It's a wrap - Whitby, British take on Goth and chips

A pint and pork scratchings

This very British image was the low key but welcome celebration at 11.30 pm last night when we finally called time on the filming of Goth Cruise. It's a bit different from Bermuda and cruise ships, in fact the whole day was distinctly English with damp air, unique attire and faded sea-side grandeur.

After getting into London on Saturday morning hanging in rags the prospect of making it up North was looking very distant. After coffee and pizza at the in laws we headed out onto the wastelands of the M25. After about 20 minutes I realised I couldn't actually see or focus so pulled into a pub car park in Slough (How, the Office) and went to sleep for an hour.

After a fitful night's sleep - I woke up at midnight convinced I was still on the boat, I decided to do the last furlong and join the second Unit of Cooke, Grant, Jonny and Rohith who had been filming in Whitby since Friday. So a hurtling 2 and a half hour journey later and I was in my beloved Whitby surrounded by camera crew and many, many Goths.


Rome Burns



First up was Rome Burns who come highly recommended by Mick Mercer. They were game and played a full set of mini golf after the interview. They are well regarded in the scene and I was surprised to find out that in their day lives they are civil servants.


Gothic Real take the lead

Whitby Town FC was the venue for the twice yearly head to head game between (the black strip wearing) Gothic Real and the team from the Whitby Gazette. I interviewed the opposing managers and after the playful banter was over it was clear that this game is taken very seriously. It ended 4:3 to the Goths and the crowd loved it. The supporters were dressed to impress and included an army in black, a 6ft bearded strawberry and a candy floss carton. I was only disappointed there were no official Goth chants.


Whitby Gothic Lolitas

Back into the old town and we filmed 'Goths in the landscape' including these UK versions of Japanese Lolitas and a trio of chip eating Goths including (centre) a man wearing Nazi insignia. Whitby's Gothic population was so swelled that we were literally spoilt for choice selecting shots. The only irritation were the sheer number of photographers EVERYWHERE. We had to dodge a 3 camera strong HD crew at the football game. I feel sorry for the person who has to go through their 270 minutes of footage to make a mini sting for the web project they were shooting for. I wonder how much of being photographed is part of the Whitby experience. Do more photo requests mean you have achieved the zenith?

You may notice that I haven't written about the cruise itself yet. It was so surreal and such long hours that there literally wasn't the time. But I will post pics the other side of a long sleep, na night.


Uniform wearing Goths eat fish and chips


Whitby Crew - it's a wrap

Cooke Posting To Say Hi!

Hi there...

I am essentially posting merely to inform you that I am kind of getting ready - a lovely list of equipment and filters etc has been emailed to me, I have a list of camera 'stuff' to pick up from Broadway next Friday... er... and that's it: not too nervous, looking forward to everything really - can't wait to attempt to cram us in to the lovely Bino's Bistro - last time we were there they did a lovely mushroom pasta dish JUST FOR VEGAN ME! So I hope we don't do their heads in trying to position our first Whitby interview or light things or ask for too much silence - but I think things will work out. We have a series of planned interviews, I am willing to attempt both asking the questions and re-framing the camera which could be fun, but what I am really (honestly) hoping for is BAD weather and Whitby seafront street scenes glistening with rain and populated by a bustling black clad crowd, but still screaming out SEASIDE ENGLAND... as well as getting a few spectacular landscape shots and sticking to the thorough and detailed list Jeanie has given me.

I am wondering what DVD's to bring up for the crew to watch in the evening: all and any suggestions considered.

I will post again - or attempt to, who knows if this has worked, I am sooooo computer illiterate - later on and try to do one more pre-shoot post and a post-shoot post... speak soon

Chris