The short film Doggerland tells the story of an illegal immigrant who takes on an underground driving job with an unknown junk cargo to gain UK citizenship from his criminal employers. BitpixTV News caught up with the film’s director Jack Gill for our ongoing 5 Questions With series. You can catch the short now on Bitpix TV.
Q: Tell us more about your film. How did it come to be?
JG: In the UK. Many people in the UK feel squeezed and unheard, and they’ve directed their anger outwards. We’re becoming an island nation, cut off and sinking into Doggerland. Our film shows what happens to desperate people when they’re pushed to their extremes and we hope that it allows audiences to reconnect with their empathy.
Q: What was your budget?
JG: £21,000
Q: What was the biggest takeaway from making the film?
JG: That the general public don’t realise the sheer extent of modern slavery and immigration crime in the UK and Europe. It’s something that perhaps feels very distant – a sensational news story. But if you’re reading this, I can guarantee it’s happening in some form right now in your town or city. It took this film, and the research involved, to really open my eyes.
Q: What was the biggest challenge in making this film?
JG: Representation. Finding the right balance between tension, suspense and character-driven storytelling, without exploiting the very people we were trying to lend a voice to. We wanted the film to be a window into the world of modern slavery in the UK, whilst remaining a suspenseful thriller – so we went to great lengths to give everything a sense of truth. Doggerland is the result of lots of research, lots of conversations, and a real empathetic stance when approaching all the characters in the narrative.
Q: What is next for you?
JG: More stories. We have a slate of features in development.
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