I'm really excited!
I've just switched on my computer, and I've got a long e-mail from Mike & Gerrard.
They got back last night from 'Decibel 2009', the arts-fair in Manchester.
It seems that it went really well.
This is what they sent me:
'Hi, Lillian.
It's Mike and Gerrard here.
We just want to tell you what happened at Decibel in the last couple of days.
We arrived in Manchester (by train) on Wednesday afternoon armed with our flyers, dvd promos, presentation script, and expectations for 'Pattie-Shop Diaries'.
We (eventually) found the hotel, changed, collected-up our promotional material, and then made our way to the the Town Hall (location for our presentation and the 'central hub' of information for the 'Decibel' team).
We said 'Hi' to the organisers (Natasha, Ruth & Sophiana were especially great), gathered information, had our pictures taken for the 'Decibel Board-of-Fame', and then proceeded to put our leaflets into the 'pigeon-holes' of selected delegates.
(We could see, from doing this, that there were quite a few very interesting-looking potential targets in attendance, many of whom we knew)
We then went off, got some food, and went to see a few performances before going back to the hotel to prepare for the next morning's presentation.
We had decided to use a slide-show and the short trailer (which were on the dvd that The Fabulous Rasconrad had supplied us with), in conjunction with a prepared speech that we were both going to read from.
In the morning, we made our way to the Town Hall @ about 8.30am (our alloted time for presentation was 10.45am).
After a little prep with the technicians, and mediators Natasha Graham & Sarah Holmes(in order to make sure our pitch was under 5mins), we felt we were ready.
The other 3 'pitchers' did their thing and we were last to go.
It was a 'full-house'(about 200 delegates & fellow artists);
we made our way to the front, checked with the techies (so that they could cue the slide-show),started our presentation and then .......
MINI DISASTER (!) ...... the slide-show froze.
We continued (keeping a rueful watch on the projection-screen), and thankfully the
slideshow corrected itself.
We then introduced the promotional trailer and then .....
MAJOR DISASTER (!) ...... the dvd glitched and would not play.'
N.B.
LILLIAN'S NOTE:
UNCLE SEYMOUR ALWAYS SAYS :
'ON STAGE, NEVER WORK WITH ANIMALS, CHILDREN, OR TECHNOLOGY !'
I CAN SEE WHAT HE MEANS, NOW.
'Anyway, after what seemed like ages (probably only about 20 secs), the dvd started working, and all the delegates seemed to really enjoy the trailer;
we completed the speech/request for money & help, and got a huge round of applause.
Gerrard @ Decibel Mancester 2009
Afterwards, we were inundated with people congratulating us on our pitch and offering us help and suggestions.
We had a few theatre/venues wanting the piece, a highly experienced DIRECTOR expressing strong interest, and many people from 'Arts Council' suggesting an imminent meeting to arrange funding.
We were only due to be there for the day, so we had a couple more meetings (not least a long, lovely, & very productive one with the prospective Director), met a few people who have been very helpful in the past (Ben Evans, Raidene Carter, & Felix Cross to name but 3), and then departed for London, arriving back at about 10pm.
Decibel 2009 was (from our viewpoint) very well organised;
big props to all the Decibel- XTrax team who were working so long and well.
Special thanks to Sophiana and Ruth (who were understandably showing signs of 'wear & tear' whilst smiling & keeping everything together).
It was certainly a very good experience for 'biggerthanME' and, we feel, a fruitful and productive turn-of-events for 'Pattie Shop Diaries'.
Needless to say, we shall be following up all these leads and keeping you informed.
Hope you and the family are well.
Speak soon.
Mike & Gerrard. x'
Well, it all sounds VERY exciting.
I've tried to phone Mike & Gerrard to congratulate them, but there's no answer......
maybe they're still sleeping.
Anyway, it looks like 'Pattie-Shop Diaries' might actually get made ...... WOW !
I told Uncle Seymour about the e-mail and he was just interested in whether or not he could get to play himself.
I told him that, maybe he was too OLD to play himself (!) ........
He laughed and suggested that that was MY affliction (not his) and, on the contrary, he'd always been too YOUNG and, furthermore, would continue to be so !
I love Uncle Seymour ...... he's just so DRAMA !!!
Anyway, I've got to go.
I'll let you all know what's happening, in the 'World of Pattie', as soon as I do.
Bye for now.
Much Love,
Lillian x
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