The NHS worker who made his first film for under £5,000
- Published
Self-taught Scots filmmaker debuts gangland comedy
When Paul Morris set out to make his first feature film six years ago, he had no real experience and a self-funded budget of less than £5,000.
Now the film-maker, from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire, is debuting his coming-of-age gangland comedy at the Glasgow Film Festival.
Paul, who wrote the script over the last six years, has spent three years filming and many hours watching online tutorials to create Angry Young Men.
His passion and belief in his project also inspired a 70-strong cast to get involved for free.
"There's so much talent here, people who want to act but who are maybe not getting the opportunities to do so," he said
The film is set in a fictional housing estate, which is the home turf for The Bramble Boys. The gang's money-making enterprises are threatened when a rival gang move into their territory looking to recruit new members.
Paul said he hoped that he could get people to come along with him on the project if he wrote a script that was exciting and gave them good parts.
"I thought it had a lot of potential," he said.
Paul spent six years writing the script for Angry Young men and filmed it over three years
He would get up at 04:00 each day to work on the film before doing his day job, working in IT for the NHS.
As well as directing the movie, Paul had an acting role, edited the film, and even composed the soundtrack.
He had to come up with a musical score six weeks before the Glasgow Film Festival deadline after his original producer had to back out.
With no experience, he achieved the task by watching online tutorials and getting in touch with musical friends.
Paul's father died in 2017 while he was writing the script, and that spurred him on to make the film.
He said: "I knew I didn't fit the bill for funding for this short, so I decided I was going to have to show people - I won't be able to ask to get a leg up.
"We like to romanticise film making that it's talent or divine inspiration, but you just really need to take action and go for it.
"The hardest part is starting the project and finishing it - don't waste time worrying, just get doing."
Paul wanted the movie to make a statement to the film industry and help him stand out.
"It wasn't the most efficient way to make a film, but we did it," he added.