A young couple are currently in Montserrat looking to make a short film with local actors.
Joshua Douglas is a self-funded director seeking a local crew and actors to work on the project this week. He and his partner Lisa Leach, who is a film producer, are hoping to shoot the film from January 3 to 7, 2023 at various locations.
Douglas, who also wrote the film said shooting the film in Montserrat is close to his heart as his grandmother lived on the Island, and he’s made numerous visits throughout his life. Joshua’s ties to the island originate through his mother Veronica Douglas, who currently resides in Baker Hill, as did his Grandmother Mary Douglas nee Gibbons, also known as ‘Mon Thompson’ and his Great-Grandmother Jane-Ann Gibbons also known as ‘Aunt Ann’. He is family to the Gibbons-Allen’s of Baker Hill.
The short film will follow a young boy Leonard (15yrs-17yrs) as he is faced with the decision to either follow the path set out by his parents to do his exams in a subject, he isn’t passionate about and leave the Island or stay and contribute and invest in the community.
After football and choir practice one afternoon Leonard is invited to a street race where we meet Wade (20yrs-27yrs) a local bar man and racer on the island hoping to pull money together through races to build an arcade on the Island.
Leonard ends up missing an important exam as he spends the evening at the race but makes the decision to work with Wade on his car to try and win a race against the top racer, Ricardo (20yrs-27yrs).
The film ends in another race between the boys where Wade loses the race, but Ricardo makes the decision to go into business with him-using their race money to pull together and start the business.
Leonard comes to a place through his experience with Wade where he takes the leap to follow his passion and become an engineer rather than doing something his heart isn’t in.
“Our hope is to air the film at BIFA and BAFTA qualifying film festivals in the coming year,” Leach told Discover Montserrat.
Both Joshua and Lisa are alumni of the National Film and Television School in the UK. Lisa is currently enrolled on the Master in Producing Course and Joshua is enrolled on the Masters in Directing and Producing Television and they have both worked on a handful of short films.
Joshua wrote and directed his debut film Geraldine at the start of 2022 and worked on Netflix series Meet the Adebanjos.
“I’ve produced a slate of short films and I’m currently working with Green Door Pictures on a proof-of-concept series for Netflix,” the young producer revealed.
The duo is hoping to work with nine cast members, as well as 15-20 potential extras.
If you meet the age criteria and are available to work January 3 to 7, 2023, please contact Lisa via WhatsApp on +447985730764.
