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Prepared

An optimistic dad with a 'prepping' hobby gets more than he bargained for when the UK is suddenly attacked. He protects his wife and daughter in their makeshift 'safe-room'. When he later ventures out for medicine for his daughter, he draws unwanted attention to the family home. Do they hold the fort or abandon ship?

  • Terry Winnan
    Director
  • Terry Winnan
    Writer
  • Terry Winnan
    Producer
  • Joe Warriner
    Assistant Producer
    Bad Things
  • Marcus Uthup
    Editor
  • Marcus Uthup
    Cinematographer
  • Joe Warriner
    1st Assistant Director
    Bad Things
  • Alexander White
    Original Score
  • Craig Rogers
    Key Cast
    "Chris"
  • Rachel Hassett
    Key Cast
    "Liz"
  • Clara Winnan
    Key Cast
    "Sarah"
  • Joe Warriner
    Key Cast
    "Main intruder"
  • Daniel J Ratcliffe
    Key Cast
    "2nd Intruder"
  • Helen Walling Richards
    Key Cast
    "Lady Walker"
  • Joseph Walker
    VFX
    The Walker, On the Blunt End, Coronation, The Object,
  • Katie Devine
    SFX
    Bad Things
  • Nick Kapalo
    Fight Coordination
  • Shaun Toft
    Original Music
    Angessonedh
  • Valerie Rose
    Original Music
    September
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    32 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    28,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Terry Winnan

Terry Winnan is company director with a background in engineering, originally from Cornwall, United Kingdom. After living for 16 years in London, he now runs a business from Gloucester, UK manufacturing specialist inspection equipment for government organisations around the world. During 2022, his company RVA Synergies Ltd developed a special air filter product for domestic use in safe rooms and emergency shelters. With survival during a catastrophic event in mind, along with a growing interest in film making, he began writing the script for Prepared in January 2023. Exactly one year later, production of his first 32 minute film would be complete.

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Director Statement

In 2022 Russia began its 'special military operation' in Ukraine. President Putin issued a stark warning to the world that his nuclear forces were on alert, should anyone try to stop him. We saw a slow but consistent set of escalatory steps as the west poured more and more resources into the war. Currently the world is in a near cold-war situation once again, with the proliferation of small tactical nuclear weapons adding to any likely hood of the unthinkable happening. Prepared depicts a regular dad with more awareness than the average person, following the basic advice set out in the 1980 civilian booklet 'Protect and survive'. The booklet contained information about how to find the safest place in one's home, and how to minimise exposure to radioactive fallout, should one's house escape a nuclear bomb blast. During the set up of the film i use the character 'Liz' (The wife) to represent the indifference or obliviousness of a large portion of the population to the existential threat of nuclear war. Later in the film i carry out a near role reversal as Liz, the indifferent mum who refuses to touch a crossbow, becomes the protector herself. I wanted Prepared to be an action packed short film that rewards the viewer with a view of the outside world, rather than spend the duration of the film inside the confines of a single room. In addition, i intend for it to be something of a public information film, which reflects the current advice about what to do in a nuclear attack scenario. Overall, the message is that there is every reason to survive a nuclear attack, yet the immediate threat after that, would be other people and an abandonment of law and humanity. Despite this, rebuilding society would ultimately be an altruistic endeavour, rather than 'one man in his castle'.

Prepared was uploaded to FilmFreeway in January 2024, however in July the film received a new 'grittier' colour grade, which i believe much better conveys the feel of the film. This newly graded version is now uploaded for you the programmers, to view. Thanks for watching!