Joe Cole in Slap (2014) by Sverre SordalNational Film and Television School
Synopsis
A teenage boxer searching for self-definition gives in to his true colours at the risk of losing everything.
Joe Cole, Elliot Tittensor and Skye Lourie (2014) by Sverre SordalNational Film and Television School
FILM FACTS
YEAR OF PRODUCTION: 2014
LENGTH: 24 Mins 57 Secs
SHOT ON: Super16
SCREEN RATIO: 2.35:1
COLOUR OR B&W: Colour
SOUND: Dolby Stereo
Slap Poster Pink Font (2014) by Milan AbadNational Film and Television School
Posters
Milan Abad created a series of vibrant posters for SLAP.
The idea behind SLAP
“I guess I've always been interested in masculinity and what makes someone a man or not. I competed in motorsport through my teenage years. I was always in a very hyper masculine environment and I was always being told to have big balls and to be a man..."
"I always felt quite different from a lot of the men around me because I guess I was more emotionally sensitive. I always felt like I got on better with women. Then growing up a few people would assume that I was gay when I wasn’t I would wonder why that is, and so how are you meant to behave as a man or how are you not meant to be? That was the kernel of the idea.”
- Nick Rowland.
Slap Poster Orange (2014) by Milan AbadNational Film and Television School
The Writing of SLAP
Nick Rowland had weekly script meetings and received feedback from the NFTS tutors. Nick, Islay Bell-Webb who was writing the script and Michelangelo Fano, the producer; worked very closely long hours to develop the script for SLAP.
Slap Poster Red (2014) by Milan AbadNational Film and Television School
There were some scenes where the SLAP crew didn't have enough film stock to film an entire take of a close-up. Nick and team would have to know where they were going to use the close-up before they shot it, so they would only shoot the close-up for one look or for one line. See the interview with Slap cinematographer Sverre Sordal, below.
Slap Poster Purple (2014) by Milan AbadNational Film and Television School
Performances in SLAP
SLAP had a lot of locations but not much film stock so the pressure was on the actors to deliver the performances. On a technical level they had to make sure the focus worked first time so they would rehearse to make sure the physical shape of the scene worked.
They would rehearse with improvised dialogue to get the beats really tight but then when they went for the take that would be the first time the actors were saying the actual lines from the script so there was a degree of freshness and naturalism to those particular lines.
Slap Poster Pink (2014) by Milan AbadNational Film and Television School
Film Exposure on SLAP
One of the rolls of film got exposed to the light and a third of the third of the frame was destroyed so they had to crop in really tight. There are some scenes in the film where you'll just see light and scratches and all sorts of things pop onto frame. Sverre Sordal shares the full nightmare below.
Slap Poster White (2014) by Milan AbadNational Film and Television School
Most Cinematic Moment in SLAP
“I think one of the most cinematic moments is when he has an opportunity to go to a fancy dress party revealing his secret life. It's funny because at the time I thought we were making a social realism film and making it naturalistic but now looking back it's not.” Nick Rowland
Be sure to keep scrolling to see an interview with Nick Rowland, and the film, SLAP.
Slap. (2014) by Nick RowlandNational Film and Television School
Slap Poster Black (2014) by Milan AbadNational Film and Television School
Nominations and Awards
Nominated - "Best Short Film" EE BAFTA Film Awards 2015
Nominated - "Best British Short" British Independent Film Awards 2014
Winner - "Best Short Film" Edinburgh International Film Festival 2014
Winner - "Best Narrative Short Film" Cinequest Film Festival 2015
Official Selection - AFI Fest 2014
Official Selection - Palm Springs ShortsFest 2014
Official Selection - Sleepwalker Film Festival 2014
Official Selection - London Short Film Festival 2015
Official Selection - Prague Short Film Festival 2015
Official Selection - Nashville Film Festival 2015
Slap Poster Reflection Landscape (2014) by Milan AbadNational Film and Television School
Selected Cast and Crew
Joe Cole - Connor
Elliot Tittensor - Archie
Skye Lourie - Lola
Director & Co-Writer
Nick Rowland
Producer
Michelangelo Fano
Writer
Islay Bell Webb
Cinematographer
Sverre Sørdal
Production Designer
Laura Mickiewicz
Editor
Mark Hammill
Sound Recordist & Designer
Matis Rei
Composer
Terence Dunn
