to be in issue 96 of 3D World magazine too, available worldwide. Had a really nice email from someone that sums up this movie and why it was made. It said: Hey Man, I just wanted to say, I dig your fighting spirit, and I hope you do more ! Its guys like you who spur on innovation!

23rd July 2007 - Official release date for 'Monsters of the Id' is today. Peter Barrett got his 2 copies through the door this morning. Digital Premiere for the film is Sunday (morning) July 29th 2007 at the Southend Odeon. I've have contacted Essex FM regarding the Premiere and plan to contact Anglia TV too. Laurie Calvert (Director) and Samantha Pilley (Actress) are appearing at HMV Southend at 5pm on 30th July to meet and greet people, so come and meet us if you wish. I've posted on lots of CGI forums today such as Renderosity, Daz3D, and Planit3D. Also another Southend Echo article online at http://www.echo-news.co.uk/search/display.var.1541755.0.making_monsters_in_my_spare_time.php Thanks Rebecca.

20th July 2007 - MOTI is now on the International Movie Database IMDB at www.imdb.com Also I have been asked to attend a festival with this film (and others) at Thurso at http://thursopicturehouse.piczo.com

16th July 2007 - Going to be doing something for 3D World magazine, issue 96. Should have an article in the Havering Gazette July 18th.

15th July 2007 - Met with Garrick and Warwick today at Celebration Europe, the Star Wars event.

12th July 2007 - Noticed today that the Southend Echo oh July 11th had another page on me (pg20). This article covered 'The War of the Starfighters' and my interest in Star Wars, plus it also had a picture of Laurie and Jon, Warrick too. Thanks Rebecca. Also Matt from the Havering Gazette called me today to do an interview tomorrow for publication next Wednesday 18th. IAC web site will soon publish an article too.

Also I'm am adding a profile to MySpace. www.myspace.com/lauriecalvert

11th July 2007 - Should be doing some sort of promotion/signing at the Southend HMV store just after the Premiere/Screening. Aiming for the 30th at 4 or 5pm. Come and meet me to ask questions on the production. Samantha Pilley will be there too. I know of two copies of the film that have been pre-ordered at least before the release on 23rd. The film is available to pre-order and then it is shipped out a.s.a.p. after the 23rd.

9th July 2007 - Uploading to YouTube various MOTI clips. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xeImECz3rB0&mode=related&search=   Or search 'Calvertfilm' for more.

7th July 2007 - MOTI is available on various sites - Play.com, Amazon.co.uk, HMV, Virgin, Tesco, and Woolworths and all good outlets. Thanks to Film 2000 for their help. Sony Distribution involved too. Wonderful news! Ambition complete. Phew!

The Point of all of this: This movie cost just £700 to make and a further £2,100 to get released. I think this must be one of the lowest priced feature films ever. I could have self-distributed but I wanted the 'rubber stamp' from another organisation that it was good enough for them to release. I wasn't worried about a cinema release because these days the big Studios/Distributors have got the theatrical space sown up plus I'd have my own showing in an Odeon (that cinema name means a lot to me). Same situation with shelve space in the shops, so selling online will be the order of the day mostly. That's alright since the ambition was to make a feature film and get it available in a professional way. Plus this is a one-man made film essentially. I had 100% creative control too. My first feature was made for my kids for the love of my kids. This one is made for everyone else to enjoy too and for me to release. It shows this can be done in a very modest way. I can now rest on my laurels. Feels nice you know.

5th July 2007 - Rebecca from the Southend Echo interviewed me today for well over an hour about my film and my other interests, from Star Wars and rockets, to robots and cars. She is planning to do a big piece on me on the Fri 27th issue of the entertainment and leisure section of the Southend Echo, covering more of the details of this film, and how others can make a similar thing. It was a nice way to do an interview, sipping coffee whilst sitting outside in the High Street. Today I also started making a couple of cardboard standees for the Premiere/Screening on the 29th at the Odeon. Plus yesterday the Odeon said they may be able to sell a few copies of MOTI in their own DVD display/sales area. I really hope they can.

29th June 2007 - Today's Romford Recorder has a massive centre page spread on the film plus a front page banner. Thanks so much Eden. I saw the article for the first time in the Southend Echo today - it had a mention on the front page, and then completely filled page 3 with a couple of pictures and some wonderful text.

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/search/display.var.1500892.0.lauries_monster_dreams.php

Thanks to Lindsey and David for such a wonderful article. I have been in contact with Anglia TV regarding the Premiere. Also I am sending the movie to the Sci-Fi Channel as a screener. On another note, I saw Rosie Jenkins yesterday in a play called Blonde Bombshells of 1943 at the Palace Theatre, Southend, Essex. She was wonderful in the play and we even had time for a drink afterwards. A charming and talented lady. Rosie plays Tsunami in MOTI (see 23rd Sept 05 entry).

26th June 2007 - Newspaper articles being done by the Southend Echo (Wed 27th) and Romford Recorder (Fri 29th). Pictures taken yesterday in the Southend Odeon Screen 4 and today at my home. The thrust of the articles is quite different.

23rd June 2007 - Visited the LOTNA group and gave out the first printed up Premiere tickets. They made me feel very welcome and a couple of the tickets they even asked to be signed, which was a clever idea on their part. Tickets will mostly be sent out in a couple of weeks time, two weeks prior to the Premiere itself.

21st June 2007 - Premiere date confirmed - Sunday July 29th at the Odeon Southend Screen 3. Ticket invitation only, which allows free entry for as many guests as my family and friends would like to bring. I had a test screening of parts of the movie today using an LCD digital projection system, and it works great. This is the one I will use although the 2K DLP system looked great too. The sound was formidable and sounded so rich, plus the Pro-logic was giving it depth. The seats were shaking. It was one of those special moments too when I caught a glimpse of my name on screen through the projection portal. Tickets to go out soon, as Tony has made them already. I can't wait to see the film this way.

12th June 2007 - I am in the process of booking the Odeon Cinema Southend Screen One for the Premiere showing of 'Monsters of the Id' on Sunday 29th July. My friend Tony is helping my put together invites based on the tan ticket design, that I can send out to people. I hope to be sending these out soon, once the cinema is confirmed. Also a local newspaper is set to cover the movie. Sending out some promo DVDs.

8th June 2007 - MOTI has a release date of July 23rd.

24th May 2007 - The BFI film archive now has a copy of MOTI, as do my actors and crew. Hoping for a promotional release perhaps in June before the main one in July. Talked with Albert recently too regarding funding. On June 2nd sent Ami a DVD via Philip.

16th May 2007 - I got my 50 promo copies of the replicated DVD sent through today. They look great and the DVD quality is exactly the same as the master one I made. The cover art looks fantastic, and now it has the bar code on it too. Myself, Laurie Jnr and Jon watched it through tonight - the first screening of a replicated DVD. Ed informed me today that it might be July 2007 now before the film becomes available to buy online.

11th May 2007 - Copies of MOTI are winging their way to me as I write this. Should have promo copies by next week to send to the actors and others. Meanwhile I have been gearing up for the promotion and writing articles and producing free DVDs that show the trailers, clips and stars reading their lines. Film itself should now be available this month, or at worst June. Thanks for hanging in there, and thanks to the people that email their support. It is appreciated.

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