PILLION

Toby Spanton, 1st AD

The biggest challenges on Pillion came from the subject matter. We knew from an early stage that the film had some scenes that were very graphic and the director, Harry, wasn’t going to shy away from showing them.
As an AD, that meant we had to allow enough time in the schedule to not only shoot the scenes, but to make sure that the director and intimacy coordinator had enough time and space to work with the actors on set and in the moment. As we had two actors playing against their sexual orientations, we had to be very aware of giving them the space and security they needed to get their performances with minimal outside disruptions.
Another challenge was the Guerrilla filmmaking aspect of certain scenes. In prep we discussed shooting on Bromley High Street with hidden cameras, letting the general public surround the cast as scenes played out. Knowing that we had two very recognisable actors in a public place was a little nerve-wracking as you can imagine! Luckily, we pulled it off with very little issue. The main scene we shot, a break-up scene, actually didn’t make the final cut but you can still see footage of Skarsgard and Melling running through the crowds from the same sequence. It worked a treat!

My biggest takeaway was how a film made without any egos can be such a pleasure to work on. We had the loveliest cast and crew and it really felt like everyone was working towards one goal. The film was a labour of love for so many people but the genuine joy felt on set each day really was special and I think that shows on screen.

The beauty of Pillion was that we were showing a community through an authentic lens and I feel it’s so important for an AD team to have a level of authenticity and understanding of the material on whichever project they work on. I had such an amazing team with me who really gave their all and I’m very proud of what we achieved.

Sophie Kenny, 2nd AD (ADG)

I joined Pillion as the Key 2nd AD and later returned as 1st AD for a couple days of additional photography. Our main team was Fenella Jenkins as our floor runner, Ben Wicks as 3rd AD and the wonderful Toby Spanton as our 1st AD.
The project had several complex layers, lots of intimacy, unit moves, splits and night shoots, and very specific background casting requirements, all within the usual constraints (and magic!) of a British indie film.
One of Harry’s (Director) key priorities was authenticity in the background world, which is something I really enjoy and care deeply about as a 2nd AD. I came on board early to help source our key bikers around the cast. The brief was: men comfortable with intimacy on screen, queer-identifying or comfortable portraying queer intimacy, willing to shave their heads, comfortable with nudity where required, able to ride motorbikes, and Harry ideally wanted someone with a head tattoo – all in all – a little specific!
I did a lot of direct out-reach for this. I worked with Harry’s contacts at GMBCC (Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club), but also spent time in prep engaging directly with communities, visiting biker meet-ups and speaking to people at places like the Ace Café, reaching out to kink communities, and contacting bikers I knew. The aim was to bring people into the film who genuinely moved within the worlds we were portraying – I wanted to make sure I got some real people to Harry.
It was such a creatively rewarding process and, as a 2nd AD, this kind of work is one of my favourite parts of the job. I’m a deeply creative AD and it felt brilliant to be trusted to go out and find the right people. I think it really paid off!
One of my favourite moments after the project was attending a screening at the BFI with many of the bikers who appeared in the film, alongside members of the GMBCC and others from the community. Sitting in a cinema with over 100 leather-clad bikers watching the film together was pretty memorable, and it meant a lot to see how much cinema can resonate with the communities its showing on screen. 

The biggest takeaway for me was the value of authenticity – who you put on the screen when choosing background really can add so much – Representation goes a long way. When you take the time to make the world around the story feel genuine, it elevates everything and can make a huge difference. When you see the communities you work with appreciate it too, it it’s pretty special!

Support independent filmmaking whenever you can, and go see films at your local cinema!
Indie projects don’t always get the big marketing and they rarely have the biggest budgets, but they often require crews to think creatively in ways larger productions sometimes don’t. The constraints force you to solve problems together and rely a bit more on each other, which can make our work as ADs super rewarding as the problem solvers.
Pillion reminded me that some of the most meaningful experiences in this industry come from projects where you don’t always have everything at your fingertips, you have to dig a bit, get creative with what you do, then you can find some real magic.