Ellen Fiske is a director, writer, and producer. She directed the award-winning short films “Keep Me Safe” and “Lone Dads,” both set in Scotland. She is currently co-directing another feature documentary, “Josefin & Florin.” Fiske was selected to participate in the CPH:LAB, the European Documentary Network’s 12 for the Future, and the IDFA Academy.
Ellinor Hallin is a director and cinematographer with a background in documentary. She has worked with Swedish Television SVT and Zentropa Sweden on several projects, and is currently the cinematographer for the upcoming “Gösta,” HBO’s first-ever Swedish original series. Hallin’s work on the feature film “In i Dimman” earned her a Guldbagge nomination for Best Cinematography in 2019.
“Scheme Birds” will premiere at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival on April 26.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
EF: “Scheme Birds” is a documentary coming-of-age story about a Scottish troublemaker, Gemma, who is growing up in a world of violence and pigeons. While young teens fight each other and ex-prisoners breed pigeons, Gemma longs for something to happen. When she meets the neighborhood’s “top boy,” Pat, her life [begins to unfold] as the childish games around her turn into serious crime.
EH: Our ambition was to make a story-driven film, told with small details and daily life perspectives.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
EF: Gemma as an unusual and witty female storyteller drew me to this story. The first time we met her, she was bragging about being the neighborhood’s “top girl” and told us that we should make a film about her. She then introduced us to all people in the neighborhood and told us her unlikely life story.
Also, the contrast between this rough area and the beauty and poetic potential of the pigeon racing caught my eye immediately.
EH: I’m always drawn to character- and story-driven narratives, and Gemma’s hard yet fragile and poetic approach made a big impact on me. I was also visually intrigued by the contrast between the grey, violent scheme and the extreme beauty of the pigeons flying free.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
EF: “Here you either get knocked up or locked up,” Gemma explains. The same year Gemma was born, the steelworks next to the scheme was shut down. Today very few in the scheme believe they will ever get a job or a better life. It’s hard to fight your way out when there’s nowhere to go.
Through Gemma’s eyes we see the aftermath of a societal collapse — a story traditionally told about and by hardened men. But in Gemma’s story there is also hope for a better future. She becomes determined to find a safe path. I hope that people who watch the film get a glimpse of the youth’s perspective and can relate to their stories, even if they don’t live in a Scottish scheme.
EH: I want people to feel close to our main characters and their destinies and gain understanding for their choices in life. The people in our film don’t have the chance to speak for themselves that often, so I think it’s important that they be heard in a good way.
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
EF: Since Gemma went through a lot during the time we were filming her, it was tricky to capture every step. At times she was hard to get a hold of, and us staying in Sweden and her in Scotland didn’t make it easier, either.
Sometimes we wished we could clone ourselves to be able to catch up with her. This [motivated us to] film over a longer period of time, which allowed the film to portray her growing up
EH: It’s always hard to film in another country. We’re based in Sweden and the story takes place in Scotland. It was hard to be in the right place in the right moment when we lived so far away. On the other hand, it made us create an alternative working method that worked for this film. We didn’t need to cover every single step in order to tell Gemma’s story. I think the distance sometimes helped us to see the story from a fresh perspective as well, which was great.
“Scheme Birds” is also a Swedish-Scottish co-production. Big parts of the post-production were done in Glasgow, so sometimes we had to work from a distance to keep things going when we were back in Sweden. It has its advantages but also its challenges.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
EH: Our film is mainly funded by Creative Scotland, the British Film Institute, and the Swedish Film Institute. Our financiers encouraged us to make a film out of Film Institute money only, to be able to tell the story in our way without thinking of different TV-slots, etc. I think this opportunity was wonderful.
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
EF: I was into theater and acting before I started making films. Working with documentary stories opened my eyes to the world beyond the stage. Suddenly I could move in and out of different situations and environments, meet people with different backgrounds, and explore new sides of myself. And I was intrigued by the fact that it was all real.
EH: I used to be a writer but realized that I often described scenes that took place in my head. Making film was a natural step to take. [I have] a strong urge to share the way I see the world with other people, and film offers so many ways to do that.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
EF: Someone gave me the great advice to be open to what really happens to your story and characters and not get stuck in your original idea. Nothing turns out the way you think it will anyway, but if you do something you truly believe in and work hard, you will end up in a good place.
At film school I once got the advice “fake it ‘til you make it.” I’d prefer to think “make it ‘til you make it.” It doesn’t have to be brilliant each time. Trust your own voice rather than trying to please the market. Then you’ll feel more true to yourself and the film you’re making.
EH: The worst advice is probably too many technical recommendations from people who love gear. It’s great to find a work flow that you like, but you shouldn’t be drowned in a lot of stuff just because. I usually strip down my gear as much as possible so it doesn’t take focus away from the most important thing: the people I’m filming. But of course, it’s different for everyone. You should just not think that you have to have a truck full of gear to be able to make a film unless you want to.
The best advice is probably just to try things and keep going. The best thing about documentary is that it’s very hands-on. You get thrown into situations and need to act immediately. Sometimes [not having] the chance to plan too much can be a good thing.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
EF: Keep making films! Team up with people you like and [who inspire you] and don’t compromise too much with your ideas. Trust your gut feeling!
EH: I usually don’t speak about “female filmmakers,” since it’s not that common to speak about “male filmmakers.” But I encourage all filmmakers to work in a way that is as fun as possible.
I co-directed “Scheme Birds” with Ellen Fiske because it was both a great support and a great pleasure. Sometimes people think it’s difficult to direct together and question that choice. I think it’s possible to design your team and work however you want — in the end it’s still a lot of your time and it should be fun in the meanwhile.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
EF: “Waiting for August” by Teodora Mihai. It’s a documentary about a teenage Romanian girl looking after her siblings while her mom works abroad to make ends meet. It’s a brilliant film, because of the powerful story, wonderful characters, and beautiful cinematic experience.
EH: “Fish Tank” by Andrea Arnold. It’s the film that took my breath away the most. I’m not exactly sure why, but I was extremely captured by this story and how it was made. It’s very authentic and heartbreaking. I guess Andrea Arnold’s just got “it.”
W&H: It’s been a little over a year since the reckoning in Hollywood and the global film industry began. What differences have you noticed since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements launched?
EF: People talk more openly about these things in the industry. It’s no longer taboo to express your feelings, and you won’t be labeled a “rabid feminist” if you mention the importance of gender equality in the business.
EH: In the Swedish documentary industry, I never suffered from any injustices in this sense. I [found] that people in the drama industry are interested in hiring documentary staff, not only for their way of working but also for their attitude. I’m not sure [exactly why], but maybe documentary workers are sometimes more flexible and not arranged in a hierarchy. This could be good or bad, but when I worked with drama people, I was sometimes surprised [by the different way they did things].
I really see that production companies are starting to demand not only great skills but also an empathic attitude when they hire. The way of making a film is as important as the film itself. I think this is great and could maybe be a change caused by #MeToo.
