Kino Short of the Week - Best of 2023
That’s a wrap on our Short of the Week series for 2023. If you’re looking for indie alternatives to add to your holiday watchlist, why not dip into our archives?
In 2023 we featured 43 films in our Kino Short of the Week series. Selections were of all genres ranging from horror to drama, from fashion to animation, and more.
As always, we featured films on a non-exclusive basis helping to support releases from Omeleto, Alter, Directors Notes, Straight 8, Vimeo Staff Pick and Dust, as well as supporting those filmmakers who chose to self-distribute on their own channels. BUT… this year we started taking our own YouTube channel more seriously. Ten of the 43 films were distributed directly by us. Our YouTube channel received 44.8k views with our most popular release “Influencia” Written & Directed by Ryan Rosenheim & Patrick De Vinck receiving over 30k views.
Three of the 43 film featured were Kino Originals, so even though we love them and the filmmakers who made them, it does feel a bit like patting our own back to include them in our Top 10, so only the remaining 40 films were eligible for our Top 10.
BUT… if you’d like to watch (or rewatch) our Kino Originals we figured we’d add them below.
Thanks to our Sponsor
who will be providing the top 5 filmmakers on this list with a FREE copy of Final Draft
Kino Originals
MAMA’S WATCHING
DO NOT TOUCH
HIDDEN INSIGHT
and now for our top 10
10. Shallow
Directed & Produced by PAUL ASHTON
Written by JOE JOHNSEY
Deep in a forest, Barry and Larry indulge in conversation that is by turns light-hearted and extremely topical, revealing surprising revelations, both good and bad, along the way.
9. RoButler
Written & Directed by JAMES BUTTON
Overworked in the email department at the a local Welsh council, Cwnt Jones purchases a personalised AI assistant in order to help make his life better- the RoButler.
8. Blinkers
Written & Directed by SOPHIA CAPASSO
This short film is about the cracks we don't see splitting in the rollercoaster of modern life and how two experiences of one night can be drastically dissimilar. Blinkers touches on the complexity of mental health and female friendships.
7. Fishwife
Written, Produced, & Directed by BETH PARK
In wild 18th century Britain a lonely woman discovers that her menstrual cycle is of interest to a stranger.
6. Influencia
Written & Directed by RYAN ROSENHEIM & PATRICK DE VINCK
A despondent young influencer wakes up on the beach hungover. As he readies himself for the day, more and more of his poverty is revealed. Mourning the loss of his mother, Cesar drinks himself into a stupor, listening to his mother’s old voicemail on repeat. After sobering up enough, Cesar sneaks onto a wealthy Malibu property to film a video with a Lamborghini.
5. The Fool’s Mate
Written & Directed by CIAN LLEWELLYN
Produced by JACK POLLINGTON
A couple’s relationship is at a cross roads - as he attempts to break up, she thinks he’s about to propose. But will an impromptu chess game finally force the truth to come out?
4. No Filter
Written & Directed by NATHAN CROOKER
Prduced by MAYA KORN & NATHAN CROOKER
Insecure twenty-something Beth struggles with her digital self-image until her friend Micah introduces her to a transformative filter. The digital magic boosts her online presence and attracts new admirers, but the allure comes with a dark and insidious price.
3. Other Half
Directed by LINA KALCHEVA, Written by LAURA JAYNE TUNBRIDGE, and Produced by MICHELLE BRØNDUM
As an Individual Being in a world comprised of Merged Couples, Ren longs to find his other half and become complete.
2. Crumbs
Directed by ROBOT CHOCOLATE (GABRIELA PLAČKOVÁ, ROBERT HLOZ)
Produced by ALEXANDRA KARA MORAVČÍKOVÁ
Tired of her husband’s noisy and messy eating, a wife starts a stop-motion battle and packs her bags. CRUMBS was made entirely in-camera for Straight 8's 2020 competition on one cartridge of super 8mm film with no post-production. Find out more about their unique filmmaking process in our interview below..
1. Portrait
Directed by KEIR SIEWERT
Produced by ALIX AUSTIN
Written by KEIR SIEWERT & ANONYMOUS
Based on real accounts, a model takes matters into her own hands to expose a serial predator in the photography world.
Honourable Mentions
Even though these films didn’t make our Top 10 we still think they’re pretty great and well worth a watch.
Oluwale
Out of Orbit
Submit to our Short of the Week series to be considered for our 2024 season
Kino Short of the Week - Best of 2022
That’s a wrap on our Short of the Week series for 2022. If you’re looking for indie alternatives to add to your holiday watchlist, why not dip into our archives?
That’s a wrap on our Short of the Week series for 2022. Let’s take a moment to look back on some of the amazing shorts and filmmakers we featured on our online showcase.
10. SMASH AND GRAB | Written, Produced & Directed by NEIL LINPOW
Four women race a ticking clock across a bustling city, readying themselves for the ultimate Smash and Grab showdown.
9. PETRICHOR | Directed by Louis-Jack | Written by Kenneth Emson | Produced by Morgan Faverty
A washed up, former wunderkind of the snooker world has one last chance to revive his career. Battling with addiction and the ghosts of his past, there is more at stake than just the score.
8. MIDNIGHT DELIVERY | Written & Directed by Nathan Crooker | Produced by Nathan Crooker, Jake Silbermann, Mayumi Tatsuta
When a mysterious gift is delivered to an unsuspecting woman’s door at the stroke of midnight she unleashes a sinister evil from within.
8. true value | Directed and Produced by Alix Austin
| Written by Keir Siewert
A university student with an unusual part-time job collides with her tightly wound client in this beautifully dark crime thriller.
7. THANK YOU SO MUCH | Written & Directed by TOMASZ FRYMORGEN | Produced by TOMASZ FRYMORGEN & BRIANNA FERGUSON
It’s 8pm on a Thursday evening and the Clap for Carers is about to begin. Two neighbours battle it out to be the loudest, most grateful and most virtuous residents on the street - until someone finally calls them out. Will they swallow their pride and apologise, or will they silence the upstart who’s dared to embarrass them?
6. LOVE YA LIKE POISON! | Directed by Max Azulay & Rosie Yadid | Written by Rosie Yadid | Produced by Sarah Epstein & Rosie Yadid
Twenty-something Louise returns to NYC after university abroad. She is reunited with her firecracker of a Jewish mother, Nadine, and their relationship seems to pick up right where it left off.
While Nadine wants her back for good, Lou is desperately trying not to get too comfortable. When she reveals news of her engagement, old wounds are reopened as Nadine reveals secrets about her own failed marriage.
5. BULLDOG | Written & Directed by Kieran Stringfellow
| Produced by Tasha Williams
After spending the night in a cell, a rough sleeper has a score to settle.
3. VISKAR I VINDEN | Written & Directed by James Newman | PRODUCED BY James Newman & Harry Newman
Matilda is a forensic investigator gathering evidence at a crime scene, where an elderly man's body lies dead, gruesomely murdered by an unknown person.
It seems just another day on the job, and Matilda is told by the detective to get things done, though Matilda seems eager to take the detective role herself. When the corpse decides to communicate posthumously with the investigators in an unusual, decidedly earthy way, Matilda takes it upon herself to do some investigation on her own.
2. SAFEKEEPING | Written & Directed by DAVID YORKE
Produced by DAVID YORKE & PHIL BEASTALL
Young teen Jessica and her kid brother Charlie are setting out on a journey. They leave behind a dark, unsettling home life and set out into the larger world with few belongings. The countryside they travel through is idyllic, stretching out around them in a pastoral, seemingly peaceful expanse. Together, they make a stop at a place they once enjoyed in simpler, happier times. But all is not what it seems, both in the world and between the siblings, as they embark on a trip that will change their lives forever.
1. embers | Written, Produced & Directed by Tom Ganley
Alice sits alone at a restaurant, waiting for her date to arrive… Doesn’t sound like an interesting synopsis, but don’t be fooled by it. Embers is an emotionally complex film, winning multiple awards at film festival this past April for best screenplay, best performance in a drama & best first time filmmaker.
Honourable Mentions
Even though these films didn’t make our Top 10 we still think they’re pretty great and well worth a watch.
MILK
TALK RADIO
Submit to our Short of the Week series to be considered for our 2023 season
Nanny Neigh Neigh
An unsuspecting nanny is coerced into a game of make-believe. But when the stable doors close, she realises her playmate isn't horsing around.
Directed by Elliot Taylor & Liam Francis
Produced by Lucy Hilton-Jones
An unsuspecting nanny is coerced into a game of make-believe. But when the stable doors close, she realises her playmate isn't horsing around.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH LUCY
Welcome back to our Short of the Week series. What have you been up to since we last featured your film A Present for a Good Girl?
Thanks so much for having me back! I've been up to all sorts. Lots of creative stuff but also lots of catching up on life stuff. I've been lucky enough to get some amazing theatre gigs, which took me away from film for a little bit. But I missed it way too much. I'm very glad to be back into the swing of making things myself.
Can you tell us about Greenfingers Films?
Greenfingers Film is a collective set up by four filmmaking pals. We've known each other for years and have always bounced off each other creatively, but only got the ball rolling as a team in Jan 2020. We call ourselves a collective as we feel it allows us more freedom to work collaboratively and with equality.
Tell us about the genesis of Nanny Neigh Neigh. What inspired this film?
The inception of Nanny Neigh Neigh is quite a straightforward one. I worked as a nanny all the way through the pandemic, often playing games of 'horsey'. That job was a lifeline for me in uncertain times, but I often recognised how interchangeable I was to such a wealthy family. How many nannies had come before me? And how many would come after? So this film was a daft little response to that feeling.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
Finding the right kid to play Lavender was tricky. Because the film has some horror themes, we wanted to be extra careful in casting someone mature enough to handle the material but young enough looking to have a nanny. Ella (who plays Lavender) is the daughter of a theatre director I've worked with. When she mentioned Ella was obsessed with horror and wanted to get into acting, I knew she would be absolutely perfect for the role. She's a complete natural! Money was the other obstacle. It's a neverending obstacle. But we made it work with absolute pennies and to be honest, I think working like that has made us better filmmakers. Shout out to everyone that offered their time for free or at hugely discounted rates just for the love of it. We couldn't do it without people like that.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences and why you decided to self-release online vs venturing into the festival circuit.
We went back and forth as to whether we'd do the festival circuit with Nanny Neigh Neigh, but eventually decided not to. That in part comes down to funding (or lack thereof) and in part because you have to keep projects hidden away for so long when they're doing the rounds at festivals. This film is short and sweet and gives a good indication of our style so we wanted to share it in the hope that it may drum up some interest for longer projects we have in the works.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
I think getting your work actually seen is the hardest part of breaking into the industry. I still feel like I haven't cracked it. Nowadays, you really have to invest time in creating an online presence, and 'hype' around each project. It's a full-time job in itself and one that none of us at Greenfingers enjoy that much. That's why short film platforms like yours are so important!
What can we expect upcoming from Greenfingers?
At the end of November, we managed to make three new short films in as many days. Not sure whose idea that was, but miraculously it paid off! So they're all in post-production now, and we'll be looking to submit to festivals in 2023. We may release the shortest one straight away like Nanny Neigh Neigh, so keep your eyes peeled on our socials.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Titane has yet to be topped for me this year. My mouth was on the floor throughout. But in a completely opposing way, Banshees of Insherin gave it a good run for it's money. I'm gonna throw Hail Satan? in as a documentary recommendation. I just re-watched it and it's so much fun.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Thank You So Much
It’s 8pm on a Thursday evening and the Clap for Carers is about to begin. Two neighbours battle it out to be the loudest, most grateful and most virtuous residents on the street - until someone finally calls them out. Will they swallow their pride and apologise, or will they silence the upstart who’s dared to embarrass them?
Written & Directed by TOMASZ FRYMORGEN
Produced by TOMASZ FRYMORGEN & BRIANNA FERGUSON
It’s 8pm on a Thursday evening and the Clap for Carers is about to begin. Two neighbours battle it out to be the loudest, most grateful and most virtuous residents on the street - until someone finally calls them out. Will they swallow their pride and apologise, or will they silence the upstart who’s dared to embarrass them?
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH TOMASZ
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I work in broadcast television making documentaries, but I've always wanted to write and direct fiction. When the pandemic hit and the television industry shut down, it felt like a now or never moment. So I made my first short, Thank You So Much.
Tell us about the genesis of Thank You So Much. Obviously, covid was your theme, but what else inspired this film?
I'd say that covid is just the background, rather than the theme. There's actually no mention of it in the film, though it does focus on the intensified behaviour covid produced. My hope is that TYSM says something a bit wider about the coercive potential of performative acts.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
Not knowing how to do anything. TYSM was an opportunity to learn the ropes on everything from unit bases to storyboarding. Luckily there were loads of incredibly capable and hugely generous people around who gave their time and skill to make the film possible and to drag my arse across the finish line. Thank God.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
FilmFreeway is like the most costly dating app ever. You keep swiping right for £30 a pop and they keep swiping left. Brutal. But it only takes that one special programmer...
We also did some things outside of festivals. We had a community screening in the area where the film was shot, and the film had a partnership with Nurses United - a brilliant grassroots organisation of nurses who fight for better conditions. We timed our online launch to coincide with International Nurses Day. The point here was to try and reach people online who you might not find at film festivals - and hopefully who can recognise something in the story of TYSM.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
Cash money $$$ . There's so little funding available for shorts. I've heard that in some other countries there's more of an infrastructure to support short film - e.g. slots before feature films in the cinema. It would be great to have something like that.
What are you working on now?
I've spent the last year co-writing a TV drama pilot as part of a Screen Yorkshire development scheme called Flex. I also have a short film script I'm hoping to shoot next year.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
This year I was lucky enough to watch Come And See, restored and on a big screen. That film will permanently change you.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Cross
Tom and Kelly have, on the surface, a passionate, loving relationship. But Tom has a shameful secret he is desperate to keep hidden from Kelly.
Written & Directed by GILLIAN HARKER
Produced by DAVID ANTHONY THOMAS
Tom and Kelly have, on the surface, a passionate, loving relationship. But Tom has a shameful secret he is desperate to keep hidden from Kelly.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH GILLIAN
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I started out as an actor and found that I loved the camaraderie that comes with being on set. I started collaborating with other actors, writers and directors around 2017 /2018 and decided to take the plunge and make my first film in 2019- which was Cross! Since then, I've made a number of short films to hone my craft, widen my skill set and develop my cinematic voice. I love working on Super8 too- I think it has such a nostalgic quality to whatever you shoot.
Tell us about the genesis of Cross. What inspired you to make the film?
Really, at that point, Cross emerged from the need to just make something myself; test what I was capable as a writer and director. I knew I wanted to keep the parameters quite tight: two characters, 1 main location (my old flat!). So, when thinking who these two characters could be, my instinct was that they were a couple. So, then I had to think what the conflict would be? What did I want to examine?
At the time of writing, much discussion and debate had arisen on gender-identity, gender politics and the concept of toxic masculinity- topics which continue to ignite fierce debate. It's something that still feels very polarising,.. and everyone seems to have an opinion on how other people should live. I was keen explore the fluidity of self-expression, - particularly in terms of the stereotypes towards those that stray beyond the 'gender-normative' boundaries. I went down a rabbit hole, researching...just stuff. I don't remember looking for anything in particular in the beginning. I came across an interview from a man who had hidden his need to dress as a woman from his wife for years. Something he said really struck a chord with me: "I can cry when I'm her, but I can't when I'm me. If it wasn't for her, I'd be six-feet under." He talked about his fear and the feelings of shame. They interviewed his wife too. She talked about her shock and distress at finding out. There was so much complexity and nuance with their story- ~I felt that would be worth exploring in my first script.
Tom is terrified of Kelly finding out his secret and once Kelly does, she isn't entirely sure how to deal with the discovery. This ideal of masculinity that Tom appeared to represent to her has been turned on its head and she assumes all sorts about him and their relationship. One of the things I felt strongly about when making 'Cross' was that I wanted the film to not 'explain' away Tom's motives for doing what he does and to not attempt to sum up the behaviour of either character in a neat package. It felt audacious to complete a ten-minute short film of this nature in this way. First and foremost, the film is about love and trust. Male and female roles in relationships are continually evolving and at any one time, one may need to lead and support the other. Often, words fail to articulate complex feelings. Action is what is need to communicate and reconnect. Kelly, in my film, fails to find the words but knows that she can show her acceptance of this other side to Tom.
How did you find taking on the roles of both director and actor?
Ah I really loved that experience!. My lead actor, Ryan Hayes, and I had a great working relationship and natural chemistry so it made things much easier. I had a supportive crew which was what I needed as I was very green in terms of directing at that time. I've made a few more films since then where I've been the actor and director...and actually I find the worst part is when showing it to the audience. I hate it! So, the process of acting in my on films I love. But, the sharing it with the world...I hate! Hah!
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
My own brain! That little voice in my head saying 'I'm not really the sort of person who directs!' I will always have that little voice rattling somewhere in the background, but I've made enough short films now where it's getting a bit easier to ignore!
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
I really loved the festivals we screened at, but I was fairly naive going in. We applied to 'big festivals’, as you do. We had lots of rejections, but it found a home at some wonderful film festivals across the UK. I'm super proud of what we achieved with my debut short film. We generally had really lovely audiences, picking up a few awards. It resonates with people in different ways.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
Ultimately, a lot of it comes down to funding. Unfortunately. I’ve made a few super low budget shorts, with most being self-financed- but that isn’t a sustainable way of making films in the long term. In most cases, to make that ‘calling-card short’ we’re all hoping to make, we need a decent ish amount of cash. I think securing finance from brands is the way forward as public funding and soft financing is over super competitive.
What are you working on now?
I'm developing a scripted short film about grassroots girls' rugby league- called Rhino- which I'm super excited about. We're trying to secure the full finance for that. That's always the hard part, right? I’m co-producing a short, stop motion animation with a brilliant filmmaker- I love her work- so hopefully can share some updates on that soon.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Hmmmm...new films I've seen recently that I'd recommend: Sebastian Lelio's The Wonder. I think Florence Pugh is such a fearless, charismatic, honest performer and I’d pay to watch her read the Argos catalogue!
I feel like I want to recommend some great short films I’ve seen recently, so here goes:
Voices, directed by Abbie Lucas
Suoterapia (Primal Retreat), directed by Santtu Salminen
I Heard You Calling in the Night, directed by Paul Bertellotti
Heart Failure, directed by Will Wightman
Candy, directed by Sarah Grant
Le Pompom, directed by David Hourregue.
Doughnut, directed by Liam White
The Ballard of Olive Morris, directed by Alex Kayode-Kay.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Hangover Food
After a heavy night out, Bruce want's to get back on it but has a hard time convincing Lee, who feels like death; figuratively and literally.
Directed by Ross McGowan
Written & Produced by Craig McDonald-Kelly, David Hepburn, & Ross McGowan
After a heavy night out, Bruce want's to get back on it but has a hard time convincing Lee, who feels like death; figuratively and literally.
Hangover Food was the first short film by Deadline Films UK. Costing £500 all in. Written, cast, shot and edited within 5 months. Hangover Food went onto 15 film festivals round the world winning 4 awards.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH CRAIG
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
Hi! I’m Craig, I’m one of the writers, producers and cast of Hangover Food. I’m an actor first, writer/producer second. We started Deadline Films UK in 2017 to create our own work, get off our bums and start the films we want to make. Hangover Food was our first, we shot it in a bedroom in our flat for £500 in 1 day in September. We had it finished and hitting festivals by January next year.
Tell us about the genesis of Hangover Food. What inspired you to make/get involved with this film?
The idea came from our director Ross McGowan. Two very hungover friends, but one isn’t actually hungover, he’s turning into a Vampire. We heard that and thought we could make a fun comedy with some horror elements. We wrote the script with our other Deadline Films UK founder David Hepburn and got to work.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
On such a low budget we had to figure out the best way to do what we wanted to do within our means. We had an amazing team of friends on board helping us out.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
We found that Hangover Food went down really well with American audiences. It’s very American style humour. In big theatres people would always laugh at completely different parts of the film. It hit different for some people and we loved seeing that. It’s still one of our most successful films to date. People loved these characters.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
Waiting around for something before they start making films. Money, the right script, the perfect location, the right actor. We met people who’d been working on a short for 7 years! That’s insane. We made 8 shorts from 2017 - 2020. Admittedly, some are much better than others. But we learned from our mistakes and went onto the next one with all that new information.
What are you working on now?
Over this summer I wrote a mini series based in the same world as Hangover Food. These 5 x 5min episodes should be out next year and we’d like to use that to get the Hangover Food feature film funded!
We wrote the feature during lockdown, reworked it a bunch and now have it ready to go. Unfortunately you can’t make a feature film for £500. We’re hoping the web series will show off what we can do with a minimal budget and the team we have. We want to focus on a great story, directing, acting and cinematography to bring it to life.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
My favourite film this year so far is Everything Everywhere All At Once. Absolutely batshit amazing. The bigger the screen you can watch it on the better. I also just finished Season 2 of an anime called Demon Slayer and it’s one of the most beautifully animated things I’ve ever seen for TV. Season 2 was brilliant.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
A Real Pair
Tony and Archie, best friends and sci-fi fanatics rent out a funky apartment for a weekend on the town, but their host has other plans.
Directed by Ed Willey
Written by Rossella Di Pietro and Ed Willey
Tony and Archie, best friends and sci-fi fanatics rent out a funky apartment for a weekend on the town, but their host has other plans.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ED
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I still consider myself quite new to the filmmaking game. At the start of 2020 I tried writing short stories but found myself getting annoyed that I could visualise them so well but couldn’t convey everything I was seeing in my head. A weird epiphany later filmmaking felt like a natural next step. I made my first short later that year on my phone and enrolled in a part-time course at MetFilm to learn how to do things properly. Since then I finished the course with another short, and have done the 48hour competition twice now. Being very new to the industry I enjoy working on other shorts as 1st AD (I love to be organised!) which has been a really great way to meet people. I met both Will and Macaulay (DoP and 1st AC on this film), working on shorts with other directors. Given my day job as a web developer, I’ve found filmmaking very naturally fits into a very technical and creative hole that I get a lot of enjoyment from being involved in all aspects of.
So this isn't your first time making a film in 48 hours. What makes you gravitate to such a challenge?
Foremost, you will end up with a finished film. It felt pretty weird on the Sat after wrapping the shoot saying “I’ll send you the finished film tomorrow” but also really exciting just knowing it will be done. The challenge and the restrictions the competition places on you (random genres, given character, prop and line of dialogue) can be really rewarding. Having to come up with something in such a short timeframe, leaves very little time to second guess yourself, you just have to get on and do it!
What is the most challenging and/or exciting aspect of creating a film in 48 hours?
Time is obviously the biggest challenge. You have to be pretty strict especially on shoot day, setting a hard finish time so you know you have a target to hit. Aside from that, trying to plan for anything and everything. Getting a cast and crew together and finding a location with absolutely no idea what your might be making can be quite daunting. Finding the location this year was one of my biggest stresses, we didn’t find the warehouse appt til I think the week before, definitely not something I want to repeat next year!
Did any pre-existing creative ideas happen to fit the brief for A Real Pair, or did you make the film 100% from scratch?
100% from scratch. We drew the genres of Comedy Horror + Legal Jeopardy (the rules say you can bin one genre) and started throwing ideas around, then the required elements were announced and we felt it was clear we wanted to make silly ‘horror’ and ran with that. There was a bunch of us at our place all pitching in with ideas until we had the basic story beats down, then myself and Rossella locked ourselves away and set about the script.
Would you ever continue working on the film after 48 hours for your own personal satisfaction, or once the deadline is complete do you walk away from making any tweaks?
For me I feel it defeats the point to continue to refine it after the fact, I like to be able to say “this is what we made in 48hours”. Having said that… I did make two very very very small tweaks removing a few frames from a couple of shots in the file that’s now on Vimeo, but I put that down to sleep deprivation towards the end of editing on the Sun! Am really proud of what we managed to achieve this year, the whole team was really awesome.
If you had more time to work on this project, what is the main thing you would like to change/develop further?
We would have definitely liked to have more time to work on the characters/story. The cast did a great job with what we had to work with, but we all felt there was more to explore both with the two guys, childhood friends, a shared passion, where are they in their lives now? And of course, Crystal, how did she get involved in what she's doing, how does she keep getting away with it? We kept joking there was enough of a foundation to work it up to a feature, which is an idea I haven't fully let go of yet...
After a 48 hour competition is over, what's the journey of the film look like in terms of trying to reach a wider audience?
Doing stuff like this? :) Am also submitting to a few small festivals, but it’s a weird one as obviously you’re going up against people who’ve spent months refining their films, so, we’ll see what happens!
Words of wisdom. What advice would you give to other filmmakers?
Collaboration. As a writer/director I find it absolutely essential to be able to be open to ideas from other members of the crew, you don’t always have to go with them, but at the very least be open to hearing ideas. Filmmaking is very much a team sport. By all means, have a vision, but let others collaborate with you to make it the best version of that vision.
What are you working on now?
Am back at the day job while I plan out my next short, ideally want to get something new done early next year, but still kicking around ideas right now. More long term I’m working on my first feature script with plenty more ideas waiting in the wings! And of course, keeping an eye on the job boards for other projects to help out on and meet more people!
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
The first thing that popped into my head is ‘Prisoners’ by Denis Villeneuve. It preceded Sicario/Arrival/Blade Runner 2049 which obviously raised his profile considerably. It’s an incredibly tense movie with some outstanding performances that provide uncomfortable viewing at times, but a really beautifully made film. On the other end of things we recently re-watched ‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’ by the Lonely Island guys, I love everything they do and am very curious about their involvement in the upcoming Naked Gun reboot…!
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Myrrha
Loosely inspired by Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’, ‘Myrrha’ is a vivid fever dream exploring classical themes of fluidity and re-creation from a strikingly contemporary perspective.
Directed, Produced & Choreographed by Katya Bourvis
Created in collaboration with dance artists: J BAUTISTA, ALEXANDER NUTTALL, NOVAYA SHEY and PATRICIA ZHOU
Loosely inspired by Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’, ‘Myrrha’ is a vivid fever dream exploring classical themes of fluidity and re-creation from a strikingly contemporary perspective. Invited into the liminal space of Studio Wayne McGregor, the viewer observes a strange cabal of characters as they grapple with the boundaries of identity and gender - and over the course of the film’s three parts, we’re taken on a surreal odyssey of transformation, presided over by the immersive beauty of Ruaraid Achilleos’ camerawork. Supported by a Sadler’s Wells artist grant and featuring the genderless designs of Max Zara Sterck, ‘Myrrha’ is hypnotic and eerily arresting — and marks a powerful solo directorial debut for choreographer Katya Bourvis.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH KATYA
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I trained in classical ballet before dancing with Stuttgart Ballet, English National Ballet and the Royal Opera House. Later, I started freelancing in a more commercial and contemporary capacity, and worked a lot more for film. During the pandemic, I started experimenting with film and sound, and fell in love with how the body could be captured in moving image; how stories could be told through physicality and immersive sound design. Around this time I transitioned into Movement direction for music promo, branded content and film. My experience in the surreal and imaginative world of ballet and theatre and the sensitivity that I’ve acquired as a dancer has given me my own way of looking and feeling the world, which I feel is a huge attribute to my developing directorial eye. I co-directed and choreographed my first short ‘What are We Doing’ which featured on Girls In Film last April and will be showing at this years Leeds Festival. ‘Myrrha’ is my solo directorial debut.
Tell us about the genesis of 'Myrrha'? How did the project come about?
I started reading Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’ during the pandemic and it felt so relevant to the transformative time we were all facing. Rich in imagery and archetype, to me the myths craved a modern retelling and I felt a pull to explore classical themes of fluidity and recreation.In the Summer of 2021 I was afforded a Sadler’s Wells artist in residence grant; this was my first ever choreographic residency, and I decided to use it as the first step in creating ‘Myrrha’. A lot of the choreographic material was generated collaboratively with my brilliant dance artists, using the original text as a jumping off point. It also felt important to me to incorporate my dancers’ personal experiences, so I interviewed each dancer on transformation, gender and artistic identity. We used the interviews to layer intention over pre-existing movement language, which then informed how I imagined retelling the myths.When it came to filming a month or so later, I had a clear vision of the film being a triptych and I wanted it to feel like a fever dream. I owe a lot to Ruaraid Achilleos and Ken Schijf the Movi operator for the hypnotic and immersive camera work. And of course to the incredible Max Zara for creating such striking genderless designs! The project also owes a huge debt to Edmund Roberts, who’s atmospheric compositions form the backbone of the piece’s soundtrack; he was also very open to collaborating with me, and helped me to integrate my own field recordings into his work, building a surreal, but beautiful sound world. It was a real team effort, and I’m still genuinely moved by everyones generosity and contributions.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
I was very naive as a first time film maker and had no idea of what it actually takes to make a film, until I was deep in it! My budget was so low, so I ended up taking the role of choreographer, director, producer and stylist. It was a little overwhelming and I remember being found by a sales woman breaking down in a tiny cubicle in M+S surrounded by about 20 trouser options and being asked to leave as the shop had shut! A low moment! There were many moment like this — but I wouldn’t give up any of them for all that I learn’t and the resilience built… Well maybe a few ; ) It was hard to distance myself from my own creative vulnerability, and not to take things personally. I was working with sensitive personal stories and that takes a lot of awareness. Everything was new to me, it was my first residency choreographing, my first solo shoot, my first editing experience, my first time collaborating with a composer — and it was hard not to give in to doubt. But I was so lucky to have a brilliant creative team who got me through.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
It took a few of weeks of existential crisis - ‘aaah it’s shit… I’m awful… it was all for nothing…’ Luckily Schön picked it up for their platform and minute shorts. Finally, New Renaissance Film Festival have been wonderfully supportive, and it was incredibly vindicating to win Best Choreographer at their award ceremony last month!
Words of wisdom. What advice would you give to other filmmakers?
Work with good people and keep going. Try to zoom out in moments of feeling totally consumed or totally important. Get a producer!
What are you working on now?
I just finished choreographing on another short film and working on an immersive stage piece. I’m taking a little break to re-enter the world after a busy creative period. I hope to return to directing shortly, with a female led short set to a dream pop soundtrack, featuring some really incredible dancers.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
The Pandemic turned me into a bit of a arthouse genre geek - Possession, Les Bonheurs, Suspiria (the 70’s one) and The Night of The Hunter. In fact, all of those have a slightly Halloween appropriate mood. So those three!
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Paranormal Investigators
In a world where ghosts and ghouls aren't a matter of folklore and legend but more everyday pests in need of control, we follow Abi as she embarks on her first day as an intern with the British Paranormal Investigation Team.
Directed by Markus Meedt
Written & Produced by Alex Gibbons and Howard Perret
In a world where ghosts and ghouls aren't a matter of folklore and legend but more everyday pests in need of control, we follow Abi as she embarks on her first day as an intern with the British Paranormal Investigation Team.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH MARKUS
Welcome back to our Short of the Week series. What have you been up to since we showcased your last short Werewolf?
Right after Werewolf I got busy with Paranormal Investigators, which we wanted to function as a Proof Of Concept short, to develop into series. I also re-teamed with the lovely team from Werewolf to do another short and a series of sketches, which I hope to be sharing with you soon. And I also got to work with the Royal School of Speech And Drama on a series of short films for the graduation students. But mostly I have tried to do more script writing and bible development, to try and tell more ambitious stories than our short film budgets can handle.
Tell us about the genesis of Paranormal Investigators. How did the project come about?
One of my best friends, Alex Gibbons, who I have worked with on multiple projects introduced me to Howard Perret, who came up with the concept of the short. We all really fell in love with the characters and the world. So Howard and Alex went off and wrote a short that could also work as a condensed version of a pilot episode.
How did you find the crowdfunding process and what tips/tricks could you provide to filmmakers looking to do the same?
Crowdfunding is haaaaard and awkward. Admittedly, Alex and Howard did most of the leg work on getting the crowd funding. Obviously there is the video to entice an audience and the perks. But people don't organically stumble across your crowdfunding page, take the time to watch and read everything and then generously open their wallet. The truth is that mostly people will give you financial support because they know you, or because you successfully managed to talk them into your cause. So Alex and Howard (and the rest of the team) went out and directly approached people, rather than just post about it online. So, the horrible truth is, you can't just plonk it on social and hope for people to interact. You have to interact with the people, and then hope they see whatever you plonked on your socials.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
I love the film we ended up with. And I love the whole team. But holy smokes we ran into a lot of trouble on this one.
Alex Gibbons, who not only wrote and produced the film, was also our gaffer (he is a great Spark and Gaffer FYI). Before the shoot he went to pick up some props, including a large shelf, which fell apart while he was carrying it, slicing through his hand and sending him straight to the ER. So he became a one handed gaffer.
On shoot day 2 I received a call from home with some very sad news. This call came through before we went off to shoot the big comedy scene with Joshua McGuire.
Our Production Designer nearly got impaled by a curtain rod.
Howard had to sort out some location issues while also playing our male lead and doing dialogue re-writes with Alex on the fly.
So in short, most of the challenges we faced this time around, just somehow felt a little cursed at times. I guess the take away lesson here is that sometimes the hardest part about film making isn't the actual process of making the film, but trying to not let the unpredictable chaos of the "outside world" push you off course on your journey. And truly, now we are looking back and are laughing about it.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
Well one way of course is to have KINO shorts talk about the film. Our festival run wasn't as far reaching as we hoped, as the film was finalized in the peak of covid bonanza. But we managed to have a great Cast/Crew/Friends screening at a spectacular London location. The film went down well and just by sheer word of mouth we were invited by some more local film festivals. (Big Shout Out to Leighton Buzzard) Film Festival). The film has literally just gone live on the World Wide Web, so we are excited to see if, how, and where it finds its audience.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
I think I personally haven't broken into the industry properly. So I can only confirm that it is really challenging to break into the industry. I can't really say what it takes, though, to make it work (yet! If I find out, I will let you know fo sho!). But I would say in the current environment, the biggest challenge is to stay on top of the costs of living while also chasing a dream that requires you to spend a lot of your personal time and money to "create" the tools you need to break in. So while talent does go a long way, there is a certain amount of living costs you need to uphold while you are waiting for your right place at the right time moment.
What are you working on now?
We are in post on our series of sketches at the moment, which need to be delivered by end of November. I am co-writing a YA TV Pilot and developing an R-Rated animated Peppa Pig type series as well as a workplace dramedy. So a very mixed bag of joyful things.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I just saw The Banshees of Inisherin, which is great (and horrendous) fun.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Midnight Delivery
Some gifts aren’t meant to be opened.
Written & Directed by Nathan Crooker
Produced by Nathan Crooker, Jake Silbermann, Mayumi Tatsuta
Conjured from the imaginative mind behind the award-winning viral horror short, PLAYBACK, Nathan Crooker's latest supernatural thriller, MIDNIGHT DELIVERY, is sure to leave you second guessing that knock at your door. MIDNIGHT DELIVERY begins when a mysterious gift is delivered to an unsuspecting woman’s door at the stroke of midnight. The woman’s morbid fascination entices her to examine the gift, unleashing a sinister evil from within.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH NATHAN
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I started as an actor when I moved to NYC. After some time, I became a cameraman on documentaries that were shot in extremely dangerous places around the world. I really enjoyed helping tell these thought-provoking stories. Then I got lucky to make my way into commercials and music videos. Here I could experiment and work with all types of cameras and equipment. After some time, I began making short films and producing features. I really love film, especially the horror genre. It is a unique genre in that we not only get to have fun with these wild, crazy scary stories but also build stories with an underlying social commentary that makes us think and provoke conversation long after the movie ends.
Tell us about the genesis of Midnight Delivery? How did the project come about?
I have always loved 80's monster movies for their camp factor, unique monsters, and jump scares. So I wanted to make a film that would pay homage to these movies I grew up with as a kid. But I needed a monster. So one day, while I was lying in bed, I found it. It had been staring at me for years. On the coffee table, I saw a headdress I had been given many years ago while traveling abroad. Everything about it screamed, "horror movie." I knew it would be a great piece to center the story around. The headpiece in the film is an exact foam replica of the wooden one I owned.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
The biggest obstacle was shooting this film in two days because I had such an ambitious shot list in my tiny apartment in NYC with a four-person crew. Thankfully, we had Danielle Guldin as our lead actress, and she was consistently delivering gold on each take. This allowed me to spend time crafting camera moves that would enhance each scene's dread and scare factor.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
It is always hard to get a short film to audiences. Midnight Delivery did the festival run, and it was very successful, winning awards and screening in film festivals worldwide. But, when the festival run is over, shorts lose their heartbeat. I appreciate Kino shorts for always supporting filmmakers and helping us get our films seen!
What filmmaking tools are most useful to deliver a genuine scare?
I feel it is a combination of a few things. It starts with creating a real sense of dread with your camera movement and using little-to-no music. Then you work in a few misdirects before hitting your audience with the "scare" propelled with strong sound design. James Wan is the master at this.
Words of wisdom. What advice would you give to other filmmakers?
Stay true to your voice. If you're scared to make something, you should make it. Dont' be afraid to fail.
What are you working on now?
I have been lucky enough to sell a TV show this year to a major studio, and we are working on getting it out by the middle of 2023. I am currenlty in pre-production for my feature film Play With Me, which will shoot in February of 2023. I am also working on the feature length script based on my newest short #Nofiter.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I have so many. Anything in the French Extremist category, especially, Calvaire. I also recommend Naked, Love Is The Devil, Man Bites Dog, Possession, Eden Lake, and Felt.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Gänger
A dark surrealist comedy in which a girl becomes increasingly intimate with her friendship group.
Written, Produced & Directed by Max Davies
A dark surrealist comedy in which a girl becomes increasingly intimate with her friendship group.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH MAX
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I grew up making films and haven't stopped since, I don't remember a point in my life that I wasn't making some kind of ridiculous film or film trailer. I was very lucky to grow up with two very close friends who wouldn't consider themselves actors but didn't mind if I stuck a camera in their face from the age of about seven. This allowed me to experiment making rubbish films on phones and ancient camcorders that gradually became less rubbish. I learnt through trial and error over the years and naturally figured out what works and what doesn't, although truth be told I am still figuring that out.
Tell us about the genesis of Gänger? How did the project come about?
Ganger was a film in the back of my mind for a long time. I had just finished college and had dealt with a lot of frustration with certain power dynamics in different friendship groups. The film had loads of different iterations but I settled on this absurd heightened feeling that attempted to satirically dismantle these kinds of dynamics. It definitely came from a very personal place and that gave me the confidence to use my instinct in some of the decisions made throughout the process. I knew from the start this was a film I had to make, even if just to let some frustration out.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
I made this film solo behind the camera - doing the camera and audio by myself while directing. This certainly invited all kinds of problems. The most notable was a particularly challenging day when I had to pan the camera while focus pulling while audio mixing all simultaneously. Usually these can be done separately but this particular shot called for it all to be done at the same time.
Another challenge was the actor who played the boyfriend dropping out the day before, meaning I had to play the role having never really acted while doing all of the technical stuff- there is one point where I am in the shot while zooming with my off screen hand.
We had attempted to get permission many times for the final sequence in the car park, but were met with no luck. This meant we had to shoot very precisely and very quickly, before we got kicked out. It felt more like a SWAT operation than a film shoot.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
Due to the low budget nature of the film and fairly long runtime it was a challenge to get into festivals and at the time we only had the budget to apply to a couple. I posted the film to Reddit on a whim and it was met with a really warm reception and gained many more views than I was used to getting. It really connected there and found a surprising home.
Words of wisdom. What advice would you give to other filmmakers?
Don't wait around. There are always ways of practising your craft. Read loads. Start small and get bigger. Make sure you are writing to your limits. Don't be afraid of failure. Remember your vision is unique and don't be afraid to champion it. Let ideas brew. Keep notes on your phone.
Many of them may well be cliches but you know...
What are you working on now?
I've just finished writing a feature and I'm now developing a new comedy short that I'm very excited to start filming at the beginning of November.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Of course. Here is one of the least cohesive lists ever:
- A Woman Under The Influence
- What happened was...
- A Palm Beach Story
- Eyes without a face
- Blue Angel
- Holy Motors
- The Science of Sleep
- The Master
- Love exposure
- The Happiness of the Katikuris
- The Long Goodbye
- Dreams
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
US
A chef teaches his young colleague how to dance to prepare him for a very special date.
Directed by Marco Santi
Produced by Illmattic Film Group
A chef teaches his young colleague how to dance to prepare him for a very special date.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH MARCO
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
I don't have great memories of when I fell in love with cinema, however I remember well how I started making films: in high school, with friends, making amateur films with bizarre plots. I started filming around 15 and have never stopped. My path has been singular and tortuous, but I had fun and I still enjoy it. I'm a self-taught Italian director, I've always experimented from the very first steps. Over the years I have shot shorts, music videos, advs, without ever forgetting what the only goal is: making movies.
Tell us about the genesis of Us? How did the project come about?
Nother and I are longtime collaborators and friends. When the green light for ''Us'' finally came, we had a very tight request for delivery of the video... I called Nother and said to him we were going to have a music video with people dancing and nothing more. So I listened to the track, I let a few days pass (just to increase the difficulty lol) and I came up with this idea of creating a bizarre and awkward story that could contrast the sensitive and nostalgic musicality of the piece. The process was very fast, but also a lot of fun. I called back Nother when the video was already shot.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
The main obstacles were the short lead time and low budget, maybe the worst possible situation but at the same time you are forced to be pragmatic and to make choices, find solutions and be smart. It's challenging but it's also good training.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
The post-production process was also quick and painless. we knew what we wanted to achieve and we used all the time available, even something more… hehe. 3, 2, 1 and we were already online. The audience's response was positive right from the start and two months after its release the video is still walking. For a tiny project like that this is really good. I thank everyone for the work done and for the support.
Words of wisdom. What advice would you give to other filmmakers?
I am not the man of advice, but what I can say is just to set small or big goals and to work every day to achieve them. This is what I do in my small way.
What are you working on now?
At the moment I'm working on a couple of subjects with a couple of my writing friends. We are looking to experience something new. Let's see... I will keep you posted.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Among the films I've seen recently, Raw, the previous Ducourneau's movie comes to mind. It moved something in me. I also recommend Audiard's Paris, 13Arr. and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
The Corridor
An endless corridor of locked doors holds a man prisoner as his mind begins to disintegrate.
Written, Produced & Directed by James Mansell
Animator & Executive Producer Hakim Ismail
An endless corridor of locked doors holds a man prisoner as his mind begins to disintegrate.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH JAMES
Welcome back to our Short of the Week series. What have you been up to since the last time we featured your film Ruptured?
Thanks! I've been concentrating on writing for the last few years, and developing short film projects. The Corridor was a brilliant lockdown project which we all found very cathartic throughout those rough months, so that kept me very busy. I'm prepping a new short film which I hope to shoot and complete by the end of the year.
So The Corridor is your first animated film, correct? Why did you choose animation?
It certainly is. I've made a lot of animated films for brands but nothing made independently. It was a combination of wanting to work with friend and animator Hakim Ismail, who saw Ruptured and really liked it, and wanted to work on something dark and nasty, and COVID coming along and stopping any live-action shooting for a while. I was heavily inspired by David Lynch's weird and wonderful internet shorts and wanted to do something completely different to what I'd done before, so I had the idea of an animated film. With Hakim, I pitched the idea of The Corridor, which was first meant as a live-action short, and we began developing it, and went from there. I'm also a huge fan of Richard Linklater's rotoscoped animation Waking Life, and have wanted to do something similar for a very long time. This isn't rotoscoped, but it's close.
Aside from the obvious, how is directing an animated film different from a live action?
We approached it the only way I knew how, so it wasn't as different as you'd think. Working closely with one person was challenging at times, but we still had actors and a story, so the elements of a live-action film were all there. We storyboarded the film together, as if we were shooting it, and I cut it together, as if it was footage, so it retains the feel of a conventionally shot, live-action film, with the added element of this abstract, surreal style of animation that Hakim achieved. This all added to the dream-like quality the film has. I'm not sure we could have achieved that tone if we shot live-action.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
The film took us 18 months to complete over lockdown. We really had to not worry about how long this took, and just went with the flow. Life was quite challenging for everyone, and we were working on this in our free time, so there were long periods of inactivity, which couldn't be avoided. Hakim and I worked closely throughout that period, exchanging ideas and references, and we slowly built the film. Ashley Pekri and Victoria Morrison, who were both in my film NightmARes, provided the voices, and the fantastically eerie music was by Grey Frequency. This all took a long time to come together. At some point, you just have to stop, as it can always improve with time. I think we'd burnt ourselves out on the idea and needed to stop, once it felt as good as it could get with the facilities we had. We're both really proud of the film, and it stands out as something quite different.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
I honestly think the biggest challenge is internal. Having the confidence and fortitude to keep going and stay positive is very difficult. Every filmmaker who hasn't had a 'break' yet sees other filmmakers getting opportunity's and directing feature films, which is really hard when said filmmakers are battling away on their own work and seemingly not getting anywhere. THE most important thing a filmmaker can do is keep the faith and keep working. If you work smart, adapt, learn and overcome challenges as best you can, and stay true to who you are as a filmmaker, and not forget the passion you have, you have the best chance of getting the opportunities you want. Also, don't dream of that Academy Award, or BAFTA, or Fangoria Chainsaw Award too much. While you're dreaming of winning, other filmmakers are getting on with making stuff. Concentrate with what's in front of you. That's all that matters right now.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Some animated films which inspired The Corridor and are most certainly worth checking out are Richard Linklater's Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. Both superbly bizarre and trippy. I also love Keith Maitland's animated documentary Tower. And lastly, I'd say check out the incredibly powerful Waltz with Bashir by Ari Folman.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Milk
When she sees an old man unable to pay for his milk, a young girl has a change of heart.
Written & Directed by Celia Jaspers
Produced by Celia Jaspers Auriga Martin Juanita Deely
As an eight year old girl counts her pennies she realises she has enough to make a trip to the shop to buy candy. After careful consideration, she chooses a giant lollipop then joins the queue behind a old man buying milk and bread.
Impatient to purchase her lollipop, she only notices the old man when his bank card is declined. After he refuses charity from the shop keeper, he rummages around to find enough coins to pay for the bread, then leaves the milk on the counter and leaves the shop. The young girl eager to buy her lollipop watches the old man as he walks away and ponders her next move
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH CELIA
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background?
I’ve been lucky enough to find my vocation very early in life and while still at high school started working part time at a local tv studio. After finishing school at 18, instead of going to film school I was offered an internship at TVNZ and 30 years later I haven't stopped working since!
I’m primarily a director, and also producer and editor in TV, so do a lot of factual and documentary work. And whilst I started in narrative on film crews and TVC's, I was given the chance to direct very early on in TV so I went that route.
Now after many years and lot more maturity and life experience, I want to get back to narrative and I’m starting that transition by doing shorts with the aim of working tv drama and feature films.
Tell us about the genesis of Milk. How did the project come about?
Milk was written in the short 5 minute drive from my local village of Martinborough, where we shot it, to home, after our nations lockdown in 2020. Coming back from the shops the first time after 2 months at home, I felt a real shift of compassion and looking after your community in our village, and the idea of a child giving up something precious to them to help someone else was incredibly powerful on the page, I just hoped it would work on screen too! Its unfunded though, so with a lot of support from my amazing industry friends and local community, everyone loved the story and wanted to help. So Im incredibly lucky it attracted some top talent in all areas to get this over the line. IN particular my DP Jono Drew at StablizeNZ, camera from The Gear Room and the colourist and online from The Finishing Suite here in NZ, they did some huge work on this and would not be possible with out them.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
Only the obstacle of finance! And the task of asking talented people to do a job for nothing! Thats always a challenge and something I hate doing as I value their talents and know how skilled they are to get to this stage of their careers. Not being a student project that was the hardest bit. But everyone wanted to come on and offered so much. There really weren't any obstacles that we couldn't over come with some great planning and foresight.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
I've never done the film festival circuit before so that has been the greatest learning for me. I had some advice early on from Show Me Shorts here in NZ and started working on a very nerdy spreadsheet to work out who to target, how much I could spend and whats most likely to get traction. I decided the festivals for a set time was the way, then was always going to release online. I didn't want it to be locked up behind paywalls, even though we have been offered several distribution deals, it wasn't the ethos of this film to keep it private, I wanted to share it and spread the love a bit!
It’s had 96 selections so far and picked up an astonishing 46 awards. And after 18months or so of doing virtual QA's and lots of press, I have gained so many valuable skills in that area now, so Im very grateful for that, but the biggest shame was the world was mostly locked up since covid and here in NZ our borders were shut for nearly 2 years, so I couldn't actual travel to any festivals outside of NZ as I couldn't get back in the country. That has been a huge loss really. But Im hoping this next film will allow some travel and exposure.
Words of wisdom. What advice would you give to other filmmakers?
Just find a way and get it done! But I know how hard that is. Set a date for your film shoot and then things start to come in line once theres a date on the calendar. You may not know how to get there, but if you ask, someone will. And keep it simple. Don't do long waffley films, I think people want shorter, entertaining, funny if possible, and you've got more chance of selection in that 7-12 min zone. Get to the crux of your story and build around that moment.
What are you working on now?
I've written a feature screenplay and an accompanying short film to prove the idea. It’s a fun, kids family comedy with puppets and live action! Completely different. But still in that family friendly zone. I cut my teeth in kids TV, so I think I’m leaning back in to that space that I know so well. And I’m still directing for NZ highest rating TV show, Country Calendar and international juggernaut House Hunters International for HGTV out of the US, as well as developing my film projects and a feature film that Im producing next year.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
SMASH & GRAB
Four women race a ticking clock across a bustling city, readying themselves for the ultimate Smash and Grab showdown.
Written Produced & Directed by NEIL LINPOW
Four women race a ticking clock across a bustling city, readying themselves for the ultimate Smash and Grab showdown.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH NEIL
Welcome back to our Short of the Week series. What have you been up to since we featured your film Lesson 7?
It’s been a pretty amazing year to be fair, and it’s in no small part thanks to the support I received from platforms like Kino.
After screening ‘Lesson 7’ on Kino and at a number of Bafta and Oscar qualifying film festivals, I was approached with the opportunity to write a feature film project through Warner Bros and Tea Shop films. It was an interesting process, and I feel like I learned a lot along the way. We shot the film in Feb-March this year and it’s currently finishing up in post. It’s a contained thriller set in one location with only a handful of actors, so it feels in the same tone of voice as my previous shorts too.
What inspired you to make Smash and Grab?
Working in commercial production I’ve found that the despite it being a keen discussion point, there is still very little pro-active engagement to develop new and diverse talent. It’s not enough to just support existing filmmakers, we have to be looking to create projects and routes into film for people that don’t have an initial in. For the people that don’t even realise it’s a possibility.
This film was born out of a frustration that there is too much lip service, and not enough action.
I am a volunteer mentor for a UK organisation called ‘Creative Mentor Network.’ It looks to support people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and find them routes into the business. But, as much as I love working with my mentee, I still felt like I could be doing more to create my own opportunities to get him and others practical work experience.
I created this project and then reached out to my local community centres. We had 10 young people on set that had never been on a film shoot before, but wanted to get into the industry. All of them were partnered up with an experienced crew member that was lending us their time.
The film was self financed, and all of the young people were paid full rates. I’ve also invited them onto paid commercial shoots afterwards too. One of them recently won a mentor scholarship with John Boyega’s Converse campaign to find the next crop of young diverse filmmakers. So, if nothing else, it’s felt worth it for that.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
To be honest, I think most notably we encountered the familiar ones that almost all short film makers can relate to. Time and money.
When you have no money, you can’t be pushy with peoples time. Especially when you have incredibly talented people offering to get involved in your project. I knew that the film would be immeasurably better by having these amazing collaborators pushing it to be the best film it could be, but it also meant that the post production timeline of the film was very slow.
I had this (optimistic) idea to get the film turned around within a couple of months of shooting, but in the end it took almost a year. A mix of lockdowns, family bereavements and other Covid complications meant that the film bubbled along slowly in the background as my feature film also developed.
That said, I am immensely grateful for everything everybody did to get this film together, and I am very proud of what we achieved.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
Unlike with ‘Time’ and ‘Lesson 7’ I didn’t make this film to go into festivals, so I didn’t really have a plan on what to do with it. I just wanted to create a community project, so I assumed that it would just live online, and perhaps that’s exactly what it will do. I have been approached by a couple of sports brands that liked the film and wondered if there was interest in them using it as a branded piece with a little reworking of the ending, so I will see how that plays out. But I am very happy to have the film on Kino where the short film audience can check it out.
In your experience, what's been the biggest or most surprising difference about making a feature vs a short. Is it just the difference between a sprint and a marathon, or how much does the craft change?
That’s such an interesting question. Broadly speaking, it’s obviously much slower. Decisions that you can usually make on your own in short form now take weeks or months for someone to feed back on. You are always at the mercy of someone else, which can be a frustrating place to be. If I wanted to make a short film next month, and asked you if you wanted to be involved, it’s a tangible thing that you can board or not. Often with a feature, it’s not really a real thing until the money is in place and you are in pre production. And the money is not really in place until you have cast secured. So you are mostly talking about this thing that you can never be sure will happen. It takes a minute to accept that.
In terms of the craft, I’d say that the development process is certainly very different. Interrogating and fine tuning the dramatic beats so that you have your story working before you start writing your script is arguably the hardest part of the creative journey. For me, I can’t start writing until I have my entire story blocked. I think in short form, you have slightly more scope to explore moments and allow the story beats to develop on the page.
I think probably the most exciting and frustrating process is the casting. So much of it is dictated by financing, and perceived ‘commercial value.’ It can potentially force you down a road that you perhaps didn’t want to go, and even when you do align with the financiers, it comes down to availability and schedule. Casting a feature during Covid wasn’t easy.
That said, we were very lucky that we got a cast that we would have absolutley cut our hands off to get. It definitely felt at times though that it could have been pushed another way, so I feel blessed to have gotten the talent we wanted.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
That’s a tricky one, and I wish I had the answer, but I think depending on where you are in your career, the answer is different. For filmmakers like me, the hardest part is financing. If I hadn’t financed my own short films, they wouldn’t have been made. There are no platforms that would finance me, so I never have the backing of any accredited film bodies that could then help me push my films afterwards, or develop future projects with. I had to go a bit ‘one man band’ in my approach.
Equally though, as I touched on above, I think another major problem for a lot of young filmmakers is access. There’s not enough grass roots outreach to find diverse new voices and a reluctance to invest in initiatives to change that. It took me until I was in my 30’s to have the connections and a tiny bit of money to put into my films, and I fear that we will lose so many potential talents because this is indicative of the industry as a whole. Perhaps there needs to be more ways to try and monetise short films so that there is a commercial value in making them for financiers.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Hmm… I’ve been watching some good TV recently. Severance was great, and perhaps the best thing I’ve seen was Midnight Mass. It was a brilliantly subversive take on a classic myth, through a different lens and I loved that it was allowed to be slow-burn at times. 15 minute long scenes of two people just discussing existential ideas alone in a room, all the while still being at it’s core in the horror genre.
Film wise, I’d go back further. Check out ‘Wind River’ by the brilliant Taylor Sheridan if you are looking for something new and perhaps little seen. Great performances across the board and a nice cameo from one of my favourite actors, Jon Bernthal.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
SAFEKEEPING
Leaving their dangerous home life behind, Jessica and Charlie will embark on a journey that will change their lives forever.
Written & Directed by DAVID YORKE
Produced by DAVID YORKE & PHIL BEASTALL
Young teen Jessica and her kid brother Charlie are setting out on a journey. They leave behind a dark, unsettling home life and set out into the larger world with few belongings. The countryside they travel through is idyllic, stretching out around them in a pastoral, seemingly peaceful expanse. Together, they make a stop at a place they once enjoyed in simpler, happier times. But all is not what it seems, both in the world and between the siblings, as they embark on a trip that will change their lives forever.
SAFEKEEPING took home 3 awards at the 2020 edition of our film festival including Best Director.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH DAVID
Welcome back to our Short of the Week series. What have you been up to since the last time we featured your film Eject?
Hello and thank you again for featuring Eject and this film ‘Safekeeping’. Since Eject I have been doing a lot more writing. I also made another short horror film called Eric, we are currently on the festival circuit with that and I’m also in early pre-production for my first feature film ‘Crave’ which is also another horror.
Congrats on taking the first steps to kick off your debut feature. We understand that your latest short Eric was selected for FrightFrest at you were selected for their New Blood initiative. Can you tell us about that experience?
Thank you and yes Eric had its premier at Frightfest and it went down a treat. I was so overwhelmed with the very warm response and all of the kind words. We even got featured as one of the best shorts at heyyouguys. Having the film screen at Prince Charles Cinema was also a dream come true.
The New Blood initiative was a fantastic experience. I got the chance to pitch my new feature script ‘Crave’ to four separate mentors. It was very informal which is the way I like it and it also made it much easier to discuss your idea instead of the added pressure of standing and projecting it across a room.
Overall, it was just nice and encouraging to have industry professionals listen to you and give you advice. Ever since it ended, I have been feeling more confident than ever to get my feature made, watch this space!
Alright, back to Safekeeping. What inspired you to make this short?
I actually had written the script for Safekeeping a very long time ago, there was a script writing competition called Impact 50, the idea was you had to come up with a story that took place during a world ending event and then you submit and if you won you get to make film and it then be part of an anthology. Long story short, I didn’t win and my script was left to collect dust. It was a shame as I really thought it was strong concept.
But a few years went by and my friend and collaborator Phil Beastall was looking to shoot something, he had worked as my dop for many years on shorts and music videos and we always work well together. I told him about Safekeeping and even though it was ambitious we decided to go for it. Phil is also a great producer and director, so not your average DOP. With him on board as co-producer and dop the process was so much easier. I re-wrote the script and removed any restrictions I had from the competition and we were good to go.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
Like most of my films this was also self-funded. We had a very small crew and we were all wearing multiple hats. I was my own 1st ad as well and to say the film was challenging was an understatement.
We shot mostly in a field not too far from Gloucestershire and we only had a few days as the farmer was going to cut it all down. We were also battling the extreme heat, we had constant sound interruptions from trains, dogs and when you’re working with younger actors, your shooting times are much shorter. We also lost a cards worth of footage, luckily the camera we shot on has a monitor that also backs up HD footage, which was amazing but it also has all the time code/text burnt into the footage, so we had to zoom into some shots as there was no way we could do any reshoots.
It was very much a group effort and I learned a great deal from the experience and I’m still very proud of the film we made.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
Like many of my previous films I decided to go the festival route, we had some great success and won a few festivals, but ultimately it didn’t connect the way I’d hoped. But now I’m happy to say it’s just been selected by the amazing platform Omeleto and it’s now reached a much larger audience. The feedback has been phenomenal and I couldn’t be more proud.
What do you think is the biggest challenge at the moment facing filmmakers trying to break into the industry?
It really is tough. I’ve been at this for almost 20 years. I’ve had some success, but mostly rejection. Ultimately what I have learned is that you are pretty much on your own. You are the one that has to get shit done. Sometimes you can be very lucky, know the right people, or your film just hits and doors start opening. I have been trying to get a feature off the ground for over 10 years, I have 6 written and I went through all the proper channels, applying for all types of funding, getting a team together, contact producers and having meetings after meetings that went nowhere and even with the success of some of my short films I still can’t get any funding and without an agent I can’t get my scripts in front the right people.
But the upside is you have more creative control. It may be a little harder, but that’s where gathering a great team comes in because even though this industry lacks resources and support, especially for people from a working class background, you will always find people who will still want to create.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
Yes in no particular order I would definitely recommend –
The Worst Person in the World
X
Red Rocket
Top Gun: Maverick
Everything Everywhere all at Once
Fresh
Petite Maman
Cha Cha Real Smooth
Black Phone
Prey
Pleasure
Men
Orphan – First Kill
The Feast
Kimi
All My Friends Hate Me
The Unbearable Weight of a Massive Talent
Hustle
Watcher
Torn Hearts
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Petrichor
A washed up, former wunderkind of the snooker world has one last chance to revive his career. Battling with addiction and the ghosts of his past, there is more at stake than just the score.
Directed by Louis-Jack
Written by Kenneth Emson
Produced by Morgan Faverty
A washed up, former wunderkind of the snooker world has one last chance to revive his career. Battling with addiction and the ghosts of his past, there is more at stake than just the score.
PETRICHOR is a dark, psychological exploration of fame, sport and depression.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH LOUIS-JACK
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
Image making is very much in my blood. My grandfather was a food photographer and my parents are photographers’ agents. I went to art school where I mainly created sculpture but constantly found myself drawn back towards photography: taking large format photos and displaying them in sculptural frames or making films that documented the collaborative processes behind making my sculptures. The moment I realised that filmmaking would allow me to pursue all of my interest in one medium whilst also working with other people (which I love doing), I was hooked. It’s been a love affair with the medium ever since.
What is your inspiration and influences behind PETRICHOR?
The film began first and foremost with my love of snooker. The game itself is wonderfully tense, atmospheric and beautiful. I find all of the tactics, skill and mind game within it so captivating. But, the thing I love above all else are the characters within it. At snooker’s peak of popularity in the 70s and 80s they called it ‘a soap opera with billiard balls.’ Punch ups, heavy drinking (including during matches!) and salacious scandals were the norm. If you don’t know snooker stars like Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins, Jimmy ‘Whirlwind’ White and Ronnie ‘The Rocket’ O’Sullivan look up their life stories. Their antics filled the tabloids front and back in equal measure.
Equally, I was fascinated by what happens to sportspeople once they retire from their profession. I was trying to imagine what it’s like when it comes to an end. When you’ve dedicated your whole life to a sport, where your entire being and raison d'être is bound up in this single activity. We tend to focus on sport stars, and whilst it must be hard for them too, what about the ones who never made it despite sacrificing just as much, if not more. With snooker’s waning popularity, that seemed even more pertinent. In Petrichor, we are confronted with the plight of an aging snooker star unable to quit the sport despite being forgotten by society and lacking any ability to play the game.
In terms of inspiration from cinema, I love ‘Slow Cinema’ and thought that it was the natural method of telling a snooker story. Treating the story like a flowing stream: peaceful on the surface whilst turbulent beneath. Filmmakers Claire Denis, Andrei Tarkovsky, Hiroshi Teshigahara and Gus Van Sant are just a few of the biggest influences on how I envisioned Petrichor during its making.
Can you tell us about the journey of developing your film with BFI Network and Film London?
The application process through Film London was long and rigorous. We applied through the normal route and once the project was long listed we had rounds of workshops and interviews until we were finally selected for funding. Although the waiting was frustrating at points I think the extra time and scrutiny from writing to editing definitely made the film better. I would definitely recommend people to apply with their shorts.
Can you tell us about your process working with actors and how working with such established actors on PETRICHOR affected your process?
In general, I like to spend a lot of time talking with actors about the character and the story well before filming. I want to hear their ideas, find out how they relate to the story and ultimately allow them to shape the character in their own way. Working with very established actors that’s even more true. Paul Kaye and Clive Russell gave so much to the roles and they needed very little direction. Leaning into their experience and instinct was an incredible ride that took us to some unexpected places. Paul’s commitment was beyond what I could have possibly hoped for: offering to strip down to his y-fronts and unleashing his animal side for the camera.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
Paul Kaye breaking three snooker cues! To be honest, the filming was a breeze compared to the many ups and downs with three years of development/ fund-raising and then releasing the film during a global pandemic.
Filmmakers are always curious to know how to make their projects more attractive to large funding bodies like the BFI. Since you've been through the process do you have any tips?
What really helped in my case was creating a really comprehensive and well-presented pitch book for the film. We had a PDF treatment of course but when you really want to grab someone’s attention nothing beats a sexy physical object. We sent this to Film London along with the standard online application and I can’t help but think it helped. I definitely made a big difference in brining on board actors (including Paul Kaye) and HODs who were out of my league.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
After working on the film for a very long time, including a 6 month post process, we finished the film in the first lockdown. Once festivals came back in various online forms we began applying. Although the film picked up selections and accolades, pretty much all of the festivals were online. The festivals did a great job at putting on online iterations but unfortunately, it’s not the same as attending in person – getting to see other people watch your film and meeting other filmmakers is such a buzz. Despite being a fairly niche subject matter the film has found an online audience, helped massively by snooker fan and mental health advocate Stephen Fry giving it his praise on twitter.
What are you working on now?
In development I have a feature-length snooker film and a short film titled Tondal: a cyclical and hallucinatory odyssey through purgatory set within the confines of a nightclub. The Tondal project was recently profiled in Fact Magazine with a trippy screen test and CGI painting a teaser for what’s to come!
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I’ve been looking out for clubbing scenes in films recently which lead to me A Fantastic Woman. A very touching and powerful film by Chilean director Sebastián Lelio about a transgender woman dealing with the aftermath of her lover’s sudden death.
The film was produced by (also Chilean) director Pablo Larrain, whose early film Tony Manero was a big influence on Petrichor. It’s the deliciously dark tale of a ‘Saturday Night Fever’ obsessive who will do anything to be crowned the best John Travolta impersonator.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
CECIL & CARL
An award-winning LGBTQ+ documentary short about partners coping with a diagnoses of advanced dementia and the decision to seek the help of a nursing home.
Directed by Elvis León & Gastón Yvorra
Produced by Elvis León & Sasha Milonova
An award-winning LGBTQ+ documentary short about partners coping with a diagnoses of advanced dementia and the decision to seek the help of a nursing home.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ELVIS
Tell us a bit about yourself and your filmmaking background.
Since I was a kid, I always had a tough time expressing myself. This changed when I discovered film school and a few years later, I graduated with a Film Producing and Screenwriting degree in 2013. Making movies has given me an outlet, and I feel lucky to have found a passion that keeps me marching forward. My career has taken me to massive productions such as Fast and Furious: Hobbs and Shaw and adverts for high-profile name brands, but my focus lately has been to complete my first feature documentary film called, We Are Lions. It's a true crime story about my family's pursuit of justice.
Tell us about the genesis of Cecil & Carl. How did the project come about?
A few years ago, we were working on a comedic web series project written by Elvis called Charlie’s. The story was about a straight bar owner that attempts to open a gay bar. The production took place in a gay bar in Denver, Colorado. On one of our production visits, we encountered a group of around 50 elderly gay men, gathered around tables having lunch. We soon found out that the group of men was in fact a club called The Primetimers. They meet every Wednesday.
Our first impression was that there were a lot of stories in that place. We also imagined what it was like for these men to be gay 30 or 40 years ago, in a society less open [compared] to the one that exists today. We felt the need to learn these stories. One day, we asked the Primetimers group if there was anyone who would be interested in participating in a film project that would take their story and turn it into a visual portrait.
We had a lot of people approach us that day, but long story short, Cecil Bethea was the first one to step up and open up to us. We eventually learned his story and that of the relationship he had with Carl Shepard — we were immediately hooked. On a side note, after completing the Cecil & Carl documentary, Cecil volunteered to do a cameo appearance in Charlie’s. He has a memorable five seconds in the film!
How did you get access to such a personal story and what was your relationship like with your subjects? What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
Gaining Cecil's full trust was the biggest challenge. This required going to many coffee meetings prior to and between filming days, where Cecil would tell stories and smoke a pack of cigarettes in one sitting. Cecil and Carl love to smoke, as you will see in the film. It took us a few weeks before he gave us permission to enter his home. We weren't sure where this documentary was going, but once he opened his doors to us and showed us pieces from their 40+ year relationship, it changed the course of our film. After we wrapped filming, Cecil and I would still meet for coffee and cigarettes. This film became a highlight of his life, and it was an honor to tell Cecil and Carl's story.
Tell us about the journey of getting this film to audiences.
Our film festival journey began with 20 festival rejections in a row, and we thought we made a terrible film. Everything changed when it Toronto picked us up, and then Cecil and Carl took off like a rocket. We have been fortunate enough to have screened at 50 festivals and some of the most recognized LGBT film festivals, such as the Gaze International in Ireland, Vancouver Queer Film Festival. We were nominated for the prestigious Iris Prize that takes place in Wales and at the New Orleans Film Festival in the Documentary Shorts section, which is an Academy Award qualifying competition.
Now that you're working on a feature, in your experience what's been the biggest or most surprising difference about making a feature vs a short. Is it just the difference between a sprint and a marathon, or how much does the craft change?
A 3 month film process on this project still took about a year to complete. With no budget, it was tough recruiting a team to help us edit and score the film. Making a feature is a different animal. I'm working on a story about my father's kidnapping and his quest to get closure the legal way, but when that fails, he considers taking matters into his own hands. This being a personal family story requires you to be more patient and delicate when it comes to trying to be a neutral storyteller when the subject is your father. When I began filming, I had no idea that I would be working on this film for over seven years. Principal photography has been completed and we still have a few months of editing to go! Not all features will take this long, but just keep in mind that the more complex the story, the longer it will take. Whatever you think it's going to take, double that time period.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
There's no one way solution to make it in the industry. Some people don't go to film school and have incredibly successful careers, and others go to film school and end up finding a "real" job. Filmmaking is about persevering through the challenging times in the name of telling a story only you can tell. The biggest challenge is finding your voice as a filmmaker, the thing that will separate you from the rest. Finding mentors and collaborates can also be really tough, so a lot of networking needs to be done to find your tribe. You can't do this alone, so look for assistance in any way that you can.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
The Fire Within: Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft by Wernor Herzog! One of the most visually satisfying documentaries that I've ever seen. It's an incredible story of a married couple that research and visit the most dangerous volcanos around the world.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
TRUE VALUE
A university student with an unusual part-time job collides with her tightly wound client in this beautifully dark crime thriller.
Directed and Produced by Alix Austin
Written by Keir Siewert
A university student with an unusual part-time job collides with her tightly wound client in this beautifully dark crime thriller.
Winner of the Bruce Millar Graduate Fellowship in 2015, the film was funded and shot in January 2016 by a talented crew in Scotland, comprising of award-winning Director/Producer Alix Austin and shot by Scottish New Talent BAFTA winning Director of Photography Alan McLaughlin. Starring Red Madrell (Kidulthood, Skins) and Stephen McCole (Barney Thompson, Rushmore).
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH ALIX
Welcome back to our Short of the Week series. What have you been up to since we featured your film Retch last fall?
It’s great to be back and thank you for shining a light on True Value, it’s great to get the opportunity to show it to a wider audience!
Since last fall, I’ve wrapped post-production on my most recent horror short Sucker, which is about to celebrate its UK premiere at FrightFest.
I’m very pleased to say that Keir (Writer/Editor of True Value and Writer/Director of Retch) and I have started production on our first horror feature film called KILL YOUR LOVER, which we are co-directing!
Tell us about the genesis of True Value. How did the project come about?
I studied at RCS in Glasgow and upon graduating the Alumni are given the opportunity to apply for the Bruce Millar Graduate Fellowship.
I had made some 48hr film projects previously, but wanted to take my filmmaking to the next level and submitted my pitch. My filmmaking partner Keir had already written me an incredible short film script, so I onboarded a great team and packaged True Value as best I knew how.
To my delight we made it to the second round before winning a grant worth £5k to help us make the film and we were off to the races.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
This is a while back (2016), so I can definitely see how I’ve learned from this project. Casting was one obstacle I think I could have avoided. I decided I could handle it myself due to having done an internship by this point and it ended up taking A LOT of time - and I didn’t end up with my original choices.
I’m happy enough with how it turned out in the end, but I do wish I hadn’t put so much pressure on myself to cast ‘names’ in my project and think it can be a bit of a fallacy. I wish I’d spent more time on directing the project than casting it.
The other obstacle was actually after the film was finished. I knew how to make films, but not how to market them - and I hadn’t asked for support for this stage either. I just did my best and did what most filmmakers do when you don’t know as much: only submitted to BAFTA qualifying festivals.
I would recommend every filmmaker attends at least one film festival and watches a short film programme before submitting to festivals. It will teach you lots of things I learned the hard way (i.e. lots of rejections):
- Don’t make your end credits a minute long
- A running time of under 10 minutes is advisable, if you’re new (easier to programme. True Value was originally 13:32, which is a tough sell from someone no-one had heard of)
- Submit to a range of festivals, good spread of mid tier to BAFTA-qualifying.Your competition is going to be SO much higher at BAFTA-qualifying festivals and it's good to find festivals that champion independent filmmakers in particular - like Kino London of course and also Beeston Film Festival.
Tell us about the journey of getting this film to audiences.
As hinted at in my previous answer, True Value’s festival run didn’t go as well as we hoped. We were fortunate to be nominated at Underwire Film Festival in its 5th year, which led us to being a part of the Women of the World Festival at the BFI the next year.
Apart from that we were an Official Selection at the London Independent Film Festival and that was about it.
We were approached by an online platform (whom I shall not name out of politeness) to licence the film and distribute it online non-exclusively for 3 years - but they didn’t inform me of the release date and it went out without much fanfare.
So needless to say I learned *a lot* from the experience and could have done with asking more people for help and advice once post-production was completed to create a festival plan.Simply put: I was pretty burnt out by the time the film was finished and didn’t give myself enough time to recover or consider next steps with a clear head.
Now that you're working on a feature, in your experience what's been the biggest or most surprising difference about making a feature vs a short. Is it just the difference between a sprint and a marathon, or how much does the craft change?
I think depending on the scope of the short, they can be marathons just as much as feature films are to be honest. So much of the process feels similar from that front so far. Though the feature is fast becoming a triathlon, as Keir and I are taking on so many of the roles: Co-directing, co-writing and having had a big hand in the pre-production.
The main difference for me personally has been a shift in awareness - I know we’re looking to sell KILL YOUR LOVER, whereas short films are more low stakes. So - clearance has become a big word for us on this, crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s, because the likelihood of the film going to streaming is very high and there are a lot more eyes out there than we can fathom.
We’re also benefiting from our choice to shoot the film in two blocks, as we want the actors' hair to grow out and help them change up their looks, to show the passage of time - which is only possible because we’re indie enough and working off our own schedule.
That being said, Line Producing and Directing at the same time (which I’ve been doing so far) is quite the Tightrope walk.It's the drama of 'Blue Valentine' meets body horror of 'The Fly'! You can check out and support our ongoing crowdfunding campaign here:
https://greenlit.com/project/kill-your-lover
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
I would have said the cost-prohibitive nature of it all, but more than that I think it's a lack of support and community that can get to you way before that.
There are institutions in place that would have you believe that you shouldn’t be making films without full financing, but that’s just not the reality that most of us live in.
I think a lot more could be done by gatekeeping funding bodies to support the growth and development of talent, rather than funding short films and hoping for the best. There should be more shadowing opportunities to connect and open the industry up more on a whole.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
If you haven’t already: I personally adore ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’
Lynne Ramsay’s ‘You Were Never Really Here’
Tony Scott’s ‘Man on Fire’
Rob Reiner’s ‘Misery’ (based on the Stephen King novel)
and John Fawcett’s ‘Ginger Snaps’
As you can probably tell, I like Thrillers, Action and Horror, haha.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
Talk Radio
Pauline and Barry are a seemingly happily married middle-aged couple. That is until Pauline tunes into relationship hour on Talk Radio and thinks she recognizes the nameless voice that's relaying a lifetime of regrets live on the radio.
Written & Directed by Ben S. Hyland
Produced Adam Gregory Smith
Pauline and Barry are a seemingly happily married middle-aged couple. That is until Pauline tunes into relationship hour on Talk Radio and thinks she recognizes the nameless voice that's relaying a lifetime of regrets live on the radio.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH BEN
Welcome back to our Short of the Week series. What have you been up to since the last time we featured your film Quiet Carriage?
I've mainly been writing. Trying to flex that muscle as much as possible. The idea is moving towards a feature film so I've been developing a couple of ideas with my producing partner, Adam Smith. Having said that, I've just wrapped a short called BLEEP, which has already had a couple of selections on the circuit and I'm shooting another short called The Snip in September/October.
What inspired you to make Talk Radio?
The seed of the idea came from listening to late night/early morning Talk Radio. You get some really weird and wonderful characters coming out of the woodwork. I just had the idea that it would be funny if I heard a voice i recognised which is a basic premise of the film. So that was the framework from which I built the story.
What obstacles did you overcome while in the making of this film?
I think the biggest thing was the speed of the shoot. It was a one day thing. We had to be done by 4pm because of Julia's availability and that was quite challenging. Luckily we were able to access the location the night before and do some set dressing. I think without that we might have struggled.
Tell us about the journey of getting your film to audiences.
I suppose after the success of Quiet Carriage we had an idea of how to navigate the festival circuit. We changed strategy and went from volume to really specific fests. Targeting the BAFTA/BIFA/OSCAR fests as a priority. We had a good run but it was mainly online as the film was released during lockdown. After the festival run we submitted to Omeleto and was selected for that platform so managed to reach quite a large audience from that.
Once again, you have another hit on your hands. You always seem to have tremendous success in the festival circuit. How much rejection does it take to actually make any headway with festivals and what advice would you give to filmmakers burnt out on the festival circuit?
It does feel a little bit like you're throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks. Talk Radio wasn't my first film so I had a clearer idea where it might fit. That's always the hardest part I think. Knowing that some festivals really like a comedy to break up all the drama and also having relationships with festivals so they want you to submit your next film. It's never a guarantee and of course you don't want to restrict yourself to festivals that you feel safe entering. I suppose it's more about knowing which festivals to not enter and trying to be honest with where the film you've made sits on that spectrum. That will mean some rejection along the way but I no longer worry about that side of things. Someone didn't like my film and I just move on.
You've also come on board as a programmer at the Kino London Short Film Festival. How has programming short films affected your own filmmaking?
I enjoy watching shorts and being part of the programming for Kino. It's fun to see what else is out there and it can be inspiring when you connect with a filmmaker's work. I think as a filmmaker you will always benefit by watching films. It stands to reason and is probably a really obvious thing to say but if you want to make shorts then it makes sense to watch as many as you can. They're a different beast to longer form formats. You can easily identify what you think works, maybe on occasion what doesn't work and transfer those observations across. I for one feel like I'm a better filmmaker for watching more shorts.
What do you think is the biggest challenge short filmmakers face trying to break into the industry?
I suppose it depends on the definition of breaking in and ultimately the definition of success. It's absolutely okay to make films for the love of making them with no end goal. It doesn't have to be a route to TV or features. The biggest challenge that seems to remain regardless of the level is money and getting something made at all. Finding people that will back you whether that's financially or with their time is important.
Any film recommendations that we should add to our watchlist?
I'm going to be watching the shorts at Frightfest so hoping to find some gold there.