Is Pete on side for Feethams film?

OSCAR-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite is the latest actor to be linked with the Darlington-based movie Down Among The Deadmen. He has shown "strong interest" in the role of the father in the film adaptation of Flipper's Side, the autobiography of disabled Darlington FC supporter Paul Hodgson.

For North-East based Shakabuku Films, the independent company making the picture, this is another important step forward in bringing the ambitious project to the big screen.

The company is hoping to start filming the £3.7m movie in the region in September, hopefully based at the Quakers old Feethams ground in the town.

Postlethwaite has only expressed an interest so far. Who knows whether the actor, whose previous screen roles range from blockbusters like Spielberg's Jurassic Park sequel to low budget British indie movies, will sign up? But the fact that the script is attracting the attention of such names means Shakabuku is getting somewhere with Down Among The Deadmen 18 months on from receiving funding for script development from Northern Film and Media.

North-East actress Denise Welch is already aboard to play Hodgson's mother, having called the script "one of the most important and original screenplays I've seen in the last ten years".

It tells of the tale of Hodgson, who contracted meningitis as a child, leaving him physically disabled and wheelchair-bound. The story follows his attempts to lead a normal life, against a background of his support for Darlington FC.

The film will be the debut feature for award-winning film-makers Nick Rowntree and Scott Man, who've already scored success with short films. Their comedy, Tug Of War, starred Marsha Thomason, Scott Neal from The Bill and Coronation Street's Julie Goodyear. Recently, another film, Chain Gang, was named best short at the London Sci Fi Film Festival.

The idea to film Down Among The Deadmen began following a chance meeting on a train between Rowntree and Hodgson. "Paul got talking about his book and Nick was a writer hoping to develop a film. He started working with Paul on turning his book into a film. It all started building from there," explains co-producer Lindsey Green.

Bill Stephens, one of the producers of Trainspotting, has joined as executive producer. This, Green says, "obviously moves the project on a lot further than we could have done on our own". She adds: "At the moment we are approaching a couple of well-known producers who've made British movies before to join the film."

Shakabuku, which is run by Rowntree and Scott Mann, has already had help from North-East born producer and director Franc Roddam, who created Auf Wiedersehen Pet. "He's been our mentor and started introducing Nick and Scott to people who would support them. Northern Film and Media has been very supportive too," says Green.

The company is determined to keep Down Among The Deadman in the North-East. "That's the thing we won't compromise on," says Green. "We want all the location shooting, about 60 per cent of the picture, to be done in the North-East. There's a lot of stuff that needs to be shot around Feethams.

"The fact that the Darlington club has moved to a new ground was lucky because it leaves Feethams more or less available to us. We hope to use it as a base. We probably need to shoot one major match there, for which we'll need 10,000 extras for the crowd."

In addition, Shakabuku took advantage of the recent celebrity football match to shoot crowd scenes for the film.

The leading roles of Paul and his friend Herbie have not been settled yet, although an American casting agency has been busy sending out the script to young actors across the Atlantic. It could mean one of the two main parts becomes American.

"Once a producer comes on board, he'll want to look at the leading roles. We've been sending out the script and already had interest from people on the A-list," says Green. "We're juggling a lot of balls in the air at the moment. It's a dream really, but the North-East film industry is starting to build. Northern Film and Media is putting so much money into funding."

Shakabuku is currently looking for private investors, probably about five, from the North-East to help back the project. Green reckons about 30 per cent of the financing is in place, with more promised or in the pipeline.

What the company is determined to do is keep Down Among The Deadmen as much in the North-East as possible. "We own this film and intend to make this film," says Green. "It's such a beautiful story, it would be a shame to pass it into the wrong hands."

Published: 13/03/2004