Contents
Download PDF of the EPK here
Download Director's Scrapbook here
Download Milkshake Recipe Book here
Basic Info
Film Type: Short Graduate film, 8min
Film Genre: Dark Comedy
Synopsis:
Daisy covers her seemingly more successful sister’s shift. While attempting to prove to her she can do the job, she looses the one thing her sister told her not to. She must hide the evidence of her failure.
About the Film:
We wanted to explore and celebrate the hilarity of the hospitality industry, to bring this world to life and to poke fun at customers. This is the culmination of people watching from behind the counter, from struggling to prove yourself in roles that don’t suit you - to the extreme.
Obstacles along the way came like many films made at this time - when covid hit. However it was a blessing in disguise as it gave us more time to develop the film and prep for the shooting days. I think we were all, as creatives, super excited to just get back to creating things with like-minded people that the filming days were better appreciated and celebrated as a blessing and a miracle, so we just made the priority to have fun after such a long prepping period.
Set Photos
Directors Statement
The initial idea started when I got a job at a milkshake place during covid. I have always been inspired by my hospitality jobs. I find it hilarious all the people you meet and the awkward situations you can get in… or I got in at least. I will admit I wasn’t the best as I am naturally a clumsy person, but all the mistakes I used as fuel for stories. The milkshake place was the most hilarious job yet for multiple reasons. The customers that came in were from all walks of life since it was my first job in the centre of a city. Now before I go any further I promise I didn’t blend any customers up. Just wanna get that out there. If people didn’t get the drink exactly how they like it they would be completely thrown off. They would watch you make the milkshake too, and if it was a big family order the kids would stare at you, although usually it was quite cute when their faces lit up. It was the adults who came there, consistently ordering the same thing that was a little strange, especially if it was just blended sweets and milk they were grabbing a bucket of every day. I loved guessing where each person came from, making up stories of what their lives are like, and why they order every day. This is why I make films. I love to explore our strange tendencies as people and allow us to laugh at how self aware we fail to be sometimes.
The film progressed from here, and although I got ‘let-go’ from the milkshake job I had, I hate to say it’s a revenge film. I secretly loved the customers who came every day ordering whatever they wanted and treating themselves. Even if they were rude or unpleasant, I can’t deny the awful milkshakes I served to their disappointed faces or the flat pints I served in the pub I worked at or the weak teas I served at my cafe job. I’m thankful for the personalities that inspired this film and hopefully the many more to come.
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See the Director's showreel here: https://www.nuagradshowcase.com/students/matilda-green/
Alexandra Gallacher
Having spent her second year as President of Minotaur Theatre Company and graduating from UEA Drama in July 2021, Alexandra has plentiful experience in the processes of theatre making. Alexandra spent a year as Sophie in Coast to Coast’s ‘Play Before Birth’ which was performed at Norwich’s own Theatre Royal and Garage Theatre – it was then taken to Edinburgh Fringe in the summer of 2019. Since then, she’s been getting involved in short films and applying for Masters acting courses at drama schools. One of Alexandra’s most recent achievements has been hers and Rachel’s Nicholson’s Livewire radio show ‘Fridge Magnets’ which has now evolved into an Instagram based live-streamed podcast available on Spotify.
Rachel Nicholson
Rachel Nicholson will be graduating from UEA in July after studying for a BA in English Literature and Drama. In September, she will be attending Drama Studio London to study on their One Year Diploma Course in Professional Acting. Rachel has performed with Minotaur Theatre Company numerous times as well as serving as their Vice President during her second year of university alongside Alex Gallacher. She has performed at the Garage Theatre, Norwich Theatre Royal and the Edinburgh Fringe Show with Coast to Coast Theatre Company. Rachel’s next project is a short film, shooting in Yorkshire in June 2021. She is very excited to have been involved in Viscous alongside such an amazing cast and crew!
Pip Dunn
Pip has been involved in short films such as ‘LIZ AND FINN BUY A WIG’ (2019) directed by Shezah Salem, ‘A TIME FOR EVERYTHING’ (2018) directed by Orla O’Sullivan and ‘SHELL HUNTER’ (2019). Pip was planning on appearing as Dr Armstrong in "And Then There Were None" at The Maddermarket Theatre, March 2020 but after covid hit he was exited when Matilda got in contact with him about Viscous, as he could get back to performing again. He is proficient in music, having skills in singing, guitar and piano. He has also performed in stage productions of ‘THE ELEPHANT MAN’ (2016) and ‘WIND IN THE WILLOWS’ (2011).
Cast
Crew
Matilda Green
Director
Matilda gets involved in all things creative she can, telling stories since she was able to write. Performing, writing and making art in different ways, she fell in love with film as it encompassed all her artistic endeavours and saw it as an excuse to never have to choose just one thing to do with her life. After completing BFI academy and directing her grad film during her BA in Film & Moving Image at NUA, Matilda will go on to continue making films and performing. On the side, she enjoys helping businesses, bands and artists grow their social media with animation, experimental videos and bright logo designs.
Dhara Wright
Assistant Director
Dhara Wright is a 21 year old student and aspiring artist in her final year at Norwich University of the Arts. Studying film and moving image production, she works in writing, directing, production and costume design. Originally from Vancouver Canada, Dhara moved to the UK in 2018. In 2017 she spent a term at NYU Tisch studying film production as well as recently completing an online program at Copenhagen Business School in sustainable fashion. Dhara has always had a love and eye for design and attention to detail.
Rugile Rozenaite
Director of Photography
Dhara Wright is a 21 year old student and aspiring artist in her final year at Norwich University of the Arts. Studying film and moving image production, she works in writing, directing, production and costume design. Originally from Vancouver Canada, Dhara moved to the UK in 2018. In 2017 she spent a term at NYU Tisch studying film production as well as recently completing an online program at Copenhagen Business School in sustainable fashion. Dhara has always had a love and eye for design and attention to detail.
Vishal Dhariwal
Producer
Vishal is an aspiring junior producer who enjoys creating a grounded foundation for concepts, finding engaging stimuli to work off, and researching realistic ways to achieve thematic ideas.
He says 'Viscous' has broadened his creative insight on filmmaking, by challenging him into producing a realistic self-contained world, while making it a microcosm for the most outrageous situations, thus successfully creating a fun dark comedy.
Magda Rak
Production Design
Magda Rak is a twenty one year old student and aspiring production designer currently completing her final year in Film and Moving Image Production at Norwich University of the Arts. Wanting to expand on her filmmaking and design skills, Magda is planning on completing a master program in film before going on to work within the art department in both film and television, developing her skills to eventually become a production designer. She enjoys building and creating worlds to tell the stories within them. Viscous was a great opportunity to show off this skill by allowing her to build and design props and set pieces from scratch to set the surreal dark comedy story within.
Joshua Patterson
Sound
Joshua Patterson is an aspiring feature film director currently focusing on his startup production company Office Piano Films.He enjoys every aspect of filmmaking and particularly loves the process of developing and creating interesting sound design for the screen.As a writer-director, Josh is currently working on his debut feature to be shot within the next 3 years - the story focused on a teenager who's life changes when they meet an eccentric pianist who lives in the apartment above them.
Cathryn Winter
Assistant Camera
Cathryn Winter is a film graduate from the Film and Moving Image production course at NUA. She is creatively driven through the art of cinematography and loves to tell a story through visuality.
Francis Pesquera
Assistant Camera
Francis specialises in the craft of cinematography. He has previously been involved in a range of personal and collaborative projects working as a camera assistant and camera operator. His time as a cinematographer at NUA has allowed him to develop a strong understanding of the camera department and continually strives to tell effective storytelling through a visual lens.
Amarlia Thompson
Runner
Being proactive, positive, and helping others are all things that Amarlia values. An aspiring filmmaker and Director of mockumentary ‘Bigfoot’ (2021) she takes up any opportunity she can to tell stories and use them as an exploration into the world around her.
Links
Instagram: https://instagram.com/viscousfilm?igshid=1p3wgs44t5gkz
Website: https://matildaelsiegreen.wixsite.com/viscous
Donate: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ViscousFilm
Director's Showreel: https://www.nuagradshowcase.com/students/matilda-green/
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Why is your film called Vicious?
Viscous. It’s called Viscous. Like Vis-cous. Like cous cous. Like viscosity of milk.
How long did it take to make the film?
Started pre-production in October 2020 and finished post-production in June 2021.
Although, is a film ever really finished?
What software did you use?
Adobe Premier Pro and Final Cut Pro as well as Notion for all producing and organisation notes.
What were your film influences?
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JoJo rabbit (2020) [Colours, humour, location]
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Grand Budapest Hotel [Colours, fonts, acting style, leading lines]
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Nosedive, Black Mirror [Fake-ness, modern twist, colours, protagonist shots, perfection town, something ‘off’ about the film’s world]
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The Queens Gambit [Female perspective, edit style, visual storytelling]
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Fleabag [Acting style, sisterly bond, comedy, female perspective]
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Hot Fuzz [Whip pans, edit, pace, comedy performances]
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On set we had multiple conversations about how when movies used to put bloopers in credits and how we miss those. So bloopers in credits was a must for our film!
Every day we had a different Assistant Cinematographer! They dropped like flies! (Joking - it was brilliant to get different crew each day for as many eyes and perspectives as possible - thanks to Cathryn Winter, Alex Woosey and Francis Pesquera for being so flexible and hard-working)
Filming for three days on Elm Hill, we met some amazing people - Norwich is the best city.
Day 1 of shooting - our covid supervisors were blocking the streets, the take begins; in the distance you hear a bike come to a stop. All is at peace until - A loud screech of a wet brake enters earshot. It stops. It starts. It stops again. Suddenly the bike appears, travelling approximately 2mph along the steep cobbles of Elm Hill.
FAQ
Anecdotes
Credits
Starring
Alexandra Gallacher as Daisy
Rachel Nicholson as Vicky
Pip Dunn as The Customer (AKA Ricky not Richard)
- - -
Directed by Matilda Green
Director of Photography
Rugile Rozenaite
Music
Patrick Day
Hugo Jones
Sound Designer
Joshua Patterson
Production Designer
Magda Rak
Assistant Director
Dhara Wright
Script Consultant
Niel Mckay
Producer
Vishal Dhariwal
Assistant Camera
Cathryn Winter
Alex Woosey
Francis Pesquera
Runners
Vishal Dhariwal
Amarlia Thompson
Executive Producer
Alex Hirlam
Co-Executive Producer
Andy Mckay
Catering
Barley Green
Construction
Eamon Green
Prop Supervisor
Emily Salter
Edit Consultant
Daisy Green
The secret saviours who
helped make the film:
Tamara and those at The Jade Tree
The Stamp Corner
NUA Film & Moving Image
Simeon Morris
Barley & Eamon Green
[because if you can’t drag your tired and talented parents into your film somehow, have you really made a film?]
Contact
[Director] Matilda Green: tildy@matildagreen.co.uk | 07716206650 | https://www.nuagradshowcase.com/students/matilda-green/
[Producer] Vishal Dhariwal: vishaldhariwal00@gmail.com
[Sound] Joshua Patterson: joshua@officepianofilms.com
[Production Design] Magda Rak: magdarakpd@gmail.com
[DOP]
[Set photographer] Alex Woosey: alexcwoosey@gmail.com
Cast
philphilosophical@gmail.com | rachelenicholson05@gmail.com | alexandra.gallacher@yahoo.co.uk
@viscousfilm