As the indie film scene takes more of a center stage to the world of filmmaking, we talk to Louis Findlay about his project Roadkill and the journey it has been getting there as both a creator and a performer.

Can you tell us a little about yourself, your career?

I’m 30 years old, my wife and I have just had a baby - our first, and I now have a dad bod!

I’ve always been excited by cameras, I was always looking in the Argos catalog as a kid and being excited by all the new cameras. I used to love going in Jessops and seeing them on the shelf and always dreamed of having one.

I got my first camera when I was 14 and used to make all of our Parkour videos which I did till I was 22 working as a professional soon also forerunner.

When I started acting I had no idea how to get into it and no one would give me a chance, so I started writing and filming my own scenes which soon turned into shorts and then features.

My first short film called Days To Come was loosely based on my own struggles with anxiety and depression, it won 4 awards in Europe and I won the best actor at the Los Angeles Actor Awards in 2017.

Since then, I’ve not looked back and continue to make my own work, I love it.

You have a new project that you are crowdfunding. Can you tell us a little more about it?

RoadKill is based on a short film me and some friends made in 2018. It centers around two brothers who are traveling across the country and during an argument, they crash the car and hit a girl walking along the side of a road and how they cope with doing the right thing.

The feature has come a long way since the short and very much centers around life at home between Ben and his mother Liz who’s alcohol addiction is not only affecting her life but Ben’s life too. He turns to selling drugs on the estate to pay the bills after losing his job and lands himself in a spot of bother. His older brother Josh returns from prison and is determined to turn his life around, connect with his ex and be the family man but he has no idea how hard life has been for Ben. Their mother is taken to hospital and doctors recommend she needs rehab to make a full recovery but they don’t have the money. They agree to do a job for Ben’s dodgy boss and if all goes well they’ll have enough money to cover the costs of treatment. This film focuses on broken Britain and the lengths people will go to in order to keep a roof over their heads and take care of the ones they love.

What is your goal as a filmmaker and what would be your dream project?

My goal as a filmmaker is just to continue telling stories and never stop. I don’t seek permission from anyone, if I have a story to tell then I’ll tell it. My goal is to focus on hard-hitting dramas and offer an insight into other people’s lives so that we can learn from others.

I don’t know if I have a dream job, I’m just very happy doing what I’m currently doing. But I guess the dream is just working with like-minded people and having fun along the way.

Is there any advice you would offer someone entering into the creative arts and media?

Do your research. Reach out to others for help start small. Work within your limits and make use of things you already have.

Have a bit of money behind you, never crowdfund without putting your own money in first. I like to think of crowdfunding as just topping off the glass. I always put as much money as I can into my films because if crowdfunding is unsuccessful, you’re not relying entirely on others to help you tell your story. You’ll have some money in your pocket to make a start at least.

“ If you have an idea, find a way to get it done no matter what, if someone tells you “no” but you're passionate about telling it, then tell it!”

To learn more about the project or to support the film see:

Roadkill Movie Fundraiser.

Roadkill Movie Website.

Roadkill Movie Facebook.

Roadkill Movie Instagram.

Roadkill Movie Twitter.

What started as a dream and project on paper has become a force to be reckoned with in the casting world, vShowcards is fast becoming the place to be seen and has garnered attention from casting agents, directors, actors, and more as the team takes their passion for acting and all things media, and offers up a new portal for talent.

Building on their own experiences as working actors, the team behind vShowcards has gone one step further than the average casting site and brings back the personal to the process with their social media presence on Twitter being part of the discussion, supporting, and promoting each other, whilst talking about their own frustrations within the business giving the whole thing a more family feeling, taking the isolation out being an actor and putting the emphasis on friendly support that is refreshing for talent and has in short order created a series of questions about their status in the market, a positive move that has taken them from outside the bubble to a companion and contender. Talent is being seen in a new form and it is to vShowcards credit that they are building on the successes of the initial launch with a host of new elements to be revealed soon.

Looking to reach out to creatives across the spectrum, vShowcards is the epitome of a new wave that has been steadily building across the film and TV realm as digital platforms become more common, the need for artists and creatives has increased with the traditional sources losing ground to newcomers like vShowcards whose dedication to their clients, focus, drive, and passion, has shown them to be open to new ideas and avenues with an eye for detail, the sites entire ethos is built on showcasing and supporting people versus collecting names.

There is a raft of digital production houses that are looking at the site and seeing the potential for productions built entirely with vShowcard people, an accomplishment that is new for many and shows the scope and talents of the people already in place.

Leading the way and taking on the market with a fresh perspective vShowcards is more than just a casting and crew site, it is the future of the industry’s new wave and a force to be reckoned with.

To learn more about vShowcards or to join see:

vShowcards Website.

vShowcards Twitter.

vShowcards Facebook.

vShowcards Instagram.