A Memory Owed - Short Film (2024)

Thank you to our donors who supported us during this 7-year fundraising journey. What next? Feature film development!

A Memory Owed is a short film about loss and remembrance centered around RAF Bomber Command, starring James Bolam.

STATUS:

Principal Photography = complete

Offline Edit = complete

VFX & SFX = complete

Music Score = complete

Sound Design & Mix = complete

Colour Grade = complete

DFD = complete (c/o Cinelab)

Marketing & Impact Campaign = in progress

Feature film development = in progress

Read on further to discover the remarkable contribution towards this film.

WHY MAKE THIS NOW?

At the end of the Second World War, Winston Churchill sank into silence regarding RAF Bomber Command and for the next 70 years, so did the rest of the world.

It wasn't until 2012 when a small group of individuals raised money for a Bomber Command memorial that now stands in Green Park, London, that at long last, their heroic sacrifice was honoured. For many, this was 70 years too late.

Today, the few surviving veterans of RAF Bomber Command are often seen celebrating their 101st birthdays - we'd know, as we had the great honour of casting two Bomber veterans in our film.

As distance from these generations is now fading almost entirely, and as we're increasingly overcome by social and economic pressures, it’s never been more important to keep this subject matter alive in the film format and ensure that remembrance continues to pass down to future generations.

THE STORY

At the height of WWII, a 7-man crew of RAF Bomber Command are thrust into chaos at 20,000 feet during a night raid above occupied Europe. A terrifying fight ensues for survival as seen through the lens of a 19-year-old Wireless Operator.

In the present day, Stan (91) and his distracted carer, Abby (20), are visiting a retired WWII airfield. As they explore each corner of the museum and whilst generational differences builds tension between them, we flashback to 1944 when the Wireless Op joins his new crew in RAF Bomber Command (his predecessor was replaced due to LMF - lack of moral fibre). At the airfield, he writes his goodbye letter and takes the sobering journey to board a Lancaster for his first mission.

In the present day, Stan, as a tender old soul, is nearing the end of his life. Through reflecting on the past and seeing his mistakes there becomes an opportunity to lift his companion's suffering as his last act of redemption.

HOW HAVE WE DONE IT?

1. VISUAL EFFECTS

The extremely talented team at InCamera FX had been involved with the project from its early stages. Their skills and imagination combining practical techniques with modern technology, capturing every shot (as the name suggests) 'in camera', has given us the invaluable opportunity to test and manipulate images to see how far we can push the VFX.

Our VFX department expanded last year after a very random introduction at a 1940s event to Felix Serwir, who is credited on the likes of Masters of The Air, no less.

For all shots of the Lancaster in flight, Felix and his team worked with live-action footage of Avro Lancaster PA474 (owned by the RAF) originally shot for the cinema by the filmmakers of the 2022 feature documentary, Lancaster.

Live-action, high-end cinema-quality footage of these antique aircraft in flight simply doesn’t exist anywhere else, so we are very grateful to the Lancaster producers for donating this to us.

Excitingly, we've graced the cover of 3D World Magazine, with an entire feature on the visual effects for our film!

2. ALL SHOT IN ONE LOCATION

The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre in East Kirkby is home to one of only 3 running Avro Lancaster’s in the world. The museum itself is situated on the remains of RAF East Kirkby, a retired WWII Bomber Airfield where some of the original buildings still stand, such as the infamous Watch Office.

Their collection not only includes the Lancaster but period-correct vehicles such as the WOT1 bus that was used to ferry crews to their aircraft and is the only one left in existence. This, plus many other rare and useful artefacts made for an exceptional location to bring our story to life in both the past and present day.

3. COLOUR GRADE & DFD

For Colour grade we worked with CineLab - the only full-service Film Laboratory and Digital Dailies Facility in the UK. You only need a split-second glance to see what calibre of work the team specialise in day-to-day. Poor Things, Succession and Saltburn – to name but a few.

Cinelab have also run a DFD on the film, whereby they transfer the digital movie file onto 35mm film stock and then scan it back into a digital format for an authentic film grain.

4. SOUND DESIGN & FOLEY

Re-Recording Mixer Tristan Powell had the tough job of bringing a 1940s night raid to life and has encapsulated the terrifying atmosphere that would have undoubtedly been experienced by the young aircrews during the War, especially when compared to his mix of the peaceful present-day.

Billy Mahoney, of Mahoney Post Audio, then added all the detail in the foley.

5. MUSIC SCORE

Rebecca Hurford wrote and recorded the entire score, finding a way to weave between past and present, terror and peace, all the while keeping to the 'theme' that she wrote for A Memory Owed.

6. HISTORICAL ACCURACY

From the inception of the first script draft, historical accuracy has been paramount to us as filmmakers.

The Old Time Design Company joined the project as historical consultants and suppliers of bespoke, period-correct uniforms for our two aircrew actors. Details such as rank, and nationality badges for the Caribbean Flight Engineer, ensured that the attention to detail was all there if scrutinised closely.

7. THE CAST

JAMES BOLAM - STANLEY

RUMI SUTTON - ABBY

ANDREW QUINTON - WIRELESS OPERATOR

8. THE CREW:

WRITER / DIRECTOR - MARTIN HEMINGWAY-MOSELEY

​​​​Martin is a director who has forged a career in the film and television industry for over a decade. Climbing the proverbial ladder through the ranks of camera crew whilst simultaneously producing and directing his own Work, Martin has worked on productions for Netflix, Warner Bros, Twentieth Century Fox & National Geographic under some of the worlds best Directors and DP’s.

Martin’s lifelong interest in WWII, initiated by a close relationship with his grandfather, spurred him to want to write and direct A Memory Owed, which has been Martin's labour of love for seven years. Time has allowed his screenplay to evolve into a carefully crafted emotional tale revealing the harrowing human experiences of the young men of Bomber Command. Martin’s dedicated passion for the subject makes him the perfect candidate to tell this story with the care and attention it needs.

PRODUCER- ZOË LEWIN

Zoë began her career in the Film & TV industry as a camera technician (where Martin was her manager!) before discovering the world of production where she’s spent the last 6 years producing commercials and documentaries.

More poignantly, Zoë's Grandfather was a Wireless Operator in the RAF during the Second World War and although he survived, very little is known about what he went through.

Today, Zoë and Martin have joined forces as production company Filmoon, from which they are now looking to develop a feature film off the back of A Memory Owed and continue their working relationship as Director/Producer well into the future.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - STEVE MILNE

Steve is no stranger to the world of filmmaking, and no less of a stranger to the world of aviation. Combine both of those and we've just landed the perfect Executive Producer to guide and steer us through this uncharted territory. Steve previously helmed post production facility, Molinare, before founding his own production company, which has since gone on to produce some very recognisable features including Dad's Army, Journey's End and Absolutely Fabulous. Back to his love of aviation, (so much so that he has his own pilot's licence), Steve produced the renowned documentaries, Spitfire and, most fittingly, Lancaster.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - AMY H C WILSON

After graduating from Film School as runner up Best Cinematographer 2010, Amy has spent the past 10 years working in camera crews under some of the worlds greatest DoP’s in Film and TV, with credits such as Star Wars: Rogue One, Netflix’s adaption of Persuasion and most recently HBO’s House of the Dragon.

Across that time, Amy has shot numerous short films, winning the Best Cinematographer Award at the European Cinematography Awards 2018 for “Today is a Good Day”, she was also nominated for Best Cinematography at Fisheye International Film Festival 2018 for “Knock at the Door.”

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If you have reached this far, thank you very, very much for your time and attention reading the plethora of information above.

The AMO family.