I've now been filming stuff for 10 years. When I first started, I was about three stone lighter, wonderfully naïve, completely lacking in cynicism, and I had Leonardo Di Caprio's hair, (stolen from Titanic.)
In 2003, I was beavering away on my first film, Rachael Cruise and the Tibetan Book, when the Media Studies coursework reared its ugly head. It required us to plan and submit a video piece as part of our GCSE qualification, which suited me fine, as my project was well into post-production! So I just sat back, relaxed, and submitted it.
Little did I realise that I would be telling its continuing story ten years later. Because in 2007, myself and Richard Cooper, (later joined by Richard's brother Adam and our friend Mike), formed a student group called Wolfwood Media, and this became the production company for the Rachael Cruise spin-off series, Life on Earth, featuring the further adventures of her chum Spike and his sentient laptop!
In 2009, we upgraded to crisp HD and put the second spin-off into production. Entitled Ken, it was a five-part sitcom about Rachael's former flatmate Kenneth Woolly as he settled into his new life in Ben Rhydding, West Yorkshire.
 |
| Spike Ombre in Rachael Cruise and the Tibetan Book. |
Just so you're updated on the complete catalogue, (because the paps are always asking), here's a rundown of everything we've done. Nearly ten hours of stuff!
 |
| Spike Ombre and Ezra Lord in Life on Earth. |
Cults. Atom bombs. Gunfights. Our first introduction to Spike Ombre and Kenneth Woolly.
2004: Rachael Cruise: The Claw Mark Operation (3 x 20' radio episodes)
The Terra Obscura plans to release a deadly gas into the Earth's atmosphere, and Spike Ombre must stop them! Also, Rachael Cruise storms off.
2006: Inner Eye pilot (1 x 20' episode)
 |
| Rachael Cruise in Life on Earth. |
2007: Life on Earth (Fiends Reunited, Lavalier Rising, Harbinger: 3 x 15' episodes)
Spike Ombre attempts to stop the possessed Ezra Lord from raising a long-lost civilisation!
2007: Life on Earth (Trust in Russian, A Moment in Time: 2 x 15' episodes)
King Arthur's lost dagger - Carnwennan - turns up in Lincoln, along with two bumbling agents who want it back.
 |
| Theo the Mouse and Wendy in Theo the Mouse. |
2007: Life on Earth (One Moor with Feeling, Regression, The Hidden Land: 3 x 15' episodes)
Rachael Cruise returns!
2008: Life on Earth (Ezra Lord of the Ring, Anya: 2 x 15' episodes)
Ezra Lord's step-daughter shows up. Spike kills her. Ezra's not happy.
2008: Inner Eye (The Worlds Collide, Lest we Forget, Irrational Fears, Darkness has Fallen, A Dirge for Mankind: 5 x 10' episodes)
A cop, a crook and a medium team up to fight ghosts - again! Plus Adam Cooper as a baddie.
 |
| Colin Baker records Menston Green. |
2009: Ombre's Origins: The Lost Nightingale (1 x 30' radio episode)
Spike and Ezra's university days.
2009: Ken (The STI who Loved Me, Grocery Negligence, Credit Crunch, Come Dine with Glen, The Bag that Broke: 5 x 10' episodes)
Kenneth Woolly and his housemate Glen Wonnacott annoy each other in Ben Rhydding.
2011: The Oldest Life on Earth (1 x 30' episode)
Skerratt Media's first DVD release! Spike and Ezra are reunited, but they're still not keen on each other. Until Ezra saves Spike's life.
2012: By Phylecia: Our Process
A promotional video for my friend's letterpress boutique.
2012: Life on Earth Retold (Paralysis, Genesis: 2 x 30' episodes)
The pendant of Brisingamen makes things difficult for Spike's new flatmate, Sadie Brown.
2012: Theo the Mouse (How it all Began, Science Friction, Bedtime: 3 x 10' episodes)
My first puppet-filming experience!
2013: Menston Green (1 x 50' radio episode)
Visionary Sound and Artificer Audio leap on board to help me produce this quirky comedy starring the sixth Doctor Who.
2013: Tweedy the Clown (1 x 10' episode)
A sample video to show the BBC just how amazing Tweedy the Clown is.
And there's more to come.
Me and a team of writers are currently penning a new web series, and the first Skerratt Media book is moving closer to publication (albeit slowly.) Expect more Theo later this year as well.
"Onwards!"
