March 29th, 2018 (Journal written May 13th, 2018)
About 6 weeks ago, there was mention of an event in London for the movie "Love, Simon". Uncertain whether that meant it would be a premiere or not, I didn't bring my full 'premiere kit' of camera gear, but headed down to Leicester Square after work and had a look.
And then I couldn't be bothered to do a journal, which tells you everything about this event before I even start...... until I remembered that (a) London doesn't seem to DO premieres anymore, so who am I to say 'no' to any event, and (b) if premieres are in decline, I might as well document that decline with a journal showing how bad things are now.
Here's what went down:
I've always wondered what the lowest number out of a list of (1) Dealers, (2) Security, (3) Wristbands, (4) Stars, (5) Red Carpet, (6) Barriers and (7) Photographers could be present in order for something to be justifiably called a "premiere". But I think a Ferris wheel can be a substitute for at least two of those things.
I think might have seen a Dealer Rat walk past the ferris wheel, sniff with disinterest and keep walking... but I can report the presence of a small patch of RED CARPET at this event!! AND rope barriers!! And a posing board!! Hey, don't laugh - this is already a better event than the public elements of the European Premiere of Black Panther.
.... so am I just going to keep standing here, hoping somebody shows up at the posing board whose face corresponds to one of the four on the poster? Apparently so.
She almost certainly isn't, but isn't there a possibility this is the redheaded girl on the poster? Enough so that I can announce that either a star from the film (or an officially sanctioned lookalike) has shown up at the premiere? (And stood in front of the posterboard with no paparazzi there to photograph her?)
"Yes, I'm a paparazzi. We rove in packs of one and wield iphones, now".
Art Shot. (What else am I going to do?)
Oh, right. There's a ferris wheel. I could ride that (still, once again.... way better premiere than the European premiere of Black Panther)
OMG : that's a REAL paparazzi on the balcony overlooking the event!! This premiere now has EVERYTHING!! (you know... except verified members of the cast or crew being present)
Well... might as well keep photographing...
"Wait... what if somebody from the cast shows up now and I'm on this balcony with a short-range lens and a flash with a range of less than 3metres....?"
"Could you say you "loved" the ferris wheel ride? It'd make a good soundbyte...."
True fact : you can't ride a ferris wheel without spending most of the ride on your mobile phone texting everyone you know telling them you're on a ferris wheel. (Or taking a selfie of yourself with a grey sky behind you that it would be otherwise almost impossible to take from ground-level)
"I'm taking a photo of me taking a photo of something else... it's the only way I can document my 'process' "
I waited about another 20 minutes, but nobody from the movie showed up and even the Paparazzi dude moved on.
I can always take photos of neon and wet pavement in Chinatown, I guess.....
So... was that a premiere? By the standards of the *nothing* that London has been putting forth in the area of promoting films in the last two months.... YES.
In addition to which : I got freeness!
Hey, don't laugh. It's a metric f**kton more than anything Marvel gives away for free these days...
So that was.... how bad it's been these past few months. I'm writing this journal in the morning on a day when, later, the TV Baftas are being held in London, but I can't be bothered shooting that event from a red carpet pen - I'll shoot from outside like I have been the last few years.
Currently (and remember this is May 13th) the only confirmed upcoming premiere in London is June 5th (and it's not even in central London), and there's another one rumoured / unconfirmed for the 16th... of JULY.
Until "Next Time" when I'll probably be regaling you with stories of how my grandkids are growing up.... (and sure, I'll put it in "The Archive")
And if ya wanna know if London ever gets any premieres ever again (or whether I head to Berlin to see if I can photograph some there), feel free to follow me on facebook or on twitter.