Midlands Interview - Director Matthew B.C. talks Connective Tissue
Writer-director Matthew B.C. marks his arrival onto the film scene with his debut film Connective Tissue. Teaming up with Midlands-based YSP Media, this short psychological science-fiction film completed principal photography in Nottingham way back in October 2018.
With a long post-production period, the film is finally close to release with DUST premiering the film on October 27th 2020.
Midlands Movies Editor spoke to the filmmaker, his influences, and how Connective Tissue explores themes of identity and self-discovery in a cyber-punk world - alongside producer Christopher Bevan from YSP Media.
Midlands Movies: Hiya guys. Can you tell Midlands Movies a bit about yourself?
Matthew B.C.: Of course - I am Matthew B.C. and I’m a dark genre filmmaker, with this being my first film. Originally from Portsmouth, I now live in Surrey with my wife Cobi who is also an EP on this movie.
Christopher Bevan: I’m a director-producer and I run Derby-based film production company YSP Media. Matthew and I started talking about the development of a project back in the Summer of 2018 and by the Autumn we were shooting on his first short as a writer-director. I found the idea and story he presented really compelling and was really excited to be able to come onboard as producer on the film. I work primarily in the Midlands so it made sense to bring Matthew up from London to Nottingham to shoot there as I had contacts and connections with regional talent.
MM: And can you tell us a bit more about Connective Tissue? How did you come up with the idea?
MBC: Connective Tissue began life - and will continue on - as a larger story. It was originally an attempt at writing something personal but became much more than that. Leo and Eric are two halves of the same coin and, in many ways, this describes how I felt when I wrote it. There is a split - a disconnection - between Eric and Leo, much as there is between many of us and the world around us.
Beyond myself, there is a lot of my friends’ personalities in this story, specifically Jason Hadley, whom the film is dedicated to. Unfortunately, Jason passed away at the end of last year and his death was a stark reminder to me that there is power in our words as writers and, if we are not careful, we may end up predicting a tragedy that could have been otherwise prevented.
MM: The film seems very much about identity in all its forms. How was this theme incorporated?
MBC: Identity is a fluid construct in stories and, in my opinion, the greatest conflict comes from your inner voice. What is it telling you? How is it being presented to you? Are you seeing what you are meant to be seeing? Always question yourself; never assume you are sane.
MM: And what did the actors bring to the roles you had written on paper?
MBC: Thomas is what every director is looking for in an actor; someone who can switch it on at a moment’s notice and put in the thought and dedication that the work deserves. He’s also very loyal off-camera and was there for us deep into post-production when the ADR demands were stacking up. That means a lot and, because of that, I will always consider him when writing a role.
(continued below...)
MM: Given its sci-fi nature, have you had to use much VFX in the film?
MBC: We used enough VFX to make a point, but the film isn’t flooded in it.
MM: Sounds great. What was the most difficult hurdle you had to overcome whilst shooting?
MBC: Getting through post-production with no money. We got there in the end though, even if I did need to learn colour grading to get it over the line...
CB: From a production standpoint we had just two days to shoot the film so the challenge really was to ensure we got through everything! Everyone working on the film really pulled together though and made it happen.
MM: And can you tell our readers what were the influences on your film?
MBC: Very much Gaspar Noe’s ENTER THE VOID and CLIMAX. Aronofsky’s PI. Cyberpunk. Philip K. Dick’s UBIK.
MM: With that type of subject matter and from the synopsis then, what are your favourite hacker films made by others?
MBC: THE MATRIX. GHOST IN THE SHELL. STRANGE DAYS.
MM: Do you see many challenges (or benefits) that come with making small independent films?
MBC: That you could spend all your money, use all your time/energy then that’s it -- it just disappears into the ether. But of course believing in yourself is more than just hoping it’ll “all work out”; it’s about making a plan and understanding what you can/can’t do effectively.
MM: Finally then, what are the future plans for the film?
MBC: The short is being released on DUST on the 27th October. From there, I will be looking to finance the feature film so, if you know anyone...
CB: The film will be premiering on DUST which is the world’s largest sci-fi platform for filmmakers. This was absolutely the goal we set out to achieve when we started this so it’s definitely mission accomplished! DUST will be releasing the film on October 27th across all of their channels including YouTube, Facebook and more. With the current climate it’s the perfect way to get the film seen by a larger audience and it gives people a chance to see Matthew’s vision and potential. Connective Tissue is just the start!
Find out more about the film and details of its forthcoming release here:
http://www.yspmedia.co.uk/connectivetissue
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9310560/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
