The Film Director

At Rusden I wrote and directed a 16 mm film called Blanks. This was loosely based on the John Fowles novel The French Lieutenant's Woman. But whereas that novel was set in the 19th Century overlayed with a contemporary point of view, my film was set in the present day, with a future perspective. Thus a film director from a post-apocalypse future sets out to make a film about life before the bomb hit. In one scene we follow Sarah, the main character, outside a university building. A strange little guy with a still camera comes into view and we pan to him. As he takes our photo we cut to his point of view - the photo he's just taken. Well, this was during my Jean Luc Godard phase!

I got my English Literature professor, Don Pemberton, to play the Director, and my friend Paul to play the cameraman. They pretended to play out this scene while I took snaps for the film. Wearing army khakis and motorbike gloves, what a trooper Don was! He had me cracking up, the way he got into the role!

"Oh my god, who's that taking pictures of us?!"

"C'mon Paul, I want you to get in a little closer."

"Sorry Will, I just don't get my character's motivation."

This was the shot I used in the film.

Ladies and gentlemen, give him a hand. Don Pemberton!