BITTER SKY is the story of a turbulent relationship between a single father and his daughter in a Welsh village community.
Film And TV Now spoke with director Joseph Ollman about his film and its’ themes.
FILM AND TV NOW: The film focuses on dysfunctional relationships and the context of a community. What was the start-off point for the short?
JOSEPH OLLMAN: Firstly, I wanted to make a film set in the Elan Valley, which is where I grew up.
It’s a tiny, remote area in Mid-Wales, but the place really lends itself cinematically for a wild and eerie setting. So we first had the location in mind, then came the characters. After having made several male-centric films, it was important for me to tell a female-led story.
So, in discussion with my co-writer Christopher Spurdens, the character of Nia emerged, drawing from not only ourselves, but a multitude of people we grew up with. In that way, the story that unravelled was influenced by the characters. But as we were writing we drew from a combination of our own experiences but also of people we knew.
Of course, as we went through several drafts we shifted the storyline and dramatised it along the way, but always in line with a clear vision of the kind of film we wanted to make.
FTVN: The lead character is strong-willed and shows some initiative when she fixes up the car. Was the character based on anyone in particular?
JO: It was partly based on a girl who lived next door to me growing up, but as mentioned previously there are elements of myself and other people I know in the character. The car bit was completely fictionalised though. We just thought it was a good vehicle (pardon the pun) for her intended escape.
FTVN: Tell us about your cast.
JO: We auditioned a huge amount of really talented actors for the two young leads – both from professional and non-professional backgrounds. Darci Shaw (Nia) came to us through our casting director Sarah Wilson – who was a family friend of hers.
I asked everyone to send in an improvisation and hers was just hilarious. We instantly knew she had all the qualities we needed in order to carry the film. Rowan Jones was also a great find. He’d previously been in one other film, which I’d seen at a film festival. I had enjoyed his performance, so we got in contact with him. I actually wrote the part of Roy with Richard Harrington in mind. He’s one of Wales’ finest actors and I’d always wanted to work with him. I was very glad when he was happy to come on board.
FTVN: There are some strong emotional moments in the short. Did you do much rehearsal with the actors before and during shooting?
JO: I always have at least one day of rehearsals before the shoot. I do a lot of improvs with the actors and get them to play with scenes that aren’t necessarily in the film.
I also try different ways that the scenes can go and it’s an open discussion with them about what we can change and adapt. This way they bring a lot of their own personal experiences and feelings into the scenes, which often allows for those strong emotional moments.
There wasn’t a huge amount of time on the day for rehearsals, so it was really crucial to get that in beforehand.
FTVN: Tell us about your production team.
JO: Kristina Epenetos (the producer) has an acting background, so we’d worked together at that capacity previously. However, we’d not spoken for a while and I had no idea that she’d started producing too.
At the time, the film had gone through multiple producers that’d had to drop out for one reason or another and I was considering producing it myself. Then Kristina was suggested to me through Peter Lee Scott at Odelay Films, which was a pleasant surprise. Chris (the DOP and co-writer) and I had worked together on multiple films previously, having gone to film school together.
But it was the first time that we wrote something together. It was great because our visions were so in-sync throughout the entire process. So the whole production were all really close, which made it very enjoyable and easy experience.
FTVN: Where did you shoot and for how long?
JO: We shot in a very remote and isolated part of Mid-Wales called the Elan Valley for 3 days. Some of the locations were really difficult to find and to get to! We had to drive camera trucks down some very steep and difficult roads.
FTVN: How did you raise finance for the film?
JO: Mostly from BFI Lottery funding and BBC Wales. I applied for a film grant with the script and had to pitch. But it wasn’t enough to make it, so we also had to get private financiers involved, who were incredibly generous.
FTVN: What has been the overall reaction on the festival circuit so far to the film?
JO: Obviously, it’s been really hard this year to gauge an audience’s response to the film. I still haven’t been able to screen it in a cinema and get that immediate reaction that you crave, which is a big shame. But on the other hand I’m sure it’s reached far more people through online screenings and people’s responses from that have been really positive.
FTVN: You are an actor as well as a writer/director. How does acting help your creativity in the other two disciplines?
JO: I guess it helps. I can relate to the actor’s process and I know what it’s like when a director doesn’t know how to work with you. More directors should seek acting experience I think, even if it’s just a few acting classes here and there. It also helps a lot with writing. I can pretend to be the characters as I’m writing them.
FTVN: You have worked in commercials and music videos. What are the key things you have learned in these fields that have helped shape you as a narrative film-maker?
JO: Mainly getting a story across is a tiny space of time, but also technical things that you’re much more free to experiment with in commercials and music videos.
FTVN: What issues and themes are you keen to explore in your future work?
JO: I love working with young people and reflecting on youth. I’m very interested to explore our impulses towards tribalism and brutality, but also to advocate community and togetherness. The polarised political divide in the Western world now is very interesting. That’s something I’m keen to explore.
FTVN: How has COVID-19 affected your development and evolution as a film-maker?
JO: I guess with any major event in the world, it unconsciously shapes what you create and put out into the world. I think it’s made everyone question society and also the future of the world. I’ll be sure to implicitly comment on that in my future work.
FTVN: Finally, what are you most proud of about this short?
JO: I think that I shot something where I grew up – so it’s really personal to me and a showcase for that part of the world. I’m also really proud of the performances, especially of the two young leads.
