Apologies for things being topsy-turvy at the moment, I’m endeavouring to fix! In the meantime scroll around and like a jigsaw you can put mismatched posts back in some kind of order. Tweets are also living at the bottom of my page. How random!
Je suis le PANTALON!
Didn’t I say that I wouldn’t do anything in my pants again? Ah well, looks like I’ve become typecast.
Here I am as part of the Frenchy viral thing for Mennen, a men’s sports brand from French France. Surprisingly, there are 2 million-plus hits and counting. Zute Alor!
This is part of four funny skits I did for their website which were directed by L.A. based Bo Mirosseni. It’s quite jolly really and you can even download a little animated ME for your desktop, if you fancy. Now there’s a first! I was hoping they’d release an action figure with clip-on side-parting and kung-fu grip too.
If you’re wondering what rubber duck is all about, it’s a Gallic metaphor for a beer belly. And who said the French don’t have a sense of humour!?
The Milkman’s Nose
This snout of mine, which my parents seem adement belongs to neither of their DNA, has got me some more Gallic work. This week I’ve been shooting for a French sports brand. The product being a men’s compression vest which claims to be impregnated with caffeine. I shit ye not.
Alongside four beautiful models, me and my big nose where trying our best to be funny in a location where a refrigerator would have been jealous at the space’s ability to harvest the cold. IT. WAS. FREEZING. I spent as much time as possible finding new and intriguing ways of staying warm when one’s character only wears underpants. Now I know why every crew member seems to sponsored by North Face clothing! I wasn’t lucky enough to have any of those “fuck me, it’s nippy out there, Shackleton” jackets, so in-between takes I was given this rather fetching dressing gown to keep me warm. I’m sorry, but fashion goes right out of the window when it’s cold….
Jungle is massive!
Straight after the corporate video strangeness (see below post) I hopped on a plane to Hungary and started work on commercial for a new soft drink created by rather large beverage company. After a sketchy flight with zero leg room and the recycled air of 300 Eastern Europeans who had been on the piss the night before, I was happily put up in a rather palatial hotel with a jacuzzi outside my door. Cue my audible sigh and the ordering of room service….Goulash, if you must know.
One size nearly fits all.
After lunch I donned my complimentary slippers (see photo left) and shuffled off to wardrobe fitting, luckily on the same floor. Wardrobe fittings are always an unusual experience…..imagine you have half a dozen strangers stare at you whilst you try on a variety of clothing and talk about you in the third person. This one was coupled by even more weirdness with four languages going around the room: Flemish (DOP), Hungarian (Wardrobe), English (Me) and French (Director). Once photos had been taken, files ftp’d and decisions made on my clobber I was charioted to the enormous sound studio where my jungle awaited me.
Jungle is MASSIVE!
It was here that I learnt that I was to spend the next few days running, crouching and flying around a jungle with a pixelated head. Just another average day for ‘I do all my own stunts’ McCusker.
SPOILER alert… I also heard that Die Hard 5 was about to be filmed nearby. Alas, Bruce wasn’t allowed in my trailer, (some old lawsuit) so I can neither confirm nor deny these rumours.
And so my foray into the land of green screen acting began….Watch out Andy Serkis!
Phone call for Mr. Pixel Head!
Vocal warm up.
This week I’ve been on location across central London and in-studio filming a big corporate video for Barclays. I’ve discovered the healing powers of a hot water bottle to defrost my lips when trying talking to camera on a February morning and I’ve also discovered that filming in Old Compton Street does attract some colourful locals, who do enjoy a good chat whilst your trying to do a take!
Luckily today I’ve been shooting in a white (ish) space doing my best impression of a Jesse J music video, with temperature and insane people being kept under control.
Kind of surprised at why they would want me to present anything, to be honest. Perhaps the scruffy-fop-love-child of John Lennon and Nicholas Cage is finding a new niche?
Prague Filming
Seems like Prague is being good to me again. This time I’ve been there filming a short comedy film with American director David Shane. The film is a cheeky little three-hander, starring James Redmond, Hannah Kew and little old me. Again, I’m sworn to secrecy but it should be a Cannes corker! Keep your eyes peeled for further news and in the meantime here are some pictures of the beautiful city:
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New Showreel
Ok, it’s taken a while and there is still more footage to be added but here is my latest showreel, edited by the most wonderful Emma Rasmussen.
