Day: March 7, 2015

Last year I featured Crossroads, an independent film in production telling the story of Rex, a young gay man currently in a secret relationship with a co-worker.

FILMING has recently been completed, so I caught up with the films director Katie Smith, to see where Crossroads is now at.

What is the origin of Crossroads?

“Crossroads came about because I’ve always had a really deep interest in developing stories that have a strong and emotional importance. I’d been researching this film for about a year before I decided to get on and write it. I knew I wanted to focus on homosexuality because it is a very important part of the world we live in and grief because I know how much grief can play a part in how we react to certain situations.”

How did you fund the film?

“A lot of hard work goes into making a film and without finances it simply cannot happen. We used the crowdfunding site Indiegogo which helped us to raise just shy of £1300, a very modest budget but with hard work and determination to get this story told, we managed it. A lot of people dedicated a lot of time to this film for credit only, without them it wouldn’t have happened and for that I owe them a lot.”

It’s clear from the stills you have some fresh new talent? Where did you find your actors?

“I love working with up-and-coming talent, that’s where the treasure is at. Paul Dewdney (Adrian) is a very accomplished actor with a heck of a lot of experience and I learnt a lot from him. He’s a true professional but he actually approached me and when we met I was blown away by his eloquence and caring yet professional manner, he understood the character inside out and I knew he would play the father character impeccably. Chris Clynes (Jamie) and Liam Hallinan (Rex) I both held auditions for. I was blown away by both of them. As actors, their skills know no bounds. I was grinning from ear-to-ear on set. Watching them work was a genuine pleasure. I know they will all go on to be very successful as actors.”

Where is Crossroads at the moment?

“The film is fully complete and is being submitted to film festivals across the globe with the hope of going as far as it possibly can. So far it’s entered over 40 Film Festivals worldwide so it’s now a case of crossing those fingers and hoping for a successful outcome.”

If you could give any advice to anyone hoping to make a film, what would you say?

“Research. Spend as long as possible researching your ideas before you put pen to paper. I think all scripts can be improved, especially once a film has been made and that’s the first time you can look at it and say “if I had the chance, I would do certain things differently.” I think if you can be happy with knowing there is always room for improvement, you’ll do just fine.”

How can we keep up to date with Crossroads?

“We have lots of Social Media pages where you can find all the latest info at including”:

Facebook:

Twitter: @crossroads_2015

Instagram: @crossroads_2015