Your short film "Paper Journey" won the IOM Film Festival in 2013 and recently had a showing in Canada as part of the Chicago International Film Festival. Tell us more about "Paper Journey".
Well the idea stemmed from my observations when commuting in London daily. I would go into a tube carriage at 8am and see everybody with their head buried in a newspaper. When people get off the train they tend to leave their newspapers behind on the seats and then another passenger picks it up. I became fascinated with how far a newspaper could travel across London for a day and when I left film school I thought it would be an interesting subject to cover in a short film.
I wrote it with a good friend of mine and then we shot it a few weeks later. About 6 weeks of my time went into it with all the pre and post production time included and I was delighted when I heard it had won the Film Festival on the Isle of Man.
How did you get into filmmaking?
A: My interest in film started on the other side of the camera, in the early 2000's there was a lot of filming taking place in the Isle of Man and I was able to get onto these film sets as a child extra which was fascinating. I was then lucky enough to be cast in Keeping Mum in 2005 as one of the bullies. Shortly after that, my parents bought me a small home video camera for my 12th birthday and I just started making little films and trying things out, I won two categories in the Young Filmmaker of Mann that year and things progressed from there.
What role behind the camera do you enjoy doing most?
I enjoy writing a lot and I usually direct a lot of the stuff that I write. I love creating worlds, stories, characters and bringing a vision to screen to share with audiences and that is why I am drawn to directing as you have full creative control of your vision. I just enjoy being involved in all filmmaking and appreciate that I can't direct every film that's made, so I have produced in the past and worked in AD, sound and camera departments. For me there is no buzz quite like directing though and that is what I want to continue developing over the coming years.
Originally from the Island, you have your own production company No1 Street Films in London what would be your dream production project?
My production company is very much split into two sides. Half of it focuses on developing and making short films, whilst the other half focuses on producing marketing material for a range of corporate clients. I think a dream project would be working with some big name actors. There are too many that I admire to write them all here but working with somebody like James McAvoy would be a dream!
Away from the camera what do you like to do to relax?
I really enjoy writing, I think it's one of the most relaxing things you can do by letting your mind be completely free to do and create whatever it wants. Other than that, I am a massive fan of comedy and football so I enjoy spending time watching sitcoms, live comedy or Arsenal winning!
How can people see more of your work?
It's kind of scattered all over the internet! If you search 'Paper Journey' on YouTube it will be the first thing that pops up. Otherwise I have a few things on my vimeo page which is at vimeo.com/rorydorling.
What are you working on at the moment?
I have a few projects in development. I have a sitcom pilot script that I am continuing to develop together with my writing partner - we are into the 8th draft of the script now. I'm also writing a few shorts that I would love to shoot by the end of this year/into next year. I'd love to come home to the Isle of Man to shoot one of them as I haven't made a film on the Island for quite some time now and it really is such a great place for filmmakers!
