Bailey is our very excellent guest blogger
It was January in Leeds Art Gallery. Black Company had just finished their final performance of Little Red Riding Hood as part of a larger exhibition. Sarah had invited me to see some of the installations- it featured some fun conceptual film work that she knew I’d be interested in, as well as to support my fellow YT-members. As people are collecting bags and making their way out, I found myself, as ever, wondering where Mr John Broadhead had disappeared to. In this time Sarah asks me if I would be interested in making a film with Gold company. Our new home at the Hepworth is visually stunning, and we have a group of young people that were more than willing to help. It was a daunting task. I’d never made a short film, I’d never worked with actors that weren’t also my best friends. I’d never shot in a location as beautiful as the Hepworth. So of course I said yes.
And so ‘The Detective Collective’ was born.
It has been and continues to be an unfair amount of fun. I’m also fortunate to have Tom at my side as my sound recorder/stunt co-ordinator/co-director/producer/person-who-makes-sure-I-don’t-do-anything-too-ridiculous. Admittedly that last one isn’t his strong suit. I’m learning things about myself as a director, my styles and abilities and also how I work. The film itself is still in a simultaneous production/post-production limbo, which is also a fascinating challenge in itself, and I’m curious to see how it turns out (brief summary: it’s Scooby Doo meets Star Wars meets the Breakfast Club meets an overwhelmingly inexperienced director).
With Kendal on the horizon we’re knuckling down on Eclipse and Darkness In The Light. From my perspective Eclipse is shaping up wonderfully, and there’s a newfound energy in the play as we’re implementing changes partially influenced by the notes we received from the National Theatre Director. I’m loving it. it’s my first straight play outside of school or college, and it’s been a crazy experience. Properly grappling with character work, and imparting into and removing from the character certain elements of myself has been massively helpful for me as an actor and as a director.
It’s also been just socially fulfilling. I’ve had the opportunity to work with actors that I didn’t know before, people from other companies and people I hadn’t seen since leaving school, all of whom are talented and bright young people. It’s been interesting developing the characters over the past few months, and watching people grow into the characters in the same way I’ve grown into Klondike. It’s been a whole bunch of fun. Flashback to a year ago and Sam, John and I are sat watching Hacktivists, wanting to take part. Crazy how things come around like that.
Roll on Kendal.
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