Projection Room: Why I love independent film more than the blockbusters

As part of the whole new vibe for the blog (and also partly due to a visit to the HOME arts complex in Manchester), it’s time for things to get a little more journalistic- and this new series of posts is the home for the long read stuff.

A few weeks ago I was made aware of a project that a small production company based in the same area as me had undertook- making a feature film for £15,000. Making a film for cinema release on that budget may seem crazy, but it has been done before to varying degrees of success. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a blockbuster is the mark of success in the film industry, but there’s something about championing new talent that keeps me very happy- there’s a reason why films like Brooklyn get my elusive Film of the Year honour.

WHY INDIE?

Working an independent production doesn’t just give you a lot more freedom in terms of the production, but it also allows for deeper exploration into the more unconventional themes that can be depicted on film, and they don’t just include the confusing narrative elements that people generally associate with the idea of the independent film. 

Nightcrawler: the indie done right.

Just look at Nightcrawler- indie and proud of it. That is a film that I hold a very large amount of respect for- sure, it wasn’t made for a low amount of money (just shy of $20million), but what Dan Gilroy did with that film is nothing short of spectacular considering the fact that it actually got a wide release here in the UK. The themes on offer certainly go against the things that Hollywood would expect to see, as it actually critiques the ideas of 24/7 news networks by portraying them as an industry with a seedy underworld, where competition literally has fatal consequences at times. In stark comparison, Money Monster from earlier this year also deals with these themes, but it is only implied at times- Nightcrawler just all out blames everything on that very tight industry. These twisted ideas are common place within the world of the indie film, but that’s what American cinema can get away with. The UK scene is a completely different beast altogether- we like things to be done in a certain way, but personally, there is one major issue that keeps British film from hitting its full potential.

WELCOME TO THE RENATA

The British scene has been lacking for the last few years, and even though the BFI, the BBC and Film4 are all putting some serious money into home-grown talent, there is a distinct lack of proper independent cinema, as all 3 main funding routes are pretty much fast-track ways to hit Hollywood. As a result, indie film is being overlooked, with the more recent work of directors like Ben Wheatley overshadowing their earlier pieces of cinematic excellence. However, one director and his production company aim to change that mentality- and they used crowd-funding to do it. Ed Greenberg and his production company Beyond the Bar have just wrapped the edit on their first feature film entitled The Renata Road.

CJ de Mooi in The Renata Road (®2016 Beyond the Bar Ltd)

Now, for a bit of background on the film: this is based on Greenberg’s 2011 short of the same name, with TV personality CJ de Mooi (best known for his popular run on BBC gameshow Eggheads) returning in the same lead role from that original short. Not much is known about the plot at this point in time, but it is being billed as a ‘psychological enigma’. From what I can gather, this film has been in the works for a considerable amount of time, with a successful Kickstarter campaign providing the majority of the film’s £15,000 budget. Making a film for that money may seem impossible, but the trailer that was issued during a very quiet week in November is proof that you don’t need a big budget, a fancy location shoot, complex CGI or a Hollywood distribution deal to make an effective piece of quality cinema. All you need is commitment, a love and understanding of all things film, and most importantly a lot of Earl Grey tea to keep production rolling along. I’ve seen this trailer around 8 or 9 times now, and let’s just say that this may be one of the films I enjoy most when it eventually makes its way on to the big screen next year.

The Renata Road - Trailer 1 from Beyond The Bar on Vimeo.

The very first review of The Renata Road will be published right here on the blog on January 31st.