With almost 100 videos on my ‘You Tube’ channel now I thought it might be a nice idea to pull out my Top 5 and tell you a little bit about each one and why they are amongst my favourites. In no particular order…….
NUMBER ONE: ‘PARKAY’ click here to watch the video
No doubt you will have seen and heard about PARKOUR or ‘Free Running’ as it sometimes known. It is a truly amazing skill and I genuinely wish I was young enough and fit enough to take it seriously, but sadly I’m not!!!
So along with a few good friends we developed our very own version of the sport called PARKAY!! We wanted to simplify things massively to make the sport more accessible to anyone and everyone.
Here is: Your beginners guide to Parkay. Enjoy!
NUMBER TWO: ‘AMAZING THAILAND’ click here to watch the video
I love travelling and in early 2012 I had the opportunity to visit Thailand with The Thailand Tourist Board to do some filming. (Basically I got paid to got out to Thailand and have fun!) It really was the dream job.
The Thai people are some of the friendliest I have ever met in my life. Their food is to die for and there are so many hidden treasures to be discovered. If you’re prepared to be a little adventurous and take a step off the beaten track, the rewards are endless.
Here is: A short highlights package from some GO PRO footage I shot myself in Amazing Thailand.
NUMBER THREE: ‘LONDON TO PARIS CYCLE’ click here to watch the video
Earlier this year I filmed a good friend of mine David Standfield as he attempted to cycle from London to Paris (over 300 miles) in just 4 days. This project was my first attempt at a documentary style piece, so it was a very steep learning curve. Armed with just a FLIP CAM and a GO PRO we managed to capture some truly amazing footage.
The toughest part of this project for me was actually the time consuming edit (edited at home on iMovie). There was some 8 and a half hours worth of footage to sift through, with the main challenge being to find the relevant footage to document David’s journey as authentically as possible. There are 4 parts in total to this series (1 part for each day of the challenge) and I am very proud with how this project all came together.
Here is: Day 1 of Big Dave’s London to Paris Cycle Ride.
NUMBER FOUR: ‘JAKE’ by Luke Armstrong click here to watch the movie
As Actors we can sometimes be incredibly insecure and it wasn’t until I’d seen myself in this short film called JAKE that I truly believed there was a place for me on screen. Now most of the credit here has to go to Luke Armstrong for making me look like such a bad ass!! I think you’ll agree that the visual effects in this film are incredible and really make it what it is.
I remember being on set one day and Luke casually pulling me a side for a quick chat after one of the takes. He politely said, “Really good Michael, great energy, keep up the good work….Oh and try not to say *BANG* this time when you fire the gun at the bad guys!! We’re going to drop in a load of visual effects stuff afterwards in post-production and it might look a bit weird!”
I will never forget that moment, I seriously had no idea that I had said *BANG* during the take! I love Acting (or dressing up and pretending as I like to call it!!) As an Actor you get the opportunity to play anybody and everybody. You never stop learning and developing your skills and my ambition is to one day transfer these skills to the big screen.
Here’s where it all started for me though with JAKE.
CLICK HERE: To watch JAKE by Luke Armstrong
NUMBER FIVE: ‘SEXY AND I KNOW IT’ click here to watch the video
Here’s what happened a couple of years ago in The Caribbean when a few of my closest friends and I decided to make our very own version of the music video:
I never tire of watching this video back and it still makes me laugh out loud. It is a constant reminder to me of how amazing my friends are and that I am truly blessed to have them in my life.
I tend to watch this particular video back when I’m travelling abroad on my own. Usually from some pokey little hotel room, in the arse end of nowhere!! It reminds me of how amazing life is and I love being transported back to the magical island of Carriacou with my closest friends. I cannot wait to watch this one back with my Grand Children one day!
CLICK HERE: To watch ‘Sexy and I know it’