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Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson
UK Film Review interview, Miles Blacket – Hovering Between Us
Your film, Hovering Between Us, has been selected for the BFI Future Film Festival. Why did you want to be a part of this event?
The way the festival’s geared towards showcasing and connecting young filmmakers, and growing up in London myself, meant it’s a festival that’s been on my radar for a while. I feel like festivals are as much about the sense of community and the opportunity to make connections, as they are the films – so it’s definitely cool to be a part of one focused on people at a similar point in their journey and who will be coming to it with similar sorts of perspectives.
For those who don't know, how would you describe your film?
“Hovering Between Us” follows a night in the life of a young (almost) couple. Taking unexpected turns across one night, the disjunction between the online and real-life relationship reveals the connection between these two people is more complex and strained under the surface.
Why did you want to tell this story?
Dealing with depression for a number of years, I’d been interested in semi-compulsive online behaviour, the experience of being isolated and feeling unable to connect with others…these were things I’d been thinking of before this story existed.
And when the Barbican announced their Life Rewired competition where they commissioned twelve short films to commemorate the anniversary of the internet; it felt like the best opportunity I was going to have to make that first short and draw from the things I’d been thinking over for a while.
What are you particularly proud of with this film?
One of my favourite aspects of this film still is the chemistry and performances of Maria and Alex (Nenda Neurer and Alfie Stewart), I think they help make the two characters relationship feel very natural. And the visual style aided by the incredible work of the cinematographer Spike Morris also helps the observed feeling. But given the practical realities, the limitations we had to work with, all the nitty-gritty stuff; I’m JUST proud we made it, and I can take everything I learnt about filmmaking and myself into the future.
What were the challenges getting it made and/or getting it out there?
Everyone always says keep it simple with short films, especially when you’re starting. And with the number of locations and the limited budget, this was certainly a challenge. Harriet Salmon (the producer) worked hard to get everything together and pulled off a series of miracles, including a club scene. Actually yeah…shooting in a live nightclub is a stress I never want to repeat.
When and where can people see your film?
People can watch Hovering Between Us for free on BFI Player as part of the BFI Future Film Festival from 18-21 February.
What's next for you after the festival?
I’ve been working on another narrative short, which I’m hoping to shoot this year, as well as developing a couple of short doc projects. It’s been a pretty hard time to be establishing yourself, this last year, but I’ve tried to make the most out of the quiet period and enforced moments of self-reflection, to think more about the kinds of stories I want to tell and doing the necessary research and groundwork.
Hovering Between Us screens as part of the BFI Future Film Festival from 18-21 February, free on BFI Player:
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