VCB 18: 672 films

A few days ago I asked for suggestions for what to blog on and James suggested I talk about when I realized I was a cinephile i.e. a film lover. So today I am going to tell you a bit about my film diaries and their role in my life as a cinephile.

At the end of 2002 when I was 16 - that is a bizarre though - I decided that for the next year I would write down every single film I watched in a diary. I can't really remember why I came up with this idea but it became my project over the next few years. I kept it up from the beginning of 03 the the very end of 2005 - I think possibly 09 as well but I haven't got proof.So if I did one after that I can't currently remember! I am having a (very) bad memory day *cough*lifetime*cough*.

Now let me get something straight, when I say diary it important that you are not picturing some fancy leather bound journal with my initials embossed into the corner and gold lettering on the spine. On the contrary my precious film diary is 9 sheets of white A4 paper folded in half and stapled. I am a simple being. These 9 sheets of paper saw me through all three years but is looking a bit worse for wear now.

Let me start with 2003. The cover is decorated in blue and black biros and I think one of those Berol pens you get for school because you think they are cool but actually it just means you have to write with the pen dead straight upright. I seem to have gone for writing 'Helen's film diary' in random style of fonts with GRR added underneath. I was obviously annoyed at something in 03. It is also adorned by lots of stars, spirals and general doodles including a snails. I used to draw snails a lot. I don't know why!

The cover of 2004's diary simply sayd 'Helen's film diary' in block 3D lettering, again in classy biro. This one doesn't even have any doodles. Perhaps I had a creativity slump in 2004 whereas in 2005 I had a creativity overdrive. 2005's cover says 'Helen's' in a big kazaam kind of explosion (in full colour I might add), film in a kind of attempt at 20s Hollywood poster fonts and diary in a thought bubble.... with ribbons and feathers for an unspecified reason. I also added a 3D block font 2005, AND, get this, a film reel in the background that says 5-4-3-2-1 LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION. It is pretty awesome.

So in 03, 04 and 05 I watched a total of 672 films which, considering I was at school and had little income, I'd say is pretty good going. The first page of 2003 starts with the date I watched a film, the title of the film, who it is directed by, and my rating out of ten. I can tell you that this lasted until 3rd February when I dropped the director. It was only the following day that I dropped the rating as well and from then on it was just the titles. The only additional information was CIN indicating I saw the film at the cinema and DVD, denoting a, surprise surprise, a DVD. By the way, it is interesting seeing the introduction of DVDs into my life. I can tell you I watch just 16 DVDs in all of 2003, 50 in 2004 and then 64 in 2005.

From skimming through the diaries I can see that several films pop up at repeat watches very often. These are the Back to the Future trilogy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, School of Rock and The Mummy films. Thinking back I can remember these being those films that I could just watch over and over (and did) because they just cheered me up.

Anyway perhaps because of this diary I became very conscious and aware of the films I was consuming. It was during 2005 that I began doing my Film and Media STudies degree. One of my assignments was to write a paper on my relationship with a certain type of media. I chose films and used my diary as a reference point.

By this time I had also began my film database. I took all of these films and put them on an Excel spreadsheet with the amount of times I watched them (I would impress you with some figures now but it isn't on this computer, it is backed up somewhere deep and dark). I also added a personally written synopsis for every single film using the Radio Times 2005 film guide as a help. I love my film guide, only trouble is how out of date they get! I need a new one now!

It was during these years while I kept up my diary that I became a cinephile. I began to note film watching as more than a hobby, as a part of my life. I obviously felt like noting down what I watched which is almost a sign of the respect I have for filmmaking in itself. Although I do not still do this James and I do have He said, she said which is a film blog. I almost feel it is an extension of my diaries - a place where I can recognise film watching as an occasion even if I watch more than one a day.

I enjoyed watching films before 2003 but these were the years I decided I wanted film to be a part of my life. And while I don't still consider editor or director as a career path (partly due to the 15,000 a year tuition fee, partly because I am not sure I'd be assertive enough) it is a still a massive part of my life. I am so lucky to have found James who shares this love and feeling towards the world of lights and celluloid (or IMAX or digital or whatever these newfangled whotsits are).

QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHEN DID YOU FIRST DIISCOVER YOUR BIG PASSION IN LIFE (WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE)?
My answer: Another passion of mine is art which I discovered early on from doing crafts and watching art children's programmes. But I really developed a love of sketching when I did art A-level (when I was 17/18) and realized I wasn't as bad I originally though.

VCB 17: A day in the life of Helen

As I mentioned I might yesterday I thought I would give you an average day in my life. I won't put down everything I do. Just some little titbits from my day for you to enjoy. As this is live and will be updated throughout the day I will start with the question of the day for you to answer. By the way if you want to suggest things for me to blog about please look at yesterday's question.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT IS YOUR WORST DAILY CHORE?
My answer: It isn't daily, more like every other day or so, but it is washing my hair. I absolutely loather doing it because it takes forever to dry and it is stupidly thick and hard to manage. Yuck. Also my shoulder joints have been bad the last few years so I can only manage two-in-one now or else my arms seize up! I hate having greasy hair more though, so its not all bad.

8:10am

I woke up at this time despite both going to bed late and not needing to go to work. I could have slept in till 10am (anything after this and I feel guilty for wasting my day) but no; 8 times out of 10 my body likes me to wake up before 8:20am.

When I woke up I promptly check my emails on my phone. James sends me an email every day which is always waiting for me when I wake up. I think I have strained my eyes trying to read it before I am properly awake though. I always get morning headaches. I also told my friend Mary Kate on Facebook that I dreamt we met David Bowie. It is important to share these things.

Then for half an hour or so me and my cat Millie read 'Welcome to Britain: a celebration of real life'. Now, before you think I am sickenly patriotic you may want to have a look at the pictures below. I first was introduced to The Caravan Gallery (makers of the book) at an art fair here in Felixstowe, my hometown. I instantly fell in love with this quirky look at Britain. It celebrates those things which are typically British and at the same time are really crap.



Welcome to the British sense of humour! Click here to visit the Caravan Gallery website.

9:04am (good to be precise)

I plan my radio show for tonight while still in my pyjamas. As a general rule things I feel less guilty when I do things I should have already got done as long as I do them before I get dressed. I should have planned the radio show in advance and sent the plan to Sarah, who is guest hosting with me. But sometimes time runs away with you.

10:07am

Since my last update I have breakfasted and watch some Jeremy Kyle, which is, for you Americans reading this, our version of Jerry Springer. Now I haven't watched this programme in about 2 years. I really don't understand why people would use a crap television programme as a way to sort out their problems before first trying marriage counselling or even recognising that the relationship they are in is bad and to walk away. But it is very easy to judge from the sofa I guess.

I think the thing that strikes me most though are the outfits people wear. Here are people who have advance warning that they will be broadcast on television and rather than wear something smart and nice they opt for something like a grey tracksuit at the height of fashion in about 1993 with unbrushed hair and a tattoo on their neck.

Another good one you see more of now is the mis-wearing of leggings. I love leggings. They are the reason I can now wear short skirts but I would never wear just leggings without something else covering my thighs. Why not? I have fat splodgy thighs and really, no one wants to see me wobble down the street. Apparently some people do think that everyone wants to see this though and dress accordingly.

Ok my little rant is over. I of course don't judge people by how they dress in terms of how I treat them. Sometimes you just have to get out a little bitch rant though.

11:14am

I am now clean and dressed and ready for the day! It is now work time! And when I say work I mean it is time to do the things that I have commitment to but unfortunately do not receive monetary compensation for. The main thing I am working on is the wedding album of my friends Michelle and Paul (you may remember my blog about the wedding a few weeks ago). I am up to page 56 I think and have done the ceremony, speeches, cake, first dance, bucking bronco (yes, you read it right) and am now onto the dancing pictures which is the last part.

Since it takes a while to upload the pictures I am also working on my show plan at the same time. I have the songs and the discussion topics but I need to do the timings and find some movie trivia. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay. By the way if you don't understand the 'yay' then you are obviously not a regular listener to my show (Wed/Fri 6pm GMT/BST, www.felixstoweradio.co.uk). Half past six is always movie trivia time and always requires a "yaaaaay".

14:47pm

I have now finished planning today's show and, because I can be super-efficient when I want to be, I always did the songs and timings for Wednesday's show too! Next Wednesday's show is my last before I go on holiday for three weeks. I am nervous to leave it but not having to plan will be nice for a while. Plus it will be fun to see what Jon, Bex, Ann and Nigel come up with in my absence!

I have also had lunch and done more work on Michelle's album. Remember those photos I mentioned that were uploading? They took about 2 hours to finish. Darn high quality and average connection speed. But I am now up to the final few pages. I am excited that it is all coming together!

In addition since my last update I heard from my amazingly wonderful best friend Kim who has passed her driving test first time today. I am very happy for her. The picture below is Kim and I in her home town of Brighton when James and I visited a few months ago.



16:52pm

Okay, now I am bored. I am sitting in my 'going out clothes' with straightened hair, eyeliner, dangly earrings and a purple top with black ruffles. This is because I am going out straight after the show. I think I may be ready too early. I am waiting until it is time to go to the radio station. Now I have about 50 minutes but rather than do something with my time I usally sit and worry about being on air. I am hoping James comes online soon. I feel better when I talk to him before I go on air.

00:03am

Ok so we have a bit of a time jump there mostly due to the fact that I was radio-ing and then I went for a meal, as previously mentioned. The show was from 6pm-7pm and it went really well. It was the first time I had done a show with Sarah and, as a behind-the-scenes gal she hasn't been on air much before. I think we worked really well together and could do another show after my holiday easily.

After this I came home and rushed to apply some make-up including bright green Maybelline eyeshadow. I went for green because my top was purple and currently my nails are half purple half green. So it seemed fitting. I rushed around like a mad thing getting my bits together and applying my lipstick until I was beautified enough to go.

Side note - the lipstick I have is awesome. It is actually my mum's (or was I should say) and I think it is Rimmel but it doesn't actually say on the tube. Anyway about a half a year ago I started borrowing it all the time. And there would be a longer gap between when I took it and when I returned it. Eventually my mum just said "you know you can keep that?". So I did. And I love it. IT isn't fancy, just a plain rose coloured lipstick. But I love it.

I got to the meal at about 7:40pm, a bit flustered from the rush. I had bread to start (I was starving and only had a starter because I couldn't bear to wait for my food) and then steak fajita wrap. We were at Chimi Changa's a Mexican themed restaurant (although my boyfriend doesn't like them because the burritos are not proper burritos). Anyway the steak fajita wrap is prewrapped (to minimise mess for follk like me who want it simple) and is very yummy. But having filled up on bread I couldn't manage it all. I ams till so full.

My friends Kim and Ross then turned up from Brighton and joined us for drinks. I love these guys. They absolutely crack me up and we get on so well. Plus Ross gets on really well with James which means if ever Kim and I want to hang the boys will be happy to go and perv over Marvel comics and talk Avengers. Anyway I should end my blog here because after a few beers I am pretty whacked.