Tapestry Talks - Interview with Steve Conway, writer and director of Electrician (2020). # T A P E S T R Y T A L K S (2020) Thanks for taking the time busters’, completely zoned an independent filmmaker, to speak with us Steve. out watching it on television I think I have always had an I guess we should dive while all this mayhem goes affinity to similar filmmakers straight in! So, where did it on around me. In a way I and films, but it is definitely a all begin - when did you first think that kind of sums me mixed bag to say the least. become interested in film- up. The first two films I can making? I never went to college remember seeing when I or university to study film- was younger which sparked From as young as I can re- making; I tried a few very the notion of ‘I’d love to do member I have always been short courses when I was this’ are on completely dif- obsessed with films. The younger, but I didn’t particu- ferent ends of the spectrum storytelling, imagination and larly enjoy them. I found what - the first being ‘Withnail & I’ escapism of it all, I just loved worked for me best was to and the second being ‘Termi- it. How you can be totally get a camera and to just be nator 2’. transported and immersed constantly filming and ed- Both of those films I am into another world for two iting stuff, literally all of the totally obsessed with but for hours. time and study films by reli- completely different film- We have a family home giously watching them which making reasons. I have also video somewhere, proba- I do anyway. always been massively into bly taken around 1992, I was films from the 60s and 70s, I eight years old and it’s of my Being self-taught, you must love how they were crafted. In his first interview, graded the film, so we Steve came across younger brother and sister have had a lot of inspira- Films like ‘The French Con- we sit down with Steve were eager to sit down in production, things chasing and play fighting tion, right? Are there any nection’, ‘’, Conway and discuss with him and pick his such as the entire cast, each other in the living room, specific films that spring to ‘The Ipcress File’, ‘Taxi Driver’, his award winning brains over the film except for one, being causing havoc and perform- mind that you particularly ‘’, ‘Get Carter’, ‘Mean debut feature length which was five years made up of people ing for the camera basically. admire? Streets’… I could go on and film, ‘Electrician’. in the making. We get who are not actors by In the background I am sat on. Tapestry are very the lowdown on the trade. Electrician totally engrossed and mes- Well coming from a working proud to have colour unique challenges merised watching ‘Ghost- class background and being

#2 Tapestry Talks Steve Conway Interview #3 # T A P E S T R Y T A L K S

I’ll have to put a few of been a fan of the work of ferences, such as the short derstandably, most people those on my list to watch, Christopher Nolan, Shane film concentrating on race not connected to the film in that’s for sure. Moving to Meadows and Ben Wheatley. related issues, overall the some personal way would directors, are there any that I followed their careers care- idea was mostly the same, not be interested. really influence you and fully and while they are all about a lonely electrician your style of work? Or just quite different types of film- called ‘Mark’ living in The film took five years to directors in general that you makers, the one thing they all consumed by city life and complete. Did you always look up to? had in common was at some trying to reconnect with his know it would be a long pro- point early on in their careers estranged family. In-fact, four ject, or were there certain I am admirer of the work of they decided to just make of the original cast from the unexpected obstacles that directors such as John Car- a feature film, to just get on short film including Rory Far- lengthened the process? penter, William Friedkin, Ken and do it. That very much relly, who plays the lead, and Loach, Alan Parker, Michael inspired me. Gary Oldman’s Peter Clarke, who plays oppo- The feature film script was Mann, Sidney Lumet and ob- ‘Nil by Mouth’ was also a big site him, go on to appear in written in 2015 along with viously Kubrick, Scorsese and inspiration for Electrician in the feature film all reprising the start of pre-production, Hitchcock to name but a few. the sense of the world he the same roles. principle filming finished in Although it isn’t just directors created. Once I decided I was 2018 and the film itself was that I feel have influenced going to make a feature film completed and signed off me as a filmmaker. The work Speaking of inspirations for and in the manner of which I at the beginning of 2020. of , film Electrician, where did the was going to make it, I knew Naturally I had no idea at score composers, film edi- idea for the film originally I had to write something that the start of it all that the film tors, documentary filmmak- come from? was feasible for me to actu- would take me five years to ers and stills photographers ally execute. First of all, there make. Three years of filming have also. Well the idea of Electrician, was no budget. It had to be wasn’t because the film itself However, it was the work the feature film, came from a film that I could make with consists of any dramatic car of some home-grown British the short film version of the whatever I had around me chases or lots of technically directors that inspired me to same film I wrote and made at the time, the filmmaking involved scenes, it was purely push on and actually make back in 2010. Whilst there tools I had, locations available because we were fitting it in a feature film. I have always were a few slight plot dif- to me and people to appear and around every day life and could only get shots done in people’s spare time outside of their paid jobs. It then took another two years to com- plete in the edit and post. Initially I did look into the options of trying to source and apply for funding/ film- in it etc. Whilst writing Elec- heighten the sense of realism making grants etc and put a trician I was always bearing I wanted to create and so it proper crew together. This is these things in mind, so my made sense to base a film 100% a good option to look circumstances very much around that. into if you are a filmmaker, dictated how the film was I knew there would be and I am not saying that the written. no clear end date to when way I went about making a Another main reason the filming side of it all would feature film is the best way why the film was based even be finished let alone for everyone. Yes, if given any around an electrician is be- a completed film, so trying cause I happen to know that to convince outside world very well, I grew up crew members or “I GREW UP KNOWING A knowing a lot of electricians professional actors to LOT OF ELECTRICIANS AND and could easily tap into it. be a part of it would So I knew this could help be a hard sale. Un- COULD EASILY TAP INTO IT.”

#4 Tapestry Talks Steve Conway Interview #5 DID YOU KNOW?

To earn an income during the period of making the film Steve worked with real electricians, assisting them on construction sites. funding it may have helped the lead role ‘Mark’. I have It goes back to what I was speed things up and light- known Rory for the best saying earlier about having ened the load and essential- part of 20 years and he has your circumstances dictate ly it would have maybe been always been very encourag- what you write and there the “proper” way of going ing to me and my filmmak- were obvious pros and cons about it, but the more I ing and he has appeared in to using non-actors. I knew looked into it the more I just a lot of stuff I have filmed the script could not be dia- felt it wasn’t for me. Looking over the years including the logue heavy, but the story back now I feel that was still short film version of Electri- still had to go from A to B via the right decision for me cian. Whilst he is the first to dialogue. There were times personally and the film. Yes, say it is not his chosen it took longer than anticipat- field, I can tell you he “...THERE WERE OBVIOUS ed, but one of the reasons is a very talented actor. why Electrician works in my I knew from the off PROS AND CONS TO USING opinion is actually because that Rory had to be NON ACTORS.” of the somewhat unconven- involved and play the tional way it was made. lead role again for the fea- when I needed the actors ture. to say the lines exactly how And how did the dynamic they were written, but other differ, directing people that The nature of what I was times I would allow them to you know and who aren’t filming was based around get to where I needed them professional actors - Was construction workers and to get to in their own words, it difficult or did it actually working class people, I knew just as long as they includ- turn out to be easier? that all the other people ed information I gave them. who were going to appear Sometimes I would help get Whilst I was writing the fea- in the film also know those them started with a specific what will happen in the mo- One thing for example would was so obsessed with mak- ture script, one of the very worlds very well - they came sentence or I let them im- ment. I also made sure I kept be to perhaps ask for help a ing the film I am not sure of first things I did was talk from them. provise as I very much enjoy everything relatively within lot earlier on, not just with how much I actually stopped to Rory Farrelly who plays Working with “non actors” improvisation and seeing all of their comfort zones, not filmmaking aspects but to take it in and enjoy it. just the dialogue, but what I outside of that also such as I was 29 when I wrote asked of them physi- and started to film Electri- cally such as walking “I WAS 29 WHEN I WROTE cian and 35 by the time it around and hitting was completed. Not only markers and such. ELECTRICIAN AND 35 BY does it test you to your Overall, I think they THE TIME I COMPLETED IT.” absolute limits, but also all done superb and the people around you some of the performances promotion and the social as well, friends and family at times are nothing short of media side of things which who have to put up with you. extraordinary. is a whole separate beast in There are also a lot of sacrific- itself. It also took me a long es involved that I don’t think It’s quite a multifaceted pro- time to accept that the film anyone can prepare you for cess to make a film, what was finished, because I just and various struggles and have you learned from the constantly thought I could do pressures put on many as- experience and is there any- better, whether it was how pects of your life. thing you might do I shot something or how I Once the filming was differently with hindsight? edited a certain section. It is completed it then became easy to say now, but I think a very solitary road again for Hindsight is always a won- if I could go back and give a long time during the edit. derful thing and there are myself one piece of advice By the time I got to the later plenty of things I would do it would be to try and enjoy stages of editing and went differently if I could go back. it more. Enjoy the process. I into final post-production I

#6 Tapestry Talks Steve Conway Interview #7 was more than ready to start poster. I was lucky because it has been on a great run For me it was always a dream getting Electrician to as wide to do such as shoot, edit and working alongside others all of these super talented winning six awards including and ambition to make a fea- an audience as possible, I am write features for other direc- again to help breathe life into people and others that were Best Feature Film and Best ture film. currently developing a sec- tors, get involved with docu- it. involved were a dream to Music at the Top Indie Film That is all I wanted to do from ond feature film script to di- mentary filmmaking and also That side of things I very work with. Overall the edit Awards in Tokyo, Japan and a young age and the reason rect that I am excited about. more stills work. Other than much enjoyed. Meeting and and final post to sign the film Best Director at the New why I wanted to be a film- I am also in the early that, you will find me spend- working alongside the likes off took two years. York Movie Awards while also maker. Whilst it was stages of creating all of the ing time with George our of musician Hannah Holland being nominated for another extremely difficult to achieve online video and stills con- family dog. who would go on to create What are you hopes and fifteen awards in other festi- and a very long hard road, tent for an exciting British an amazing award winning plans for the film now it’s vals which has been fantastic I am happy that I did it and tailor called ‘Harry Joseph Well thanks again for taking original soundtrack for the finished? and I am so very proud of that I persevered with it and Tailoring’. I am always open to the time to chat with us and film which she worked on everyone involved. I will always be grateful to meeting and discussing pro- we are really looking for- tirelessly. In March 2020 we were lucky The film is scheduled to those who helped me. Natu- jects with people and whilst ward to seeing Electrician Rick Smith who came enough to have a private be in festivals right up to the rally the experience has been I will always be a film direc- taking it even further in the onboard as the dubbing premiere screening of the start of 2021. invaluable moving forward to tor at heart and I want to film festival circuit. mixer and done an unbeliev- film for everyone involved My goal is to get the film out work on future projects. As continue directing, there are able job straightening out plus family and friends in to as wide an audience as well as continuing to work on definitely other things I’d like all of the sound, the guys at the main screen at the Ritzy possible whatever platform Tapestry who did all of the Cinema in Brixton. That was that may be on and I am cur- Poster design by colour grading which was a very special night none of rently looking at and discuss- Dominic Hailstone also an absolute monster us will ever forget, ten years ing what the various options of a job where nothing was in the making really. As of are for this to happen. too much trouble for them January 2020, Electrician has and artist Dominic Hailstone been off around the world Finally, what’s next up for who designed and created a doing the film festival cir- you? Any other future brilliant award winning film cuit. As of today, in July 2020, projects in the pipeline?

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