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Est. Reading Time: 9 Minutes

MARK (M) Tell us a little about yourself - when did you become interested in film and filmmaking?

ALASDAIR (A) I originally trained as an actor, when you graduate from drama school there’s a lot of emphasis on getting as much screen experience as possible. As a result, you spend a lot of time trying to be a part of short films. In one particular project, I got along really well with the director and co-actor which led us to developing a mini-series together. We shot the first episode before it fell apart due to everyone getting various professional commitments. But on the odd occasion in making the first episode, I would help the director set up shots and make suggestions, with a few ending up in the final cut.

Two years later, another friend and I wanted to act and produce in an ambitious short film. I was involved in hiring costume designers, creating an aesthetic and discussing shots with the director. After one year of work, this project also fell apart but a lot further down the road. We actually shot the whole film but the director disappeared with the footage during the editing stage. We then spent another year tracking down the director and footage (which came to nothing), but when it was going well, being part of the creative process was really satisfying. It also taught me that I didn’t need hoards of people or an enormous budget. 

So when I had the idea to make Tooth, I decided to go all in and write, direct and film it myself. At the time, I was making good tips at work so having learnt my lesson on the last project, I bought a DSLR, camera slider and a few basic lights.

M And going through your biography I can see that you’re primarily an actor, so what made you take the leap into writing and directing?

A After leaving drama school, I’ve been very fortunate to work frequently in Theatre and Radio, with a few day-player roles in Film and Television. Then suddenly in 2017, everything went very quiet. By hook or by crook, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to get any work.

Tooth came along at a time when I was having a slight crisis of confidence. By chance I bumped into a friend and told him that I was thinking of making a short film. My friend, an experienced and wise playwright, really encouraged me, saying “just because no one’s giving you the opportunity to be creative, doesn’t mean you stop feeling the need to be creative”. This felt like an answer to all of my frustrations, and gave me permission to make the film. At the time I felt wary of doing anything other than acting in case it made me unavailable for opportunities and I felt very self conscious about writing something.

A Having finished the film, I’ve actually found my experience to be the opposite of my initial thoughts. The making of Tooth has fed back into my acting and provided an invaluable insight into the stresses of the world behind the camera. I was fortunate enough to be doing a few weeks acting in a film recently and making Tooth improved my understanding of what was happening around me. When acting work is quiet, it means that I can redirect wayward creative energy into drawing storyboards or developing a script.

On Directing

M And furthermore, how do you think your screen and stage experience affects your ability to work with and direct actors?  

A It absolutely helped. As an actor I know what helps and hinders me, I feel actors perform best when they’re really comfortable with the material. Rehearsal time prior to filming where you’re able to ask questions, interrogate the script, meet acting partners and play around a bit makes everything better on the day.

And working as an actor for five years in Glasgow was invaluable. The city is the cultural heart of Scotland so there’s a very strong community of actors to pull from. As a director, it means that you can give an opportunity to an actor who you know is good but doesn't really get lots of chances.

On Editing

M I love the way your film’s edited and pieced together - it’s refreshing to see ambitious cuts and transitions! So I would like to ask:

M Have any films and filmmakers particularly influenced and inspired your editing style? If so, what and who?

A Thanks so much! Films that influenced Tooth and it’s transitions are Matthew Vaughn’s Layer Cake (2004) and Joe Wright’s Pride & Prejudice (2005) and Hanna (2011). 

In terms of Layer Cake, I saw it with my mum when I was about 16 or 17 and was blown away by it. I remember it being the first time where I noticed intentional stylistic choices in a film. The opening prologue is six minutes of playful storytelling, and the teaser trailer of the faux cooking lesson with Marco Pierre White feels like a director trying to do something different on screen. When the DVD came out, I watched it lots of times and listened to the director’s commentary. Vaughn talks about making a film look twice its budget through clever location and shot choices.  

A This became the central ethos to how I wanted to make Tooth. I knew we didn’t have any money so I had to be clever about how and where we shot. The underpass in the finale is a perfect example as it works thematically as a sort of Hieronymus Bosch nether world but from a purely practical viewpoint, it didn’t need an art department as the murals were already there, and so was the interesting lighting.

As for Joe Wright’s films, Pride & Prejudice has amazing bits of visual storytelling like the massive Netherfield ball scene where Wright brilliantly furthers every character’s arc through observation. Same with his film Hanna which is not only a type of modern fairy tale, but is full of inventive cinematography and editing like Layer Cake.

M Did you plan the majority of your cuts and transitions in your shot list during pre-production?

A It was all planned in advance, I knew the film covered several locations very quickly so these transitions help us get from points A to B without losing momentum. The transitions add to the feeling that ‘The Boy’ is always on the back foot and perhaps feeling that his day is being orchestrated by someone else. From a practical viewpoint, you have to plan shots in advance to make sure they match in the edit. Kim Allan, who plays ‘The Barista’, has to be on location outside ‘The Boy’s’ house to shout “Next!” in his ear and be in the cafe when we cut to her behind the counter.

‘As an actor I know what helps and hinders me, I feel actors perform their best when they’re really comfortable with the material’

— Alasdair Hankinson

On Inspiration

M What are some of the films and who are some of the filmmakers that inspire you, and why?

A I’m attracted to films that take your hand and pull you into a completely different world. Examples would be:

- Under the Skin (2013);
- The Florida Project (2017);
- A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014);
- Alien (1979);
- Children of Men (2016);
- Sound of Metal (2019);
- Do the Right Thing (1989);
- Control (2007); and
- The Thing (1982).

A But so are different types of films like:

- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004);
- Frances Ha (2012);
- Hot Fuzz (2007);
- Knives Out (2019); and
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).

To me, all of these films make you lean forward in your seat because every detail in the frame is so rich.

On The Future

M I know your goals might change and grow over time, but what are your current goals in filmmaking? Are you going to take everything as it comes - acting in various projects whilst writing and directing your own films, or are you planning to prioritize one or two particular areas?

A I plan to do both going forward. Despite the pandemic, I have been quite busy this year in terms of acting. However, making Tooth was far from a one-off experience. What’s nice about acting is that there’s plenty of down time, while short films take a lot of nurturing so these areas almost complement each other.

M What are you planning to make next?

A In the final stages of post-production on Tooth, I realised how much I enjoyed making the film. So I thought about what to do next and happened upon an idea. Now the script is finished, I’ve created a few storyboards and the next goal is to secure funding. It’s about the fishing industry in a small seaside village in Scotland. The essence and landscape of Scotland rarely features on screen which is a shame because it’s so cinematic. I can’t wait to start the thing.

Mark’s Final Thoughts

• The complexity of performing multiple key roles like writing, producing, directing, editing and fundraising shouldn’t be understated - it requires so much endurance and passion. I’m sure the heavy workload will place Alasdair in great stead in the future as it essentially fast-tracked his learning and development.

• Really enjoyed reading Alasdair’s insights and thoughts on filmmaking, particularly editing. It’s great that he was able to effectively apply and execute many of the techniques that influence his style.

• And we didn’t touch on the film’s themes so I just want to briefly mention that I like how Alasdair subverted the conventional modern Tooth Fairy character and used the myth to explore aspects of fatalism, greed and violence.

• His new project reminds me of Bait (2019) which is an incredibly interesting film that is set in a small fishing village in the United Kingdom. I’m excited to see the evolution of Alasdair’s ideas and style in his next project.

• You can watch Alasdair in Stephen Frears new film The Lost King, which stars Sally Hawkins and Steve Coogan, and is slated for release in 2022.

  Tags Bourgeon  Experimental Live-action

Want to Learn More? Click here for Alasdair’s insights into creating the puppet wings as well as running a successful fundraising campaign on Kickstarter.

The founder of Hommage, Mark Shaba published this interview on 17.12.2021. Mark is a grassroots filmmaker from Victoria, Australia. He respectfully acknowledges the past and present traditional owners of the land on which he creates, promotes and screens art, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation who are the custodians.