Introduction:
Five years post-Uni and feeling unsuccessful in life, our protagonist James visits his old Uni mates and realises through unconventional means that maybe life’s not so bad.
Hi, my name’s Ryan JJ Lubbock. I am the writer, director, producer, and editor of our new short film, Join the Club. It’s a dramedy that looks at what life is like for the disillusioned youth of the modern era. We live in strange days, where going nowhere gives you something and doing something gets you nowhere—and what happens when you reflect on yourself and the growth you’ve really made.
Inspiration:
I was late going to Uni, but when I finally did, I had a fantastic social circle of friends, a few of whom were housemates who will remain my good friends for many years to come. Then Covid hit, and now I barely see them—even though when we do see each other, it’s like no time has passed. I watched my most ambitious friends give up on their dreams, my most depressed friends disappear deeper into their heads, and in total, there are only a couple of us who came out the other end ready to keep on pushing. James is one of those people.
(That sounds so depressing; I promise the film is funny.)
I’ve seen my friends struggle and enjoy life in equal measure. Sometimes it feels like ambition gets in the way of that, and all that’s left is the struggle, but it still doesn’t stop me—and it shouldn’t stop you either.
And as in Join the Club, James’ best mate Kenny says it best:
“Just f**king do it.”
The Process:
Join the Club’s creative process was an absolutely fantastic and fascinating experience from start to finish.
Before I get into it: we managed to shoot 100 shots in 3 days, with 88 of them making it into the final edit. That left practically no room for error, and both my Director of Photography, Jag Concepcion, and I are still amazed by this even now.
One of my favourite parts of the pre-production process was casting. I had already worked with our lead, Deshaye Gayle, on a previous short, and he was fantastic. I wanted him again and cast him well before anyone else. I did this because I wanted to chemistry test and audition at the same time. Deshaye joined me, my producer Annabel Vago, and my AD and partner Hayley Karis to audition two to three people for each of the remaining seven cast members. I handpicked my actors, rented a room, brought them in, and the chemistry test/audition worked like a charm. Eventually, even though my cast had only met twice in person and once online to run lines, on the first day on set, they hung out while we set up. The laughter and fun they all shared—as people who were total strangers—was amazing. My good friend and script supervisor, Jack Parsons, said I may have created a social experiment by accident.
That chemistry oozes into the film, and I’m incredibly proud that I managed to create a genuine feeling that this is a slice of life, not just a film.
Our only struggle was budget. As our Uni decided they wanted quantity over quality for their education, there were 50 directors on our course and zero funding for our films. I’m still in debt from it… and I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.
When it came to post-production, Join the Club was one of the biggest edits I’ve ever taken on, but from writing to directing to editing, my director’s vision remained clear and concise. The only thing in the edit that didn’t go down the way I expected was during the dinner table argument scene. I had everything planned down to the tiniest detail, and I wanted to capture raw emotion by allowing my actors to improvise their angry rants. Little did I know that a particular actress, Linda Adey, who plays James’ sister Lisa, would drop the mother of all performances on the table. It is incredible.
In the edit, I tried my damnedest not to cut it up, but it started really messing with the rest of the scene’s pacing. In the end, I managed to keep the entire performance with just one cut, and I’m so glad I did. It gives the scene a level of shock and gravitas that blows you back in your seat.
What’s even better is that I met Linda while I was still writing JTC and realised she was perfect for Lisa. During the audition process, Linda couldn’t make it at first, but then she had a shift in schedule and could. I sent her the pages; she turned up the same day with them memorised already (amazing), but she couldn’t quite nail the frustration of the kitchen scene we were running. I still believed in her, though, and we pushed on; she got the role. Fast-forward to the day of shooting: even after running lines, she wasn’t 100% on the frustration she needed—and then this happened. She let loose completely and stunned the entire cast and crew. We erupted into hollering and applause. She asked, “Was it too much?” and we all collectively yelled, “NO!” I said to her, “I think you found that anger,” and she looked so proud—and I was so proud of her. It was a wonderful moment.
I could keep talking about Join’s process all day, but I have no idea how long I’m allowed to make this thing.
What It Means to Be a Finalist:
I feel immensely honoured and validated in my work as a writer/director. I couldn’t be prouder of Join the Club, its cast, crew, and myself. It’s an incredibly gratifying feeling to have your work recognised, especially by such a prestigious name as the Worcester Film Festival. I can’t wait for the event and all the fantastic people we’ll meet.
Where to Watch / Follow:
Join the Club is yet to stream anywhere publicly, but you can follow me on Instagram @r.jj.l_ or @afilmbyryan. You can also check out Join’s dinner table sequence and my previous super-short film ‘good.’ on my portfolio here: https://www.rjjproductions.com/
We do have an Instagram for Join the Club (@join_the_club2025), but I already work in marketing and haven’t done any for myself! Any support and follows are still hugely loved and appreciated.
Thank you for taking the time to read through my ‘Behind the Film’ for the Worcester Film Festival and my new short film, Join the Club. See you at the screenings!
About The Author
