Wow, check out what just came through on the email. It's from a guy from T4/Channel 4... OFF THE TELE!

Hi Yonner

Came across your site via google video. Why? Cos we're making a new show for T4 (Channel 4's hungover weekend morning slot) that's going to be made by people like you who are making all these brilliant, clever and funny videos all over the country.

Channel 4 are building us a website and as of december people will be able to upload their videos to it and the best ones will appear on the show. It's not a you've been framed style collection of 'hilarious' clips - there are regular bits on the show and people will get involved with the thing they like most.

What kind of stuff? Music, comedy, lip syncs, video diaries, talent
spots, tv shows, homemade movie spoofs and loads loads more.

We're filming the first 6 shows ourselves to get the ball rolling - but
we're also hoping to find a few people who are doing this kind of thing already and seeing if they'd be interested in doing some stuff
themselves for us.

which is how we found you. I think the videos are great - a real slice of everyday life but they are funny and really cleverly put together at the same time. You've got a real talent for doing this stuff.

Anyway, to cut to the chase, I'm wondering if you'd be interested in bringing, say, a few days in the life of yonner and your vast array of neighbours to T4? We'd only need a couple of bits, a few minutes worth, but I think it's great that your video diaries get out and about, have voice over, we meet different people, go to different places.

Why not do a 'director's cut'? A week in which your car happens to
catch fire, gemma goes off on one, so and so plays the piano and some kids find a bike?

If you're interested do get in touch. If you're not then best of luck
with the site in the future

Cheers
Jon

Jon Holman
Assistant Producer, Homemade for Channel 4

So that was a fun email to read.
Here is my response

Hi Jon

well that was an interesting email to read. Naturally I've posted it to my blog already :)
At first I thought you were just doing some copy & paste trick to hundreds of people that you could find but when you mention gemma and the reliant and the kids bike etc etc I knew it was genuine. So that was a fun realisation. Thanks for getting in touch, I might be able to do something.

I could MAYBE do a directors cut but the slight problem may be that I don't think I have the original footage of some/much of it so I'd have to edit the videos that have already been compressed for web viewing, so the quality might suffer as a result. But I think I have some of the original stuff though.

If you want to let me know (a) exactly how long the directors cut should be and (b) exactly what kind of stuff you want it to say/show and (c) my chances of actually getting my stuff shown on the telly then I'll let you know if I can do something.

Obviously we're talking about a 6-figure sum here right? j/k

hope you get back to me
later
yonner

check back for updates. I'll post his reply of course :)
yon yon

Update: 26.Oct.2006 12pm

Jon just emailed me back. Here it is

Hi Mark

Thanks for getting back to us - and thanks for posting that email on
the blog :(

I've been showing your videos round the office and we're convinced that
they are a bit genius - where else on the web do you find a nose
trumpet solo? Ha ha!

Forget the stuff about the director's cut, as you don't have the
footage - but if you'd be interested in making one or two original
video diaries for us that would be great.

Each week we see the video diary of one person and we want to find a
really varied mix of people for it. We're starting off with the spoilt
little rich girl who made our pilot and she might do a week or two
before we get bored of her and move on to someone else.

So if you're up for doing it I'd say your chances of getting stuff on
TV are 100%. Each instalment would need to be about 2mins long - max -
and I'd leave it entirely up to you what goes on in them - it might be
a single incident like the car fire or a couple of little incidents
like the snow boarding, girlfriend and karaoke video.

As for payment, we can't offer a six figure sum I'm afraid. Yes - we
have money but only if these first 6 shows are a success will we have a
decent budget that we can share with people. That sounds like crap but
I'm afraid that's the position we're in. HOWEVER - we have decided that
if someone goes to the effort of filming, editing etc something
themselves then we should pay them for their time so we will be able to
offer you some kind of fee for your work.

I should also say that we really want to find a 'cast' of contributors
who can do this stuff again and again and again for us. If the show's a
success we'll be on for nearly half of next year so there are loads of
opportunities to get exposure.

If you're still interested then let me know. I'll then get one of my
producers to give you a ring and we can work out how we can go about
making this thing.

Cheers

Jon

So that was fun. It's getting slightly more exciting with each email that comes along. Here's my reply:

Hi Jon
Well it continues to get more and more exciting. Crikey, I'm glad you like my stuff. I haven't updated the vids for a while now although I have filmed one more episode but it isn't very good.

I've probably got the reliant on fire original footage I think and possibly the gemma singing smelly cat original. Well I think I probably have enough original footage of various things to make a directors cut out of something.

I was obviously joking about the 6-figure sum but I am a busy person (self employed) so it would be good to get something back for my time.

If you're uncomfortable about me posting this correspondance on my blog let me know (I notice you used a sad smiley face when you mentioned it in your previous email) but this is the kind of stuff that my readers LOVE to see going on, so hopefully you're ok with me doing this.

I can certainly say yes I'm ready to do something so feel free to get your producer to phone me on 07763 727763 or maybe send me an email so I don't forget what s/he says to me (I'm very forgetful when it comes to remembering phone converstaions you see).

Hey, and check out what happened to me on Monday:
http://www.rochdaleobserver.co.uk/news/s/218/218994_water_main_burst_brings_chaos_for_firms_and_drivers.html

That's a quote from me - I'm the Mark Goodwin Pianos guy :)

OK, so over to you. Let me know what you want from me and I'll get something sorted out. ok? I'm guessing the output should be as HQ as possible rather than the compressed google video quality of stuff?

Is your series definately going ahead or are you still at pilot stage?
thanks
mark/yonner

So that looks interesting. Looks it could really be going ahead or something. But I'm not getting too excited just yet as it could all fall through or something.

ANYWAY, stay tuned for more updates
later
yonner

Update 26.Oct.2006 1pm

Jon is straight back in with quick response:

Hi again

A few final bits of info then before I get someone to give you a bell.

Yep, the show's definitely going ahead - Sunday january 7th is the
first show, we're on for 6 weeks and if they like it we'll get two
further runs of 10 shows in 2007.

As for the email on the blog, I'm not bothered, it's a good way of
spreading the word I guess. I get spammed enough from the hundreds of bloody weird forums I've had to join to find gay dads, goths, doggers and hoodies so a few more won't hurt.

As for quality, yep, we'll have to find out what you use to make your stuff. The final product is more important - if it ends up as a
quicktime file that's fine because we can drop it in to our edit suites easily. The alternative is that we get someone from our manchester office to get you a camera and some tapes for a few days, once you've got some ideas for doing stuff.

That's tough about the burst pipe, hope the pianos are OK, speak this afternoon or something?

Jon

So its still looking good and I've been offered use of a proper camera. cool! Here's my reply

Sounds good.
I've removed your contact info from the blog to cut back on your spam :)

I can output to quicktime, avi or direct "print to tape" which gets the final edit on a mini DV tape which I presume you can work with. I've just switched to using macs and am still getting used to my new video software (hyper engine) but I think it should be fine.

I have a minidv camera which I'm happy to use. But if you'd rather me use one of your cams that's fine too.... it could be more fun for me to use your gear if its one of those weird hand-held things with the big sun shield over the front of the lense and the 45 degree angled kink halfway down the body, if you know what I mean.

A director's cut could be a good first video to do showing my highlights from past edition and presenting them as a "week in the life" of yonner. I'm presuming my url will be displayed in the production - in fact I normally show the URL in intro and outro sections. Will you need me to use intro and outros? I presume you want me NOT to use any copywrited commercial background music?????

mark

That's all for now.
Check back in a couple of hours for the next exciting installation
later
yon

Update Oct.26.2006 7pm
Jon left me a voicemaill saying words to the effect:

Hi, I guess I'll try you again later

So that's good.
I'll catch him next time
yon





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