Independence, rebellion and the local press

Hahahaha!  The revolution is here they said. The tools of production are ours they said - and not only that now, the tools of distribution are ours too.  But the Establishment is still a gatekeeper.  It never occurred to me what this means. Well obviously it has, but not in any proper way other wise I wouldn't be here right now writing a blog about independence.  All James and I ever wanted to do is make a film.  We spent a couple of years trying to "make it" in Hollywood then we came to Gateshead - a counter-intuitive move in a history of counter-intuitivism. Shut up woman, what are you on about? I don't really know, but when I was about 20 I was taking a sociology course - mad eh? And as a result of one of the exercises I was labelled a rebel. I had never thought of myself as a rebel and really still don't, though I do have a perverse urge to turn left if everyone else turns right.

So what's this got to do with film or more specifically The Stagg Do? Well, we moved here had a couple of kids and started making films… What I had never realised was that not courting The Establishment could leave you high and dry when it comes to press. Nationally maybe, but not locally with what feels to me to be a local interest story.  I mean I could be wrong - but here are the things that I think make this a newsworthy story:

• It's a WORLD PREMIERE. In Newcastle.
  
• It's a film made by people from Newcastle about people from Newcastle.
  
• It was SELF FUNDED - nowt from the government's tit.
  
• Keith Bell producer of Dog Soldiers, the Descent and Harry Brown is hosting our Q and A.
• It features a couple of well known local actors.
  
• It features two local stand ups (one of whom is making his BIG SCREEN debut) - 3 if you count Ian Mac.
  
• It features two non-actors in the lead roles (and not in an am-dram way).
  
• It features a soundtrack of 100% local artists.
  
• We're raising money for a local charity at the premiere

But apparently that's not good enough. According to one of the BBC Newcastle producers I spoke to today - the reasons for our North Korea like media coverage are:

Too much swearing - the BBC has standards on taste and decency - yet covered Zombie Women of Satan (which features topless women being hacked to death) and they broadcast Mrs Brown's Boys which isn't exactly clean. 

We don't share the same audience - apparently BBC Newcastle Local and Proud™ isn't listened to by people aged 35-55 in the North East of England… makes me wonder why they broadcast here then. And why I pay my license fee?

A WORLD PREMIERE is not a story unless the rest of the world knows about it! I know WTAF?

I know this sounds like sour grapes, but really it's not. It's fucking hilarious.  I knew getting The Stagg Do out there would be difficult, but I NEVER thought that media outlets that have covered things as stunningly newsworthy as a woman's bad eyebrows and a Toure chant in Newcastle would blank us.  Every person I know who has anything to do with films has been interviewed on BBC Newcastle or in The Chronicle or The Journal. We get a rehash of our press release in the Chron and nowt else. It's like Pravda.  Anyway fuck the BBC. Come laugh yer tits off with us tomorrow night.  As I put on Twitter earlier, the fact that so many people know about The Stagg Do without the help of the local media is a testament to our audience - we love you. xxx

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