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Where I did my BA(Hons) Drama & Theatre Arts Degree (2006 - 2009)

When I graduated from Middlesex University in 2009, I had 2 decisions to make.  Enter the Arts immediately or take a step back to evaluate my position and thus re evaluate what I wanted to do with my life.  To be honest, I have known what I have wanted to do for some time now but turning theories into practicalities is often a difficult task and with such big ideas, I was a little flustered to begin with.  Maybe that was why I made so many mistakes early on.  I do not regret these as I have learnt from these but they certainly came with some massive consequences.  Whilst I had my generously presented fair share of hurt, pain and disaster, I also apologise to those whom have suffered along the way.

Being a Theatre Producer and an Actor is just not enough for me.  I like to think big and look at things and see how I can make them better.  I am not a Politician or a Sociologist by any standards but I certainly have morals and I wanted to not just create Art but Art with a purpose that fully engages with all mediums as to allow a cross fertilisation of beneficiaries from both the Producers’ and Consumers’ points of view.

It is pretty simple really so I do get annoyed when people do not understand what we are doing but I also appreciate why people think that what we are doing is too good to be true!  After all, we are doing things differently here and it will take time to gel as we break the current moulds of contraption.

We are living in the worst credit crunch in living history.  Whilst this is a very difficult time for us all, we can draw positives from this.  Especially, those who have a creative head.  Creative people are often seen as the ‘Mickey Mouse’ of society.  Yes we like to entertain and fool around but we have a serious side to that is committed to researching, finding and developing in a bid to enrich the lives of those we reach.

Join our vision

It is time for creative people to stand their ground and show society that through open communication and a unified vision, that we can achieve so much more and bring this country back off its economical knees.  I am committed to serving both iSocialEyes and the nation’s we reach in developing a more sociably responsible and effective movement that will enrich the lives of our audience whilst creating new paid jobs in the arts where we hope to expand into other sectors.

As part of my commitment to society, I would like to welcome you to ask any questions below where I will answer publicly.  We are a long way off achieving our dreams but step by step, and with your input, we are excited about the endless possibilities that our format will achieve and I look forward to sharing this.  Bear with us in February as we finalise our structures and bring our company members up to speed.  In the meantime, feel free to also join us on Facebook where every link to every post will be placed on our page at www.facebook.com/iSocialEyes .

Take care and have a great, if cold, February!

Craig Postlethwaite

By reading this, you are already supporting a new movement in the arts.  Bet you feel good already hey?  Maybe that is a little bit of an  exaggeration but do bear with us, things are starting to spice up and we want your … Attention!  Eyes!  Potential feedback!  It all helps the creative mix.  Whether you love a good bombai mix, or a flurry of cocktails, we are going to mix things up real good for you and we just cannot wait to see what you think about it all.  You know the drill … Sharing is caring and this is what our ‘Comment’ area below is for …

'Eye of the Needle' by Vladimir Kush

… Well it takes time to find the right ingredients

Let’s face it, we can all create Theatre.  Get a space, sing a song and ding dang dong … You got Theatre!  All Theatre means is … A seeing place!!!  Now all you have to do is sit back and rake in the box office returns!  Good Luck …

Reality check:  Whatever you read about us artists – You know; how easy it is, simple, uneducated divas, not a real job – it is ALL wrong!   It is flaming hard work.  If you are not prepared to put the work in, then perhaps Theatre is not for you!

This is where our time has been spent.  We do not want to churn out an average piece of Theatre.  We want to create purposeful Theatre.  You know the kind:

• Aesthetically alluring
• Flaring up conversations
• Sparking our discussion forums into life

We have the hard working ethos and we are building our talent but do not take our word for it.  Keep a check on what we are getting up to here so you can see for yourself.  Challenge us if you like!  We would love to hear about a head to head artistic challenge you may have for us.  Think you could design a better garment?  Fancy a ‘monotition?’  (I just made that word up.  Simply, pick a Monologue, let us know and we will pair you up with a cast member.  We will agree a deadline and we will upload the video on the deadline with you … See who gets the most votes for their video.  If you win, who knows what you may get )

Everyone working together towards one aim

Now then, there is no denying that we have been taking our time.  Bet you think we have been a little slow on that front? WRONG Ladies and Gentlemen & Boys and Girls!  I do not claim to be an expert at anything (I will leave you judge us for yourself over the next 12 months), but I can tell you, that we now believe, that we now know what we are doing.  I have sifted through the dirt and now we are in search of the diamonds!  Metaphorically speaking of course.

What!  You want more?

If your answer is yes, you will have access to all our company members’ blogs.  The idea being that over time, we will develop an archive of material so you can see what is going on behind the scenes at each department plus much much more …

Everyone here, at iSocialEyes, is very excited about the potential outcome and future plans that we have in store for you all!

Bridging the gap between our team and success

Pictures say a thousand words but this one just needs to say  … 90 People (Okay, I know this picture only has 4 people but c’mon)!  Two platforms!  One goal!  Success … and we want you there with us.  Starting to see a pattern?  You got it, we want to involve you.  As a reward for supporting this movement, we are going to have a chat with our future advertisers and see what kind of prizes we can get going!  Not bad sounding that is it?  Now that will be exclusive to our members so stop mooching about and grab yourself a basic profile here so you do not fall behind! (Set up a basic profile)

A final word …

It is all about sharing!  ;-)  I have a simple question for you …

Q.  Do you like what we are about?

A.  Yes?

All we ask is that you help us spread the word!  Find us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, Share our content here.  The bigger the party here the better the atmosphere and trust us … WE HAVE PLANS!!!

Thank you so much in advance

for your support …

(PLEASE CLICK BELOW …)

Come and show your support by 'Like'ing us

Come and show your support by 'Follow'ing us

And a good morning to you.  Hows your day going?  Brilliant I hope.  I don’t mean to rub it in but mine is looking excellent.  Bank Holiday is over with and its back to work!  What more could I ask for?  I mean, check this out for a days line up:

• Wake up to a lovely fresh fruit juice with a lovely Bio Yoghurt and Fruit Salad (With a cheeky bit of toast)
• Head off for the Gym for a 90 minute session – Nothing like feeling sharp and alert for the day
• Catch the Jubilee Line and head to our Studios on the Southbank where I have a Production meeting with our Fashion Designers, Production team, performers, Marketing team and our content management team – They are the ones who manage the content on here, making sure everything is running smoothly and typing up everyones written bits and bobs – followed by an awesome rehearsal (Workshop style of course).  As well as the Creative Producer, I am also a performer in the Theatre Production – I don’t do Dancing … Not to our Dancers level anyway Cannot wait to see what we come out with today.  As ever, I will be checking this site tonight to see what everyone has been doing – The joys of everyone keeping a real time diary online
• Oh, and before the end of the day, we have a ‘spot’ of lunch (Why do they call it a spot?  Whoever they are that is.) and a bit of a catch up with everyone on the Southbank.  It is a little chilly today but during the Summer it is awesome stuff!  Might have an outdoor rehearsal … What you reckon?
• About an hour before we finish rehearsals, we have a ’round up.’  Call me a workaholic but I love what I do … Our fantastic Assistant Stage Manager (Who by the way could be working in Stage Management for the 2012 Olympics … Oh yes … Exciting) come Marketing Officer will be dishing out our PR Schedules.  Lovely things these.  They are what make us money so we can get paid for what we love doing.  A rarity I know but awesome hey.  Basically, these are all the interviews, chats, personal appearances etc that have been organised.  I will let you into a secret, the more people interact with us, the more we get paid – I will reveal a little more later so be sure to have a read, especially if you think there is a place for you in our company
• Oh and let’s not forget our good deeds.  We all have a Charity associated with us.  Haven’t you worked it out yet?
• As the day comes to a close, hmmmm … Surprise me … Maybe a meal out … Maybe a trip to the Theatre?  Not quite got that far yet but I am sure something will happen that will buzz with excitement and random crazy fun
• As for the night …  I would say zzz but I am far to excitement to just fall asleep …

Arghhhh, whats that?  Surely not … Nooooo, its an alarm clock! This is tragic …  Devastating.  Not the alarm clock but the fact that the above was all a dream.  Okay, you got me, I opted for a cheap end to this post.  Could of been a little more creative.

Yep, the above was all lies.  Lies I tell.  The truth is, my head is spinning right now.  I have just come back from what I call ‘regular work.’  I currently have two jobs.  One is working the morning shift in my local Post Office and another at a Pub.  Its good though.  The hours are fairly flexible allowing me to swap and change to accommodate this project.  Or should I say projects.  Well, I got back from my morning duties and to my horror, the website went offline.  For the techie savvy, this is essential as a website going offline can affect things like Google Page Rank, site loyalty etc not to mention a loss in confidence by the advertisers.  At present, we are getting a steady climb in visitors.  Last month we had 3,000 visitors from 28 countries and that was with very little promotion so hopefully with the promotion in place, we aim to get more interest.  All good things take time but they will come.

Anyway, the reason for the both.  Two fold.

Fold one:  My head was spinning and needed to keep reminding myself of ‘the dream’ (there is more to that dream but I don’t want to spoil the ending now do I).

Fold two:  I will be making a few jumps into the future.  Just so you can get an idea of my ambitions and where I am taking this project with my company.

Fun and game but lots of hard work coming up.  Isn’t it just as well I love what I do … When it goes according to plan … Cue Danny Elfman

Right, I have to go now as I need to sort this tech issue out before any further damage occurs.  I will, no doubt update you on how it is going tomorrow

Take care reader, audience member, assessor, human, monkey … You choose

Aural recording of the above:  Introduction – Part Two

(Yes, my Sister forced me to have my photo taken with my had in that position.  Okay, I wasn’t forced but the hand idea … Yes, that was her suggestion.  Taking Direction from a 12 year old … I suppose there are worse things )

Bish, Bash, Bosh!  Finished.  Completed.  Page 1 … Finito!  Well, it was hardly a page.  Not a full page anyway.  A hanky full of paragraphs would be more apt.  Did it give you a sense of tone and expectation as to what to expect from my writing?  Standardised?  Grammatically precise clauses?  Iambic pentameters fuelling the flow of reading?  Yes … Yes … Yes … Wait, that doesn’t sound right.  Ahhhhhh … Reading the wrong page I was.

Colloquial?  Inter personal?  Real?  Now that sounds better.  None of this fancy wancy stuff.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, I can do the formal writing.  I spent 3 years at University writing all pretentiously so it is nice to write more liberally now.  Nothing wrong with pretentiousness, if you like that thing – And in some instances, I like it too – but not here.

Do you write much?  I bet you do.  Writing formally is a lot easier than writing informally.  Notice I said informally and not gibberish.  That is in a league of its own.  I say writing formally is easier as all you are doing is putting on a front.  Your writing is based on the laws of your language.  You merely imitate these laws with a few fancy words.  Easy hey … Now you know how I got through my Language GCSE’s.  Dam, the secret is out!  Alright, calm down students.  Of course it was and is a little – okay a lot – harder than that.  I did alright though.  I say alright, what I actually mean is good enough but more on my educational career later on.

Was I in School, College or University with you?  Introduce yourself below and if I can conjure up a memory or two, I will get you involved in my posts.  There are lots of you so don’t make me look like a Billy No Mates!  ;-) Comment Comment Comment Ladies and Gentlemen!

Back to this.  Writing informally requires the ability to delve into your emotions.  Write as if you are talking to someone.  I actually have a little monkey that I am looking to as I write this now.  A nice monkey.  The usual really.  Small;  a food demolisher; always up to something and has a permanent cheeky grin on his face as he is always up to something.  If you have ever been to our Family house, you will have met him and will know him as Kieran Postlethwaite.  You got it , my youngest brother.  10 years of age.  He’s a big boy now … Double figures and everything!  Oh, how I need to learn how not to go off on a tangent.  Back to this … De Ja Vu anyone?  I have a big family so I hope you like what I am writing and keep coming back.  So where was I?  Ahhh yes … I was saying …

You become vulnerable.  An easy target for some.  There are no set laws to follow.  No real guidance.  No proven track.  There is just you and your approach.  A little scary if you ask me.  Maybe I am taking it a little too serious there.  Maybe I am preparing myself to open up a little more than normal.  Maybe you will be in for a treat as to what I am going to reveal.  Don’t get your expectations up though … Take one post at a time and let me know how I am doing.  After all, it is the first time I have done this and any guidance or feedback from you would be awesome to say the least.

Aural Recording of the above:  Introduction – Part One

Here I go.  The Start.  The beginning.  The Supernova of all Books!  Okay, I’ve calmed down now with the Dramatics.  Save it till later and all that.  Anyway, whatever this turns out to be, I am starting today – A New Year’s Resolution if you like.  A strange one, I agree but that is exactly how I feel.  Strange!  Maybe it is normal to feel strange doing what I am about to do.  Maybe not.  Time, as ever, will be the one who gets the final say!

In truth, what I am about to do is going to come as a complete shock to those who know me.  I am going to open up.  That’s right; Share my past with you, ask for your advice on what I am doing now in my life, bring you in on my future plans.  My experiences.  My desires.  Wait for it … My emotions!  Everything and anything that has and will shape the very being I am.  Many have claimed I am a very secretive person … Am I?  I am not promising perfection by no means but I do promise honesty.  That’s the joy of this – and I coined this myself, or I like to think I did – real time autobiography!  Each day I will be making a post which will resemble a page if this was to be printed and published in a hard copy.  With the added benefit that each post will give you the opportunity to post comments / feedback on at the bottom where I hope you will take full advantage of .  Ask me anything, share something from your own life.  I highly doubt you will surprise me.  After all, I am not actually meant to be here.  I should had ended up as a Clam sucking away at a Rock in Mumbles but more on that a little later.

This is my piece of Theatre.  My Drama.  Some sad.  Some fun.  Some dam right funny.  I have suffered rejection.  I have experienced great acceptance.  I will come across more rejection in the future.  I will come across more acceptance.  I will come across more sadness and more joys!  Its part and parcel of this crazy loop to loop roller coaster!  Either way, I will share with you how I have dealt with and deal with all this!

This is my story and I would love you to feel apart of it as both an audience member and as a contributor.  This is very much for you as well as for me.  The Park is now … Open!!!

Aural Recording of the above:  Nothing like the present …

***VISIT MY PROFILE HERE …***

My Most Recent Credits Include: ASM – “Basket Case” (Royal Theatre, Northampton); DSM -”Three Sisters” (Rose Theatre, Sidcup); Crew Dep – “In The Night Garden – Live!” (Brent Cross); ASM – World Aids Week Dance Show (Stratford Circus); ASM – “Unheard (A New Musical)” (Royal Theatre, Northampton); SM “Honest” (MailCoach, Northampton); DSM -”Pirates Of Penzance” (Royal Theatre,Northampton). 

***VISIT MY PROFILE HERE …***

Britta started as a classically trained men’s tailor, with nineteen years of fashion trade and industry experience in men’s and women’s wear. She carried out a three-year apprenticeship with master tailor Atelier Hieber in Germany, and there developed a passion for handmade top end luxury clothing, combined with deep knowledge of fashion technology.

Upon graduating her apprenticeship with honors, she then entered into a sponsorship for talented craftspeople. This allowed her to developed extra professional skills in beading, fashion drawing, millinery, draping and men’s pattern cutting. She was employed at Stuttgart State Theatre, working in the costume department on bespoke costumes for the male ballet dancers, and opera singers.

Moreover, the German government sponsored Britta to accomplish work experience abroad. Then, at twenty one, she moved to London to work as a tailor on prestigious Savile Row. She went on to work for much longer than just her sponsorship, gaining a permanent position at Maurice Sedwell; and then Norton & Sons, where she had the honor of making suits for King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Returning to Germany to train as a Pattern Maker and Designer (Schnittdirectriece) at Müller und Sohn College, Britta became much sought after as a patternmaker in London by leading fashion designers such as: Amanda Wakeley, Clements Ribeiro, and Betty Jackson to name a few.

Her true creativity and designs finally came out when she co-founded in 2001 the couture house Saint-Hill & Von Basedow, creating Haute Couture gowns. During the nine years as an entrepreneur, Britta designed, created, ran the business, and brought their collections onto the catwalks of Paris Haute Couture weeks. In 2009, Franck Sorbier granted her a rare stamp of approval to the house.

In September 2011, Britta created her own Label: Britta von Basedow, London, and sold her first collection on drawings and sketches only.

Her skills combined with her dedication, talent, style and artistry; make von Basedow an exceptional and remarkable world-class craftswoman and designer.

***VISIT MY PROFILE HERE …***