'A Place of Refuge and Hope' is a piece of graffiti on the estate. It's quite ironic as many of the occupants find that they cannot wait to escape. After many thoughts into where i wanted to shoot the film, it was finally decided that i wanted to shoot it in Southend on the Queensway Estate. After many hours on the phones and emails, Kamilla secured the location agreements, and we were all ready to start shooting on the 18th Feb :D
On Friday 4th February, Me and Kamilla went to Southend to begin our audition process. We had a great turn out due to the help of Michelle Taylor who runs Blah Blah Productions, who supplied us with an amazing studio to have our auditions. We also had a lot of auditions through the website Star Now. In all we had about 25 auditions for 5 roles. the most demanded role was that of little Megan. We had 10 people audition, yet we could only choose 2 for the call backs on saturday.
Thanks to the help of Matt Gibbs and Alfie Thomson we managed to organise a great day. Also Kamilla organised the waiting room and made it a lot smoother for me and the possible cast members. After a 9 hour day we chose 2 of each character ready for the call backs on the 5th. Was a really tough process as there were so many good ones.
The call backs produced some great performances and made it even harder for me to decide. Megan the younger sister had 2 great applicants, and this was definitely my hardest decision, but i think i made the right choice. I chose Pia johnson who impressed with both days of her auditions. Unfortunately i had to let down little Zoe who was a superb character and i really enjoyed working with her. I stressed to her that i would love to work with her in the future.
The two main characters Kerry and Natalie were given too Amy Goodwin and Meaghan O'Neill. They both showed maturity that i really respected, they listened to all my directions and gave very strong performances. I cant wait to work with them. Natalies two friends Kristy and Millie were given to Harriet Moring and Alana Boden. Both great talents and still so young, is going to be really interesting seeing where they go within the industry. Both the character of Dean and Jill will be played by Alfie Thomson and Michelle Taylor. They both helped so much with the auditions and i was blown away by their portrayals of the characters and couldn't help but offer them the parts. A long time friend and past cast member in my previous films, Josh Brown has happily taken the role of the crazed Gang Leader, which i am really chuffed about, as i know he is a real determined individual that i trust fully. Below is the performers who will be portraying the characters i have created.
Gary Leon Bowyer: Writer/Director/Editor/Co-Producer
Kamilla Hodol: Producer/1st Assistant Director/Production Manager
Joseph Henderson: Director of Photography
Adam Turner: Sound Design/Music/Assistant Editor
Matt Gibbs: 2nd Assistant Director/ Assistant Production Manager
Michelle Taylor: Casting Agent
Mica Seaby: Costume/Make-up
(Kerry), 17, is a slim anxious teen, who thrives for better things. She use to be part of a notorious gang that hangs out on the estate. After many years of unwanted encounters with social workers and the police, Kerry decides to leave the gang behind, and get her self a job at a factory. She has become quite quiet and reserved, but can speak up when needed.
Females, aged 15 to 21 from the United Kingdom
Languages spoken: English
Accents spoken: UK Cockney
(Natalie), 18, is a demanding young girl, she wants everything she doesn't need, from the newest tracksuits, to the newest phones. She makes do by 'in her opinion' owning the estate. She loves controlling others, and intimidates anyone who gets in her way. She heads the gang that Kerry escapes, and Natalie makes sure that no one can disrespect her.
Females, aged 15 to 21 from the United Kingdom
Languages spoken: English
Accents spoken: UK Cockney
(Dean), 18, is a hidden character throughout the estate. He prefers to be doing his own thing, but his friends often get him involved with criminal activity. The boys gang rarely mix with the girls, but when they do, Dean is usually overlooked. He somehow decides that he wants to help Kerry with her predicament, and shows his voice by standing up against many morals.
Males, aged 16 to 22 from the United Kingdom
(Megan), 9, is Kerry's younger sister. She is naive and has preferred all her life to stay out of trouble, but she can become quite easily misled with force, and if somebody puts ideas into her head, she somehow caves in and becomes scared and confused. She looks up to Kerry greatly and fears Natalie quite strongly due to Kerry's advise.
Females, aged 8 to 15 from the United Kingdom
(Jill), 32, is Kerry's mother. Kerry seems to think that she doesn't care about the girls. Jill is a single Mum who works two jobs, by day in a super market, and by night in a club. Jill may seem like she doesn't really care about the girls, it's not that at all, she just doesn't know how to care, as she was a very young mother with no support at all.
Females, ages 29-35 from United Kingdom
languages spoken: English
Accents spoken: UK Cockney
(Kristy), 18, is Natalie's right hand girl. She agrees with many things that Natalie states. You can say that Natalie hides behind Kristy when times get difficult due to her tuff physique.. Kristy is happy with causing trouble, and she also idealises Natalie's fashion.
Females, aged 15 to 21 from the United Kingdom
(Millie), 16, is the slim replacement for Kerry. Millie entered the gang after Kerry left. Natalie somehow knows that Millie is somewhat of a disappointment compared to Kerry, but Natalie just drags her along anyway. She can be described as useless.
Females, aged 15 to 21 from the United Kingdom
Elusion is set within the concrete jungle of a deprived council estate. A story of sisters showing family loyalty, and the desire for escapism. This is a haunting reality of the safety of youths in today's society.
The story begins with a gang of girls manipulating Megan, a 9 year old girl who is easily influenced due to her failure of being able to stick up for her self. The gang is lead by Natalie, a 17 year old girl who wants everything. She mostly wants power, and to be feared by everybody.
Away from this scene Kerry, also 17, works hard in a factory packing boxes. She lives on the estate, and Megan is her younger sister. Kerry has no idea that her sister is being threatened in her very own home, by a gang Kerry would rather forget. Kerry arrives home and finds the girls in her lounge. After many words are exchanged, the gang leave, and Kerry is left to look after Megan. Their mother is not present at this point as she works late in a club.
The next day roles around and Kerry goes to work. During the day Megan is told to play outside by her mother Jill. Megan rides out onto the estate and suddenly gets snatched by the group of girls from the night before. Kerry is clueless at work, but when she gets home she discovers her worst fears, her sister is nowhere to be seen.
Kerry enters a search of despair to find her sister. It leads her to an abandoned parking lot on top of a tower, and she is forced to stand up for her sister. It leads to her being brutally attacked whilst Megan looks on in despair. An unknown member of a gang manages to step up and protect the sisters, he is Dean, an 18 year old who unknowingly to Kerry, works at the same factory. He could potentially be Kerry and Megan's saviour, or course for something terrible.
Elusion is set within the concrete jungle of a deprived council estate. A story of sisters showing family loyalty, and the desire for escapism. This is a haunting reality of the safety of youths in today's society.
The idea for Elusion revolves around the desire of escapism. I wanted to create a story from personal experience that i could really show passion for, but also create something new and completely different to previous projects i've been involved with. I want to completely understand the idea and how to tell it cinematically.
The story spawns loosely on past experiences of me and my brother. My biggest fear was seeing my brother attacked whilst he tried to protect me. It's a hard reality to accept if your guardian who you look up to, falls to a situation where you need them the most.
Reading many things about screen writing i found that you shouldn't become too personal when writing a story, so i decided to add a few things for dramatic effect, and decided to make the main characters a group of girls instead of boys, because i think that pulls me far enough away to develop the characters in a different and more efficient way.
