Under the Mud Event, Knowle West Media Centre

by Dano on 14-Jul-10 15:26

Want to know how to make a feature film for 50 grand? Last week Sol Papadopoulos, producer of feature film Under the Mud (www.underthemud.co.uk) and the acclaimed Of Time and the City (www.oftimeandthecity.com) came to Knowle West Media Centre for a day of workshops to discuss how to make a community-based feature film, and how the assembled young talent and experienced filmmakers could make one too.

Image: Lenny Wood, Mick Colligan and Sol Papadopoulos

Presented by BAFTA* in partnership with iFeatures and Knowle West Media Centre, Sol and his writing/acting colleagues Lenny Wood and Mick Colligan spoke about how Under the Mud started life as a community project. The film was written by a team of teenage writers from the Interchill community centre in the Speke Garston area of Liverpool, who got together over several months to write the script - culminating in a full-on writer’s retreat. Although funds for filming were very tight (the initial film was shot on just £50K), the audience were clearly impressed by the community spirit that turned the words on the page into a real-life feature film, from the home grown acting and writing talent of Mick and Lenny and friends (who had plenty of eye-popping stories to tell) to the local shopkeepers who gave what they could, and the local housing coop who provided locations.

The film was described Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian as “Maybe the best British film you’ll never see” – and Sol spoke about how true these words threatened to become as his small production company, Hurricane Films, struggled with the difficulties of film distribution, and the complications of DVD production and overwhelmingly expensive marketing.  The film was accepted at scores of film festivals worldwide, where the cast and crew rubbed shoulders with the stars and worked hard to get their voice heard above the movie throng; it’s definitely worth watching the ‘Making Of’ film on the DVD (available on the website) to get a feel for the epic journey these filmmakers have been over the past few years.

In the afternoon the focus turned to the young filmmakers in the group, who told stories from the local Bristol area with an eye to finding inspiration for their own community films. Thanks to Sol, Mick and Lenny’s keen eye for a top tale, there were plenty of ideas flying round the room all afternoon.

*BAFTA holds public events all over the UK, throughout the year. If you'd like to get regular updates on BAFTA events, win free tickets to on-stage interviews and preview screenings, view free webcasts and more, sign up to their monthly e-bulletin http://www.bafta.org/newsletter/subscribe.html and see their Access All Areas info on their website (http://www.bafta.org/access-all-areas/)

Tagged:Under the Mud, BAFTA

Please login or register to comment