Interview with David Hutchison

David Hutchison is a filmmaker and an artist. The Deitch Gallery was originally his studio in Inverkirkaig, Assynt in 1990, then it became a pop up gallery on Lothian Rd during the 1992 Edinburgh Festival. At that time David also got his first commission which was to create a short-animation for STV. He created a TV Hen Video Puppet for his short “Cearc Agus UbH” (Chicken & Egg). David’s first film was Mathar na Moine (The Peat Mother).

indieactivity: Why did you get into filmmaking and screenwriting?
David: Norwegian composer Jorn Bilse came to my pop up exhibition during the Edinburgh Festival. He liked my work and said he’d like me to make a video to go with his music. Mathar Na Moine (Peat Mother) was our first collaboration.

We worked together for many years making video installation work. Everything was storyboarded rather than scripted. It was later at a night class at Edinburgh University that I learned screenwriting. I went on to do a MA in Screenwriting.

indieactivity: How does an indie filmmaker distribute his/her film?
David: Graders originally had a US distributor and in the UK via Distrify . Since this year my new feature Baobhan Sith are both distributed online via Filmhub. Film Hub is run by film composer Klaus Badelt, who made the score for Pirate of the Caribbean

indieactivity: When does an indie filmmaker need to start planning for distribution?
David: The type of distribution that you are aiming for affects the budget and timescale so plan this at the start.

indieactivity: How do I get my film in theatres with such a budget?
David: The main way to get into theatres is via festivals with a theatrical screening. Try negotiating with your local independent cinema to put on a screening and sell tickets yourself.

indieactivity: How can filmmakers finance their projects?
David: I financed both my features by working in day jobs. In the UK there are some grants available but competition is high. Consider making a sizzle reel and crowdfund. Look at how the makers of Iron Sky did that. They had great perks like “get eaten by a dinosaur”.

indieactivity: What films have you written and shot?
David: Graders (2012), and Baobhan Sith (2017)

indieactivity: Talk to us about your concept on collaboration?
David: When I started it was just me and a musician but as the work got more complicated I did more organizing and less hands on. It’s difficult to direct if you’re filming, doing sound and lighting at the same time. Build a team up and the work will improve. It’s also much more fun.

indieactivity: How do you find the process of filmmaking as an indie filmmaker?
David: It’s exciting as you are free to choose what to do and the limited budget makes for creative choices. It’s very difficult to make a living from it so it can be tiring having a day job too.

indieactivity: Describe your recent work?
David: I wrote the Baobhan Sith script in 2013. The first shoot was in a freezing peat bog in Assynt on Boxing Day 2013. The main shoot was in May 2014 around Edinburgh and Fife. We had a scene where the main characters leave in a canoe next to Cockenzie Power Station. I knew that the giant cooling towers were going to be demolished shortly so we could come back and get that shot later. The demolition was delayed a year so it was Sept 2015 before we got that shot! It took a further year for the soundtrack to be completed. I taught myself After Effects to save on post production. We entered a lot of festivals before we finally got our premiere at Horror On Sea. After that the film was distributed via Filmhub.

indieactivity: What are your future goals?
David: To develop period drama TV series Doctresses. In 1870’s Edinburgh; a time when there are no female doctors, a doctor’s assistant discovers that her boss is female. The two women use early forensics to help the police to catch a killer phrenologist.

I’d also like to make my children’s book Storm Hags into a feature film.

indieactivity: Tell us about what you think indie filmmaker need in today’s world of filmmaking?
David: Same as always: great script, cast and crew. Building up an audience using social media.

indieactivity: Briefly write about your career?
David: Sam and Louise who run the Edinburgh branch of The 48 Hour Film Project were a huge help in challenging me to make short films on limited time and budget. Making a short film under pressure really shows you who you can work with. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to go on to make features without that background in short film.

Joanna Kaczynska who played the lead role of Ania in my first feature Graders and the titular Baobhan Sith in my latest film is starring with Clive Owen and Rosamund Pike in a Three Seconds coming out in August. You can watch some shorts/ see feature trailers HERE.

Here’s Reflections, Night, one of my new paintings at Suilven Towers High exhibition at the Ceilidh Place pic.twitter.com/mpecG6AWDw

— David W Hutchison (@davidwhutchison) March 12, 2018