Target reached!
If we reach the stretch target, we'll use the money to make sure the cast & crew...
Never Again
Isle of Bute, United Kingdom
Aim
Raising funds to make a short film in Rothesay on the beautiful Scottish Isle of Bute, a melancholy & timeless coming-of-age tale.
NEVER AGAIN...
'Never Again' is a feel-good-ish film, a heartwarming & sometimes funny story about how dreams, kind of, sometimes, maybe, can come a little bit true...'
'A kiss, a punch & some funny mugs...'
Folk Radio interviewed Alec about 'Never Again'...
TIMING...
We are scheduled to begin principle photography in Rothesay on Monday 7th August 2023. We'll be recording soundtrack audio at LA Chunky Studios in Glasgow in May.
SYNOPSIS...
A Scottish family of four take a week-long summer break in Rothesay on the west coast Isle of Bute. Blake, our hero, embarrassed in the company of his ridiculous dad Frank, his sweet mum Nora & his devoted sister Freyja, meets Ava, a mysterious girl who just happens to be staying at the same hotel. They get to know each other, time moves on, and not everything goes how Blake wants. Isn't that true for everyone, always? Who is Tony the American and how does he feature in all this? Is he really American? Just you wait and see!
'Never Again' is a poignant & reflective coming-of-age holiday romance, a feel-good-ish but heartwarming story that will leave you with a melancholy smile, featuring a kiss, a punch & some funny mugs.
'Never Again' was written by Alec in January 2023 in a flat in Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, during January 2023.
CAST & CREW.
Alec Bowman_Clarke - writer / director
John Gray - pre-production support
Daniel & Emmanuel Odoom as 1st unit camera team
Mark Tipping - set stills
Connor McCausland - 3rd AD, crowd control
Cameron Clarke - sound recordist
STARRING...
Craig Mclean as BLAKE
Mary Ann Kennedy as NORA
Sabrina Mandulu as AVA
Julie Martis as THE HOTEL RECEPTIONIST
Connor McCausland as TONY THE AMERICAN
Chloe Hodgson as FREYJA
Gordon J Millar as FRANK
FLOYD as THE FRIENDLY DOG
Josienne Clarke - soundtrack
David Latto is licensing us his song 'Home Planet'
We are currently working on casting & are excited by the talent that the project has attracted - we need these funds mainly to pay them for their work.
'Never Again' is the most ambitious project I have embarked on, but everything I have achieved so far in my creative career has been leading me to the point where it's time to tread in the footsteps of Aftersun, Restless Natives, Local Hero, Trainspotting & Wild Rose & make an actual film out of nothing but my own life, skills & experiences in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
I have been making videos & taking portraits for artists for years now, they say I have 'an eye'. Look at some of the videos I made for Josienne Clarke recently for a flavour of my recent work. More coming soon.
I love working with film, trying to conjure emotions with sound & light. This is a passion and career of mine & making a proper short is an obvious step. My goal is that I can one day be taken seriously, both by myself & by others as a creative individual who came from nothing to build a sustainable global career from Rothesay on Bute, where the once-majestic seafront buildings are crumbling into the sea in the most beautiful way.
"I was inspired by my experiences as a young boy from the middle of nowhere, growing up without really understanding who I was or what I stood for but knowing that I must stand for something. You know the hazy way that memory distorts those feelings, twists them into unrecognisable ghosts that feel simultaneously like they happened to someone else and that they have an urgent & immediate impact on every second of your waking state of mind? I wanted to try to make people who watch this film feel that way, nostalgic and poignant in a way that might eventually lead to wisdom & growth. It's also about perspective - you can live right now, but also, it's good to remember that life is long, you have ages to do the things you want, so you should. Hopefully, it will make you smile along the way, too."
'Never Again' will have a very low environmental impact since it is all being made on my doorstep, with people who live nearby and on locations that I can walk to with my camera & a microphone, from my flat. I'll be asking everyone on set to work to the Equity guidelines on behaviour, conduct & respect. I'll be working conscientiously to ensure diversity in the cast & crew. I believe it is possible to conjure something wonderful from simple ingredients, if the story is good. Mine isn't earth-shaking but it is timeless, classic & relatable.
WHAT YOUR MONEY IS FOR.
We're running this as an 'all or nothing' project, meaning if we don't hit the target, we can't make the film, so your donations will be refunded. That's a bit mad - maybe we should just take less cash, but man, I'm not inclined to skimp on the things I make. What's the point in doing half a job and asking professionals to work for nothing? I don't support that outlook. So, this is me putting my money where my mouth is and striving to make something as good as I can.
Here are the specific things that donated money will be used for. If you'd like, we'll share our detailed budget with anyone who donates any amount so you can see exactly what we're planning to do. Just drop me a line & I'll share the details.
- Paying the actors & crew.
- Cast & crew accommodation & catering.
- Location fees.
- Props & art department/set dressing.
- Recording & licensing costs for the soundtrack.
- Mastering the audio.
- Entry into Film Festivals.
We'll be making this film with our own equipment & our own skills - we will not make a profit. The money we raise here will ensure we can pay everyone involved BFI short film rates and that everyone gets fed, watered & a bed for the night. It's a lot of money, but this really is a shoestring budget. We will use your donations to help us make something beautiful.
Thank you for reading, your support means the world.
I'll post updates here when they happen, about casting, location recces & other related information.
TARGET UPDATE: we've reduced the target down to £4,500 because we're half way through and haven't got quite far enough yet. We can still put the cast & crew on the island for the duration of the shoot for this new target, and this will allow us to make the film. If we end up exceeding the target, we'll use any additional funds to pay the cast & crew a higher rate. Thank you!
This project successfully funded on 8th May 2023