Making No Mercy a Boxing Odyssey

When it comes to indie film the process can be arduous and full of obstacles but the outcome is worth every step. Tackling not just acting but producing, directing, and more we talk to Louis Findlay about his latest film No Mercy, a film about the darker side of boxing, taking the gloves off and looking at it from a different angle.

Filming a project on this scale is a big undertaking, what have been some of the challenges you have faced in the process and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge for this project was money. I must have spent around £2,000+ on the project which is all I could really afford. Most of it was my own money and then the rest was via GoFundMe. The way I overcame potential challenges prior to filming was by writing locations I knew I had access to and casting friends I had worked with before. Then it was literally asking a LOT of favors from everyone else. One challenge I wasn’t prepared for was COVID. We literally had the training montage to film which is one of the most important scenes in any boxing movie,  so we couldn’t wrap it till we shot that but no one knew how long lockdown would last.  I felt about pulling the plug on this project so many times when the going got tough, but I just had to fight my way through it (no pun intended) 

The style of the film is very close to the docudrama or docusoap style, do you think that will change how people will look at the film and the people involved?  

Yeah, I hope so. The main focus was about making these characters feel real and forget people are actually playing these parts. I wanted to show this working-class family who are incredibly close, who have had their ups and downs and a fair share of family drama but at the end of the day, you can relate and fall in love with them.  I wanted it to feel natural and I think the visual style really helps to sell that. THAT and the fact everyone just bossed their roles. 

What was the motivation for this project in particular the look at boxing and the behind the gloves side of the business?

 My dad used to box back in the day, not professional but had a few bouts. He tried getting me to do it as a kid but I felt bad hitting people in the face. I have fond memories of his Mike Tyson VHS tapes on the shelf (which eventually made their way to the loft.  Dad and I watched them a few times when I was a kid and I thought it was pretty cool but had no interest in pursuing it other than working the bag and pads in the gym as I got older. 

But I think what makes any boxing film great is the story outside the ring, I think southpaw is a great example of that because he’s fighting for his daughter, not about being champ.  For my film, I wanted to focus on the darker side of boxing which is reflected in some of the dialogue and the way the promoter goes about business. I took a lot of inspiration from DareDevil, between a prize-fighting father and a son who looks up to him, but behind the scenes the promoter is dodgy. I also threw a lot of personal stuff from my childhood into the project too. 

There have been many who have taken the step over the line from actor to director/producer and worked both sides of the camera. Do you think this is something you will continue between acting jobs as a means to not only showcase your own concepts but to create opportunities for others in the creative fields?  

Absolutely, 100%. I had no idea how to get into the acting business when I left school so I started making my own films. In essence, I’ve learned other skills along the way by doing that such as writing and learning how a camera works.  But I’m very much a person who can’t sit still, I don’t wait for the grass to grow and if no one is going to give me the roles I want then I’ll go out and get them myself. I could’ve been waiting years for a role like this and it may have never come my way.  I think it’s so important for actors to make their own work and if I can help others out along the way and offer opportunities in front or behind the camera then that’s what I’ll continue to do! 

 What is next for you and your team? Do you have any projects in the works that you can tell us about?

 Yes, I’ve got a micro shortcoming very soon that we shot on the sky in Trafalgar, a short film called RoadKill that I had hoped to turn into a feature and a drama coming very soon which is about a man confronting someone from his past revisiting some disturbing memories. I have also just written two new features. 

What advice would you offer to someone starting their journey as a filmmaker and actor?

As I said, don’t wait for the grass to grow. It is so easy to make a film nowadays, we all have a camera in our pocket so just write something and film it.  Find like-minded people who can help you and if you’re really nice to people they’ll go out of their way for you. If you don’t ask, you don’t get - simple! 

*I would like to add a huge thank you to everyone involve and in particular Marcus O’Brien, Brandon Bailey, Dan brooks, Richie lamb, Gerard, and Keith Scott.

To learn more about the film or the team see:

No Mercy Trailer.

No Mercy Facebook.

No Mercy Twitter.

No Mercy IMDB.

Short and Micro Films

We have been extremely lucky with our contacts across the board and privy to a variety of amazing short/microfilms that have been either experimental or designed to augment actors’ showreels. Each that we have seen (both the public and password protected) had a common thread: they make you think.

Taking this further we have been discussing with the very talented, Alistair Smith, his own scene work as potentially a festival project. *We were lucky to be given access through a password-protected link, but can honestly say that he has got us thinking about micro/short projects as a tool to promote.

We are supporters of using short and microfilms as promotional tools and understand that the concepts can vary from a 30-second commercial to a 20-minute film, the key to this for us, is the story must work and make the watcher think. You should want to see more or ask questions about the backstory, this for us is successful.

Someone else who appreciates this idea is the team behind Micromania Film Festival, focused specifically on films under 5 minutes, there is a real challenge to the process of filmmaking in general but the potential of a film of 5 minutes or less is to us, something we want to explore in more depth as a combination of marketing tool and experimental process with films that will challenge us a team.

We are going to be reviewing options and looking at scripts that will give us that room to experiment, showcase the talents of both those in front and behind the cameras with the added element of documentary footage, and potentially showreel material for certain members of the team.

Stay tuned for updates.

Advertising Plans

In the last few weeks, we have been quiet in terms of our advertising thanks in part to the ongoing work with PR agencies we do through The Lost Project. What this has meant is we do have a backlog of images to edit and products to test, some of this will be used as part of bigger ad campaigns for 2021.

While it might seem we are slow in updating our galleries, there is a reason for this and a strategic goal that will become clear in the next few weeks.

Our editorial shoots (ongoing) are being supported by a new men’s cosmetic line (to be revealed soon) and the fantastic team at Lord and Berry, we do have some new shoots planned and will be doing some macro work with glitter and possibly even a cover shoot.

We have specific magazines and styles we are working on and that takes time to complete more so with the restrictions in place in Scotland, it can be difficult to find the right models and locations without traveling too far from our base. Our head of makeup and creative director JamesC, is working on new projects and wants to do some flat lay images to bolster the galleries which we are hoping to have done before Christmas and our main push through FB started in the new year.

Our remote team members are all working hard with our favorite indie Bollywood actor developing his own projects for the future which we are in full support of and have started working on a website for him.

Something we are really excited about is that one of the magazines we are keen to be published with has taken away deadlines which will, in turn, allow us to do more work with male models and really experiment with concepts at a low cost and showcase the work in the best possible light.

We will be adding more stock soon from Lord and Berry, Mykitco, and our favorite Brushwork cosmetics with a view to creating a brand new cover image for the JamesC website, this will combine our beauty and TV work with some other elements cut in to bring a new depth to not only JamesC’s work but also to the Lost Creative portfolio.

With a series of creative plans to deliver on for the new year, we are putting a whole host of work being finished off The Lost Creative journey is gearing up for bigger things.

The Micromania Catalogue is Live

While many have put their careers on temporary hold and are now focusing on marketing or planning for a new slate of projects, the team behind the Micromania Film Festival have taken steps to support indie film and have opened up their back catalog of work (all films under 5 minutes) through their Vimeo channel, giving talent a new home and a chance to be seen. Which is a huge plus and opens the door to new and exciting names in the industry. A technical route that is often overlooked there is something incredible about the short that film should be appreciated and valued, a story can be as simple as a single image and Micromania is a shining example of showcasing talent, giving a voice and a platform to films under 5 minutes and talent off the charts.

The doors are open for 2020 and submissions can be made through Filmfreeway allowing you to open new doors and get your films seen.

Building a story and creating a cohesive look in a small format can be a big challenge that does not get the same reverence in the global scheme so its important to support not just the films but the talent behind and The Lost Creatives are fully behind the Micromania Film Festival.

To learn more about the Micromania Film Festival or to submit your project see:

Micromania Film Festival Website.

Micromania Film Festival Film Freeway.

Micromania Film Festival Facebook.

Micromania Film Festival Twitter.

Micromania Film Festival Instagram.

The rise of On Demand TV

With the current climate being so uncertain for the media business in terms of new productions, there is a little hope for those with projects already made or want to find something to watch during the quarantine. Like many, I love a good thriller or a nail-biting horror movie from a viewers perspective to being a member of the team, this is the right time to be thinking about those projects that are backlogged or just to find something to fill the days and nights.

Over time we have been working on some interesting projects (that we have put on hold temporarily) that we will release through HOD TV, the on-demand service tailored to the horror and thriller market, so much is the faith in the service that we signed up as a partner to the company allowing us to offer some support to indie filmmakers across the board.

As a film buff, you can watch a wide array of films from across the world and show some support for the indie film scene, but crucially for us, there is an opportunity here to open a door (admittedly a creaky, groaning door), there are many filmmakers out there looking for an outlet for their movie and its an easier sell to take on horror than any other genre.

So with the downtime we have, the team at lost creatives are making plans for the future and wanted to share this with our contacts out there in the film and TV world, there is a way to enjoy and sell your movies that will be beneficial long term through the HOD TV network.

To learn more about the HOD TV service as a viewer click here.

For submissions and to put your film or project in the horror and thriller genre to the team click here.

We want to wish all our readers the best at this difficult time and ask that you please be sensible and safe. The Lost Project will be continuing to talk about beauty and lifestyle so check the site out for something a little more fun about the makeup world to keep you entertained.