Undercurrents Blog

120 people convicted for not filling in census form

2012-01-27T20:32:00.000Z

Free country? I don't think so..

At least 120 people have been convicted for failing to complete their 2011 census forms, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.
While some may have simply forgotten, others see themselves as conscientious objectors who are being prosecuted for refusing to fill out the forms because of the involvement of the defence contractor Lockheed Martin UK, which won the £150m contract to run the census.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/27/120-convicted-census-forms-2011

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Vintage Twitter and YouTube

2012-01-24T17:42:00.001Z

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Build your own eco-Home- DVD

2012-01-24T10:12:00.000Z

Learn how to build your own house in Timber- undercurrents DVD
Roundwood Timber Framing DVD (85mins)
Building naturally, using local resources
Woodsman Ben Law presents the 85minute step-by-step design and build process for a locally sourced beautiful Roundwood Timber Framed building. He shows other examples of builds including houses, a shop and a small outhouse. Also includes guidance for the creation of cordwood walls and rammed earth floors.

Bonus videos include Tools for the job & Off Grid 12V living
DVD produced by Undercurrents
Read more

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Undercover cops had kids with activists they were sent to spy on

2012-01-21T14:44:00.000Z

Two undercover police officers secretly fathered children with political campaigners they had been sent to spy on and later disappeared completely from the lives of their offspring.

Photo:Bob Lambert (far left), with his child. The undercover police officer had a relationship with a woman who is now taking action against the police

In both cases, the children have grown up not knowing that their biological fathers – whom they have not seen in decades – were police officers who had adopted fake identities to infiltrate activist groups. Both men have concealed their true identities from the children's mothers for many years.

One of the spies was Bob Lambert, who has already admitted that he tricked a second woman into having a long-term relationship with him, as part of an intricate attempt to bolster his credibility as a committed campaigner.Read more

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Whirlygig cinema seeks films

2012-01-20T17:50:00.000Z

After a successful debut last year, Whirlygiggles returns to The Horse
Hospital on 30th March 2012 with more comedy short films by up-and-coming
filmmakers. We are currently seeking submissions, from mockumentaries and
animation to sketches and slapstick; in fact, anything that makes us
giggle! So if you fancy yourself as a bit of a cinematic comedian, send us
your funny film and it could be shown on Londons coolest underground
screen in a matter of months.

To qualify, films must be under 15 minutes long and have been made in the
last couple of years.

To submit, please download a submission form (http://bit.ly/xDOirG) and
send it to hello@whirlygigcinema.com by Friday 2nd March.

For more information about Whirlygig Cinema and the opportunities we
provide for new filmmakers, visit http://whirlygigcinema.com.

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Faradh- How the Isle of Skye fought the Toll tax and won

2012-01-19T09:35:00.000Z

Some of undercurrents images have been used in this short documentary.

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions.http://www.undercurrents.org

Make a Camera Dolly for Under £20

2012-01-19T09:26:00.000Z

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions.http://www.undercurrents.org

Community Film Unit Funds

2012-01-18T14:20:00.000Z

The Community Film Unit has opened applications to the Speak Up Fund
to support voluntary organisations across England who have a
film-based project that shows dedication towards their local
communities. It will support between 20-50% of the costs.

To be eligible, applicants must:

- Be a voluntary organisation (including registered charities, social
enterprises, Community Interest Companies).
- Work extensively with their local communities.
- Be based and working in England.
- Be able to spend the grant and complete the project by 31 March 2013.

Organisations should be working in one of the following areas:

- Support young people and/or vulnerable people in the local community.
- Preserve local history, and educates residents about their local area.
- Provide and document opportunities for the disabled.
- Develop the local community and integrate different groups.
- Provide information which improves the quality of life for residents
in their local community.

Application forms are available to download from the website.

Deadline: 5pm 2 March

Contact: Community Film Unit
Telephone: 01784 469 751
Email: matthewjoblin@communityfilmunit.co.uk
Website: http://www.communityfilmunit.co.uk/fund.html
Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Free the internet!

2012-01-18T11:59:00.000Z

Today every page of the English-language Wikipedia is offline. This is to protest the STOP ONLINE PIRACY ACT (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP ACT (PIPA) currently winding their way through the US legislature. Both these bills would do well-documented damage to the internet and to civil rights, both in the US and the rest of world.

Like wikipedia, Undercurrents and visionOntv distributes creative commons material, where the copyright is owned by the producers. Like wikipedians, we monitor films we put out for copyright violation. And like wikipedia, we are adamantly opposed to this legislation, and to other laws being passed around the world at the behest of large entertainments corporations. We consider these laws to threaten the restraint not only of our basic trade, but of the freedoms on which we all rely.

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Murdoch forces Current TV off the air

2012-01-18T09:30:00.000Z

Al Gore's Current TV channel in the UK is facing closure after BSkyB – part owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation – axed it from its pay-TV lineup.

Undercurrents has been in talks with Current TV about producing programmes for their Protest and revolution series but this has now been shelved.
Current TV was kept afloat by Sky paying them millions of pounds to produce for the Sky network. But viewings figures have been low with some media stating that Current TV only managed 4700 viewers at their Peak.

The decision comes months after Current TV's Italian network was dropped by Murdoch's Sky Italia, prompting accusations from the channel that it was taken off air for political reasons.
More

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Laws of War

2012-01-12T22:19:00.001Z

Discussing the event of the US soldiers pissing over dead bodies of Taliban fighters I found this quote.

Retired US General Spider Marks says the alleged actions go against the laws of war.
"They are trained that once their job is done they get very agnostic, they get very focused and they do what they have to do to respect and honour those that they just killed," he said.
"They may have slaughtered those guys and that's fine. You move off to your next mission. You don't do what we just saw."

So it is fine to slaughter other humans but not to piss on their dead bodies. What sort of machine is this war machine?
Read more
Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Corporate heads take on the Eco Warrior

2012-01-12T13:14:00.000Z

A bizzare video claiming corporations are all about being green and eco-friendly presented by the money heads from Dragons Den.

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions.http://www.undercurrents.org

Thatcher's secret undercover war on CND

2012-01-11T23:33:00.000Z

Now the Police spy scandal is public, we can turn to how the army was sent undercover to spy on anti Nuclear protesters in the UK.

Undercover soldiers were asked to infiltrate organisations which were under surveillance and one soldier was so successful he was even to be elected as a membership secretary of a group.A former sergeant explained how one undercover solider was chanting anti-military slogans with a crowd opposite the entrance to the Royal Tournament at Earls’ Court and they he would rush back to the 20 COY office to give updates.
Read more

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

'Songs For Acid Edward' by Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer (Official Music Vid...

2012-01-10T10:06:00.000Z

Put a smile on your face this morning

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions.http://www.undercurrents.org

Solar powered Cinema in running for national award

2012-01-05T10:43:00.000Z

A solar powered cinema has been shortlisted to win an award this month. The Sol Cinema from Swansea is currently in competition with arts groups from across England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Built in 2010,The Sol Cinema is a micro movie house powered entirely by
the Sun. Accommodating 8 adults comfortably for a unique cinematic
experience. the micro movie theatre has been a huge hit at numerous events
across Wales.

The Epic Awards are an initiative of Voluntary Arts, the national
development agency for arts participation. Voluntary Arts offers
information, advice, training and development opportunities to those in
the voluntary arts sector, from small local groups to large national
organisations.

A spokesperson for the Epic Awards said
'We've had lots of excellent entries to this year's Epic Awards! Here are
the shortlisted English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh entries, but there will
be a separate winner and runner-up from each country which will be decided
by a panel of expert judges. There will also be a People's Choice award to
a group from each nation voted for the public'

In 2010, the Sol Cinema won The Network Wales award for best
communications project and was a finalist in the Big Lottery Awards 2011.

Paul O'Connor, projectionist for the Sol Cinema said
'We are excited at being a finalist for yet another award. The Sol Cinema
is entertaining and practical example of how we can be using renewable
energy.We hope the public will vote for us by clicking the green thumbs up
for the Epic award.'

Public voting is on http://epicawards.co.uk/shortlist
Online voting closes at 9am on Mon 16th Jan.
END

World's Smallest Solar Powered Cinema
http://thesolcinema.org/

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Filmmakers Weekend of Techniques and Secrets

2012-01-05T09:36:00.000Z

The producer and director of 'The Age of Stupid' and 'McLibel' invite you to join SWOTS - Spanner's Weekend of Techniques and Secrets. "Everything you need to know to independent documentaries with no crew, commission or contacts... and still get 62 million viewers". SWOTS: Spanner's Weekend of Techniques and Secrets
Read more

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Amnesty International Media Awards 2012

2012-01-05T09:31:00.002Z

Amnesty International are looking for powerful and thought provoking
documentaries. If you've got one, enter now and be in with a chance to win
one of their prestigious prizes.

The Amnesty Media Awards were established in 1992 to celebrate the best in
human rights journalism. From print and broadcast journalism to
photographic, film and digital content, they recognise the vital role
journalists play, and the serious risks they face, in highlighting
injustice around the world.

Documentaries provide one of the most powerful and most accessible ways to
bring complex human rights issues to a wide audience. In the documentary
category, we are looking for films of 20-120 minutes duration, broadcast
predominantly to a UK audience, or given a theatrical screening in the UK.

Closing date:1 March 2012
Closing date for reduced rate entry: 16 January
To find out more about the media awards, and to enter:
www.amnesty.org.uk/awards

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Clever cops? - I don't think so.

2012-01-05T09:27:00.000Z

From an article in The Guardian
'I asked the Met's head of human resources how many GCSEs one needed to sign up as a probationary police officer. He had to send his staff officer to find out. Both were startled at the answer. None. The applicant had to pass (a very simple) literacy and numeracy test, and they were in. Unlike the army, police services don't have an Army Educational Corps (as they did when I did national service). That is a serious weakness that must be corrected if we want sharp-thinking officers serving us.'

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

How to Film a Revolution - a tutorial - Occupy the Movie

2012-01-04T13:19:00.000Z

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions.http://www.undercurrents.org

Commonwealth Foundation - Short Film Proposals (UK)

2012-01-04T12:12:00.002Z

Commonwealth Foundation - Short Film Proposals (UK)
The Commonwealth Foundation has announced that it is inviting filmmakers
from across the Commonwealth to submit an idea for a short film (up to
20 minutes long) about relationships. Individual filmmakers or
collectives should submit a proposal which explores the theme of love in
its broadest sense, whether inter-racial, inter-generational or within
and between the sexes. The theme should be relevant to the filmmaker and
their community. The Commonwealth Foundation are looking for original,
bold and authentic films in any genre which entertain as well as
stimulate and encourage debate both locally and globally.

Funding of between £3,000 and £8,000 per film is available and the
closing date for applications is the 31st January 2012. For more
information visit:
http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/NewsArticle.aspx?articleID=200

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Distributor seek low budget feature films

2012-01-03T11:48:00.001Z

Jump Start Distributions are currently looking for low budget feature films
(50 minutes and above) and shorts to distribute. A sister company to Jump
Start Productions, Jump Start Distributions was set up by Writer/Director
Jamie Patterson and Producer Nathalie Holman to help give low budget films
the chance to be seen.

If your film is selected we will promote it online and make it available
for viewers to buy as a download. It will then be given an official online
release date. Once the film is avaliable to buy all the money earned will
be split 50/50 with you, the filmmaker and Jump Start Distributions. We
also offer a non-exclusive contract, which means you can still distribute
your film elsewhere.
If you have a film you'd like to be considered for distribution please
contact
nathalie@jumpstartdistributions.com
jamie@jumpstartdistributions.com

We will require the film to be available to us in the following Quick Time
Movie formats:
H.264 320 x 240
H.264 1024 x 768

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

The Battle for Twyford Down, Winchester

2011-12-30T09:18:00.000Z

The first direct action road protest in Uk against a road in 1992

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions.http://www.undercurrents.org

Vote for The Sol Cinema to win Epic award

2011-12-29T21:29:00.000Z

Please give us a Thumbs up to vote for our solar powered cinema to win an award
http://epicawards.co.uk/shortlist/

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

Void (improv feature film) seeks crew

2011-12-23T10:41:00.000Z

"In a world with no humans does humanity still exist"

Void is a film that takes place in the year 2020 after a virus has spread
all over the country the effectuating peoples brains and unleashing the
animal with in.
The film follows the lead character Max as he tries to survive in the baron
wasteland that london has become in the year 2020. Max is alone but is
still fighting to keep hold of the memory of a past love, on one of his
travels to find food he finds a companion in Jamie.

Shoot Date: 1st Apr 2012 - 15th Apr 2012
Shoot Location: Great Britain
Shoot Region: London
Is this a student project: No
Production Company Name: Early Train Prodctions
Production Company Url: www.earlytrainproduction.co.uk
Budget: Up to 10,000
Genre: Drama
Form: Feature
Is project insured: Yes
More film details: http://shootingpeople.org/castcrew/project/view/1655

Positions on Film:

Boom Operator
We are looking a group of boom operator with there own recording kit to
pick up sound on location.

Is position paid: No, expenses only.
What you'll get from this expenses only role: Credit in the film, Travel
cover and food expenses, showreel footage and a digital copy of the film.

Apply:
http://shootingpeople.org/collaborate/crew/view/3790

Costume
We are looking for a costume designer to make the costume look old and wear
so it matches the feel of the film.
The role will be more pre- production with only a copy of days on set to
help with some of the bigger days of shooting.

Is position paid: No, expenses only.
What you'll get from this expenses only role: Credit in the film, Travel
cover and food expenses, showreel footage and a digital copy of the film.

Apply: http://shootingpeople.org/collaborate/crew/view/3791

Makeup
We are looking for a make-up artist to work with us on set to make the two
lead actors fit the world we are try to create, witch is of a waste land
here people have either died from hunger or been killed by others for food.

Is position paid: No, expenses only.
What you'll get from this expenses only role: Credit in the film, Travel
cover and food expenses, showreel footage and a digital copy of the film.

And make-up costs.

Apply: http://shootingpeople.org/collaborate/crew/view/3792

Sound Recordist
Looking for a sound person to be on set for a couple of day to record
dialogue and wild tracks

Is position paid: No, expenses only.
What you'll get from this expenses only role: Costs travel and food will be
covered.
A credit in the film and on IMDB.
Copy of final film, for your showreel

Apply: http://shootingpeople.org/collaborate/crew/view/4576

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org

ASBO for anti-war campaigner

2011-12-22T09:39:00.000Z

Police apply to courts for an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) on anti-war protester. The papers say that the terms of the order sought are as follows:

The defendant must not:
Enter or be in the City of Westminster except while passing through as a passenger on the London Underground.
Carry with you or be in possession of any can of spray paint, tin of paint, marker pen, chalk or charcoal in anyplace outside the city of Oxford.
Carry with you of be in possession of bolt croppers in any place outside the city of Oxford.
For a period of 10 years. Cops intend to serve the ASBO after Xmas. What happened to Freedom of speech?
Read more from Chris Cole

Undercurrents is an award winning alternative news service producing videos of people taking inspiring actions. http://www.undercurrents.org