Some people call it a newsletter, most delete it from their inbox, others try to emulate it, and for the rest of you – well, going online isn’t quite the same until you’ve received it… its’ the BUFF Blog!!!Until recently, most BUFF blogs were written by the BUFF ghostwriter. In the 2 years since the advent of the UK’s 1st ever film festival monthly blog, a variety of voices from the world of film and TV have been invited to offer their own unique voice on the industry by which they make their name and their living. This month’s edition is guest written by an Oscar award winner no less (albeit by association) and arguably one of the busiest men in the business. It was during the FIFA World Cup last summer when BUFF was fortunate enough to have asked actor Wil Johnson when would be his next day off such was his demand at the time – and continues to be. The day in question just happened to be that very day itself – a day England football supporters would rather forget – and sure enough, that match was soon forgotten and in next to no time, we were discussing Wil’s ideas to pen a script for a cop drama whilst tucking into some delightful king fried prawns.

The next time BUFF met Wil was the day before the Notting Hill Carnival only this time we were in situ at the Bernie Grant Centre in Tottenham putting together the final preparations for the British Urban Film Festival. It was during this juncture that Wil mentioned another script which had just been finished by actor Adam Deacon which he was very excited about – the script was billed as an urban comedy in which I was told to imagine as a cross between Adulthood and the film Friday which was written by and starred Ice Cube. That was August the 28th 2010 and so fast forward to March 2011 and the UK premiere of Anuvahood. High time we hear from Wil Johnson himself – in his own words…

Ok people!
Wil Johnson here…
Greetings! This is my first blog! Never written one before, but as they say, there’s a first time for everything. What an interesting last six months people, lots of changes, developments and potentially really interesting projects on the cards!!! I first met Emmanuel, the man behind BUFF a few years ago and found him to be a sound brother with integrity…Something that is very rare in this business. A person prepared to go out on a limb and make a difference…For that I salute him. I approached Emmanuel with a film that I had co-produced and starred in called ‘DISORIENTED GENERATION’ which he very kindly screened at the BUFF festival back in 2009…Since then I supported and attended various screenings of the BUFF Festival in 2010.

Right! What’s been happening with me since then???? Fortunately quite a lot….
2010 was a brilliant and busy year filming WATERLOO ROAD, WAKING THE DEAD, ANUVAHOOD and the provocative new feature THROW OF A DICE hitting our screens later this year! Phew!
WATERLOO ROAD was well received and went onto win the NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARD for Best Drama series 2011, WAKING THE DEAD is being aired to huge appreciation nationwide, and to cap it all, a Danish feature I shot in Kenya 2009 Directed by Susanne Bier called IN A BETTER WORLD went onto win the GOLDEN GLOBE and OSCAR for Best Foreign Film 2011!!!! Not bad for a boy from Tottenham eh????

Currently, I’m co-producing another feature with my business partner, Writer, Director, Producer Christian Ashaiku called AMINA starring the brilliant and multi talented Nollywood Actress Omotola Jalade, Ghanian Star Van Vicker and Myself…A powerful drama about a woman who after suffering a series of traumas in her life, has a breakdown and ends up in a mental instituition under the careful guidance of Dr Johnson (Played by myself) Amina begins the slow road to recovery but not without powerful discoveries along the way…We’re in pre production and start shooting next month…
I don’t want to come on this blog and bemoan the challenges that our industry faces, but celebrate our achievements and potentially what’s to come…

MIRROR BOY had an amazing Premiere at the Empire Leicester Square, ramming out the venue to capacity, further displaying the need for more African stories told through the medium of cinema..yaaaaay!!!! Long may the films success continue…
ANUVAHOOD, the British urban comedy opened last Friday and was the number one film across London over the weekend…

Right across the board film makers young and old are opening up their laptops and writing!!! Getting things together…Young blood Ashley Chin has a feature coming up this year – VICTIM – hopefully we’ll see this film hit the cinemas this year. Q, a legend, released the very brilliant DEADMEAT on dvd this month and is in post production on his current feature – FEVER – which judging by the teaser clips I’ve seen so far is gonna be cooking with gas!!!!
Well people, slowly but surely with the demise of the UK film council, independent companies are springing up and people are hiring those RED 1 cameras and CANNON cameras and getting out there and shooting!!!!!

Looks like BUFF is gonna be busy this year with features flooding their gates….
Until the next time people I’m out…
Pre Production calls…

Blessings
(c) Wil Johnson/BUFF Enterprises. All Rights Reserved.