Darren receives commendation at IOV awards 2009

On Wednesday (Oct 14th 2009), Darren and Ed attended the Institute of Videographers Trade show and (in the evening) their 20th annual Awards ceremony. Darren was nominated for best film for ‘Sugarcubes’, and we met Maggie Philbin of ‘Tomorrow’s World’ fame, who was genuinely... [Read more]

Cinders Trailer Cast and Crew

Filming for the Cinders Trailer is all over. We’ve all put in lots of work and produced a mountain of footage for Darren to get through. Thank you, everyone, for making it happen so far. You can all give yourselves a pat on the back, and here’s a big thank you from everyone at Backyard [...] [Read more]

“That’s a Wrap” A magical weekend summed up in a fairytale

It was just an ordinary marquee, and I was on an ordinary camping chair with little Ben asleep on my chest. The only sounds were the occasional leaves and conkers dropping onto the white plastic roof and the tweeting of birds in the trees. The smell of pine cones and needles wafted in, which Ben savoured with each little breath. Suddenly there was a rustling by the open entrance beside us. [Read more]

Trailer shoot is underway

The script/song writing, tech tests, set/prop building and costume acquiring/modifying all came together on 27 August when BYP began filming the concept trailer for Cinders. BYP were thrilled with the number of volunteer extras and crew that endured so much; everyone involved has done an amazing job! The talent and commitment of the actors has [...] [Read more]

Cinders tech test weekend and get together

Last weekend (August 1/2) Backyard Productions had the first tech test weekend for the Cinders project. It was an opportunity for many of the cast and crew to meet and get to know each other. The focus of the weekend was on testing of costumes, filming techniques and set pieces. Also, fun was had acting [...] [Read more]

A fond farewell to our friend Chewie

Backyard Productions said a sad farewell to a much loved companion, crew member and actor today, our dog Chewie.  He was always there by our feet during editing, barking during filming and even had the honour of knocking over our George Lucas!  A gentle giant, he was our very own “walking carpet”... [Read more]

Cinders Auditions in London a Triumph

Set on the glorious South Bank, the Movieum of London provided the perfect location for Backyard Productions’ second set of auditions. And what a day it was! We were treated to some exceptional talent and some stunning singing performances. Again, Dom provided a fantastic spread, and his “crew” were the epitome of professionalism. Without the [...] [Read more]

First Cinders Auditions in Lincoln a Success

Backyard Productions has just held its first ever auditions, and they were a resounding success. Word of the latest project seems to have spread as there were auditionees from as far afield as Preston, Norwich, London, Ipswich, and some homegrown Lincoln talent. Dom Gilvary hosted the proceedings exceptionally with a fabulous spread of sandwiches and [...] [Read more]

How to get to the Movieum of London

Backyard Productions is delighted to be working with The Movieum of London, who will be following and publicising the progress of Cinders production over the next few months. Darren (Executive Bully) and Mark (Music Maestro and Writer) had a meeting with them earlier this week, and one of the first things the Movieum is helping us with, is by providing a great space for the London auditions.

You can find the Movieum right on the South Bank, next to the London Eye, it should be easy to find if you follow the directions in the great little video Darren and Mark produced (below), which also gives you a little glimpse of the large collection of amazing props and costumes the Movieum has on display. The exhibits are constantly changing, so even if you’ve been before, it’s well worth another visit. They have some fun interactive exhibits too, and the kids can even make their own movie while they are there.

Directions: From Waterloo Station, cross York Road (via the footbridge is probably the safest way – it’s a busy road), then cross the large plaza, or walk down Chicheley Street towards the London Eye (the big wheel with pods on). The entrance to County Hall and the Movieum is just round the corner to the left (it faces the River Thames).

NOTE: Our London audition is now closed, so the specific directions are for auditionees only, unless you are looking to visit the Movieum of London, which is right next door.

Sundown Adventure Land on board!

After several weeks of emails, letter writing, and phone calls, Backyard Productions has managed to secure its most important location for “Cinders”. Sundown Adventure Land have kindly agreed to work with the BYP team and allow us to film the outdoor scenes at their wonderful children’s theme park.