The pain and heartbreak of a final goodbye is devotedly brought to the screen in the short film ‘One More’, directed by London-based filmmaker and Met Film alumna J Taylor Brookes. One more opportunity to create a cherished memory with a loved one, one more chance to be together and revel in each other’s company, one more adrenaline-fuelled naked dip into sacred waters. Beautifully shot and composed to emphasise the devastation of loss, Brookes’ achingly painful film is a love letter to couples whose lives are tragically ripped apart by terminal illness. A stunning musical landscape complements a subdued and muted palette to bring this haunting final adventure to life.
I felt deeply connected to the characters because they are confronted with looming loss, something unavoidable as part of the human experience.
How did you connect with Barry McStay and what drew you to this script?
I was already working with Barry on the stage production of one of his plays, and a fan of his writing. It was around New Year and I had decided I was going to make a short in 2023. I emailed Barry asking if he had any short film scripts I could read and ‘One More’ was one of three he sent over. Despite having read the script hundreds of times I still get moved to tears. It’s the only script I’ve read that has made me cry in less than three pages. I hadn’t read or watched anything like it before. It was memorable and I could visualise the film immediately. I felt deeply connected to the characters because they are confronted with looming loss, something unavoidable as part of the human experience. Artistically I look for the profound in the ordinary and I was drawn to the universality of this idea, that we are all in fact living this reality on some level.
What have you taken from your role as a literary agent into filmmaking?
Working at the literary agency gave me huge exposure to some of the most talented people in the industry, writers and directors. I was encouraged to consume as much TV/ Film/ Theatre as possible which gave me a vast knowledge and film literacy which informs me constantly when I’m directing. Working at the agency also allowed me to connect with people working within the industry, and so maintaining those relationships as a creative has been incredibly useful.
There isn’t much dialogue, which I think is perfect and makes the narrative stronger. Was this your intention?
The limited dialogue was in the original script. I personally prefer less dialogue, and in this case I felt the lack of dialogue gave the piece room to really pack an emotional punch. When the audience is allowed these small spaces to fill with their imagination, I find there can be a deeper emotional connection.
What planning did you put into place for the shoot, knowing that you were at the mercy of the light and whims of the weather?
As a project, we were reasonably flexible with dates. We decided that we would plan for as much as was in our control, and unless the weather was extreme, we could work with what we had. Sam (Cinematographer) and I meticulously planned every shot months prior to the shoot. We had originally settled on a June shoot but due to casting difficulties we pushed the dates to September. This worked in our favour as the light in September is fabulous to work with. We shot over three days, and of those three, the first was very sunny and threw up some unexpected challenges, notably a huge turnout from the general public. Given that it was a Monday in mid September, it was surprising. We didn’t get any usable footage from that first day. We did make good use of the day however; extensively blocking, getting familiar with the landscape and wildlife etc. I did pray for rain the next day. Luckily it was overcast with a bit of rain which meant a deserted beach and two excellent days of filming.
I found that both Joshua Liburd and Barry McStay brought an acute emotional intelligence and a generosity to their compelling performances.
The central performances are so beautiful. What was your casting process and what were you looking for in the roles?
The casting process I follow is fairly simple. I tend not to audition actors, but I ask them to show me what they believe best presents their acting abilities, this could be a showreel, short film, tv episode or a stage play. I then like to meet them in person, in order to get to know them, their background and how they like to work. This gives me a sense of director/actor compatibility and their enthusiasm and ideas for the role. For this film, it was important that the actors felt passionate about the roles they were playing, but also had chemistry and a playful confidence with one another. I found that both Joshua Liburd and Barry McStay brought an acute emotional intelligence and a generosity to their compelling performances. It was a wonderful experience working with them, and I feel very humbled and privileged.
Your palette is subdued and muted considering the brightness of the location. How was this nailed down?
We didn’t have the budget for a costume, hair & make up, or production design departments and so we decided to keep it simple and allow the palette to be influenced by the setting which translated to lots of neutrals and blues. I wanted the characters to blur into the landscape, and for the textiles not to be distracting. The only element that was out of our control in terms of palette was Sam’s red car.
The sound design is gentle, cadenced and emotional. Please talk to us about this part of the film?
This was my first experience working with a sound designer and a composer. I didn’t want the piece to feel overtly sentimental or saccharine, so we decided a moderately minimalist approach would be our general guideline. Fred Pearson, the sound designer, was very receptive to the overall vision for the film and a wonderful collaborator. Everything was carefully considered and restrained. It was important to me that the score feel like an accompaniment to the performance rather than to emphasise it, and I felt Jim struck this balance beautifully.
It’s a tough moment because what you’re seeing is not what you’ve been carrying around in your head for months. I had to let go of that original vision and just use it as a guide.
Tell us about the edit, any changes that were made in post production and how that shaped the story?
Craig, the editor on ‘One More’, was incredibly thorough and fabulous to work with because he challenged a lot of my decisions, and brought a different perspective. We had many discussions and gave the process the breathing room required to make the right choice. After the rough cut, I had to sit with it for about a week. It’s a tough moment because what you’re seeing is not what you’ve been carrying around in your head for months. I had to let go of that original vision and just use it as a guide. I rewatched all the footage about 3 times after the first cut and had many conversations with Craig and after a few more cuts it started to come together. When I first read the script I envisioned the characters running into the water away from the camera and that being one continuous lingering shot. This shot was the only idea I wasn’t willing to compromise on, it just had to be there. Matt Stevenson was the colourist and was essential to helping achieve the overall look of the film. There was a lot of differentiation in the footage from across the shoot due to the difference in weather and light, and Matt managed to integrate the shots seamlessly while maintaining the integrity of Sam’s work. The sand at Frensham Pond is quite a warm yellow which is a notoriously tricky colour, so it was a real balancing act.
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