Anthony Lyons - Film project Critical Essay
Mark-Antony Marini – Writer/Director
• Anthony Lyons – Producer
• Fionntan Mccaughey – DOP
• Jason Binder – Lighting Assistant
• Aisling Keane - Production Designer
• India Marshall - Art Department Assistant
• Melanie Nava Urribarri – Editor
• Michael Hood – Sound Design
• Yat-hin Lee - Sound Recordist/Design
• Sean Dinwoodie – Boom Operator
I was initially drawn to this project having worked with Mark-Antony before. I trust him as a screenwriter and also a collaborator. I think he’s very forward with his ideas and articulates them very well. At the same time, he’s very open to other ideas and establishes open communication to produce the best project possible. I was also drawn to the idea of working on another genre film after having worked on documentaries and drama and I thought this would be an exciting challenge. The film being an allegory for borderline personality disorder and the way in which mental health affects a person and the relationships that they have with the people close to them really resonated with me deeply and I wanted to try and develop this idea further. I felt the genre fit well with the synopsis. The vampirism that Damian struggles with reflects how people with BPD and other mental health issues can often view themselves as a ‘monster’. They can feel undeserving of love and the love they receive they can sometimes reject. This was a relatively unique approach to portraying mental health which has often suffered from poor portrayals within the media.
Producing is a role I’ve never really had before. There were things I was happy with but there were many moments where I felt disappointed in my performance. My biggest weakness as a producer was definitely my difficulty with communication. Communication has always been a problem for me however, the issues became more prominent with this role.
It meant that progress was probably slower than it should have been. We did not have a concrete crew until close to the shoot, which to be fair was partially due to our original crew having other commitments but there was the issue with the make-up artist. She did a wonderful job but we only managed to recruit her just a week before the shoot which meant that the vampire make-up was not as immersive as it could have been. We were originally planning for the make-up to include prosthetics and a bald cap but we ended up not having the time. This in turn affected other aspects of the film like the overall visual look. In general, I believe that every aspect could have been improved with a stronger producer. If I had spent more time with Aisling then we could have tested out different methods for both the make-up and the set design. I should have looked for help in areas I was having difficulty with, e.g. locations, etc.
I definitely was more focused as the semester began. I reached out to companies in Edinburgh that offered filming space for hire and I looked into other rental websites, however, unfortunately many of our options were beyond our price range. I also enquired with anyone I had the contact details of but unfortunately, with the premise of our film, I don’t think many people were keen. I sent out casting calls to as many places as possible. I posted notices on facebook, Backstage and I also printed off posters to hang in various locations. This led to a surprising amount of actors expressing interest which was great in the long term as it meant that we could audition the actors and choose the actors that best suited the roles rather than having to settle for a particular actor.
I am comfortably happy with my input on set during the shooting days. I ensured that the cast and crew were comfortable and I believe I did a sufficient job keeping the cast and crew organised. I essentially acted as a runner, helping out in almost every technical area. The shooting days both ended ahead of schedule and it was a fairly simple process to turn over to the next shooting day.
I think overall, it was a successful film. Mark-Antony brought a script that was both touching and engaging. However, viewing the final project, I think some of the issues that presented themselves in pre-production and the production itself are apparent in the final work.
The performances were probably the strongest aspect of the film. Despite not having much experience in directing, Mark-Antony did an extremely good job rehearsing with the actors.
I do wish we had a few more rehearsal sessions but unfortunately, organising rehearsal time can be a complicated procedure.I think Mark-Antony had a very strong vision on where he wanted to take these characters. Despite the horror aspect of the film initially seeming so prominent due to the concept, Mark-Antony wanted to make it very clear that this was a romance first. While watching the film, I never lost focus on the character’s emotional connection to each other. The horror aspect adds more depth to the film but it never distracts from the romantic focus. I feel as though the chemistry between actors was also portrayed surprisingly well on-screen. I’m glad that myself and Mark-Antony pushed for getting through auditions as early as possible as this meant we could get to know the actors and it gave the actors the opportunity to grow more comfortable with each other. The dialogue that Mark-Antony has written has fulfilled the initial idea in the sense that it does display this damaged relationship and the struggling mental health of Damian’s character. The gothic horror aspect could very easily be altered and it would still be an adequate portrayal of mental health due to the way the script has been written.
What Aisling and India managed to do with the space. I think there are a lot of nice touches in the latter scene where some of the set dressing is broken to give the impression that Damian attempted to rejuvenate the space with what he had available to him. Also the posters gave some nice insight into Damian’s character even if it were background dressing.
My only regret is that I did not either find a more suitable location or push for production design tests. I felt at times that we were restricted in terms of production design by the location and I think it shows in the final film. This is something that can be credited to my ability as a producer. I struggled to source a location that would fit the initial plan. However, I think it still works for the film. It meant that we had complete control over the location and could set dress it in any way we desired.
I think that the lack of coverage in some areas is slightly off putting. I made the decision to complete the shoot within two days instead of the initial three we had planned. This was due to the fact we were ahead of schedule and would only end up with about two or three shots left for the final day. I should have maintained the original plan as it would have meant that we could have reviewed the footage to ensure that we had covered everything. That one shot of ‘Damian’ rising is an example of this that I believe could have fit in something to make the action seem less static.
Fiontiann did a good job with the cinematography, there are many shots that I really admire and I think he was a great addition to the team. The shots that followed Damian’s shadow creeping along the wall and the shot of Damian’s eyes were especially commendable. I’m glad that we spent the time with fiontiann to have a test shoot that was focused on nailing the more complicated shots separate from blocking. This meant that for all the problems that arose during pre-production, the shooting days both went fairly smoothly without any real problems. We managed to capture anything more complicated with ease as we had already prepared.
I’m especially happy with how vastly different the two scenes look from each other. Booking out as much lighting equipment as possible ended up being incredibly beneficial even though we did not use all of it. It allowed the first half of the film to feel successfully atmospheric and combined with the sound design, I think successfully presents itself as tense and suitable for a ‘horror’ experience. The second half of the film has a very different atmosphere. There’s almost a dreamlike quality to the scene, reflecting the mending of this strained relationship.
The sound design really provides an unsettling backdrop for the film. I especially believe it is strong for the first half of the film. The wind gradually grows more intense as the scene continues which increases this tension as the scene plays out. The chains sound appropriately heavy which really expresses the chain’s weight. During the second half, the audio can be slightly inconsistent. The background noise seems to get louder and can cut out depending on what audio track is being used which unfortunately is noticeable. However, I am very happy with the rest of the sound design.
I wish I had been more forward in the editing process. There are certain things that I possibly would have changed. There was one shot in particular that was cut in slightly early, that being the close up of Damian reacting to Gabriel entering the room. The shot of Damian’s shadow took priority. Overall, Mel did a good job with editing the film together, especially since she does not have much editing experience.
Overall, while I am happy with the final outcome, I am disappointed with my performance as a producer. I do think most of this was all down to my lack of experience and confidence. I think if I wanted to attempt a producing role it should not have been at this stage in the course, especially since my peers are settling into their preferred roles. While I do not think I would ever choose to produce again, this has significantly developed my organisational and social skills. Since acting as a producer I have more fully understood the connections between each department and the vital importance of constant communication and preparation.
I am interested to see how the film progresses going forward. We plan to take another look at the picture edit and refine certain things and we also plan to infuse an original score to prepare it for festivals.
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