An interview with
Feet First Productions
Feet First Productions Coming towards the end of their student lives, Dan Rymer and Zachary Carl Ord, alonG side other passionate film makers are planning for the future. I managed to catch up with them for a day and learn a few tricks of the trade...
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The Spark of I met Dan (LEFT) and Zach (RIGHT) in the midst of their recent project "Meander." Before we got down to the nitty gritty of the project, I wanted to find out a little about themselves.
Imagination
Feet First Productions After getting the introductions over and sorting dan and zach out with some liquid courage, we managed to get settled and start the interview.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE FILM GROWING UP?
WHAT GENRE DO YOU PREFER WATCHING/ MAKING?
Dan: Obvious answer, Jurassic Park. It made me cry the first time I saw it, when the guy gets eaten on the toilet and when the raptor gets the other guy. Still is my favourite film actually. Zach: Wallace & Gromit, A Grand Day Out the one where they go to the moon and it’s made of cheese.
Dan: I like watching crime and detective thrillers but when it comes to writing films, I much prefer to write dramas. Zach: I like watching and making dramas. And love stories but not Rom-coms.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST FILM YOU REMEMBER SEEING AT THE CINEMA? Dan: It was 3 Ninja Kids, even though I like to tell people it was Jurassic Park! Zach: My first cinema experience I can remember was Tomb Raider. BEST MOVIE QUOTE? Dan: That’s a hard one, I like the bit in Seven where John Doe is in the back of the police car and says “Not even in a world this shitty, can you call these people innocent and keep a straight face.” Zach: It’s from The Darjeeling Limited, one of my favourite films “Let’s go get a drink and smoke a cigarette” I don’t know why I like it, it’s just one of them things.
WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES? Dan: Steven Spielberg, I keep going back to the guy, well definitely in the early part of my life. His films are really good blockbuster films. But my influences now are Ricky Gervais and Steve Merchant. Really like their writing and the way they write about their experiences and they write about real life. Zach: Wes Anderson, one of the most prominent directors. What really inspires me is story telling in general, being able to create emotion in the audience, something that people can follow, relate to and be a part of. IS THERE ‘ONE PERSON’ THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU TO BE WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
RECOMMEND 5 FILMS FOR ME
Dan: I don’t want to sound really arrogant but...myself. There has been no one in my life that had pushed or forced me down this path, I’ve pushed myself. I was a late bloomer, I went to college when I was 22 and now 4 years later I’m still doing it and it’s getting scary now that in a years time I could actually be doing this as a career. Zach: My college tutor, David Oswald. He showed me what story telling and films were really about. He gave me the freedom to make the bad films and get them out of the way.
Zach: We like the same sort of films, lets do a joint one;
WHERE DO YOU FIND THE BEST INSPIRATION?
Fantastic Mr Fox The Descendants The Truman show The Toy Story Trilogy Seven
Dan: We spoke about this the other day. Zach: You said on a train didn’t you? Dan: I think it’s cool, I love the experience of travelling, you are in your own world and you can watch people doing what they are doing. It’s cool to sit and make up stories about them. I always feel important when i’m on a train, I’m going somewhere for a purpose. Even though I cant write on a train because I get really travel sick. Zach: Coffee in hand, iPod in!
DO YOU HAVE ANY HIDDEN TALENTS? Dan: I’m not overly good at sport but I am quite competitive at everything. Without competing I don’t think there is a point. Even though I don’t succeed all the time. Zach: It’s not really hidden but another talent is music, I have been playing the guitar for a long while.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE APART OF THE FILM INDUSTRY? Dan: When I first watched Jurassic Park, I started writing short stories about dinosaurs when I was 6/7 years old, they were sequels to the original. Zach: For me it was in secondary school, I made a music video for the band I was in. I wasn’t planning to go to university but I really found myself here.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH? Dan: Being part of the boomerang generation. Going to university and then
going back to my little village. Without being horrible to the people that live there, I’ve out grown it. The next move is to a big city, be an average size fish in a big pond. Zach: Its places like home that never change, I feel like I’m taking my life out of that place and I want to do things that my family hasn’t. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? Dan: It’s the story telling part. Its having that initial idea and letting the story grow, seeing where you can take it. The possibilities are endless. Especially after two years of university, finding out how to write a script properly. I like to think that we are getting towards that point where we could say that we can write a half decent script. I can’t just walk in to a building and start playing with the electrics, I don’t have a clue but when people think that they can just sit down and write a book or script it’s not as easy as that. You need to be fully committed to it. Zach: It’s creating something out of nothing, the spark of imagination. DO YOU SHOOT CHRONOLOGICALLY? Dan: Never Zach: You do it where you have to; it’s all about timing. You have to keep actors and crew happy all at the same time, it becomes a clockwork shift. It goes from planning and getting excited about it, to the shoots and everything has to run right. We know and hopefully the actors do too, how the scenes are meant to go. Dan: Shooting chronologically isn’t cost effective at all, I like to start with what’s the hardest and the most difficult shoot to get it out the way because by the end of a shoot everyone is warn out and they are losing inspiration. AS A PRODUCER OR DIRECTOR IS IT YOUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THEY DON’T LOOSE THAT INSPIRATION? Dan: Of course it is, we are both going to be producing this next film so as well as
kicking each other up the arse we have to do it with everyone else. We have to keep everyone motivated at the same time its really difficult job, so it’s a challenge that we have taken on. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILM MAKING PROCESS? Zach: Writing, always, every time. Its telling a story when anything is possible in that stage, when you are first writing, it can be as bizarre as you like. You can have as many things as you want and then when you get past that first draft reality kicks in and you have to make something that’s
themselves. It might just be me being a young professional, but there has been actors that haven’t told me about changes to their appearance or I haven’t known everything about them. Dan: Its all a learning curve, I haven’t yet worked with a difficult actor, so I’ve been lucky but I know it will come soon and if it comes on this project at least I have got Zach to hold my hand and walk me through it. WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LIMITATION YOU HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH? Dan: Again it all boils down to actors.
"When you get past the first draft reality kicks in" actually makeable, but that’s a good thing because you can get all those ideas that you thought were good out the way. Dan: I do like the beginning, but I like the ending a lot, I like the editing stage. It’s all that hard work getting put together and adding sounds and music, you get that initial buzz of “I’ve pulled it off” I love the moment when you decide that’s edit lock down and we have the film. DO YOU GET A FEELING OF ADRENALINE WHEN YOU ARE SCREENING THE FINAL PIECE? Dan: I wouldn’t say it’s adrenaline more nerves. When we had the last screening, I just couldn’t look at the screen. Zach: I was sinking in my seat. You are listening to people and their movement. Dan: I was watching the crowd more than the screen. I obviously knew the film and when important bits were coming up I was watching the crowd to see reactions. It was daunting, we both got good receptions but once its been viewed you can relax a bit.
Zach: I’d say locations; you will never have exactly what you want unless you have a big enough budget to build it. IS THERE ANYTHING ON SET THAT REALLY ANNOYS YOU? Dan: People with their phones on. Zach: People texting. Dan: People that get distracted, I get it’s a long, hard process but people that can’t focus and get on with it. If I can do it I expect other people to do it too. Zach: I think it’s the directors film and we are the most passionate and bothered about it, but when people aren’t putting in as much work as we are, it gets annoying and I feel a bit let down. WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST PART OF WHAT YOU DO? Dan: Execution, having the idea and then showing it on screen. Zach: Bringing the script to life. TELL ME ABOUT THE NAME ‘FEET FIRST’.
WHAT’S THE THOUGHEST CHALLENGE YOU HAVE FACED? Dan: Finding credible actors for cheap, who can donate a lot of their time for next to nothing. Actors are the heartbeat of this industry, without them we can’t make films. Just like without us there is no films to be made. We’re as important as each other. Zach: Finding actors who are honest about
Dan: Well I guess that’s on me. I was in my first year of university and I was walking to a lecture. Me and Paul (another member of FFP) were talking about the way I do things and the way I carry myself. I take risks and tend to jump in Feet First. We feel it says a lot about the company and who is it part of it.
"I take risks and jump in feet first!"
WHAT WAS YOUR MOST RECENT COMPLETED PROJECT? Zach: A film I did over the summer, it was just me and a friend of mine who was acting in it. We shot the whole thing on a handy cam, it’s probably the best thing I’ve done as of late, it’s a story in its simplest form about how relationships with people can be tested and how it effects people and when those relationships go in a bad direction. Dan: Mine is Alone. It’s about a guy who is a young professional, just got a job in an office working as an architect, who is out of his depth and struggles to find companionship in any form. The whole reason I made the film was to test my film making ability. I got taught that the best way to story tell in a film is to ‘‘show not tell’’, I made the whole film very visual without dialog, my lead actor only had one line. It was more an experiment on my part. It seemed to be well received. My actor wasn’t an actor. He wasn’t my first choice but it worked that he wasn’t an actual actor as the character he was playing had to be shy and awkward and his was naturally like that.
down and started writing, bashed around a few ideas. Actually we tried to get to know the characters first and went from there. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO FINANCE IT? Zach: Crowd funding has been our main thing, it’s a website where people can donate to the film if they like the idea and they can get rewards from doing so, and it makes them apart of the film. It doesn’t matter how good the script is or the actors, if we can’t get the money to make it, it’s not going to happen. IS RAISING THE FUNDS THROUGH ‘CROWDFUNDER’ PART OF THE EXCITEMENT OF MAKING THE FILM? Dan: This was the first time I’d attempted to raise outside funding for a film. It was exciting and hard work at the same time! But I learnt a lot. Zach: Raising the funds was always a risk and this time it paid off, it was a little worrying at times but in the end very rewarding.
HOW DID YOU FINANCE IT?
HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN IT HIT 100%?
Dan: All self financed we all chipped it and had a £500 budget Zach: Again all self funded
Dan: I knew we’d always hit the 100% it was just a question of when, I think I kept cool about it. Zach: I was very happy about hitting the 100%, i rang Dan immediately.
WHO DECIDES ALL THE TECHNICAL BITS, LIKE WHAT CAMERAS TO USE, ETC. Dan: The director will say I want it like this and the cinematographer says well I can do it like this, and I’m not going to tell him his job, as he won’t with me so I like to leave it to them. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LATEST PROJECT Dan: Meander, it’s a co-production/writing/ directing with Zach and me. I came to Zach with an idea after our last film screening night and we took that seed of an idea and turned it in to our own short story. A drama about escapism and unconditional love. WHAT GAVE YOU THE IDEA FOR THIS? Dan: The initial idea came from a dream I had. A girl who I don’t know handed me an over sized butterfly. Somehow we ran from that. WHAT MAJOR IDEA SHAPED THE STORY? Dan: There isn’t a major idea; we just sat
HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WORK TOGETHER AS CO-WRITERS/DIRECTORS/ PRODUCERS? Zach: Fantastically Dan: We haven’t had any problems so far. Zach: If we come across problems, we talk about it and compromise. DO YOU ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING? Zach: No Dan: Not all the time, there’s been a few times were we have had disagreements about the story but we try and work around it to keep us both happy and do what is best for the film, that’s what’s important. DO YOU PREFER TO WORK ALONE? Zach: Not anymore Dan: I did, I thought writing was something that you do on your own, but now I’ve worked with someone else, it’s better to bounce ideas off each other.
"You need to go into the film
WHEN DOING AUDITION, HOW DO YOU KNOW THE PERSON IS RIGHT FOR THE CHARACTER YOU WROTE? Dan: Even if they were the best actor in the world I prefer to work with someone that I get on with Zach: They have to have the look alongside the character in my head; it is a lot about relationship and building a network of people you can get along with. You need a good working relationship with them. Dan: They need to be confident and professional at the same time. WHAT’S THE DREAM? Dan: To eventually be running alongside friends and other like minded people my own multi-media company. Something that doesn’t just offer film. Obviously the ultimate goal is to make a feature film, and establish myself. Zach: The ultimate goal is to make a feature film and be acknowledged for it. WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO SOMEONE WANTING TO GO INTO FILM MAKING? Zach: Get some education first. Dan: Don’t think that you can do it without, in order to write a script you need to know the craft of it. Say yes more than no and keep yourself open. You need to commit yourself. If you go into the film industry half hearted you wont succeed you need to go in with all guns blazing. IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY WOULD YOU CARRY ON DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING? Zach: I’d carry on, I’d buy shit loads of cameras, and finance films. Dan: I’d finish my degree, set myself up as a filmmaker. Zach: I’d definitely buy a boat though! BIGGEST REGRET AS A FILM MAKER? Dan: Not doing it sooner, I had a break from education for a while. I’m nearly 26 and I could have been were I want to be by now if
industry all guns blazing!"
I did it sooner. Zach: Being very narrow minded, in the sense that I wouldn’t take a lot of critical feedback. ANY TEASERS FOR WHAT IS IN THE PIPELINE FOR FEET FIRST? ANY CHICK FLICKS? Dan: No chick flicks! That’s not what Feet First is about. We take each project as it comes. We have an important meeting coming up about the company, so we can hopefully find out what we all want FFP to be so we can take it forward.
MEANDER IS SET TO START FILMING EARLY OCTOBER WITH THE FILM BEING SET TO BE COMPLETE IN DECEMBER.
a day in the life of dan rymer 10:00am – I wake up. Anything before 10am is a struggle! 10:15am – Milky coffee with two sugars. 10:30am – I do my sky sports reading to see how shit Liverpool are doing and how the manager/ owners are still reassuring us after 2 years of no progress. I also do a little bit of social networking. 10:45am – Jump in the shower or if I’m ahead of schedule I’ll treat myself to a bath 11:00am – Have a game of squash with Rob Marshall. This has become a weekly thing and it gets more and more competitive every week! 12:00pm – After showering I make my way to Zach’s, normally calling for food on the way. I don’t do much cooking these days, it
wastes time! 12:15pm – We meet, discuss the days plan of action and get to work. This could include writing, producer work, calling actors, any pre-production stuff really. 5:00pm – We usually call it a day as I have to had a mad dash to get changed and ready for work at La Pergola! I’ve worked there now for 11 months but it feels like 11 years! 10:30pm – Is an average time I finish, the staff sit down and have a meal after work, which we get for only £2! Not bad. Then usually meet my house mates and others in our local, The Thin White Duke. ??:??pm – I go to bed, prepare myself for the hangover and the next day!
a day in the life of zachary carl ord
8:00am – Wake up, check emails and diary 8:03am – Drain the lizard & other morning routines and tasks. 8:10am – Coffee time. Black, nothing else! preserving the taste n that! 8:15am – Watch an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philidelphia, I normally watch more than 1. I’ve seen every episode a bunch of times but it doesn’t matter. It’s one of my vices. 9:30am – Gather any information I need for the working day
10:30am – Meet with Dan 11:00am – Sit in, drink coffee and phone potential investors 1:30pm – Have a working lunch 2:30pm – Back on with film work 5:00pm – Part ways with Dan 6:00pm – PC gaming time! 9:00pm – Go out for a quiet drink, which normally turns into a few
concept art a small collection of posters designed by robert marshall. www.robertm.co.uk
Feet First Productions
With thanks to Dan rymer zachary carl ord robert marshall The Lane Bar Interview by Rach Garry Photography by rach garry design by www.rachgarry.co.uk