Orbit Ever After

Director's Statement

How long did it take to make your short? Was it difficult to get financing? From script to screen, making ORBIT took about a year. It was financed through the BFI’s lighthouse shorts scheme. The biggest obstacle to getting funded was the ambition of the idea. Very early on we filmed several effects tests to prove the script was achievable on the money. Which thoughts come to mind concerning a “European cinema community”? I love the idea of a European cinema community. Making English-language films in the UK, I feel an affinity with mainstream American filmmakers as well as more esoteric filmmakers in Europe. I think my short film exhibits this: it has productionvalues and a sci-fi setting often associated with Hollywood, but totally feels closer to European film heroes of mine such as Emir Kusturica and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. If you owned a theatre for one night, which films would you screen? I would open with THE NAVIGATORS by Vincent Ward. I love the editing and tactile design of that film and although it’s probably my all-time favourite movie, I’ve never seen it on a big screen. Then I’d probably screen CITY LIGHTS to put me in a lovely warm mood before screening TRANSFORMERS (the animated version) during which I’m sure everyone else with taste would leave and I could watch it all by myself because it’s awesome. What is your next project? I’m writing two feature films at the moment: an adaptation of my short film SKYBORN for the BFI and a contained sea-monster family film for BBC films. I am also attached to direct a horrorcomedy about a disgruntled vampire hunter in the spring.