A Case Study
Narrative | Dramatic Features
Film Name: Abduction
Genre: Science Fiction
Date: May 3rd, 2019
Director: Adam James Mawson
Producer: Adam James Mawson
Writer: Adam James Mawson
Cinematographer: Adam James Mawson
Editor: Adam James Mawson
Production Company: Adam Mawson Films
Budget: $0
Financing: text
Shooting Format: Digital 28mm
Screening Format: HDTV 16:9 (1,78:1)
Awards: 3+
– Best Sci-fi film Los Angeles Motion picture film festival
– Best Science Fiction Los Angeles Sci-fi film festival
– Best Director Los Angeles Sci-fi film festival
Website
indieactivity: Tell us about “who you are
Adam James Mawson (AJM): I started making short films at a young age with my dad’s video camera back in the ’90s and knew then I wanted to make films. My mind was opened to Cinema at a young age. I grew up watching Steven Spielberg’s epics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, E.T. most kids at that age spent their pocket money on sweets, I used to spend mine on renting out VHS videos from the local rental shop. As the years went by I spent a lot of time watching movies and learning from them, I didn’t study film or drama. I just knew at some point in my life I wanted to make films.
Introduce your film?
Adam James Mawson (AJM): I wrote the short film script for Abduction in 2018 which is a story taken from a feature I wrote for Abduction. The film is set in a small village community in West Yorkshire in the U.K. Abduction is the story of Kevin, a broken man who lost his son Harvey 5 years ago under mysterious circumstances, along with 5 other children from the same area. Then more recently lost his loving wife Lindsey who had turned to alcohol after the disappearance of their only child. Lindsey had asked Harvey to get some wood from the log storage box in the garden when he vanished and never forgave herself. Now 2019, Kevin hears a knock on the back door to his shock. It’s Harvey he looks exactly the same as the night he vanished wearing the same clothes. The other children also appear from where they were last seen and not one of them has any recollection of where they’ve been for the past 5 years.
To him, it seems like just a couple of minutes have passed. Back in 2014 when the children disappeared a pedophile had been rehabilitated into the village community without the locals’ knowledge but when the community finds out they start a witch hunt to find him. The police are under pressure from the local community to arrest and charge him with the kidnapping and murders of all the children. Kevin along with the other parents is interviewed and recalls the events of the night Harvey vanished telling the reporter what his wife witnessed that night and to the day she died talked about bright blue lights in the night sky which nobody believed. The children are returned to their families to try and rebuild their lives in the community of Baildon but strange things start to happen. The children display special abilities people start vanishing without a trace.
The Official Trailer for ABDUCTION written and directed by Adam James Mawson
Tell us why you chose to write, produce, direct, shoot, cut/edit the movie? Was it financial, chance, or no-budget reason?
Adam James Mawson (AJM): I decided to make Abduction myself as I have a feature written for this and I approach multiple studio executives and because I’m an unknown in the industry you’re classed as high risk so no-one was interested. So in 2018, I decided to take one of the stories from the feature and make the short film Abduction. I approach a friend of mine who is an established actor (Danny Cunningham) asking him if he would be interested in reading the script. He didn’t hesitate within a few hours. He messaged me back to let me know he loves the script and would love to be a part of this. I had a budget, but I knew how to edit and do the camera work. It helped that I was a Graphic Designer. I taught myself how to use Adobe After effects, how to compose my own scores, lighting, cinematography, etc. I thought If I can make this film with a zero budget that would be a challenge in itself.
The visual effects of the UFO in the film took me a while to create but they had to look good even if they were in the shot for 2 seconds. I remember spending nearly 11 hours creating the moment when you see the character Harvey being pulled up to the ship which is only in the film for 2 seconds, but I thought the result worked.
Introduce your crew?
Adam James Mawson (AJM): My son had been going to acting classes for at least 12 months so I thought it would be great to use my own son to play the part of Harvey Harrison. I wanted the bond to look real between the mother and son so I cast my wife to play Harvey’s mother. This worked out great because I used flashbacks of Harvey growing up from home video footage which had Lindsey and my wife in the shot. To give it that edge so it looked like a real Abduction. So now I had Harvey, my son, my wife Lindsey playing the mother. Danny Cunningham playing the dad. All I needed now was a reporter. So I brought my friend Jez Marshall on board, he was perfect to play the part.
What are your personal experiences putting on all these hats/responsibilities (simultaneously)? Tell us about the story, writing, and production?
Adam James Mawson (AJM): I remember back in January 2019 when we started shooting the interview scenes with Danny & Jez. Soon as I got the lighting right and the camera Danny just jumped straight into character, I just thought wow! What the hell am I doing. It was at the point I felt I was in over my head. Making a film directing Danny who’s been in multiple films and T.V shows. But then something just clicked, it was like someone else took over and I seemed to intuitively know what to do. When I shot the scenes of Harvey’s Abduction in the dark. The lighting was a challenge also to make the floodlights for the UFO’s light source to work with when I introduce the ship in After effects.
What is the source of the idea? How did the story develop from the idea? And how did the story evolve into a screenplay? Why do this story? Do you have a writing process?
AJM: I’ve always loved Sci-fi. I had an idea for Abduction back in 2006 I live in a small Village called Baildon which is overlooked by moorland. The scenery is perfect as a backdrop for a science fiction film. I developed the characters first, then their individual stories of how they are abducted and how it affects their loved ones. Then molded the rest of the story around it.
Let’s talk pre-production: take us through a timeline of how you started and ended it?
AJM: I wrote a storyboard list of shots, then did rehearsals with Harvey in the garden to get to grips with the lighting back in September 2018 The interview with Danny was pretty much spontaneous. When shooting some of the scenes in the garden some of the shots you see were also spontaneous. I just kept getting new ideas while shooting, the kitchen scene with Lindsey in where the whole house is shaking was added last minute too.
What was your rehearsal process and period?
AJM: We didn’t really have one apart from practicing the lighting in the garden with Harvey to get the perfect shots.
You shot the film in days. How long were your days?
AJM: We shot the interview scene through the day which only took us 4 hours total.
Did the tight shooting schedule make it harder or easier? How did it affect performances?
AJM: We didn’t really have a tight schedule, Danny’s performance was brilliant.
During the film production, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to shoot? And why?
AJM: The Abduction scene of Harvey getting the lighting right for the UFO when he’s being taken also when he ascends to the ship was a challenge in itself.
What were the advantages and disadvantages in the way you worked?
AJM: The disadvantage was doing everything myself I spent hours editing. I felt like I was going mad. I know by making it myself it would be my vision done the way I want it and no one can mess with that. So it was worth putting the hours in.
What was the experience like of working with a small shooting crew?
AJM: It was just me.
The film looks stunning. How did you get such a good look when shooting so fast?
AJM: I really took my time with the visual effects and editing. I had no pressure from any studios.
When did you form your production company – and what was the original motivation for its formation?
AJM: I don’t have one.
What was the first project out of the gate?
AJM: Abduction
What about independent filmmaking and the business do you still struggle with?
AJM: Marketing your film can be a challenge
Where do you think your strengths lie as a filmmaker?
AJM: Cinematography and visual effects.
Let’s talk about finance, How did you finance the film?
AJM: I didn’t need to.
How important is marketing? Talk about the festival tour? Do you think a project can make a dent without it nowadays?
AJM: I used the power of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
Tell us about marketing activities or efforts on this project – and how it worked or didn’t work?
AJM: I found it hard as a first-time filmmaker, trying to encourage people to watch your film. So I made the best possible poster for the film I could to sell it to people. I did quite a good job.
What do you hope audiences will get from the presentation of your film?
AJM: I hope they are entertained from start to finish Abduction takes them on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and believe that this could actually be a true story. Which some people actually did when they watched it.
What else have you got in the works?
AJM: I’m hoping to start on my Werewolf Horror short called The Moor.
Tell us what you think of the Case Study for Abduction What do you think of it? Genre? More genre? Let’s have your comments below and/or on Facebook or Instagram! Or join me on Twitter
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