To all members of the thread, I’m a documentary filmmaker whose potential next project will be based on the London bike messenger scene. My colleague and I are looking for free-spirited, open minded and die hard messengers to focus our project on. We aim to produce a 5 – 10 minute video, detailing a day in the life of a London courier, delving into the culture, lifestyle and ‘essence’ of the business. Ideally we are looking for a cool, interesting character who will personify the essence of this principally visual and high octane video. We are aiming to shoot scenes of this person screaming through London and other mounted camera shots.

If you would like to take part, or know someone who would be perfect as a frontispiece and who wouldn’t mind being interviewed and filmed for two days at the end of July , please do get in touch.

Many thanks,

Chris

It's that time of the year again...

http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/the-revolution-will-not-be-televised

WOW!!! originality!!! Messenger documentary!! Why didnt I think of that?!

Chriscable, what a twat you are. Do you even live in the real world? Are you even real? Stop writing like a fucking hypercaffeinated extreme sports salesman and start writing like a human being. Then you might get something other than the piss taken out of you.

Do me I'm a great big shining star. London's been done to death. Anchorage, Alaska now that's cutting edge messenger shit, baby, dodging gangbanger bullets and pissed off moose. Yeah that's it we'll get Sarrah Pallin to bust out her track bike and kick it like she did back in the day with Ted Stevens loading the bong like he always did yeah, it'll be super groovy. I'll be your little super star.

messengers and media mix like oil and milk. yum.

I find it odd that there has been is such a negative backlash towards this. I'm not a proven filmmaker but someone who is looking to do a first project with a friend. It seems that many of you are convinced the aim is exploitation, dismissing it as unoriginal and cliche. When I was temping in front office and postroom jobs for most of last year and met messengers daily, they were interested in the idea, suggesting angles and topics and happy to participate, not a bitter, cynical reaction.

Meet me at the Foundry on friday.I will do it for cash.

Compare and contrast chriscables proposition with this: http://www.movingtargetzine.com/forum/discussion/1580/photo-project/ - one gets negative reactions, the other positive. Lisa is aiming merely to document, whereas Chris brings an agenda - one we've all seen before, and are bored with. I think the answer lays there...

I agree with Wayne. That would be way cooler than another movie about some flashy short-timer or twenty something fashion type slumming it for a year or two. Seriously man. Document the Pike. Or maybe it could be a courier?zombie movie.. we could work with that..

Minced poo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carrier bags are the dogs knackers. Old schooly Woop woop!!!!!!!!

Yes mam

I think the reason why bike messengers make great subject for short films and documentaries is because firstly it's a job with a very specific culture ingrained with it. Secondly, as Angeleyes puts it, it is dangerous, and it does appear adrenaline fuelled - hence the reason many films use fast, choppy editting techniques, accompanied by a speed garage soundtrack. I guess it's the same as films about surfers, or free runners - you think about those together with high octance, very visual filming. But do surfers or free runners attack someone for wanting to portray them in a stylised way? Do they respond in an aggressive manner?

Back to the cultural aspect, bike messengers are an interesting subject because they are very stylised. Perhaps that is a generalisation, and if anyone here is offended, then my apologies. But it's true that everything from the fashion, the appearance and perhaps even the lifestyle is interesting to the masses, for the very reason that it is not the norm. This idea wasn't about exploitation, but celebration. This job looks cool (don't take this as patronising - I understand it's your profession), and it would suit a cool style of filming.

The irritating thing about the initial reaction to this idea from some of you on this thread was the ammunition you are supplying to those who say you are a 'closed society', who adopt a siege mentality who want nothing to do with 'average Joe Bloggs'. Ok, so people want to take you picture and whatever, no doubt goggle eyed tourists, but to respond with a 'mightier than you, fuck off', or 'you don't understand us man' attitude is crazy. Your just compounding this impression.

I think your idea Emilia is a good one. Maybe I have been short sighted to focus on the athletic, thrill seeking, urban fashionistas is cliche. Maybe I should concentrate on the older messengers, struggling with run down bikes and shunned by the rest because they don't conform to the higher echelons of messenger chic. Maybe I should look at why some of you are so angry, so pissed off. The fact is, this whole project can be what you want it to be. It's not an attack from an outsider, it's a chance to highlight the stories you think important. Perhaps we can look at your safety, the support you are or are not getting from councils when you're knocked down from your bikes. There seem to be several issues on the homepage that are important to the messenger community, so voice them.

All I want to do is produce something interesting as a starting project, with people who I thought might be willing to create something fun. I'll try an make it to The Foundry on Friday, and buy those of you who are pissed off a pint and maybe you can enlighten me to the problem.

nothing

"I think the reason why bike messengers make great subject for short films and documentaries is because firstly it's a job with a very specific culture ingrained with it. Secondly, as Angeleyes puts it, it is dangerous, and it does appear adrenaline fuelled - hence the reason many films use fast, choppy editting techniques, accompanied by a speed garage soundtrack. I guess it's the same as films about surfers, or free runners - you think about those together with high octance, very visual filming. But do surfers or free runners attack someone for wanting to portray them in a stylised way? Do they respond in an aggressive manner?"


BOLLOX! thats all I have to say about that! Go do a film about motorbike couriers thats dangerous too...oh the excitement! wwwwwwooooooooooopppppp wwwwwwwwwwwwooooooooooopppppppppp!!!


(24 words)

p.s origanility is not important?! maybe not for you, but if this guy wants to make a half decent film about anything it
would probably help.

"Maybe I should concentrate on the older messengers, struggling with run down bikes and shunned by the rest because they don't conform to the higher echelons of messenger chic."

Speak to Overdrive.

It's not as good as it used to be.

''...they multiply with a frenzy during the summer season, and the food is scarce,nothing is to be wasted and a half-eaten and expired deli sandwich is proving irresistible these days....''How am doing Overdrive?

Fart snacks

Amstel please

Criscable, fuck those London messengers off, especially the one with the ironic tash they call Overhumperdinkle. Come and make your doco about an exenger who now works in the bush. I'm about 220 km's east of Carnarvon in W.A, you'll find me tomorrow exposing a pipe about 2 metres down in an empty riverbed with a shovel. You can film me in a stylized way and juxtapose as i dig.

@ angeleyes
about your "PS"
I spent Tuesday sitting around with people and also tried to follow somebody but he was out of my sight in about 23 sec. Been around the previous Tuesday as well, and that day was raining. I work part-time in an office so I have little time during the week and for how much I ‘d like to be paid for cycling –a good messenger earns more than an unexperienced account assistant does, doesn’t matter how hard she works- and be outside, I’d be rubbish as a courier, too slow and too not fit.
Having said that, on my risk to embark in an unoriginal “project” and spending the little time I have trying to engaging face to face with people. If it doesn’t work would be a big pain on the neck for me. I wish I could have original ideas all the time, well, some times would be more than enough…
Just for the record, couriers may look like lots of different things but believe me, not pretty colorful butterflies that elengatly follow the blow of the wind (just my impression or everytime is windy- that is every other day- it’s a l w a y s against you??) and not like a commune of happy hippies.
Between the the utopia of the "truth as a whole" and most-of-the-times-likely-to-happen-misrepresentation, there are different degree of knowledge and understanding. Depends on how it works between the “-maker” and the subject (horrible word, I don t know how to put it sorry!)
I'd be very happy to have a proper chat with you, if you'd feel like saying yes this time.
@overdrive
Why does it make you feel dirty? Just asking
@overdrive & emilia
Yes! "Less cool" messenger and all the other fakengers, exengers, bmxesenger, donkeys and monkeys (did I dream about the last 2 or I actually read somewhere it’s slang for not extremely capable couriers?) is such a fascinating thing! started already thinking about this. also, funny enough, I found myself following another courier in the city and saying: "well mate you're supposed to go faster than me what's wrong??" (no name,minced words:)
I met few people on the street -kind of lonesome couriers- who didn’t know about moving target or the lcef…. I was surprised when they called ME asking for web site address and stuff.

anyway, between all the cyclists in london, couriers stand out, for lots of different reasons. it's a fact. and it's pretty fascinating.

thanks!
I'm totally with you about that of course.
Now you leave me wondering about disgust....