Warp Films

Warp Films Interview

Warp films are dedicated in finding new voices in the directorial field and are constantly looking to push the boundaries of film. With Warp Records branching out into two moving-image companies, Warp Films and Warp X, it seems like the purveyors of the slightly deranged and mesmerising visual scene are here to stay for a very long time. Their close ties with Film Four have allowed them to create some of the most original and compelling video works of the past few years and Mary Burke, development producer at Warp Films tells us why they manage to stay one step ahead of their competitors.

- Can you tell us who and what Warp Films is?

M: It originally started as a branch out of Warp Records about 6-7 years ago. We were making crazy music videos with people like Chris Cunningham and we thought, why couldn't we apply the same ethos to bedroom music-making to film-making and do things our own way. We wanted to do them on a low budget and in a director-led fashion and use our already-established distribution network within the music industry. The first film we made was ''My Wrongs'', by Chris Morris and it was funded in part by Film Four and NESTA, which is a national endowment for arts. It was short-film about a talking dog that was very funny.

dailymotion : Chris Morris ''My Wrongs''

We won the BAFTA for that, and off the back of it, the company was born.

- What is your role within the company?

M: Mostly, I am a development producer and I also produce the projects that I develop. So I work across both companies, Warp Films and Warp X and try to broker talent relationships between directors who have good ideas and try to help them realize what could essentially be well-executed visuals.

- What are the differences between Warp Films and Warp X?

M: It is differentiated by funding and less to do with any ethos or with what types of films we want to make.

Warp X was set up as a production fund as a low budget feature film initiative, originally started by Film Four and then we raised additional finance from EM Media and Screen Yorkshire. We have our main branch of Warp Films still based there so we were able to tap into the regional finances available in that county. We set out to make 6 films in 3 years under the banner of Warp X as we didn't have to worry about the traditional method of raising finance on each idea as the films could be made very quickly. All of our budgets on the Warp X label are between 450,000GBP -1 million GBP.

- Can you walk us through a typical day at Warp Films, in terms of how a project is started up until it is completed?

M: A good example would be a novel I was given by my assistant called ''Submarine''. I thought it was really funny, optioned it and gave the project to Richard Ayoade to try and create a film. We took it to Film Four, who really liked it and thought it was pertaining to their style of films. So at the moment, we are developing and trying to finance it. Once you have that established, then the financiers will act as the creative executives, giving feedback on the script and then everyone feeds into the script, trying to get it to work with the budget.

youtube : Flying Lotus ''Dance Floor Dale''

- How closely linked to Warp Records are you presently?

M: We are still closely linked. We have just started a promos and videos portion of our company so we are trying to bring the two companies together in that way. We are commissioning and producing all of the videos from Warp Records now, so we can use a director from Warp Films and try out their camera-style or unique element in a video for Warp Records. A good example of that would be Richard Ayoade, who was signed to Warp Films for commercials and promos and has now also made 3 music videos now, one for the Arctic Monkeys, Super Furry Animals and Vampire Weekend.

youtube : Arctic Monkeys ''Fluorescent Adolescent''

So it's a great testing ground as we can see how he works on these types of video and try and extrapolate these ideas and apply them to the feature film that we are now currently working on with him.

- Why does it seem that Warp Films is so different from other film companies? Is this something that you are trying to achieve?

M: I think that it just boils down to personal taste and also because of the people that we choose to work with. Iﾕm just guessing, but maybe as a group, we tend to like weirder, darker and more fucked up things than the average person!

youtube : Battles ''Tonto''

We try to create and open up new markets by being this way. In doing so, we strive to not repeat the same old bland methods of film making that other people in the UK might be seen as doing.

- In the international film industry, there must be times when you have to take into account differences in cultures or ways of thinking. How do you deal with these issues?

M: A perfect example of this happening to us was when we released ''Rubber Johnny'' out in Japan. They either really hated it or were really scared of it, I'm not sure which one!

youtube : Aphex Twin & Chris Cunningham ''Rubber Johnny''

Our distributor in Japan told us that it could have been because of the fact that you don't see many people with physical disabilities or deformities out on the street and many people believed that Johnny was a real kid locked up in a basement in the UK! Everyone in Europe saw it more of a techno-laugh, whereas out there, they took it very seriously.

- Any other memorable film moments that you'd like to share with us?

M: One would definitely be the Europe film premiere of ''This Is England''.

youtube : This Is England Trailer (2007)

It was the first time that the little boy and main actor of the film, Thomas Turgoose had been able to see the film. It was really emotional for him and overwhelming to see the response to the movie. The whole audience was on their feet, clapping and crying and to see that really made us feel proud and inspired us to really believe in what we are doing as a film company.

- Any future plans you are allowed to tell us about?

M: We are currently on a film called ﾒBunny & The Bullﾓ, directed by Paul King, who is also the director for the UK hit-TV show, ''The Mighty Boosh''.

youtube : A Complete History Of My Sexual Failures Trailer (2007)

It's going to be quite psychedelic and is set entirely in a man's flat. Things that happen in there only occur in the manﾕs head, but he doesn't realize! The actors who will be starring in the film are Edward Hogg and Simon Farnaby. This will be the sixth and final film in the series from Warp X and is the most ambitious project we have attempted with the budget that we have been given.

Website : http://www.warpfilms.com/

Written by Selph

youtube : Arctic Monkeys ''When The Sun Goes Down'' (Scummy Man)