A Field in England Interview
A Field in England is the latest film from Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Sightseers). In an unprecedented release, the film will be available on all formats and screened on Film4 on the very same day (Friday 5th July 2013).
Set during the English Civil War in 1648, a group of deserters are captured by an Alchemist and are forced to assist himsearch a field for a hidden treasure. The only food they find is wild mushrooms and the group descend into chaos. The film stars Michael Smiley, Reece Shearsmith, Julian Barratt, Peter Ferdinando, Richard Glover and Ryan Pope. The film is written by Ben Wheatley & Amy Jump and produced by Claire Jones, Andy Starke and Anna Higgs for Film4.0
We interviewed the Production Manager and member of thecallsheet, Philiy Page.
Where and when did you shoot A Field in England?
We shot AFIE in September 2012 on a farm estate near Farnham in Surrey. It was a beef farm and the grass was very poor, but it looked like this golden grass that you find in places like the African Savannah. When the sun came out it just glowed.
What was the biggest challenge for the production team on this shoot?
Our biggest challenge as a production team was time and the fact that we were such a tiny crew. Our whole production office consisted of me, and the two producers -Claire Jones and Andy Starke. We really were doing everything. I had no production co-ordinator, no production assistant, and no production runner as all the runners were needed on set. It was just us at the back of a sinking bus with the DIT Matthew Oaten. But we laughed a lot!
On the first day at 5am the water bowser turned up with the facilities truck, they unloaded the truck and then drove off with the full water bowser back to London! It was a crazy moment, as it meant the caterers had no water to start breakfast. We didn’t notice for about an hour. I managed to sort it without many people realising it had happened. I was always told that turning up to work as a Production Manager meant that your day was going to be full of problems and it was your job to turn them into solutions. That stayed in my head the whole time.
The other massive challenge was the weather. Poor cast and crew! I was on the dry (but sinking in the mud) bus while the rain smashed down against the windows, and they were out in the field trying to film between down pours. When the sun came out it was like another world. The caterers even managed to cook a massive paella outside in the sun on the last day.
You worked on Kill List, Sightseers and now AFIE, what’s Ben Wheatley like to work with?
Many people who come to our set always comment on what a tight group we are. Ben has created a crew that feel more like a family. I’m always over excited to see everyone as we have such a good time together. Ben is great fun, and I always try to get onto set to watch him directing the actors, as he gets incredible performances out of them. It feels like a set with no egos. We really are a team that help each other and Ben always makes sure that everyone feels valuable. I’ve seen Ben chat to runners about their own projects and give them advice. I’m not sure many directors would be that kind, and I don’t think that there are many production companies that also invite the facilities drivers and caterers to the wrap meal, but Rook Productions do. I feel honoured to be part of the Rook/Wheatley gang.
The release strategy is a first of its kind. Can you elaborate on the release and tell us why this film and why now?
Really this is a producer question, as I don’t really know how the idea came about. I think it is a real changing moment in film production though, as it is becoming harder to get funding. So by finding other avenues to bring in revenue will eventually make you look at distribution and the line of middle men who take a cut before the film makers ever do. I think Rook Films are brave and innovative, and I’m intrigued to see what they come up with next.
Do you a favourite moment from the film?
I have so many favourite moments from this film. I have watched it about nine times now as I also created the post production document under the title of Page’s Pages, which was Andy Starke’s joke title for me.
Most people will probably list the wind scenes as their favourite moments but I really love the gentleness of Richard Glover’s singing and the crazy mushroom scenes. I still have Reece Shearsmith’s face full of mushrooms imprinted in my brain. Also Reece’s expression when he comes out of O’Neil’s (Michael Smiley) tent was an intense moment on set. It was one of the times that I was actually on set, and we had no idea what Reece was going to do. I don’t want to spoil it, but his face was really shocking and none of us expected it.
It is one of those films that reveals more and more of itself, the more times you watch it. For me it is one of my all time favourite films. And the fact that we shot it in two weeks and laughed so much while we did it, just makes me feel even more proud of our cast and crew.
A Field in England is on Film4 and in cinemas on Friday 5th June. It will also be available on DVD and to download on the same day.
Philiy Page is a member of thecallsheet.co.uk and you can view her profile page here
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