The Job (2018)
Director: Pedro Del Battenberg
Writer: Howy Bratherton, Pedro Del Battenberg
Stars: Howy Bratherton, Josh Richardson
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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 co-writer and actor Howy Bratherton a few questions about what we can expect from his new film The Job which has been selected to play at the festival.
Q. What can we expect from your new short film The Job?
The Job is a dark comedy about two guys who have been given a simple enough task to complete. As we well know even best laid plans can encounter setbacks. Sean and Harry learn this the hard way, many times, through the course of the film.  What we hope our audiences can expect from The Job is a film that delivers laughs and situations to be glad that Harry and Sean are experiencing, and not themselves. ‘Rather them than me!’
Q. You co-wrote the film with director Pedro Del Battenberg, how did you come up with the original concept for the film?
The premise for The Job had been knocking around with us for a while. We really enjoy making films that aren’t character/cast heavy, and that require minimal locations. It allows us to really delve into a story and flush out the characters we have involved. So we knew we wanted to make a film about two guys faced with a problem that they have to fix there and then. The Job, and Sean and Harry, grew from there really! The characters themselves have changed a lot since the first drafts, and we’re really happy with how the dynamic between the two of them has been finalised.
Q. You also feature in the film as Harry, did you originally write the character with the intention of playing the role?
Whenever I write a film, I always let the characters develop organically as the story and plot progresses. It can be a real hindrance on the writing and the film itself if you try to write yourself, or anyone else for that matter, into a script. After finishing the first draft of The Job I couldn’t stop thinking about Harry and the type of person he was. I even found myself adopting mannerisms and attitudes that he would have whilst re-reading and editing the script. That’s when I knew I had to play him. Of course, I ran it by Pedro (my partner in crime) and did a screen test for him too, and he agreed that I should play the role of Harry.
Q. Are there any elements of your character that reflect some of your own personality?
I really hope not! Actually, tell a lie. There are some aspects of me in Harry. I’m a bit of a stickler for being punctual and for things to be planned out well and be carried out in the same manner. Unfortunately, as we all know, this can’t always be the case, so I definitely feel Harry’s frustration when something so simple becomes a tooth and nail task. Literally. I feel it’s always important as an actor to imbue the characters with some of my personality, no matter how minor, just to keep my portrayal grounded. Find something you share with the character.
Q. Did you experience any challenges whist making the film?
With it being an entirely outdoor shoot we anticipated that the elements would be against us. The forecast predicted that we would only have a small pocket of time that the weather would be perfect for us to shoot in. We were pleasantly surprised when the weather stayed perfect for us all day, allowing for us to have a more relaxed shoot and giving us freedom to try some spur of the moment things. Everyone really brought their A-game to this film so there were no issues at all, which is rare for an indie-short like ours, and I couldn’t be prouder of everyone involved in this film. The overall main challenge we faced was lighting a match…
Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?
Trying to light a match! It provided some good ‘Gag Reel’ material at least. My favourite moments on set were provided by everyone involved. We were able to have a laugh and enjoy the shoot, which I think is fundamental in bringing a film to life. One of the things I love most about making a film is the gag reel that also comes from it, and The Job certainly provided a plentiful amount of outtakes for that. Josh  (who plays Sean) is a fantastic, comedic actor, so maintaining a serious composure during some of our takes was a challenge, especially if I could see Pedro trying not to laugh out of the corner of my eye. If Pedro gets the giggles that’s me gone too, we’re hopeless in that sense!
Q. Do you have any new projects which you are working on?
Pedro and I do have a few projects in the pipeline which we shall be working on once we have enjoyed the festival run of The Job. We always come up with plenty of mad ideas that we make note of, it’s deciding which one to run with and commit to paper which is the tricky business! Personally I am in the pre-production stages of a brilliant, independent series called Olympia playing the role of Hades. Olympia is along the lines of Skins, Misfits and Being Human but with Greek gods and heroes in the modern world. The pilot crowdfunding campaign is currently on Indiegogo, which has a lot more information about the series itself and the characters involved.
Q. If someone is looking to direct own film, what advice would you give them?
Stick to your guns and know the film you want to deliver. This isn’t saying you shouldn’t be open to ideas that others may bring your way, just always remember that this is your film, know what’s right by you and have the confidence in yourself to bring to life the film you hold dear. And most importantly enjoy the journey you’ll go on!
You can follow Howy Bratherton on the social media pages Instagram, Twitter and director Pedro Del Battenberg on the social media pages Instagram, Twitter
You can also keep up to date with new films from Party Hard Film on Twitter
For more information about the upcoming fundraiser for Olympia on Indiegogo and follow on the social media pages Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
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!
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