Deanna Dewey is an exceptional Film Director, Author, and Writer based in The New Forest in Hampshire. She is known for Dead Fred (2019), Skullz (2020) and Katie's Dad (2010). We wanted to find out more about how she got to where she is now - directing and writing award-winning films!
You have credits in writing both books and film, how did you get into directing and why?
I think I always wanted to be, but I didn't have the confidence until I was older. The one thing about getting older is you get more confident and you don't mind making an idiot of yourself. Then the final thing was when a man told me I was too old to direct, so that was like a red rag to a bull, especially when he had told a man 6 years older than me that he could direct!
How do you find it being a female director?
It is still a man’s world, luckily there are more female directors now. It is more difficult to break in, because the people that buy the films are still mostly men and they are usually the sort of films that men like to watch, and they don't want females doing action films. I wouldn't mind doing an action film, but they want men to do them! It is quite unlikely to get the chance to do one. Being a female director definitely has changed, it's better than it was, but it's still not an even playing field. Some people, especially older people, are often set in their ways and they can't change. So probably when they all go, it might change further.
For your film Dead Fred, who would you say your target audience was?
I would definitely say an older audience, which is how I wanted to make it. Usually in the industry, when you get to your forties you've had it. There are a few like Meryl Streep and Maggie Smith who break the mould, but mostly there’s not the parts for older women. I wanted to make a film where the main characters were older women, and to give four older ladies a chance and they were all really good actresses! It is difficult to make films for an older target audience unless you've got stars in it, and even then they don't tend to do so well because they're not marketed the same. Most people that are over about 45 like it and laugh. There's a few that don't, but that's a thing you have to take, your bad reviews or your good reviews. It's a matter of taste for films.
What's your favourite work that you've done?
Well, they're all different. My favourite is when I'm working on whatever I am doing at that moment really, because you have to get motivated and they've all got their good bits and their bad bits. So, no, I don't think I've got a favourite one because they've all been very difficult and they’re all shot very differently as well. Dead Fred was only shot over 15 days which is quite quick for a feature. We didn't have long days, we mostly shot in one location with a couple of smaller locations which is unusual for a feature.
What genres do you like watching?
I watch anything I have quite an eclectic taste. I like comedies, thrillers and action films. It depends on my mood, sometimes you just want what I call “bubble-gum film” that you just watch and you forget the moment you've come out of the cinema and you forget what the story is about, it was just an hour and a half of entertainment. So I watch most things. As I'm older now, I'll only give it about 10 minutes. If I don't like it, I switch it off. Whereas I always used to watch the whole thing, now I give up.
What makes a film great for you?
I think it's mainly the acting in the story. I don't know how some films are cast because the members of the cast aren't quite right for the part or they're not that good, but I’ve seen so many productions on television and in films where they've cast people and it is wrong casting. I don't know why they do that. I think the best thing is to get professional actors, people that have been trained or have experience.
How do you think the Film Industry could change for the better?
Getting the film sold is really the most difficult thing. It’s not that easy to find a market. For Dead Fred, I think if we didn't put enough in the marketing and we didn't really have a marketing budget, to be honest. We just got a bit of one from the US but we didn't have any budget over in the UK. Since being released in the US it has picked up quite a bit of press coverage over there, so hopefully it might do reasonably well because if it gets to the right markets, it will. The New Forest Film Festival was the first screening and it had a completely sold out audience and they were laughing and it was really, really good and everybody loved it. I saw it again in Toronto at the ReelHeART International Film Festival in a Multiplex, next to Men In Black III and John Wick 3 which was nice to see!
What would you say to someone wanting to get into the industry?
Don't give up and work on as many projects you can and always be looking for something to do. If you're on a set, you know, don't just sit down, waiting to be told what to do, find something to do. But if there isn't, if you haven't got a job, find something else to do, maybe just make a cup of coffee for everybody, that will make you a friend for life! On Indie sets especially, it is different on a big budget, everybody knows what they're doing, but on a smaller set, just always be helping out, then you'll be asked back. Get experience and you never know where that's going to lead. Some small budgets may be starting out, but they could be going up and up. And if you're the right person, you could be going up and up with them.
You can watch Deanna’s award-winning feature film Dead Fred, available to view on Amazon Prime video, iTunes and Sky Store.
Interview by: Chloe Webb
Film Expo South - Digital Content Supervisor and Brand Ambassador