What inspired you to come up with the idea for the film?
On the surface Bodies is a tense thriller, however, the inception of the idea came from our desire to explore the concept of memory and whether memory is about experience or simply feeling. Do we need to of actually experienced an event to have a memory of it or would we feel the same if it were simply implanted. Ben and Rosie find themselves in a desperate situation and they agree to take part in a bizarre medical experiment. There have been many films about people finding themselves in odd medical facilities, however, Bodies places our main characters in an old farmhouse, the most non-medical environment. We became fascinated with placing them in an uncomfortable situation with money on the line.
Why did you want to tell this story?
We loved the way Bodies threw our characters into a completely uncomfortable situation. What initially seems to be just an uncomfortable situation develops quickly into a life threatening situation. When the true nature of their predicament becomes clear, Ben and Rosie are left questioning everything. We were passionate about telling such an intriguing story.
How do you relate to your characters or subjects?
Well, two of our characters are crazed scientists with a seriously disturbed view on the world, so we can’t exactly say we relate to them. However, our main characters (Ben and Rosie) are just your average couple in their early thirties. They are struggling for money, we are independent filmmakers so we can certainly relate to that. Ben and Rosie can’t find their place in a world that seems awkward and uncomfortable to them.
What aspect of your story changed the most during writing and production?
Our initial draft had the majority of the action taking place in a very different setting. This was a major change during the development process. We found that the setting felt too generic and when we discovered our fantastic location the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Suddenly we could see the Kenilworth Life Sciences centre. It worked perfectly for the film.
What was the most courageous decision you or your crew took during production?
Shooting a project primarily outside in the middle of January was a pretty courageous decision. Joking aside, the most courageous decision was probably to stick to making the film we believed in, with few effects and a real focus on story. Our previous films have been more visual effect reliant and with Bodies we wanted to make a film that really represented us.
Were there any risks that you faced during production and how did you find a way to embrace them?
We didn’t have any huge risks due to the fantastic planning of our Producer and AD team. We were lucky enough to shoot the entire film on one great location, all of our locations were within 10 minutes walk of each other. Therefore, the biggest risk in January, the weather, was accounted for. On the day before production started we were hit by a half a foot of snow. Not a lot of snow for most of the world but in South East England everything grinds to a halt. Luckily we managed to gather everyone together and we had to shift our shoot days to get everything inside for day one of production.
What influences the visual style of the film?
We wanted a saturated bleak feel for the film. Kenilworth Life Sciences needed to feel like a desert from emotion or family. The influences for this are everything from The Road to Another Earth. The camera needed to focus and push in on Ben and Rosie as their worlds fall apart.
What risks did you take to tell your story?
We were pretty determined to make our project. We started work on this project in September 2016 and a year later we are about to premiere. There are of course inherent inbuilt risks with filmmaking, however if you work with the right team and plan appropriately then you can reduce these risk factors.
How would you encourage others to tell their story or manage through the process of screen writing or film producing?
I would simply say get on and do it. Film now is accessible to all. We can all make content with our cell phones. The key is it has to be appropriate for the resources you have. Don’t think you can make the Avengers with a DSLR and a 10k budget. Be realistic and be creative, the more wild the better. The key is to make something that you would want to watch.
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