Nutmeg Kstarter16

CAN SHE KICK IT? YES, SHE CAN!

Hey, my name is LOUISE SAGE but my friends call me NUTMEG.  It’s my nickname because of this neat trick I do when I am playing soccer, or football as most of the world calls it.

In soccer, a (nut)meg is when a player kicks the ball between the opponents’ legs and collects it the other side. It’s akin to a slam dunk in basketball. I do that all the time when I’m playing.  It annoys the other team but my team mates love it and our fans go crazy whenever I do it.

Oh. I forgot to tell you that I am destined to be the first female to play in the men’s league in top flight soccer.  Right now I am just a concept in the imagination of my soccer-mad journalist and creator Olu Alemoru.  A bit of a wiz of a soccer player himself, he is an insane supporter of Manchester United, so are his two sisters, not to mention his younger brother who spends a small fortune following the team around Europe each year.  Ok, that’s enough about Olu and his family, it’s me you really want to know about…

I am a 17-year old Afro Latina with the drive and determination, not to mention mad soccer skills to challenge the soccer world and win! I dream big, set high goals  and aim to turn the soccer world  upside down by making the transition from playing in an unknown amateur league  in the USA, to the top of the English Super League, which is regarded as the most competitive in the world.  My story is littered with bold characters, thought provoking storylines and nail biting edge of the seat drama that I am sure you are all going to love.

So there you have it, a brief round-up of me and my creator.  Now as we say in the footie world, let’s KICK ON!

BACKGROUND

The idea for the character was created by Olu Alemoru through his love of the Beautiful Game and his passion for writing.  He chose the genre of animation because it takes people places that live action cannot do.

THE REAL SPORTY SPICE

The Louise Sage character takes female empowerment to another level and is sure to become a great inspiration for its young female audience.  We believe it fills a gap in children’s television as a strong female sporting character and is a welcome change to the usual ‘pop princess’.

THE GOAL

Our goal is to engage a production company to produce an animated  three minute short for our You tube channel.  We aim to use the short as part of our marketing tools to attract capital investors to develop Nutmeg for broadcast on terrestrial television in the long term.

We aim to capitalise on the unprecedented popularity of women’s soccer in recent years. In 2015  the FIFA Women’s World Cup topped a record breaking 750 million viewers.

STRETCH GOAL

Should we be fortunate enough to exceed our funding goal in great measure we would like to increase our rewards, extend the length of the short and ultimately produce a special edition comic book in the tradition of the iconic British football magazine Roy of the Rovers. In 2015 Team Nutmeg produced a two page comic strip featured in the She Kicks magazine for the  Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley.

Stretch  Goal £18,000 – increase rewards???

Stretch Goal £24,000 –  extend to 6 minute short

Stretch Goal £30,000 – 6 minute short + special edition comic

NUTMEG MAIN CHARACTERS

LOUISE SAGE

An Afro-Latina 17-year-old, on the verge of making history by becoming the first girl to play in men’s soccer. Born and raised in South Los Angeles, Sage is the product of an African-American mother and Afro-Brazilian father. Following the death of her beloved soccer-mad dad when she was 11, she has been brought up by her strong-willed mother to strive for excellence both on and off the field. Trained by her samba-loving father she did just that; out-playing the boys and scoring amazing goals. Thus, Louise makes national headlines by being the first woman recruited by the men’s college programs, and then becomes the youngest player to red shirt for Team USA when she stars in first ever men’s match to feature a female player. Louise’s match-winning performance in an Under 21 international between the U.S. and England at London’s National Stadium shocks the world. Not long after, Louise signs for the English team bought by rap mogul K-MOO. Although her dream becomes a reality, her life in England becomes a roller coaster of highs and lows she could never have imagined.

K-MOO

From a tough inner-city upbringing, K-MOO (real name Keith Morris Orville Oliver) attains global stardom, “I’m music moglin” (his words), but is nicknamed the “Clown of Rap” due to his eccentric behaviour. He indulges his passion for soccer by buying an English club and creates controversy by signing the first girl in a men’s team.

THELMA SAGE

An African American, she is a devoted mother to Louise. An educator, she encourages Louise to strive for excellence both on and off the field. Physically she could double as Louise’s big sister but doesn’t let their close relationship stop her being a strict disciplinarian when necessary.

LUIS AREGNO AKINWALE SAGE

A soccer-loving father, devoted to Louise. Met Thelma at college in LA. As an ex-player who’s career was cut short by injury, he fostered Louise’s love of the ‘beautiful game’ from her childhood but died before she achieved her major success. Luis, deeply proud of his Yoruba roots, lives on through his beloved wife and daughter.

TEAM NUTMEG

Olu Alemoru, Creator

Hailing from the footie-mad city of my beloved Manchester United, I am a writer and journalist with an endless creative imagination that has propelled me to follow my dreams.

A keen interest in news and current affairs at an early age led me to study politics at Greenwich University in London where I soon developed a passion for humor and satire writing for the college magazine. After a decently boring interval working for the Ministry of Defense, I began my journalistic career as a news reporter with The Voice Newspaper, the UK’s best-selling black publication, rising to the post of Features Editor.

While proving my versatility reporting on news, entertainment, business, sport and even getting my by-line on the religious page, I got seriously bitten by the bug of showbiz and leaving my full-time gig, I picked up freelance gigs at the likes of the Daily Mail and BBC Radio.

Creatively, I began to make waves, becoming one of 16 writers nationwide to be chosen for the inaugural BBC ‘A Step Forward’ Comedy Writing Workshop, penning a sold out London review, ‘Close to the Edge,’ starring top UK comic Angie Le Mar and having a skit performed at the Edinburgh Festival.

Leaping ahead through time, my passion for movies and Hollywood led me to relocate to L.A. to pursue my lofty (insane) ambitions as a screenwriter and filmmaker. My most recent gigs were eight years as a reporter for L.A. Wave Publications and six months as a featured writer for California Black Media. As I write I am back in Blighty (UK) prepping for my LA Second Act.

With England and Arsenal Ladies star Casey Stoney.

Comfort Alemoru, Producer

Comfort started her career in the hospitality industry and in 1988 set up her own travel consultancy. In 1997 she came across an opportunity to combine her two loves of travel and entertainment when she attended the first Acapulco Black Film Festival. After meeting the festival producers she was consequently appointed to promote it in the UK. While working as a freelance bookkeeper in the U.K. she joined Studio Eight Productions as Financial Controller. The directors later set up a film sales division, Peace Arch Films with Peace Arch Entertainment of Canada. Working closely with producers for over ten years she acquired a wealth of experience that has helped her with her first producing role on Nutmeg.

From left, Bunmi Harriot, Billy Pitson, Comfort Alemoru and Clive Taylor

 

Clive Taylor, Illustrator

His uncle, a portrait artist, taught him how to draw a face when he was 7. From then, you couldn’t stop his passion for illustration. His inspirations originally came from Marvel comics and Disney cartoons, but as he grew older, he took inspiration from almost anything that caught his eye. He studied Art & Design in Leyton College from 1997-1999, then took an interest in Graphic Design from 2000, studying in various academies until he graduated with honors at Middlesex University in 2005. Since then he has worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, designing anything from name badges to movie posters. When he’s not working on Nutmeg, he’s working on his own clothing label. “My mind won’t stop working, I have to get the ideas out in some way. Nutmeg is going to be brilliant. Stay tuned.”

Billy Pitson, Graphic Designer

“No problem” is most probably the words you will hear come out of his mouth. Having 12 years behind him as a graphic designer, there is not much he has not dealt with. From designing logos, brochures and websites – even designing a youth bus – no job is too big or small. Billy has been described as a “constant stream of flowing ideas” and says “in this game you have to think big and think quick”. Having had work feature on Ministry of Sound and 1Xtra and currently working on numerous projects with various companies, charities, artists and performers, things are on the up and looking good for the future. “The story of Nutmeg caught my heart and imagination immediately, with such a strong concept, it is destined for greatness”.

Darin Vartanian, Teaser Animator

Darin Vartanian, 24, a graduate of California Arts, is a painter, animator and T-shirt designer and principal in Arkind, a multi-faceted art music, film, fashion and skate company formed in San Bernardino in the summer of 2009. The painter, animator and T-shirt designer has collaborated with renowned urban street artist Norm Maxwell and designed for Chilli Beans, a Brazillian-based sunglasses and watch brand.

 

A Twee Bit of Love

Thanks Chris Nee, creator of Doc McStuffins and Emma Hayes, manager of Chelsea Ladies.

Chris Nee ‏@chrisdocnee 17 Nov 2014

@nutmegsoccer11 Very cool!

emmahayes1 ‏@emmahayes1 30 Jul 2015

@nutmegsoccer11 I absolutely love it

 

Risks and challenges

Any success in life is a game of risk and reward. In particular, the animation genre is very expensive and any TV project is a hard sell. Having attended a number of leading television markets in the US/UK, we know the odds are considerable. But Team Nutmeg, who continue to leverage their creative and financial wherewithall, are determined to lift the Cup!

KNOWING YOU, KNOWING JESUS

British funnyman Steve Coogan has quite a lot to laugh about right now with a small but pivotal part in the country’s number movie and a starring role in a possible indie hit.
In “Tropic Thunder,” which finally knocked “The Dark Knight” into the number two spot after four weeks, Coogan plays — funnily enough — a hapless British director who meets an explosive end when he takes fake actors Stiller, Black and Downey Jr. into the ‘real’ jungle.
If Tropic wasn’t that much of a stretch for Coogan, 42, best known here for his insufferable talk show personality Alan Partridge, then he certainly had his work cut out for the Sundance Film Festival hit, “Hamlet 2”.
Coogan’s name might also ring a bell from the Owen Wilson suicide affair, where the U.S. tabloids fingered him for supplying illegal substances to the “You, Me and Dupree” star. It’s a charge he denied then and does now.
“I don’t normally comment about that sort of stuff, but I had to make a statement because I didn’t want my silence to imply anything,” said Coogan.
“Sometimes a story emerges whereby there’s maybe a modicum of truth, but in this instance if it was possible to have a story with less than zero credibility then this was it.”
He added: “Owen will say exactly the same thing if you ask him. We’ve always been good friends and I’m looking forward to working with him on the sequel to Night of the Museum.”
Co-written by Pam Brady (“Team America”) and Andrew Fleming (“The Craft”), and directed by Fleming, Hamlet 2 is a satirical riff on those cloying, inspirational teacher/student movies and Coogan holds little back to make an ass of himself.
In fact, in one scene Coogan literally bares his butt for the cause.
He plays failed actor Dana Marschz, living a life of mediocrity and desperation as a high school drama teacher in Tuscon. A soon-to-be cuckolded husband to acid-tongued wife Brie (Catherine Keener), Marschz clings to his actorly ambitions making commercials for genital herpes relief and energy drinks.
Meanwhile, his drama productions, like a staged version of Erin Brockovich are about to get him canned from his job until he hits on the idea of staging a musical sequel to Hamlet where he will steal the show as a rock and roll Messiah singing “Rock Me Jesus.”
If you’re wondering what the son of man has to do with Hamlet you’ll just have to go with it, very much like how Coogan got the part.
“Pam and Andrew weren’t actually thinking of a Brit for the role, but set up a meeting because they were fans of my UK work,” said Coogan in Los Angeles recently to promote the film.
“But when I read the script the character of Dana immediately leapt off the page. He was so emotionally open and demonstrative, not something you find a lot in British people. I told them if they ever get the money to make it, I’m in.”
The actor, writer and comedian, who was born in the North of England, empathized with the character’s quirkiness. “I went to drama school myself, which is like a sanctuary for the terminally bewildered,” joked Coogan.
Along with the likes of Rick Gervais (“The Office”), Simon Pegg (“Shaun of the Dead”) and of course, Borat’s Sacha Baren Cohen, Coogan agrees that there seems to be a renaissance of British comedy.
“Yeah, I know all those guys and they’re hugely talented,” said Coogan. “It’s ironic that I came along before all of them in England and now I’m playing catch up. Simon is a very good friend and was the support act when I did a sold out tour ten years ago. I caught him at the right time because I couldn’t afford him now.”
Despite high profile British success in music, television and film — Joss Stone, American Idol and Keira Knightley — to name but three, cracking the Hollywood game can still be elusive.
Luckily, for Coogan, his insurance policy is a very successful production company called Baby Cow, which he runs with his business partner, Henry Normal.
“I am fortunate to have a comfortable career in Britain and it pays my bills so every creative choice I make here, can be exactly that,” said Coogan.
“Sometimes you get advice saying you should be working with this high profile person or that high profile person. Although, that might be good for your career, you have to believe what you’re doing is authentic.”

MUPPET JAMIE, CHILLS BOWL

By Thomas Watkins

Jamie Cullum had his work cut out by the time he took to the stage at the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday night. His mission: revive the 10,000-plus audience from their slumping, Wednesday night jazz trance wrought by too much wine, midweek and an excessively chilled warm-up band.

Cullum wasn’t going to let a little thing like a flagging audience stop himself from having a good time. It was his birthday after all – the Essex boy turned 29 – and Cullum was ready to entertain.

“You’ll have to excuse me if I smile like an idiot the whole way through,” Cullum said, before stomping out a couple of introductory numbers on his piano, ably assisted by the Big Band sounds of the Count Basie Orchestra. “I couldn’t ask for a better birthday present.”

Cullum’s enthusiasm quickly percolated all the way up to the distant cheap seats, restoring energy levels that had been sapped by warm-up band The Christian McBride Situation.

McBride – widely believed to be one of the best bassists alive today – himself sounded great, but his freewheeling tunes frequently drifted too far into the realm of the abstract. Fine maybe in an intimate jazz bar but so wrong at an outdoor mega venue.

McBride returned to the stage for an impromptu song with Cullum. Plucking an upright, the bass legend’s skills were a great accompaniment for Cullum’s crisp voice.

Pounding at the piano, Cullum seemed to channel the spirit of Rolf from the Muppets and ably demonstrated a broad range of styles flitting from Radiohead’s “High and Dry” one moment to Cole Porter “I Get a Kick out of You” the next.

“You won’t be hearing that one on Sunday,” Cullum said, observing that Radiohead are playing the bowl this weekend and the band likes to punish its fans by never playing any of their decent songs live.

By the end of the night, Cullum had the Bowl at his feet. Where he celebrated the rest of his birthday is anyone’s guess, but it likely wasn’t a quiet do.

HERE WE GO…AGAIN

They think it's all over!

You heard it here first, England WILL win the soccer world cup in South Africa in 2010.
Right now a legion of soccer buffs probably think I’ve taken leave of my senses. Afterall, the nation who invented the game have only ever won the tournament once, back in the black and white TV days and recently failed miserably to qualify for the Euro 2008 Finals. (England needed only a point from their last qualifying game, but lost 2-3 to Croatia on home soil, despite the fact the Croats had already qualified).
However, they haven’t been talking to English director Paul Weiland, whose movie, “Sixty Six,” puts an autobiographical spin on the greatest moment in English soccer history.
The year was 1966 and England were tournament hosts.
Meanwhile, in North London, a 12-year-old Jewish lad was about to have his Bar Mitzvah, inconveniently scheduled for the day of the Final.
Great timing; become a man when your family, friends, nay the whole of the country are glued to the box, or curse the side forever if they ruin your big day.
Unfortunately, for Weiland (“Made of Honor”), he was that young man and has now exorcised those demons thanks to the “Working Title” producing team of Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner (“Four Weddings and Funeral,” Notting Hill,” and “Love Actually”).
Richard Curtis, who penned all three of those films and also directed Love, collaborated with Weiland on the screen story and exec produced the picture. The screenplay was written by Peter Straughan and Bridget O’Connor.
The film stars Gregg Sulkin as an asthmatic Bernie, whose plans for his perfect day start to go awry when his father’s business starts to fail, forcing the family to scale back on their plans.
Adding to his jitters, the World Cup Final is going to be same day, but parents Manny and Esther (Eddie Marsan and Helena Bonham Carter) assure him that England won’t possibly make it that far and refuse to change the date.
With a bullying older brother, Alvie (Ben Newton), to contend with, Bernie’s only solace comes from his relationship with asthma specialist, Dr. Barrie, the always excellent Stephen Rea.
“I’m lifting my curse on the team,” said Weiland, in a phone interview last week from the Chateau Marmont for three days of press before flying back to London.
Of course, sport has a habit of the miraculous — Red Sox/Yankees 2004 and last year’s Superbowl — so you never know. “Perhaps England will win it next time, but I’m just glad to have made film,” added Weiland, who traces its origins to a 50th birthday speech in 2005.
“I had been to quite a few 50th birthday parties and a few of them were for writers and actors,” recalled Weiland. “There were some really good speeches and so I wanted to come up with something memorable. When I told the Bar Mitzvah story it got big laughs. The Working Title producers were in the room and said I should make it as a movie. Helena was also there and said if I ever do, she’d like to play my mother.”
Weiland made the film for a bargain basement $6 million but went up against “Borat” when it was released in the U.K. in 2006. The result was a blowout for Sacha Baren Cohen, but the Weiland has been pleased with the reception stateside.
“The reviews have been excellent, which makes me a bit nervous,” said Weiland with that typical British modesty.
“NBC Reel critic Jeffrey Lyons called it one of the best films of the year. I think that was over the top, but I’ll take it.”

NOUVEAUX RICHE

Henley girl, Celia Hemken.

If Princess Di had joined 80’s chart-topping electronica band The Human League, you might get something of the aura of singer/songwriter Celia Hemken.

An actor, writer, professional flautist and accomplished artist, Hemken, left ultra-posh Henley-on-Thames over twenty years ago to front her own punk band — Blue Nouveaux — in New York.

Hemken moved to L.A. in 1994, penned scripts and latterly jobbed as a background actor who got to kiss Harrison Ford in his Indy comeback.

She’s probably not trousered as much as Ford from the $300 plus million worldwide box office of “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” but in a nice bit of ironic deja vu, Hemken’s musical career is gaining a new lease of life with a new album soon to be released on itunes.

Entitled, “Ten Years After,” it’s an eclectic mix of rock, new wave and techno pop which displays a mischievous wit in tracks like “Barbie’s Dead,” and “Train Track Children.”

http://www.myspace.com/bluenouveaux

MINI COOL, MAX FUN

MINI USA owners peep a special edition Cooper at the fan weekend.

“You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off.”
Michael Caine’s memorable line from British caper classic “The Italian Job” sprung immediately to mind as devoted MINI Cooper owners gathered here for a fan appreciation weekend.
It was the last leg of the 2008 MINI Takes The States Tour that kicked off in Miami in June, then visited Boston and Chicago.
Festivities began Friday night at Jillians in Universal City Walk as the meet and greet got under way with food, drinks, games and the chance to ogle a brand new John Cooper Works MINI that was parked right in the middle of the bar.
The next morning owners rolled out for a drive along Sunset Boulevard and the Pacific Coast Highway heading to the Rosebowl, where people took part in an autocross rally, MINI test drives, more games and were treated to a concert by American alt rockers Vertical Horizon. The Pasadena stadium re-hosted the group on Sunday for more of the same and a send-off barbecue.
Inaugurated in 2006, the MTTS drew more than 6,000 MINI enthusiasts to join in a 15-day, 19 state, cross-country road trip from Monterrey, Calif., to Lime Rock, Conn. The 3,904 mile route included major event stops in Las Vegas, Dallas, Nashville, Washington and New York.
“Mini owners absolutely love their cars,” said MTTS event organizer Kevin Connolly. “It’s a beautiful thing because they appeal to men and women, young and old, all different races and religions. It’s a unique thing to be part of this Mini culture.”
A testament to that is Kimberly Smith, the City Clerk for Cupertino, a suburban city in Santa Clara County, who went shopping for a car in a VW dealership, but ended up falling for the 60’s road icon.
“I was waiting to take a test drive and the car wasn’t quite ready, so I saw a second-hand Mini and asked the salesman if I could just test-drive it,” said Smith. “I loved it and went straight to a Mini dealership and now I’m the proud owner of a 2005 Cooper S.”
Meanwhile, oncology specialist Dr. Cary Presant and his wife, Sheila, reckon they own one of the only Mini’s in the world to sport checker board seats. The couple cooed like teenagers when talking about their 2006 Mini Convertible, painted Chilli Red with White Racing Stripes.
“My granddaughter loves it when we visit because she can’t get enough of the car,” said Presant. They also own an Acura and motorhome.
“There is an unbelievable sense of community which comes along with the car, added Cary. “Owners wave at each other, and continually chat about their experiences with the car, the renewed love of driving and touring, and the fun individualizing the car to their own tastes.”
The last word goes to Andrew “Aggro” Ross, an Australian native and current president of the Las Vegas Mini Club.
“It’s cool, distinctive, fun,” he said, “and you don’t have to slow down to corner.”

REIGNING SPAIN!

Euro 2008 final fan

Labanter’s Mad-for-it-Manc and The GOONER joined Spanish and German fans as they took over SM’s The King’s Head and Barney’s Beanery to witness a tense match, won by a touch of class from Scouse striker Fernando Torres.

In the 33rd minute Torres raced passed a seemingly stagnant Philipp Lahm to smartly lift a Xavi through ball over German keeper Jens Lehman.

Spain had dominated play from the kick-off and the always dangerous Torres had hit the post with a header when he rose to meet Sergio Ramos’s cross on 22 minutes.

One goal down, the expected German onslaught didn’t materialize in the second half and marshaled by the brilliance of Marcos Senna and Cesc Fabregas, Spain missed a paella (ooohhhh) of good chances to do real justice to their dominance.

It might be worth putting a few bob on the Spanish for the next World Cup in South Africa!

SOPHIA’S L.A. DIARY

Rachel Hyde-Harvey and, right, Emma Roberts.

At just 20 Rachel Hyde-Harvey is following in the footsteps of fresh-faced English actresses like Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller.
However, her coming out party is not the catwalks of Milan and Paris, or some gritty, British flic.
Rather, it’s the brave new world of media that was the bone of contention during the long and costly Hollywood writer’s strike.
Harvey is the star of Sony Pictures Television’s “Sofia’s Diary,” an online series featured on Bebo, the popular social networking site founded in 2005. She plays Sofia Taylor, a feisty 17-year-old working at a teen magazine in London and living with an overbearing stepmother.
The show is based on an international cross-media format conceived by Portuguese writer Nuno Bernardo. Stretching across Internet, TV print and radio, the show is funded through advertising with a range sponsors who integrate their products into the series.
“My generation are the last to watch television,” said Harvey. “Younger people are watching online.”
Launched in February this year, the show immediately hit the zeitgeist, especially for young girls, garnering five million hits within the first few weeks. It is now up to 16 million views.
Last week, Harvey made a whistle-stop visit to Los Angeles to film a special Hollywood episode.
“I can’t give too much of the storyline away, but we’re filming with Emma Roberts [Julia’s niece] to promote her new film ‘Wild Child,’” said Harvey, in the familiar surroundings of Santa Monica’s famous English bar The King’s Head.
“I think Emma is a really good up and coming actress and she’ll be a great asset to the show.”
A graduate of the same London stage school as Emma “Baby Spice” Bunton and Amy Winehouse, Harvey is the product of a middle-class, middle-England upbringing.
“I wanted to sing, dance and act from a young age, but never knew how to get into it,” she said. “But when I was 13 my parents saw a national audition for stage school in London. I applied and got in.”
Given her young age, the rest isn’t quite history, but she’s beginning to carve out a career on stage and screen having trod the boards in London’s West End and acted opposite Christopher Lloyd (“Back to the Future”) in a movie shot in Barcelona.
Hollywood stardom might not be far behind. “I’m out here in L.A. so there’s loads of possibilities,” said Harvey.