IndieFlicks: Interview

Colin Warhurst and Phil Drinkwater are the co-directors of the North West feature film, Mancattan, a cross-Atlantic romantic comedy that pays homage to the Woody Allen classic. IndieFlicks got in touch with the filmmakers to talk about the movie’s production.

IndieFlicks: How did you get started in film making?

Phil: Psycho. Watched it, studied it, picked it apart. Realised that there was someone who was actually responsible for putting it together, making it and authoring it. I was about 14 and it was revelatory. I couldn’t believe that the movies were also art. It was a vindication of my interest. Then I just started writing and making films. Seemed like the natural thing to do.

Colin: I wish I could say it was something dramatic, but I’m afraid it was simply very much picking up a camcorder and playing with it. We used to make spoof TV series, especially accident reconstructions based on the old BBC Programme “999.” We would build dummies, throw them out of windows, then cut to one of us playing someone who had broken their leg! After being limited to a camcorder that only recorded black and white and edited straight to tape, I became fascinated with film-making and the art of editing. It kind of steam-rolled from there. I cut my teeth following bands around making music videos and worked on short student films with other people, including Phil!

IndieFlicks: Where did the idea for Mancattan come from?

Colin: Phil and I started batting around ideas after realising we hadn’t worked on a film together for years, and we were both eager to get stuck back in. So we started bouncing ideas around and developing a short idea of Phil’s based in Manchester. It was a love story on one hand, and on the other a love letter to Manchester itself.

Phil: Rom Com is a genre that I think is pretentiously dismissed by so-called ‘film people’, because of its heavy association with mainstream Hollywood, whereas I think, when done well, they can be insightful, funny and real. Woody Allen has spent his life making them, Godard made them, Wilder made them and some of the most excellent independent films that have come out in recent years have had their roots firmly in the genre; from Garden State to Secretary to anything by Kevin Smith. So, as I have a strange desire to always want to upset the pretentious side of the film world, I thought, along with Colin, what better way than to take an outrageously mainstream genre and make it with a completely DIY, independent sensibility.

Colin: We have both been admirers of Woody Allen’s work for a long time, and most likely had the knowledge of his Manhattan as a homage to New York in the back of our heads. This in turn lead to us planning a short holiday there. It wasn’t a massive leap of logic to decide on taking the camera with us to New York to film some sequences. Although originally we wanted to make a short, during the holiday we both independently had the idea of making a full length film instead. As soon as we realised that actually, we both had the same thought, we decided to massively expand the story, and that’s the film you see today.

IndieFlicks: Did the writing process take long?

Colin: The writing was more or less begun at Christmas 2006, jotting down the basic structure and certain key scenes. Phil and I would sit down for hours (usually in the pub) or fire emails back and forth if an idea hit us in the middle of the night.

Phil: It was a weird process. I see myself first and foremost as a writer, so once me and Col had mapped out the idea in massive detail together, I went away and hammered out the physical screenplay, dialogue, etc. Then I’d go back to Colin, we’d revise it and I’d carry on.

Colin: We had a script by March 2007, but of course when you get to New York, you want to shoot everything, and I mean everything! So we had to reign ourselves in a bit! All this meant that we shot extra scenes in New York, improvising the majority of them to take advantage of the city and situations we found ourselves in. Upon getting back, we had to re-watch all our footage and completely revisit the script! New York is hardly round the corner for pick up shots or re-shoots, and so the script changed in numerous ways, mostly for the better, based on what happened in Manhattan. So the film is a result of both careful planning, improvisation, and urgent frantic re-writes right up until the last minute. I don’t think I’d have it any other way actually.

IndieFlicks: How did you raise the funds needed to make the film?

Colin: What funds?! I have no idea how much we spent as it has taken us over two years to make, all out of our own pockets. Most people have basic editing on their computers these days, and quality arguments put aside for just a second, we can all access some sort of camera if we really wanted to. We had access to a number of cameras owned by myself or friends of mine who work in TV and I had a computer already. Additional camera hire sometimes ate up costs, and buying drinks for all the cast and crew who agreed to work for free for us, but obviously the trip to New York was the most expensive thing. However, it was a holiday where we happened to take a camera and make a film, so I don’t see it as purely a film expenditure, it was an experience I’ll never forget. Don’t be scared of money; if you are doing the DIY film route, it isn’t expenses, it’s personal emotional investment. Some people put their money into clothes, food, cars or what have you, we put ours into Mancattan quite happily.

IndieFlicks: What did you shoot on?

Colin: We shot on a Sony PD170 in New York, then a mixture of that and a Sony HVR-Z1E when I could pinch or afford to hire one from various folks that I know and who supported the film. Thinking back knowing what I know now, I could and perhaps should have used HDV. All that extra quality and detail, which although not “true HD” depending upon who you ask, is great for the amateur film-maker, who was most likely using MiniDV tape stock anyway. I’m a massive technology fan and gadget lover, but I refuse to allow technology limitations to hold back imagination, that’s my own personal high from this film. We made it with what we had to the best possible standards we could manage at the time. If someone, anyone watches this film and realises that “Hey, my camera may not be the greatest, and my computer won’t be able to handle too much, but I’m not going to let that stop me,” then I’ve done my job.

IndieFlicks: Was there any difference between filming in New York and filming in Manchester?

Phil: There were more Americans in New York.

Colin: New York is perhaps the most iconic city on the planet. Everything looks new, different and very photogenic. We actually had to force ourselves not to take the camera out for a few days so that we could just enjoy the holiday we were meant to be having! Seeking permission in Manchester was still fairly easy once we explained to people what we were doing, but in New York, we just plunged right in and did it!

IndieFlicks: If you could go back and make the film again would you change anything?

Phil: I would learn my lines this time!

Colin: I am more than happy with the experience, but it has been more than two years of my life. On a personal and professional level, I am always picking at it and worried that despite my passionate belief that technology shouldn’t restrict creativity, that Mancattan is far from my best work photographically. Finishing and pushing the film for two years means I have kind of been stuck not allowing my latest work or increased skills to see the light of day. I would perhaps have got more practise in and pushed for bigger crews for a better looking film. An investment in a new computer may have been a good idea, total Mancattan rendering probably totals about 3 months if you added it all up. My PC was custom made for video editing 9 years ago but I really pushed it to the limit with this film. I’ve spent many lonely hours waiting for things to render and it can do odd things to your state of mind! I would have got a Producer on board to handle all of the admin side of things. I had to act as Producer for the film and was constantly handling all of the tasks that a Producer could do for me, allowing me just to get on with the film-making! I still have these responsibilities and I think things could have been massively different if Phil and I found a third person with a flair for organisation and producing. As it is, I’m still doing it and probably going grey very soon as a result.

IndieFlicks: When can we expect to see Mancattan released?

Colin: For the time being it will be shown at festivals but perhaps one day it might be shown on the internet for free. I am passionate about independent film-making, but Mancattan is not the film to break down these barriers or change the traditional distribution system. I have something else in mind for that next year. Mancattan may end up as a free movie to download, we’ll see how it does on the festival circuit. We’ve had interest from Salford Film Festival and a festival in Sweden too and so I am doing a frantic re-edit to get it ready for both festivals. We’ll decide on the internet release idea in 2010 depending upon how well it does.

IndieFlicks: What do you think of the current state of independent film making here in the UK?

Colin: A very good question. We have no money, no investors, no budget. I can’t release this film in the traditional manner (screen it outside of festivals or sell it on DVDs) in this country without a BBFC rating. Needless to say this costs hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. If I tried to sell you, in person, a copy of my DVD as an obviously consenting adult, the BBFC and the law can have me fined and thrown in jail. I understand why the BBFC exists to advise and protect younger audiences from potentially unsuitable content, but they are inflexible and outdated. Ironically, I only want to sell the DVD to raise the money for a proper BBFC rating in the first place, but I can’t! Their own rules and regulations stop me, as a DIY digital film-maker, from following those same rules and regulations! The film industry is not geared for this new style of film-making in any way, shape or form. Films made in the traditional way, with commissioners or investors, have BBFC money put aside, it’s part of their budget from the start. But the film-maker who literally picked up a camera and made their vision doesn’t have this option.

Imagine if a painter could be clapped in irons for selling a painting unless he’d had it rated first? If musicians could not give away or play their music? If writers couldn’t put pen to paper? The country would understandably be in uproar! So why not with film? I believe it comes back to technology again; it was never an issue before, because the idea of a full feature being made by the humble amateur, from start to finish, may not have been possible as much as ten years ago. Technology has made that possible now, and so should film-makers not have the same freedoms as other artists? The BBFC is not ready, and I suspect unwilling, to adopt the idea and possibility of this new breed of film-maker breaking onto the scene. People may read that and say “Hang about, the BBFC do a good job, we can’t believe they are in it to make money, they provide a public service, right?” Of course they do, and a valuable one, but they take their slice of the pie and are inflexible to a fault. Did you know that if you put a commentary on your DVD, they charge you double? They see that as a “new version” of your film, and they charge to rate your films by the minute. However, by their own admission, musical and educational films are exempt from classification. Surely an educational audio commentary should be exempt from the exact same by-the-minute charge, especially if you have already paid for them to watch exactly the same visuals when they rated the original film and audio? That practise alone shows that someone at BBFC HQ is quite happy to extort film-makers for this “public service” they perform. Don’t get me wrong, the BBFC provide a valued service when they get it right, for the big studios and big films. But what are they doing for home grown talent in this country? They are not providing any solution or assistance, in fact the total opposite. At best they are over protective, at worst they are enforcing a film state of national cultural castration. Stories from independent British writers, creators and film-makers, who do not stump up the ransom, will never have their films legally seen outside of festivals or the internet. So your previous question was when and where can you see Mancattan? I honestly don’t know much more than you do at this point with all of this bore in mind.

Editor’s Note: Since this interview was conducted, some new information about BBFC regulations has come to public attention. See here for more details.

IndieFlicks: Do you have any projects in the pipeline?

Phil: I’m doing a lot of writing, and have some projects in development with various independent companies with an eye to getting them commissioned for television. I’ve also written and am working on a short film called Count Dave with a few other North West film makers, with an eye to getting it into national and international festivals and getting our stuff noticed.

Colin: I set myself the personal goal of making three short films all to a much higher technical standard than Mancattan. I’m one film down after Karma, two to go, but the idea for the third one is rapidly becoming a mini special effects laden epic. If I pull it off, if you thought two guys making a film in New York by themselves was a Herculean effort, this will blow your mind. So the idea of three shorter “easier” films has quickly become just as hard as making one feature! I’ll be looking again at a Manchester feature in 2010 though, definitely.

IndieFlicks: What advice do you have for any aspiring film-makers out there?

Phil: It’s all about ideas. If you have one, then you’re ready to go.

Colin: Do not listen to that voice that says “I’ll do it later.” Pick up your pen, your camera, your computer this very second. If you don’t listen to that urge the instant you hear it, you may never get around to listening to it again. Don’t worry if you don’t have the full story planned or written, just start! The rest works itself out from there. So stop reading this, and go create. Now.

For more information on Mancattan please visit the official website - Click

Reckoning arrives in September

Reckoning Day, the debut feature from Julian Gilbey (who has since directed Rollin’ with the Nines and Rise of the Footsoldier) will be released on DVD on September 14. The low budget British action film stars Roman Karpynec, Saul Linklater, Dominic Alan-Smith and Kevin Farran and from watching the trailer above looks pretty cool. The film will be available at all reputable retailers including Amazon UK and stay tuned to IndieFlicks for our review of the film.

For more information on Reckoning Day please visit the official website - click

Blood + Roses

IndieFlicks is very happy to learn that Blood + Roses, the debut feature from Simon Aitken, is finished and ready for release. The horror follows Jane, a young woman who spends the night with a vampire, Seth - an action that has unforeseen repercussions and leaves her with a dangerous choice. Starring Marysia Kay and Benjamin Green, the film will hopefully be hitting screens towards the end of the year. Stay tuned to IndieFlicks for an interview with the filmmakers and for more information on Blood + Roses please visit the official website -  click

Review: The Agent

The Agent

Director

Lesley Manning

Writer

Martin Wagner

Starring

Stephen Kennedy

William Beck

Everyone has an idea for a story. A germ. For most people it never develops into anything more than a brief afternoon’s flight of fancy. For those that have the writing itch, only a few will ever be published, and of them, even fewer will become established authors, and even then only an elite will enter that pantheon of writers who manage to transcend death.

Between many of these steps are the agents. They guard the hype, the success and reputation of authors. They are as much a consumer as we are. They protect and guide those who have “made it” while at the same time being on the lookout for the talent that will one day replace them.

The eternal struggle between art and commerce and the subsequent wicked web of interdependent relationships forms the central theme of The Agent, a drama set in the business side of the literary world.

I have not yet had the pleasure of experiencing what appears to be a depressing, and at times gruelling, process of trying to become a published writer, but I suspect that people such as Writer/Producer Martin Wagner have a few war stories to tell.

The film is focused almost entirely on Stephen (Stephen Kennedy), a writer looking for a break in an industry that places appearances above talent, and agent Alexander Joyce (William Beck), a man who is good at what he does, but places marketability above all else.

It would be discourteous to reveal the twists and turns that occur between these characters. You may be surprised to find yourself taking Alexander’s side from time to time - as an audience we are naturally predisposed to cheer on the artist. However Stephen, while passionate, is naïve, and his inbuilt self flagellation shows a man unable to decide what he wants from life.

“Thousands!” he exclaims when asked if he believes if there are any great books that haven’t yet been discovered. In our technological age, exposing people to your writings is not difficult. Stephen, if he truly sees himself as an artist above all else, would not be concerned about book deals. But he is. Commerce triumphs over all.

Kennedy gives Stephen an everyman quality. His appearance and cries for the artist to be respected could have come across as cliché, but he gives the character just the right amount of warmth that balances out the self belief and self doubt that fluctuates within the character.

Beck presents Joyce with the recognisable traits of a hotshot, take no prisoners agent, but does enough that we don’t dislike him, even when he demonstrates his mean streak. For this agent, it is not enough securing deals for his clients. He must hold mastery over their careers.

Wagner has managed to create a well paced script. It does have some flab in the middle section and when the characters move out of the office it feels like water is being tread, but these scenes are kept buoyant by the performances. Meanwhile, director Lesley Manning (who terrified this eight year old with Ghostwatch, the famous BBC hoax documentary) keeps the shots almost entirely focused on the two leads, giving the film a stripped down feel.

In these days of Richard and Judy book clubs and the intense public interest in the ghost written books of celebrities, it seems that the ability of newcomers to enter into what is at the end of the day, a profit driven industry, is more difficult than ever.

Rob Girvan

The Agent is released on September 18. For more information please visit the official website - click

IndieFlicks: Interview

Faye Jackson is the director of the up and coming independent film, Strigoi. IndieFlicks caught up with Faye to discuss the production of the film. 

IndieFlicks: When did you realise you wanted to become a filmmaker?

Faye: I remember very clearly coming out of Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” when I was about 13 and deciding I was going to be a director. Before then, it had always seemed something unattainable, but here was a guy who was obviously an outsider but who had just done it anyway. It was the first time it occurred to me that I could become a director.

IndieFlicks: Where did the idea for Strigoi come from?

Faye: I’ve been visiting Romania regularly for about 10 years (my husband is Romanian) and I just kept coming across locations, characters, situations and ideas that I wanted to put on screen. All of those kind of fused into Strigoi. The original concept for the film was “the Romanian revolution set in a small village, only this time the Ceaucescus come back as vampires”, but the characters quickly took over and turned it into something more human and mysterious.

IndieFlicks: Did the writing process take long?

Faye: Yes. I’m a slow writer anyway, and I was working on a few things at the same time (also promoting a short film called Lump) so I did it sporadically over about a year.

IndieFlicks: What did you shoot the film with?

Faye: 35mm. It’s still the prettiest. We did it old school except for one problematic scene. Labs are very surprised these days when you want to do it all analogue.

IndieFlicks: Would you do anything different if you could go back and film it again?

Faye: Probably, but there’s no point dwelling on these things too much. You just have to learn what you can so you make different mistakes next time. And it’s all so specific, I’ll never have exactly the same problems again.

IndieFlicks: How did you raise funding for the film

Faye: We got private funding. That’s about as explicit as I can be. You never really want to reveal your sources because you don’t want to share them!

IndieFlicks: How was shooting in Romania different from the UK?

Faye: In a way it’s difficult for me to say because this is the biggest production I’ve ever done, so I don’t have a huge frame of reference. The biggest difference, of course, is that everyone speaks Romanian. There are some differences in set etiquette - things are generally a bit more relaxed on Romanian sets. The locations were fantastic and the extras, who were all just locals, were unbelievably good. We were also incredibly lucky with the cast and crew. I suppose the most important thing for us was that in Romania we could achieve something on a small budget we simply wouldn’t have been able to in the UK.

IndieFlicks: Did post production take long?

Faye: Oh yes. We had to go back and re-shoot a few scenes in the spring because of unseasonal snow during our autumn shoot.

IndieFlicks: What do you think of the state of indie filmmaking in the UK at the moment?

Faye: Lord knows. It’s a strange time. On one hand, funding has dried right up. On the other, HD Red has made it possible for people to achieve a lot more on smaller budgets. I feel like everything has become so polarized: gritty coming of age dramas in one corner and schlocky zombie gorefests in the other. I wish we had less delineation and more variety, in terms of subjects, genres and budgets. All of this niche stuff might make good marketing sense and I can see why people focus on it when budgets are so tiny but even when the films are really good it’s hard to get excited about them when they’re so firmly inside the box.

IndieFlicks: Do you have any projects in the pipeline?

Faye: I’m developing a sci-fi thriller set in London.

IndieFlicks: What advice do you have for any aspiring filmmakers out there?

Faye: Just get on with it. Do whatever you can with whatever you can get your hands on. I started out with a student video production club, now kids can probably start making films on their fricking phones. But don’t cast your friends, go find some actors.

For more information on Strigoi please visit the official website - click

Shifty DVD Release

Shifty, the directorial debut from Eran Creevy is released on DVD on August 24. Starring Riz Ahmed and Daniel May the film follows a young drug dealer in London as his life spirals out of control.

Produced through the Film London scheme the film will be available at all reputable retailers.

For more information on the film please visit the official website - click

Elemental Storage Trailer

http://www.vimeo.com/6053414

The trailer for Matthew Dixon’s first feature film, Elemental Storage, is now online. Starring Alix Wilton Regan,Jack Klaff, Ali Kemp and Giles Alderson the film follows Alice Hargrave as she looks to discover the real reasons behind her mothers suicide.