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| This
15 minute film directed by Hilary and made in February 2007 involved
staging a surreal alternative Olympic Games amid the sites (from junkyards
and allotments to Clays Lane estate) now demolished and enclosed by the
blue hoardings. It involved the collaboration of OSA (Office for Subversive
Architecture) on set design. Originally commissioned by URBIS for an exhibition ‘Play: Experience the Adventure of Our Cities’ the film has subsequently screened widely. It is in the BFI National Archives and recently won the Audience Award at the 2008 East End Film Festival. |
| View Storyboards & Photos |
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| Four fun filled and anarchic romps through the city. Challenging the prevailing powers through surreal escapades, these films are the ideal antidote to the tired genre of the political documentary. Inviting viewers to go out there and subvert their own cities, these films sum up the current feeling in Britain; that of being muzzled by Blair over Iraq, and wanting to change the world while having to shop in Tescos. |
| View The Subversive Architects |
| View The Space Hijakers |
| View A Misguide to Milton Keynes |
| View Climbing Club |
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| Optimistic
Productions won the DFG and Five News ‘5 Bites’ commission
to make this 5 minute news piece on the growing phenomenon of urban adventure
racing. This took us to Bristol where Hilary got stuck in presenting
and sporadically participating in the urban challenges on offer. Photo Gary Bray BBC Bristol. |
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| A dark comedy 16mm film which traces the last 48 hours in the life of a man convinced he's the second coming of Christ. Jesus is side tracked by the evil Dr Schwartz, who's developed a machine called the 'invisiblator'. In the absence of a genuine miracle, Jesus pulls off an invisiblation in central park, wowing the press. Something goes wrong however, and he's trapped in an invisible purgatory, unable to contact his love, Cecilia of Williamsberg...... |
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| Auro Foxcroft is a young man with a mission and Optimistic Productions have been following his quest to provide affordable creative work-space in Shoreditch. He has gone about this in an unusual manner. Decommissioned Underground Carriages now look out over the east end of London sitting on their own little island of old railway viaduct. An inspiring example of recycling in action. The film has subsequently been acquired by Current TV. |
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| Everyday Elvis is designed to reflect the real lives of Elvis impersonators. We went to the Czech Republic at the end of 2004 and met Vladimir Lichnovsky to find out what it means to be an Elvis in a post Communist landscape - before following him to Blackpool for the annual competition there. |
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| Sonny, a documentary film-maker meets Erica in Hackney Wick; instantly he falls for her charms and manages to persuade her to go on a night escapade through the city. But Sonny's evil flatmate Klaus has no intention of letting love run its natural course! |
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| Hilary Powell, site specific installation artist leaves the derelict landscape of Hackney Wick to visit a similar area of former East Berlin, to take part in an art festival in derelict buildings. She takes us through that landscape full of surprise and hidden colour beneath the surface. |