And another bit...
AUTO-INTERVIEW
What exactly is Shadowplayers about?
It's a feature-length indie documentary about the first four years of Factory Records (1978-81), with the main focus on the musicians, but also covering design and, erm, Situationist aethetics. Plus some good-humoured North-West wit. What it isn't is another Joy Division or Madchester film.
The title reflects the monochrome mood of the time, and the fact that most of the groups were operating (or perceived to be operating) in the shadow of Joy Division.
So why is it so bloody long?
It's a complicated story, and Factory's cultural currency is increasing year on year. Factory was the most important label of its era. Peter Saville was the best designer of his generation. Martin Hannett was the best producer. The suicide of Ian Curtis was a generational tragedy long before Kurt Cobain. To tell the story properly, I had to interview all the main protagonists, not just the ones who cracked the Top 40. A Certain Ratio, Durutti Column, Section 25, Cabaret Voltaire and the others are all important too.
In some respects Shadowplayers is an antidote to the Factory movie 24 Hour Party People (2002).
Why no archive or music clips?
Mainly because it would detract from the narrative. From the outset I wanted to make an 'old school' film, not exactly arthouse, but not timed or edited for mainstream television either. Shadowplayers was made specifically for DVD. You can dip into it chapter by chapter, like a book.
Everyone was interviewed within a five month window in 2005, so they all share the same degree of hindsight, which gives it a kind of integrity too. Twenty-five odd years is quite a good remove: people can recall the facts and feelings accurately enough, and they're more candid than they would have been at the time. In fact Shadowplayers would have made for a pretty dull two hours if I'd filmed it in 1980. They'd have all simply muttered that "the music speaks for itself."
You seem to have spoken to everyone. Did anybody say no?
No-one, which is a bit of a coup. In fact I filmed more interviews than I used, about 36. I had an advantage in that I had had existing contacts with almost everyone I interviewed.
Through your record label, LTM?
Mainly, yes. And breaks like having a leak next to Howard Devoto at a Ludus gig, that kind of thing.
Any favourites?
Well, Tony Wilson, Peter Saville and Peter Hook provide the backbone of the story. But Larry and Vin Cassidy of Section 25 make a hilarious double-act. There's a lot of humour in the film, thankfully.
The filming seems to be all over the place!
I presume you mean the locations. Most of the interviews were filmed in people's homes, which brings an engaging element of 'through the keyhole' voyeurism to the piece. They're very naturalistic too, all first take. I simply turned on the camera and popped the questions.
Everyone gets quite animated about the 'riot' gig at Bury…
Yes, I guess a ruck is always quite exciting for young male adults. I think Bury Derby hall in April 1980 was their Battle of the Somme, like a Pals Battalion in 1916. And probably that gig was more of a critical event for Ian Curtis than people realised at the time.
**Martin Hannett (producer) and Rob Gretton (Joy Division/New Order manager) also cast long shadows…**It's a terrible thing that they also died so young. I think Rob Gretton in particular will remain an enigma to those who didn't know him personally, and I certainly didn't. Hannett I met only once, in 1985, but by then he was lost in drugs.
Any plans for a sequel? Blue Monday, the Hacienda etc?
Definately maybe. Sorry - right city, wrong era.
