Detective Thomas 'Bob' Roberts is on the trail of a murderer. Hoping to make a deal, he travels to a forgotten corner of the English coastline to meet Singer, a beguiling young woman with a dark secret.

Interview with Director Ben Charles Edwards

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

We made Bad Vibrations to showcase our new production arm The Number 44 - although this is a feature-length driven company the short is our calling card for talent, ideas and ability.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

To be intrigued and entertained - and hopefully surprised!

It stars both experienced and new talent and combining Maddie Mills with Nick Moran in their opposing roles was great to witness.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Universal themes - never judge a book by its cover! Manipulation is easier than you think!

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

As Bad Vibrations is a short film, the story needed to be succinct and the reveal shockingly good - the script by Chris Baker and Matt Fitch needed very little work - it was well executed. The shoot was over a full day in the summer and the key was to get the art direction right for the feel.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Our first screening to over 200 people with folk sitting in the aisles of the cinema was received to a great reception - the feedback was Wow and Can we see more and the interest in the feature film slate has been great as a result

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

It's confirmed our view that shorts are important and great for trying new ideas or prove the concept.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

More awareness of us, the team and our ideas.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

All of the above bar producers as we like to produce all our own slate.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

As wide a public as possible.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

How can she manipulate a brain?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We are about to shoot our 4th feature this year and we are in post on 5! All in The Number 44 wheelhouse.

Interview: November 2023

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Bad Vibrations

Length: 8:09

Director: Ben Charles Edwards

Producer: Kirsty Bell

Writer: Chris Baker, Matt Fitch

About the writer, director and producer:

BEN CHARLES EDWARDS is a British Director, Writer and Producer. Upon the release of Edwards' directorial debut Set The Thames on Fire, the BFI remarked that "Charles Edwards’ has crafted distinctive, admirable work that seems to have emerged from the unseen margins of British cinema.” In 2021 Edwards produced the feature documentary Quant - The Official Story of Fashion Designer, Mary Quant. The film opened in competition at The BFI London Film Festival followed by a wide theatrical release. In 2020 Edwards produced A Bird Flew In, the first UK film to start shooting since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. The film has been nominated and received in excess of 28 awards on its festival run worldwide. Ben has since written and directed the feature film The Wheels of Heaven starring Mickey Rourke and produced I’ll Play Mother starring Susanne Wuest and Shubham Saraf. Both of which are now in post-production. Most recently Ben has written and produced Hush Now which is currently in production in York, UK. Edwards is the co-founder of The Number 44 and Head of Production at Goldfinch who recently executive produced the 2023 Best Short Film Oscar and BAFTA winner An Irish Goodbye.

KIRSTY BELL is a UK-based filmmaker, producer and prolific executive producer of well over 90 feature films in her career to date including EP’ing the 2023 Best Short Film Oscar and BAFTA winner An Irish Goodbye. Founding Goldfinch only 9 years ago initially to prove a point that private investment can be looked after in the Independent film space and has opened up new possibilities within the arena for creative visionaries. Since then she has successfully helped finance over 200 Film and TV projects and has assisted over 20 new first-time directors in creating their first film. In 2020 she changed things up and directed her debut feature film entitled A Bird Flew In a project she conceived in lockdown. It stars Jeff Fahey and Sir Derek Jacobi and was released in 2022. To date, the film has been selected for over 30 festivals and has received over 28 award wins & nominations.

Key cast: Nick Moran, Maddie Mills, Camilla Rutherford

Looking for: film festival directors

Instagram: @the_number44

Made in association with: The Number 44, Goldfinch Entertainment

Funders: The Number 44

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

ScreamFest LA, New York City Horror Film Festival