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OLLY BLACKBURN (RIGHT) & JAKE POLONSKY
Olly Blackburn and Jake Polonsky work well as a writer-director and cinematographer team because of a mutual love of movies, a dedication to their profession, the drive to suc- ceed in British film and mostly, because they’ve known each other since they were ten years old.
“We were at school together,” admits Polonsky, “I was into really hardcore dark cinema and Olly was into war films and James Bond.”
They’ve come a long way since then. Both Oxbridge alumni, Polonsky graduated from the Royal College of Art and AFI while Blackburn trained at New York University’s graduate film school. They have both worked independently on commercials, music promos, docu- mentaries and short films but enjoy teaming up for projects.
“We have a shared language of what we like, what we’ve done and what we understand. It’s much more enjoyable and quicker to working with someone you have that understanding with,” says Blackburn.
Now the duo are now chasing fund- ing for their first feature together, Fever, written by Blackburn. “It’s the story of a young man who goes on a mad journey one weekend in London,” he explains.
Describing his script as Woody Allen “on a good day”, Blackburn hopes that Fever will be a clever but ultimate- ly commercial venture. “I believe you can make smart films that are really entertaining,” he enthuses. He also has scripts brewing for an action film, a black comedy and a martial arts epic.
The more laid-back of the duo, Polonsky is content to simply be involved in film: “Making films at all is good. We’ve been talking about doing Fever for long enough. Now’s the time to see whether we’re any good”. ■
ALICIA DUFFY
Most people thought that the Brits came away from Cannes 2001 empty-handed but Alicia Duffy was flying the flag with her award in the Cinéfondation short film compe- tition for Crow Stone.
About two young boys living on a isolated farm this was the only British short film in the competition and then went on to win at Edinburgh later in the summer.
“I know it’s a short film but nobody seemed to know or were interested really,” says Duffy of her win. “It’s been quite a bad year for British feature films, not so much for shorts. Hopefully that will change; there’s certainly some really
good shorts coming through and it would be a shame if they didn’t get the attention they deserve.”
Graduating from the National Film and Television School last year, 30-year- old Duffy came to film late having stud- ied Maths and History at Cambridge before deciding to direct. Although she went to the NFTS as the least experi- enced of her class, she believes her varied background and interests has served her well as a director.
“My father is a boxer and I trained as a musician for years before I took up maths and history so I like many things. There are so many aspects to being a director that I think if you are one of these people who has strengths in different areas it can be very satisfy- ing to exercise them all.”
With the success of Crow Stone, Duffy has had numerous offers which she describes as “exciting” but is keen
to develop two feature scripts currently under wraps.
“I’m interested in British cul- ture and all my films have been set in Britain so far, but I think it will be clearer what my eventual path is from the next work I do,” she says, enigmatically. Look for- ward to more from Alicia Duffy. ■
KENNY DOUGHTY
Barnsley-bred Kenny Doughty is as surprised an anyone to see him- self starring in the new British comedy-drama, Crush, as Andie McDowell’s toyboy love interest.
“I got the script and I knew Andie was attached... I thought it was a long shot and I wasn’t going to get it. So when I found out they wanted me I was like ‘Oh my God! I’ve actually got to do this!’ ’’
His trepidation wasn’t only linked to the stature of his leading lady but to a number of somewhat intimate love scenes (“terrifying”) and the pivotal nature of his role (“if you’re terrible, you’re going to get hung out to dry”).
He needn’t have worried, critics has so far been kind and the film, co-star- ring Imelda Staunton and Anna Chancellor, is being launched both in the UK and US next spring.
Doughty started acting during sum- mers at the Manchester Youth Theatre where he was persuaded to take his tal- ent further with a degree at Guildhall. Since graduating he’s been lucky, dodg- ing the usual struggling actor gamut of walk-ons in Heartbeat and The Bill with roles in Screen Two’s Anorak of Fire, Elizabeth and Titus.
He already has a series of meetings set up for when Crush hits Hollywood. And will he be willing to get more of his bottom out as he has in Crush? He smiles, “Depends on the script, depends if they pay me loads!” ■
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COMPILED BY JANE CROWTHER