This is Nick’s first feature length film since graduating from Hertfordshire Theatre School in June 2004. Just before the beginning of the shoot for The Jigsaw of Life, he appeared on the ITV hit show My Parents are Aliens. Nick is a natural actor, who has a great screen presence. He was always enthusiastic and everyone involved could feel the energy coming out of his performance.
“I have loved the experience of filming The Jigsaw of Life. I found it easy to relate to Duncan and the problems and issues he faced. In a way, I think we all can relate to his struggles at times in our life on some level. I got to play a wide range of emotions and feelings and with other talented actors too. From happy to sad, to angry to in love, to violent, to distraught and hysterical. We were all strangers at the start of the shoot, but by the end it was as if we were a family! Everyone was nice and friendly but with tons of talent and commitment to the film.”
Kelvin was born in Cape Town in 1980. He studied for a degree in Engineering, but during his final year at University he discovered the Method Actor’s Training Centre, where he was able to attend acting classes at night. This is where he cultivated his strong passion for acting. He decided to move to London and pursue a career in acting in 2004. Kelvin has terrific charisma, and is a very talented actor with a big future ahead of him. His approach to the part was very focussed and impressed everyone on set.
“Keith’s evolution from a wily, yet innocent teenager into a homicidal lunatic is what intrigued me about this part. Portraying it was never going to be easy. However, thanks to Mark, and the rest of the cast, this was much easier than expected. I was fortunate enough to have gifted actors working with me, who reacted truthfully to every situation. It was a pleasure working on this film and it was an experience that will be branded on my mind forever more.”
Lauren studied Drama at Exeter University. She has worked on a number of theatre productions, both during her training and since, including Essex Nights and Great Expectations. There were many contenders for the part of Clara. However, once the casting team saw Lauren, they were in no doubt who the part would go to. Lauren had all the characteristics needed for the part, showing vulnerability, strength and screen presence. Lauren also worked extremely well with both male leads, Kelvin and Nick, which was essential.
“It was important that Clara was likeable, yet she is the root cause of all the trouble between Duncan and Keith. The dynamic between those three really drives the film. She is naive, rather than deceiving, and that is what I wanted to bring across. I wanted the audience to sympathise with her, as well as disapproving of the choices she makes. I had a great time working on the film. I had an instant on-screen connection with both Nick and Kelvin. I think this really shows, as Clara’s relationships with both of them appear genuine and natural, yet in very different ways.”
Max is a young actor, who has had a number of years theatre experience working on projects with the Oxford Theatre Guild and a group called Fascinating Aida. He was involved in their ‘one last flutter’ tour, and worked at the Edinburgh festival.
"I heard about the auditions for The Jigsaw of Life, to which I turned up not really expecting there to be an opportunity for a seventeen year old student with no previous film experience. However, to my surprise, I got the part of Lee. I was delighted with this and found Lee to be a character I really could engage with. Working on a feature film contrasted greatly to the theatre, which I usually feel more at home in, but it was a great learning experience. I thoroughly enjoyed working on the production and hopefully this is the first step towards a great career."
When The Jigsaw of Life auditions were held, Riana didn’t think she was able to attend, as it clashed with a holiday. However, she persuaded Mark that she was worth seeing and a separate audition was arranged. She was right, she was worth it. Riana played the part of Faye, Duncan’s Mum, and gave a thoroughly convincing and compelling performance. Riana has had training at the Actors Centre, Merton College, and Lantern Arts Centre. She has also had a number of TV and Film roles.
Having worked with children in the production Chewing Gum, Riana was immediately at home with playing the Mother of Duncan. She played the submissive wife to Michael wonderfully, expressing lots of emotion, leading to a round of applause after some takes.
“I found Faye very intriguing. She loved Duncan, but felt powerless to stop the abuse from Michael. There was a real conflict going on within her, and it was nice to play with this. There was plenty of casualty make-up required, and I had to age up 20 years too. The complicated relationship with Duncan works really well, and it is very touching, especially when they are reunited, albeit briefly.”
Frazz has been acting in theatre productions for many years, and decided to start looking at film roles in 2003, when he worked on Hooked on a Ceiling, with director David Graham. Having enjoyed this experience a great deal, he wanted to continue with this line of work.
“I was working on The Merchant of Venice in Oxford, when I saw The Jigsaw of Life call for casting. I thought this sounded an exciting production and read for two parts, Pete and Michael. I felt the part of Michael was flowing a little better for me, and I was thrilled that Mark was in agreement with this. It was a fun part to play, in that everything Michael does is dark and mysterious, even when he is nice. There is a real undertone for him. It was also quite difficult, in that I had to be quite nasty at times to Harry, who played Duncan as a child. In-between takes I made time to reassure him that it wasn’t real, and I wasn’t such a bad guy really! Filming was great, but hard work, especially when Duncan was grown up, and Nick Hooton exacted a bit of revenge on Michael, twice!”
Tom read Theatre Studies and English at University North London between 1998 and 2001. He completed the course with First Class Honours and consequently enrolled at The Actors’ Centre, London. He has acted on the London Fringe and had several TV roles, including a BBC Trailer, Family Affairs and Yorkshire TV’s My Uncle Silas. Over the last year he has acted in four short films and two independent features.
“Pete was an interesting part to play, as he was so different from me really. It was certainly a challenge. Once I was given the part I dedicated myself to developing my Irish accent. I worked with a coach and was fortunate that my co-star Grainne was Irish. She gave me lots of help and pointers. She was great to work with, and we developed an immediate on-screen chemistry that I think really comes across in the picture. The other side of Pete that was challenging was that I was playing him in two eras. So I had to develop a young Pete, and an older one. It is very curious how many little things can change over a 20 year gap! Pete is a small, but pivotal part in the film, and I am absolutely delighted with how he has turned out.”
Vanessa was one of the first crew member’s in-place for The Jigsaw of Life. She completed a degree in Media Production and Management in June 2004, and then immediately took up the position of Producer. Her previous experience includes work at Walt Disney Productions, Tilt Films and Mission Television. She drew on these experiences and her training to bring organisation and planning to The Jigsaw of Life. She was a vital member of the team right from the off, and was enthusiastic, and hard working throughout.
“It was wonderful to finish my degree, and then move back to Oxford to take up my role in The Jigsaw of Life. When I first met Mark regarding the film, I wasn’t sure what position I would be taking. It was a great surprise to be offered the role of Producer. Mark showed a lot of confidence in me, which was very encouraging, and I relished having so much responsibility. The Jigsaw has turned out so well, and I am proud to have played a big part in it.”
Currently studying Film Studies at Leicester University, Sebastian is very focussed on what he wants for his career. “I love films. I’ve always watched a lot of films, and studied how they were made and put together. I started making my own short films years ago, and this gave me the appetite to go on and make a career of it. I was delighted when the opportunity came to work alongside Mark on The Jigsaw. I loved the script and worked hard to bring as much to the film as I possibly could. We had some very long days, but it was great fun, and didn’t feel like an effort at all.”
Seb and Mark formed a great creative team. “We had a lot of the same ideas, and I think we complemented each other very well. I am thrilled with the final film. It looks great and completely works. The story moves around a lot, but you are never lost, it just flows really well. The soundtrack is superb too.”
This Dorset-based composer and father of two, started composing in 1985 while producing audio dramatisations for a local charity. He learned to play the piano and started collecting movie soundtracks while at school during the late 1970's and was mostly influenced to compose for film by the works of Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith. Music and film are his twin obsessions. His previous experience is mainly in composing for various short films since 2002, but in 2003 he composed the score to the feature film 'The Unseen' directed by Kevin Gates. 'The Jigsaw of Life' is his eleventh film score.
"Working for Mark on his movie has been one of my happiest experiences as a composer. The movie's powerful emotional depth and drive, and its strong dramatic storyline has been so very inspirational to me that the music almost wrote itself. I miss working on this score now that it is finished, and I certainly look forward to working with Mark again."