Tuesday 23 October 2012

Official Launch 25th October

It's come around quick, hasn't it?
Our official launch is nearly here. This Thursday we'll be revealing some more of our channels and launching the site into the big wide world at Sparkhouse Studios, Lincoln at 2pm.

Our pre-launch served us well, ironing out glitches and server issues. Still having issues with HTML5, so for a little while longer our content won't be viewable on iPads. Eventually our servers and our HTML5 video players will talk to eachother and we'll move away from FlashPlayer, making our content viewable on every possible platform. We'll let you know when that is.

Interested in coming along? Drop us an e-mail at info@erminestreetproject.co.uk and you may well get on the guest list.

Thursday 27 September 2012

Update on Finding the Pathfinders

Things that are worth doing are never easy, and this funding adventure is no exception!
Unsuccessful with our current funding bids, we are trying a different approach- we shall keep you informed.
In the meantime, it gives us more of a chance to try and trace the relatives of Dad's crew mates that we haven't tracked down yet.
Can you help? Here's a list of those we would like to find if they are still with us, or if they are not with us, we would love to include any direct relatives in our documentary. We have various bits of information on most of them, but the vital information about where they, or their family are now, is what we're really after. These are the ones we have yet to trace with some info to jog some memories, we hope:

100 Squadron (Waltham, Grimsby) from 5/2/1943

Pilot Officer Harold Kenneth Campbell Harvey DFC or "Ken" Harvey , rejoined Canadian Air Force, last known to have been a pilot and air cadet officer in Canada up until 1957. 
Andy C Barr, Flight engineer, possibly from Scotland.
Sgt James F Craik, Bomb Aimer. Is listed as a pilot with a DFC in a Memorial book from Hillhead School, Glasgow. He died before the end of the war over Belgium. Can't find a record of the DFC. 
Sgt Harry S Woods, Wireless Operator, possibly from Mansfield. Is he the same Harry Woods that died in Grimsby a couple of years ago?
Sgt Geoff W Mander, Navigator. Died on a training mission in 1944. Lived at the City Arms Pub, York with his parents before the war.
Sgt C "Dusty" Menear, Rear Gunner. Lived in Parr, Cornwall up until at least 1950 when Dad lost touch with him.

97 Squadron (Bourne 15/3/44 , then  Conningsby from 15/4/44) 

Flight Officer Parker, no first name. Was best man to the Pilot, Bill Reid, but the family have lost touch with the Parkers. He was known to be a poultry farmer in Bury St Edmunds after the war.
Gordon Brown, rear gunner. Possibly from Yorkshire and played Rugby before the war.
Flight Sgt B. Harthill, wireless operator. No other information on him has been confirmed.

Anything here ring a bell? If so, send us an e-mail at info@erminestreetproject.co.uk and lets see if we can get everyone involved together for a reunion next year. My Dad would love to know what happened to everyone after the war.

Wednesday 5 September 2012

Pre- Launch of ESPTV set for 9th September

We're going to be very busy this week with our pre-launch at The Asylum , Lincoln on Sunday, 9th September.
As we're pre-launching with our Steampunk channel, where better to launch than at one of the largest Steampunk events in Europe?
The Asylum is ticket only, but you can obtain tickets still via the gates of Lincoln Castle for the event.
We'll be in the Victorian Prison in the grounds of the castle, sharing our temporary home with the film festival running over the weekend. We shall launch officially at 11am with suitable aplomb!
Of course, this is only a small taste of what the main channel will be, with many more channels added at the main launch and at mini events in the subsequent months.

It's going to be splendid!

Friday 17 August 2012

Finding the Pathfinders

Whilst we're busy with the launch of ESPTV, we're also currently fundraising for a documentary close to my heart- a documentary about my father, Douglas Percy Cannings who flew in Lancaster Bombers during the war (yes, I was a late baby- I'm not that old!)
Bids are in with the Heritage Lottery and the Council and we'll know by mid September.
My Dad wants to find out what happened to all his crewmates in the two squadrons he served in- 100 Squadron at Waltham, Grimsby and 97 Squadron, Conningsby. Chances are there's not many left now but we want to contact the surviving family members too and gather them together for a day at East Kirkby to see a Lancaster Bomber up close.
We've found a few families so far and we'll hopefully find someone from each family. The stories we're uncovering so far are amazing, and some of them very sad.
We'll be enlisting the help of local history volunteers and St Christophers School, Lincoln too in our search, as we want to find some people that lived in Conningby and Grimsby during the war who can remember the Lancasters in the sky.
Of course, we'll be providing some paid jobs to Lincolnshire creatives too and making sure that, as always, that we give some paid work to newly graduated students in the region.
This is going to be a very special project and we'll keep you updated on here how it's all going.
My sister has done an excellent blog on her trip to Belgium accompanying Dad to a book launch about the Pathfinder Squadron raids there. (the writer had consulted Dad on some historical detail).
http://sandycanblog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/im-so-proud-of-my-dad.html
It was one of the reasons that I wanted to tell this story. It's been an emotional time just making the first inroads into researching this. It is going to make a very special documentary.

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Our advertising offer just got better!

Yes folks, we've made our Launch advertising offer even better by giving away TWO months free advertising!
We've been busy sorting through our submissions which is taking some time, so in order not to keep you all waiting too long, we'll be doing a special preview in September. Look out for our preview launch date- it's going to be rather special. We've chosen the "Steampunk" channel to be our very special month-long  preview and we'll be looking to find some rather splendid steampunk advertisers to grace our pages along with anyone else who would like to take advantage of our free offer.
Don't forget, anyone who takes us up on our offer will get entered into our free draw to win a pre-roll ad shot by Ermine Street Project up to a value of £500! You'd be mad not to!
E-mail us at info@erminestreetproject.co.uk for more details.

Thursday 12 July 2012

Free prize draw for businesses!

Calling all business owners....
Would you like free advertising for a month, plus the chance to win a free online ad made by Ermine Street Project CIC?
That's our great offer on the table to celebrate our upcoming launch of ESPTV.
All businesses, local or national that contact us in the next month will get:
1. Free banner ad space for a whole month on ESPTV, our new internet TV channel.*
2.One free entry into a draw to win a 20 second "pre-roll" ad to be shown before some of the films on our channel for the first three months. This will be professionally shot, using Ermine Street Project's customary flair and imagination. After the three months is up, you are free to use this ad anywhere on the web!**
What have you got to lose?
Tweet us or send us an e-mail for full terms and conditions.

*No charges will apply if contract cancelled within first month. Subsequent to that, CPM charges will apply at the rate appropriate for the banner ad.
**Pre-Roll Ad will be up to the value of £500 using Ermine Street Project CIC's current pricing structure

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Submissions officially open!

Now we've finalised the contract, we're officially open for submissions to our channel.
Send us an e-mail at
info@erminestreetproject.co.uk and we'll send you details of how to submit.
Deadline for consideration in our very first month of operation will be 31st July 2012. Submissions will be considered at any time after that, but successful submissions will go online in subsequent months.
If you're included on our channel in that first month, you'll get an invite to the launch party in Lincoln, too.
Launch will probably be early september- more details on that in the coming weeks.

**STOP PRESS** extended deadline by request: 25th August

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Films wanted!

Now that we're so very close to our crowdfunding total, we need to get the ball rolling with ESPTV in earnest. What we need is content from new filmmakers to show alongside our own. We're particularly interested in those of you from the East of the UK, from East Anglia up to South Yorkshire, but anywhere in the UK or beyond will be considered. If you have a film/animation/documentary and you have either:
 a. paid your cast and crew
 b. have a deferred contract in place
 c. Have not employed anyone other than yourself making your piece
Then we'd like to hear from you. We're asking people to adhere to this because it is an ethic that we believe in ourselves and we'd like to encourage good practice in the creative community.

 In return, you will receive a healthy percentage of the advertising revenue that your piece brings in. No fees, no lengthy tie-ins, no buying up of rights. Small filmmakers don't have many outlets for showing their films outside of expensive film festivals and even fewer opportunities to make money. Let's try and change that!

Send your films to:
 Ermine Street Project CIC
Sparkhouse Studios
Rope Walk
Lincoln
LN6 7DQ

 Or send us an e-mail at info@erminestreetproject.co.uk if you would like more detailed information.

Monday 16 April 2012

Nearly there!

Good news folks! We only need another £300 and we will have made our crowdfunding target! How cool is that?! Huge thanks to all the generous individuals so far who have made this happen.

We can do it!!

Wednesday 21 March 2012

Creative England outcome

Sorry to say that despite a fantastic proposal (although I do say so myself) we were unsuccessful with our grant application to Creative England's Film Network fund.
Not the end of the world just yet, as we are still trying to raise £2000 through www.buzzbnk.org/esp
We need donations now more than ever. Can you help...?

Thursday 15 March 2012

Can you spare a quid?

Now it's even easier to donate to our crowdfunding campaign...
You can now donate via Paypal! Any Paypal funds will be transferred to the Buzzbnk total by Ermine Street Project at the end of March.
Visit:www.buzzbnk.org/esp

for more details on the campaign.
As an added incentive, all those that donate £1.00 before midnight on 31st March get entered into a competition to win a pair of tickets to our launch party (normally this requires a donation of £50!)
To enter the competition, you need to answer this question:
What does "CIC" stand for in Ermine Street Project CIC"?
Click on the "donate" button at the bottom of this page and you'll be directed to Paypal's secure site.
Put your competition answer in the "add special instructions to the seller" section on the Paypal payment page. It's that easy! Or if you just want to donate without entering the competition, then simply follow the normal Paypal procedure.





Wednesday 14 March 2012

20 days to go...

That's right folks, only 20 days to raise our target of £2000 for our internet TV Channel. Can we do it? Of course we can! Keep your eyes peeled for more ways to get involved.
Remember to visit
https://www.buzzbnk.org/ProjectDetails.aspx?projectId=63 if you haven't already to donate a tenner to help us on our way.
We might not know the outcome of our Creative England application until after our crowdfunding campaign has finished so it's vital we get something on the balance sheet so we can launch in May.
Tell everyone you know and spread the word!
Thanks!

Sunday 12 February 2012

"My World" project comes to a close


Many thanks to everyone at the Kinema in the Woods, Woodhall Spa for hosting our special screening of the work completed this final term at St Christopher's and The Pheonix Schhol.
All who attended thoroughly enjoyed the day and special thanks to Wendy at Lincolnshire County Council for handing out certificates to the schools.
It's been a fantastic project and it would be brilliant to do it again.

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Crowdfunding... spread the word!

Our crowdfunding campaign is up and running:
www.buzzbnk.org/esp

We're hoping to raise £2000 to get ESPTV running by the end of Spring 2012. We need your help! Donate a tenner, (or more!) to get the channel contructed, or simply spread the work to everyone you know.
We can do it!!

Sunday 8 January 2012

Calling all filmmakers...

Re ESPTV, we're still tweaking the pilot page after the fantastic input from the people that attended our open day at the end of last year.
What may well happen is that we leapfrog the pilot stage altogether and launch the all singing, all dancing full website at the end of March.
So what we're going to need is content. Eventually, a lot of material will be produced in-house by Ermine Street Project CIC but in the meantime, we're throwing it open to you guys out there.
Do you have a short film, documentary, animation... in fact anything you'd like to get out there to a wider audience? Would you like to earn some money from it?
We're going to select the best material sent to us, and give it a place on our channel. In return, you will get a percentage of the advertising revenue from the site. No fees, no catch. You still retain ownership of the material but we can act as sales agent for you if required. (for the duration that your content is hosted by ESPTV)
All we ask is that you paid the people that worked on your film, or that you have a deferred contract in place for all contributors. We have a preference to filmmakers that reside in the Ermine Street Project area (see our main website for that)but anyone from any area can submit material.
Send us a DVD of your material to:
Ermine Street Project CIC
Sparkhouse Studios
Rope Walk
Lincoln
LN6 7DQ
We look forward to hearing from you!