Kingf
Treatm
Amand
fisher
ment by
da Blue
“Sometimes the s
take up the gre
our he
- An
smallest things
eatest room in
earts”
non
Instinctive reaction
to the scripts
What I most love about these scripts is t
simply I believe these stories and impo
are borderless and universal. To me th
Small films that effortlessly capture th
real grown up experiences we all encoun
Crucially the stories may be ‘everyday’
of these scripts is the feelings pervadi
the volume up on those emotions and c
on screen. Heightening the small and e
slipping into the sentimental. All of
line of emotion v’s sentimentality and
restraint will enable me to elevate the
be small but the emotional poignancy is
these scripts to life in just that way.
their delicate, honest, human tone. Quite
ortantly they speak to all of us. They
hey are films (rather than commercials).
he way we live now. Reflecting a range of
nter at different stages in our lives.
’ but the emotions are ‘epic’. The heart
ing each of them. My aim will be to turn
capture them evocatively but naturally
everyday into the cinematic, but never
f my work successfully walks this fine
never edges into the saccharine. Using
e emotion at every turn. The canvas may
s not and I relish the idea of bringing
.
The distinct and unusual beauty of these
humanity and relationships are put ahead
are cleverly and seamlessly woven into ou
to say so much without ever being too o
offered up as a solution to an emotiona
hero in the least heavy-handed way. The
issue, but this never feels unrealistic
beats of how we interact with those we lo
is just part of how we try to help the
part and parcel of our most ordinary ye
everyday experiences that are so authe
the ‘real’ these vignettes are, each sc
exchanges of family life; the joys, th
the familiarities and the love. This i
live now; the separated/blended family
the awkwardness that inevitably goes wit
as they grow and all the heart-warming
one space, the idiosyncratic expression
to adulthood and how that impacts everyo
the daily universal interactions that o
e scripts lays in the effortless way our
d of the products. Instead the products
ur everyday lives. Allowing these objects
overt or direct. Each product is subtly
al problem or crossroads, becoming the
product is there to solve an emotional
or obvious. These are quite simply true
ove most, our families - and the product
em. The products are intertwined to be
et intimate experiences and it is these
entically drawn. I love how rooted in
cript reflects the nuances and emotional
he frustrations, the small difficulties,
is authentic storytelling about how we
coming together for the first time and
th that, the single bathroom of a family
changes that are captured within that
n of a young girl growing from teenager
one, particularly her parents. These are
over time bond us all.
What I love most is that these seemin
to transcend from commercials to bec
as pure cinema through the most evoca
the most emotionally intelligent ca
performances, the ordinary will beco
and this will make for three incredi
ngly simple scripts have the capacity
come films; by treating this intimacy
ative arresting photography, engaging
ast and capturing visceral authentic
ome heightened, the everyday elevated
ibly special and unforgettable films.
My Approach
Before I launch into interpreting the s
understand how I will approach bringing
be to ‘heighten the everyday’ and elevat
how I will approach achieving that. (??
do here it is?)
scripts I thought it would be useful to
g them to life. My aim quite simply will
te the emotion to the cinematic, this is
??? – not sure we need this but if you
Cast
Other than cinematography, casting is t
absolutely key to the success of this
truly authentic and understated emotion
warm and deeply human. They need a rang
openness to access them. I love casti
children, we should look for actors and
of stage school acting, but rather requi
understanding of each role. We want open
faces that are beautifully cinematic,
interesting faces. Cast who are natural
we can easily access and capture on scre
these films will ooze emotional charge,
each role will be ‘authenticity’, these
we recognize, they could live next door
to them immediately.
the most crucial aspect of my work and
s film. This cast must be able to play
n. They need to be entirely believable,
ge of emotions and the intelligence and
ing and I think particularly with the
d some non-actors. This is the opposite
ires restraint, with deep affection and
nhearted actors with lovely characterful
not perfect advertising looks rather
on camera, fun and have an emotionality
een. I’m certain that with the right cast
honesty and beauty. The key in casting
e are the ‘everyman and woman’, people
r, and we empathise with them and warm
Performance
The performance of our cast is everyth
I thrive on eliciting authentically be
the inner world of a performer and cap
experience in getting deeply natural p
actors; it’s all about finding the right
And for me it’s about creating a safe
feel comfortable and able to give the mo
have fun, or feel something special and
way photographically.
hing; natural and believability is key.
eautiful performances and bringing out
pturing it on screen. I have a lot of
performances from both actors and non-
cast who will be uninhibited on camera.
space where the adult and child actors
ost uninhibited natural performance; to
then capturing it in the most evocative
I cannot emphasise enough how important
to be understated. Sometimes the most p
small gestures, a hand on the back of a
the shoulder, a look across a room. The
emotional punch than big over-the-top g
breaking restraint from the most intere
emotions. This is not bleak Ken Loach t
understated world of the French film, wh
other out.
I also tend to shoot more fluidly than p
always stop rolling when I think I’ve g
allow it to be a bit loose this is ofte
moments happen. The golden exchanges th
emotional punch, or moment of humour wi
especially when working with children,
calling it when everyone’s guard drops
the real magic happens. It’s all about
t it will be for these performances
powerful moment might come through
a child’s neck, a despondent shrug of
ese small moments will pack a stronger
gestures or emotions. Shot with heart-
esting point-of-view will also heighten
territory, but rather the subtle and
here joy and difficulty balance each
perhaps some directors might. I don’t
got the shot. If we just keep going,
en when the unguarded ‘goose bump’
hat later in the edit will deliver an
ith genuine authenticity. This approach
of not calling cut too loudly, or
but we continue filming, is often when
being a little bit more patient.
Photography
Cinematography and casting are the two m
as possible I like to shoot in the most
diminishing the quality of the photogra
will be to create something that feel
intimacy, beauty and believability. C
dropping in on the most ordinary yet in
lives. To achieve this I like to shoot
importantly with a shallow depth of field
soft focus around and beyond the subject
look and a heightened magical sense
approach I used on the ‘Dove Mother’s
honesty it delivers that I think will
Although I think this should feel a tou
the real, with a slightly stronger col
less milky colour palette. But I think
achieve an overall cinematic feel.
most crucial aspects of my work. As much
t unobtrusive way possible, but without
aphy in any way. My aim photographically
ls visually real but with a heightened
Creating the feeling that we are just
ntimate human moments in these people’s
t with a mix of prime lenses and most
d at all times, so everything falls into
t. This creates a beautifully cinematic
of reality. This is the photographic
Body’ film and there is a photographic
l work perfectly for these three films.
uch more rooted in
lour palette, a bit less dreamy with a
these films should retain some grain to
I like getting lots of very detailed mac
see the context of a scene. I think the
and movement to them, so keeping the ca
held approach will be perfect. In eac
worked out, so it always retains the m
verite’ feel, shooting across shoulders
sometimes playing with the point-of-v
scripts are enhanced and not downplayed
Also we should keep crew to a minimum wh
to provide an atmosphere for the childr
in as natural a way as possible, but stil
photography.
Finally, to really push the cinematic
suggest we shoot on anamorphic lenses,
immediately elevate the canvas and dom
shot a feature length drama/documentary
the film has a heightened cinematic qua
for these films.
(POSSIBLY USE A FEW STILL FROM MY DEEP
cro shots and then pulling back wider to
ese films should have a certain dynamism
amera gently moving with a subtle hand-
ch scene the framing will be carefully
most interesting and arresting ‘cinema
s, through people or doors and windows,
view, so the real life aspect of the
d.
hen we are rolling, just the key people
ren in particular to be free to perform
ll ensure we achieve the highest quality
nature of these films visually I would
so everything is widescreen. This will
mestic locations to cinema. I recently
y with these lenses and every moment in
ality, this will translate beautifully
WATER FILM)