Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

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Willy
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Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

Post by Willy »

About 10 years ago Douglas Boswell, a young man in his early twenties, appeared in my club "Focus Willebroek". He had noticed one of our posters in a pub saying "Learn to make films. Join our club!". A few months later he told me that he wanted to make a fiction film called "Foxtrot". He had already written a scenario. He had one problem... He didn't have a camera. I told him that he could borrow mine, a super VHS-camera. My "old" clubmates said that I was stupid. They would not trust him... But, his film "Foxtrot" was exciting. Two years later he made "My first Shakespeare". A fantastic film. I encouraged Dougie to take part in BIAFF. He won an international medaillion (now called a diamond award). I had "beaten" him at our local club competition, but I must admit ... he had not finished his "Shakespeare film" yet. It was unfinished. The same year he won the Belgian National Competition. A photo was taken of Douglas and me. He also won the Guernsey Lily Trophy (1st prize). In the mean time Douglas studied at the film school in Brussels. Then he got a job at the Belgian TV-Channels. He directed some successful soaps.

BUT NOW, ... He made his first long film called LABYRINTHUS (see http://www.labyrinthusdefilm.be/nl/) .

Parts of it were shown on TV yesterday. It will be screened in all Belgian cinemas from 2nd July onwards. I am very curious. I feel it ... Douglas will be nominated for an oscar in Hollywood. And I am not the only one who thinks so.

Watch his trailer:


Maybe you will be surprised. I am very proud that I ever lent him my camera.
Willy Van der Linden
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Dave Watterson
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Re: Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

Post by Dave Watterson »

A technical note ... in order to display the trailer, our usual "youtube" button did not work. I had to use a different technique:

1) Click the "Flash" button which presents [flash=][/flash]
2) In the first bracket set the size of the video e.g. [flash=420, 315]
3) Then copy the YouTube address from the address bar of your browser (not from the YouTube share option.)
In this case it was "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwtIYV2 ... e=youtu.be"
4) Paste that between the two commands [flash=]paste here[/flash]
5) Then replace the part watch?v= with v/
6) Click the "Preview" button under the message space to make sure it works. If all is well click "Submit".
Michael Slowe
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Re: Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

Post by Michael Slowe »

Dave, I found that the trailer played perfectly well when I clicked on it, mind you, I'm on a Mac and you're on the inferior PC (joke everybody). The trailer is fantastic in a visual way, no audio, is that correct Willy? Well done for spotting such a talent, you must feel very proud of him. I somehow don't think that he used your VHS camera for this film, the visuals look stunning.
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Dave Watterson
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Re: Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

Post by Dave Watterson »

Thanks, Michael ! :lol:

My message was just a warning for anyone else trying to present a film here ...

Sometimes our YouTube or Vimeo buttons may not work. In that case try the Flash button and the technique described.

Readers should not have to play such games - just watch and enjoy. For example look at the latest work from our forum friend John Ingham over in the Help and Advice for Newcomers Forum viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3467
Brian Saberton
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Re: Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

Post by Brian Saberton »

The film looks amazing and I hope it gets a UK release. I remember Douglas's films from BIAFF and also the Guernsey Lily and thinking at the time that he would do well in the commercial sector.
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Willy
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Re: Clubmate Douglas Boswell to Hollywood?

Post by Willy »

Yes, I feel very proud. I am quite sure that Douglas didn't use a camera. He was the director. Last Saturday an article about Douglas and his "Labyrinthus" appeared in our national newspaper "De Morgen". 3 pages ! The title: "The Flemish Spielberg". It also said that his grandfather was a British soldier in the Second World War who survived the landing in Normandy (D-Day). Afterwards he went to Belgium and he stayed there. Douglas used green-key in his film. It gives fantastic special effects. There should be sound on the trailer, Michael. I have also written this article for the forum because it illustrates that attracting young filmmakers may be rewarding. But I must admit: Douglas is someone special. At that time we could not feel the gap between young and old in our club.
Willy Van der Linden
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Willy
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Re: Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

Post by Willy »

Now you can see Dougie's film "Labyrinthus" in Japan. Of course subtitled in Japanese. I have seen it on his facebook. I wonder if the Japanese trailer could be shown here on this website. It's strange in Japanese. It's heart-warming that my former club member has not forgotten his roots... BIAFF (diamond award with 'My First Shakespeare), Guernsey (winner Lily Trophy Festival), NAB (winner Belgian national competition).
In September a soap for children will be shown on our TV. It's called "Cat's Eye". Douglas is the director.
Willy Van der Linden
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Dave Watterson
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Re: Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

Post by Dave Watterson »

I had the pleasure of meeting Douglas at the De Draake Festival, organised by my friend Christiane Surdiacourt many years ago. We talked a lot about his films NARDO and MY FIRST SHAKESPEARE. Luckily I had put the English subtitles on SHAKEPEARE so knew the film intimately. He was interested and interesting. Here is what he looks like now talking about LABYRINTHUS
[youtube2]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_OH62_32us[/youtube2]

and here is the trailer with English subtitles:
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Willy
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Re: Clubmate Douglas Boswell toHollywood?

Post by Willy »

Many thanks for having found this interview, Dave. His English is fantastic, isn't it? He has not changed very much. He is still very talkative. He must be 39 now, I think. Yes, "Nardo"... Douglas enjoys making films for children and very often children are the main characters in his movies. Also in "My First Shakespeare". For "Nardo"- the story with a hamster - he found the ideal location in the building of our local fire brigade in Willebroek. But there was also a disappointment. Together with "Nardo" he made a documentary about our fire brigade. The captain promised to buy some copies for his men. Douglas was very enthusiastic and just after having finished his documentary he already gave a copy to the captain. You can guess what happened... I am sure that after all those years he knows better now.
Willy Van der Linden
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