Your upcoming movie Feral - in a few words, what's it going
to be about?
Right, Feral
is about strength! There are 4 characters in
the film and it's all set in one flat. All 4 characters are completely
different and life has brought them together. Ben has the gift of the gab,
owns the flat and deals drugs from it. Dave is a lawyer with a dark secret
side. Trish is a lost soul with a drug addiction. Sasha is a flamboyant
sassy character who works as prostitute. That is an extremely brief
description of the characters. There is so more to all of them, but that
would be giving way too much away. How did the project fall together in the
first place, and to what extent can you identify with the movie's content
and message? Craig was executive producer on John#3 so
that's how we got to know each other better. Craig mentioned a few scripts
that he is wanting to get off the ground, so it made sense to work together
on one. The original script had a different name and fewer characters, but
as Craig and I shared some life experiences and some experiences of people
close to us we then molded the script into what it is. Living in London
trying to reach a goal isn't easy for most, especially when you're starting
from ground zero, so you have to be strong. London will either make you or
break you! As far as I know, Feral will be your
first film as a director - so why exactly that one, and hod did/do you
prepare for the job?
There has always been a part of me
that has wanted to direct, but never had the chance or actually believed I
could. Feral is all about the characters, they need to be spot on and
extremely realistic or the film will lose its rawness. So in my mind the
best way to do this is direct the actors to the core of their characters.
This is the first time for me as a director so we shall see, hey!!
Do talk about the intended look and
feel of Feral for a bit! I see Feral as quiet a fast-paced film.
Very snappy and keeping the audience completely in the exact
moment of what they are watching. Although there is a lot of darkness
emotionally in the film,I am seeing a very rich colour grading for the
film. Such as filling the screen with vibrant colours, but I may see and
feel this out. Learning from my previous short film, John#3,
I discovered that sometimes a completely different direction than planned
works even better. A creation unfolds itself in its own time and it’s my
job to support it. What can you tell us
about your collaboration with your writer Craig MacLachlan, and how did
the two of you first meet even? I first became aware of
Craig's name when I starred in the short film Fired written by the
excellent writer Andy Davie. Craig was executive producer on Fired.
When
the word got around to the people I know in the industry that I was producing
a short film and was in need of a team to pull the project together,
Craig approached me and straight away became executive producer on John#3.
As Craig and I learned each other's values and passions, it was a no-brainer
to work together on a film that addresses issues that need addressing.
snippet from the John#3-premiere |
As a producer, where do
you see the main challenges when making Feral? Hmmmm,
dealing with many different personalities, finding cast and crew with the
same passion for the message in the film and making sure I have good time
management juggling a few jobs at once and keeping a good balance in life
in general. You're a vessel that needs constant recharging, if you don't
work the film won't. You'll
also play one of the leads in Feral - so what can you tell us about
your character, what will you draw upon to bring her to life, and how much
of Rosie Pearson can we find in her? Initially I wasn't
meant to be playing Trish because I just wanted to direct and produce the
film, but soon as
I read the final script, I knew I had to play her. Trish is a lost soul
craving somewhere safe to land in life, but gets twisted up in the darkness of the
underground of London. She realizes the only way out is on her own with inner
strength, but whether she finds her inner strength or not, now that's another question. I have
been kicked down to the depths of despair many of times in my life so I
can certainly feel Trish's vibe. What can you tell
us about the rest of your intended cast, and why exactly these people?
Cast and crew so far:
Dan Brando |
- Sound - Jeremy P. Stephens
- Make-up - Lucy Peach
- Playing Dave - Dan Brando
- Playing Trish - Rosie Pearson
- DOP - Alex Harrison
- Executive producer/writer - Craig Mac Lachlan
- Set manager - Mattia Narciso
- Graphic designer - Yassine Zine
- Graphic designer - Trevor Pearson
- Account manager - Lee Pearson
You're
currently running a fundraiser for your movie - so what can you tell us
about your campaign?
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/7900326/feral-2
The message in the film is extremely important, and carries
more weight than making a film. The issues in the
film are happening every day and need to be addressed. It
is intended for people to realize that there is help out there and you can
get out of any situations that you don't feel safe in, or that you feel
alone and suffering in that dark place (without having to go to extremes
to escape like the women in the film do). Essentially, seek help
before you are so deep in the despair and darkness of your reality that
there is either no escape, or that the only escape is one that takes you
to a mental state you never imagined you would become. Being strong within
yourself and believing in yourself first and foremost is the key. By
fundraising and bringing people together we can achieve getting this goal,
and get this message out there. On a small level, Craig and I want to show
that the underdogs can come up on top.
Once your budget's in place, what's
the schedule? And even if it's waaay too early to ask, any idea when and
where the movie will be released yet?
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As soon as the desired
budget is in order, then I can start sorting achievable dates. Feral is
going to be completed by 2017, regardless. Any future
projects beyond Feral you'd like to share?
Hmmmm, producing-wise opportunities are displaying themselves to me, but
I still have a lot of learning to do. Next up will be producing a feature
film; that's the only natural next step for me as a producer and whether or
not I have the ability or resources to do so. It all depends on how much I learn and progress from
Feral. It's funny tho my heart is in acting
and always will be, but producing brings a new purpose to living.
Anything
else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Mainly
because I am a music addict, all the music in Feral - the same as John#3
- will be created for the film and there will be some tracks from
great artists and mixes from some well-known DJs. Thanks
for the interview!
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