Clive Tonge questionnaire

Clive Tonge is a lecturer at Teesside University and has directed a number of animated and live action short films. He is currently undertaking work on making his first live action feature a reality.

I emailed Clive Tonge a week or two ago with a number of questions regarding film direction and how he came about making his own movies. 

How did you get into directing short films?

I studied a degree but didn't graduate in The University College of Ripon and York St. John. It was because I owed them lots of money!

Then I played in bands and signed a development deal with Telstar Records. That eventually failed but because of my contacts and access to bands I got asked to photograph and video various bands. I really enjoyed it.

Then I did an animation masters at teesside and got a part time job lecturing. I still do 2 days a week now. Having that income has allowed me to pursue other more interesting stuff during the rest of the week.

During that time I met Siobhan and we made Emily and th Baba Yaga. That did well in festivals, won awards and got shown on telly in Portugal and Spain (I think).

Then I did a live action short with NFM's Stingers scheme. I think you should try this. They give new directors a small budget to produce a 5 min film/animation.

After that it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. Scott Mann produced my film and it did well.

He is now Exec Producing the Night Hag. We followed the business model he did for his first feature 'The Tournament'. We have made a trailer and he is now touting that around financers.

Would an education at a highly regarded school increase the chances of making it as a feature film director?

Not directly but you will learn your craft, make films and meet other producers/film makers which is alway invaluable. Having a degree in directing doesn't hold much weight beyond that (in my opinion). However, places like the National Film and TV School do have a positive influence but competition for places is extremely fierce.

Is it fair to say that diving in the deep end as a runner would be considered a better starting point to learn the craft than getting tuition at a film school?

Don't know. People have made it doing this. Others have made it via film school. I think the main thing is to have realistic ambitions, a lot of drive and tenacity and be prepared for a long road. It really does sort out the wheat from the chaff. I'm 43 and still haven't 'made it'. But I have made my living from films.

Is there one particularly strong skill that would be helpful in breaking into directing for features? Ie storyboarding/cinematography/acting

The more the better. Nowadays low budget features might be a good route into directing. Look at films like Colin, Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch. They were made on showstring budgets and all have had distribution. All the things you mention are very handy. One you missed is writing. I would strongly advise you take a writing course as this is invaluable for directors/storytellers.

Research Goals

I have decided that, since feature film directing is a long term goal for my future, the focus of my research is going to be finding out different ways of entering this profession.

I have narrowed down the main obvious routes into feature film directing, but I am sure there will be other more obscure ways of getting the job.

The big ones seem to be:

Producing and showcasing independent short films
Graduating from an industry recognised and/or prestigious institution
Advertising
Music Videos
Promotion through a specific film/animation company

As I say, these aren't the only ways of getting into feature film directing, but these seem to be the most opportunistic. I aim to look into certain feature film directors and find out how they made it to the top, and ultimately perhaps decide to choose a pathway that suits my skills and working lifestyle.

early research

Leading on from my swot analysis, I have looked into some of the areas available to me once I graduate from University. One of the possible routes I mentioned was the National Film and Television School, which I aim to look into further as the year progresses.

To begin with, I looked at the entry requirements for the various courses available…

 

“We are looking for people with talent, commitment, passion, a voice of their own and the ability to collaborate. While many applicants have a degree from a British or overseas university, we will consider applicants who do not have a degree if they have an impressive portfolio, a creative track record (for instance, in theatre or other arts) or an alternative qualification.
For all courses, you will be able to demonstrate an understanding of your chosen field of study. If you are not sure whether your experience or qualifications are acceptable, please ask the Registry for advice.
We consider applicants on the basis of their whole application and on evidence of their ability to benefit from the course and to complete it successfully. Your portfolio or other supporting materials help us to assess your application. Course descriptions outline what materials you should submit and full details are given on the materials sheet for each course; you can download these from our website, or obtain a copy by post from the Registry.
Because our courses are designed for people with at least a little experience - even if it’s just making your own DV film - most students are in their early to mid-twenties when they arrive here.”

I find it interesting that the school only looks upon a previous education as an advantage at best, not a requirement. They are mainly looking for an impressive portfolio of work, as well as an ability to work in teams. I feel that I have a strong back catalogue of work to back me up when applying, which would help a great deal. The only major disadvantage is my lack of industry experience, which they say is not a requirement, but preferred. I think it would do me good to try and get at least a little experience, if not to please the NFTS then simply to get me into a decent working routine (I feel University has made me somewhat lazy).
My other concern is that, right now, I am still unsure which course I would want to apply for. I understand that the animation degree is very prestigious, but the films that have come out over the past few years have been mostly traditional and rough in style, and the films that are 3D are somewhat unpolished from the production side of things. Because I favour the medium of 3D somewhat, it is a slight concern that my style won’t come across in the final film the exact way I want it. I am flexible, but I wouldn’t want to compromise due to technical difficulties.
This may simply be a false assumption, but I am curious about the other courses the institute has to offer, such as cinematography or directing fiction. I will enquire about the courses, and possibly attend an open day to see first hand what being there would be like.