Well now. Here's the second instalment of the full series of Mr Biffo's Found Footage. I think it's better than the first one - closer to what I had in my head for the show, more its own thing, more confident and complete.
The benefit of the weekly release schedule is that it's giving me time to sort of work on the show in real time, and react to what people are liking or not liking. Hopefully, this'll mean that it gets better as it goes along. Your feedback is very much welcome.
If you're enjoying... please share the video, tell your mates, like it on YouTube, and subscribe to the channel. It's even more important with this episode, which - not having had the benefit of being the series premiere - needs all the boosts it can get. All of that is going to help ensure we do more in a similar vein. Anything you can do to help will be warmly received.
But anyhow. Time for some behind-the-scenes trivia.
SPOILER WARNING: Do not read on unless you have watched Advanced Strangulation!
The benefit of the weekly release schedule is that it's giving me time to sort of work on the show in real time, and react to what people are liking or not liking. Hopefully, this'll mean that it gets better as it goes along. Your feedback is very much welcome.
If you're enjoying... please share the video, tell your mates, like it on YouTube, and subscribe to the channel. It's even more important with this episode, which - not having had the benefit of being the series premiere - needs all the boosts it can get. All of that is going to help ensure we do more in a similar vein. Anything you can do to help will be warmly received.
But anyhow. Time for some behind-the-scenes trivia.
SPOILER WARNING: Do not read on unless you have watched Advanced Strangulation!
CAUTION: BABY INSIDE
This is the brilliant Noah Britton. When he's not playing comedy shows with Asperger's Are Us, Noah is a college psychology professor. Stuart "Ashens" Ashen, who pops up later in the episode, has a doctorate in psychology. I dropped out of my counselling degree course after two-and-a-half years because I thought I knew it all. Together, the three of us could READ YOUR MIND.
PRIVATE GARDEN
It's Simon Bates, returning to the show following his debut in The Awakening. You quite clearly see him trying not to laugh after "I got enough convictions", which is why I quickly cut to him wiping his dirty 'tache.
DUDSEY THE DOG
The guy who did this animation for me refused to add a broom at the end coming in and sweeping Dudsey's bones away. Apparently that was "too sad". He did, however, inexplicably make the shape of Dudsey resemble a penis... You lose some, you win some.
ARMSTRONG WONG
One of the first completed sequences for Found Footage, which has remained intact and unchanged more or less since I first did it waaaay back in February. For my money, Armstrong Wong - who called me "sick" in our communication - is challenging Goujon John in terms of totally getting the character and nailing the performance. I think he's brilliant.
IAIN LEE & PAUL GANNON!
Two legends, who we filmed with in the studio only last Tuesday! I'd never met Iain before, but he says that he gets asked about me appearing on his radio show more than anyone else, as there seems to be a strange crossover between our audiences. Plus, I took over his Retro Gamer column. When he says he was up for doing some comedy acting, I jumped at the chance.
The Human Orchard replaced another sequence that had originally been in the ep. To be honest, the other sequence - it was called Cheese Holes - was one of the first things we shot and I think I was still searching for the tone of the show.
After showing it at the launch party, I decided it wasn't working as well in this episode as I'd hoped. It also featured Tom and Yiannis, who were in Dream Drawings as a different double act, and that felt odd and confusing two episodes in a row.
So... I've moved Cheese Holes to a later episode, and will be using it in a slightly different way to my original plan.
Therefore, over to this double act instead. I wrote a script for The Human Orchard, but - knowing they probably wouldn't have learned their lines - I let Paul and Iain just riff around it. They're kind of perfect for Found Footage really, because both of them - and I hope they won't mind me saying this - do have a touch of the dark in their souls. Before our eyes the two brothers came to life.
They'll be back. Very soon.
The Human Orchard replaced another sequence that had originally been in the ep. To be honest, the other sequence - it was called Cheese Holes - was one of the first things we shot and I think I was still searching for the tone of the show.
After showing it at the launch party, I decided it wasn't working as well in this episode as I'd hoped. It also featured Tom and Yiannis, who were in Dream Drawings as a different double act, and that felt odd and confusing two episodes in a row.
So... I've moved Cheese Holes to a later episode, and will be using it in a slightly different way to my original plan.
Therefore, over to this double act instead. I wrote a script for The Human Orchard, but - knowing they probably wouldn't have learned their lines - I let Paul and Iain just riff around it. They're kind of perfect for Found Footage really, because both of them - and I hope they won't mind me saying this - do have a touch of the dark in their souls. Before our eyes the two brothers came to life.
They'll be back. Very soon.
FLANSY C-BONG!
Having been in the very first Found Footage stuff I did for Digifest last year, I had to bring back Flansy C-Bong if only because he has my favourite character name ever. Wasp Bells is another spoof Digi ad that I did last year that I felt would work well within Found Footage. Sorry about the humping dogs, but my mum thinks they're funny.
IT'S DANNY WALLACE!
The great and lovely Danny Wallis here. Right back near the start of Digitiser2000 Danny sent me a lovely message on Twitter saying how much he was enjoying it, so I figured he might say yes to being in Found Footage. Given that he's a very busy man, I hugely appreciate him taking the time to be part of this absurdity.
IT'S STUART ASHEN!
Originally, Jengo Spores was a more complicated sequence. There's footage of loads of people sitting around playing it - but because they're all wearing wacky, weird, costumes, it felt a bit too self-consciously "I'm mad, me!" when I watched it back. When the material is weird in itself, it's sometimes better to play the performances straight. Says the man who played MC Stringy Hobo in Enhance My Tarp with a Jar-Jar Binks voice...
But Stuart's unhinged bellowing here is exactly right, I think. And it's inspired by a really weird vintage Jenga ad I found, where people keep shouting "Jenga!".
Jengo Spores - or Jenga Spores - dates back to a Christmas many years ago, when my mate Anthony was over, and we played Jenga with the kids after a few too many sherries. We came up with an "extreme" version of the game which shot fungal spores into your eyes whenever you removed a brick.
Oddly, we went on holiday to Scotland together with our families a couple of years ago, and there was a Jenga game on a shelf in one of the cabins. On that occasion we came up with another new version of Jenga inspired by the German family in the next cabin, called Das Schtack.
But Stuart's unhinged bellowing here is exactly right, I think. And it's inspired by a really weird vintage Jenga ad I found, where people keep shouting "Jenga!".
Jengo Spores - or Jenga Spores - dates back to a Christmas many years ago, when my mate Anthony was over, and we played Jenga with the kids after a few too many sherries. We came up with an "extreme" version of the game which shot fungal spores into your eyes whenever you removed a brick.
Oddly, we went on holiday to Scotland together with our families a couple of years ago, and there was a Jenga game on a shelf in one of the cabins. On that occasion we came up with another new version of Jenga inspired by the German family in the next cabin, called Das Schtack.
SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR!
I think this is one of the finest pieces of music Chris Jerden-Cooke has written for the show. He somehow managed to cram a ton of complicated, not-at-all-scannable, lyrics into an electro-pop epic! Also, big thanks to David Walford for turning the footage into Spectrum graphics.
Basically... after Wozniak, I wanted to write a song about a computing genius that was a bit closer to home. Sir Clive is the obvious candidate. And then I tried to think of the most disrespectful thing I could possibly write about him - which is that he invented a machine for sucking other people's solid waste into his own bowels, and - following a malfunction - now has a prosthetic rectum.
Who's the sexy dancer in the video? He shall remain nameless.
Basically... after Wozniak, I wanted to write a song about a computing genius that was a bit closer to home. Sir Clive is the obvious candidate. And then I tried to think of the most disrespectful thing I could possibly write about him - which is that he invented a machine for sucking other people's solid waste into his own bowels, and - following a malfunction - now has a prosthetic rectum.
Who's the sexy dancer in the video? He shall remain nameless.
MIME TALK
I did this whole thing on holiday last month, while laying on the bed after wrecking my feet on the first day with too much walking. Turns out I had a verruca. Inspired by late night premium rate phone line ads that we used to see in the early hours on Channel 4, after getting in from the pub.
IT'S ANDY "NAM ROOD" WEAR!
Andy is potentially the loveliest man in the world. After his incredible performance in the finale (still to come) I had to ask him to do something else. It seemed right that he reprise his Bad Influence! character Nam Rood in our version of the Games Master Consoletation Zone. Also, we did it partly to surprise Violet Berlin.
GRAB-A-CRAB
Another sequence that was only put together this week, following what I thought was and wasn't working in the eps shown at premiere. The animation is all stock footage - which cost a bit to license - but it looks great, I think. And the guy who did the voiceover was really into it.
Without prompting, he gave me two versions, one that was a bit more upbeat and traditionally advert-y voice... and this weird, worn-down, slightly embarrassed version.
And get this: the same guy did the Jengo Spores voice-over! He so versatile.
Without prompting, he gave me two versions, one that was a bit more upbeat and traditionally advert-y voice... and this weird, worn-down, slightly embarrassed version.
And get this: the same guy did the Jengo Spores voice-over! He so versatile.
HAIL XENOXXX???????!???
Oh! What's going on here then?
THE GAMES ANIMAL!
Dave is a legend. I couldn't homage Games Master without paying him his dues, and here he is looking depressingly youthful, 20 years after he was last on that show. And he was well up for it. Thank you, Dave!
KENNY & YURI!
Here they are again, because I love them. Iain's wearing a hideous hoodie that I got for Christmas a couple of years ago, featuring my favourite animal - the sloth.
THE SLOTH.
THE SLOTH.
SENSORIUM GIRLYBOX
When I had a surprising last-minute holiday in the summer, visiting the in-laws in Croatia, I knew I should try and film something for Found Footage. If only to assuage my guilt that I'd actually taken some time off. Also, my brother-in-law is a silly man, and an excellent breakdancer, and so I leapt at the chance to feature two toned, athletic, Adonises (Adoni?) in one hot and sexy music video.
We passed this church on the island of Korcula on the first day, and I knew it was perfect. In the slow motion bit where I'm "breakdancing", watch when my foot hits the ground. I was in agony. Also, the weird shuffling/snorting was inspired by a waxwork of Marco Polo's nanny that we saw earlier in the week at a museum in the town of Korcula (named after the island) .
This is here, because part of the purpose of Dream Drawings and Advanced Strangulation was to reintroduce some of the ideas of the show to people who hadn't seen it before - so, Goujon John, Music Chute, Xenoxxx etc.
We passed this church on the island of Korcula on the first day, and I knew it was perfect. In the slow motion bit where I'm "breakdancing", watch when my foot hits the ground. I was in agony. Also, the weird shuffling/snorting was inspired by a waxwork of Marco Polo's nanny that we saw earlier in the week at a museum in the town of Korcula (named after the island) .
This is here, because part of the purpose of Dream Drawings and Advanced Strangulation was to reintroduce some of the ideas of the show to people who hadn't seen it before - so, Goujon John, Music Chute, Xenoxxx etc.
VEGAN SLAUGHTERHOUSE
It's New Michael Ingemi, from Asperger's Are Us! You'll be seeing him again.
It's still really surreal that we've become mates with Asperger's Are Us, having watched their Netflix documentary last year without realising they were fans of The Man's Daddy thanks to Chris Bell's Super Page 58 site - the oldest and greatest Digitiser tribute site on the Interwobs.
Right. That's it then. Again, please spread the word. Another episode next week, featuring the return of Sting and Funtron 8! Unless I change the episode between now and then...
It's still really surreal that we've become mates with Asperger's Are Us, having watched their Netflix documentary last year without realising they were fans of The Man's Daddy thanks to Chris Bell's Super Page 58 site - the oldest and greatest Digitiser tribute site on the Interwobs.
Right. That's it then. Again, please spread the word. Another episode next week, featuring the return of Sting and Funtron 8! Unless I change the episode between now and then...
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