Introduction:
Our film, On the Backburner, is a realist drama that explores the theme of immigration and the roles of immigrants in contemporary society. While it served as our graduation film for Edinburgh Napier University, it is a very personal work for us that we crafted with passion.
Inspiration:
The original idea drew inspiration from the real-life experiences of our writer, Joseph, who used to work as a kitchen porter in a busy restaurant. We aimed to tell the story of two people who are often overlooked, almost unseen in society. While the story of aspiring chefs is often covered in film, we wanted to cast light on the people who are viewed only as cogs in a larger machine. We quickly realised that this concept goes hand-in-hand with the roles of many immigrants in the country. From then on, our goal was to portray a realistic image of the immigrant experience in the UK, showing life in this country from their point of view.
The Process:
Filming took place in March, 2025, in the kitchen of a high-end restaurant in Edinburgh.
Throughout the five-day shoot, we experienced many challenges due to the small size of the location. It required the crew to be very organised, as the location only allowed a small number of people to be in the kitchen at any time. Production design and lighting had to take turns before the actors could rehearse their blocking, meaning that we needed plenty of time to set up before shooting each day. Luckily, the restaurant had a secondary prep kitchen, where the food in the film could be prepared right before the scenes were shot. This required precise timing from everybody, as the food had to be ready around the same time the shots were set up in the main kitchen. Our film also features plenty of short scenes outside the kitchen. As a result, we often had to change locations very quickly throughout a shoot day, transporting all crew and equipment to a different part of the city.
What It Means to Be a Finalist:
We are honoured that our film was selected as a finalist at the Worcester Film Festival. This recognition means a lot to us as aspiring filmmakers. We are all in the first years of our careers, and being able to show our work to an audience is an exciting and inspiring opportunity.
Where to Watch / Follow:
If you like our film, please follow us on Instagram @onthebackburner.film, where we regularly post updates on the film’s ongoing journey
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