If you told me back in 2005, at age 6, that in just over a decade I'd be attending a test screening, I probably would've wet myself with excitement. But, to then add that the film in question is your own. Self-combustion.
Well, it's now a reality. A Dark Mind is my first ever short film to be shown in a public cinema, for private screening of course, I'm not the next Nolan... yet.
This is a small insight into what goes into making a short film.
Finding a Leader
I could lead a team, sure, I'd done it all before it wasn't alien to me. But, what I mean by 'leader' here is a Producer. Now THAT is alien to me and not something I could just quickly learn and run with. We needed a true producer. Enter Nina Atesh from Pither Productions, introduced to me by our lead actor, Andrew Callaghan. When Nina was onboard, everything started to fall into place as we approached the production phase.
Calling Action
I knew that this was going to be a much bigger task than anything I'd ever done before. The script was 3x bigger than any other project, the crew size had grown by an extra 3 (yes, not much but a big difference for a short film) and I'd be directing 5 actors. Sounds like a walk in the park if you've done it all before, but the long and short of it was... I hadn't.
Not to fear, like all things in the film industry, fake it until you make it, right? I suppose I should cut myself a bit of slack, I wasn't faking it, it was just a big undertaking. - There, much better.
Judging Character
Sometimes directors and writers get the privilege of working closely with a lead actor which boosts every effort in getting the best out of both worlds - the direction and the performance. This was one of those times. Working with my lead actor, Andrew, who plays Jacob, made everything better. We both understood one another's vision for the character; the pitfalls, the highlights, the twitches and even his favourite colour. It may seem excessive but all of this is world building and that to me is the most fun but equally scariest part of filmmaking.
World building can either make or break your story. If the world you're pushing the audience into even has a whiff of fake, that's it they're out. You've lost them. On the flip side, however, it's pretty f*ing awesome crafting new worlds and the characters that occupy it. After all, that's what filmmaking is all about, escaping to another world.
Teamwork Really Does Make the Dream Work
I have to give pretty much all of my thanks to the incredibly talented team that pulled together to make this short possible (and hopefully successful).
Of course, my good friend and camera partner, Jack Redgate was DOP on this one. I would try and explain just how good Jack's work is but I wouldn't do it justice. Please see for yourself over on his Instagram or website. Jack's immense eye for detail and composition understanding is the reason this film looks as good as it does.
With five days of production scheduled in, Jack and I knew we couldn't do our usual run 'n' gun approach for this film. We needed help. Katie Deacon and Callum Thomson please come to the front. These guys were fantastic. Callum, putting on more hats than I can remember, was our 1st Assistant Camera and Grip but he was so much more. Until you get to work on a project like this, you don't understand just how important it is to have other like-minded people help you along the way. The same goes for Katie, our runner, who allowed Jack and I the time we needed to frame up and run through a scene while she was getting the gear ready and keeping our mess tidy!
Everyone needs a Nina. The difference in a projects success and how smoothly it runs is down to a producer. A bad one makes a mess but a great one makes a masterpiece. We didn't need to think about it for long, maybe 5 seconds, but I'm delighted to say Nina will be returning as producer on future projects.
Last but not least, our Executive Producer, lead actor and Jacob Waters himself; Andrew Callaghan. I shall let his mesmerising performance speak for itself when you get to see the film but both on and off set he really made the wheels turn on this project.
#DreamTeam
What's Next?
Well, we're already working on our conclusion story; Hunting For Alice, where we'll see the return of some familiar faces and where we'll leave this trilogy. No spoilers for now, you'll know more when I stop shaking from seeing A Dark Mind in the cinema.
Looking to Make Your Own Film?
If you're here because you're a filmmaker or you want to be one then great! You've come to the right place. My advice and conclusion upon making this short film is truly believe in yourself and your story but be open to change it. Filmmaking is a collaborative effort and other peoples great ideas only make your story better.
Finally, surround yourself with passionate, like-minded creatives. It makes a HUGE difference when you come to write, shoot and edit your film.
A Dark Mind will be available on October 6th 2023.
