The Story
The film opens with M.J reading a letter that their Dad wrote to them to wish them good luck in their GCSE Exams. The letter opens as follows:
"Dear Matthew
Let's get something straight from the start, you're a knob head, you come from a long line of great knob heads, My Grandad was a knob head my Dad is a knob head, I am a knob head as is your brother, one day Harrison will probably be a knob head to. We are however nice people and we try to do good in the world. I want you to know how proud I am of you in what you have achieved over the last few years, you endured such a hard time but you took it all head on and overcame the challenge that was in front of you."
'Dear Nobhead,' is a participatory documentary that tells the story of the film's director (M.J Connor) living with MADD (Mixed Anxiety and Depressive Disorder) and their father, who has always supported them but has struggled to understand what they're going through. This will be shown through a dramatized lens to show what it's like living with this condition. Towards the end of this film, M.J will be showing the dramatized short-film to their father to capture his authentic reaction to the film. He has no knowledge that this film is being made, as we're surprising him. So his reaction to the film will truly be authentic, raw, and hopefully moving.
M.J's father is now retired but he served in the Greater Manchester Fire Service for 31 years. Throughout the dramatized film, we show an actor portraying M.J from their perspective to show what it's truly like living with MADD, but during these dark scenes there's a fireman figure who symbolises their father who supports them and comforts them.
We believe that this is a powerful story worth telling to not only make people who live with MADD feel seen, but also to anyone who suffers with any kind of mental health condition. We are hoping to partner with some mental health charities to help spread awareness for this film.
Above: Teaser poster created by Alex Nash, contains images of younger versions of M.J with their father, Simon Connor
Meet the Crew!
M.J Connor- Writer and Director
"Hi! I'm M.J. I'm the director for this short film which is pretty helpful given I'm the focus of the documentary. I suffer from a super funky disorder called MADD, so I'd like to make a documentary about my personal life with this disorder and how I've come to cope with it thanks to the help of my super awesome father, who's also in this documentary! This story encapsulates my life while I've been in education (which is all of it!) so I hope you all enjoy and take something away from my story. Even if it's just that my dad is kinda cool."
Morgan Mackerness- Producer
"Hey there! I'm Morgan, producer of 'Dear Nobhead,'. I'm absolutely thrilled to be a part of this project to help M.J bring their important story to life on film! M.J is one of my best friends, and I feel honoured to be producing and original and moving father and son story from them.
My job is to make sure that this story is treated with the respect and sincerity it deserves, and to bring everyone's creative elements together to strive for a high quality production that resonates with people. I hope that not only people who live with MADD feel seen when watching our film, but I hope that anyone who suffers with any kind of mental health condition also feels seen."
Jack Evetts- Cinematographer
"Hi I'm Jack, the DoP for Dear Nobhead. I can't wait to get started with filming this documentary and explore different ways M.J and I can interpret how we show MADD. I've already had so much fun with preparing ideas, practicing lighting and location scouting, so I can't wait for you all to see the final result!"
Thomas Crowley- Sound Designer
"Hi! I’m Thomas and I am the sound recordist/editor for “Dear Nobhead”. I am very excited to be a part of this documentary, and to be working closely with a brilliant crew on a film that’s subject matter hits close to home. I will strive to create a unique experience through sound for the audience, capturing the themes and tone of the film in the process, and making it the best it can possibly be!"
Seth Culliford- Production Designer
"Hello, my name is Seth, and I am the set designer for Dear Nobhead. I’m thrilled to be working on this film not only because of its compelling subject matter but also because it gives me the opportunity to further develop my skills as a set designer. This is a role I’m truly passionate about, and I see a lot of potential for it in this film. My goal is to use sets and props to enhance M.J’s MADD and portray it in a realistic, yet respectful and captivating way. I’m excited to be part of this talented crew, and I’m committed to putting in the work to make a film that I can be proud of."
Aaron Riaz- Editor
Crew photos by: Imogen Bell Photography
The Inspirations Behind This Project
M.J has used their favourite film, A Silent Voice (2016) as a key inspiration for this project. The film's visual interpretation of anxiety and depression is handled very well, which has inspired the themes and the visual imagery of Dear Nobhead,. A Silent Voice showcases the perspective of the main character Shôya Ishida who has severe anxiety and suicidal thoughts, and this is shown through abstract imagery through his heightened viewpoint. Such as regular peoples' faces being crossed out as he walks past them, to communicate a sense of fear of being watched, and a constant underlying dread of the worst possible outcomes happening. Our film will share similar elements in how we're visualising M.J's MADD, while also making it as truthful and as authentic as it can possibly be to M.J's real story.
The Arbour (2010) is another key inspiration for this project. The documentary feature film follows the story of playwright Andrea Dunbar and Lorraine, one of her daughters, and the community of Bradford. It's told through dramatizations and abstract surrealist imagery with actors lip-syncing the real voices of the subjects in hard-hitting and emotionally moving scenes. This has heavily inspired the emotional weight of the abstract imagery that M.J wants to display to visually communicate the hard-hitting nature of their condition.
Visual Style
Jack and M.J will be creating a unique and distinctive style for the look of our film. If you haven't noticed already, we have two primary colours on the forefront of our marketing and socials, blue and orange. These colours will play a crucial role in our lighting and colour-grading choices in our final film. The blues will communicate a sense of coldness, which fits the mood of the darker dramatized scenes were M.J's MADD was at it's worst. The oranges has a warmer tone, communicating a sense of hope when things take a turn for the better in the story. These two colours will be combined together in our studio set-build where the real M.J further talks about their relationship with their Dad. Check out Jack's moodboard and his lighting tests below to get a deeper sense of what our film will look like!
Why Us?
We believe we are the right people to tell M.J and Simon's story as most of us on the crew are close friends with M.J, but their story resonates with us deeply and we want to put our all into making this film the best it can possibly be to match M.J's vision. The film in essence, is a response to Simon's letter, a way of saying thank you for everything that he's done for M.J, as he has been the beacon of hope that's always been there for them, during the dark times.
As this is also our final project on our film course at University, it feels like a perfect send off to M.J's educational journey, and for Simon as well as he has been there to support them every step of the way throughout school, college, and University.
We hope that this story resonates with people who also suffers with MADD, as well as anyone who suffers with any kind of mental health condition. This film also acts as a reminder that there is always someone to talk to you and support you throughout the darkest times and you will always be heard and seen by those who you hold close to you dearly.
Where the budget will be going- Why Your Help is Needed!
Our target goal for this project is £1,500. This is to help fund the creative elements in our film, as well as making sure our actors are well looked after and accommodated during filming, and to submit our film to as many film festivals as we possibly can! With your help and support, we will be able to fund the following:
- Accommodation for actors (Airbnb)
- Travel for actors (Train tickets and car fuel)
- Appropriate and fair pay for our actors for their amazing talent and hard work
- Production design (Props and costumes)
- Lens filters for the cameras to create unique in-camera effects
- Catering (drinks and snacks), so that our cast and crew don't go hungry during filming
- Film Festival submissions to spread M.J and Simon's important story across the indie documentary UK film scene
Even if we don't reach our full goal, we still get to keep what we raise, but in order to make our film comfortably, the best it can possibly be, to look after our full cast and crew properly, and to get our film recognised in film festivals, we need all the help we can possibly get from all of you to bring this moving story to life on film.