MobileMovieMaking: Where are you located?

Manley: I am located in a little village outside Salzburg, Austria.

MobileMovieMaking: What motivated you to become a filmmaker?

Manley: I live in a German speaking country, but I don’t speak German, so when my work-from-home job, based in the UK, was taken away from me, I panicked. I was pretty unemployable. I suppose I had to take an inventory of the things I liked doing, the things I had, and see how I could combine them and put them to use. So, I started to casually write, and organically, the idea that I could convert what I wrote into moving image, started to form.

MobileMovieMaking: How did you develop your moviemaking skills?

Manley: YouTube and web searches. Once I knew the right questions to ask, I have been pretty good in getting a general idea as to how things work, practically and on set on the day. However………I am very impatient and I also enjoy the trial and error approach, I will never know everything about a piece of equipment or a technique.

MobileMovieMaking: Are there any filmmakers who influenced your approach to making movies?

Manley: I’m sure this will change every time I’m asked. Michael Mann will always stand out for me, not just for Heat and Collateral, but for the genuine, cinematic quality that his films hold. Paul Thomas Anderson tells a story like no-one else, films like Magnolia, Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood, are my stand outs. I admire the gritty feel of Danny Boyle, the handheld quality that he exhibits in 28 Days Later for example. From a strictly aesthetic viewpoint, Michael Bay, Christopher Nolan and Chloe Zhao really inspire me.

MobileMovieMaking: What gave you the idea for “Pencil”?

Manley: I rummaged around in my head and used ideas that were instantly accessible. It was purely an exercise of getting pen to paper. In this case, the state of being “on a pencil” is a familiar one for an actor, whatever we choose to call it. The idea that this limbo can, and has, halted day to day living for some actors, was worthy of commiting to screen. I’ve been in that position a few times.

MobileMovieMaking: How did you plan the shoot? Was there a script? storyboards, shot list?

Manley: All of the above. I knew that planning would make things easier, and I remembered about storyboards from my high school days. I referred to the script I had written, visualized how it would play out, and created very basic storyboards, to remind and inform me throughout. I made a shot list to focus the storyboards.

MobileMovieMaking: Could you talk about how you cast the movie?

Manley: This first foray was meant as a statement of intent, a proof of interest to my self. Casting was not going to be the most important factor. So I cast myself. I have a friend in the city who is an excellent actor and I roped her in to play opposite me. Convenience was the prime motivator.

MobileMovieMaking:. Can you tell us anything about the locations?

Manley: Again, all down to convenience. All the locations are a within a few hundred yards of my apartment.

MobileMovieMaking: In addition to the smartphone, what gear did you use?

Manley: I used a Zhiyun Smooth 5 gimbal and a simple Ulanzi cage. I used ShotCut for the edit.

MobileMovieMaking: What are the advantages of shooting with a mobile device rather than a traditional camera?

Manley: The obvious advantages are it is very immediate. You can get into gaps and achieve shots that you may not get with a hefty dedicated camera with all its extra attatchments.

MobileMovieMaking: How long did the shoot take?

Manley: It took a weekend.

MobileMovieMaking: During the shoot, did you encounter any unexpected problems?

Manley: Sound was a thorn in my side. It is a weakness of mine and I am still trying to work it out. Our sound wasn’t recording through the mics we had.

MobileMovieMaking: How did you deal with that?

Manley: By changing the narrative shape of the film. We had to abandon most of the dialogue and record a monologue to go over the top of it. It worked well, but that can’t happen all of the time.

MobileMovieMaking: Was there anything special about creating the sound track?

Manley: I called in a friend, who is an experimental musician. I like the work he does, and I asked if I could choose a couple of tracks to use, and he agreed. I loved that, I think music is a very important part of the whole emotional experience of film.

MobileMovieMaking: Could you talk about your approach to editing the movie?

Manley: I used ShotCut, an open source program, and I love it. My approach is not fine-tuned, its a bit scattergun at the minute and my laptop gets clogged up during an edit. But I’m learning.

MobileMovieMaking: How do you feel about the finished movie? Would you do something different next time?

Manley: It feels good that it is out there to be consumed. There are things I would do differently, for sure, and have done with my second short, but I am very proud that eight months from the start of the year (and my filmmaking career), I have something to show for my efforts.

MobileMovieMaking: Is there anything else you want to say about the production or about your upcoming work?

Manley: I am currently crowdfunding my third mobile short film. It is called “The Tourist.” This time I am hoping to outsource the on-screen talent. You can have a look at the full campaign here.

MobileMovieMaking: What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out making movies?

Manley: Filmmaking is a wonderful mix of form and fantasy. Have those wild ideas, tell the story you want, but in order for it to actually take shape and happen, be prepared to underpin it with solid plans and direction. The idea that you can just get up and shoot with your mobile is great and valid, but to my mind that only suits a certain brief. If you want to create films, be prepared to do the whole lot.

MobileMovieMaking: How can readers keep up with your news?

Manley: I’m on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. I also have a website.

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The editors of MobileMovieMaking have chosen “Pencil” as the Mobile Movie of the Week.