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Minutes
Experienced through a series of vignettes and set in one location, Minutes is a 12 minute film that spans the entire relationship of Harriet and Jordan. It is an exploration of co-dependency and self-discovery, made by the LGBTQI+ community for the LGBTQI+community.
Project
Minutes
Story:
When Harriet celebrates her 25th birthday, Jordan happens to be housesitting next door. After a mutual encounter with ABBA at 2am, the two click and begin their romance. Thereafter Minutes follows the fast, joyful falling in love of Harriet and Jordan as they navigate their mid-twenties in a flat in North London. Riding the highs of the honeymoon period they neglect the subtler cracks in their relationship, leading to an inevitable break up and leaving us with the question, what next for this pair?
Themes:
Minutes is a short, queer 'rom-com' for our times. It focuses on codependency and self exploration. It asks, what does it mean to be a young, queer couple in London? How do we communicate with our partners? And is Animal Crossing the best video game ever made?
Why this film?
As a team we are passionate about authentic representation on screen and have watched one too many queer films that have not only failed at this but been far too miserable. We’d like to gift the community something more joyful and true to the personal experiences of our cast and crew.
We are also intent on creating safe, fun sets that are genuinely enjoyable and collaborative. For us, it is just as much about the journey as the finished product which means, at the very least, paying everyone fairly. That’s where you come in!
Who are we?
We are Olivia Dowd and Alix Eve: Co-Directors, Writers and Producers. In 2019 we met playing basketball in Hackney (the ultimate meet cute) and connected over our love of queer film, great scripts and Julia Cameron’s 'The Artist’s Way' (if you know, you know). In summer 2020, frustrated at the inertia of lockdown and lack of creative opportunities available, we took our collaborative relationship to first base and gathered a motley crew of creatives to make Something Seen, a series of monologues written by Alix, and longlisted for the 1.4 awards.
This year we’d like you to join us in taking our relationship to the next level by helping us make Minutes: a short film made by the LGBTQI+ community, for the LGBTQI+ community.
Process so far:
Endlessly fascinated by the improv devices used by Mike Leigh, Sarah Gavron and all creatives involved in making their films, we have been devising and improvising the script with our actors, Ell and Ella, on zoom and in person.
We now have a final script and are hoping to shoot on the 14th and 15th August in one location in North London.
How can you help us?
With cold, hard cash:
We’re looking to raise £5000 to cover production and post-production. Below is a pie chart that breaks our budget down. This outlines pay for cast and crew, equipment hire and insurance, catering and locations as well as costume and production design. We will be fundraising for distribution (film festival entries and PR) at a later date.
If you are interested in supporting our project, you can donate whatever sum feels right to you on the right hand side where it says Pledge (or on the bottom if you are looking at this on your phone) or you can choose from one of our many fabulous rewards.
If you don't have an account you can also just continue and checkout as a Guest.
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How can you help us?
With support and whisperings (of sweet nothings):
We are committed to working with a diverse crew and are actively seeking a 1st AD and Post Sound Editor/Composer. If you know of any legends who fit the bill, we’d love to meet them.
We'd also really appreciate it if you are able to spread the word about Minutes. If there are folks you think might be able to help fund us or offer advice, please pass this page on to them or get in touch with us directly - o.a.dowd@gmail.com and alixxeve@gmail.com.
It's really difficult being an artist in the current climate, not least as relative newcomers in film. However, we're determined to make this happen and know you can help us get there!
Meet the Team:
We have gathered a wonderful gang of talented people, each committed to flipping the switch on what stories are being told and by whom.
Alix Eve (Co-Writer/Director)
Alix is a writer/director who’s fiercely keen to amplify women, non-binary, trans and queer characters and their stories. She has directed 3 short films whilst working full time in the camera rental industry as a facilities manager and most recently completed an MA in screenwriting at the University of Arts, London, gaining a Distinction.
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Olivia Dowd (Co-Writer/Director)
Olivia is an actor, writer, director and v.o artist. She trained with the NYT Rep Company and Upright Citizens Brigade where she gained the improv and devising skills integral to the Minutes process. She won Best Ensemble piece for her playwriting at LSDF and became the first woman to play Macbeth on the West End. As a coach and facilitator she is interested in bringing collaboration and joy to the heart of the set.
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Ella Dacres (Co-Writer/Actor - Jordan)
Ella trained with The Lyric Hammersmith's Young Ensemble and National Youth Theatre's Rep Course. While on the course she performed in the plays Great Expectations, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Frankenstein - playing the titular character in the latter. Ella recently finished filming her screen debut in The National Theatre's Romeo & Juliet directed by Simon Godwin.
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Ell Potter (Co-Writer/Actor - Harriet)
Ell is an actor, writer, and award-winning narrator. While studying at LAMDA, she was named Audible's 'Breakout Star' and was subsequently nominated for an Audie. Audio and screen credits include The Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV 2), Dark, Salt, Clear (Radio 4 Book of the Week), and Hamnet (Penguin Random House). Writing credits include HOTTER (Soho Theatre), FITTER (Soho Theatre), and Lem N Ginge (Written on the Waves).
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Laura Seward (DOP)
Laura is an Irish Director of Photography, graduating from the London Film School in 2018. In 2019 she worked on the short film, Bound, that had a Special Mention and Official Selection at both Cork and Chelsea Film Festival. Commercial clients include Coca Cola, Toyota, Budweiser, Adidas, Formula 1 and Red Bull.
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Owain Astles (Assisting Production Manager)
Owain is a 1st AD and director, from Bristol and now local to London. His background is in participatory filmmaking and social impact film, and he has a particular interest in under-represented stories, community empowerment and collaborative process. He is a member of BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew, BFI New Writer's Lab and BBC Arts.
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Rufai Ajala (Intimacy Co-ordinator)
Rufai is a Non-Binary, professional and certified Intimacy Coordinator with experience in crafting and safeguarding nuanced Intimate scenes and stories involving Queer Identity and Sexuality, Trans and Non-Binary Gender, Sexual Euphoria and Sexual Traumatic scenes. They co-authored the “Performer Bill of Rights” and “Ethical Guidelines for Guest Directors” with acclaimed Feminist Filmmaker & Director: Erika Lust and have over 13+ years of experience working in the film industry. Roo is also hoping to build a career as a cinematographer so watch this space...
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Emeline Beroud (Production Designer)
Emeline Beroud is a performance designer and artist based in the UK. Emeline’s design credits include: Spring Operas Triple Bill: Selections from Don Giovanni, Barber of Seville and Marriage of Figaro, dir. Sarah Crisp, Sherman Theatre, 2021; ‘Dear Emeline/Dear Antonia’, Camden Green Note, 2019 and many more. Her conceptual design for The White Plague (Karel Čapek) was selected as a finalist for the Prague Quadrennial scenography festival online exhibition 2021. Emeline has exhibited in Cardiff, Edinburgh and London as well as collaborating with artists and community art projects around the UK.
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Sabirin Osman (Wardrobe Assistant)
Sabs is in her 3rd year studying design at RWCMD and has a base in Cardiff and London. Her instagram is @by.sabs.
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Mark Levian (Sound Recordist)
Mark has produced content for brands such as Amazon, Dell and Hewlett Packard but has a passion for narrative film and documentary. With additional experience in camera operating, editing and audio post production Mark brings a diverse set of skills to set.
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Rhea Fofana (Production Assistant)
Rhea joins the team from a background in social enterprise and community building. She's excited to bring her organisational skills and enthusiasm for this stunning vision to the process.
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Alice Ellis (1st AD)
Alice is a theatre maker, film production assistant and newly appointed 1st AD. She recently graduated from Goldsmiths studying Drama and Theatre Arts. Alice made the jump from live theatre to working in film and music video production and has since worked on a wide range of sets from intimate DIY shoots to large scale productions.
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Lorna Searl (Editor)
Scottish born and now London local, Lorna's first music video edit was for Temples. Most recently Lorna won Finalist for Best Editing in the Filmhaus Berlin Awards 2021 for the short film ‘Posthumous Parvenues’, directed by Katie Scott. With a Graphic Design background, she brings to the edit suite accuracy coupled with an ambition for creative exploration and an eagerness for productive collaboration.
Oseloka Obi (BTS Photographer)
Oseloka is an actor, represented by Gordon and French. He's also an all round creative with skills in business developing and marketing. He's excited to come on board as BTS photographer and videographer.
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Hsien Yu Niu, a.k.a. Sunshine Niu (Gaffer)
Sunshine is a Taiwanese cinematographer based in London, (UK). She graduated from the London Film School as a Cinematographer, and was honored with the outstanding cinematography student award sponsored by Panalux for the film UNDERNEATH that she shot in Hong Kong. Now she is working as a Cinematographer to explore the human relationships with the environment and trying to explore how the stories happen in the society to present them on the screen.
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