This is a short (under 2mins) “pilot project” from a group of us in Derby who have got together to form a film-making group. It was first shown at Quad cinema as part of a FiveLampsFilms event (roughly bi-monthly showing of films made by local groups around Derby) and looked stunning on the big screen.
On the night after the wrap party for Rosas II (*see below), Kevin Hill (Director of Caroline) and some of the crew stayed in the abandoned and run-down hotel La Gondala in Derby. It’s spooky and semi-derelict atmosphere provided the inspiration for this short film, which we shot over one long afternoon and evening in late summer 2012.
We didn’t have all the blue light gels Kev was hoping for, but having a photography stills background, I knew a few nifty camera techniques that would help us with this!
We hope to make a full-length feature film of it in the future, but for now this was a pilot project to see if we worked well together (definitely, yes!) and if we could actually make a short film, before tackling the harder goals of raising funds for longer and more complex projects. (This was almost a zero budget film – tea and coffee on set was probably our largest cost!)
(We’ve since been working on further projects, including a new short film – these will be announced on The Captain Show website first, then appear here after their premiere/festival showings).
About Rosas II and the crew:
All of the core production crew got together after working on (and becoming a large part of the “core crew” of) Rosas II (aka Derby Soap Opera), a mass participation film-making project in Derby, directed by Italian Director Marinella Senatore.
Three of the original ADs on the Rosas II project are now part of the core production team of “The Captain Show” (TCS),with
- Kev Hill as Director
- Chris Hardy as DoP/Lighting/Health and Safety
- AJ Aslam as 2nd camera/AD
- Chiz Dakin (that’s me!) was one of the main camcorder operators on Rosas II and is now 1st camera within this group
- Adam Fletcher continues specialising in Sound recording and sound effects and
- Jenny White (another Rosas II volunteer) provided the editing
- Andy Dudley – actor, but also general runner and assistant to Kev
- Other actors are local volunteers from the Derby area, some were involved with Rosas II.