OFFICER DOWN is a short, action, thriller, directed by Simon Pearce, produced by Emily Haigh and starring Martin Delaney (Bonded By Blood 2), Ben Turner (6 Days) & Josef Altin (Game of Thrones).
Synopsis: Set amid a divided country, with fear and civil unrest at its peak, OFFICER DOWN tells the story of police officer Alex Trent, who becomes trapped in a rundown building during a riot and finds himself facing off with the very people he was sent to help arrest. With allegiances unclear and enemies not who they seem, Alex must decide who to trust and find his strength in order to survive.
Producer Emily Haigh talks BritFlicks through OFFICER DOWN.
I was thrilled to be asked to produce this short action thriller OFFICER DOWN. We managed to secure a wonderful crew, some people I had worked with before and some brilliant new crew members. We were lucky enough to have Phil Méheux BSC as our cinematographer and Roger Pearce as the camera operator; both of them worked on two James Bond films: Casino Royale and Goldeneye, as well as The Saint and a load of other incredible films. Our talented director Simon Pearce worked closely with our crew and our wonderful cast: Martin Delaney (Now You See Me 2), Ben Turner(6 Days) and Josef Altin(Game of Thrones), who blew the crew away with their performances.
Filming in London, in December meant that we had limited daylight hours...
Filming in London, in December meant that we had limited daylight hours, meaning we could only shoot for six hours a day, it was also freezing. But none of that stopped our cast and crew from being professional and raising the bar every day. This was my first action film that I have produced and after watching the first fight rehearsals with the director and action designer, Neil Chapelhow, I knew it was going to be special. The fight scenes are realistic and gritty, which left me squirming behind the monitor, much to the enjoyment of Neil. The stuntmen and cast picked up the choreography and gave it everything they had and I think the results speak for themselves.
This is also the first film where the director, Simon and I decided not to have a score.
This is also the first film where the director, Simon and I decided not to have a score. Which meant we relied heavily on Andy Devine, our dubbing mixer, to take on the challenge, something he happily accepted! Simon and I were thrilled with the results and his insane attention to detail. We are also thankful to Kieran Scragg for scoring the end credits and capturing the essence of the film in one track that really stays with you after the film has ended.
OFFICER DOWN encourages the audience to think about and question what really is right.
Filming Officer Down was an experience that I am so grateful for. I’m immensely proud of our cast and crew who, not only fulfilled their duties, but went above and beyond, elevating this project beyond what I was expecting.
We really wanted to make not just an action film, but also one that challenges our audience and encourages them to think about and question what really is right.
OFFICER DOWN has just started the festival run and off to an exciting start. We are currently screening at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and will soon be screening at the Oscar qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival followed by the Urban Action Showcase, Fighting Spirit Film Festival, Waterford Film Festival and the BAFTA qualifying, Aesthetica Film Festival.
