The Railbird Collective

The Starship Diesel warps me to the metropolis of London. I've become one of Orwell's sleepwalkers. Half alive, moving when I have too. With a vague idea of generating a story for a journalism assessment I arm myself with pen and paper. Alisa Arnah, childhood friend, co-discoverer and lover of Spaced has invited me to a short film showing. 

The Railbird Collective (www.railbirdcollective.com) would seem to be a group of film makers making their way through the competitive jungle that is recognition. The director of the two shorts on show tonight has gone from nought to this, a small but well organised preview in an overly trendy part of Camden in little over a year. Impressive. I meet a comedy writer, we talk of philosophy, truth, life. I start to wake up, listen. Popcorn is bought from an attractive girl in a tight dress. Raffle tickets are part of the deal. We shuffle towards our seats and a type of charisma begins to ferment in the room. A smiley introduction by the principle actress, part producer, childhood friend and the director marks a brave but nervous start. All goes dark. The first shot is wide, long, well framed. It follows the British film maker's habit of long, large shots. I'm interested. What comes after is sharply edited and well shot. There's much to be happy with. Kevin Mcgowan convinces as the nervous first timer and Arnah presents a toying prostitute with almost too much pleasure. 

The second short asks a couple of questions about those lists that feature writers want us to do before we die, the definitive takes on a fulfilling life. Find your own path I say, I think the writer/director agrees. Again we laugh and snigger in the right places, again the photography and editing is spot on. Jack Bennett is the nervous man this time. Arnah, as before seems to enjoy her part enormously.  

So what of gripes? Can I be trusted to deliver an objective verdict on something that a very dear friend has had a major part in? I think to apply the usual cutting critique on what is essentially a man in a shed production is unfair. You don't compare the production values of a Caterham Seven to a Porsche 911 for example. What you must do, though, is get a feeling. Indeed there is much to be said about the bright eyed charisma of these pieces. The script was a little wobbly in places and  Arnah's diction sometimes comes across as a little forced, a little too RADA, but this seems to be the the promising start of something bigger. I say watch this space, take twenty minutes of your life to view the two shorts, make your own judgments. 

As I warp home I feel, alive, awake for the first time in weeks. Truth can be found in the excitement of the new, as well as the experience of the old.

The Young Man

As the sky explodes over The Kingdom a different type of celebration takes place across the continent of North America.

"Change has come"

The Young Man rings in the new era. The Old Man concedes honorably, The Hunter is a promised future menace. In amongst the flashing cameras, bullet proof glass and smiling family shots, Russia reiterates its commitment to seeing the American missile defence grid being dismantled and moved away from its borders. A cunning move by a power that knows how to play by the big players rules. Don't mistake this for some school boy manoeuvre. The Bear will continue to growl, and as America bleeds through its credit, Afghan and Iraq wounds The Young Man's job is going to be (as any half blind pundit can see) very tough indeed. 

The hope is, of course, that through the change of administration, through his richly mixed background and vaguely socialistic views he could unite in the way that his predecessor fractured. As the Euro rides the storm and every big scale crisis brings the superstate closer it's important that America does not feel isolated. For now, that future seems less likely.