Special Events

One of London's biggest tourist draws is the royalty; what they are doing, where they are at, and what's going on around them. I am here during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (we actually head home the day that all the official pageantry begins.) What it means though, is that the city is filling up even more.

The Diamond Jubilee

The Monarchy

As well, London is gearing up for the 2012 summer Olympic games so there have already been many delays and re-routings as underground lines are expanded for the crowds. Everywhere there are signs posted telling Londoners to be prepared to take alternate routes around the city as millions of people from all around the world flood the city.

I find it to be an interesting dynamic of the city officials almost saying to Londoners, “We know you don't necessarily want the Games here, but they are. So be ready for it.” Regardless, there will be plenty of grumbles and horn honking as foreigners try to find the rhythm of the city.

The 2012 Olympic Games

Getting around during the Olympics

London Film has a section on their website just for filming around and during the Olympics.

Filming and the Olympics

While there might not be another Jubilee anytime soon, and you might not be in London during the Olympics, there is always something on. Keep track of bank holidays, usually they correspond with an influx of admissions to museums and parks as Londoners of all ages take advantage of their day off of work and school.

Public Holidays in London

Getting Around

Edgware Rd. Station

   As part of the cost of my study abroad experience, included was an Oyster card which covered tube travel in Zones 1 and 2 as well as bus travel in any zone. Oyster cards are something worth having, they save you the trouble of buying a ticket every time you use the tube and the flexibility to get off at any stop.

   Then again, if you plan on remaining in one area and not taking the tube much then there would not be as beneficial. It all depends on your budget and what you plan on doing in London.

Oyster Card

   Taxis are a great way to get around the city as well. But be cautious of the minicabs. Something that we were told is that legit cab drivers will not ask if you want a ride, if a cab driver asks if you need a ride- chances are they are illegal, and you might not make it home.

   Black cabs are all over the city like the big red buses and those drivers go through intense training and will get you where you need to go. The only downside is that you can't book them in advance. If you do want to book a taxi (minicab) service in advance there are many options. One of the largest companies is Addison Lee

London Black Cab

Addison Lee MiniCabs

   GET A MAP. 

 No seriously, even if “you never get lost” London is so big that even Londoners get lost (they use the A to Z book). And I've had many people (Londoners included) ask me for directions. So get a map- trust me, you will still get lost with it. I have a tube map as well as a map of London itself, and both have been remarkably helpful in not only getting around, but also in deciding what I want to do with my days.

   You can pick up a map at the airport or at various grocery stores. And tube maps are available at the stations around the city.

Transport for London

   Walk as much you can- and don't stick to only the main road. Give yourself a landmark on the map and then take a sharp left or right down a side road. I promise you won't be disappointed in London's back streets. Rows and rows of quiet houses, a neighbourhood park filled with neighbours enjoying the sun, or a quiet local market tucked away down a side street. The buildings themselves are reason enough to not stay on the well trodden path.

   There are also some great walking tours to go on. The weekly magazine Time Out is a great way to keep up with “what's on” and they're available at most every newsstand.

Timeout Website

Pictures from the Night Owl

Roses by the Tower of London (edit) 

One of my best shots of the whole trip.  London Bridge through Tower Bridge.

Tower Bridge

(edit)

The River Thames

What London film is...

   The novelty of films often draws huge crowds of tourists, one of these major films for the city of London, England is the Harry Potter series. There are dozens of tours pointing out and taking fans through the different areas of the city that were used in the shooting of the films. These include site such as Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station, which now has its own sign and a trolley bolted halfway into the brick platform divider. Thousands of tourists flock to those sights for a chancce to touch where their favourite movie was made.

   London is said to be hard to do on a budget, but it is very possible if you go smartly. And for the aspiring filmmaker it is one of those cities to use, if only for inspiration.

   If you're like me and you write your own stories, there is always a need for good inspiration. London will give you need, and then a little more; from the tube, to the museums, to Londoners themselves, this shy city loves to tell its stories to people who find them.

   London is a wonderful haven for creative people of any sort. From Camden's crazy markets to the reserved streets of Kensington and Westminster, it is hard to go anywhere and not see someone with their own unique style. They bring even more attention to themselves on the weekdays among all the men in business suits that fill the city to the brim.

   The tube is regularly the home for tripod carrying artists, as well as musicians tucked away in the subway tunnels. You can hear the music echoing down the concrete tunnels, musicians working for their way in the world. And that is what London is- a home for those who don't mind being a little different than everyone else.

   I'm going to take you through some of my favourite walks, spots and tips for people who want to take awesome pictures, write stories and especially, make films.

It's a Zoo out There!

If you find yourself with a bit of extra time, I highly recommend the ZSL London Zoo
London Zoo website

   The zoo is full of twisting paths through the trees and exhibits. The exhibits themselves were wrapping adventures with plenty of spaces for guests to see wherever the animals may be inside the enclosure. I had the pleasure of taking a seat in the amphitheatre for the Animals in Action show. Not only were the handlers well knowledgeable and enthusiastic, but the audience had an up close and personal interaction with the birds flying literally right over their heads.

   I had to, on more than one occasion, duck as a vulture, a macaw, and Bob the owl swooped inches away from my head as I tried to get pictures of them and still duck at the last minute.

   I spent more than 3 hours wandering around the zoo, skipping exhibits I didn't like (like the gorillas) and returning to the exhibits I enjoyed (or stumbled on again).  Definitely recommend getting your tickets ahead of time online.  It saves time in line at the main gate, and you get to go in through the special "ordered ahead" entrance... which is actually through the exit.

Hyde Park

All you need is a net,

a ball,

and a few good mates to play with.

   Explore Hyde Park on a weekday afternoon. Sit down and watch a pick-up game of football. Choose a team to root for and sit back to watch some free entertainment. Be careful of where you sit though, the boundary lines tend to be flexible.

   Walk all the way around Hyde Park, don't cheat and bike it. I did this by accident by following the bridle path to what I hoped would be the Hyde Park Stables; I didn't find those, but I did end up where I started at the little food kiosk at Speaker's Corner. As I ate my lunch at a picnic table out front I watched the pigeons.

   The pigeons are great characters, but be protective of your food (feeding the pigeons often carries a fine in places such as Trafalgar's Square). On one of my walks around the city, I encountered a pigeon with a crust of bread around its neck, you could just tell it was a special bird.

   The hardiness of these birds fascinates me. It's fun to watch males chase uninterested females and puff up their feathers to defend their territory. A pigeon with a broken foot will still hobble around, pecking the ground in search of a stray crumb. Their persistence in their unending search for food is something to be marvelled at.

   So watch the pigeons for a little while on a quiet Thursday afternoon in Hyde Park... or wherever your favourite pigeon watching spot may be.

   Londoners love their sun. They love it even more because the city rarely gets any. So when there's a heat wave and the sun emerges- every Londoner comes out with it. There are parks everywhere in London and we were lucky enough to have Hyde Park at the end of our road. Almost every single day, I would pack up a blanket, a book, my camera, and some food to make the journey. It was great to be outside enjoying the sun (or the shade) and just relax.

Who you need to know

   Walking down the streets I came across a Greenpeace protest in front of KFC. Not only were there crowds of people but also a photographer and a videographer taking pictures of the protest and the crowd. “There are no laws to prevent anyone filming on public streets,” however you will need a license if you are obstructing or placing materials on a highway as this is an offence.

   There are always things to keep in mind when going to a shoot and each location has its own particular laws concerning image use. In London, these decisions are largely left up to the borough's governments. And while filming in public is permitted, if there are extended and recognizable shots of private property (such as Buckingham Palace or residential houses) it is recommended that you get the appropriate permission to include that site in a shot.

   The London Film website is a great source to keep handy. The website will be my main source of information throughout this blog, a link to pages referenced will be included within the post.

   The website provides important information, such as individual borough contacts and filming laws to keep in mind. As well, they give suggestions on the most popular filming sites, and how to use the most of the time spent in London.

London Film Website