After my latest film 'Living with Someone', I have been in contact with a couple of journalists in my local area and Film Annex has made the paper along with some info about the film. The two articles are available to view online but also in the paper, which I will get a scan online soon.
Filmmaker Mark Kuczewski was contacted by Film Annex just after he left university and asked to submit one of his films to a war of films monthly competition, which he won.
Now filmmakers are able to generate an income from the films they upload to the platform, from advertising, and that helps to fund more work.
Mark chose to explore the idea of an imaginary boyfriend in his latest work, Living With Someone.
He says: “It’s an interesting concept, like imaginary friends. I wanted to explore the idea of someone who is not completely real, so the film has a surreal element to it.
“I have never seen anyone do that before and I like to make something I’ve not seen before.”
The former Peele School pupil says filmmaking was a natural career choice for him.
“Almost the first thing I learned to do as a child was to put on videos,” he said.
“I’ve tried other things, but when it came to this I just seemed to do well at it.”
The second article:
The name Mark Kuczewski may become a familiar credit at the end of films of the future.
But for now Mark (28), is working as a freelance cameraman as he forges what he hopes will ultimately become a career as a film director.
Alongside the day job, Mark is building his portfolio of films, the latest of which has just been released as a documentary called Living with Someone.
The six-minute film is available to view on an online platform called Film Annex
It’s the story of a girl with an imaginary boyfriend and the effect of that on those around her.
Surprisingly, Mark says the film was made at absolutely no cost whatsoever.
He was lucky with the cast members: Natalie Pailing, who has just returned to the family home at Pinchbeck from the Oxford School of Drama, took the lead role.
John Pailing took the part of the next door neighbour.
Finally, the part of the psychiatrist was played by Charlotte Gernert, co-director of local theatre company Act II.
Mark says: “I wanted to make this in the local area because there are a lot more people willing to help out, so it was using who I knew and what I have learned from other films to get things for free.”
Location was not a problem either, with rooms in Natalie’s home, Bourne Wood and a field in Long Sutton used during filming.
Mark already had the equipment, built up over time. Since graduating in media film production in 2010, he has had a few jobs, working as a freelance camera operative and as a runner for Big Talk Productions, which produces things for Channel 4 and BBC3.
Mark explains: “This film was shot with natural light so there was no lighting equipment used because that can start to mount up the cost. Apart from cutting costs, it gives a more natural feel for a documentary.”
This is Mark’s sixth film and first documentary, having previously produced romance, thriller, comedy, action and fantasy films.
However, Mark describes Living with Someone as “mockumentary” or fake documentary because the viewer is left with the impression that all is not quite as it first seems.
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