Fintan Ramblings

I watched the south bank show on 29/04/2007 And it was about a Shane Meadows a film director text in bold below was taken from the ITV South Bank Show website.

Shane Meadows is one of Britain’s leading independent film directors. His films are often set in Staffordshire, his hometown, and are described as ‘kitchen sink’ dramas with a post-modern twist. His films have included Once Upon A Time in the Midlands, TwentyFourSeven, A Room For Romeo Brass and the phenomenal hit, Dead Man’s Shoes, which won numerous prizes including Best Film at The South Bank Show Awards in 2005. Few directors have tapped into their damaged roots as consistently or as brilliantly as Meadows. His ability to make an original screenplay from the tiniest of budgets has made him one of Britain’s finest guerrilla film-makers. In Spring 2007, he is releasing his next feature This Is England which is a rites of passage story based on an 11-year old boy growing up in Uttoxeter in the North of England, in the early 80s, joining a gang of skinheads who all become involved in the rise of the National Front. Through Meadows, the film will give an insight into what life is like for British independent film-makers, and the state of the British film industry.

I don’t normally watch the South Bank Show but was hooked and seeing the film clips that he made looks brilliant. The film called This is England is out in the cinema’s right now. Trouble with British films they are not in every cinema because of Hollywood heavy control. When I do find a cinema nearest to me that shows the film to my dismay it doesn’t carry subtitles. Undeterred thought id look it up on the Internet to find DVDs of his films to my annoyance all his films does not carry subtitles. Film4 was showing Dead mans shoes and I was pleased that it showed subtitles and it’s a brilliant film best film I ever saw for a very long time despite having to put up with adverts breaks. I logged on meadows Forum to express my annoyance Shane Meadows fans were surprised etc. I had mentioned about dotSUB.com and Project Readon One guy on the forum thribb (paul) have subtitled the This is England film trailer. It was his first attempt and what a good job he did. Take note that the film don’t show till after 6 second.. I am not complaining since he did it voluntarily and it was his first go. Paul has promised to post all Shane meadows film trailers and I can’t wait.

But knowing I am not likely to see any of his films on DVD with subtitles you see how frustrating it is. On the forum another guy pointed me to a dvd distributor that is licenced to dvd press Shane Meadows films. I have emailed them and yet wait for a reply. Why do I go through the torture and why did I watch the south bank show? And why did the South Bank Show bother subtitling the programme when I cant watch the film it self.

While i was writing this and got round to posting this Paul (thribb) picture below

and his myspace profile http://www.myspace.com/thribb

sent me a message

Hi,
I’ve subtitled the South Bank vodcast, which is an edited version of the South Bank Show that was available for download from the ITV website.

Well what can I say but thank you Paul you did a good job I appreciate that you took time out and subtitling this and I have watched it three times now.
So all you Deafies see what sort of Film your missing