Is Our Attention for Sale?
Is the technology we carry in our pockets distracting us from pursuing our life goals? If we’re serious about protecting human agency and democracy it’s time we started defending our freedom of attention.
Do you think our attention is for sale? Is the technology we carry in our pockets distracting us from pursuing our life goals? Have we woken up to the scale of the attention-capturing and persuasive powers being held by a small number of big tech companies? In the latest RSA Short, James Williams warns of the dangers that digital distraction poses to us individually and collectively. If we’re serious about protecting human agency and democracy, he argues, it’s time we started defending our freedom of attention.
Speaker: James Williams Director: Olga Makarchuk Animation: Olga Makarchuk, Kim Alexander Colouring Assistance: Anna Makarchuk Sound: Nico Antwerp Video Producer: Ross Henbest Joint Head of Public Events Programme: Mairi Ryan Intro and outro animation: Cabeza Patata
Tell us a bit about yourself & your filmmaking background.
The RSA Shorts is a popular and well established video series combining beautifully crafted illustration and animation with voices from the RSA’s public events programme.
In the early days of YouTube, we began to merge a number of animation techniques and illustration styles with critical ideas and voices to deliver a powerful “mental espresso”, designed to awaken the curiosity in all of us.
Over the years, The RSA Shorts series has achieved global viral success, garnering many millions of online views and several prestigious film festival awards, including most recently the 2020 Webby Award – widely recognized as ‘the Internet’s Highest Honour’ – in the Video Animation Series category.
Your film visualises a talk given by James Williams. How did it come about that you made his talk into a film?
The animation features an extract from a talk given as part of the RSA public events programme by James Williams, author of Stand Out of Our Light: Freedom and Resistance in the Attention Economy.
Mairi Ryan, Joint Head of Public Events at The RSA was really the driving force behind this commission. Having worked with James on delivering a public event, Mairi created a thought-provoking audio-excerpt which we then worked with Olga Makarchuk on in order to develop the idea.
What interested you in the topic of social media distraction and how does this topic resonate with you personally?
There can’t be many people who haven’t been concerned about the length of time they are spending on digital devices and the impact it might be having on their lives. In this film, Williams explores the impact that digital distraction has on both individuals and society at large.
He describes how digital technologies have been engineered to privilege our impulses over our intentions, resulting in a gradual erosion of human willpower and agency. Meanwhile, massive attention-capturing and persuasive powers are now held in the hands of a small number of dominant tech companies, posing a growing threat to democracy worldwide. All this, he argues, makes the task of reasserting and defending our freedom of attention, the defining moral and political challenge of our time.
Tell us about your animation process and where we can watch more of your work.
When we invite big thinkers to speak at the RSA in London, we take a high-quality audio recording of their talk so that, later, we can combine their words with moving image to make the ideas engaging and accessible to new audiences worldwide. We allow a pool of skilled animators and illustrators free rein to interpret and communicate the content in their unique style – but always with a focus on clarity, creativity and visual impact. It's a back and forth process during development that involves many cups of coffee!
Past animations have used various techniques including stop-motion animation, illustrative animation, 2D, 3D, character animation etc. We are forever searching for new creative talent and different ways to tell stories. Who knows, maybe we'll move into 360 Animation soon.
Explore more of The RSA Shorts on our YouTube channel; you can also stay up-to-date with everything we're up to at thersa.org
Any film recommendations that we should check out?
As far as recommendations go, within our team we've been talking about the new film 'The Social Dilemma' (2020) Directed by Jeff Orlowski on Netflix; which is exploring similar issues and expanding the discourse. We're currently working on two more shorts to be released soon, keep your eyes peeled.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
CAIN
The story of an African-American sugarcane farmer and the subsequent unravelling of his livelihood in the wake of discrimination and harassment.
CAIN follows the story of an African-American sugarcane farmer and the subsequent unravelling of his livelihood in the wake of discrimination and harassment. It's a personal story, but one that speaks to the wider narrative of systemic and insidious racism that exists within the American farming industry. It is poignant, emotional and timely, and a story that deserves to be heard.
Directed by Phoebe Ford
Produced by Maddie Stone
Tell us a bit about yourself & your filmmaking background.
I (Phoebe Ford) directed this short and Maddie Stone produced it. This is both our first film. I work as an Assistant Producer at the award-winning feature documentary company Passion Pictures in London. I have worked on various feature documentaries including the recently released 'Citizen K' directed by Alex Gibney. Maddie works in documentary development at Universal Pictures.
People may be familiar with the story of the Provost family from the 1619 podcast. How did you learn about their struggle and why did you decide to choose them as the subject of your documentary?
We came across the Provosts and their story in an article that was published about them in The Guardian. Myself and my friend and producing partner Maddie were working together at a documentary company at the time, and were looking at making our first short film together. We were instantly struck by the Provost's story and it really moved us. We felt it was a story that deserved to be told and shared as widely as possible. The Provosts are wonderful people and we feel so privileged that they welcomed us into their lives and let us tell their story.
What do you hope to achieve with your film?
The film is intended to be both emotive and thought-provoking. We hope that our film will move people, raise awareness and bring the Provost's story to the fore. We also hope that it makes audiences reflect and think about the systemic racism that exists all around them, in every facet of society, and in communities closer to home.
Do you have any tips for documentary filmmakers looking for their next subject?
My tips for filmmakers looking for their next subject would be to try and find something personal and doable (the opposite of what we did with our first short!)
Any film recommendations that we should check out?
I recently re-watched the French film 'La Haine' released in 1995. It's themes are still relevant today and the cinematography is stunning. Two of my favourite documentaries are 'Let's Get Lost' about the turbulent life and career of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker and 'Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse' which documents the production of Apocalypse Now, the 1979 Vietnam War epic directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
INHALE
INHALE documents the emotional journey of the Chappell family and how their daughter’s struggle with cystic fibrosis have helped them to live in the moment.
INHALE documents the emotional journey of the Chappell family and how their daughter’s struggle with cystic fibrosis have helped them to live in the moment. Cystic fibrosis is a fatal genetic disease affecting over 70,000 people worldwide. At present, there is no cure.
Director/Editor - Brian Chambers
Production - Novelist Studios
Producer - Derek Lamoureux
DP - Nik Pilecki
Music - Chris Coleman
Sound Mix - Siegfried Meier
Special Thanks:
Lerners, Bill Simpson, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Ripley's Aquarium
Tell us a bit about yourself & your filmmaking background.
I'm a commercial and film editor based out of Southwestern, Ontario. As the saying goes - I had an interest in film ever since I was young. Instead of collecting baseball or hockey cards, I was collecting movie stubs. In highschool I had a pretty good relationship with the head of the AV department, so when everyone else was out with their friends or at the beach on the weekend, I was editing music videos (if you can call them that) with a bunch of my old VHS tapes. This love continued through my college years, culminating with a successful career as a freelance editor. Establishing a strong network with other trusted and talented filmmakers in the region, I set out to direct my first mini doc "Inhale".
Why did you choose to make a film about cystic fibrosis?
My good friend Nik (DP on this project) and I have always said that we really wanted to create a passion project of sorts. Something we could be fully invested in and have full control over. Nik actually has a history with cystic fibrosis (CF) - his son is a carrier of the disease (carriers for CF have no symptoms, but can pass the non-functioning gene on to their children. An individual must inherit two non-functioning CF genes – one from each parent – to have CF). At the time of Nik's son's birth, however, they didn't quite know the extent of the testing being performed or whether or not he would be diagnosed as someone with CF. So needless to say it was an excruciating few weeks of not knowing and just expecting the worse. So given the whole experience and our search for the right project, it just felt right that we should explore this disease further and ultimately how it affects those families who unfortunately do not get the good news.
The film feels very personal. Did you know the family prior to making the film or, if not, how did you find them & convince them to participate? Their story is so raw & emotional.
So we actually interviewed a few families with the help of Cystic Fibrosis Canada. We wanted to work with a family who were comfortable on camera and who were willing to share such personal information - we really didn't want a family that would shy away from questions or be fed up with having cameras around after a few months. With this interview method we were quickly able to narrow down our search and we started moving forward with the Chappell family (Alysia, Ron and Kaylee). Before any shooting took place we met to set expectations and really just got to know the family. I wanted everyone to just feel comfortable, ourselves included - we were dealing with such sensitive material afterall.
Your film is so cinematically shot for a documentary. How were you able to balance such raw emotion with such impeccably executed cinematography?
This was something I wanted from the outset - something that feels so raw, yet still has this cinematic look to it. The crew and I come from a commercial background mostly, so I wanted to play within our wheelhouse, yet take risks and try new things. My hat goes off to Nik on this one though. His talent is through the roof and the looks he can pull off in such a fast-paced environment is staggering.
What has been some of your film’s biggest landmarks?
For this being my debut in the documentary space I am quite thrilled with the overall response and reception. We have had tremendous success thus far with film festivals around the country and online. I have gained so much experience from this documentary and learned so many lessons that I can now take with me on my next project.
What do you hope your film will achieve?
Filmmaking aside, this project has had such an impact on myself and the crew. We look at this film as a way of giving back in a way. To bring awareness to such a terrible disease.I think even more now with COVID going around, it is so important to know of stories like this. That we really take things for granted sometimes. While most of us are currently worrying about COVID, individuals with CF have been living with it in some way for their whole lives - just a simple cold can be fatal.
Where can we watch more of your work?
You can check out more of my work either on my website at www.brianjchambers.com or my Instagram @brianjchambo
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
TPFF: August 2020 Official Selections
We are excited to announce our Finalists and Semi-Finalists from August’s edition of The People’s Film Festival.
Our jury has put forward the following films as Official Selections, Finalists & Semi-Finalists for this month’s edition of The People’s Film Festival which culminates at our annual gala - March 2021!
Official Selections
NO HARD SHELLS CRACK?
directed by Rich Mcafee
In the midst of lockdown, a man becomes unbalanced and loses his temper with a suitcase which leads to a surreal event.
NO HARD SHELLS CRACK? is an Official Selection in the Micro-Budget Category.
FUCKING DOWN
directed by Amanda Lago
Set in a futuristic dystopian era with a strong retro aesthetic, Fucking Down presents us with several women of different ages surrounding the singer in a somber hotel room. Though similar in appearance, each reflects a unique trait spanning across the whole spectrum of human emotions. From playful and kind to brutal and fierce, the singer finds herself at their complete mercy with almost no control over their actions.
A carefully constructed and purposefully repetitive choreography illustrates this scenario, with each cycle featuring slightly different movements - some more exaggerated and violent and some more restrained and controlled. This reiteration gives the protagonist the chance to react differently each time and learn more about herself, leading her to predict patterns in her own behaviour and gradually accept herself.
FUCKING DOWN is an Official Selection in the Low Budget Category.
SOCKS & ROBBERS
directed by David Lilley
A gang of notorious sock-headed criminals commit the biggest bank heist of their careers. Things start to fall apart when they find out an undercover cop has infiltrated their ranks.
SOCKS & ROBBERS is an Official Selection in the Sponsored Category.
finalists
Micro-Budget
A STRANGE SEASON directed by Burak Oguz Saguner
THE DEAL directed by Stuart Black & George Felner
Low Budget
2:40 TO LONDON directed by Gavin Irvine
BLACK BEAR directed by Peter Paton
PRECURSOR directed by Manolo Campos
Sponsored
ALEX directed by Luca Spreafico
TINDERBOX directed by Rickey Larke
Semi-Finalists
ALRIGHT directed by Jeremy Vella
ATOMS directed by Alex McPake
MR. ROBERTSON directed by Terry Blade
PARTING FRENZY directed by Ryan Freda
WHAT SETS THE PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL APART?
✔️ Win £1,000 in funding for your next short film
✔️ Free feedback w/ every submission
✔️ Categories based on budget vs genre
RABBIT'S FOOT
A man's dependency on an obscure future device causes him to lose sight of what is real.
A man's dependency on an obscure future device causes him to lose sight of what is real.
Rabbit’s Foot is about a man waiting on his luck to change, and instead of doing something for himself, he devotes himself to the first thing that arrives at the door. The arrival of a futuristic head sphere represents the plague of distractions we face like social media, news, phones, tv. Rabbit’s Foot becomes this cautionary tale about the dangers of not relying on yourself to find purpose.
Paul | Brock Russell
June | Larissa White
A.I. | Anu Samarajiva
Executive Producer | Bruton Stroube
Producer | Matt Siemer
Writer/Director | Dustie Carter
AD | Casey Nation
Director of Photography | Mike Dalton
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FILMMAKING BACKGROUND:
I grew up working in my grandfather’s cotton and rice fields. In the times away from the toils of farm-life, I would make dumb videos with my friends. When I say dumb, I mean dumb. Our intentions were not to make anything of it, we just enjoyed hanging out and filming each other doing stupid shit. I honestly thought my path was to be a farmer. The work was hard, but I didn't mind, and at some point, it would have been a good living.
I remember in high school looking into film schools, never thinking of it as a serious option. It wasn’t until I visited my twin brother attending college for a degree in sculpture that he talked me into applying to their small TV and Film program. Two weeks before the start of the semester I applied and got accepted. I broke the news to my grandpa then would head off towards a BA degree that I would never receive. I dropped out of college after 2 or 3 years thanks to my internship with Bruton Stroube Studios getting me consistent freelance work. This all eventually leading to a full-time place at Bruton Stroube.
Being at Bruton on large sets built up my confidence to try stuff on my own. I would experiment with music videos, but always wanted to tackle something narrative. My first attempts will never see the light of day, but helped prepare me for my film Rabbit’s Foot".
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR FILM?:
The image of a man sitting on a bed with a large sphere on his head was the first visual that not only started the writing process but set the tone of the film. I wanted to know more about this man and understand how he arrived in this situation, and for me to do that, I had to look at myself.
The optics of my life looked great. I have a cool job, a great wife, an amazing daughter, but I felt stuck. Not from any of these things, but creatively. I had to look at the cause. I concluded that it was my time away from reality, the time stuck in my phone. My phone had become an obstacle. Instead of writing, spending time with my family, or advancing my career. I would spend a few hours escaping into YouTube or social media. This became the large sphere on the man's head. Once I had that I wanted to create a story that lasted beyond it’s screen time.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THIS FILM TO LIFE AND WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?:
Seeing this film come together was a surreal experience. I felt as if the cast, crew, and post department where entirely in sync with my vision, elevating it along the way.
Most of the obstacles were caused by location and time. On our first day, first shot, a paving crew came in to repave the parking lot. We were set up for the establishing shot and had to have Casey Nation our AD ask if they could come back on another day. We were also filming in a pretty seedy hotel, so we had some minor issues with the tenants to resolve. For the time aspect, since we had a tiny budget, the principal photography had to be captured in a weekend, so that forced us to do some Night for Day, and Day for Night scenes that had to match up.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET:
First and foremost, collaboration is key. Everyone that worked on this was all in. No one was getting paid, so set had to be fun, and everyone had to be well feed. For me, that is important. We forget to step back and look at how fortunate it is we get to make something cool, so I like to keep it collaborative and listen.
The other solution was to keep the story contained in a single location.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
For me, it's writing the first page and getting my collaborators excited to tackle this beast with me.
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
Shoplifters is a fantastic Japanese film that has stuck with me recently. It’s this great family drama that tests the old adage “blood is thicker than water”. I felt like a fly on the wall into this family’s world. The acting and dialogue was so real I felt as if I was an intruder.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
THE HUNGER ARTIST
Shot inside an apartment in São Paulo during quarantine, "THE HUNGER ARTIST" is a really short film based on the book "A Hunger Artist" by Franz Kafka.
Shot inside an apartment in São Paulo during quarantine, "THE HUNGER ARTIST" is a really short film based on the book "A Hunger Artist" by Franz Kafka, produced, directed and edited by the Brazilian creative duo MUTO. Read our interview with the filmmakers below…
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FILMMAKING BACKGROUND:
We are MUTO, a brazilian independent filmmaking duo based in São Paulo, formed by Bruno Alves (Screenwritter, Director and Editor) and Pedro Ferrarezzi (Photographer, D.O.P and Colorist). We come from a D.I.Y background rooted in several projects for brazilian independent music scene’s bands and labels. We are self taught so our work is constantly evolving in its visual language and we are constantly struggling to find our own approach to filmmaking as we make our way through several different projects, from music videos to personal shorts, docs and some advertising.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR FILM? + WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THIS FILM TO LIFE AND WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?:
The inspiration behind "The Hunger Artist" actually came from several days in quarantine during the social isolation period due to the Covid-19 pandemic here in Brazil. During the first few months of lockdown we talked a lot about the future of filmmaking for us independent filmmakers here in Brazil and decided to face the endless limitations by trying to come up with ideas that were actually possible to shoot with 0 budget. On top of that, we had to face an even bigger challenge, mainly because each of us live in different apartments here in São Paulo so the whole process had to be made at a distance. But the thing is that we somehow drew inspiration from these limitations and decided that Pedro would shoot a few things in his apartment with his girlfriend as our actress. He sent me the footage and I started researching like crazy until I bumped into a version of Kafka's "A Hunger Artist" audiobook and it matched perfectly, especially with the visual concept we had in mind. I was actually reading Kafka's "The Trial" at that moment so it was a big surprise when it all started to come together. With that last part of the book as our "guide" I pitched some ideas to Pedro, who managed to shoot it beautifully and in a few days we had a small movie in our hands.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET AND DURING LOCKDOWN:
We've been working together as a duo for almost 7 years now, so our ideas and our work really complement each other even in the most surprising situations. But, sadly, our country is facing the pandemic in the worst possible way, so we are now headed towards almost 6 months in a kind of quarantine. We were really bummed throughout the first few months where it seemed like we had no inspiration at all to create anything. We felt really worried and sad (still feel, actually) but then one random day we started talking about things and realised that it was really up to us (and only us) to work our way through this creative rut. We realised we were actually privileged to have a nice camera, tripod and a few lenses and that combining that with a bit of creativity was all it took for us to create something. It is actually possible to shoot and create stuff, even with no budget and locked in our apartments. At this moment we managed to shoot 2 short films and a music video, all during quarantine. Turns out we feel really glad.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
Editing, I think. Throughout the years we got used working in almost every part of the filmmaking process (from pre to post production). We usually work with small crews or just the two of us, really, so we kinda love every aspect of the whole process but sometimes the writing/concept/shooting period can be kinda stressing. So, yes, when it comes to the editing part I think it's really when I can calm down, take my time and gladly work my way trying out different approaches when it comes to making the whole thing a finished product.
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
Oh, sure. Watching films is one of the main things that kept me sane through the last few months. Rewatching Rod Serling's original Twilight Zone series is something I always recommend. Almost every episode is a true gem. To name some, "Eye of The Beholder", "Five Characters in Search of An Exit" and Ida Lupino's "The Masks" are a few cool examples. Besides that, what really got me through was my somewhat new addiction of Buster Keaton movies. If you are looking to cool things off you can really find true magic in those films, especially "Sherlock Jr." it's a new favourite of mine. It's amazing. But, if you are looking for something more impactful, the new 4k restoration of Elem Klimov's "Come and See" is something you should put on your list.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
HOME
June suffers from dementia but refuses to give up the memory of her first love, and with it her identity.
June suffers from dementia, but refuses to give up the memory of her first love, and with it her identity.
Written & Directed by Celeste Harper Davis
Home was recently featured at our Short Film Open Mic and it’s bittersweet and simple storytelling certainly brought a tear to many an eye. Recently we caught up with writer/director Celeste Harper Davis to ask her a few questions about her film…
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FILMMAKING BACKGROUND:
I started off as an actress and writer, performing my own and new writers‘ work with various companies across theatres in London and Oxford. In pursuit of that kind of collaborative method, I signed up to Ecole Jaques Lecoq in Paris. I learnt a lot about the body and how the body alone can create beautiful imagery but I found out how much I rely on text and this inspired me to write even more, and I haven’t stopped since. Then came HOME, my first film.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR FILM?:
The film was inspired by my grandmother who is suffering from dementia, and my family whose care for her is tireless. A constant reminder that not everyone can take time off work to care for their loved ones and an awakening for me as to how tough caring for people with dementia is.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THIS FILM TO LIFE AND WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?:
I absolutely loved shooting the film and was extremely thankful to have chosen a phenomenal cast who outdid any expectations I had of them. I also had a great camera and sound team who supported me in the editing process, and brought the whole story together. I did struggle marketing the film and keeping up the momentum for the Kickstarter campaign, whilst doing a full time job in TV. To push through, I just kept reminding myself that I will have created a story from scratch by the end.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET:
In HOME, JUNE experiences three worlds, the one she is in physically, the one she remembers and the one she believes she is in. A minimal budget meant we had to shoot in one day, however since more time could be taken designing the sound, we used this to our advantage to establish what world June was in. Mark Elson designed the sound so that each world used a different soundscape of birds and it really takes the film to a different level.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
My favourite part of thefilmmaking process is putting together a shot list, I like to draw mine out to try and create a feeling in each shot. I also love working with the actors and seeing how they change with my comments. The aim for the next project is to spend longer than a day with the actors!
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
I would recommend you watch ‘La Haine’ if you haven’t seen it. If you have some time, you could also try reading the stage play, Pests by Vivienne Franzmann - it’s fantastic.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
I DON'T FIND ANY OF THIS VERY PEACEFUL
Following the disappearance of her abusive partner during lockdown, Katharine begins to unravel. When an unexpected visitor invades her home, she is forced to reckon with her demons and face her new reality.
Following the disappearance of her abusive partner during lockdown, Katharine begins to unravel. When an unexpected visitor invades her home, she is forced to reckon with her demons and face her new reality.
I Don’t Find Any Of This Very Peaceful is a low-key psychological thriller about the darkness we must embrace before we can truly accept who we are. With echoes of Haneke and Hitchcock the film’s heightened cinematic style attempts to draw the audience into Katharine’s small world and experience her journey out of the darkness.
The film was made entirely in lockdown between April and June 2020.
Written, Produced & Directed by Sam O'Mahony
Starring Lisa Dwyer Hogg
Here is a sneak preview of what to expect from The People’s Film Festival 2021. I Don’t Find Any Of This Very Peaceful is an Official Selection for our upcoming festival where it will be in competition for the £1000 film fund. Our judges loved the twisted turns of this incredible lockdown film. It just goes to prove that great art can be made under immense limitations.
Recently we caught up with director Sam O’Mahony to ask him a few questions about his project.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FILMMAKING BACKGROUND:
I trained as an actor but have always been making films. My first job out of drama school was a year at the RSC and even then I was making shorts between shows (I had access to some pretty good actors!). The last acting job I did was a tour of The Weir where I managed to shoot a music video with 2 of the cast over the 3 months on the road. Recently however, directing has replaced acting as my main artistic outlet. I’ve been making music videos, docs and shorts for a few years now alongside a lot of writing and editing other people’s films. I bloody love it.
OTHER THAN LOCKDOWN, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ANY OTHER INSPIRATIONS BEHIND YOUR FILM?:
I wanted to make a film that reflected the anxieties of this time. Or more specifically the anxieties of what happens afterwards. What kind of people will we be? What will we have learned? As a film maker working in this time, deciding to make something without any resources was an empowering (and exhausting) enterprise and I think the film reflects that; an artist struggling to create but finding strength despite her demons. Haneke, Hitchcock and Hammer probably all influenced the vision to some extent.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THIS FILM TO LIFE DURING LOCKDOWN AND WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?:
I approached it exactly as I would any other shoot only that I had to run each department. After the script was settled on, I began mood boarding and figuring out ways to turn our flat into another story element. I knew I wanted it designed and lit. I didn’t want it to feel like a social realist piece so colour palettes and a strict camera language were defined and (largely) stuck to. Lisa, my partner, is an incredible actress so that was one element I never needed to worry about. (She also made the film’s artwork). I scheduled it as 2 long day’s shooting with one day of rehearsals and lighting/costume tests. We actually pulled it off! It was hard though...and the flat is small...and our poor dog had no idea what the hell was going on...but we got there.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET:
Some of my favourite films show very little. Their strength is in their ability to stoke your imagination sufficiently that you create the images yourself. Sometimes a brilliant reaction shot is more powerful than the reveal. So, my solution towards a lot of the low-budget issues was to prioritise script and performance and not feel pressured about showing too much. If the story worked and the performance was believable (and well-lit), we don’t need endless coverage and slick camera moves. Haneke is a master of efficiency in his work. He can make an insert of some food on a table terrifying. It’s so simple, costs nothing and works brilliantly. Perhaps it’s that he makes you wonder what’s happening just beyond the frame? So, while film is of course a visual medium, you don’t need to show much to make a big impact. But your story needs to be strong enough to keep you watching.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
I love the shoot but I adore the edit. Even when it looks like the film is in trouble because you didn’t shoot this or that, the options that reveal themselves are so exciting. What sound design can bring to an edit never ceases to amaze me. Great sound design can compensate for so many short-comings and mis-steps and clunky edits! I often find a calm descends in the edit and solutions present themselves far quicker than at other stages of the process.
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
I loved Bacurau, a kind of Roger Corman-esque story about a Brazilian town besieged by mercenaries who have paid to hunt the locals. It’s at turns a socio-political satire and exploitation movie. There’s some dodgy acting amongst the mercenaries but I love a bit of bad acting sometimes and it felt appropriate considering the genre. I suggested it to a few people who absolutely HATED it! I heartily recommend!
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
TPFF: July 2020 Official Selections
We are excited to announce our Official Selections, Finalists and Semi-Finalists from July’s edition of The People’s Film Festival.
Our jury has put forward the following films as Official Selections, Finalists & Semi-Finalists for this month’s edition of The People’s Film Festival which culminates at our annual gala - March 2021!
official selections
STRANGE
"Strange" is an autobiographical story told in a visual journal style, a glimpse into an autistic author’s life exploring friendship, trails and the use of unique coping strategies.
STRANGE is an Official Selection in the Micro-Budget category.
ROBERT THE ROBOT
In the near future, the problem of domestic chores will be solved by artificially intelligent cleaning droids. Every home will have at least one.
This short tells the story of an old cleaning droid - a ROB 9000 domestic model - as he passes a boring Tuesday alone in an empty house, waiting for his owners to return.
By focusing on the robot’s self-awareness, loneliness and dog-like love of his owners, we have created a beautiful tone poem that makes people feel sympathy for a humble hunk of metal.
ROBERT THE ROBOT is an Official Selection in the Low Budget category.
APPETITE
Steph is a predatory dater. She always insists on paying. When a large bill arrives, she’s nowhere to be seen, for Steph is a serial dine-and-dasher. Wearing elaborate guises, she believes she can slip away from the table and not suffer the consequences. But everyone has to pay the bill in the end.
APPETITE is an Official Selection in the Sponsored category.
finalists
Micro-Budget
SEND IN THE CLOWNS directed by Ben Ashton & James Hastings
SLEEPING ROUGH: CATHERINE’S STORY directed by Owain Astles
Low Budget
FUCKING DOWN directed by Amanda Lago
STOP & SEARCH directed by Harry Jackson
WELL MEANING PEOPLE directed by Charlie Brades-Price
Sponsored
LOST HORSE directed by Adi Halfin
TINDERBOX directed by Rickey Larke
Semi-Finalists
ANGEL ONE directed by Kevin Borger
BLACK BEAR directed by Peter Paton
CHASING directed by Steven Calvert & Thomas Blackburne
AN INSTA(NT) STORY directed by Matteo Valentini
NO HARD SHELLS CRACK? directed by Rich Mcafee
THE SPLIT directed by Josh Farrell
THE STORY OF ICE directed by Francoise Doherty
WHAT SETS THE PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL APART?
✔️ Win £1,000 in funding for your next short film
✔️ Free feedback w/ every submission
✔️ Categories based on budget vs genre
THERE'S SOMETHING GOING AROUND
A digital scrapbook of life in Britain - Spring 2020.
A digital scrapbook of life in Britain - Spring 2020.
Written by Catherine Willoughby
Performed by Syeshia Sweeney
Directed / Edited by Anthony Rubinstein
Check out this incredibly powerful and poetic look back at life in Britain in 2020. We recently caught up with director Anthony Rubinstein to get his perspective on making his film during lockdown.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FILMMAKING BACKGROUND:
I’m a London based director / filmmaker who loves getting stuck into complex editing and graphical projects. I used to work at Red Bull Media House doing mainly extreme sports and events, but now I do a wide range of projects; across music videos, commercials and documentaries. I’m a big fan of integrating new technologies into my films - 360 cameras, FPV drones, new editing techniques... Check out more on my instagram @a.r.visual !
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR FILM:
This film was basically just our scrapbook of all the wild things we saw happening during spring 2020. The world was undergoing a paradigm shift and we wanted to document it somehow. We also saw a lot of homogenous content come out at the start of lockdown about how we were all going to get through this together. It all seemed quite superficial and hollow, none of it really resonated that much with us at the time. We felt that the Great British public really did have a unique way of dealing with this crisis - it was through incessant memes, forming orderly queues and building eccentric contraptions in our gardens, and that’s what we felt we needed to document.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THIS FILM TO LIFE DURING LOCKDOWN AND WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?:
The hardest thing was not being able to shoot anything beyond our family bubble…. We had next to no lighting, or anything other than my Black Magic Pocket 6k camera to make use of - but we flipped this into an opportunity to integrate found footage in a creative and interesting way.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET DURING LOCKDOWN:
The main challenge was find a way of knitting together all the archive and social media footage (which massively varied in quality) in a contemporary and engaging manner. I spent a lot of time in After Effects building, designing and refining the virtual social media timelines - and decorating all the footage with glowing borders and icons. I was really keen to make this a bit of a statement piece about what can be done with low quality smart phone footage, when you really can’t go out and film anything. Actually, since we published the film we’ve have a lot of bands and agencies get in touch about using this style for other projects.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
I’m getting really into my sound design at the moment - this film had about 25 layers of SFX in the end, which is way more than I would usually do. I just kept going deeper and deeper and thickening it up more and more. I think because the footage is not the best quality, so much of the atmosphere and emotion comes from the subtle sound effects and textures. I really love how the right sound can bring a story alive.
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
The Last Dance on Netflix is awesome! I never paid much attention to basketball before but this a real masterpiece of a sports doc.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
JUDAS
Two members of opposing gangs share a moment during a seemingly innocent game of basketball.
Two members of opposing gangs share a moment during a seemingly innocent game of basketball.
Starring: Nick Preston & Lawrence Walker
Written & Directed by Adam Palmer
Director of Photography - Aram Atkinson
Editor - Nathan Coetzee
Composer - Thom Robson
Made by participants of BFI Network x BAFTA Crew 2019
Judas is a recent Semi-Finalist at The People’s Film Festival, and soon it could make the leap to become a Finalist, but for now enjoy this cinematically stunning short film which features beautifully subtle performances and a killer score from TPFF award-winning composer Thom Robson.
Recently we caught up with writer/director Adam Palmer to ask him some questions about his film…
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FILMMAKING BACKGROUND:
I’m 29, based in the West Midlands, and I’ve always been fascinated by the filmmaking process. I remember getting DVDs as a kid and instantly flicking to watch the making-of and behind the scenes documentaries. At the time I just thought they were cool, but then I realised it was because I was so passionate about filmmaking and how these stories are brought to life and told. From that I started making stop-motion animation short films with lego and my computer webcam. That helped teach me the basics of editing and laying down sound effects to enhance my short stories. I was convinced it was animation that I always wanted to pursue until it was clear that I was just using what I had available to me at the time, but filmmaking was what my real love was! I continued this over the course of my education and ultimately made decisions to pursue narrative filmmaking.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND 'JUDAS'?:
‘JUDAS’ came from seeing groups of lads in my local area hanging out together. It was always such a masculine landscape, judging from the small snippets of conversations you’d hear as I’d walk past them. It got me thinking, that one person in that group might be struggling with their identity and sexuality, but are they masking it in fear of how they would be perceived? We’re in a time now where sexuality and gender and race are all being explored and people are educating themselves more, and whilst there’s still a long way to go, people are having these conversations and learning more about those who are ‘different’ to them (and I use the word ‘different’ lightly, as we’re all in this together after all!). With that in mind, I wanted to explore two characters who might be in a similar position, but from opposing gangs, and how that might affect their relationship together and with those who they consider peers.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THIS FILM TO LIFE AND WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?:
In all honesty, it was a dream to make. We decided to create ‘JUDAS’ having not made anything for a little while. Everyone on the crew works hard and finding time for passion projects like this can be tough, but everything just slid into place and everyone was available at the time. We shot on the hottest day of 2019 (sorry Aram - he had to handhold the camera rig all day and it really took it’s toll!), and we just had a great time making it. It was definitely a collaboration though. The script I wrote was more of a guide, with certain dialogue and story riffs that I really wanted to get across, with the rest of it open to interpretation from Nick Preston and Lawrence Walker (our lead actors), as well as the rest of the crew. If someone had an idea for a moment or a shot, we’d try it out and capture it. Some of those moments ended up in the edit too.
WHEN WE SCREENED YOUR FILM AT OUR OPEN MIC EVENT, MANY PEOPLE WERE DIGGING YOUR ULTRA WIDE ASPECT RATIO. WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS BOLD CHOICE?
The Open Mic event was fantastic! IT was great to reconnect with some of the crew and we all joined a Zoom call to watch along. The roster of films were great and it got us all inspired to get behind the camera again hopefully when lockdown eases. As for the aspect ration, it almost came around but accident. We shot anamorphic, because we wanted to show this wide frame so that the actors looked like they were trapped in the basketball cage, but metaphorically the cage they find themselves trapped in for not being able to be their true selves. During testing on the day we realised we could push this further by pretty much squeezing the aspect ratio again. It was a risk of course, as it’s not conventional, but that’s what these types of projects are about. It was practically no-budget, and it wasn’t for an ad or a company, so there wasn’t anything at stake. It allowed for us to experiment and I’m really glad people are enjoying it!
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET:
It’s probably the old tale of ‘shoot what you have available to you’. I’m only really realising this myself thanks to the help of some good friends in the industry who follow this too. Utilise your skills and talents that you can do yourself, use locations you already have access to and keep cast or crew to a minimum and that way costs will be low. Of course, you can do all of this I’m sure on a bigger scale and keep costs low, but there will always be something that you’ll need to factor in at some point that will usually mean you’ll need to push some cash into it.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
Other than writing and directing, I’d probably say producing. I like seeing everything fall into place after you’ve had conversations with this person here and that person there, or you’ve just secured the location you’ve been pushing for and then that means the dates you’ve set aside can be used to shoot. It’s methodical and it’s ticking things off the list and you’re seeing real progress with your project. And it’s still creative too. I think some people can often thing producing is all about the numbers, and whilst that’s certainly not wrong, it’s also a huge creative process too. I love it, but I’d definitely like to start collaborating with producers on my future projects; people who are far more experienced and skilled at their role than I could ever be!
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
I’ll be completely honest, but I’ve very much neglected watching films during lockdown! Like everyone else, 2020 has been a really tough year for me, with lockdown and family commitments, but I’ve found time to enjoy story-telling through different mediums. I’m currently playing through The Last of Us: Part 2 on the Playstation4 and it’s such an incredible narrative, with amazingly written characters. It’s certainly teaching me a lot and I definitely recommend either playing it, or watching a it online if you’re not that much of a gamer! I think the last film I saw was ‘The Good Dinosaur’, which I watched with my daughter, and we both loved that!
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
CLOUDS
A young boy struggling with depression navigates through his daily routine, while being followed by a grey cloud.
A young boy struggling with depression navigates through his daily routine, while being followed by a grey cloud.
Writer/Director - David Yorke
Producer/DOP - Phil Beastall
1st AC - Rich Bertenshaw
Sound Recordist - Nicola Dale
Art Director - Laura Moss
Make up - Katherine Evans
Editor - Trace Taylor
Music & Sound Design - Alex Ellerington
Recording Mixer - David Sendall
Colourist - Gemma Parr
VFX - Jade Fitzgerald
CAST
Boy - Ethan Higley
Girl - Chloe Kelsall
Mum - Susan Husband
Nurse - Sue King
We are delighted to present CLOUDS from David Yorke as this week’s Short of the Week. David won Best Director at The People’s Film Festival in March for his film SAFEKEEPING, as well as having his horror flick EJECT featured at our Late Night Grindhouse, making him the only filmmaker to have two films featured in our first annual festival. When we saw that he’d released his latest film online, we were quick to be first in line to watch it and once again he does not disappoint. Clouds is a wonderfully personal film, but similar to his previous work it packs an emotional punch.
We caught up with David last week to ask him a few questions about his latest project…
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FILMMAKING BACKGROUND:
I’m a multi award-winning director with over 15 years of experience in short films, corporate, music videos and broadcast television.
Since a young age I have always been interested in making films. It began when I purchased my first video camera at age 11 and it gave me my first proper taste at directing.
When I graduated in 2008 I worked as a freelancer on a variety of productions, including feature films, music videos and promotional projects. I then decided to take a big chance and move from Birmingham to London to pursue my dream of becoming a filmmaker.
I was lucky enough to get a job creating trailers for TV shows, this has been really beneficial as I have been able to learn more about the industry and I have also been able to fund my own personal projects.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS PERHAPS YOUR MOST PERSONAL FILM. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT?:
Clouds has been in the making for a long time, I had the initial idea about 12 years ago and I tried to get it made several times over the many years, but without a budget I couldn't get the support I needed to make the version I wanted.
In 2010 I lost my mother to cancer and It affected me a great deal and after some time I started to think about Clouds once again and I decided I wanted to make this film to honour her. So, after a script rewrite and many other failed attempts trying to get it made, I enlisted the help of my long-time collaborator Phil Beastall, not only would he shoot the film but he would also produce it.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THIS FILM TO LIFE AND WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?:
The film overall was very difficult to get made as there was no budget. After many failed attempts, I just became really frustrated and my dop/producer Phil Beastall could see this. He went above and beyond and pulled in many favours and we managed to secure an amazing cast and crew and also shoot at multiple locations for free, including a school, a bus and several houses.
We shot the film in July 2017 but as it was a heavy visual effects film, it came to halt. We had many issues in post-production which I won't go into, but to sum up we had to restart the project multiple times.
This was obviously very frustrating for me and in that time I had finished 3 new short films and a couple of music videos. Which brings me to 2020, the actors may be older but the film I wanted to make is now finally finished.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET:
My creative solution was just to work with a passionate cast and crew. They knew how personal the film was to me and they really liked the concept. I was just very lucky to have the right people on board and shooting it out of London was also very important because I don’t think I would have been able to film in schools and on buses for free.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
I always find this question difficult to answer because it changes on every project I do. I have never been fortunate enough to make a film with a proper budget as I self-fund everything I make. Most of the time I have to cut corners and demand a lot of my cast and crew. But having said this I tend to enjoy the writing process the most, only because in a way I have made the film I’ve wanted to, only it’s in my head. But when I finally secure funding on future films I will hopefully be able to answer this question properly.
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
Absolutely, every year I make a list of the films I watch but I don’t want to overwhelm everyone so here are a few that stood out - Parasite, Queen and Slim, Uncut Gems, JoJo Rabbit, 1917, Relic, Vivarium, The Invisible Man, Onward and The Platform.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
NO COMMENT
An anguished action star reaches his breaking point during a press junket interview when a young journalist investigates his complicity in a scandal.
An anguished action star reaches his breaking point during a press junket interview when a young journalist investigates his complicity in a scandal.
Written & Directed by Russell Goldman
Starring: Robert Lewis Stephenson, Henita Telo, Tucker Reynolds, Magnus Christoffersen, Shane Bannon, David Peck, Emma Croft, Mark Nordike, Michelle Agresti, Erique Duboise, Kris Tapley, with R. Scott Hoffman as Doug and Celina Bernstein as Lyla
Last week we caught up with writer/director Russell Goldman to ask him a few questions about his short film which packs tour deforce performances…
YOUR FILM IS SO TOPICALLY RELEVANT. WAS THIS A CONCEPT YOU’D BEEN DEVELOPING PRIOR TO THE #METOO MOVEMENT OR IS YOUR FILM IN RESPONSE TO IT?:
When the #MeToo movement began, former colleagues of guilty men started speaking publicly about assailants whose behavior they’d spent decades looking away from. The stories from these enablers compelled me to stare at the mirror and made me question my own relationship to complicity—have I ever looked the other way? Have I faced an opportunity to do something and failed?
No Comment is a character study of an A-list actor who embodies an extreme form of that denial of complicity. He knows he bore witness to an assault, but chooses the wrong response, one that allows him to comfortably continue his career and friendships. What happens to that man’s state of mind? If a journalist found herself capable to expose him, would he confess? Would he point the finger in a different direction? I thought the best dramatic choice to tell this story was to put the viewer in this actor’s suppressive state of mind—to initially empathize with his point of view, but as the actor reveals himself to the journalist, have the viewer question their allegiance to him.
YOUR FILM REALLY THRIVES ON THE NUANCE OF THE PERFORMANCES. WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS WORKING WITH ACTORS?:
I rehearsed with Robert Lewis-Stephenson (Robert) and Henita Telo (Abigail) for this short as one would for a play—meeting weeks in advance to tape off where the pieces on set would be and have the time to dig into their characters. We all come from theater, and we knew none of the film would work if these characters didn’t feel authentic to the fatigued Hollywood media cycle they occupy. We also had to believe their fixation on Lyla's (Celina Bernstein) assault by Robert’s director Doug (R. Scott Hoffman)—to understand why Robert wanted to conceal it and why Abigail wanted to expose it. Mr. Lewis-Stephenson’s performance remains humane through the end of the film, well after we understand the gravity of Robert’s actions. His innate empathy as an actor was necessary toward complicating Robert’s character study. We didn’t want to see his explosive anger or nastiness coming. Even after the explosion, he made these small physical choices that revealed new layers to his shame.
Likewise, Ms. Telo brings a subtle and imposing quality to Abigail that’s intrinsic to the design of the film—she’s coming into his studio, his world, and needs to mask her intentions around that. To portray someone constantly one step ahead of their adversary— and at the same time convey in each moment why she’s here and who she’s fighting for— requires a performer who can find nuances in every moment. I felt grateful to be able to rest the film on both of their shoulders.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET?:
The conceit of our film allowed us to shoot solely in one studio, with most scenes only involving two actors. Boxing oneself in as a creative is fun—it’s easier to find every gift a certain shooting space gives you if you know you can’t afford to go anywhere else. Then there's the added level of what confinement adds to the viewing experience--for No Comment, we used the studio's small size to build up Robert's clusterphobia, and the sole exit door for characters to keep each other trapped inside. Keeping an A-list actor in this more neutral space allowed us to allude to his wealth and power without showing all of it off. If we wanted the film to take place at Robert’s home, we’d have to put another zero at the end of our budget.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS?:
The best part of making a movie is when someone gives you the gift of an idea that improves upon your own—that’s a better articulation of what you actually wanted. It could be a story choice early in pre-production, a performance decision that helps a shot feel alive, down to defining the tone of a room in a color grading studio. I think there’s a perception that writer/directors employ a cast and crew to carry out some already-perfected vision. The way I like to work is more an act of group discovery. I prefer to over-communicate with my team, invite every perspective that challenges the material I give them.
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING?:
I’d recommend the documentary On the Record (dirs. Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, available on HBO MAX), which examines the pattern of sexual assault from Russell Simmons toward Drew Dixon, Sil Lal Abrams and Sheri Sher. It’s a devastating piece of journalism that also highlights the erasure of black women from the predominantly white #MeToo narrative. Never Rarely Sometimes Always (dir. Eliza Hittman, available to rent) is also emotionally exhausting, but told with a rousing courage and uplift that I cried a few times. I’ve also been enjoying Netflix’s series of “Homemade” short films, a collection from various filmmakers that highlights how our evolving emotional response to the pandemic is not one response—it’s completely unique to where you’re from and how you live.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
DUMP
A promising date goes to poo. Cocksure at the end of a successful first date, Scotty, goes to the bathroom and is haunted by an embarrassing childhood memory.
A promising date goes to poo…
Cocksure at the end of a successful first date, Scotty, goes to the bathroom and is haunted by an embarrassing childhood memory.
Writer /Director /Producer: LEE SQUIRES
Creative Producer: DAN TAMBLING
Executive Producer: PAUL THOMAS
Starring DAVE PERRY, LUCY-JANE QUINLAN, & ELLIE TANNER
Lee, who is originally from Essex, studied film at Ravensbourne where he began to accumulate over 20 writing credits on shorts spanning all styles and genres. He currently lives in Lisbon where he is focusing on writing feature scripts and runs Sunday Shorts Film Festival. Check out our interview with Lee below.
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION TO WRITE DUMP?
Fortunately, it's not a personal story. I find the privacy of our visits to the bathroom very interesting – see how even that sentence is hiding the truth? - and I wanted to set a film there and see how far I could take it. Comically. Hopefully. Although I've been told it's quite disturbing. There were some 'poo stories' floating about in the news at the time, and although I didn't base “DUMP” on one, I was probably influenced by them.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THE SCRIPT TO LIFE:
I really enjoyed the rehearsals. It would have been a shit show without them. On the day, it was very rushed and crowded (e.g. the sound recordist spent the whole day in the shower, and the focus puller on the stairs), but a lot of fun still. I have a love hate relationship with making comedies. I laugh a lot during the shoot, but it often ruins the best takes. As always, it was difficult to assemble the crew for expenses, but everyone who turned out was really thankful for the experience, which I find to be the most rewarding thing about these self-indulgent projects.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET:
To keep things 'simple', I actually used “This Is John” (Duplass Bros) as a starting point - one character, one location, and one goal. However, where I slipped up was not taking advantage of a location I had access to. We rented the bathroom, and all the 'set dressing' you see was bought for the film (because colour pallet). Quality content for me is just an engaging story well acted – so start with that and it costs nothing to practice.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
I like rehearsing and polishing scripts. I like to see and hear actors interpreting my made-up characters in a made-up situation, and together we try to make it feel real.
SCREENING RECOMENDATIONS FOR QUARANTINE:
I saw “Without A Trace” (Granik) while quarantining, and think it's not only one of the best films of recent years, but it also explores something I think a lot of us are feeling right now.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
TPFF: June 2020 Official Selections
We are excited to announce our Finalists and Semi-Finalists from June’s edition of The People’s Film Festival.
Our jury has put forward the following films as Official Selections, Finalists & Semi-Finalists for this month’s edition of The People’s Film Festival!
official selections
I DON’T FIND ANY OF THIS VERY PEACEFUL
Directed by Sam O'Mahony
London. Lockdown. With her partner missing (again) anxiety-prone Katharine hits a catastrophic low. Her mother tries to persuade her to use the time to re-engage with her art, a passion long-suppressed by Katharine’s controlling partner. Katharine tries but quickly gives up. Soon the claustrophobic nature of their flat coupled with an abundance of newly-arrived houseflies and her growing anxiety about post-lockdown life, forces Katharine to consider the fatal option. One night, at the point of no return, a lost dog forces its way into her home. Relenting to its demands, Katharine allows it to stay, forgoing, her previous plans. As the long lockdown days drag on, Katharine becomes intrigued by her strange new house guest. Spurred on by the needs of another, Katharine begins to taste something of life once more. But as lockdown comes to an end, and the houseflies begin buzzing once more, Katharine is forced to reckon with the one last obstacle standing in the way of her her freedom.
I Don’t Find Any Of This Very Peaceful is a low-key psychological thriller about the darkness we must embrace before we can truly accept who we are. With echoes of Haneke and Hitchcock the film’s heightened cinematic style attempts to draw the audience into Katharine’s small world and experience her journey out of the darkness.
I DON’T FIND ANY OF THIS VERY PEACEFUL is an Official Selection in the Micro-Budget Category
THE ANGEL OF HISTORY
Directed by Eric Esser
A border in Europe. A painting by Paul Klee. A poem by Walter Benjamin. A film about yesterday and today, and how difficult it is to recognize one behind the other.
THE ANGEL OF HISTORY is an Official Selection in the Low Budget Category
RUMORI
Directed by SÄMEN (Ludovico Amen Galletti & Sami Schinaia)
Visually exploring the emotional complexity of a breakup, Rumori has at its core how the lack of understanding and communication between two people can destroy a relationship. Introspective, subtle and beautifully melancholic, the short film stands as a summary of the endless conversations and sleepless nights experienced as two people gradually drift apart and disappear from each other's minds.
Set in a house in the Italian countryside, we find the characters in the film, played by Andrea Arcangeli and Matilda De Angelis, stuck in a loop of internal arguments. They share the same space, yet they are unable to see and perceive one another. They live for each other, yet they are blind to each other's needs. Feeling trapped and alone within this space, the house becomes a metaphor for their stagnant and decaying relationship.
As a true reflection of our world, Rumori argues that to stand still is to disappear. The only way out of a toxic dynamic is to embrace change, transform and move forward.
RUMORI is an Official Selection in the Sponsored Category
finalists
Micro-Budget
HOMESTAY directed by Elliot Taylor
S*IT directed by Simon Wegrzyn
Low Budget
BRONAGH directed by Jessica Courtney Leen & Megan Haly
ROBERT THE ROBOT directed by Jonathan Irwin
Sponsored
APPETITE directed by Xuemeng Li & Katrin Larissa Kasper
SQUALL directed by Mark Brennan
Semi-Finalists
IT’S A WRAP directed by Brian Unwin
JUDAS directed by Adam Palmer
SAME TIME NEXT WEEK directed by Gigi Burgdorf
SO LONG directed by Jo Jo Lam
STOP AND SEARCH directed by Harry Jackson
WHAT SETS THE PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL APART?
✔️ Win £1,000 in funding for your next short film
✔️ Free feedback w/ every submission
✔️ Categories based on budget vs genre
STOP AND SEARCH
If you're black in the UK, the police are 10 times more likely to stop and search you. How would they feel if it was the other way around?
If you're black in the UK, the police are 10 times more likely to stop and search you. How would they feel if it was the other way around?
Starring: SELOM AWADZI (Attack the Block), ALLESSANDRO BABALOLA (Top Boy, Flesh and Bone), PHIL BARANTINI (Band of Brothers, Ned Kelly, Chernobyl), DEAN KILBEY (All the Money in the World, Love Possibly)
Written and Directed by HARRY JACKSON
Produced by MILLY UPTON
Director of Photography MOLLY MANNING WALKER
Edited by CHOLE HARDWICK
STOP AND SEARCH is a great example of the right film at the right time. We first caught wind of the project thanks to our friends at Director’s Notes flagging it and we instantly thought that this was a special film we had to feature. Check out our interview with director Harry Jackson below.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND:
I started in acting, having the honour of being murdered by Vanessa Redgrave four times a week for the RSC. Like all child actors I went off the rails, or in other words became a director. My graduation film ‘Little’ won an RTS award, aired on Sky Arts and screened at Foyle Film Festival. Since then my shorts ‘Lifeline’ (Julia Deakin) and ‘MatchBox’ (Simon Callow) have screened at Rhode Island, Kerry, Kinofilm Manchester, Fastnet and London Short Film Festivals between them.
STOP AND FRISK SEEMS VERY TIMELY. DID YOU MAKE THIS FILM AS A REACTION TO THE BLM PROTESTS OR DID YOU HAVE THIS IN THE WORKS PRIOR:
I actually shot the film in 2019 and by chance was planning to release it around this time anyway. After the initial BLM protests and a growing desire to address racism in the UK, it made sense to speed up the release. Hopefully it can be part of a larger effort to put the stop and search issue on the agenda.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THE SCRIPT TO LIFE (WAS IT MADE DURING LOCKDOWN?):
It was shot pre-lockdown, so fortunately I didn’t have to deal with any of the COVID restrictions. The main challenge of the shoot was time, as it so often is. We shot the whole film in one day during one of the shorter days of the year – so by the end it became rushed. It’s a shame that this so often happens, as if anything you want to invest the most time into your ending. If it wasn’t for the actors, I’d be tempted to work backward!
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET:
I hate to bring it back to time again, but the ‘time is money’ cliché is very real. We didn’t have the budget for more than a one-day shoot, so we had to shoot quickly. Going handheld massively helped with this, as setting up a tripod or dolly can be so time consuming. I wouldn’t have done this if it didn’t suit the film, but thankfully it did as it probably saved more money than any other decision.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
Post-production. Script writing can go in so many directions that sometimes it can be quite overwhelming. Being on set is always time pressured, and there’s so much out of your control – which is surely a long way from being the best environment to make decisions. Editing is a pleasure because you get a sense of the film coming together, and you have the luxury of time to try out everything you want to. Then just as you get bored of the edit, you get to add sound, music and the grade, which is always a refreshing new layer. Also most importantly I can be lying down on the sofa in my trackies.
SCREENING RECOMMENDATIONS TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING
On a related theme to my film, I'd really recommend 'Fruitvale Station'. It's about Oscar Grant, a young black man who was killed by the police - it's brilliant. Otherwise I've recently enjoyed 'The Assistant' and I've also been revisiting all of David Lean's films, which are perfect for when you have plenty of time.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
19 COVID LANE
As the covid pandemic sweeps the world, three neighbors shelter in a makeshift bunker while struggling to maintain their sanity.
As the covid pandemic sweeps the world, three neighbors shelter in a makeshift bunker while struggling to maintain their sanity.
Director: RYAN MONOLOPOLOUS
Co-Writers: HAMID THOMPSON, RYAN MONOLOPOLOUS
Producers: CARLOS VELASCO, HAMID THOMPSON, PARIS SCHULMAN, CHRIS EVANS
In an amazing feat of lockdown filmmaking, the team behind 19 Covid Lane have created a wonderful satirical homage to 10 Cloverfield Lane, giving it a covid twist. Check out our interview with the filmmakers…
WE TYPICALLY ASK “WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION” BUT I THINK WITH YOUR FILM IT’S PRETTY OBVIOUS. COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS OF CREATING A 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE HOMAGE AROUND COVID-19:
Interestingly while the film is inspired, on a base level, by 10 Cloverfield Lane, we did not hold to that film’s structure, plot, or devices. Instead that film served as our thematic inspiration - embodying the paranoia and hysteria of the Covid-19 pandemic. When Georgia and the rest of the world issued a shelter in place order - suddenly millions of people felt afraid, trapped, and in a void of information - making this film a perfect parallel. Using 10 Cloverfield Lane as the foundational premise, we then constructed our story upon that; with scenes that satire the menagerie of the horror / psychological thriller genre. Our end goal was to not create a spoof, but to approach 19 Covid Lane as a piece of intelligent satire that stands on its own as original, entertaining, and thoughtful.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THE SCRIPT TO LIFE DURING LOCKDOWN:
People respond to crisis in a lot of ways. For Hamid and I, we try to funnel our thoughts and energy into something creative that may help progress the conversation. Bringing a project to life was a unique problem - in that we had to be very aware of safety concerns, but more importantly of creative something that spoke about the issue without mocking those affected by it. We feel we really hit that balance.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT DURING LOCKDOWN:
The biggest disruptor to our traditional production process was access to team. The solution there was to take the members of Hamid and I’s homes and turn them into our crew, to convert my basement into the bunker, and have everyone on double or triple duty (for example our producers served as crafty, camera assists, etc). In this way, we created the film in a fashion similar to film school - which was a fulfilling in that we grew to connect with and trust each other in new ways.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
RYAN: For me, my favorite part of filmmaking is the energy and tactical problem solving on set that leads to truth. And by truth here I don’t mean anything densely philosophical, I mean multiple parties working as hard as they can to create the great illusion that is a film - where characters and the story ultimately become believable and ‘real’. I am heavily involved in film technologies and immersive storytelling that are pushing filmmaking into new direction (something this pandemic will ultimately fast track) but I strongly believe nothing will ever replace the human energy of being on a set.
SCREENING RECOMENDATIONS FOR QUARANTINE:
HAMID: When it comes to gaining an audience - there are always challenges. During quarantine events and film festivals have been placed on hold, meaning short films have to work to find a new venue to reach audiences. We combined a social media push with a well planned marketing campaign that landed us with a distributer: Funny or Die where we will be releasing soon.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
ALEX & MR. FLUFFKINS
Alex and his cat Mr Fluffkins have been having a pretty chilled time in lockdown, but life is about to change for these two... or is it?
Alex and his cat Mr Fluffkins have been having a pretty chilled time in lockdown, but life is about to change for these two... or is it?
Directed by ADEENA GRUBB & ANDY BIDDLE
Recently featured at our Short Film Open Mic, this short animation is an amazing feat of lockdown filmmaking. It just goes to show that lockdown doesn’t have to hinder creativity or even the quality of your work. We recently caught up with director Andy Biddle whose past credits include three Wes Anderson films - Fantastic Mr Fox (2008), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2013) and Isle of Dogs (2017). In 2011 Andy joined Laika in Portland, Oregon for a year to animate on Paranorman, directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell. He was also involved in Ma Vie De Courgette (2015), Paddington Bear (2014) and Wallace and Gromit Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).
WE TYPICALLY ASK "WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION TO WRITE YOUR FILM", BUT I THINK IN YOUR CASE IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS, SO CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR WRITING PROCESS:
In terms of writing process, myself and Adeena had, for one reason or another, decided to make a little Easter loop back in April called Little Hoppy Horror. We were both keen to make more personal projects and this little loop was very much the birth of Alex and Mr Fluffkins. We'd enjoyed making Little Hoppy Horror so much, we were spurred on to make more work together. Adeena had seen that Seed Animation were looking for lockdown films and we thought it would be fun to do something a little more ambitious with 'lockdown' as the theme. Adeena and I found that we were a good partnership and generally improved each others ideas. One of us would come up with an idea and then the other would suggest something to make it even better.
MAKING A FILM WHILE IN LOCKDOWN IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE. HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO PULL IT OFF:
We knew this film was something we could do this after the success of Little Hoppy Horror so we generally followed the same lockdown film making formula. Adeena again made Alex and Mr Fluffkins as well a bunch of props and mailed them to me. I set up in my spare room and both lit and animated it. Another friend of ours called Malcolm Hadley is a DOP and had very kindly Uber'd over some decent film lights and kit which was obviously a huge help. Both Adeena and I shared the load with post production and Adeena took on the soundtrack and edit. So to answer the question, it wasn't hard at all. Adeena and I spoke every day to talk about direction, the edit, set dressing, lighting etc and it obviously helped that I had a spare room to shoot in but we both found the process relatively painless. We definitely want to do more together and plan to do so.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR WORKING ON A SMALL BUDGET:
Adeena and I are both what we have since termed "craft hoarders'. We both have a lot of crafty bits and pieces and props from old projects tucked away in drawers and boxes as well as random bits of rubbish that we deem "might come in useful one day" that most would throw away. And of course favours! I've already mentioned Malcolm lending us some lights - that was a huge help. Without his help it wouldn't look half as good.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
I work predominantly as an animator and Adeena works in art department and i think, for both of us, just the making of something that we'd come up with way the most exciting. We've both worked for other people for so long now that actually making something where we made the directorial decisions was amazing. I also personally loved lighting this project. It's not something I'd ever really done before so that was great fun. I also really enjoyed making something out of nothing. A piece of set for example that was very much an after thought was the door that I made out of a scrappy bit of wood. A professional model maker would scoff at my efforts but I knew that it didn't matter that it wasn't perfect because I knew light would add so much so it would still look good on camera.
WHAT'S YOUR NEXT PROJECT:
I am working on another collaborative project with another model maker called Claudia Brugnaletti and Adeena is continuing to work on a personal film she has been doing for a few months now.
My project with Claudia is about the meeting of two characters - an electric lamp and a candle and Adeena's project is about multiple date fails.
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
THE CALL CENTRE
Paige spends her days setting up people’s life insurance in a drab North London call centre. She is bored of her life, longing for intimacy and connection that she unexpectedly finds on the phone to a charming customer called David.
Written & Directed by LOUISA CONNOLLY-BURNHAM
Produced by LOUISA CONNOLLY-BURNHAM & EMILY EVERDEE
Paige spends her days setting up people’s life insurance in a drab North London call centre. She is bored of her life, longing for intimacy and connection that she unexpectedly finds on the phone to a charming customer called David.
About the Film:
If you were at our Short Film Open Mic last moth you may have already seen this film, but even so we think it’s worth a rewatch. Well-crafted and consistently compelling "The Call Centre" harkens back to the era of films like "Fatal Attraction" or "9 1/2 Weeks" - stories that explored the frontiers of human desire, desperation and violence in a provocative, powerful way.
Read our interview with Louisa
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION TO WRITE THE CALL CENTRE:
A few years ago whilst in-between jobs as an actress I started a part-time job at a call centre selling insurance in order to pay the bills. I was blown away by how much customer data I had at my fingertips. I knew where they lived, if they were married, how many kids they have, their email address, where they work…the list goes on. It got me wondering what could happen if all that information got into the wrong hands, or in the case of my film, into the hands of a very lonely young girl.
DID YOU HAVE ANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CREATING QUALITY CONTENT ON A MINIMAL BUDGET:
Following a successful Kickstarter campaign the budget we got to work with was actually pretty decent - around the 18K mark. However, we certainly still had to pull some favours along the way. For example, I wanted the office scenes to feel super busy with lots of bodies, so all of my mates turned up for free to fill up the space and support me. We managed to get our gorgeous office location for free thanks to a family friend and another friend of mine also helped me out with our kit. I’ve done lots of favours for people over the years and I was certainly repaid during the process of making The Call Centre. I’m so unbelievably grateful to the many friends, family and even strangers that got behind me. I couldn’t have done it without them. So my biggest advice would be kind and generous on the way up and I believe you’ll be repaid. Don’t be afraid. Send the email. Ask for that favour. What have you got to lose?
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS:
Having been an actress for 14 years prior to making the film, my favourite part had to be putting my directors hat on for the first time. I’ve never had that sort of control on set. It felt incredible. As an actress so many decisions are out of your hands and in a way you sort of fall to the bottom of the pecking order. It was also very liberating to create a piece of art that I’m incredibly proud of that originally stemmed from a day job that made me miserable. It came full circle.
SCREENING RECOMMENDATIONS TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
Well with it being the best month of the year, PRIDE MONTH, I’d like to recommend the documentaries The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson and Paris Is Burning. I also think with everything that’s going on in the world right now, the incredible Black Lives Matter movement in particular, I’d implore everyone to watch 13th and When They See Us - in my opinion these are both essential viewing, it’s time for all of us to get educated and energised. And then if you just fancy a bit of trashy tele (which is totally ok) treat yourself to Selling Sunset on Netflix (it’s awful and I love it).
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?
TPFF: May 2020 Official Selections
We are excited to announce our Finalists from May’s edition of The People’s Film Festival.
After receiving a record number of submissions in a single month, our jury has put forward the following films.
official selections
Home Stream
Directed by Giulia Gandini & Lily Blackham
Lily has been homeless for a year and a half. We gave her a phone to tell us her story.
HOME STREAM is an Official Selection in the Micro-Budget Category
BULL DOG
Directed by Kieran Stringfellow
After spending the night in a cell, a rough sleeper has a score to settle.
BULLDOG is an Official Selection in the Low Budget Category
SWITCH
Directed by Desiree Faust, Stefana D. Brancastle
A dark love letter to the critic, from the artist. ‘Switch’...the one who is both slave and master…(in BDSM), questions the limits imposed on filmmakers.
SWITCH is an Official Selection in the Sponsored Category
finalists
Micro-Budget
EXHAUSTED directed by Chester Briscall-Harvey
A PRESENT FOR A GOOD GIRL directed by Stephanie Upsall
Low Budget
MOONSHINE directed by Tom Sands
OUTSIDERS directed by Grace Parry
Sponsored
SILENT MOVIE directed by Melo Viana
TINDERBOX directed by Rickey Larke
Semi-Finalists
2:40 TO LONDON directed by Gavin Irvine
THE COSMONAUT directed by Sami Abdul-Razzak
THE DEAL directed by Stuart Black &George Felner
(DIS)CONNECTED directed by Sophia Dabizha & Boris Bosilkov
EXTRA directed by Kioumars Ahmadi
THE FERALS directed by Stefan Ruiz
HUGS directed by Harry Plowden
JITTERS directed by Sara Jordan
LIGHTS OUT directed by Ben Walden
PLAYING WITH FIRE directed by Kevin Tsai
STRANGE directed by Cameron Carr
THIRTY FOR AN EIGHT directed by Oliver Ward
WELL MEANING PEOPLE directed by Charlie Brades-Price
WHAT SETS THE PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL APART?
✔️ Win £1,000 in funding for your next short film
✔️ Free feedback w/ every submission
✔️ Categories based on budget vs genre