A FILMMAKER who has completed a horror movie in Colchester now has his sights set on making another pioneering film.... about Ninja fighting Morris Dancers.
Dominic Morgan, 48, who won an MTV Award in 2009 for a film called Subject 3, is proud to be making films in the region and believes the area is full of talented filmmakers, as well as great locations for sets.
He completed his first micro-budget feature film, Faith, earlier this year for £50,000, all from private sponsorship donated locally, and he is now aiming to start work on his second film, Morris Men, for £75,000 in March 2021.
Both films star talented actors, including Frank Jakeman from Game of Thrones, and Leona Clarke who was the lead actress in An Inspector Calls.
Morris Men will also include actors Katie Jarvis from Eastenders and FishTank, Karl Howman who played Jacko in Brushstrokes, and two of the leading parkour artists in the world including Lynn Jung from Storm freerun parkour.
Next year, Morgan aims to storm the international film festival scene with both of these films and also showcase them on Netflix.
“I’ve always had a passion for filmmaking, ever since I was 11 years old, and I have been writing stories ever since,” said Morgan.
“In fact, I wrote five stories a long time ago that I’m now turning into a series of films. I normally work as a chef, but over the last few years, I have been driven to make my dreams come true by bringing these films to life and the support locally has been fantastic.
“I can’t thank local businesses enough for helping me to produce these independent films, which I believe is all about Resource Filmmaking – you make the best of the resources available to you.
"For example, the Royal Hotel in Clacton has offered my cast and crew free accommodation and catering over 20 days when we film Morris Men next year, which will be worth £25,000."
Morgan is passionate about showing other filmmakers locally how possible it is to create high quality films on a shoe-string budget, and it is actually fun to make them that way.
“I also want to inspire young people and people with disabilities to get into film, and that is why I used a few of the film students from the Colchester Institute to work on Faith, as well as some people with physical disabilities, learning difficulties and Autism," he said.
"I call these guys ‘The Underdog Crew’ but it’s amazing what they managed to achieve for us all on set. They are a true inspiration”
The story of Faith, in which he invested £10,000 of his own money, came to him in a “night terror”, which he said is the place where most of his best stories come from.
He said: “It’s about a woman, who is just about to have a baby, being driven to hospital by her Dad, who has dementia - but they get involved in a horrific car crash on the way. It sounds gruesome, but it focusses on the Dad holding onto his life to make sure the baby is born safely and his daughter’s life is saved.
“After having this nightmare, I researched into other people having babies in cars and found similar stories to Faith - so I have involved some elements of these true stories in the movie. The film is really about the triumph of the human spirits against all odds and the aim is to make people appreciate their lives more, so they don’t sweat the small stuff.”
Morgan also admits that the driving force behind him getting these films completed now comes from a tragic place.
Unfortunately, in 2010, his daughter died of aplastic anaemia, and this sent him into a deep depression.
He also has Autism and has suffered mental health problems throughout his life, but the experience with his daughter sent him spiralling down into a black hole.
However, he has picked himself up over the last few years and making Faith has taken him out of that difficult place, to the point where he is now determined more than ever to make it all the way to the top.
He said: “Essentially, I make films I love and I hope other people like them too. When I set out on these projects, although I stay up at night sweating with Imposter Syndrome and the fear that people will work out that I don’t know what I’m doing, I still believe I can make it happen. And I enjoy making the whole experience fun and enjoyable for the cast and crew, who were amazing on Faith.
“But I see no reason why my films can’t be known and respected worldwide eventually. And I also think there is real potential for Colchester and Tendring to have a thriving film environment, with a lot of international films made here. We have the talent and support to make that happen. We just have to help our young people believe they can do it.”
His other film, Morris Men, also came to him in a dream.
He said: “It’s based on a few shady, Morris Dancing, Ninja trained, assassins, who are embedded in sleeper cells in every region. They attend village fetes and seem innocent enough, but they are really the eyes and ears of the people in charge of the Governments.
"They have to take care of the things that the Government can’t. It’s not quite Shaun of the Dead, but it’s more like Kingsman with the darkness of The Crow and a touch of The Lost Boys.”
The film will be shot in Clacton and has the full support of Tendring Council to use many locations in the district.
It will involve ambitious stunts, as well as martial arts skills, and Morgan is in the process of trying to bring on board more high-profile people, such as Cynthia Rothrock, a female martial artist who used to work with Chuck Norris, as well as Eddie Hall, who used to be the World’s Strongest Man.
“The martial arts in the movie will be based on the Filipino 'Eskrima' discipline, which I’m a big fan of,” added Morgan.
"The plan is to incorporate the stick fighting techniques seamlessly into the stick banging dance routines of the Morris Dancers, which will look cool and will all be choreographed by martial arts expert Professor Peter Mahoney CBE.”
The filming of Morris Men is due to start on March 31, 2021 and Morgan cannot wait to get back on set.
To find out more about behind the scene stories from Faith and filmmaking tips from Morgan, click here.
Faith will Premiere at the Princes Theatre in Clacton on January 29, with the main tickets already sold out.
However, 30 VIP premiere tickets are still available to purchase here.
Jason Smedley, who owns The Royal Hotel in Clacton, has paid for an all glittering after-party to take place at his venue following the screening.
Morgan is still seeking funds to cover the cost of post-production on Morris Men. Visit www.faith-movie.co.uk/morrismenmovie to find out more.
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