Under the Radar: The Mike Edmonds Story (2016)
Director: Simon Frith
Stars: David Bell, Mark Billingham, Devan Bowden, Jeremy Bulloch, Vin Burnham
The story of one of cinema’s true professionals, “little person” Mike Edmonds, from his early life in Essex to the Star Wars franchise, Time Bandits, the RSC and beyond.
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 director Simon Frith a few questions about what we can expect from his new film Under the Radar: The Mike Edmonds Story which has been selected to play at the festival.
Q. What can we expect from your documentary film Under the Radar: The Mike Edmonds Story?
When I began researching Mike’s story, I was in some ways expecting a tale of two parts. On one hand, it was always going to be a joyful and unique memoir about working with screen legends on some of cinema’s biggest films. On the other hand, Mike’s condition (achondroplasia) means he’s in almost constant pain, undergoes frequent operations and has difficulty getting about – so I kind of expected that joy to be tempered by pathos, or even outright negativity. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Mike’s vigour and love of life, his upbeat personality and his sense of humour are really inspiring, and leave you feeling ready to take on the world. The film doesn’t invite audiences to feel pity – far from it. It’s as much about Mike’s positivity in dealing with his condition as it is a celebration of everything he’s achieved – and most importantly of all, it’s a riveting story. If everybody in the world had Mike’s outlook on life it’d be a much better place.
Q. What made you decide to make the documentary originally?
I’ve known actor Mike Edmonds for probably about 25 years. He’s appeared in a host of major films, including Time Bandits (1981), Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Dark Crystal (1982). However, as he’s usually hidden inside costumes or under layers of prosthetics, he’s not a familiar face, and when people discover that he’s been in Star Wars they often mistake him for the late Kenny Baker. So, I wanted to tell his story.
Q. You obviously know Mike Edmonds quite well prior to making the documentary, but did you learn anything new about Mike during the process?
Having known Mike for a long time I obviously was very familiar with his career, but I guess what surprised me was how much of an impact he’d made on those he’s worked with over the years, and how readily they queued up to get involved with the project.
Q. The film brings together actors and actresses that have worked with Mike over the years. How difficult was it scheduling people to get involved and were there any issues where some couldn’t participate?
Scheduling was probably the second trickiest issue we encountered. For example, Colin Firth agreed to be involved when we were making the original short version of the film, but we just couldn’t co-ordinate diaries as his filming schedule was so intense. I re-established contact when we began the extended version, but it still took six months to get a filming slot with him. It was well worth the wait though.
Q. How long was the process of bringing the film together?
The original short version took about a year to produce, and the extended cut about another year. With documentary filmmaking, the story has to unfold and take shape at its own pace. It’s a process of exploration, and you have to structure and re-structure as you go along.
Q. Are there any elements which have been cut which you would like to have kept in the final film?
It’s always tempting to include every fun anecdote, but as with any type of film it’s also vital to keep the story moving and the audience engaged. If you go “off-piste”, it needs to be for a good reason. Not everyone who watches Under the Radar will have seen all of Mike’s films, and we knew we were making so much more than just a “fan-boy” piece. We also had a few occasions where it wasn’t possible to get any supporting visual content, either because it didn’t exist or couldn’t be licensed.
Q. Did you face any challenges whilst making the film?
The biggest challenge was undoubtedly seeking permission to use clips and photos. Part of the reason the film took so long was the waiting time for approval. The process went something like this: find the content – find the rights owner – email the rights owner – wait – phone the rights owner – wait – email the rights owner again – (repeat cycle 20 times). Sometimes it paid off, but in one case I waited five months to be finally refused.
Q. What were some of your favourite moments during the making of the film?
We got to work with some of the greats of cinema and television, which is always a pleasure. But really, the most rewarding aspect for me was having the opportunity to tell Mike’s story and (hopefully) touch people’s lives.
Q. The film has been selected to open the Southend-on-Sea Film Festival as the feature for the opening Gala. Are you surprised at how well it has been received?
However hard you work on a project; you can never take success for granted and being selected to open the festival is a massive honour. That said, I do think the film has all the right ingredients. It’s an uplifting story of a local cinematic hero, made by local filmmakers with a serious sprinkling of stardust.
Q. Do you have any new projects which you are working on?
I’m working on a number of projects at the moment, both drama and documentary. One of the docs is a collaboration with music video director Andy Delaney about the contemporary music scene in Southend, which we’re calling Sound-on-Sea. It’s been in production for about a year and is still a developing story, partly because the Southend scene itself is always evolving. But watch this space.
Q. If someone is looking to direct own documentary, what advice would you give them?
Engage hearts and minds, but above all be entertaining.
You can find out more about Under the Radar: The Mike Edmonds Story and other projects from Red Stable Films on the website: www.redstablefilms.com
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!
