Episode One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOVAjT8lP7Y

Episode Two

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gljp-41ZPgQ

Episode Three

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZorXTeyOVQ

Episode Four

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbMZoqmqgEU

Episode Five

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWJwz3paN7s

Episode Six

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVSDXq4-LpY

Episode Seven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=288aVarl2zw

Episode Eight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ88i93MUy0

Enjoy

29th September 2009    

Col

1st January 2009  In previous years, Shivilenco has always mothballed its activities during December, a month during which it is even more difficult than usual to get everybody together for no incentive other than a love of low budget film-making.   Of course, in no other year have we been on the home straight of a feature production, so we had all hoped that December 2008 would be a productive one.    You're ahead of me here, aren't you?   Yes, not a shot has been filmed over the last month, largely because Mr. Hives fell victim to a stubborn eye infection - that's right, Hives had hives.   You couldn't make it up - not even the man himself.   Anyway, we intend to waste no time getting up and running in the new year, with another big scene (aren't they all?) planned for next weekend.   So that'll be sometime in March, then - joke!   Best wishes for a safe, healthy and happy new year from all at Shivilenco Pictures. 

30th November        Most Shivilenco scenes are usually wrapped up in a day, even an afternoon.   So when we set aside two consecutive weekends for one mammoth scene earlier this month, it was a measure of the complexity of the action at the climax of Jimmy Wilde.   Yet it still was not sufficient.   Three, er, not quite consecutive weekends later and our work is finally done - let's hope it was worth the sub-zero temperatures in a blisteringly cold garage in suburban Liverpool.

9th November          When we embarked upon Jimmy Wilde (does anybody actually remember back that far?), we all realised that there was one pivotal scene which would make or break the whole madcap affair - "the reveal", as filmic types like Mr. Hives call it.   It was decided that, although we were not shooting in any strict order, this particular scene should be mothballed until close to the end of the project.   It just wouldn't have felt quite right if we had filmed the finale early on in the proceedings.   Well, that was the official reason.   Another, equally important consideration, was the daunting magnitude of the scene itself - almost fifteen minutes of screen time, during which, shall we just say, there is quite a lot going on.   This weekend, we finally bit the bullet and, at the halfway stage, everybody is looking pretty pleased with themselves - frostbitten, but content.      

26th October           A couple of months ago, the Shivilenco gang was excited to learn that the remaining scenes in Jimmy Wilde could now be counted in single figures.   Such hubris was always going to be tempting fate - and, true to form, we haven't managed to film a frame since.   Whilst this has not been for a lack of trying, everybody is more than a little disheartened that production has ground to a halt - you can almost picture the tumbleweed blowing across the Shivilenco set (if we had one, that is - and, even more unlikely, if it was in an area known for tumbleweed).   At the outset of Jimmy Wilde, the decision was to taken to film all of the relatively uncomplicated scenes first - yes, I realise we have already staged a car crash, but even this is a doddle compared to Shivilenco's eternal bind of getting everybody in the same place on the same day.   Inevitably, then, we have been left with a batch of scenes which require the involvement of many people whose schedules often clash.   Yet there is hope - two consecutive weekends have been set aside early next month for the pivotal scene in Jimmy Wilde.   It will be a long, arduous process, but, as the key to the whole film, it has to work - and it will.   We hope - we have learned our lesson about getting over-confident, you see.       

25th September     The new trailer for the forthcoming Jimmy Wilde can now be viewed here.   Those who have already seen it on a certain inferior website, now have the opportunity to watch it in its intended quality.

30th August           Exciting and exhilarating as it has been to to successfully tempt well known actors into cameo roles in our modest production, there is always an element of nervousness as the time comes to meet and greet, usually at the train station.   Well, Paul F. gets nervous, Colin just stands on the platform in his usual semi-languid state.   And so it was as we awaited the arrival of Liz Crowther yesterday evening.   Even after overcoming the initial problem of recognition (how come everybody who disembarks a train suddenly has the potential to be the person whom you are looking for?), there is the worry of an awkward introduction and the fear that the actor concerned will take one look at our meagre filming equipment and suddenly start to regret their involvement.   With Liz, all such worries were dispelled in seconds.   A delight to chat to and a pleasure to work with, Liz has added an all too rare female dimension to Shivilenco's most ambitious project to date.   Our only regret is that we didn't have the cheek to to ask her to play a bigger role!      

15th August           Just in case anybody was wondering, Shivilenco's entries in the Virgin Media shorts competition fell at the penultimate hurdle, making it into the top forty, but failing to progress to the final dozen shown at cinemas nationwide.   So, in the best traditions of a football manager whose team has been knocked out of the cup, we are now concentrating on the more prestigious 'league' - which, for us, means Jimmy Wilde.   Keep up with the analogy.

13th August           News today to ameliorate the disappointment of last weekend's postponement, as another cameo can be announced.   Liz Crowther joins the fold for what will hopefully be another memorable day's filming later this month.   Liz is a television and theatre veteran, having starred in shows including Shoestring and Bergerac during the 1980s and, a decade later, as the matriarch, Annie Hart, in Family Affairs.   More recently, Liz has been concentrating on theatre roles and running the gamete of genres, including a stint in Victoria Wood's Pat and Margaret.   We couldn't be more delighted to have her on board the cameo train that is Jimmy Wilde.  

9th August              With filming during the latter stages of Jimmy Wilde requiring the full ensemble cast, it is even more difficult than usual to co-ordinate.    When we do all manage to get together only to have the weather scupper our plans (and then laugh at us by turning bright minutes after we have postponed), it really does start to feel as though as luck has abandoned us - and so it was today.   After a lively midweek rehearsal, we were set to polish off one of the film's bigger scenes - until nature intervened.

20th July                 Shivilenco's main players have never enjoyed particularly rude health, but, even by our sickly standards, July has been a tough month - bugs and hospitalisations [yes, plural!] have brought what should have been a productive Summer period to a shuddering halt.   Frustrating and disappointing in equal measure.   Fortunately, there are a couple of bright spots on the horizon which are keeping us all motivated.   Firstly, when we do resume filming (hopefully before the end of the month), we will be within a dozen scenes of completing Jimmy Wilde.   Okay, so one of them is the biggest set piece in the film and will require days of rehearsal and filming, but the closing credits are at least in sight.   Second, we are on the verge of bringing the cameo count to three, poised, as we are  to secure the appearance of another instantly recognisable face.   Details in the next couple of weeks.      

5th July                   Don't be fooled into thinking all has gone quiet on the film-making front - a couple of brief Jimmy Wilde scenes have been completed over the last fortnight, along with a rehearsal for one of the biggest, due to be filmed tomorrow.   In addition, Shivilenco has secured a place in the latter stages of the Virgin Media shorts competition.   You might recall (or even have seen) our initial entry, a haunting little number going under the title of Now and Forever.   Subsequently, we also added a couple of standout shorts from the back catalogue - Don't Get Caught and a re-edit of Blind Trust.   With the deadline for submissions fast approaching, Colin could not resist one last throwaway effort - written in a half an hour, filmed in not much more, Clock Ed was a light-hearted affair which we all soon forgot about.   And which of our efforts has made it to the penultimate round?   You're ahead of me - Clock Ed!   

14th June              Another momentous day for Shivilenco which, this time last year, none of us could have envisaged.   Comedy legend, Sam Kelly, joined the ranks for the briefest of appearances in the forthcoming [honestly!] Jimmy Wilde.    For a mere half dozen lines, Sam was kind enough to make the five hundred mile round trip to Liverpool, delivering a performance which will ensure one of the most minor characters in the film is one of the most memorable.   In the process, he delighted Shivilenco cast and crew, two of whom didn't embarass themselves at all by asking for his autograph!   We were only too pleased to partially repay his kindness by taking Sam on a trip to visit his old secondary school.   A filming day that will live long in the memory.  

2nd June                Not renowned for his enduring attention span, Colin took a short diversion from Jimmy Wilde this weekend - but we can forgive him, because he is up-to-date with his editing like the conscientious film-maker he is.   A spare couple of days and a competition were sufficient temptation to lure him back to the staple Shivilenco short.  

1st June                Buoyed by the appearance of Shaun Scott in a cameo role in Jimmy Wilde some seven [count 'em] months ago, Shivilenco has since been striving to ensure that he is in good company - and, against all the odds, we have succeeded.   Legendary British actor Sam Kelly has kindly/amazingly (delete as appropriate) agreed to appear in a small part which is due to be filmed in a couple of weeks' time.   Sam's C.V. spans four decades, encompassing all genres of work across television, radio and theatre.   As versatile as he is familiar, the list of characters portrayed by Sam is almost innumerable and includes Hitler in Stalag Luft (1993).   He is, however, best known for his comic roles as Captain Hans Geering in 'Allo 'Allo (1982-1987, 1990) and the illiterate Bunny Warren in Porridge (1973-1977).   We could not be more delighted that the Liverpool-bred actor has agreed to take time out of his interminably busy schedule to go back to his roots and join Shivilenco for one day only.  

26th May              Bank Holiday Mondays are always an added bonus for us - on any other Monday, we would normally all be occupied with our day jobs, but today we seized the opportunity to re-film a couple of scenes which were already in the bag.   We often run up against the buffers of time and logistics when making a film and so it was with two scenes which were originally filmed earlier this year.   Both ended up being rather rushed and we had to remind ourselves that we had agreed not to compromise on any aspect of Jimmy Wilde - however long it might take.   The temptation to get that bit further ahead was duly resisted and we have ended up with a couple of scenes to which  the originals pale in comparison.   Not to mention discovering a nifty way of solving the eternal low budget film-maker's dilemma of how to shoot an impressive car scene.   I think satisfying is the word.

17th May               We travelled the thirty miles to Preston today for one of the best executed scenes yet in Jimmy Wilde.   Thanks to Graham Houston and Nick Cornwell (two hugely generous and accommodating officers with Lancashire Police), we had the opportunity to the film in the custody suite of a real station.   Realistic indoor locations are notoriously difficult to come by for low budget film-makers and so we were extremely grateful for the chance to film in a genuine police interview room - atmosphere was added by the ton.

11th May               A brilliantly productive day for Shivilenco today as we wrapped up another couple of scenes involving the titular Jimmy Wilde.   An unexpected element of danger visited the latter stage of the proceedings when we found ourselves about twenty feet in the air, running across a flyover, at the very moment that one of the worst thunderstorms in recent years broke over Liverpool.   Did we abandon?   Well, we would have done if Paul F. had got his way, but Colin was confident that we could secure a powerful backdrop to the scene while somehow surviving to edit the footage.

10th May                It was always our hope that the shoot for Jimmy Wilde would not be punctuated by long periods of inactivity.   Unfortunately, schedule delays are par for the course in the world of low budget film-making.   On the bright side, we are off and running again with a week of frantic activity ahead.   Three rare luxuries are on the horizon - two scenes in one day tomorrow, a rehearsal on Monday as Alex finally enters the fray and then the opportunity to film on location in a  police station next weekend, courtesy of our friends in Lancashire Police.   From one extreme to the other, eh? 

5th April                 A rare late shoot this evening for the eagerly awaited scene between Phil and Dave.   There was never going to be any half measures about their on-screen partnership - it was either going to work brilliantly or fall flat.   A rehearsal and, indeed, introduction yestarday ensured that it was a resounding success.   Both were on top form and, considering Dave has been away from the camera for four years and was just finding his feet when he last worked with Shivilenco, his performance was nothing short of stunning.   What should be a fairly inconseqential scene in the scheme of Jimmy Wilde now has the potential to walk away with the whole film.      

30th March            The editing process has continued in earnest over recent weeks [in spite of Colin's inevitable dalliance with his next script!], yielding several complete blocks of film which are now ready for scoring by the ever-obliging Harry Manfredini.   Work on the opening title sequence is also underway.   Incredibly, that means almost a month has elapsed since we last filmed.   Back to the action next week, though, when Messers Cook and McDermott meet on screen in what should be a unforgettable encounter - hopefully, for all the right reasons!  

2nd March              Such has been the speed and volume of filming for Jimmy Wilde in recent weeks, it has been necessary for a brief hiatus to catch up with editing.   All being well, we will be embarking on the [even more challenging] second half of the film within the next fortnight.    

23rd February        Colin was featured on Margi Clark's phone-in show on City Talk this evening.   Having been invited to appear, he was initially wrong-footed when he was asked to justify his call by fabricating a question on the subject of lap-dancing, which was the inspired main topic of the show.   He overcame this by asking whether lap dancers had a pension plan for their inevitable early retirement!   After this bizarre diversion, Colin was finally able to talk about the Shivilenco project and the on-going Jimmy Wilde.   A fairly humerous exchange followed, which concluded with Colin offering to write Margi a sequal to Blonde Fist - he did manage to remove his tongue from his cheek later that evening.     

17th February         A two day weekend shoot was completed today as we took advantage of the rare availability of Phil McDermott, aka the eponymous Jimmy Wilde.   Phil emerged unscathed from a mini stunt, but a tree in Formby pinewoods proved too much for him, flooring the 6'5" giant - all in a good cause, though, as today's session should push us past the forty-five minute mark.

1st February           Two potentially expensive props were involved in a brief scene filmed this evening - namely, an exploding car air bag and so-called "greenscreen", which allows images to be superimposed into the background of a scene.   Without giving away too many low budget secrets, it is amazing the things you can make use of - film-making, Blue Peter style.

27th January          Jimmy Wilde looks set to clock up the most filming miles of any Shivilenco production to date.   With several trips to Formby Point already and a couple more to come, today we found ourselves over on the Wirral - for one shot.   The Shiv car (the Faulkner family Clio) is taking some punishment, not to mention its driver!

10th January 2008  Filming on Jimmy Wilde continues apace and a routine Sunday afternoon shoot today was given a huge boost by the news that Colin has managed to secure the services of legendary movie score composer Harry Manfredini.   Famous for his horror movie compositions in films such as Friday The Thirteenth, Harry has long been generous in terms of advice and Colin could not be more delighted to have one of his musical heroes involved in a Shivilenco production.   Just a note - despite Harry Manfredini's pedigree, Jimmy Wilde is not a horror film.   We hope.  

31st December       Well, as with most years, there were plenty of twists for Shivilenco during 2007 - and not just in our films.   The year began with a real determination to step up to a feature and Jimmy Wilde soon emerged out of several possibilities as the script with the most potential.   An enforced hiatus during the Summer caused us to reassess how things were progressing and, after a few tweaks, we began re-filming - not an easy decision for a low budget company with twenty minutes already having been shot.   We end the year back around the twenty minute mark and, hopefully, with a better springboard for 2008.

27th October         Shaun Scott, most famous for his roles as D.I. Chris Deakin in The Bill (1994-2000) and Jack Fairchild in Brass (1983-1990), became Shivilenco's first cameo today in what is the single biggest fillip the company has ever enjoyed.   To tempt such a well known and talented actor to appear in one of our low budget efforts is beyond what any of us thought we could achieve.   A surreal couple of days, first meeting and then filming with Shaun, were thoroughly enjoyed by all (including Shaun, we hope!) and his presence  will  guarantee a powerful opening scene for Jimmy Wilde.