Talking To: Alec Liddle
I was first introduced to Alec’s work when I was working for another publication and I had the opportunity to watch several of his short films before interviewing him back in 2017. During this time, he was creating the 12x12 project in which he created 12 short films in 12 months. Prior to this, short films were not something I knew a lot about and I never realised how extensive the industry was and how incredible it is!
We’ve caught up with him again, three years later, to take a look at the creative process, to see what’s been going on with him and to understand why short films are so important.
Hi Alec! Starting off, I was wondering if you have always been passionate about film and the film industry in general?
Oh yeah! When we were about fourteen or fifteen, my producing partner Cameron McCauley and I realised most of what we talked about was movies; so we started making our own terrible shorts on his Mum’s old VHS camcorder. And that was me pretty much set on what on what I wanted to do with my life.
What made you decide to focus on short films rather than feature-length films?
Well I have written a couple of feature scripts, and I’m working on another I’m hoping to produce as my first feature in the next couple of years. But up till now all my work has been shorts. They’re cheaper, less time-consuming, easier to put together. And all that makes them a great medium to experiment, develop your craft, define your voice as an artist. When things go wrong (and they will), if you make a mistake (and you will), at least it’s only a couple of days on set and a few hundred quid, not thousands if the final product doesn’t work out. And you can track your development across multiple finished works.
How many short films have you created since starting your career?
I’ve written and directed sixteen shorts since I left film school. Each one is a finshed product I can look at and say, “this worked, that didn’t, I need to work on this area etc.” Shorts let you work in different styles, come up with brand new ideas, discover your own creative wellspring. You also get to work with more people, cast and crew, across several shorts than you would on one feature in the same timeframe.
Your 12x12 project back in 2017 was incredibly ambitious, do you plan on doing something similar in the future?
I doubt I’ll do another intense run of short films, but I always want to try new ambitious ideas! I’ve been working on an experimental fictional documentary, currently on hold due to COVID-19. In the meantime, I’m still writing my debut feature, and researching how to fund, distribute and exploit it. I’m really keen on developing a sustainable model for creating profitable, low-budget films.
How long would you say the process is for a short film – from the beginning when you get an idea to the end result?
On the 12x12 project I was pulling off the whole process in a month. Without the deliberate time pressure I’d usually take a month or two. My last couple of shorts took longer, due to scheduling issues, but I’d say that the total amount of time that goes in is about the same. It breaks down to about 2 weeks of scripting; 1 week of storyboarding and creating a lookbook; a couple of weeks to secure cast, crew, locations; maybe another week’s pre-production and rehearsals before filming one or two days; then a couple of weeks for post.
Do you try and be involved in every creative step of the way?
Yeah, I’m kind of a control freak! I’ve produced a couple of shorts for other directors and try to give them free reign, not interfering with their process. But in my own films I write, direct, edit, and score myself. I even draw my own storyboards! That said, I always find the collaboration brings out the best in all that prep. If I have a clear vision of a finished product, that gives my collaborators the freedom to build on that foundation with their own creative input. Ideally, I like to build a framework for collaboration into each project, marshalling the whole cast and crew’s creativity into one creative vision.
So with you doing most of the heavy-lifting, how many people do you work with in total on a short film?
It varies between projects, but there’s usually between seven to twelve people on set at any given time. I edit and score the films myself, so that cuts down people involved in post-production. I’d like to expand, particularly in the Production Design department as I move on to larger projects, but it’s always budget dependent.
Is there anything you’d like to add with regards to how people view short films?
I watch a lot of short films, especially from first-time filmmakers. I see a lot of stylistic studies, people trying on the conventions of horror, comedy, film-noir etc. It’s good practice in making different “types” of film, but I think people often overlook low-to-no budget shorts as a means for serious artistic expression. It’s rare to see an idea that isn’t either a truncated feature idea, or a craft exercise, but a wholly integrated piece of work. A story that in its ideal form is a short film.
If people are just starting out with watching or creating short films, do you have any advice for them?
Get your films in front of an audience. Making a short film is only half the battle, the other half is getting it seen. Just putting it online won’t do it. There are a bunch of great local festivals that will screen even the least polished shorts! If festivals aren’t an option, get a bunch of filmmakers together, rent a cinema screen and play your films for an audience. Sit in and take note of their reactions. You’ll quickly get a sense of what works and what doesn’t!
And finally, what is your next project?
I’m currently working on an experimental, documentary-style short about UFO abduction. It’s not a mockumentary or found-footage horror, so I’m calling it a fictional documentary. It’s a bit of an experiment; actors creating their own material, lots of improvisation, all aiming towards a big payoff. It’s on hold during the lockdown, but we’re hoping to pick up production over the summer!