THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE

Chris Jones said to me some years ago that I must watch EXAM written and directed by Stuart Hazeldine as it was a brilliant film.

When he told me that the action revolved around group of actors all in one room it told me everything I needed to know. Having only distributed British & Irish films for 18 years I had seen so many micro budget efforts set solely in - a house, an old banana warehouse, a factory etc. At best these were stage plays, at worst radio dramas. So many of them failed to be entertaining.

Chris mentioned it many times. He was an associate producer and obviously very proud of the production. I might even have given him the impression that I had seen it when I had not. I finally watched it, on I think Netflix, and was greatly impressed. It is so well constructed that its budget limitations actually work to the betterment of the film, which is a rare achievement. Anyone thinking of embarking on a low budget film should watch it to find out how to construct a success. I suspect Stuart spent years writing many, many different drafts of the screenplay.

Stuart’s latest film THE SHACK has taken, to date $57 million at the USA on a budget of $20 million. How many British directors have this kind of success.

Another UK director doing well in the USA this very week is Johannes Roberts. His film 47 METERS DOWN made it to No4 in the US box office charts.

To succeed in the USA is extremely hard as America produces a large number of highly talented filmmakers, more so than any other country. 

Both of these directors came up through the ranks the hard way and not the UK Film Council/BFI/BBC/Film Four route with their cabal of favourites, many of whom secure large investments for films that then do not perform, and so these much-heralded golden boys and girls of the British film industry disappear totally from the world of films.

As with most things in life it is best to learn the hard way from the ground up.

My first film as a producer was nominated for a BAFTA and was relatively easy to put all the elements in place. It was said at the time that it was the first "true" independent production made with the BBC. I was part of the cabal....I think. 

I would then make many, many, many mistakes which cost me dearly in time and money in the following 20 years because I did not know what I should have known when I started.

THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE is an excellent fable because it is based upon truth.

Worth noting those of you having a hard time at present.