3. Hobbie Stuart - Full Article

Aspiring stars used to have to haul themselves from audition to audition for their chance at success. Now, fame-seeking musicians, actors and comedians don't need to go any farther than their home computer to get noticed. YouTube has emerged as a way for hopeful entertainers to reach—and impress––the masses with their talent.

Both superstar Justin Bieber and rapper/producer Soulja Boy Tell 'Em can credit the Internet for helping launch their careers in music, and on this side of the pond, Lily Allen and Jessie J both used the Internet to garner worldwide attention, catapulting them into the music industry.

Now a new internet sensation, who’s covers of songs such as Adele’s “Someone Like You” and Rihanna’s “What’s my name” have reached six figure views within only a few months, has been rapidly moving into the virtual limelight.

Hobbie Stuart, from Brighton, UK, has made such an impact with his blend of soft acoustic guitar and RnB vocals that he’s stacked up over 14500 subscribers since joining Youtube last year. The process has been a fast and surreal one for the 20-year-old musician, and it’s only just the beginning.

“It feels pretty sick when I think about it,” Says Hobbie. “I’m proud of the work I’ve put into it. There’s still a way to go before I’m where I wanna be… but I’m content with how things are going.”

Besides his unique vocals, Hobbie’s Youtube video’s have a brilliant production value, which aided in helping the young performer stand out from the countless thousands of aspiring artists uploading covers daily. The excellent mastering, lighting and atmospheric filming style gave a level of consistency which instantly set him apart from other amateur Youtube uploads. This production was the work of friend and producer Alex Wells, of the currently unsigned band Twin Brother.

“I’d be nowhere near where I am without Alex,” Hobbie explains. “He’s contributed massively. Not only is he the best musician I know but he’s also a very good friend... when we’re working together it doesn’t feel like work at all, it’s always a bubble.”

Hobbie’s cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You” had brief airtime on Greg James’ Radio 1 show recently, which came as a shock to the oblivious artist, who’s fan base revelled in hearing their favourite amateur artist gaining commercial airtime. “I was just chillin in the park and all of a sudden my phone just went on a mad one. Texts, Facebook, Twitter etc. Very pleasant surprise. I was buzzing at the time.”

This last month saw Hobbie take centre stage in his hometown Brighton. With a fan base already reaching across the UK, it was his first chance at coming face to face with the people that have launched him from unknown artist to Internet sensation.

“It was a class night,” Says Hobbie, who managed to fill the 900 person capacity of Coalition nightclub within weeks of advertising the gig. “I didn’t realize how much I loved performing until that show. I can’t wait until the next one.”

In what was undoubtedly a very smart move from Skint Records, whose roster has included Fatboy Slim and Hardknox, Hobbie has been taken under management of the label, and is in the process of writing up his debut album, planned to be released in 2012. Listing his artistic influences as Justin Timberlake, Rihanna and John Mayer, Hobbie states that his album will “reflect those influences for sure. It’ll be RnB but more organic and British sounding.”

There is no doubt that this is the beginning of an exciting journey for the young artist, within only a few months Hobbie has shifted into the limelight, and is planning a business trip to LA next week for work on his album. “The next few months will be very busy indeed. I’ll be writing the album… Gigs... Promotion... Improving musically... I’m working all the time to get to where I wanna be, and I’m loving every minute of it.”

Catch Hobbie’s covers at www.youtube.com/hobbiestuartmusic

And join him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hobbiestuartmusic

Photo's courtesy of Luke Wright
www.anotherfreshidea.blogspot.com

3. Hobbie Stuart - Answers

Here are the answers from my interview with Hobbie Stuart.

• Things appear to be moving very fast for you right now; with over 14,000 subscribers and 1,500,000 (!) upload views within 6 months of joining Youtube, you’ve already built up a loyal and admiring fan base. What does it feel like shifting from unknown artist to “internet sensation”?

It feels pretty sick when I think about it. I’m proud of the work I’ve put into it. There’s still a way to go before I’m where I wanna be.. but I’m content with how things are going.

• It’s clear you put a lot of effort into your Youtube videos. The production value, sound, lighting etc make it stand out from the countless thousands of covers uploaded by aspiring artists all over the world. How did working with friend and producer Alex Wells aid in your recent success?

I’d be nowhere nere where I am without Alex. He’s contributed massively. Not only is he the best musician I know but he’s also a very good friend.. when we’re working together it doesn’t feel like work at all. Always a bubble.

• Your cover of Adele’s “Someone like you” has reached over 100,000 views in a month, and a clip was recently played on Greg James’ show on Radio 1. Did you know you were being played on the show? And how did it feel hearing yourself on the UK’s number 1 radio station?

I didn’t know.. I was chillin in the park and all of a sudden my phone just went on a mad one. Texts, Facebook, Twitter etc. Very pleasant surprise. I was buzzing at the time.

• You’ve previously said you have been inspired by artists like Justin Timberlake, Rihanna and John Mayer, will your debut album reflect these influences, or are you planning on taking a different route in your music style?

They’ll reflect those influences for sure. It’ll be RnB but more organic and British sounding.

• This process is still in its early stages, so you must be very busy. What’s in the pipeline for the next 6 months?

Writing the album.. gigs.. promotion.. improving musically.. it’ll be very busy indeed.. but I love it

• Your recent debut gig at Coalition in Brighton was, by all accounts, a great success. How did it feel having centre stage at a gig in your hometown?

It was a class night. I didn’t realize how much I loved performing until that show. I can’t wait until the next one.

6. Anthony Hopkins Profile - Quotes

The following are the quotes I found which I will be using in my actors profile:

“It was the best time I’ve had on a film in many years. [Branagh] Inspires people, he certainly inspired me. He gave me back my confidence, made me feel I had my chops still. Because I was beginning to get a little jaded in the last few years, thinking maybe I should just put my feet up and relax. But no he pushes you, and it was never done with malice, he always gets the best out of you.”

Taken from:

“When I read Silence of the Lambs at the beginning I had a hunch that it would be one of those personalities that would catch on, but I had no idea that it would take off in the way that it did.”

Taken from:

"As long as it's a nice location and the script is good, I don't wonder if it's a good career move and all that bull. It's a job. Point me to the camera, that's it!"

Taken from:

6. Anthony Hopkins Profile - Idea

I have decided to write an artists profile on the actor Anthony Hopkins. This feature will be targeted towards Total Film Magazine's actors lounge section, in which the publication explores the career of an actor and highlights their key films. The feature will be broken up into three main sections.

1.Short Standfirst giving a summary of the actor and their relevance
2. Actors Bio and film history
3. Key films

The key films section will give the the chance to write in a form that I havent displayed in my portfolio yet, which is similar to flash fiction writing. I will be writing a mini summary of Hopkin's key films, and each summary must come to 50 words exactly - not as easy as it sounds!

As well as this, I will be gathering a few useful quotes from online interview sources that I am able to use in this feature - no second hand quotes from other articles!

5. Review: Thor - Full Feature

· Cert (UK): 12A

· Runtime: 114 minutes

· Directors: Kenneth Branagh

· Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard, Anthony Hopkins, Kat Dennings

In a spectacularly invigorated return to form for Marvel, the latest addition to its franchise thunders to the big screen in Kenneth Branagh’s superhero epic.

In a star-making turn from Chris Hemsworth, the Aussie actor previously unknown to many (last seen briefly as Captain Kirk’s father in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot) shines in his first chance at a lead role, bringing charisma, humour and instant likability to an initially immature and arrogant character.

After his arrogance causes the outbreak of an ancient war in Asgard, the lightning god Thor (Hemsworth) is stripped of his powers and cast down to earth by his exasperated father Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Crash-landing in New Mexico, where scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) runs him over during an unnatural storm, Thor begins a quest to regain his lost power and combat the blight he has unleashed on the world.

Although some may find the absurdity of the concept hard to digest, those who fight past the initial ridiculousness of the story will find that Thor is a far less superficial film than was expected. Sure, it is packed to the brim with striking CGI and high-octane action sequences, but the tone is also surprisingly playful, with some brilliant fish-out-of-water scenes such as the muscle-bound protagonist marching into a pet shop demanding a horse.

The action pinball’s between three realms: Asgard, the desolate ice planet of Jotunheim, and Earth, with the Earth-bound sequences perhaps feeling slightly flat after the electrifying intensity of the exchanges in Asgard. This being said, Branagh has tied the three alien environments together perfectly, keeping the buzzing intensity maintained throughout the film.

Anthony Hopkins redeems himself from a recent string of poor choices (most notably The Wolfman and The Rite), and retains his authoritative presence and stature as the billowing and wrathful king of the gods. His performance still, however, lacks any real depth, which is heightened by the overshadowing presence of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. Villains in comic-book adaptations are usually the most under-developed and superficial of the ensemble, but Hiddleston’s take on the god of mischief is superb; a villain who’s complex and empathetic persona makes you sympathise with his frustration.

It would appear the originally questionable choice of Kenneth Branagh directing this CGI-laden, tongue-in-cheek exercise in excessive bravado actually paid off. Although a far cry from the melodramas and Shakespearean productions that he is famous for, it is clear that he has brought a level of theatrical sophistication to the look and narrative of the film.

On the technical side, production designer Bo Welch has created some stunning set pieces. Odin’s palace and Heimdall’s Observatory, the celestial portal that connects the various realms, are particularly impressive, although the whole of Asgard is breathtakingly ambitious in scale.

Some criticism could be made of the over-used slow-motion effects and disconcerting camera angles, as the brilliant action sequences do at times feel a little awkward. But ultimately Branagh has done something only he could have; he’s embraced the whole concept, and put the comic directly on screen. The film is witty, pacy, and has moments of real poignancy; a far cry from the Shakespearean Flash Gordon many were expecting.