Burton Mail

Police swoop on ‘drug’ deal filmed for online video

THE FAKE DEAL WAS PART OF A MOCKUMENTA­RY ON TOWN

- By HELEN KREFT helen.kreft@reachplc.com @helen_kreft

A MOCKUMENTA­RY film-maker has said production stalled several times after police were called out by concerned residents who spotted “drug dealing” taking place.

Tattooist to the likes of Ed Sheeran and Rihanna, Kevin Paul has now finished shooting Common, a mockumenta­ry looking at the lives of people living in Salisbury Drive, Midway.

The group of young men being filmed are actors from the local area but have been often mistaken for actual drug dealers despite the presence of large cameras filming them.

Mr Paul, who is releasing the series on Youtube in the hope it can be taken on nationally and take young people off the street and into acting, said: “The police were getting sick of being called out.

“People thought we were drug dealing but we had massive cameras and equipment there and the weed was fake and is legal.”

Despite the setbacks, Mr Paul vowed to plough on, saying: “Hate is something which will always follow you about but I am an artist so everything I create is an art.”

Mr Paul even used some of the negative comments the series received on social media and wrote them into the script. The actors are pretending to be real people who have been surrounded by crime as they try to live day by day.

One of the stars is a man who was stabbed six times following an argument with a friend in Swadlincot­e.

Now a snippet has been released showing a scene from the series, where Kevin Paul is interviewe­d by “Nigel”, a dad of two.

Nigel is played by Darrell Iwynne, who has been homeless himself and on drugs, which helped him prepare for the role.

In the snippet, Mr Paul asks him: “Do you think it is a good idea to do smack in front of your kids?”

‘Nigel’ replies: “Only on Monday to Thursday. Any day after that then rock and roll, sonny. You know what I mean.”

Mr Paul then asks: “Do you not think it could be better for your kids if you didn’t do that?”

Nigel responds: “I hold my hands up. I do what I do. I don’t mind, it stops me from going psychopath­ic. Even though people look at me as a madman. I’m not like that, and there’s one night of the week I give up and everyone goes AWOL. I have to go looking out for them and that, try and find them. I am a lonely man. It what it is. My payment towards their lifestyle is give them my spare time to them rather than roaming around with my d*** in my hands.”

Mr Paul, who grew up in Swadlincot­e, has said, since filming, two of those taking part are have managed to get themselves off the streets and are turning their lives around - and one now has a job.

He believes his idea could be used in other parts of the country to help people leave their lives of crime.

Mr Paul hopes to air his first episode of Common on Youtube in June and is now hoping it will take off in a big way and film other areas of the UK to provide similar help.

He said: “The Government should be helping with this. We have done this with absolutely no money whatsoever. The cameraman has worked for free and I have fed these guys. This has really helped them and they have loved being involved.”

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 ??  ?? Kevin Paul and (below) a still from his series Common shot in Salisbury Avenue, Midway
Kevin Paul and (below) a still from his series Common shot in Salisbury Avenue, Midway

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