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From Punk to Film: The Unconventional Journey of Simon Sprackling

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Simon Sprackling's entry into the film industry was a riotous journey, marked by his punk rock background and numerous failed projects. As a former member of No Fixed Haircut and The Puffin Club, Sprackling turned to making films as a way to challenge the worst movies he and his friends would watch. His debut film, A View To A Shandy, started as a project at a film unit for the unemployed and eventually led him to work with Nigel Odell on the National Film and Television School graduation project, Augustine. After another failed project, Sprackling started making his feature film, Funny Man, with an average crew age of 24 and an unconventional approach to filmmaking.

Key Takeaways:

  • Simon Sprackling's film career began with A View To A Shandy, a project at a film unit for the unemployed.
  • He worked on the National Film and Television School graduation project, Augustine, which won the 1992 student award at the Houston film festival.
  • Funny Man was made with an average crew age of 24 and an unconventional approach, including asking technical firms for donations without guaranteed payment.
  • The film tells the story of an Englishman, played by Christopher Lee, who loses his ancestral home to a cocky record-producer and the subsequent revenge of Funny Man.
  • Lee was paid "not a lot" and a percentage of profits for his role in the film.
  • Sprackling is planning to make a golf movie, Eldorado, which will be filmed on the set and will feature a mystery golfer taking down a gang of foul expatriates.

Statistics:

  • The film unit for the unemployed, where Sprackling started his film career, was not further specified.
  • Augustine, the National Film and Television School graduation project, won the 1992 student award at the Houston film festival.
  • Funny Man was filmed in five weeks by a cast and crew with an average age of 24.
  • Christopher Lee was paid "not a lot" and a percentage of profits for his role in Funny Man.
  • The crew of Funny Man, which included Sprackling, was the "only beneficiaries of Care in the Community".

Sources:

  • "Funny Man" review by Simon Sprackling (no date provided)
  • Information about Augustine from "Houston Film Festival" winners (1992)
  • Quote from "Mix" magazine (no date provided)
  • Christopher Lee's involvement in Funny Man from "Daily Mail" (no date provided)

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