24 Little Hours

“I am always extremely grateful for any opportunity to step back onto a set, the vast sense of comradery and accomplishment that can be gained by working with talented people can only help to raise your own game. Couple that that with the intensive 8-day filming approach we undertook for this particular project and the days challenges end with reward. ‘24 Little Hours’ was a concept I came up with originally as an example of how a feature film could be undertaken at any budget level for a 1st time filmmaker. It was a project of theory until it was put to me as a ‘show, don’t tell’ reality by producer Damien Morley. The structure of the script lent itself to a lean shoot ratio while the actual production highlighted that a micro budget feature did not have to be the usual ‘4 people in a room’ scenario. Shot in 15 different locations and a speaking cast of 30.

As for the story itself, I purposely chose to be different. Although the non-linear way of storytelling is not new, I did write the script with the express desire not to have an obvious protagonist. As in real life, everyone is the hero in their own story and the villain in others. Although Kris Johnson’s character is the person most will feel is the main figure, the truth is, I wrote the part as a lynchpin to the 2 different stories being told. There is not meant to be a clear good guy/bad guy as everyone is flawed, the police aren’t the heroes just because they are upholders of the law, where someone who kills out of revenge for a loved one isn’t always seen as a criminal. It’s for the viewer to decide what side is right or wrong. Others may see it that this film is very much our heroine’s film, the disgraced detective whose own justice is sought for her redemption amongst her peers, expertly portrayed by the gifted Fiona Skinner. It is entirely up to the viewer to point their finger and say who the hero of the piece is.

Another element was to not have our killer speak; this was to highlight that he didn’t have a voice in the room. Those around him for their own purposes advise, manipulate or judge his actions without the audience ever knowing his mind, feelings or reasons. I understand that may be a risk that doesn’t pay off, nevertheless if you don’t push the envelope how would you ever learn and grow?

I am always left speechless when viewing the magic we captured on screen alongside our cinematographer, Richard Oakes. Each project I make is different, and I've found as a result that each person takes something different out of them, I’d like to think they have a varied message amongst their audience because I do not rely on just one art form to convey the piece. I strongly believe that a solid mixture of visual, audio – both word and musical, storytelling and cut creates a more potent piece for the viewer to digest that I will have the good fortune to do again in the very near future”.