The very first time we started this blog was as the film Bula Quo kicked off and we were either on a plane to Fiji, or thereabout. We left in a whirlwind and arrived in a cyclone!
Truth be told, we got so busy we never leant what blogging was or how to use it, and so much was being thrown at us from the skies, the insurers and every conceivable angle that we never really blogged.
To the right, Stuart while at Radio 1, Doreen Davies and far right, Willy DeVille.
A jump happened, fondly referred to as 'Video Killed The Radio Star' around 1980 when Stuart who was in the league for a bigger job in the few radio stations that existed back then, was cast as the DJ on the TVS twice weekly soap called Radio Phoenix and he moved into TV. The other cast members were names like Sherrie Hewson (Loose Women), Simon Rouse (The Bill) ... and he never went back to radio other than to cover Steve Wright's show at Radio Orwell when Steve went to Radio 1 where Stuart had started on the bench.
So it is no surprise that after making many films, directing some, directing 2nd Unit on some huge Hollywood movies, that when he re-met the Quo in 2005 it was old mates and that is when making the film was discussed. The film would probably would have just steam rollered into production as the money was there, the will was there, but Rick fell ill with two lumps in his throat.The schedule backed up and there was no time for a film and Stuart went off and worked with Jean Claude and others. Then Quo reconsidered the heavy more violent action movie that had been proposed and suggested they look more at comedy and the Radio 2 audience they now had.
It is quite a story as to how they got to Fiji, and how a disaster then hit the island, how Rick was injured while filming and Stuart and Tim Major had to drink Kava with the Chief of the tribe that owned the waterfall in order to discuss the use of it for filming. Long international conversations with David Hasselhof who was to co star .... Then there was the cyclone, the worst weather in Fiji's History. The Quo office rang us and asked if the news stories seen in the UK were true, people being airlifted out.... we had to convince them to fly.There may be a lot you don't know about this movie, the story is maybe greater than the film. But take a look and you will see why there is so much we have to tell that will make you smile. And more, and even more.......
If that was not enough, and we are skipping a few disasters, on the release night on July .... the one showing locked into 180 cinemas at 1930hrs played against Andy Murray on court in the semi final of Wimbledon and an estimated 13 million plus audience that stayed at home. By the time the match ended the one screening of Bula Quo had finished. Despite that, against the six screenings most other films had that day, Bula Quo hit number 7 in the Rentrak chart that night. There is a chance it could have been quite a reasonable hit, but of the 60 or so other cinemas who had agreed to show the film for more that the one night, totalling way over 200 screens, the knives were out by the usual critics.
Universal took the video rights and the Fijian unplugged music gave way to Quo Classics. To suggest this is just a small sample of the many stories would be an understatement, but as the team, Doris and Stuart fly out to Spain in August, Rick is again recovering from his heart attack. So it is full circle, the second film is only discussions that will continue until it is either made or we give up on the idea, but on an array of hard drives is so much material that there is a TV series for the faithful that will take hours to cut.The problem is / was, there is no point doing it if there is no medium that you can understand and control to get it out there. The 'Tipping Point' is a term, an official term given to television, and it refers to the internet basically taking over and albeit closing down broadcast TV as we know it. It has been as slow to come in the UK as digital cameras were to replace film cameras, but you may be assured that the move will not reverse.
In preparation, for years we have been looking for a way to have and to own and control. No more large labels or channels giving advice and never paying royalties. If there is to be no money, at least we want to know that as the owners of the material we are in control. So, at last, Apple announce along with new laptops, the fact that they are going to have a TV operating system and sell apps for the TV. Most TV's from the very end of last year come with Android technology, like your phone. So, we are building a relationship with OPERA. If you have OPERA you will find the DORIS VISITS app.
Doris Visits, Doris TV, Doris meets quo .... Doris was an accident, be fair, we could never have planned that. The Doris Shades drama series, Shades Of Bad was made by the intern we took to Fiji for Bula Quo, his first directing job. We owed him a favour and wanted to experiment in new web media.
The drama spun the travel show, and that fits into a box that broadcasters, even web broadcasters like.
Now, Doris TV is the parent channel, and on it we will have the travel show, the easiest one to gain a profile with. The Doris Shades drama series was made by the intern we took to Fiji for Bula Quo, his first directing job. That will be reworked and in discussions with reps for Opera we have a direction, then we will cut the Status Quo revelations and interviews from Bula Quo. Click this paragraph to see how we will look when you can find it on your newer TV!
I have to say I am enjoying, just looking at what we saw on our last trip, it was a mammoth adventure. Click here for the Baltic Cruise. And we arrive Stockholm the week Quo are there. And while we are dragging Doris round filming, Francis is texting her asking why she has not done the Times Crossword.
So, we will be in Spain and will no doubt have the camera, maybe not at the Starlite, we might be drinking! The work load is huge, but maybe now you will see the channel start to get an identity and the blogs and web sites get built for a next generation. It all takes time and we have had to guess the future then wait for it.
There is a lot to tell, maybe even a book. Read the next blog now.