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Jim Hickey on location during lilming lor The Dungeon Moor Killings
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4 With developments in digital technology, we were all supposed to be budget filmmakers by now. What happened?
Jl-l 'In the nineties when I started producing I thought teenagers were going to take over the lilm world but it hasn‘t happened. Maybe they get ground down by the way the industry still works.‘
RJ ‘(‘inerna is still the preserve of the upper- rniddle classes. in terms of the people who actually control things. which is unfortunate. The revolution in terms of digital technology is definitely happening. but the people who control the industry still define the cinema that gets made.‘
JH "l‘here ought to be more films made the way we‘ve made them. I'm surprised more young people aren‘t getting together and making fantastic low budget lilins.'
With little marketing budget, how hard is it to get a film to its target audience?
JH 'lt‘s getting more difficult for independent films to find a cinema screen. You have to think of that as not being essential anymore. The old theory was you needed a cinema release to get DVD sales and recoup money. but these days the internet helps with getting the word out. But visibility is still a real problem. you have to use any devise you can to get noticed.‘
RJ "l‘here's not really a distributor who understands how to make projects for young people. that‘s the missing link. There’s also a patronising attitude towards genre movies. no doubt about it. People think genre is idiotic whereas I think it's the most exciting territory.‘
And presumably, with the country in recession, things are not getting any easier?
RJ "l'here are difficult times ahead but my experience even from the days of The Skids. is th it if you want to do it vou ll do it [here are a lot of people in the industry who should beat it. it‘s a nice hobby for posh people. and I wish they would get lost because they're jtist a waste of space. But if you really believe in a project. there‘s no such thing as no. There are loads of filmmakers in development hell who should just be getting on with it.
JH \\e have to accept we re a small country with a small pool of talent. even though there is
great talent here. and there‘s a small pot of
money which is only going to get smaller. These days it actually“ makes more sense to m ike films the way we re doing it.
Finally, what would you consider as success for your movies?
RJ ‘A'r'n' 'Iini'n Killers would be a success if it gets a chance to get to the audience I made it for. It‘s really a film for a multiplex audience: it has no pretensions. If it gets shown to the right people. that would make me happy.’
JH ‘(ietting to the end of making a film is a major achievement. The Dungeon Mrmr Killings is enjoyable. it's not serious or arty. so hopefully it will find an audience. but who knows'.’ You‘ve got to be optimistic in this game. otherwise you'd just give up.‘
The Dungeon Moor Killings, GFT, Fri 13 Feb; New Town Killers, GFT, Mon 16 Feb. Both are part of the Great Scots season.
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Paul Gallagher gives the lowdown on the short film programme at the GFF
A highlight of last year's programme was the short films strand. so it's great to discover local shorts showcasers the Magic Lantern offering another varied programme for 2009. Things kick off wrth True Things. a retrospective of shorts from director Miranda July. Her debut 2005 feature. Me and You and Everyone We Know, earned a clutch of awards and deserved cult status. so this opportunity to see how her unique style took shape should be qurte specral. Among the themed events at GFF is Best of Little British which features Love You More, a tale of two Buzzcocks fans. written by C/oser scripter Patrick Marber. Adrian McDowaII's Scottish BAFTA Winner Ma Bar (pictured) is a mini- documentary about a 73-year old weightlifter. followed by Between Us an international inix focusing on relationships. including the 2008 Palme d'Or winner Megatron, about one boy's desire for a toy Transformer.
Saturday's programme, Unstuck. includes The Control Master from BAFTA-nominated animator Run Wrake and The Queen and The Princess. a debut work from director Gregor Johnstone.
GFF is making exciting moves out of the cinemas this year. with films being screened in shop fronts, plus after-hours events at the Sub Club. with David Lynch's short films projected in a Twin Peaks-style Red Room.
‘There's an economy that you're employing with short filmmaking. says Magic Lantern's Rosie Crerar. ‘that can give you scope to be more innovative than in feature films. This year takes Shorts to our biggest audience yet'.
I The Short Film Festival weekender runs Fri 73- Sun 75 Feb.
How to get tickets
Tickets for all screenings at the festival can be booked by phone on 0141 332 6535 and online at www.glasgowfilm festival.org.uk.
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