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Production Notes by John Isles
Winner of the Huddersfield Video and Cine Club Fiction Trophy 2008

Download MPEG Quality Film (8mins approx, 45.7mb, - Windows Media Player) This film was conceived a week before a Chairman's Challenge at Huddersfield Video & Cine Club. The theme was "She's Always Right" and I'd being racking my brains for a few days to come up with a plot. I spoke to Kevin Hiley and together we cobbled something together to be filmed the next day. After 7 hours filming and four days of editing the film was ready for the Chairman's Challenge. And now it's available online for you to enjoy. John Isles Co-writer Nov 2007 Below are the Judges Comments presented to Westlake following the competition: Ah, here’s a bit of good, old-fashioned story-telling – a somewhat rare commodity these days. The neat title leads us into an equally-clever setting of the fortune-teller’s tent with a mist shrouded atmosphere and exotic music, and just enough lighting. The confident staging of this opening scene is so important to what follows: The close-ups of the cards, the expression on the man’s face, the hesitation… Later, it’s a clever and effective idea to follow the progress of the cards – “Fool”, “Wheel of Fortune,” and inevitably “Death” – through the story in the crystal ball but some tension is now lost by the wide framing. Extreme close- ups of the crystal ball would isolate our attention better, with perhaps more intercutting between the two parallel lines of action, heightening the anticipation. Out in the street, the loose framing and slight shakiness detract further, but it’s a clever idea and good twist to have Death passing by in one car so that the watching man is hit by another. This crash is neatly edited, as the man’s misfortune is sealed. Much trouble has been taken to tell this story and to set up atmosphere, and it is generally very effective. The film wins the fiction trophy but is second in the overall competition to another fiction film because a tighter control and discipline is not held over key scenes. Never forget the compelling power of the close-up. David Andrew Clever, double-edged title. A lot of attention and effort had been put into creating the setting/background. Good close-ups of cards and hands. Well edited, and I liked the crystal ball effect as the predictions came true. The sound build-up to the ending was good. (PS unless the main character was having an affair, should he have removed his wedding ring before filming??) Sheila Andrew Contact Us Latest News Links Film Reviews Site Credits Profiles Green Room