You were born in Nuneaton and once lived in a pub for years. Were, you so poor your parents couldn´t afford a flat or it was actually above the pub itself?

My parents owned the pub as a child and moved there when I was around the age of 10 from Nuneaton to Unstone.

You started filming your shorts at home at the age of 12 (2010). Were, you parents somehow involved in film or art industry and if not what was that trigger moment for you to start fiddling with camera?

My dad, as he is retired does help with production now but has no formal involvement with the film industry. It was fairly easy to get into film school as luckily my secondary school did a course and helped with getting students into further film education. My family aren't involved in the film industry with my father being an ex-army and my mother was a stay-at-home mom as I have 5 other brothers. My dad, as he is retired does help with production now but has no formal involvement with the film industry.

Showing the interest and knack for filming was it easy for you to get assigned to film school or you had difficulties due to high rate of interested students?

It was fairly easy to get into film school as luckily my secondary school did a course and helped with getting students into further film education.

Dronfield isn´t a mega big city, is it? Does it help you in film industry (getting the money etc) cos you´re fish in a small pond while in London you would be one of many fishes in mega big pond, hence zero chance?

Being in Dronfield doesn't help in the sense of working within or with the film industry due to it being a rural area however there are a few networking groups in Sheffield which is where I studied my MA in filmmaking.  

You made three students shorts before moving to feature film A Touch of Vengeance, brave step. Did you have an experienced crew behind you who would help you in different tasks if needs be or you just jumped head first into deep water as the best way how to learn swim (make a film)?

For A Touch of Vengeance, we didn't have any experienced crew with no more than 2 to 4 crew members on set on a given day. I would say jumping in head first forces you to make something better than it otherwise would due to having to keep everything together otherwise the project will sink.

You co- wrote the script, filmed it, directed it, edited it and produced it. Was it since you had very little budget so couldn´t afford real pro- guys or you wanted to be as independent as possible, hence multi- function attitude?

We did a GoFundMe raising around 1k. The rest of the budget was savings of around 2k. Only that because we didn't have the budget and my university at the time didn't have many filmmakers.

Are you a member of Directors UK body and does it bring you any advantage or help or nothing at all?

I am not a member of the UK Directors body yet.

Since Covid, cost of everything doubled and it must be hard to get any funds for films. Do newcomers like you get any incentive from British film industry to start career or they are not really welcomed since competition is too big so less hunters, more left for others, so it´s survival of the fittest?

I think the UK helps tax-wise if you know what you're doing however I do think you are overall left to fend for yourself.

We haven´t seen your film yet, so did you get it onto TV or to cinemas, or is it only for internet screening?

It's about networking at the end of the day going to film festivals, meeting likeminded filmmakers and events. Both of our features, Nothing Goes and A Touch of Vengeance went to a few festivals (Nothing Goes still doing its festival run) and made their way onto Amazon. We had premiers for both films at the Cinemas and I've been actively screening Nothing Goes at universities around the country. A Touch of Vengeance is on You Tube also and a few other platforms. 

Thank you very much.

Photos, thanx: Jordan-Kane Lewis