From cute guinea pig in latest project Petrified to three-headed hell hound Cerberus, award-winning Gwenhyver Davies writes stories with a twist. We find out more
What’s your background, how many films have you made, and how would you describe them?
When I’m asked to describe myself I tend to say, “I’m a Screenwriter with a background in Philosophy.” Aside from the few people who say things like “Philosophy? Is that to do with stones?” Most people will ask “Why Philosophy?” Well, since you ask…
I became interested in screenwriting at about the age of 15, so when it came to the question of what to study at university, screenwriting was something with which I felt in tune. What I lacked, I felt, was substance in my writing. I had this urge to write, but not much to say. So, I chose to study Philosophy because what’s better than three years of exploring ideas? There. That is why I studied Philosophy.
In 2008 I won the American Gem Literary Festival with a 16-page short script titled Immortality, the story of a teenage boy who wants to achieve fame by any means necessary. In 2009 I won the International Screenwriter’s Festival Script_1 Competition with Grounded, a thriller about a young woman who returns to her family home in the country to find a loved one has died.
Last year I teamed up with director Gareth Allen and editor Chris Dewar and made (with kind help from Exeter Phoenix Media) Discommunity – a 90-second short which showed at the Cornwall Film Festival and Two Short Nights in 2009.
I am currently working with animators Andrew Clift and Bradley Purnell to create Petrified – an animated short about a Guinea Pig who’s afraid of the dark.
I challenge myself to write stories that hopefully have meaning beyond the film, but at the very least I aim to be entertaining!
Your latest project, Petrified, is an animated story, is this a departure from your other films
This is my first – and hopefully not last – venture into the field of animation. We’re describing Petrified as a mild house pet horror. We’re placing a cute-scared-of-everything guinea pig into a suspense-filled scenario.
Petrified is my first script/ film that has ‘cute’ as its focus. I have elements of cute in my other work. A feature length I’m working on called Crooked Arrows – which sees the famous Greek god Eros living in the modern world and only able to inspire animosity – features Cerberus the three-headed hell hound as a King Charles spaniel with self-image issues. The ‘cute’ here is part of the Crooked Arrows landscape, in Petrified the cuteness of the character is the focus.
Andrew Clift and Bradley Purnell are two very talented animators and they’ve done a brilliant job in creating the characters. The scared-of-everything guinea pig is definitely cute. Well, up to a point… but you’ll have to wait for the finished piece!
What interests you in a story – and do similar themes run through your work?
It is the ideas behind the story and the human (or guinea pig…) interactions within the story that interests me. Even in Crooked Arrows, these so called ‘gods’ are really human at their core. They have the same insecurities, the same issues. Even when there’s a bit of melodrama I like for the situation to be rooted in reality. When a family breaks up, it can feel like the world might end. Only in the land of Crooked Arrows, this is somewhat more literal than metaphorical!
There are a few themes that I see running through my work. The first is that of communication. It intrigues me how we can miss what’s right in front of us (and I’m guilty of this too!). We live in a world where people talk, but don’t listen and where people interact with technology more than they do each other. Discommunity explored how we are out of touch with those around us through the means of two neighbours being unaware that the other held the solution to their problems.
The concept of immortality really intrigues me. In Crooked Arrows we have individuals struggling to find meaning within a never-ending life. In Immortality (the clue is there in the title!) our lead character Toby struggles to find a way to be remembered beyond the looming deadline of death – a deadline that is often not of our own choosing. It’s similar in Grounded where our lead character Grace finds herself returning home to her family after years in the city, only to find she is too late.
I like to give reality a little twist if I can. It’s our world but… Greek gods do exist. It’s our world but… the angel of death is after your loved one. It’s our world but… well, you get the idea!
What are your influences?
I’m influenced by each film I watch and every script I read. I don’t limit myself to watching only ‘good’ films. Watching the so-called ‘bad’ can only serve to make me better as a writer by understanding why and how something did not work. (This is how I justify my somewhat varied DVD collection!)
I have a supportive and creative family. My dad is a business coach, my sister is an artist, my mum was always incredibly supportive, and my dog likes to chew things – creatively. So, I’ve been lucky to grow up in an environment where I too can be creative.
You put a call out for an animator to work with you on Petrified, how successful was the process and what are the biggest challenges of collaboration?
The first challenge was in finding the right people. I put a call out for talented animators on various sites – South West Screen, Plymouth Media Partnership, Shooting People etc. All the individuals who applied were very talented. When I saw Andy’s work I was incredibly impressed. His careful use of colour was particularly appealing to me. I felt he had the right style for the project.
After that, it is then down to work ethic. Andy and Brad (brought on board by Andy) are hard workers and, as a result, the project is taking shape.
From a writer’s perspective, the other potential challenge is in ‘letting it go’. It’s something I’ve written and can see clearly in my mind – so the difficult part is to take a step back and let the animators work their magic. However, this is made easy when you know your work is in capable hands.
Now, while Andy and Brad are busy doing what they do best, it is my task to plan ahead to ‘what happens next?’ – which festivals and competitions we will aim for.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
Along with local screenwriter Jenny Day, I have recently set up the South West Screenwriters’ & Storytellers Group. We will have our first meeting on Tuesday February 9 in Plymouth. After which the intention is to meet on the second Tuesday of the month.
The aim of the group is to provide a place to gather and a platform to discuss all things screenwriter and story-related. The focus of this group is on screenwriting, but will offer the chance to explore storytelling in various forms.
If you would like to be added to the mailing list, or would like further information, feel free to contact me: gwenhyver_davies[at]yahoo.co.uk
Gwenhyver Davies, thank you
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