Originally broadcast on Imbolc day (Groundhog Eve if you’re American) which means we’re half way to Spring… To celebrate this minor event, Alex Fitch is sticking his head out of his metaphorical burrow and looking forward to various events in the cinema and home entertainment. Tonight’s show includes interviews with Matthew Sweet (Silent Britain) about his Doctor Who audio plays, Tom Purcell (animator) about winning “Best Imaginative Response to the Subject of War” at the IWM student film festival and Geoff Andrew (BFI) about forthcoming screenings at the NFT.

Links: Out of the shadows – 50 cinematic masterpieces @ the NFT
Geoff Andrew’s favourite films of last year
Watch Tom Purcell’s The Long Weekend on youtube
Info about events in the IWM cinema this month
Buy Doctor Who: Year of The Pig from Big Finish
Matthew’s episode of Back Row on Radio 4
More info on Imbolc and Groundhog Day at Wikipedia

Originally broadcast 1st February 2007 (mp3 format, 27mb)

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Duncan Nott & Alex Fitch conclude their interview with Paul Gravett, talking about such topics as ‘the graphic novels of Chris Ware & Raymond Briggs’, ‘the future of British sequential art’ and ‘things to hate about comics’!

Links; Wikipedia pages on: Chris Ware
Raymond Briggs
Gotthold Lessing
and Philippe Druillet…

Originally broadcast 18th January 2007 (mp3 format, 27mb)

Continuing Comic Book Month on “I’m ready for my close-up”, we have the first half of Alex Fitch & Duncan Nott’s interview with Paul Gravett, author of “Manga: 60 years of Japanese Comics”, “Graphic Novels – Stories to change your life” and “Great British Comics”. Alex and Duncan discuss with Paul the continuing appeal of British Comics, the evolving market for Graphic Novels and monthly ‘pamplets’ plus the changing censorship of the medium in general.

Links: www.paulgravett.com
www.greatbritishcomics.com
Buy Paul’s books from Amazon

Originally broadcast 11th January (mp3 format, 26.4 mb)

In a follow up to our show on Norman J. Warren Alex Fitch speaks to Norman’s contemporary and collaborator David McGillivray about the horror film scripts he wrote in the 1970s such as Satan’s Slave and Frightmare plus his new series of short films, Worst Fears…

Links: ‘Worst Fears’ website
David’s filmography on the IMDb

Originally broadcast 16th November 2006 (mp3 format, 26mb)

It’s the start of comic book month on I’m ready for my close-up, so in the first of a series of shows on four colour periodicals, Alex Fitch and Duncan Nott are talking to Charles Brownstein, the director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. So, why not listen in and support a charity that protects comic book creators and shops from the vagaries of American law regarding the first amendment…

Links: CBLDF website
Wired article: When comics and laws collide
The Comics reporter article: Withdrawal of comics from a Missouri library
Baltimore City Paper article on the CBLDF
First Amendment Center website, re: Freedom of Speech and comics
Wikipedia article on ‘The Millar Test’ (US equivalent of the obscene publications act)

Originally broadcast 4th January 2007 (mp3 format, 26.3mb)

Alex Fitch interviews Joe Lawlor, who with Christine Molloy make up the film-making duo ‘Desperate Optimists’: a couple who make short films in a single take. Alex and Joe discuss the new film ‘Daydream’ which premiered at the Liverpool biennial last year, Joe and Christine’s award winning series ‘Civic Life’ and mention their favourite examples of the long take in other people’s films…
Links: Desperate Optimists’ website
‘Daydream’ screening details
Buy ‘Civic Life’ on DVD
Civic Life review at backprojection.com

Originally broadcast 5th October 2006 (mp3 format, 27mb)

It’s the end of the year show… Alex Fitch asks various broadcasters and previous guests of I’m ready for my close-up to name their favourite film of the last 12 months. Guests include Emma Smart (BFI), Kim Morgan (Midnight Sex Talk), Kev. F. Sutherland (The Beano), Kai Clear (Film-maker), Grant Rogers (Artist / animator) and Toby Haggith (Head of cinema programming, IWM).

Other links: IWM student film festival
Alex’s film reviews

Originally broadcast 28th December 2006 (mp3 format, 26.5mb)