Explore One to watch October 2006
Ed Blum shares the thrills and spills of directing his first fulllength feature film, Scenes of a Sexual Nature, which stars Ewan McGregor
explore One to watch
British film
DIRECTOR ED BLUM’S FIRST FEATURE FILM IS THE REALISATION OF A LIFELONG DREAM – AND PROMISES TO BE A REAL TREAT FOR THE REST OF US
Scenes of a Sexual Nature is set over the course of one day on Hampstead Heath.
“The idea was to create an oasis in London – a park where Londoners go to discuss their emotions and their relationships. You drop in on their conversations and listen for a little while. We just used mother nature, a great script and some wonderful actors.”
It was just six weeks from finishing the script to shooting the first scene.
“I set a date of 1 August as the day we would begin filming – come what may. Ewan [McGregor] said that one of the refreshing things about making the film was that there was a date set and so it was definitely happening. Everyone else said I was mad.” Heathrow caused havoc during filming. “We didn’t realise so many planes would be flying over. Just as we were ready to shoot, we’d hear this drone getting closer. Soon, the soundman could even identify what type of plane was approaching.”
Despite an all-star cast, there were no big egos.
“It was extraordinary to get such a great cast on our first attempt – I think they were attracted by the script and the fact that the film is so performance-driven. Ewan loved that he could ride his motorbike to work – most studios won’t let him because of the insurance. Everyone was relaxed, it was a beautiful summer and we all just had a good time.”
Even film directors get nervous.
“On the first read-through I was very nervous. In those situations you think everyone’s looking straight through you and thinking, ‘he doesn’t know what he’s doing’. I thought, ‘I’ve got this amazing cast and if I mess this up, that’s it, end of career’. But then I told myself, ‘seize the opportunity’. So that’s what I did. I’ve been broke for a year but it was all worth it. When we went to Cannes this year and saw the banner for the film, I was like a little kid. I wanted to stop passers-by and say, ‘Look! That’s my film!’”
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: ED’S C.V.
Despite a passion for film, director Ed Blum learnt his trade in theatre and television. After the National Youth Theatre, he wrote and directed several plays while studying politics at Glasgow University. A stint as a BBC journalist followed, but he tired of presenting business reports.
In the mid-1990s, a chance encounter with a producer in the Soho restaurant where he worked as a waiter led to his first directing job on a short film, The Last Post, which was nominated for a BAFTA. Work on The Bill and various drama documentaries for the BBC followed, before Blum, now 38, finally realised his dream of making it into feature films. His debut offering, as executive director and producer of Scenes of a Sexual Nature, stars Ewan McGregor, Gina McKee, Dame Eileen Atkins and Sophie Okonedo, and opens at selected cinemas nationwide on 3 November.
