A post came up on Facebook that linked to the short film below:
It is a short 48 hour film competition entry. You essentially are given a brief at the start of the 48 hours and need to have filmed, edited and submitted it by the end. As a group of friends we have done a few of these.
If you read my “Creative” post you will already recognise David and Joe as two of my inspirational figures. David has always been the one to rally a team together to create anything from a short film, for the competition or do a little radio show demo tape, when we were students.
So supporting cast, a term that describes the non-speaking actors in a film or tv show has resonance for me, especially above. I make a cameo in this one (which is fun, and I get a line!).
David has been a friend since the 1st day at senior school. We sat through maths class and often got told off for jibber-jabbering away. In those formative years we talked about film and television and laughed like drains. The same in our 20s going on expeditions with our ‘Crew’. Many a late night, sofa surfed and tales to tell. But all the way along something remained constant. David loved film, he wrote scripts, he worked in the industry, he made long lasting friendships with talented folk along the way. And as well as making and producing his own work he is one of the world’s top Location Scouts (Star Wars, Inception and Pirates of the Caribbean).
He would often bring us as friends along for the ride. He once named us the “Lock off crew” as we stopped cars around the Pinewood set as Lara Croft was being filmed. That was over 20 years ago now.
On that set also was Joe. We had met one day when David got me a days work helping the design department on a tv show. I had watched Joe as a little nipper on the gogglebox. He was a standout character in a tv show called Simon and the Witch (see the FB Memory Board). If you are of a certain age in the pantheon of Butlers: Paul Burell, Alfred Pennyworth(yes Batman’s) and Hopkins, the retainer of a national treasure Joan Sims (Carry on Film royalty) you know Joe’s Hopkins Character. We became friends during the “Lock off crew” day. And you will learn of our exploits and ventures in other places on this website. (Trees on the Green).
Some days your friends need you to sometimes just turn up. You roll up your sleeves and carry bits or encourage and cajole. They will do the same for you. Over years as each of you follows your paths you will find that the smallest bit of encouragement shores up all around you. A days work on a set puts a bit of money in your pocket but it also broadens your horizons. A days making beds on a tv set becomes the start of a friendship that brings art and joy to you with the passing years.
The supporting cast is not just a thing that happens on set it happens in life on that stage they call the world. And as a result my life is enriched. We all know were to find each other when needed. I wish you the same.
Hopefully you can catch David’s multi-award winning film Kubrick by Candlelight which is touring the film festival scene and is a wonderful showcase of all of his talents.
You can catch Joe in would you believe a little known franchise called James Bond. No Time to Die.
So proud of these gents who are World Class and am honoured and always inspired that these are my friends. Roll Credits! 😉