Lights, camera, action for budding filmmaker
A 25-YEAR-OLD filmmaker has debuted his Derbyshire-shot film at a local film festival.
Jordan-Kane Lewis’ second feature, Nothing Goes, was screened on Sunday, May 5, at Derby’s Paracinema Film Festival, held at the Quad.
Speaking before the event, he said: “I’m excited for people to see it, but I’m a bit nervous.”
Lewis describes the crime drama as “a coming of age that turns into a horror halfway through.”
It follows Alex, a 21-year-old student, who is dragged into a robbery plot by his girlfriend, Lexy, and her violent best friend, Peach. After the successful heist, they depart on a road trip, but the consequences of the deed follow swiftly behind them.
Lewis said that people who have already seen it were shocked by the ending. But despite the positive feedback, he was anxious for the screening to begin: “As soon as you realise the audience is enjoying it, it becomes a weight off your shoulders.”
The Paracinema Film Festival ran from May 3 to May 6 and celebrated alternative films that merge genres and exist outside of the mainstream.
Nothing Goes was screened on a day dedicated to British independent movies, alongside a noir-thriller, horror anthology, and an apocalyptic dystopian work. Lewis then participated in a panel Q&A after the programme.
Staying local was important to Lewis, who filmed in Sheffield _ where he graduated in 2023 with an MA in filmmaking – the Peak District and within the Midlands, such as Dronfield in Derbyshire where he currently lives. The furthest they had to travel to was Grimsby to shoot a beach scene.
By capturing recognisable locations such as the Park Hill Flats in Sheffield, a listed housing estate with the iconic “I Love You Will U Marry Me” graffiti, he hoped that residents would enjoy seeing their area on film.
Filmed over 16 days in January 2023, the production team faced challenges of staying within the tight budget of £4,000, and rainy conditions that threatened the outdoor scenes.
Since he was 10 years old, Lewis has enjoyed editing, but he only began seriously thinking about a career in filmmaking when he did film studies at school. He then went on to college for film and TV production and completed his BA in Hull. His debut feature, the revenge thriller A Touch of Vengeance, is also set in Derbyshire and is available to
stream on Prime Video.
Lewis advises young filmmakers “not to do everything by yourself,” but to collaborate with local creatives through university and regional theatre groups.
He draws upon his big filmmaking community to build a team of people he trusts: “I work with frequent collaborators like make-up artists and actors.”
Living in the Midlands, where the budget for the arts isn’t large, he said: “You have to make your own
opportunities.” Taking his own advice, he set up the distribution platform Studio Silent in 2020 to help his films and collaborators make their work available to the public.
So far, Lewis has submitted Nothing Goes to 14 festivals and is attending Romford Film Festival in London later this month.
Next up for the filmmaker is shooting a vampire feature called All You Do is Bleed and a horror short about possession.
As soon as you realise the audience is enjoying it, it becomes a weight off your shoulders.