Framing FIlm - Filip Tegstedt - Interview

Hi everyone! 

Today's post is another framing film and this time we have an interview with Filip Tegstedt from Jamtfilm!

Make sure to check out his current project, after reading the interview, you can find all about it here!
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Ferenc Igali: Hey, thank you for agreeing to an interview, it's brilliant to have you with us. Our series targets the process behind filmmaking as well as filmmakers and their independent journeys.

You have said in a Tweet recently that, “If you keep a closed mind and confuse what a film is supposed to be with what you think or want it to be, obviously you won't like it.”

Filip Tegstedt: Yeah, my new philosophy going back about a year or so is that there are no "bad" movies. Sure there will always be movies you don't like or that don't appeal to you because you're not the intendend audience, and while no movies are for everyone, every movie is loved by someone. I think it's important to keep an open mind about what you're watching and try to enjoy it for what it is and not hate it for what it's not supposed to be anyway.
A lot of my favorite films like Office Space, The Big Lebowski or American Beauty, I hated on first watch. It wasn't until revisiting them on a different day that I appreciated them. 

FI: How did you form your production company?

FT: It was just me, and I was working on putting together my first feature film, MARIANNE. When I couldn't recieve funding, I decided to start a production company and fund, produce and market as well as write and direct. A lot of hats, but it worked out.

FI: As you are a Swedish production company, do you exclusively film in Sweden, or have any of your projects taken you further afield?

FT: So far I've only filmed in Sweden because this is where I live and I don't really have any money, but I'm trying to make films for a global market. If I'm able to in the future, I'd love to shoot abroad.

FI: In light of that, how have you used the internet/social media to your advantage when sharing films? For example, we have seen on your Marianne Movie website (link) that your audience can rent your film.

FT: I'm mostly on Twitter (@Jamtfilm @MarianneMovie @FilipTegstedt) and Facebook ( http://facebook.com/MarianneMovie ) but recently I've also started looking into Instagram (MarianneMovie) and I've also got a making of MARIANNE blog on tumblr ( http://mariannemovie.tumblr.com )

FI: What was the inspiration for Marianne and how did you produce this film?

FT: This is kind of a tricky question because it requires a long answer, but in short a lot of it's inspired by the place I grew up in and Swedish folklore. You'll find a lot more information on the extensive tumblr blog.

FI: As a production company, how do you produce independent films? Can you please tell us a bit more about the production company's side?

FT: A few years ago, it used to be the problem was distribution. Now it's a lot easier to self distribute via VOD, but now the problem is marketing. These past 3-4 years there's been huge tsunami like rise in how many films are produced each year, like probably three times as many films produced this year compared to 3-4 years ago, and it's still rising. There's never been this many films produced ever, because the technology is so cheap now.
At the same time, piracy is still rampant, so selling a film is pretty much impossible.
As far as producing though, it's never been easier. It's just getting people to find your film among the ten thousand other films produced that year that's difficult.

FI: How do you go about finding funding? Since crowdsourcing through websites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, has become ever popular, has this changed the way that you fund the films you produce?

FT: Not really, because when I started pre-production on MARIANNE in 2009, Kickstarter was just starting out, and DSLR filming was brand new too. If I was to start another feature now, maybe I'd use Kickstarter or IndieGoGo, but I don't have anything like that planned at the moment.

FI: What is the typical equipment/cameras/lights that you use for your films? What sort of set up do you work with?

FT: It really depends on the project. With MARIANNE, I wanted a naturalistic almost documentary feel with a lot of hand held, a lot of steadicam, and natural lighting because MARIANNE is very much a kitchen sink realist horror film.
With our ABCs of Death 2 contest entry M IS FOR METALHEAD, we were trying to go for more of a retro/80's feel with lighting and cinematography, although we were limited to using what we had on our budget, which was a camp fire and some strong flash lights. On other projects, like a music video we did for the Swedish rock band LIZETTE &, called "Golden Shower" that I was DP on and Johan Bergqvist (the film AMBER) directed, we used more of a classic set up. Most of the stuff Johan and I have done together have been shot on DSLR (Canon 7D) but if we'll find the budget for it, we'd love to work on REDs and Alexas.

FI: Do you own equipment or rent? 

FT: Both.

FI: Talk us through how you source actors to be in your films. Do you have favourite thespians, who you go back to time and again? Who stars in your latest film?

FT: Dylan M. Johansson has been in everything I've directed since a web series I made in 2007, but there's no "rule" for me. It depends on the project.

FI: Why horror? Has this always been something you’ve been interested in and are you going to explore other avenues?

FT: It's easier to sell than melodrama or arthouse films. It's got a niche audience. I'm hoping to do other things though. Actually, I've only made two horror projects, MARIANNE and M IS FOR METALHEAD. I think I've done more mocumenatary stuff, with my web series and a few shorts, than horror.
Like with anything else, it just depends on the project, I'd love to do straight drama too, or scifi.

FI: You are currently in a competition called the ABC’s of death, tell us more about the short film that you have entered, M is for Metalhead and where the inspiration for it came from.

FT: It was an idea that's been floating around in my head for a few years. What if Jason, Freddy and Michael Myers went to a summer camp and told an urban legend around a camp fire about a "final girl" who's out for revenge on all slasher killers.
When I brainstormed our ABCs of Death thing with Johan Bergqvist, who was DP on Metalhead, the idea came up and we went with it. We talked about other ideas, but that one was easy to make and we didn't have any money.

FI: As we ask everyone we interview; what film would you have worked on, if you had been given the opportunity? Can be any film in production or already made!

FT: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. I was working at that production company as a production assistant on a television documentary series when that was in pre-production, and tried desperately to get hired for that production when the series ended, but didn't. 

FI: Could you name your top 5 favourite, producers/production companies, if you have any, please? 

FT: Probably, (in no particular order), Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg, Gale Anne Hurd, George Lucas.
I was born in the late 70's, and it seems anything these people touch as a producer is worth watching.

FI :And finally, what’s next?

FT: I've no idea. I have a lot of feature film ideas and some short film ideas.
Whatever I start on, it'll probably involve writing, worrying about what can be financed.
Me and Johan Bergqvist have talked a lot about writing something together though, so at least that'll be fun.
We're also trying to get his newly re-edited feature debut AMBER (original title "Jag Är Min Egen"), which is a Swedish crime drama, out in distribution.



We just want to say a big thanks to Filip for the interview and we wish him the best of luck with his current project!

But You Didn't Hear it From Us,

Mr & Misses

Framing Film - Joe Gazzam- Interview - Part Two

Hello and welcome to the second part of Joe's interview! If you have yet to read the first half (which was so good, I promise you!) click right here and read it before continuing with this part.

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Ferenc Igali: I'm an aspiring writer myself, and I read your writing routine that you mentioned; but do you have any special conditions to set yourself up to write? Or can you write comfortably in any situation?

Joe Gazzam: I don't have any special conditions, other than I have an office in my back yard. I've tried to arrange it, in a creative fashion as possible. It looks like Indiana Jones' museum. There's a lot of crazy stuff in there, I'm just trying to surround myself with the right vibe. But in terms of a process it's literally just forcing myself into the office, sitting down and just staring at the screen, till something clicks. That's the hard part, the gut wrenching part! You can really get side tracked with the internet and a million other things. 

FI: Do you use any particular software or just the industry standard of Final Draft?

JG: I just use Final Draft. I think most people do, I don't know any writers that don't. I've never asked any studio people if they take any other formats, I'm assuming they probably do. It's just so prevalent and it works. Once you become a professional writer and you've been doing it for a long time, you don't really need much out of a screenwriting program, just the basics. You're not really using all the tools and the wacky stuff they have on there, so Final Draft works well for me.  

FI: How do you go about building up an idea into a full fledged script? Do you use outlines, beats? Perhaps a large map of sticky notes on a wall or index cards?

JG: I use a very detailed outline. What I do is start off with the big, big points; my opening, my first turning point, my midpoint, my second turning point and the end. Literally as four or five different lines. Then I start working in between those lines, so I start with the first act and I say, "Okay, how am I going to fill in from the start and how am I going to get to my turning point." I sort of start putting beats in there and I do that for all of it and it starts to balloon out, a little bit and then once I have that I go through it again and it fills up and fills up until some point every scene is accounted for. And then I'm pretty much ready to go! 

FI: Obviously moving to places that are the epicentre of filmmaking, like LA, becomes a strong advantage, but in today's digital age and with the advent of sites like the Blacklist - would the necessity of moving to one of these hubs of film still outweigh the benefits of working online? What about international screenwriters attempting to break into the industry?

JG: In terms of being in LA, it has some advantages. You can go to a lot of meetings, you can run into people who are developing stuff. It definitely has its advantages. But if you have a good script, no one cares. The key is just getting it to the right hand. So really I would think that the biggest hurdle, being international, is just getting an agent. If you can get an agent and write a good script, you're pretty much done! Things like the Blacklist, certainly help and all the different contests, you can enter those because the agents do scan those things. But with the internet you have a much better access to agents, then I ever had when I came out here. It's definitely not a necessity to live out here. You could totally make it without living here. 

FI: Independent film, and so independent screenwriting is thriving today; crowd funding, cheap(er) pro-sumer cameras and growing film schools/courses mean that there are more chances than ever before for new writers. Do you think that the direction we're heading in will make life easier for the novice screenwriter? More projects will equal opportunities, but there is also growing competition.

JG: I think it will make life a lot easier for the novice screen writer. You can shoot your own film these days and there are a million more opportunities to get your stuff out there and to have some job opportunities. Like the studios now are making less films than they ever did, they are developing less films, the assignments have shrunk. Everything is sort of shrinking because they are only making a few big movies a year. So this is exactly what we need, the independent aspect of this to get more stuff going. So I think it's great and that it will provide a ton more opportunities because the studios are harder to break into than ever but screw them! Go do Kickstarter, do whatever you want. You don't need them anymore if you have something you want to get off the ground.    

FI: You mention that you may want to adapt a series from fiction to screen - have you worked on any adaptations before? If so, any advice to offer about the experience?

JG: I have not gone from a novel to a script! I've gone from a tv show to a script, an existing movie to a script but never from a novel. I don't have much to lend there!

FI: Your novel is out soon - how was the process of writing a novel compared to the process of writing a script? Did you have to adapt any working habits or particulars?

JG: It was actually pretty freeing, to be honest with you. I've done scripts for so long and it's five people looking over your shoulder telling you how to do it. Giving you notes, pulling you in every direction. So getting to work on something like a novel was great, because no one could tell me what to do, I could write what ever I want and I was not limited. There are so many limitations in script writing; page count, set structure. This you can just go off and tell your story! I honestly couldn't imagine a situation where I didn't do both from now on. I've really grown to love both! That's the thing with Hollywood, what they always say, if you don't want to get notes, if you don't want to collaborate on your writing, go write a novel! 

FI: Time for our final two questions; first up - if you could have worked on any production, in any capacity (including that of being a writer or co-writer), from any era of film, what production would it be and why?

JG: This may be the geek in me coming out! But I would have loved to have written Terminator! In the crazy 80's, with Cameron at the helm, I just think that would have been pretty cool. I know you probably want me to say Casablanca or something, but that's what I would choose!  

FI: Lastly, and this is our reader favourite; what are your favourite films (or screenplays in this case) - and do you have any professional idols or heroes? And do you have any tips for novice screenwriters?

JG: In terms of favourite films it's probably going to be the same ones you guys like!
Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, all the Spielberg stuff. Terminator! Tarantino's True Romance is one of my favourites of all time. Cohen Brothers - pretty much everything they have written! 

In terms of idols, Shane Black, I love his voice. Robert Towne, William Goldman - there's so many! I love the guys with the real unique voice; like the Cohen Brothers. That's always inspiring. 

And advice for novice screenwriters, I would say just write, write, write! I know that's stuff you're always hearing because it's true. If I look back on my early stuff I want to vomit! I had no idea what a craft writing was when I first started, I was just writing and really amused with myself. But it really is a learned craft, there's structure, characterisation, there's all these things that you really only get a hold of in your brain after you've been hammered.  When someone reads a script and goes "This doesn't make sense or this doesn't work!" and having to confront that and realise why and learning that craft of why it doesn't work and what you should be doing. All that stuff just requires doing it and a lot of it! The chances are you're going to throw away your first couple screenplays, there's no way around it! I think that's the key, just write it and don't be really precious with it. Get feedback and be willing to figure out the note behind the note. That's what they say out here. What are they really trying to say? 

FI: Thank you very much for 'sitting' down with us in this transatlantic chat and taking time out of your day to do so!

Framing Film - Joe Gazzam - Interview - Part One

Hey everyone!

Today we are bringing you another installment of Framing Film. This has to be one of our favourite parts of our blog; talking to independent film makers and creators about their passion! We find it so interesting to learn from each person we interview and we hope that you do too!

So without further delay, keep on reading for our interview with Joe Gazzam!


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Ferenc Igali: Hey Joe, thank you for agreeing to an interview, it's brilliant to have you with us. Our series targets the process behind filmmaking as well as filmmakers and their independent journeys. You said that you had written a script that sent you from Atlanta to California.

What was that first script like?

Joe Gazzam: The first script was pretty much a Tarantino rip off! It was right around 2000-ish and you know, he had sort of blown up and caught my imagination. It was somewhere in between Cohen Brothers and Tarantino, a lot of dialogue and some crazy stuff going on. 

Plot wise it wasn't very good but I think it had a voice and a style that responded to that first agent and for some ungodly reason he found a glimmer of talent in there.

FI: How hard was it writing that first script that got you the representation?

JG: It was easy, actually. 

I was desperate, I was working a bunch of horrible jobs and I knew that was what I really wanted to do. So it was easy writing it. Getting the representation was hard because everyone out here has got a script and everyone is trying to get it to agents. I just got lucky and one of my buddies was dating a girl, that was represented. We basically brow-beat her into giving my script to her agent and he liked it! So that sort of got the ball rolling. 

FI: What was it like, writing up that first speculative script?

JG: Again it was clunky writing that first one, just because I wasn't quite sure what I was doing. I was completely just doing it for the fun of it! I was completely amused with myself, probably unduly! It was a bit of a train wreck and meandering. But it was a lot of fun to do, considering I had no one giving me notes and for better or probably for worse actually, I wasn't really paying attention to structure. It was actually a lot of fun, it just turned out to be something that probably could never be shot. 

FI: You said that you've written a project each for Disney and Universal, as well as having sold a show to Syfy - what kind of genres and ranges do you work in? And do you have any preferences?

JG: The project for Disney is Untitled but it is in a Hawaiian adventure movie and it's basically an Indiana Jones for the family, set around mythology, so it's broad comedy action, sort of world building. 

The Universal was a little bit more grounded, it was based on the TV show 'It Takes a Theif' and that was just a sort of, big action-y movie. 

The Syfy show was sort of like an updated take on that old show 'Greatest American Hero' except a little more grounded, but it was sort of scifi action. 

I guess in terms of genres, that's sort of always been the constant. I've done literally everything with a word before action! Romantic comedy action, dark thriller action, scifi action. One common component is action!

FI: You've had some great support along the way - just how crucial is that to the emerging screenwriter? Some go at it alone and some have family or friends to help prop them up; is it a make or break factor?

JG: I have had some great support along the way and you do need that because it's crucial. This is a brutal, unforgiving town, that no one really cares about you. When you really start getting support is when you probably really need it the least! So having some friends, family to support you is important.

 My own wife, when I was writing my first real spec script, I got fired from my job, so I was making no money and she read half my script and said "I think you're going to sell this, I believe in you, so I'll pay the bills, you just keep writing!" and it ended up selling, so something like that is just vital. 

FI: As a writer, sometimes you work on rewrites; how hard is it to approach material from another writer and attempt to morph it into what's needed? Do you follow certain notes that people want to emphasise or do you try and attach your own voice in a rewrite?

JG: It is hard, a lot of times when you get sent a rewrite it is because it is a train wreck, it's just a horrible mess. So a lot of times your pitch may be, I'm just going toss this in the garbage and start fresh. I've done that a number of times. But every now and then you'll get a good one, where you can sort of tell where they are going and where the mistakes are. I haven't really had a big problem with that. It's sort of fun when a lot of it's working and you can fill in the gaps. Really it's just matching the voice and you're just trying to make it work, not worrying about what they wrote or what you wrote but just trying to please the studio. 

In terms of attaching your own voice, I think it's sort of unavoidable! People just have a natural style, I think, unless it's something very specific. 

FI: In terms of rewrites; we've all seen horrible lines of movie dialogue or entire films at one point or another and thought; "I could do better". Do you believe that the rewriting process adds to, or even defines this effect as writers attempt to take the story in their own way with each rewrite?

JG: The rewriting process can add to it, I've seen it add to it and hopefully I feel that I have in a lot of cases. But there's also a weird mentality out here, where they are just churning and burning writers and then it really becomes a mess. The longer something stays in development and the more rewrites its had, the more time the executive and the producer put in on it, so their brains are scrambled. By the time you get to it, if you're the fourth or fifth writer in, it's a big giant mess, so getting anything to work, even if you have something similar to a road they have gone down, they don't want to do it. It can be a real bad experience at times! 



So everyone, that is the end of Part one of Joe's interview! Make sure to check back in a few days when the second half will be posted! Thank you again to Joe.

But You Didn't Hear it From Us,

The Mr & Misses

Framing Film - Simon Horrocks - Part 1

Hey everyone! Welcome to another edition of Framing Film, today we have an interview with Simon Horrocks. As usual we'll be splitting the interview into two, so make sure to check back for the second part!

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Ferenc Igali: Hey Simon, thanks for agreeing to do this interview with us - first off, a public congratulations again on the project! But first, let's talk a bit about you; what did you do before Third Contact movie? 

Simon Horrocks: I was half of a composing duo, writing music for TV, adverts, corporate videos etc - plus I was a screenwriter and a househusband bringing up my son.

FI: How did you get into film making from the process of a directorial side? I noticed that you had mentioned previously that you had written for a while before penning the script for this?

SH: I had been involved in other people's shorts over the years, offering my time for free doing various things. As a sound engineer I was able to do location sound, for example. I focused my creative efforts on screenwriting, for over 10 years. I had had sold a few scripts and had an agent in LA, but nothing got made.

During one short production, the director was a very indecisive - which is pretty fatal for a director. I ended up pretty much directing the film and found that I was never short of ideas. Previous to that, I'd ended up directing a short with work colleagues which I was only down to write the script for. I just found that I was comfortable in that role.

FI: How was your 'movie-making' education before this? Did you have a lot of experience on sets? Any experience with shorts for example - which many people view as an almost requirement for going into features?

SH: I did have some experience with short films, one of which was a key learning experience - where we had to shoot the film twice over, the second time without any funding - a 12 minute film for probably about £200.

There's no excuse now for not making your film. I saw a lovely short by one of the kickstarter backers shot with her phone - the camerawork was great, imaginative, free - and better than a lot of other stuff people have been showing me. In other words, she'd used the fact it was a phone and she had no crew to her benefit.

It's not about 'oh well I'll shoot it with my phone as a make-do' - it's actually, 'why on earth would I shoot a film with all that machinery getting in the way of my creativity'. I think in the near future people will laugh at the amount of people and kit we used to use when making films.  The film industry is still very male dominated, and there's a very macho thing about the size of your equipment/budget/crew etc.

FI: Can you tell us a bit about the movie itself? What it's about, what it represents? Inspirations?

SH: It's about a psychotherapist who gets involved in a strange and obsessive investigation when two of his patients die in mysterious circumstances. The inspirations were many, from reflections on mortality from quantum physics theories such as  'many worlds', to Sophocles Oedipus the King, things that were happening in my life, including my own struggle with depression. But every time I answer this question I write something new. I'm still working what it is.

FI: Dealing with questions such as many worlds theory and quantum suicide, how hard was it to translate such revolutionary but exciting concepts to the big screen? 

SH: It all just came together in a rather organic way. I'm more interested in the philosophical implications than the detail of the science. As H.G. Wells said about his writing, the science is just there create a fantasy around. There's no real hard science in the story. Having said that, fiction did seem to mirror fact in a rather eerie way, after I'd written the script.

FI: We heard (and read on your site!) that it got great reviews - how did it feel to get those reviews for the initial screenings of it? 

SH: Incredible.

FI: Obviously, the big area with you will be the crowdfunding campaign - first off, how hard was it? Some say that running a kickstarter project is like a 24/7 job?

SH:Harder than making the film. But with experience I think next one could be a little easier.

FI: Why did you choose to go down the crowdfunding route and where can funders expect to see their money being used?  

SH: Most people who are looking for distribution money on kickstarter will tell you they thought it was 'right for the project'. The fact is they couldn't get distribution, but they probably don't want to phrase it that way in case you think they made a bad film. The truth is I couldn't get cinema distribution for my film - well, its shot on a camcorder and has no names in it, its not really a huge shock.

The money will be spent on PR and a cinema booker.

FI: Talk to us about a bit about funding the film initially and then the crowdfunding process - can you tell us about your experience of securing funding as a first time filmmaker? Is there any trials and tribulations that you could share with other filmmakers?

SH: I funded the film from my wages as a cinema worker (at the time about £7.50/hour). Don't waste your time looking for funding, or trying to get the industry to like what you're doing. Chances are, if they like it - its a bad sign, not a good one. If you want to be original and create something unique, work outside the industry. You will end up working harder then them and your lunches won't taste as nice, but you will end up with something far more rewarding. And you will have empowered yourself.

FI: If you had any tips for first time filmmakers, what would you recommend that they know or read up on? 

SH: Don't read any filmmaking or screenwriting 'how to' books. Use your phone or buy a camera from Argos for £50 and go and start expressing yourself and your stories and feelings and ideas. When I wrote Third Contact I'd been reading a book called The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker (it was being thrown out by the BBC library and I got it). Its not about filmmaking or screenwriting specifically, but it does talk about stories, from Ancient Greece up to more recent action movies. Its not a bible, by any means, but it gave me a few ideas. But that just so happened to be what I had in my head at the time, I'm not saying anyone should read it.

And watch films. There's over 100 years of astonishing films to get inspiration from, so use them. Why would you need anyone's 'how to' book?

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So there we have it, the first part of the interview with Simon! Make sure to check back soon for the second part.

We just want to say thank you to Simon for taking the time to have an interview with us and a particular favourite comment of mine is not to read how-to books! I completely agree, it's all about trial and error (how else are we going to create new and exciting things?)

Make sure to check Simon out on Twitter and find out more about his movie right here!

But You Didn't Hear it From Us,

Mr & Misses

Framing Film - Pete Walton - Interview Part 2

Hey guys - sorry for the delay - here is the next in our series of 'Framing Film'. The first part of the interview can be found here.

This is the second half of our interview with the brilliant Pete Walton - links below as usual.

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FI:     Just like us, you interview/contribute/write about filmmaking on indiesonar.com – what has inspired you so much to get into the indie film community?

PW: I learned a lot of things from making the movie that I wish I’d known beforehand, and wanted to share them. Also, a problem for most indie filmmakers is publicity so I started Indie Sonar as a means of giving it to them in return for them describing their filmmaking experiences and sharing tips from what they’ve learned. Seemingly mundane things like how a director got hold of a camera or found actors I think is of interest and useful to filmmakers out there struggling to get their first film made. I also don’t know many filmmakers in Belgrade where I live so it’s also been a good way to connect with the community on a regular basis.

FI:    How are you find directing actors (or in this case, your second cast member) on this other feature?

PW: It’s been a breeze directing the actors I have to say. This I think is because I was good at casting the right people. I looked for something in their showreels similar to what I wanted, so when they turned up on set, there was actually little directing needed from me for their performance. Everyone was a real pro; turned up and said their lines brilliantly.

FI:      Anything you’ve learned from this feature that you wish you had known before you started?

PW: The cost of feeding a film crew! Seriously, this can break the budget if not properly accounted for and done right. It hit me how much it was costing one day when 7 of us sat down for a coffee break during a shoot in Berlin – the bill was 25 euros! Multiply that over the course of a shoot and the numbers start to get scary. The 5-liter vacuum flask I then bought from eBay literally saved me hundreds.

 FI:  Right, technical questions – what kind of camera have you filmed on so far/what has gone on in the pre-production process/etc?

PW: The movie has been shot so far using the DP, Maciej Kwiecinski’s Sony PMW-EX3. Pre-production for Belgrade involved me videoing locations and sending the link to Maciej. I’d tell him the type of shot I was after and we’d decide if it was doable technically at the location. I’d location scout in some places using Google Street View which I recommend to others as it saves a lot of time and money.

FI:  We read about your audition process – quite an innovative push forward and does save on time/money – but are there any disadvantages to it?

PW: Not really I have to say. Another benefit from having someone audition over Skype or record a YouTube video is you’re getting to see them on camera.

FI:     Top 5 favourite directors of all time?

PW: Spielberg, Hitchcock, Tarantino, Wells, Lean.

FI:   We ask all directors this question – if you could have worked on any other film, in any other role, which one would it have been and why?

PW: For Your Eyes Only as assistant director to John Glen. The Citroen car chase would have offered a master class in directing and editing action sequences. It was the first Bond film I saw in the cinema and I’d watch it incessantly on video – and the car chase had me transfixed and I’d watch it over and over again – the shots, editing, music, Roger Moore’s perpetually raised eyebrow – perfect! I think Eon would be great employers as they seem to look after and reuse the same crew who have done a good job for them. I like how John Glen progressed through the ranks of the ‘Bond family’ from editor and second unit director on Her Majesty’s Secret Service to finally being given the reigns to direct 5 Bond films in the 80s. I’d like to do my own Bond film someday - I’ve already got the story mapped out in my head..

FI:      Our favourite reader question; your favourite film(s)?

PW: The Empire Strikes Back, The Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs, Memento, Pulp Fiction, From Russia With Love

FI:     How is it on set so far? Does all the travelling really impact the film and the crew?

PW: It’s been fine on set most of the time. The travelling itself hasn’t been a problem – I think the other guys who’ve travelled - David Masterson, Stephen M. Gilbert and Maciej - have looked at it as an adventure to some extent. However, I could have made it a little easier on everyone at times with a bigger crew and better catering, plus I was on some days juggling day job with shooting which impacted the schedule on a couple of occasions.

FI:    You must ‘wear a few hats’ so to speak on set – what other roles do you perform other than acting/directing when on set?

PW: I do most of the mundane things too like make coffee and packed lunches, and also book travel and accommodation. I’ve held the boom or reflector on a couple of occasions too.

FI:   How much have you learned through this process?

PW: A hell of a lot. The main thing is that you can make an international movie on a shoestring budget.

FI:    Despite any trials and tribulations, would you go through it all again?

PW: Yes I would, but with a bit more financing to make things more comfortable.

FI:    And finally – if you were to just give a quick pitch to anyone who hasn’t seen the video/the page – what would you say to them to get them to back your project?

PW: I’m a strong believer that a movie should be able to speak for itself, so I think I’d simply say: watch the clip from the movie I’ve added to the page – if it makes you laugh then I’d love you to be a part of helping me finish it!

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Link to Pete's Twitter.
Link to Pete's film's Twitter

And finally - Pete's Crowdfunding Page.

As usual guys, any shares/reads/recommends that we get, we thoroughly enjoy. Not just for us - we focus on indepedent films - it helps get the word out about great projects and filmmakers that can use a bit of help to finish their films or to gain more exposure for them. We hope you enjoy/find the interviews useful and we love our readers. We really do - we'd be nothing without you guys!

Even if you can't donate, do remember that every time you share this article with another filmmaker/fan of film - we can help gain another person a little bit more traction and exposure that gets them one step closer to realising their dream. 

It also helps us greatly obviously - and hopefully it gives a bit of insight into the trials and tribulations of first time filmmakers!

We would like to thank Pete Walton for joining us, and we hope you guys help him get closer to that finish line so he can get this movie finished!

More Framing Film interviews are lined up and should be appearing on this very blog over the next few weeks - we've loved having everyone on so far as they've all been brilliant. If you haven't read any of the other interviews, we'd highly recommend them.


But remember, you didn't hear any of this from us,

Ferenc and Georgia

Framing Film - Pete Walton - Part 1

Hey guys, welcome to our next interview - this one is with Pete Walton from Indiesonar. He's a first time feature director - and as always, we've got another great independent filmmaker to give us an insight into their process. As usual, we'll do our interview in two parts. Expect the next one on Thursday this week! (Two days from now!)

We really want to thank Pete Walton for joining us - he's a brilliant sport who gave us wonderful answers. We hope you return this favour by helping support his film!


Hope you enjoy!

(Links at the end!)

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Ferenc Igali: First, how about you tell us a little bit about yourself? We know a bit from your crowdfunding video (link will be found later in article), but what about your story? What inspired you to go into the business of making movies?

Pete Walton: I’d always been a huge fan of cinema, but in recent years there’ve been fewer and fewer movies come out that I’ve actually enjoyed, so I thought it was high time I stepped into the ring myself.

FI:  What made you decide on doing a first feature as opposed to a series of shorts/documentaries/etc?

PW: I didn’t really have any interest in making or watching a short. People basically like to watch features so that’s why I decided to jump straight in and make one. Plus I believe that the effort involved in preparing for a feature isn’t all that greater in comparison to what’s involved in making a short. And being able to walk away with a feature under your belt at the end of it is worth all the extra effort.

FI: So, before we get stuck into anything too technical – talk to us a little bit about Inverted, what it’s about for those that are unfamiliar with it?

PW: It’s a comedy about 2 friends on the verge of middle age who, following tragedy in their lives, decide to self-medicate by going on a journey around Europe in an attempt to discover the meaning of life, and also themselves. The comedy is heavily influenced by shows like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Office and Peep Show, plus the movie This Is Spinal Tap.

FI: You’ve shot in a variety of locations – in several countries in fact – can you talk us through what that experience has been like?

PW: It’s been quite an adventure! I decided from the outside I wanted the film to an authentic international feel and felt that it was possible if I flew low cost and found most of the cast and crew at the locations.

Berlin was the easiest place as there’s a big creative community there and attracting talent was quite easy. I also used to live there so I know the place well in terms of locations I wanted to use. I slept on the couches of other people on the movie.

Maastricht was great in terms of getting around as the place we stayed in was within walking distance from the locations. I’d scouted all the locations first using Google Street View so when I got there I simply had to check them out the day before for noise etc. I found a place for the four of us stay on Couchsurfing.org. Ali, our host, was great and he and two friends of his even appeared in one scene as extras. We had one problem as it was November and the fountain in the main square had been switched off, which we needed for a scene, but with a little clever fakery we got round it – you’d never know from the finished film.

Belgrade, where I live, was good for the locations but finding actors was difficult as I didn’t know anyone in the business there. We had to abandon one location at short notice but I had a backup in mind so we didn’t lose much time. I’ll say to other filmmakers, always have a backup ready if you’re filming on location that you can get to quickly if you need to and not lose too much shooting time. The biggest headache of the Belgrade shoot was finding our car had been towed one day and having to pay the 150 euro fine!

Athens was ok too in terms of cost and getting around. I’d researched all the locations pretty heavily before deciding where to shoot in terms of cost – not just to get there but how much it would cost travelling around once we’d arrived. Athens was only 14 euros for a 7-day pass on the metro. We also stayed with couchsurfers here, who were both great and even appeared in a couple of scenes. Casting and crew were very difficult to get through. As I don’t speak Greek and had trouble finding any Greek talent on sites like Mandy.com and CastingCallPro the casting wasn’t completed until the last minute. My first host in Athens, Chrissa, had worked in the business and she took me to a party where I met a director who gave me the number of an actor. A few phone calls later and the parts I needed were cast. I have to hand it to Nikos Anagnostopoulos and Vasilis Christidis who both turned up at short notice and gave great performances – Nikos as a mugger, who after mugging the main characters apologizes for his poor English (this actually happened to someone I met in Sarajevo), and Vasilis as a shop owner who forces one of the characters, who’s desperate for the toilet, to buy a carpet before letting them use the bathroom.

By the time we hit London, I have to say funds were getting a bit tight – it was literally down to the penny. So much so that I had enough money to hire a taxi to transport the lights and C-stands we needed back to the hire firm, but I’d have to carry them on the Tube the other way myself. This was by far and away the toughest thing I had to do on the shoot: C-stands, I’m now convinced, were originally designed as some kind of medieval torture device – lol! The problem is not so much the weight but that they’re extremely awkward to hold and constricted my leg movements, but I somehow managed to hobble from Ealing Studios in West London across the Tube to the Docklands location in the East. I actually collapsed in exhaustion soon after leaving the hire firm. Luckily a passer-by offered to help me carry them to the station. I’m eternally grateful to them for that.

London’s expensive to get around with a crew so we made full use of the flat I’d hired on AirBnB.com and the nearby surrounding area. The flat interior and balcony, we faked as 5 different locations.

FI:   Obviously you’re a big advocate of crowdfunding – how have you found the process so far? It’s pretty much a 24/7 job, but with your stringent planning/dedicated work ethic, how has the overall experience been?

PW: Well, I have to say the campaign so far has not been good and I have to hold my hands up and saying I haven’t done a few things right on it. I’d read up a great deal on crowdfunding before the campaign and one thing kept cropping up and that was that people buy into the filmmaker rather than the project. My mistake has been to go overboard with the ‘filmmaker’ aspect in the video to the extent I’ve actually mentioned little about the movie itself. Also, technically the sound is very poor, but I’m in sort of a catch-22 on that as I need the crowdfunding to get the sound equipment. So for the video I was forced to use what I had, which was a Logitech headset suspended on a metal coat hanger just out of shot! I also didn’t have backers ready to fund on day 1 which is very important to give your campaign an early boost. Hopefully there’s still time for me to correct it, but if at first you don’t succeed..

FI:   Also – what do you think of the effect of crowdfunding on the film landscape?

PW: Very good! It’s going to give a lot of filmmakers the opportunity to make projects with their creativity unhindered by investors. If you’ve got a good idea you’re likely to get your film made a lot more quickly.

FI:  You’re very clear and concise with how you budget – any tips you can give first time filmmakers on overarching strategies to approach budgeting with?

PW: Plan what you think you’ll need, then add another 30% to cover all the things you didn’t foresee. List everything you think you’ll need, then go through each one and ask if it’ll really make an impact on screen. It’s surprising how many things you can do away with if you’re prepared to do more work yourself.

FI:   We’ve read your tips regarding buying off Ebay and Amazon – have you got any particular market searching strategies here that you found have worked really well for finding the all important pieces of equipment?

PW: In terms of buying, I check eBay first as it’s normally the cheapest, then Amazon then elsewhere. To identify the piece of equipment I read a lot of reviews on forums and Amazon.

FI:  You’ve come up with some inventive rewards, including giving away the camera that you are going to use to film the next part of the film with – how important is it to have such big/important rewards to the process of funding of a film?

PW: To be honest, I think it’s the person and the project that crowdfunders really buy into – with the rewards being a bonus. I did however try to think of something different from the norm by giving away the equipment. I just need the equipment to finish the movie so I thought why not give it away as a thank you to crowdfunders afterwards.

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Link to Pete's Twitter.
Link to Pete's film's Twitter

And finally - Pete's Crowdfunding Page.

As usual guys, any shares/reads/recommends that we get, we thoroughly enjoy. Not just for us - we focus on indepedent films - it helps get the word out about great projects and filmmakers that can use a bit of help to finish their films or to gain more exposure for them. We hope you enjoy/find the interviews useful and we love our readers. We really do - we'd be nothing without you guys!

Even if you can't donate, do remember that every time you share this article with another filmmaker/fan of film - we can help gain another person a little bit more traction and exposure that gets them one step closer to realising their dream. 

It also helps us greatly obviously - and hopefully it gives a bit of insight into the trials and tribulations of first time filmmakers!

Stay tuned on Thursday for the second part! 

And remember - you didn't hear it from us!

Ferenc and Georgia