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EVERYTHING YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT MR BIFFO'S FOUND FOOTAGE: GOUJON DAY

16/10/2017

23 Comments

 
Well, there you have it. The final regular episode of Mr Biffo's Found Footage. By the time next week's finale goes out, you'll have had well over three hours of the series from me; that's over three times as much as I originally promised on Kickstarter. I hope you all feel it has been worth your investment. I know it has been worth mine. Let's do some more, yeah?

It might not have been a massive viral hit - frankly, the eps are probably too long for that - but I'm very, very proud of it. It's my favourite thing I've ever done - by far. 

​I really hope you've been doing your best to piece together the story, along with the weirdness and funnies... but if not, don't worry. Next week's episode explains everything, and though it's part of the series - and will reward those who've been watching closely - it's also designed to be standalone, so new viewers can check it out. I think it might just blow your mind...

Anyhow. Enough waffle. If you wish to discuss the episodes, I suggest you head over to Facebook, where the Brannigan's Vortex group share their theories as to the greater conspiracy. Or post a comment below. 

SPOILER WARNING: Do not read on unless you have watched Goujon Day!
WISHING YOU A GOUJON DAY!
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Look! It's a freaking big Goujon John hologram projected onto the side of an actual Xenoxxx building! Thanks to the brilliant AJ Jeffries for making Xenoxxx a real place - you'll be seeing A LOT more of his work in next week's epic episode...
J. WILGOOSE IN THE HOUSE!
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This was a big deal to me. None other than J.Wilgoose Esq. from Public Service Broadcasting, one of my favourite bands, outed himself as a Digi fan recently. So, of course I had to ask if he'd be in Found Footage. What I only realised afterwards were the similarities between what I've done with Found Footage, in splicing old VHS clips into the series, and what PSB do. Obviously, they're far slicker and cooler and more grown-up than I am.
JUST TELL ME WHAT HE SMELLS LIKE...
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When our brilliant composer Chris Jerden-Cooke and I wanted a third subject for the Wozniak/Sinclair song cycle, we decided early on that it should be Elon Musk. It was Chris who suggested basing it around the Fleetwood Mac song Tusk. I genuinely prefer this to the song which inspired it.
DADPELLET! YES! YES!
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Better late than never, the Asperger's Are Us guys finally appear in the show properly. They would've been in sooner, but... it turns out that we never had the microphone plugged in on our main camera, which made it a pain in the backside to synch the sound when I was editing. I put it off and put it off - and thankfully Steve Horsley stepped in to synch the sound on the Burd Talk sequence which appears later in the ep, and that kicked me into action.
BUMLIENS
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You might've seen this before, as I put it out as a teaser months ago. It was shot at the Centre For Computing History. It's one of those times when I wish Found Footage was shown in HD, as the detail which went into this corridor set was immense.

Here's a thing: part of the reason that Xenoxxx slap their logo on everything is my way of telling the backers that this is what we've spent their money on, that it's not just some stock footage; see? We really went to some effort!

Also, one of the themes of the series is the power of symbols and iconography. That might've got a bit buried, but it has always been there in my mind. Whether it's Jesus Christ, Adolf Hitler, Steve Jobs, a crucifix, swastika or Apple logo... there's a massive power to what a symbol represents, a visual short-hand saying "This is what I believe in, this is what I get behind..." 

And power, of course, is open to abuse.
KNICKERS
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Talking of backers, this sequence features a number of our Kickstarter backers, who paid to be in the show. Originally, their photos were going to be featured in next week's finale, but we ran out of time to film the scene with them. So, instead, they appear here in what just might be my favourite minute of the entire series. 

It's weird the way this series has worked. So much of it only really came together in my head once I had the footage - or, in this case, the photos. Something about the faces of our handsome backers made me think "German lessons". It isn't even a conscious process that I can explain; much of Found Footage, when I'm editing, is me just switching off and going on instinct. The process is as mysterious to me as it must be to you.
RABBIT RUCKUS
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Sting was always going to come back - David Heslop, who also shot a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff for us during the Finale filming, and during the premiere, is the voice of our Sting. The only issue when editing his sequences is that he gives me massive ASMR, which makes me nice and languid. The game here was put together by Nikki Head, though those are my playing skills you see...

Incidentally, go and check out Goujon John's website. You can now play the game for yourself!
REVOLTING
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I was nervous about this. It pushed Chris Jerden-Cooke and I out of our comfort zones, given that it isn't exactly a funny song. I wrote it last week when Chris offered to do another song for the episode. I tried to think of something comedic, but all that was on my mind were the reports in the press about Harvey Weinstein.

I'd been similarly appalled by recent reports that Ain't It Cool News founder Harry Knowles had also been accused of sexual harassment, which is why this song is kind of a mash-up of the two of them - but really... it's about anyone who uses his power and leverage over women.

I despise so much of the way Hollywood operates (though, of course, this isn't an issue that's confined to Hollywood). These predators get away with it, because movies are given such currency in our society that victims of abuse - or those with knowledge of the abuse - are too terrified to say anything for decades because of the fear that it might damage their careers. It makes me so angry. It's almost like we've all been brainwashed into thinking that movie stars, directors, and producers are somehow better than us (many of them are certainly richer than us). No one person should have that much power over another.

I got quite emotional writing this; I've known far too many women who've been abused, and though it has never happened to me... in writing it I ended up tapping into feelings of being bullied as a kid, and times I've felt that somebody had power over me. Too often I've bowed to somebody who didn't deserve it because I wanted to pay my mortgage.

The thing I'm finding most disturbing about these reports is the way they're making me question people I know, and ask whether they have it in them too. Or whether, given sufficient power, they would allow it to corrupt them. My conclusions upset me.

These might not be the best words ever, and maybe they don't really add anything to the dialogue, but they are sincere. I'm glad I kept it in the episode. 

And, again, it kind of taps into the themes of the series; about how power abuses, and it's ordinary people who suffer most, how we're all forced to bow and scape to favour the powerful. And, of course, the most powerful human being on the planet right now is a man who was part of that Hollywood system, who is also - more likely than not - a sexual predator.
BURD TALK
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Here they are again. Filming this sequence was one of the funniest days we ever spent on set. It was all quite last minute. We didn't know we'd be doing this until a couple of days before, and the script - such as it was - was written literally the day before filming. I hope I get to do more with these chaps in the future.
IT'S RAB FLORENCE!
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It's Rab Florence! Now, both Consolevania/Videogaiden boys have been in Found Footage, I've repaid the kindness from when they inducted myself and Mr Hairs into their video game hall of fame.
IT TASTES DIRRRRRTY...
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This is disgusting, and I shouldn't have put it in the episode.
CORRIDOR OF POWER
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This was our second proper day of filming, on location at Royal Derby Hospital's training facility - thanks to Steve and Tori Baker. The set was astonishing, and I really hope it comes across in the footage. I spent most of the set-up on this day dressing the set seen in the screenshot below... when I emerged, everyone else - my other half Sanya and our daughter Gaia, Steve Horsley and his kids Sam and Louise, and Steve and Tori, had transformed the ward into a post-battle scene of ruin. It was incredibly atmospheric.

It also gave me the confidence to really push the boat out with a cinematic finale, which was crisp and HD enough to show off all our hard work. Plus, this was the point at which the directing bug bit; I'm desperate to do more.
JARRING
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Wait a second... what is that? It looks like a head in a jar! If you've been paying attention during the series you'll know what's going on here. The question is: how does it factor into next week's finale?
23 Comments
Wormy-Klaus
16/10/2017 09:52:25 am

Well, not only did Mr. B get to make Found Footage, I got a new Facebook profile picture and a new screen name here (which is much more amusing than the one I'd been using before). Worth every penny :)

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Glyn
16/10/2017 09:59:56 am

The last puzzle is already solved. #GoujonUprising got there within hours of release. Enjoy!

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Nikki Heald
16/10/2017 10:19:45 am

Has no one mentioned the opening crawl yet?

Best opening crawl ever!

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Glyn
16/10/2017 10:29:18 am

Bye then!

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Sam
16/10/2017 11:42:32 am

Truth.

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Biscuits
17/10/2017 12:19:39 am

The Man's Daddy-style protracted goodbyes have been a fave since I first read them. It's so great to see one in FF, and the placement at the end of the scroll series is too good. If you hunger for more, there was a particularly fine one for Man's Daddy's xmas cracker jokes

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RoboJamie
16/10/2017 02:09:41 pm

Well Mr Biffo, good work on seeing it through to the end and completing the series. It’s been a highlight of my Sunday evenings for the last few weeks. I have to admit, as someone who attended the premiere I didn't see the need to crack any conspiracy theories throughout the series as I assumed I'd seen the “end-result” in the finale. Have I missed out there?

For me the highs were absolutely the musical numbers. Musk is up there with the Clive Sinclair song, both of which are irritatingly catchy. Chris Jerden-Cooke certainly knows how to belt a tune out. I know I’m going to have him shouting MUSK! in my head for the rest of the day.

I could’ve done without the poo-bum-fart stuff in the songs & sketches though. I don't remember much of that in the digi video last year so constantly going back to it was off-putting for me. Was wondering if you think this mindset is a byproduct from working on childrens TV and normally having kids as the target audience? I dunno, probably over-analysing.

Anyway, don't want to finish on a negative as I really have enjoyed the series. Looked like a monumental effort to write, shoot and edit. The SFX have been top class and the acting has been decent. And, together with FF, the finale gives you 2 wildly different pieces of work to be very proud of.

Chives!

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Mr Biffo
16/10/2017 02:28:52 pm

Over-analysing. You can't do poo-bum-fart stuff in kids TV, for all sorts of compliance reasons. Sorry you didn't enjoy it, but I'm afraid it still tickles my juvenile sense of humour. I think I've mostly got it out of my system. Even I started to feel a bit worn down by it in the end...

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Higgins
17/10/2017 12:20:43 am

"OUT OF MY SYSTEM"!!!!! Like a poo!

Chris Wyatt
18/10/2017 11:37:10 pm

Ren & Stimpy got away with a few poo-bum-fart jokes in the 90's

Mr Biffo
19/10/2017 09:55:26 am

Well yeah. But you try getting it past CBBC Compliance.

Danofthewibble
21/10/2017 03:47:14 pm

And of course, Ren & Stimpy was very much shown outside of CBBC when the BBC got hold of it. 6.30 on BBC2. Tuesdays. I think.

CJJC
16/10/2017 02:32:04 pm

I certainly got a much bigger whiff of Harry Knowles in The Serious Song (not the official title), and I know you were troubled by that news as well as seeing which individuals were coming out in support of him, although Harvey was the obvious catalyst for the creation of the song.

And, sure, both our contributions to it have some slight clunkiness to them but we both felt the sentiment was worth expressing.

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DEAN
16/10/2017 08:09:24 pm

I get why you both did it but I don't think it made any sense being in the show... but it was a pretty cool track.

As was Musk - I actually really like the original and think you did a great job - my favourite since Wozniak!

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Treacle
16/10/2017 03:13:44 pm

These Monday reflections always remind me of the bits I've forgotten, often things that made me laugh like a drain when I was watching, such as Simon Bates, Burd Talk, Learn German and the consistently brilliant Kenny and Yuri Masters. Really enjoyed the series which has gone so far beyond the initial pitch of five ten minute episodes to half hour installments of narrative comedy with a ridiculously ambitious finale. Everyone who contributed should be very, very proud of what their efforts achieved, with special mention to CJJC for the music. And though the series has ended the work of DJ Trendy Peanut and MC Stringy Hobo will still inspire me whenever I see a trellis that needs embellished or a tarp in want of enhancement.

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Biscuits
17/10/2017 12:21:58 am

Well said Treacs

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King of Duckhenrys
16/10/2017 05:18:11 pm

The Sting bit was great as usual. TRUDY!

The game looked just like a genuine awful Amiga PD game from back in the day. Great work Nikki.

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Irregular Shed link
16/10/2017 07:34:04 pm

Lovely to see the broadcast intrusion snippets in there.

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Nikolay Yeriomin link
16/10/2017 11:14:46 pm

Lovely episode, very balanced in terms of plot-driven scenes, surreal elements and neat little details - with plenty of each. I'm yet to catch all of the lovely subliminal and quick shots and that's quite a feat considering that I'm one of these rare people who catches most of single-frame inserts on the first or second watch (no showing off intended).

My highlights:
-Unusually long epigraph scroll.
-Hologram.
-"Neil Tennant" from Public Service Broadcast.
-Don't visit Scotland on October 12th, 1994 in the Nude
-tHE WEATHeR
-Helicopter scene (an impressive set!)
-"Burd Talk" and its brief follow-ups
-Pieces of rather legendary Max Headroom and Captain Midnight pirate broadcasts.
-Interestingly enough, Goujon John's Goujon Porridge.
-Message from a distorted, wide-faced figure.
-Kim Jong-Il Knickers.
-Final room full of crazy and Goujon Johns.

Overall editing is masterful and awesome. Can't wait for the finale.

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Chris
17/10/2017 09:29:34 pm

Has Simon Bates never seen a 12 (as they would have been at the time the series is set)? He seems to think he has done all the ratings but 12 is missing.

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Chris Wyatt
18/10/2017 11:24:16 pm

Now we have two Mr. PSBs frequenting digitiser2000.com, but I guess the other one stands for Pooey Story Books?

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Danofthewibble
21/10/2017 03:48:18 pm

Mr PSB stands for high quality electro-pop music, CD32s and septic arses.

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Chris Wyatt
18/10/2017 11:31:50 pm

Tried playing that game, and couldn't get to the rabbits at the end, so tried to build a tower of poo, and the game went all glitchy!

Are Xenoxxx looking for software testers?

Reply



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