About me:

Hi, I'm Simon Baker and I'm a director with over 15 years experience in music videos, commercials, documentaries and drama. My debut Feature, “Night Bus” which I also wrote and produced (and crowdfunded), it was shot in 7 nights in 2014 for a budget of 20k. The dialogue was entirely improvised, using an incredibly talented cast of actors.

The film premiered at the 2014 BFI London Film Festival to much critical acclaim, as a result I was named as one of “12 Up-and-coming British directors to watch” by the BFI. “Night Bus” also recently won Best Film and Best Director at the British Independent Film Festival.

You can see "Night Bus" in full, for free, here :https://youtu.be/Jxm5yJijrx4

If you like it, maybe you might want to help us make the follow up...

"90 Minutes"

90 minutes is a character drama set against the backdrop of Sunday League football, the story takes place entirely on one morning on London’s Hackney Marshes.

The story is not about the football itself – it’s about the characters that surround the scene - From the players on the pitch to the coaches on the sidelines, the referees, the supporters and the family dramas playing out all around them.

The film is an ensemble piece; it follows a small number of characters as their stories play out on this one Sunday morning. Tensions build as secrets are exposed and emotions laid bare, the scene unfolds as the match moves towards its dramatic conclusion, where all the narratives collide.

At the hub of the story is the game – a must win match for Sunday League side Lea Valley Rangers against Forest Road Athletic – Lea Valley’s first chance to win the league in living memory.

At the heart of 90 minutes is the story of Jack – an introverted and sensitive 15 year old boy who comes to the marsh to watch his estranged father, Dave, play.

He’s not interested in the football, he only comes to try to gain approval of the father he barely knows, and who barely understands him - he spends the entire game wondering the marsh listening to his music where he meets Naima – a feisty young Asian girl.

Jack and Naima find a rare connection with each other as they share their stories of dysfunctional family life.

90 minutes also follows the story of Nick and Debbie.  Nick is the long suffering manager of Lea Valley – he has recently been kicked out of home by his wife, Debbie – she works at a fast food van at the marsh – They have a rebellious teenage daughter, Kara – who makes her own mischief at the marsh as Nick tries to save his relationship with Debbie whilst attempting to guiding his team to victory.

There’s the story of Naima’s brother, Jamal, who is playing in the same game, watched by brothers Salim and Waseem – Waseem is full of hopes that he may turn professional, Salim thinks he needs to give up and focus on the family business.

There’s the story of Mark and Sam – a strained marriage that is about to explode in recrimination as Mark’s exasperated mistress, Gosia decides to make an unexpected appearance – shouting her support to Mark from the touchline as Sam’s suspicions grow.

All around the pitch, small stories are playing out – the club secretary that has embezzled the end of season fund, the referee who is trying to deal with a parent suffering with dementia, the local professional team scouts, the opposition team manager, local councillors discussing development plans and the kids just hanging out on the marsh.

These dramatic, tender and revealing scenes are set within the engaging atmosphere of Sunday League football, with its lively banter, funny and exciting moments and “honest” language.

These stories play out as the match moves towards its volatile conclusion –tempers will be lost, secrets exposed and relationships changed forever as the stories collide in a dramatic moment of confrontation.

90 minutes is a unique, touching and poignant drama – it’s revealing as well as humorous. It explores the hidden stories all around us, how as one drama plays out in plain sight, many others bubble under the surface.

Why invest in "90 Minutes"?

What do you get? -

Firstly, apart from the perks listed, you will be part of a film that is absolutely going to happen - we managed to make our last feature "Night Bus" on a budget of 20k - most of which came out of my pocket with about 10k of crowdfunding. "Night Bus" turned out pretty good (we think), got loads of great reviews and was screened in festivals around the world and had a small run in art house cinemas across the UK....

..So first of all you can be sure that we know how to make a film with such a small budget, whether you pay for a perk such as a poster, dvd, screening invite or even a day on set - you're going to get that perk!

Secondly, as a result of "Night Bus", we have made a small impression on the film industry and media - we have been featured on TV and in Magazines and online. We have a Facebook following of over 5,000. 

Here are a few links:

http://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom... 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29515399

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Night-Bus-Movie/... 

http://cineuropa.org/nw.aspx?t=newsdetail&l... 

When "90 Minutes" is completed there will be many channels, both traditional and non-traditional for us to explore in terms of exposure and distribution. So that means that the film you have helped to make has a great chance of being seen and being talked about. 

What We Need & What You Get

When it comes to making a film like this - a "real" budget would be totally pointless - we're trying to make a feature film for 20k!! 

How do we do it? Well, the truth is, I've been in the business for a long time, and I can get deals on most crew and equipment - the location is pretty much free. So those kind of costs wouldn't be much more than 5k.

Last time, we only paid actors expenses - this time we would like to pay principal cast £100 per day (Not much I know, but better than nothing). With a main cast of around 15, we need a budget of around 10k for the 5-10 days of shoot.

On top of that we will need another 5k+ for post - I will be editing the film, but we will need funds for finishing - (grading/sound/music etc).

All of these figures are rough and based on getting crazy deals, and the truth is I will have to top it all up with my own money - but if I can generate as much here as I can - it will make the whole process better and quicker.

Other Ways You Can Help

Some people just can't contribute, but that doesn't mean they can't help