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The Wessex Dramas Project
Thomas Hardy's stories as films and podcasts
Here is the first copy of what is now our quarterly newsletter.
PODCASTS
Hurray! Episode 5 of The Trumpet Major has now gone up on our website and various other podcast platforms. Do pop over and have a listen.
FEATURE FILMS
We have now started Hardy's 'Seaside Trilogy' of three separate novels/feature films: obviously, one per year, in '24, '25, and '26. These are The Well Beloved, which Hardy set on Portland ("The Isle of Slingers"), Fellow Townsmen, set in Bridport/West Bay ("Port Bredy") and then The Trumpet Major, set in Weymouth ("Budmouth").
Hardy's Hand of Fate
We have started submitting the Director's Cut of this feature film, to film festivals. We have also, as we have had these separate shorts edited out separately, started submitting these to Shorts film festivals and will let you know if we are officially selected for any of them. Alas, due to a complete lack of funding, however, we can only enter the free festivals as charged ones run from ~£30 - £250 entrance fee, depending on the level (Leeds, or Cannes, etc.).
The Well Beloved
Rose and her assistant editors are furiously editing at the moment, but she reckons that they will definitely have it ready in time....SO,
We can now confirm that the now DEFINITE dates for the premieres are:
a) Portland area 'World-wide Premiere' will be held on SATURDAY, NOV., 23rd ('24) at RMT (Royal Manor Theatre),
Fortuneswell,
Portland,
Dorset.
This is a fundraiser for the RMT, so you will be able to buy tickets from their own website. I think that there will be a facility on this sales page for you to indicate that you are cast and thus able to buy two tickets each, at half price.
Our other two venues are:
b) for the Sherborne area: SAT, DEC., 7th ('24). at Sherborne House (Red Gallery),
Sherborne,
Dorset,
Again, we hope to have a discount availability on this sales facility on our own website.
c) for the Dorchester area: SAT. JAN. 4th ('25) at Kingston Maurward House,
Dorchester,
Dorset.
We will sell tickets from our website (wessexdramas.org) for these latter venues, to try and repay ourselves for the venues' hires, plus other costs, e.g. locations, costumes, props, posters, etc. (Again, two tickets available for half price for cast and crew). There are bars at these venues, and we will give further details, e.g. times, etc, soon.
We are also hoping to be able to get some DVD's printed, and again, sell them so as to be able to recover some of our various costs. We believe that Gary will have some enlarged prints of some of his amazing photos to buy, at these events, as well.
Keep an eye on https://wessexdramas.org/features as the ticket facility etc. is in the pipeline and should be available soon
The Trumpet Major
Next year's feature film was actually set, by Hardy, in Weymouth (/"Budmouth"). As next year, Weymouth has been chosen as "Dorset's Town of Culture" we are producing this novel/feature film: no.2 in the 'Seaside Trilogy'.
PLEASE SEND ON THE BELOW TO YOUR FRIENDS......?
We are now seeking £20k sponsorship (sponsors get title of 'Executive Producer', mentions on film, DVD, poster, website and all PR, plus onset visits, and VIP premiere tickets, etc.!) for the second feature film, "The Trumpet Major", in this Hardy 'Seaside Trilogy'. This is to cover the 'expenses' of The Napoleonic Regiment (several battalions of cavalry, infantry and artillery re-enactors, who will kindly come down and work for fun and credits, bless them, if we can cover their travel, etc, costs!) and to find a field with water and sewage, etc, for their encampment. The other £5k is to cover such as regency costumes, locations, festival entries, and posters, as well as horses, and perhaps a carriage. If any of you know of any companies, or HNW individuals who may be interested in either part, or full sponsorship, please send them our way? (info@wessexdramas.org)
We already have a few local re-enactment soldiers who have been so kind as to state their intention of joining us, if they can. We will be using regency cavalry, as well as infantry. If you know of anyone who wants to play, with the military side of things, please send them along.
As we said, we have decided that, from now on, we will only be pestering you with a quarterly newsletter about how the Wessex Dramas Project is proceeding, but we hope that this will be sufficient to keep you all up to date, if you want to join in and play!
We will contact you all separately with offers for acting roles, next year. Please send any new people to us who want to be extras, or audition for leads or supports, our way. Rose will be taking over with her usual WhatsApp group, a month, or so before shooting starts in April.
If anyone knows of a person able and willing to be cam op for Rose, this year, this will take the pressure off her a bit, as then she can then concentrate on directing and being her own Asst, Direc., only. Thanks.
Well, this about wraps up the Wessex Dramas Project's 'doings', for the moment. We are, as usual very much enjoying working with you all, and hope that those of you whose health is a bit ropey at the moment, get better soon.
Best, ever,
AM and Rose
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