Features

Here you can meet Matt Day, a 36-year-old who has been living in Shoreditch for the last seven years, and Susanna Wallin, 32, from Hackney.

Contrast their experiences with what's gone before, and use the links below for more.

Matt Day - how did you begin making films?

I've been making a living as an actor for the past 21 years both here in the UK and in my native Australia. I've always had a fascination with photography, super 8 and DV but I never thought of making short narrative films until I saw Lynne Ramsey's 'Gasman'.

I found it deeply affecting, more so than most feature films, and it sparked a new obsession with the short film format.

Initially when I was writing the script I found it difficult to lock down exactly what my film was about - it definitely throws up more questions than answers - but I would say it's about blind obsession and its consequences.

It reaches quite a harrowing and unexpected conclusion. What was your inspiration?

It came from an article I read in a newspaper about four years ago and I adapted the story from there. Something very similar to what transpires in 'Wish' transpired in the suburbs of Paris, only my film is not meant to be an actual representation of what actually occurred, but my own interpretation of what might have been.

Your main character Jane is played by Imogen Poots from 28 Weeks Later and V for Vendetta. How did you go about the casting?

I found Imogen through my good friend Rose Byrne, who was acting alongside her on 28 Weeks Later. Rose had read my script and recommended Imogen, so our casting agent Suzanne Smith set up a meeting and of course we offered her the part straight away.

They say that the short film is a director's calling card. What's next for you?

I plan on making another short, a longer script I've had for a couple of years. I also have an original feature script in development, while not trying to neglect my acting which still means a great deal to me.

If I can somehow manage to do both, I'll be a very happy man!

Next up is Susanna Wallin with her short 'Eddie Proctor' - how did you begin making films?

I grew up doing a lot of painting and writing, always wanting to give the writing an image and a time aspect or sense of narrative to the paintings. Film became a combination of the two. I studied film at the London College of Printing and then did an MA at Goldsmiths.

If you had to give a synopsis of your film in a few lines, what would you say?

Inside a suburban table tennis centre a group of people kill their time playing ping-pong. On one evening, Eddie Proctor steps out of the game.

I am generally reluctant to tell people what to read into the films I make. But this film is a story about a life coming to a close and a celebration of the person who happened to live that life, in this case, a man named Eddie Proctor.

Your cast is made up of more mature actors, what were the benefits of working with more seasoned thespians?

Most of the people in the film are not actors. They are regulars at the centre where we shot the film. I like the fact that each face shows the imprint of a life lived.

I also wanted to contrast the speed of a ping-pong game with the weight and pace of these people moving around this little plastic ball. The role of Eddie was played by an actor, David Bailie, and it was great to work with someone who could give such nuance to emotions.

They say that the short film is a director's calling card. What's next for you?

I would like to do a few more short films to try out some ideas I have and then I would like to make a feature length film.

London Calling screens on Monday 29 October at 21.00 in NFT1. Use the links here for more details, and to go back to part one of this feature.

RELATED LINKS: