In my latest interview on Blazing Minds I got an opportunity to ask actor Sam Gittins a few questions about the upcoming crime drama ‘Break‘. In the interview Sam discusses how he got into acting, working with Rutger Hauer in his final film role and filming at the world snooker championship finals at the Crucible Theatre.
A gifted inner-city kid, wasting his talents on crime, gets in over his head until a chance encounter with a stranger presents him with an opportunity to turn his life around. But is it too late?
How did you first get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do.
I first did the usual sort of class clown attention seeking school plaything, which just kind of progressed into naughtiness at school. But my mum in primary school held on to their paper that a teacher given us for The Brit School, which is a free performing arts school in Croydon near where I grew up. So, when I was about 13, 14 and at the height of my amateur boxing days, I thought I was just going to do that as a pro, but my mum made a suggestion of going there and auditioning. One or two auditions later and a couple of explanations about some in discrepancies on my school report and I was in. Four years later, I was graduating, taking an agent and that was it. So, it was kind of a passion that grew thanks to my mum showing me that there was more I could do than my hyperactive tendencies to just box.
Things could have been very different though if you went into professional boxing instead, it could have been a very different career for yourself
Absolutely, and I still have the occasional semi-pro or unlicensed fight, whatever you want to call it, or I did. Now I’m slowing down, just training and going into the coaching. I think there is a lot more longevity in the acting than the boxing match for sure.
Obviously you latest film Break is a very different type of sport with Snooker, can you tell me a little bit about the film itself and what we can expect?
As you quite rightly said, this film is based around a young lad called Spencer Pryde who has this incredible snooker talent which he has put to waste. He’s gone down the road of petty crime and just not doing anything with too much effort in it, so that his friends don’t have an opportunity to mock or laugh at him. He’s One of those kids that has a nice nature about him, and he’s not even with the wrong lot, but he’s just in a working-class area where it’s not cool to try. If he puts himself out there, he feels a little bit like he’s gonna get mocked and put down, he shouldn’t be deserving of good things. He lost his dad to prison for a long time and he has a lot to deal with, but he uses snooker as kind of his road out. It’s kind of a rags to riches tale almost, with quite a lot of twists and turns along the way, a lot of grit and heart in it. I think it’s really special.
From when Michael Elkin sent me the script 6-7 years ago, before we had any producers on board or any other actors, it was just me and him talking about it. From that point onwards, it’s been very, very special and it’s just been sort of a battle that Michaels had to have on his own to get the thing made. Stay true to his ideas and not let the powers that be destroy it, which often happens. We certainly stuck true to what we thought it was going to be.
Did he have you in mind for the role originally?
Yes. Well, he came up to me, we didn’t know each other that well, but we knew each other from the area. I think he was doing a bit handywork, actually in a call centre that I was working at as an 18-year-old. I’d literally just come out of school and hadn’t even had a proper acting gig yet. We was talking about Eltham, which was the club I boxed for and the place that he lived in. And he said, “You know what, I’ve got a snooker script. I’d love to read it”. I just sort of said, “Yeah, I’d love to” and I didn’t think anything of it. Two years later he came back to me and said, he wanted me to read it. So, I read it. I absolutely loved it. And I genuinely replied, within two hours of reading it, which I never do. You can ask any of my agents, they are always pushing me to get stuff
. But two hours later, I’ve rung him and said, “I want to do this badly”. And he said, “I see you as the role its yours”.
It’s interesting actually, because throughout those years it took to get ready before Terry (Dwyer) and Dean (Fisher) were on board. Michael was approaching finances from different people and there were a couple of occasions where they said, “recast a bigger name for the lead and the money is yours”. He actually stuck to his guns, which I’ve never had in this industry before. He Said “It’s Sam or you can keep your money”. I think he turned down some big offers to keep me in and it took him a lot longer to get it made so I am forever thankful for that really.
That’s a good thing about him being the writer as well because he sees the way he wants in the character and must have seen yourself
Yeah, I think you’re right. Michael is one of those people who are incredibly genuine. He’s an incredibly talented writer and a real actors director as well. I think independent films are famous for everyone’s trying to sort of get as much attention on their film and possible, as quite rightly so. But I think Michaels concentration has always been foremost, even in the world of independent film when you do get dragged into conversations about production and about PR that Michael is not too fussed about. He still managed to stay true to him, just making a really gritty, emotional and real film.
And what sort of preparation did you do for the role?
For myself, what I do with every role is take the character and I split him into four or five different characters. I actually learned to do this by accident, because I was doing a time travel film in Italy, which had been written by an Italian, so it wasn’t completely clear in all the places. It was a good fun film and what have you, but I was running around in this in this time travel. So, I’m thinking to myself, I need to write Ricky 1, Ricky 2 Ricky 3, Ricky 4. And that’s what I did with Spencer. Because I find it quite boring to think about an ark, with acting they are always talking about the arc. You know where they’re going, where the plot is, how they are going to get there. I think it’s more interesting to say, he starts out this kind of person, he learns a thing or two or this upsets him, and he becomes this sort of person. So, I actually created five different versions of Spencer and in each scene I would choose which kind of Spencer her would be. I think it’s really authentic and I find it easier to slip into authenticity with that because I think everyone has different versions of themselves or what they portray to different people or will bring out in different situations.
With the filmmaking itself, you are often on a tight budget and schedule, did you experienceany issues which you had to overcome?
I made a conscious decision a few years back after quite a lot of TV work and a few regular roles on TV, that I thought it’s time to break into film. I initially started with independence and there is always the people getting home on time, not having the budget to get things done. With those things, you always feel in the early days a level of stress around you, but where I’m starting to get used to it now I’ve learned to sort of find my own space on set and not let any other things creep in. They are always bound to, you have a real close connection with the producers and the grownups upstairs as I like to call them. There is benefits to that as well if I’m honest, you get to have a say in a lot of things where when you’re involved in bigger projects you just wait to hear when it’s coming. There are definitely things that are stressful, but mainly it’s the time thing. We all we all wish we had more time to do these things.
And on a more positive side, what some of your favourite moments during filming?
There were some amazing moments. There was a scene I did with Luke Mably, who’s an incredibly talented actor and actually a little bit too modest of his own talents. He’s brilliant. We did a scene outside in the blocks in West Norwood which is just around the corner from where I actually live. There was just a moment on set where we just nailed the scene and we both kind of knew it. It was nice to see him be pleased with his work as well as well as myself. I mean, I’m always pleased with my work (laughs). But no, it’s just really nice to see him sort of appreciate the scene we put together and for someone of that experience and that stature its great.
And then a funnier moment is with the great Rutger Hauer, god rest him, when we were doing our first scenes together. When the camera was on him, he’d be delivering his lines with absolute perfection. When the camera would then return over his shoulder, in a very mischievous manner he would actually start pulling faces, and it was quite a serious scene. It’s no skin off his nose, he’s an incredibly experienced, brilliant actor, Blade Runner, you name it. And I’m there panicking. He’s a big name in my head you know, and I’m thinking you’re really putting me off now. That was a really funny moment, but the whole shoot was great.
The makeup team and the costume team it was fabulously fun, comforting and great to be around all day, the whole crew were just so lovely brilliant. And with Michael at the helm, Michael, I can’t stress enough. I’m going to say every single interview he is one of the best directors I’ve worked with and that’s someone who has just directed his first film. He is just incredible.
You had some scenes which you shot in front of a championship crowd what was that like?
At the Crucible we were there on the final day and it was amazing. So many fans there, a lot people coming up to take pictures with us and stuff. I mean most of them didn’t know who I was, a couple of people clocked my old EastEnders role, but it’s all nice and fun. You get to chat to people about snooker and the passion that still is behind the sport. It was a really hot day as well and I ended up just wanting to watch the snooker and have a beer, but it was a really lovely day shooting up there all the same.
What do you hope people will take away from the film?
You know what, when I was a preschool teacher called Stuart Warden, and I still speak to him now. He once said to me, because an audience laughed during a scene that we thought was quite serious, and we got up a bit uppity about it. He said something along the lines of, “It’s not up to you how the audience sees it, you just put your performance out there”. So, I don’t have any aspirations if people think parts of it are funny and they enjoy those bits great, if people are emotional or inspired by it, great. I just want people to be able to see it and enjoy it in their own way. That probably the worst answer to that question you have ever heard, but there you go (laughs)
And do you have any other project you are working at the moment?
Yeah, I am just starting preparation for a film we are shooting. All things going well at the end of August into September, but I can’t really say anything about that yet. I do have another film coming out Ray Burdis’ To Be Someone and a film by Ben Moe coming out as well, which is called Behind the Line: Escape to Dunkirk. I’m leading in both films and really excited about seeing those. I take part in a couple of episodes of a new Netflix series called The Liberator, which is gonna be really exciting. Thats about World War Two and the of liberating the death camps. I’m really excited about that as well because it’s my first American role. In terms of working on at the moment I’m not allowed to say, but it’s not all over because of COVID. Shoots are happening, we are going to be on set in September. I think everyone else just keep chins up, because I see tapes coming in and I think we’re going to be back at it soon.
One last question for you. What advice would you give to someone who’s looking to get into acting themselves?
It’s not really my advice, its advice which has been passed onto me, but it’s not the be all and end all of your world just because you want to be an actor. I don’t mean don’t commit everything to it, I just mean make sure you have other interests and are a well-rounded person. Exercise, find a sport and a hobby, maybe even find another job that you can do flexibly that you enjoy, another career. You know, I spend so much time in call centres and on building sites and nowadays, a number of other things. I have a podcast, I box and coach, I work for a media company, I do different bits when I’m not acting and I think it’s important because it’s how you grow and experience other people. So get out there and give it your all, but make sure you’re taking care of you and not just taking care of yourself of yourself in the industry.
A gifted inner-city kid, wasting his talents on crime, gets in over his head until a chance encounter with a stranger presents him with an opportunity to turn his life around. But is it too late?
Break will be the first ever premiere to be held at a Drive-In and then rolled out across the UK at other locations. The premiere will be hosted at Brent Cross Drive-In Club on Wednesday 22nd July, with the star-studded cast and celebrities in attendance.
You can find out more about the premiere and purchase tickets for the event on the official website.
You can keep up to date with news about Break on the following social media Twitter – Instagram – Facebook
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
