Axman (2019)
Director: Marc Blake
Writer: Marc Blake
Stars: Fiona Hardy, Simon Scardanelli, Rob Trend, Marc Lucero, Ian Alldis
Petty rivalries and huge egos clash as Smokescreen, possibly the greatest Rock and Roll band of the 70’s reform for one last Album and tour. Trapped in an underground recording studio simmering tensions boil over with fatal results and dark humour.
The Southend-on-Sea Film Festival will be returning for its 11th year from 23rd May to 27th May. In preparation for the event I got an opportunity to ask producer and DoP Duncan Newham a few questions about what we can expect from his new film Axman which has been selected to play at the festival.
Q. Axman has been selected to play at The Southend-on-Sea Film Festival. What can we expect from the film?
Sex, drugs and Rock & Roll with a heady mix of deceit, dark secrets and dastardly deeds thrown in. Agatha Christie meets Spinal Tap (1984) on Coke, locked in a recording with a killer … What could possibly go wrong.
Q. What were your influences for the look and style?
Budget, time and desperation (ie running out of the first two, leading to the third). Very much rock legends such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, all the big bad boys of Rock & Roll but now with their bus passes and arthritis.
Q. As part of the film you have to recreate the energy of the band playing on stage at a concert, how difficult was it to recreate and capture on film.
We specifically cast actors who could play their own instruments to add realism so in essence we were just filming a gig, we deliberately left that shoot to the end of filming so the actors had time to bond as a band and it definitely comes over on screen.
Q. As the producer you are responsible for bringing the film together did you experience any issue whilst making the film?
We finished shooting another movie 6 weeks before so it was a desperate struggle get the main set built and dressed on the soundstage in that time, the paint was still wet for the opening shots. As we have our own studio, we were able to spend extra time (and sleepless nights) getting the set just right.
Q. You have a cast playing rock stars both in there in their youth and as ageing rockers. When considering the cast did you consider looking at musicians who can act or actors who could portray a rock musicians?
We did consider using musicians but whilst the movie is very Rock & Roll the story at it’s heart as old as mankind so we wanted to concentrate on the performances not the music. Having said that most of the main cast had been in bands in their youth and Simon (Roger Axman) is still gigging around Europe. Marc (Jon Drummer) spent many months learning to play drums specifically for this movie.
Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?
Cat wrangling, getting a fury faced actor to purrform is harder than it looks, I’ve often described filmmaking as the act of trying to juggle cats but at least this one landed on his feet.
It’s hard to pick any single moments but going through the blooper reel (it’s after the credits so don’t leave too early) brought back fond memories of the fun we had making the whole film.
Q. Do you have any new projects which you are working on?
I’m currently directing music videos for a Boy Band SS18 in Beijing China and our comedy horror “cid Pitstop is in post-production. We (FreeSprite Media) are looking at a number of scripts for future productions both features and shorts, including two features Hot Dogging a very British comedy / farce and an as yet unnamed supernatural / horror thriller.
Q. If someone is looking to get into filmmaking as producer, what advice would you give them?
If you have skills exploit them, if you don’t, get some. The best thing you can do is get some “Extra” work, there are lots of agencies and even StarNow or Mandy are always looking for people. Do unpaid work and learn your way around a film set, the film industry is very much a case of who you know not what you know if you’re looking for a way in. Getting known around a film set will create opportunities.
The Southend-on-Sea Film Festival runs from Thursday 23rd May to Monday 27th May. You can find out more about the event and purchase tickets on the website https://www.southendfilmfestival.com
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!
