It's usual when one gets to this time of year to become reflective and to look back at the year that has come to an end. So, what kind of year has it been for Watchers Productions?
In a word: BUSY!
Dinner Date
Dinner Date was released in February 2024, on St. Valentine's Day appropriately enough. I mean, nothing says romance like a homecooked meal and a deep-and-meaningful conversation, does it? We've received a lot of positive feedback about the short, especially about the journey it takes. It's not a spoiler to say that things end up in a bit of a different place than where it begins but that's all part of the fun. Check it out if you haven't already.
Future Tales...
Whilst Dinner Date was the only Strange Tale released in 2024, work was ongoing on several other projects:
Locked completed production in 2024 and is currently being edited before being passed over for post-production work and will likely be the first release of 2025. Keep your eyes peeled for this superb short, directed by Teddy Smith and featuring Lucas Eisele, Angharad Ford, and Rob Murphy.
Work is continuing on our ambitious animated Tale - All Alone, Not By Myself. No confirmed release date for this either, although we are currently estimating it will be in the second half of 2025. The tremendous voice work by Linda Bailey and Ben Wilson will soon get heard, accompanied by some jawdropping animations by the talented Matthew Lee.
Principal photography is still ongoing for romantic comedy-drama Chapter Two, with discussions ongoing about the next block of filming dates. Lowri's trials and travails in the modern dating world are going to make you laugh and tug on the heartstrings. It's going to be a different kind of Tale, but one we are very excited about.
If all goes as we plan it, our output for 2025 will be triple the output of 2024 and 2023.
And of course, we are not resting on our laurels. A production meeting is scheduled for February 2025 between Rhys, Matt and Tez to discuss our next major project. Excited? Intrigued? Us too. Things are still very much in the planning stage, so no spoilers here. But we will be taking things up a notch.
Twinkle
Tallking about taking things up a notch, Watchers Productions ventured into the world of live theatre for the first time with their stage production of the one-man show Twinkle by Philip Meeks. Watcher Tez played Harold, a veteran pantomime dame getting prepared for a very special night: the town's Christmas light switch-on. It's going to be electrifying... the show ran from 12th-14th December at Llanover Hall Arts Centre in Cardiff. Audience response has been very positive with some lovely feedback including "a delightful and moving performance"; "Brilliant performance, perfectly done."; "Twinkle was one of the best things I've ever seen on stage." It was a lot of fun to do, a step out of our
comfort zone, and a great achievement. Tez is writing a third and final production diary about the show; he's just having a well-deserved rest first!
Screenplay Success
Watcher Matthew Ford has continued to have success with his screenplay, My Child. As well as being shortlisted for the Dragon List for The Film Festival Guild's International Film Festival of Wales and for the British Horror Film Festival's Blood List, which "celebrates screenplays of outstanding quality", he has also been shortlisted as a finalist for the prestigious Screenplay Festival. Congratulations, Matt - very well deserved!
So it just leaves us to wish everyone a very happy new year. Here's to a creative 2025!
Rhys, Matt and Tez - The Watchers
Comments