We are proud to be supporting this years unique ÉCU Independent Film Festival in Paris. And we are incredibly honoured to have had the chance of interview multiple award winning director William McGregor who’s UK NSFF Award Winning Film ‘Who’s Afraid of the Water Sprite‘ is part of the ÉCU Independent Film Festival. This is just one of almost 20 student films from all over the world that are part of this years ÉCU Film Festival and highly recommend you take a long hard look at the 70 films showcasing at the festival next month.
How did you get into filmmaking has this always been a passion?
Becoming a film director was never a boy hood dream, I always thought Id be playing rugby. My ambition was to play for England. But I dislocated both of my knees and couldn’t walk for 10 weeks. The time I spent laid up in bed I drew pictures and wrote stories. Then after attempting to pull through a tough rehabilitation I was told I could never step foot on the Rugby pitch again. I had a huge void to fill in my life which had previously been dedicated to my sport.
Turning the stories I’d written into short films felt like a natural progression, I loved photography and drawing so realizing my writing as imagery made a lot of sense. I wanted to tell stories and filmmaking appeared to me to be the best medium to do so.
Tell us about your films, what is your approach, how do you come up with your projects?
I have a definite method in my filmmaking, although it has developed by accident. I tend to create ideas and make films from what I have around me. There are stories everywhere, its just about finding and presenting them. I like restrictions, so I try and give myself a few, such as a specific location to work from.
I also work from a single line as a theme, it is my concept that all else grows from. With my first feature ‘The Rising’ which I’m currently developing the line is ‘Our life is the story we understand it to be.’ This gives me a point to research and develop from. But It’s surprising how many of the themes you pull into your work are subconscious and always present from film to film.
How did Rooster come across, from your website you have done everything in producing that film, was it hard?
I made Rooster in the way I did as I’ve been working with big crews a lot recently and I wanted to go back to basics and challenge myself. In a way undertaking all roles in production was a tough job, but that just makes me more proud of how it turned out.
Your film Who’s Afraid of The Water Sprite is part of the ECU Film Festival in Paris, are you excited about this?
I’m very excited about screening at the ECU Film Festival. Paris is a wonderful place and the festival promises to be an incredible experience. The film has been screening for over two years now, so its incredible that we are still getting festival invites from such amazing festivals.
What have been your the challengers you have faced?
In honesty every day is a challenge in this industry, but Id say one of the most challenging moments I ever faced was in torrential rain part way up a Slovenian mountain. One of our crew members had to go to hospital, then the car taking them crashed with three of our crew on board including our producer. That was a particularly dark moment, but we kept shooting and the crew pulled together to get the scene shot.
Things are going so well for you with you winning and being shortlisted for many international awards, you feeling the pressure?
I’d say its excitement more than pressure. I see what is happening at the moment as encouraging. Especially as I know there’s still a lot of things I can improve upon, my films will only get better and that’s a positive thought to consider.
You where shortlisted for the Pepsi/Raindance competition what was that like being placed in the final 10?
I made this entry as a bit of fun, we shot it in a weekend with £100. The prize was a £30,000 production budget, so for that amount of money its worth a shot. On finding out we where short listed I was exceptionally happy. Our ethos was if we drank back our production budget at the awards party then we where onto a winner no matter what the outcome of the competition was.
How do you feel about the closing of the UK Film Council, do you think young filmmakers like yourself will find it harder to break into the UK film industry?
The closing of the UK Film Council is a sad thing, but the people working their will move on and still contribute to our growing industry here in the UK. The money will also still be available; it will just be distributed differently.
To be honest though I don’t totally agree with short film funding, I think young and aspiring filmmakers should just head and out make films of off their own backs regardless of funding. I see a lot of pointless beautiful short films when I’d rather be watching something with a better story and lower production values.
My opinion is that the state of our economy offers a platform for the young and talented to step up as the economical option. I think it could be a very creative and exciting time.
What do you want people to take away from your films?
I want people to feel that their time spent watching any of my films was worth it. Whether it inspired them or moved them. I don’t necessarily mind if my themes and subtexts aren’t picked up upon as long as people understand the story and enjoy it.
What advice would you give other filmmakers?
Get up early and work hard. Not only on your films but on extending your knowledge base, making contacts and promoting yourself as a story teller.
What was it like being nominated NSFF?
Last year we won 3 awards at the National Student Film Festival, best Genre, Best Cinematography and Technical achievement. For me it meant a lot to be highlighted as one of the best student films of that year. I had a lot of pride in my crew and it made me hungry to start my next project.
Finally, what are you working on now?
Currently I’m working on a number of commercial projects. Pitching on Music videos and Adds for an agency who I’ve just been signed to as an in house director. I’m also working on preparations for the London Sci Fi 48 hour film challenge with a talented bunch of people, which should be a lot of fun.
Most important to me however is the development of my first feature film which is a progression of ‘Who’s afraid of the Water Sprite?’, the film is called ‘The Rising’ and is being produced by the Emmy award winning producer and former chair of BAFTA Hilary Bevan Jones.
