Oscars 2011 Winners - Film Critics views

The Guardian and Observer film team on the winners and losers at this year's Academy Awards, at which The King's Speech scooped four Oscars.



Best Picture: The King's Speech

Best Actor: Colin Firth

Best Actress: Natalie Portman

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale

Best Supprting Actress: Melissa Leo

Best Director: Tom Hooper - The King's Speech

Animated Feature Film: Toy Story 3

Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland

Cinematography: Inception - Wally Pfister

Costumes: Alice in Wonderland

Documentary (feature): Inside Job

Film Editing: The Social Network

Foreign Language Film: In a Better World

Makeup: The Wolfman

Music (Original Score): The Social Network - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Music (Original Song): Toy Story 3 - We Belong Together

Sound Mixing: Inception

Sound Editing: Inception

Visual Effects: Inception

Writing (Adapted Screenplay): The Social Network - Aaron Sorkin

Writing (Original Screenplay): The King's Speech - David Seidler

'On Yer Bike' budding film makers!

For those with a passion for tires, chains, and elegant frames, get ready: Back for an 11th year is the incomparable Bicycle Film Festival, which celebrates bike culture through art, music, and film. The international tour of annual BFF events showcases a collection of short and feature films that explore the beauty, wonder, and joy we find in one of history's most efficient machines. The ultimate goal, according to founder Brendt Barbur, is not only to have fun (though that's part of it), but also think critically about how we get around—and to elevate the position of bikes in popular culture.

As always, the BFF invites you to participate. You have until April 1, 2011, to submit a short or feature film, which might be selected to screen in some of 25 global cities—from Amsterdam to Tokyo to Washington, D.C.—on this tour. Films of any length and format are acceptable, though they must be under 10 minutes to qualify for the BFF shorts competition. Here's a look at the stunning and affecting compilation video.


Source

And just to inspire you here's a short film made by a group of young people from Nairobi.

Stephen Joseph Theatre cuts

Image via WikipediaThe Stephen Joseph Theatre will cancel its summer tour to rural venues after North Yorkshire County Council cut the Scarborough theatre’s grant by 84 per cent.

The decision to slash funding from £63,000 in 2010/11 to £10,000 in 2011/12 also will have an impact on the work carried out within the community by the SJT’s OutReach department.

Artistic director Chris Monks said: “As a result of our cut from North Yorkshire County Council, we will no longer be able to tour our summer shows to venues across Yorkshire, such as the Evron Centre in Filey, Whitby Coliseum and Pickering Meeting House, as we have in previous years. As a direct result, residents of North Yorkshire will have less access to the arts and culture.”

The theatre management believed strongly in the value of its OutReach work, despite the severity of the cut, said Mr Monks.

“Last year 4,000 children participated in educational projects run by the SJT. We will continue to deliver workshops and classes within the community. However, we will not be able to sustain this level of activity without finding support from elsewhere,” he warned.

Source

Bands wanted for Rock School 2011

February half term sees the return of Pied Piper's collaboration with Leicester based band Delta Sly, and their extremely successful Rock School.

This project is for young emerging bands, and those who are more established but want some extra help and support on specific areas of their development.

Participants are supported by a 5 piece band of professional gigging musicians, ensuring that there is plenty of opportunity and support within workshops to focus on specific instrumental techniques, develop original material, explore how to develop cover versions of existing songs, band skills - including promotion and ensemble playing, record their original material and have a professionally produced album.

The week finishes with a gig on the Friday night where all the bands who have been involved get an opportunity to perform to a live audience wtih professional lighting rigs and PA systems, giving an authentic gigging experience!

When: Monday 21st - Friday 25th February 2011

Time: 10.30am - 4.30pm daily

Where: Brooklyn Youth Centre, Norton

Gig: 7.00pm Friday 25th February @ Brooklyn Youth Centre

How much: Workshops and Gig are FREE

Visit the Pied Piper website

How to book a place for your bandIf you are in a band and would like to take part in this project please email us or call 01653 669410 to book your place. Alternatively if you take part in either the Atmosphere or Brooklyn Rock School you can book your place through the youth worker.

This project is part of the NYMAZ programme and is being delivered with funding from NYMAZ, The Earl Fitzwilliam Charitable Trust, North Yorkshire County Council and Arts Council England, Yorkshire.

The BAFTAS

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) hosted their annual awards ceremony to honour achievement in cinema at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden last Sunday. Period drama The King’s Speech was named best film, while the star of the movie, Colin Firth, picked up best actor. In total, the picture, which focuses on the relationship between Britain’s King George VI and his speech therapist, collected an impressive seven awards.

After winning the accolade, Colin, who won the best actor BAFTA last year for A Single Man - recalled the first time he had met with director Tom Hooper, joking about his “invasive” style of working.

"I had to postpone a routine but somewhat uncomfortable medical examination,” Colin said. "I am happy to report that the meeting was rather less uncomfortable than the exam, but as time went on it became clear that Tom's working methods were just as thorough and invasive as my doctor's.

"But when you see the results you're grateful, so I am thankful as I am to my doctor."

If you want to see Colin Firth's acceptance speech here it is -


The King’s Speech went on to win best original screenplay and best British film. The movie also saw Helena Bonham Carter pick up best supporting actress, while Geoffrey Rush took home best supporting actor for his role as the king’s therapist.

Helmsley Arts Centre will be showing The King's Speech on the following dates - Tue 29, Wed 30 Mar, Fri 1 April 7.30pm & Sun 3 April 6pm - book tickets here.

Here are all the results:

BEST FILM

The King’s Speech Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin

DIRECTOR

The Social Network David Fincher

ANIMATED FILM

Toy Story 3 Lee Unkrich

LEADING ACTOR

Colin Firth The King’s Speech

LEADING ACTRESS

Natalie Portman Black Swan

CINEMATOGRAPHY

True Grit Roger Deakins

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

The King’s Speech, Tom Hooper, David Seidler, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

Four Lions – Chris Morris (Director/Writer)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The King’s Speech David Seidler

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Toy Story3 – Michael Arndt

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Søren Stærmose, Niels Arden Oplev

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Geoffrey Rush – The King’s Speech

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Helena Bonham Carter – The King’s Speech

ORIGINAL MUSIC

The King’s Speech – Alexandre Desplat

EDITING

The Social Network – Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Inception – Guy Hendrix Dyas, Larry Dias, Doug Mowat

COSTUME DESIGN

Alice In Wonderland – Colleen Atwood

SOUND

Inception – Richard King, Lora Hirschberg, Gary A Rizzo, Ed Novick

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

Inception – Chris Corbould, Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Peter Bebb

MAKE UP & HAIR

Alice In Wonderland – Valli O’Reilly, Paul Gooch

SHORT ANIMATION

The Eagleman Stag – Michael Please

SHORT FILM

Until The River Runs Red – Paul Wright, Poss Kondeatis

THE ORANGE WEDNESDAYS RISING STAR AWARD

Tom Hardy

THE ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP

Sir Christopher Lee

OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA

The Harry Potter films

A look inside the Pixar Studios

If you think you have a great work environment then check out what the creative folk at Pixar Studios have, jealous me....?

Latest funding news from Arts Council Engand

Source: The Stage

Arts Council England chair Liz Forgan has vowed that the organisation’s forthcoming spending review, when it will overhaul its porfolio of funded companies, will be “as good and fair as it can be”.

Speaking at the State of the Arts Conference, Forgan said that she had faith in the ability of the arts council to make the correct decisions and said it had worked hard so that it did not repeat “the worst experiences of the last investment round”.

She said: “We have been entirely open in our guidance about what will shape these (funding) decisions. Everyone knows what we are looking for and we know exactly what we’re doing.

“This time the process is transparent. I hope that the criteria on which decisions will be made are equally clear. And I hope that they will be respected by artists and arts organisations because the process of formulating them has been open and collaborative.

“I certainly don’t imagine that when the time comes to announce our funding decisions there will be universal peace and light but we have really done our damndest to make it as good and fair as it can be.”

Her speech comes 48 days before ACE is due to announce its decisions on which arts organisations will receive funding from 2012 to 2015. As many as 100 organisations are expected to lose funding.

A new ‘national portfolio’ funding system will be in place from April 2012 and replaces the regularly funded organisations system, which currently provides funding to around 850 arts organisations across the country. 1,340 organisations have applied to be part of the new portfolio, with around 750 expected to be successful.

Applications are currently being assessed and decisions on which organisations will receive funding will be announced on March 30 2011, with the ACE operating with a 29.6% cut to its grant in aid funding from government.

Following ACE’s last investment round in December 2007 there was widespread protest from within the arts sector, including a meeting at the Young Vic Theatre when a vote of no confidence in the arts council was taken by assembled artists.

Related articles

• Forgan promises transparency in 'tough and anxious' time (guardian.co.uk)
• Arts Council warns of 600 funding rejections (guardian.co.uk)
• Arts Council to take over museums (bbc.co.uk)
• Arts Council funding: up to 200 organisations could be culled (guardian.co.uk)
• Arts Council funding applications: 'a fantastic response' (guardian.co.uk)

Sherlock Holmes: The Death & The Life - this Friday 11th Feb.

In this wryly humorous tale, of murder, mystery & the occult..... The World's Greatest Detective refuses to leave the stage!

Arthur Conan Doyle tires of his intolerably arrogant Sherlock Holmes, and creates arch villain Professor Moriarty to dispose of him. But the author's dangerous strategy, combined with his passion for raising the spirits of the dead, has rather more bizarre and dramatic consequences than he bargains for!

This fantasy, based on a fiction, is a light-hearted illustration of the battle between an author's intentions, and the rebellious ambitions of his literary creations.

After his international success in ‘Sherlock Holmes.... the last act!’ Roger Llewellyn returns in this spine tingling new play

Roger Llewellyn won a scholarship and the Shakespeare Prize at RADA; has had a long career in classical theatre, television, the West End and repeat seasons with the RSC, before 8 years touring worldwide with the hugely acclaimed solo drama:  "SHERLOCK HOLMES ... the last act!".

"..the last act " (1999); & "... the death & life " (2008), were written for him by the renowned author and specialist in adaptations of the Conan Doyle canon, David Stuart Davies.

Created and directed by Gareth Armstrong, with thrilling original music by RSC composer Simon Slater, both productions offer a memorable, mesmerising, and intensely theatrical experience.

"...the last act!" won 5 stars at the Edinburgh Fringe 1999 and was selected as one of "The Top Ten Fringe Plays". It has played over 450 performances in 270 theatres around the world, and enjoys many repeat visits.

To view scenes from " ... the last act!", (note not the current show " ...the death and the life") watch the video below:




Roger Llewellyn is an amazing actor, holding us, gripping us, with a bravura performance that is, I think, truly one of the glories of the age!

The piece is marvellous - wonderfully constructed, full of fun and heart and revelation, with unexpected depths.... all immaculately directed.

Llewellyn's performance is extraordinary - bold, brilliant, bedazzling, heartening, exciting . . . often very, very funny, but also touching and true.

It was a treat - a real treat: a privilege - to watch him in action. There was high comedy and melodrama as well as drama - but never (not once) was there a false note: it worked in every instance. He is a great artist.

We watched in awe, gasped, marvelled and cheered. I can't wait to see it all over again.

Gyles Brandreth. BBC Radio 4

Friday 11th February 7.30pm

Buy tickets

Northern Art Prize 2011

A packed crowd came to the prize giving ceremony at Leeds Art Gallery in January to hear who would win the fourth Northern Art Prize of £16,500. Mark Lawson announced the winner as Haroon Mirza. David Jacques, Lubaina Himid & Alec Finlay each received £1500



Haroon Mirza in conversation

Art in Yorkshire

Art in Yorkshire supported by Tate, is a year long celebration of the visual arts in 19 galleries throughout Yorkshire. Works from Tate's Collection of historic, modern and contemporary art will be showcased through a compelling programme of exhibitions and events.

A brand new microsite will be live on the 9th February 2011 so please come back to view. In the meantime, check out their booklet for full details of this exciting programme.

Participating Galleries & Museums

Arts Council Collection
Cooper Gallery, Barnsley
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford
Impressions Gallery, Bradford
National Media Museum, Bradford
Shandy Hall, Coxwold
Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate
Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth
Huddersfield Art Gallery
Ferens Art Gallery, Hull

Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton Le Hole

Harewood House, Leeds
Henry Moore Institute, Leeds
Leeds Art Gallery
Museums Sheffield: Millennium Gallery
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield
The Hepworth Wakefield
National Railway Museum, York
York Art Gallery
York St Mary's

Programme highlights

● David Hockney's multiple canvas East Yorkshire landscape, Bigger Trees near Warter showing at York, Hull and Bradford galleries.
● Tate's Henry Moore exhibition toured from Tate to Leeds Art Gallery
● ARTIST ROOMS exhibitions in Leeds (Damien Hirst) and Hull (Francesca Woodman)
● Key works by Barbara Hepworth and early 20th century British & European art at The Hepworth, opening in Spring 2011; British 20th century works loaned to the new exhibitions gallery at National Railway Museum, opening February.
● Engagement programmes focusing on contemporary artist and practitioner led events

West Yorkshire Playhouse seeks 21 new writers

New writing and West Yorkshire Playhouse have always been synonymous with one another. This year, successful course So You Want to be a Writer?, returns and to celebrate the Playhouse’s 21st Birthday, 21 people from across Yorkshire, who share a passion for writing will be able to take part in this free course, meet like minded people and be inspired and challenged. The deadline for applications is Friday 11 February.

This free course has been developed and co-ordinated by West Yorkshire Playhouse to encourage everyone with a passion for writing, regardless of experience, to explore and develop their talent. A series of workshops will be held at the theatre, where writers will have the opportunity to gain some invaluable advice from one of Leeds’ most successful writers Mark Catley among others. The course will run from 7 March – 9 May with a showcase of work on Thursday 21 April.

All aspiring writers should apply. Applicants must submit a one page letter describing themselves, why they want to write and why they want to join. Applications must be no more than a single sheet of A4 paper - the deadline is 11 February. Applications are to be sent, via post, to Alex Chisholm, Associate Director (Literary), West Yorkshire Playhouse, Playhouse Square, Quarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7UP.

Source

New website looking for contributors

Yorinspired.com is a new website dedicated to highlighting the people and trades that make the region of Yorkshire great!

So what can you expect to find there? Their aim is to highlight people from all walks of life who are making a positive effect on our region. They are specifically looking at arts & crafts, antiques, food & drink, traditional trades, plus a special look at local animal charities. They are also interested in people who have made a life change such as leaving long term employment and are starting up a business on their own.

Do you have an exciting story you’d like to tell? Are you an established business or just starting up? From fledgling artist to theatre director, microbrewery owner to antiques dealer, jam maker to farm shop owner, blacksmith to silversmith, photographer to potter, singer to music teacher and everything in between, they’d love to hear your story and publish a article on their site.

How To Get Featured

1. Are you based in Yorkshire?

2. Does your work or business fall into one of these categories?

Arts & Crafts – Food & Drink – Traditional Trades – Animal Charities – Antiques

If you’ve answered ‘Yes’ to both questions, you can be featured on www.yorinspired.com

The content is up to you and only needs to be a few paragraphs of editorial, plus 3 or 4 photo’s. Please then email your information and pictures to info@yorinspired.com It’s that simple to get involved.

Golden Globe Winners at Helmsley Arts Centre

At the Golden Globes ceremony last month, three of the films coming to the Arts Centre this season picked up the gongs. Colin Firth won Best Actor in a Drama for The King’s Speech, Natalie Portman won Best Actress in a Drama for Black Swan and Social Network won Best Motion Picture, Drama as well as Best Director, Best Score and Best Screenplay.

Tickets for all of these films are available from the Box Office on 01439 771700 or on the website.

North Yorkshire council plans to cut arts funds by 80%

North Yorkshire County Council is proposing to cut its arts budget by £115,000 from April, significantly reducing subsidies to Harrogate Theatre, Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre, the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond and Rural Arts.

Under the proposals, NYCC’s overall arts budget will drop from £145,000 to £30,000. In a statement, it added that a fifth arts organisation, Blaize, which had received funding in 2010/11, would not be supported in the next financial year. The proposed cut will go before the full council in a meeting on February 16.

The news follows the drop in the council’s central government funding, announced in December, which has forced it to make savings of more than £57 million over the next two financial years.

NYCC’s statement concludes: “It is against this backdrop that difficult budget decisions have to be taken. The county council recognises the valuable economic, social and cultural benefits that are delivered by the arts organisations in question.

“As a result, it has striven to maintain a degree of funding for arts organisations in the face of an extremely challenging financial settlement for the county council.”

Harrogate Theatre chief executive David Bown said his venue’s annual subsidy would be cut from £63,000 to £10,000 from April, which represents a reduction of 85%. Speaking to The Stage, Bown said at a consultation meeting last summer, a number of arts organisations had told NYCC that the tipping point for funding cuts would be a reduction of 10% in the first year.

He pointed out that the theatre will also have to cope with a 8.7% real-terms cut in its Arts Council England subsidy in 2011/12. It was also one of the organisations to suffer most severely during ACE’s last round of funding decisions in 2007, with its annual support reduced from £400,000 to £150,000.

If the proposal is taken up by the council, Bown said there would be redundancies at the theatre and its education services would become vulnerable.

“The priorities that North Yorkshire [County Council] have that we were delivering against, ironically, are the things that are going to suffer here - rural outreach and education in particular,” he said.

“It will certainly affect artistic delivery in some form.”

Chris Monks, artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, said: “Although we have had a communication from NYCC, the extent of our funding cut has not been confirmed and we are still lobbying the council before the announcement on February 16.

“We are prepared to take our fair share of the pain associated with the Coalition’s financial policies.

“However, the signs point towards a loss of investment from local and national sources, which can only lead to the demise of theatre companies and the closure of buildings.”

Source: The Stage

Win an exclusive print of your favourite painting

With some of the finest collections of oil paintings in the country, museums and galleries in Yorkshire have something for everybody. This year many of these paintings are available to view online for the first time and to celebrate Dig Yorkshire would like you to take part in this project to make the most of the fabulous art on your doorstep.

They are offering you a chance to win an exclusive print of your favourite painting by telling them why you like it and where you'd like to hang it. The most enthusiastic and popular entries will be selected and the winners announced in March. You can post your entry on Facebook and encourage your friends to vote for you, or send them a customised e-card.

Dig Yorkshire have already asked people to help create a shortlist of favourite paintings in Yorkshire. There are all kinds of paintings on the list which people love for different reasons.

You can see all the competition entries so far and select the story you think should win. Dig Yorkshire will keep you up-to-date on Twitter with the latest and most popular entries. You can also vote in some of the museums and galleries taking part.

They have put together trails to help you to visit these beautiful paintings. You can customise your trail to your mood or the paintings you like best or the museums and galleries nearest you. How about the love trail? The local heroes? A bit of escapism?...

Get involved and help celebrate Yorkshire's favourite paintings. Get the picture.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1812 Theatre Company - Newsletter - 02/2011

Dear All,

As this is the first newsletter of the year may I wish you all a belated happy new year.

First, I have to tell anyone who will be visiting The Old Meeting House that it is not for the time being possible to enter by the usual route. Building work is going on in the entrance and the booking office, so that for the time being it will be necessary to access the bar via the auditorium.

"Mother Goose" seems to have been enjoyed by all (I fear the snow stopped me) but everyone concerned had a horrendous time travelling and struggling to get all the items necessary to get the set built and the show on and they all deserve our heartfelt thanks.

The first show of the year is Richard Noakes' compilation of Pinter pieces, "Pinter's Greatest Hits", which runs from Wednesday 2nd March to Friday 4th March in the bar. As the bar seats only 40 early booking is advised. You may be interested to know that Richard will be talking about the show with Russell Walker on Radio York on Saturday 26th February.

We had our Annual General Meeting on Monday last to which about 20 members turned up. After wine, nibbles and a chat we settled down to the business of the evening. Our Chairman reviewed the last year and set out plans for this. We have decided to hold a play reading/ social evening before the audition for each show. Apart from being a pleasant evening it will mean that anyone interested in reading at the audition will not come to the audition cold. The first such evening will be held prior to the audition for "Oh, Clarence" (which is based on "Blandings Castle" by P G Wodehouse) on Monday, 18th April. David Goodwin is directing so fun is assured.

That's it for now.

Find out more about the 1812 Theatre Company.

Cinema: 'The American' - showing 9 February

Academy Award winner George Clooney stars in the title role of this suspense thriller, filmed on location in Italy. Alone among assassins, Jack is a master craftsman. When a job in Sweden ends more harshly than expected for this American abroad, he vows to his contact that his next assignment will be his last.

Watch the trailer:


Get your tickets here.

This Saturday: Feb 5th - The Tom McConville Big Band

The Newcastle fiddle player, Tom McConville, is one of the leading folk fiddle players of our time. A virtuoso musician and fantastic singer, his rich, warm voice makes his interpretations of traditional and contemporary songs greatly admired by singers throughout the world. He has played on literally hundreds of albums and whilst he has shared stages throughout the world with many big names he has never forgotten his roots in Tyneside.

Watch Tom here:



His big band line-up includes David Newey, Shona Kipling and Phil Murray, whose performances combine a roller coaster of musical delights.

“Scintillating fiddle, a silky smooth tone, a wide grin and a dry Geordie wit.'”

"Tom is a great player, and a terrific singer, he happens to be a number one bloke too." Dave Swarbrick

"This band is quite simply the top of the tree." Mike Harding

Get your tickets here