Our latest short film CHANCE ENCOUNTER is brilliantly profiled TREK SPHERE!
Please find the link here:https://treksphere.com/fan-productions/chance-encounter-interview-with-gary-obrien/
CHANCE ENCOUNTER – Trek Fan Productions Profile!
Category Archives: Short films
FIX FILMS RETROSPECTIVE #4 – JACK & DANNY (2008) short film by Paul Laight
FIX FILMS RETROSPECTIVE #4 – JACK & DANNY (2008)
TWO COPS. ONE DILEMMA!
Another indulgent look back on works of yesteryear and Fix Films 4th short movie was a cheeky comedic chamber piece starring two excellent actors Chris Crocker and Phil Wolff. Technically speaking it’s very lo-fi with basic sound, natural lighting and a simple story of two cops on a stakeout chewing the fat over a possible adultery. In some ways it is more of a first draft film demo and was not intended for festivals and competitions. However, there is much to enjoy.
“And you wanted to extend that bone to her sister.” – JACK
Our intention was not to make another short as Gary was in the midst of post-production on Elephant Trunk (2008), but for reasons which elude me that was taking a while. Then we needed some urgent dialogue re-recorded with Chris, thus, I came up with the idea of shooting a quick short over a few hours AND getting the dialogue done at the same time. My flatmate had just moved out too so I had a free room too.
The idea came from an internet story which was doing the email rounds in the office and was called The Love Test. The characters are clearly archetypes seen on a thousand cops and robber shows but as I say we were going for direct and simple here. Phil played Jack, a jaded older cop who “coaches” the younger more sensitive Chris on the nature of what is or isn’t infidelity. Safe to say his advice isn’t particularly sage-like. This, the opposition of the characters and chemistry between the two actors is what drives the comedy.
“Love is natures’ way of conning you into the act of pro-creation!” – JACK
Looking back it’s certainly a funny script with great performances from Chris and Phil and it shows that with a couple of decent actors, some funny characters and a single room you can make something worthwhile. I had a lot of fun writing and filming this with the director Gary and cast. What it lacks in technical gloss it makes up with in humour, performance and some humorous lines. Here is the film:
‘CHANCE ENCOUNTER’ UPDATE: #STARTREK TRAILER REVEALED
‘CHANCE ENCOUNTER’ UPDATE: STAR TREK TRAILER REVEALED
Greetings. As you may or may not know I have been working on a Star Trek fan film with my movie-making partner Gary O’Brien. It’s a non-profit fan production which we have made on a shoestring. Having written an original screenplay and shot the brilliant script, we have now reached the post-production stage.
This is where Gary’s editing and F/X skills now take over and I am now proud to announce the release of a website – www.startrekshortfilm.com – plus the trailer below:
We have a lot of work to go but the shoot was an absolute blast and I thank the actors and crew for their brilliant work. Here are some stills of the production days where, amidst the hard graft, creativity and endeavour, a fantastic time was had by all.
This is our 9th short film to date – for all our productions do check out our website: www.fixfilms.com. Further updates to follow. Live long and prosper!
Star Trek and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan production is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made film intended for recreational use. No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.
CHANCE ENCOUNTER – LATEST UPDATES
CHANCE ENCOUNTER: A STAR TREK FAN PRODUCTION – LATEST UPDATES
If you didn’t know from reading my blog, as well as writing film articles and reviews for fun, I also write and produce short films. My short film production website can be found at: www.fixfilms.co.uk.
Our 9th and latest short film is a Star Trek fan production which contains a wholly original story; a romance full of pathos and philosophical drama. Our aim was not to copy characters and space species such as: Kirk, Picard, Spock, Riker, Romulans, the Borg, Bones and Scotty etc. but to create our own set of characters within the Universe. This is a low-budget and affectionate homage to the Star Trek universe and not an attempt to parody or take the piss basically.
Currently we are in the midst of the production and it is going really well. So, if you’re interested please check out our latest updates below. Our thanks once again to the www.kickstarter.com folks who contributed the budget for the film.
Hope you enjoy some of the latest updates:
Star Trek and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan production is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made film intended for recreational use. No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.
CHANCE ENCOUNTER – A STAR TREK FILM – UPDATE #2
Move over Michael Bay! Step aside JJ Abrams! Fix Films are here with the latest update for their new ultra-low-budget-sci-fi-romance film: Chance Encounter!
We have cast new great actors in Hayward B. Morse and Emily Wyatt. Plus, Gary has begun building the set out of wood and old car seats. Eat your heart out Hollywood! Oh, you’ve done that already?!
For the latest Kickstarter update click here! Or watch the latest update on the video below!
CHANCE ENCOUNTER – A STAR TREK SHORT FILM – UPDATE #1
Having successfully hit our Kickstarter target for funding our latest short film goes into pre-production. And we have some exciting news in regard to casting!
If you didn’t already know Chance Encounter is the 9th short film from Fix Films. The film itself is a 15 minute romantic drama, with a gentle and life affirming tone to it. Essentially it is a love story, dealing with the decision between spending a life with a devoted partner, or embarking on a dream career. There is also some intrigue, as two key characters investigate, pursue and attempt to make sense of the unusual actions of the leading man.
Our first actress – Ayvianna Snow – has been cast in the leading role of Rose Tennant and very talented she is too.
We are very excited about the project – please do check out the latest update video the director Gary has made. Expect more updates to come.
CHANCE ENCOUNTER: A STAR TREK KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN
CHANCE ENCOUNTER: A STAR TREK KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN BY PAUL LAIGHT
START KICKING
The traditional capitalist Hollywood machine model that has dominated the moviemaking industry remains in place like a fiscal contagion. Indeed, the money-people, financiers, studio bosses and banks that control the higher end of the cinema market are mostly beyond the reach of the struggling low-budget filmmaker. Some indie filmmakers battle the snakes and move up the ladder but more often than not they fall to their death into a pit of deathly vipers.
In the past there was purity to raising funds for the independent filmmaker. David Lynch made garden sheds when making Eraserhead (1977). Rebel filmmaker Roberto Rodriguez, allegedly, sold his body to science to raise the money for El Mariachi (1992) and the Coen Brothers shot a no-budget trailer for Blood Simple (1984) before approaching the Hadassah, the Zionist women’s charity, for production monies. Meanwhile, Terence Malick’s classic Badlands (1973) was funded by his own money and by doctors and dentists he had pitched the film idea to.
Oh, how times have changed; sort of! Aside from using bank loans, inheritances, student loans, government grants and maxing out credit cards there is an alternative to raising project budgets. Because now artists, filmmakers, writers, dancers, jugglers, mimes, comedians and authors in general can now reach out to the internet with their “begging” bowl via the plethora of online sites such as: Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Crowdfunding and many more.
As an independent filmmaker with eight films produced I personally like the romantic idea of working and saving and, on occasions, asking friends for loans to make my films. However, my attitude has shifted – because I’m broke – therefore me and my filmmaking partner Gary O’Brien have begun a Kickstarter campaign for our latest production called: Chance Encounter: A Star Trek Short Film. Click for the LINK:
CHANCE ENCOUNTER: THE STAR TREK STORY!
This is a universal love story set in outer space within the Star Trek television series world circa Next Generation era. It concerns two characters that randomly meet and have a big impact on each other’s lives. While I love sci-fi stuff with aliens and ray-guns this is a gentler story which favours character interaction and themes of loss, love and fate over special effects and monsters. We are not asking for massive donations and believe this to be a fantastic film to invest in.
Please watch our video and invest in our film; any amount will help us achieve our goal. Failing that I may be forced to sell a kidney or lung in order to hit the target.
IMPORTANT: “Star Trek” and all related marks, logos and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. The videos, the promotion thereof, and/or any other materials created by us are not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made film, intended for recreational use. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
In no case is the use of said copyrighted material, with or without identifying symbols, intended as a claim of ownership or infringement of those copyrights/trademarks by the maker of these videos or their content providers.
FIX FILMS RETROSPECTIVE #3 – THE TWO MINUTE SILENCE (2007)
FIX FILMS RETROSPECTIVE #3 – THE TWO MINUTE SILENCE (2007)
Once again I look back nostalgically on the production process of one of the shorts I made and the creative decisions around it. Indeed, in 2006 the Fix Films bandwagon continued with abandon; well, I’d managed to get some money for our next low-budget short somehow; and it was to be known in Internet-land as The Two Minute Silence!
After the arduous creative endeavour of A Far Cry (2006), for our next short film, me and Gary decided it may be better to stick to something slightly more contemporary. Thus, I pitched an idea for a group of office workers and their behaviour during a “Two-Minute Silence”. I assume everyone knows what this is but basically the whole nation contemplates a tragic event or international loss; IN SILENCE. Quite rightly the companies or organisations put this convention in place in order to respect those who have lost their lives due to a terrorist attack or some other horrible tragedy. It’s an interesting and important part of the bereavement process and used to be a minute but when writing the script I’d noticed they’d been increased to two minutes; possibly due to grief inflation or some such reason.
My idea stemmed from a couple of situations that I felt could be rinsed for comedic and dramatic purposes. Firstly, from personal experience I recall a number of “silences” in the office environment I worked in. As awful as this sounds my mind wandered quite quickly from the tragedy to my own mortality before moving swiftly on to what I may be having for dinner later. Consequently I felt if I had that thought then others must do too. Secondly, I also had a sketch idea that during some pursuit or chase it may be funny or suspenseful to have the criminals and cops have to stop, out of respect, while a silence is occurring. So rather than something serious, that was the tone and angle I was going for.
The chase sequence was the most interesting idea for me, but I kept coming back to an ensemble idea of eight or so characters in one room with their thoughts projected by voiceover to the audience. Thus, I set about writing the screenplay with archetype characters in the first draft simply named: the Romantic, the Bitch, the Penitent One, the Actor, the Slob, the Boss and so on. The key was to establish the characters quickly and give them each a recognisable situation with which to bounce the humour and pathos off. Indeed, I went for punchlines such as: the easy humour of a guy needing a shit; a romantic couple; the slimy Boss deciding who to give a promotion too; a religious person praying; someone actually respecting the silence; and a more complex situation of a potential madmen planning on killing his colleagues.
Once the script had gone through a number of drafts and I was satisfied there were enough pay-offs in the brief slice-of-life structure I started the casting process. Now, this is something I am very proud of as a producer because, as the film was self-financed, I pretty much handled all the castings and location scouting and worked really hard in my own time to find the right people and places. In terms of location we needed a conference room that could be used WITHOUT any interruption thus I paid for an expensive meeting room in Holborn, I think. The casting wasn’t so simple though. Thankfully there is so much acting talent out there I whittled the forty or so candidates I individually met down to these brilliant people: Faye Barber, Richard Cambridge, Chris Crocker, Enid Gayle, Chris Polick, Suzanne Rabia, Animesh Rawal, Joel Stubbs and Philip Wolff.
Ironically, for a film which intrinsically dealt with a specific two minute period it actually ran for ten minutes, and the two-day shoot was fantastically helmed by Gary with me on board as Production Manager, runner, caterer, cigarette wrangler etc. It’s always our rule that we pay the actors and while it certainly wasn’t big bucks we got so much hard work from the cast I was very proud of everyone. Ensemble casts could arguably be fraught with egos or prima donnas but we had none of that and the filming was a joy. The added bonus that it wasn’t outside in the pissing rain and mud, miles from civilisation in a field – like A Far Cry (2006) – also sweetened the whole deal too. Special mention to the brilliant sound guy Oli Cohen and simple but precise camerawork of James Abbott.
What I learnt most from this experience was that if you cast your film right then you will have a positive product. I don’t necessarily mean just good acting but decent people too who understand the script and work well as part of the ensemble. Pretty much 96.7% of our castings have been right on all our short films and The Two Minute Silence especially benefited from a good premise, a witty script, professional direction and quality actors. We had a mild drama when filming at the Cenotaph for one scene as we did not have permission and the police moved us along. However, looking back the project was an utter joy and we would get some great feedback and screenings in film festivals and on TV including: Angel Film Festival, The Big Chill Festival, Eastnor, Blue Light District, London Filmmaker’s Convention, Non-Multiplex Cinema Film Group, Portobello Film Festival, Propeller TV/Sky Channel 195, Reading Fringe Festival and Rotoreliefs.
Looking back on it now I think it stands the test of time as a decent character comedy that holds an honest mirror up to the nature of humanity. It’s economical and punchy and still makes me laugh. Plus, I had a wonderful experience making it too. Thanks to all involved; here’s the film:
GOD & TARGETS: TWELVE SCREENPLAYS BY CHRISTMAS
GOD & TARGETS: TWELVE SCREENPLAYS BY CHRISTMAS from PAUL LAIGHT
“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.” Frederic Nietzsche
I have over the years always wondered why I am alive. I mean: what’s the point of life? Why are humans here at all? Are we just animals or are we meant for something more? God or faith is one such thing that has papered over those cracks for some people. However, I am not a religious person as I prefer to believe in my own eyes, ears and experience. I am open to theories and hypothesis but do not require ideological brainwashing to help me get through the day.
Blasphemy it may be but much of my spirituality is gained from worshipping movies, music, sport and other cultural interests. Of course, family and loved ones are the priority and quite rightly give my life meaning and structure. But what keeps a person going from one day to the next? Money, work, exercise, drugs, travel, hobbies and the sheer desire just to stay alive are up there. Indeed, fear of the abyss can be another powerful reason to keep going; death is a great motivator!
Generally speaking my philosophy is be good to others, don’t be a cunt and if you can’t be positive make sure your negativity is either funny or interesting. I don’t need a God or a set of spurious ideologies to live my life. But, what I do like though from year-to-year is some kind of creative or personal target with which to propel me through the months. It gives me focus and takes my mind off death. There’s also a delusion in my psychology that perhaps one day my creative ability could get rewarded either in some form of employment or financial reward. You never know! Miracles do happen.
Targets of late have included:
- Lose weight and get fit.
- Start a diary where I record my events and thoughts through the year.
- Write and produce a cultural blog reviewing films, shows and events.
- Give up smoking.
- Write and perform comedy at one of the Fringe Festivals.
- Write, film and edit my own short film productions.
- To train and achieve a 10 mile distance run within a 12 month period.
- Do something for a Charity.
I can honestly say I have achieved these targets over the last ten years and in 2015 I decided to set myself another goal. On top of continuing my blog and diary and fitness routines I decided I would set about writing TWELVE short film screenplays in a year. Given I have a full-time job and am a parent this is quite a big ask. But on December 21st 2015 I hit this target! Good for me!!
So, for my own benefit I have listed the short screenplays I have written and the ideas behind them. Here’s to 2016: small victories are the way forward!
WAITING FOR GODDARD – DRAMA
PITCH
PAUL MORRIS is owed money by his so-called friend GODDARD and desperately needs it back. However, he’s in for a very long wait.
PREMISE
This is a snapshot story of friendship and betrayal. I wanted to write something that was simple to shoot and also a kind of homage to the opening sequence of Once Upon a Time in America.
SCREENWASH – COMEDY
PITCH
Comedy short satirising film shows incorporating reviews, clips and trailers of classic and upcoming film releases.
PREMISE
METRO LIVE is a bold, colourful and fun new TV channel serving London. It’s youthful and energetic and punchy and its USP is many of the shows are presented ‘LIVE’. SCREENWASH is its ‘LIVE’ weekly movie review show.
The show takes the structure of new movie release reviews; classic DVD/movie reviews; articles on featured movie director/actor; an artistic strand where he champions a gay/lesbian/black Eastern European filmmaker etc.; movie news and forthcoming presentations including trailers; competitions etc.
I basically wanted to embrace my love of movies through quick fire comedy sketches structured within a review show format. I also wanted to satirise the contemporary hipster styles and pretentious nature of arthouse reviewers. It’s probably my most ambitious script as it also incorporates a crumbling relationship between the presenters of the programme.
THE STAIRWELL – SURREAL COMEDY-DRAMA
PITCH
Postman, JOHN MILLER, gets trapped in a spatial loop on a building stairwell and can find no way of escape.
PREMISE
This story is classic-one-location-short-film-low-budget-territory with a Postman trapped in a spatial-time-loop unable to escape. I was inspired by my love of Dr Who as well as the notion of characters being trapped by circumstances and a dead-end job.
SOUND WOMAN – COMEDY
PITCH
MARTHA FOLEY wakes up one day and finds her every sound, movement and action is replaced by a movie sound effect.
PREMISE
When I was editing my comedy documentary The Rock ‘N’ Droll Experience I used some sound effects and I got the idea from that. I just liked the idea of experimenting with the form and content of sound effects. It’s a simple, silly idea with which to have fun with so for example our protagonist yawns and it sound like a duck quack. There’s no depth involved just a one-joke short.
MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS – COMEDY
PITCH
At the cinema ALICE and her boyfriend JOHN are terrorised by the noises made by fellow filmgoer, DARREN. When an argument ensues between them the characters from the film also take umbrage as chaos ensues.
PREMISE
This was inspired by my own experience of rude crisp and popcorn munchers at the cinema. So I set out to write something ridiculous and funny that deals with that particular pet hatred of mine. The idea of the characters on the cinema screen coming to life and interacting with “real” people is not new and clearly influenced by Woody Allen’s classic Purple Rose of Cairo.
SAMARITAN – DRAMA
PITCH
Two strangers reach out for each other on Beachy Head.
PREMISE
This is a very heavy drama about the desire to commit suicide. My filmmaking partner Gary O’Brien suggested I write something about an older man and younger woman but without any suggestion of anything sleazy. On TV and film older males are often characterised as “dirty old men” and he wanted to portray something nobler. Lastly, I had visited Beachy Head recently and found it to be a beautiful place tinged with a suggestion of tragedy as it is apparently a suicide spot for people in the UK.
C’EST FINI – EROTIC DRAMA/COMEDY
PITCH
HOSTAGE and KIDNAPPER find themselves attracted to each other in twisty crime drama.
PREMISE
Essentially an extended sketch I wanted to write something that was risqué and a little bit saucy so utilised oft-used kidnapping scenario for a dark story with a twist in the tale.
THE SHREDDER – COMEDY/HORROR
PITCH
Workaholic JONATHAN LAKE finds himself terrorised by a Shredder while working late at the office.
PREMISE
As someone who has spent long hours missing their family at a dead end job I wanted to do a simple morality horror story. Here the main character is committing more time to work than his family and the Shredder is a necessary evil to remind of what is actually more important. The horror genre is always good for symbolism of this sort and this film is silly but with a serious message.
RE-CYLE – POETIC DRAMA
PITCH
The up-and down journey of a bike from the United Kingdom to Africa.
PREMISE
In Britain, millions of bikes are thrown away or lie unused in sheds, whilst many people in Africa have no access to transport of any kind. So, I wanted to chart the story of a bike from the UK and follow its journey to a new home in Africa. A bit of a preachy one this one with a serious message as in the UK and Western world we take so much for granted and chuck things without making proper use of their potential.
TOLERANCE – HORROR
PITCH
SADIE CORT plots evil revenge on the sex-addicted boyfriend who did her wrong!
PREMISE
Good old-fashioned revenge story here with a little twist. Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and Roald Dahl this is a sweetly plotted two-hander which I really enjoyed writing because it’s funny and involves bloody death.
FAMILY TIES – HORROR/COMEDY
PITCH
Having killed his father and made it look like a suicide, SIMON BORG is hunted down by the tie he strangled GERRY BORG with.
PREMISE
Similar to The Shredder this finds an inanimate object – a Tie – taking on anthropomorphic powers and wreaking havoc. It’s obviously ridiculous but I like the idea of an object representing an emotion or feeling; and in this case it is guilt. Also, I love the idea of playing this one straight with heavy drama and homage to Jaws (1975) thrown in.
YOU HAVE A NEW FOLLOWER – DRAMA/MONOLOGUE
PITCH
Following a mysterious time-slip, KEVIN MANN’S life is thrown into flux when he finds out he has a double.
PREMISE
This idea was inspired by the many doppelganger films and stories around and I wanted to have a go at one of those. I also wanted to write something about a really normal, “boring” person and how they might react to having another version of themselves in existence.
FIRST TOUCH CHARITY VIDEO PRODUCTION by PAUL LAIGHT
FIRST TOUCH – CHARITY VIDEO PRODUCTION
First Touch are a brilliant charity who work with St George’s Hospital to support premature babies and their families.
I was asked by Suzanne and Angela from First Touch to help make a short video to promote their cause. I was so happy to help. It was a very low-budget effort but it encapsulates the highs and lows of life on the hospital ward while thanking those who donate and work for the charity. Here is the video we made:
Please do check out their website: http://www.first-touch.org.uk/ They are AMAZING!
The Cinema Fix presents 