First the James Bond film No Time to Die was delayed - now lockdown has hit this Doncaster-filmed movie's release
and live on Freeview channel 276
While it made headlines when the Bond movie No Time to Die had its release put back, disruption caused by lockdown to planned showings of Aron’s work have rather gone under the radar.
Now the 24-year-old aspiring movie-maker, a fan of French director Jean-Luc Godard, is looking for somewhere to hold a premiere in Doncaster.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAron, from Misson, completed his first feature film in December in 2019 and had planned to take it round film festivals – but the coronavirus lockdown put paid to that.
Now he is looking at alternatives, hoping to arrange something locally and find a way to stream it online.
The former pupil at Serlby Park School, Harworth, filmed Welcome to Wonderland on a shoestring budget with friends, mostly in and around Doncaster and Misson.
He produced it, wrote it, and directed it. Although he briefly appears in front of the camera too, most of the acting is by friends, a cast made up mostly of Doncaster residents.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIt was his biggest project since he left Doncaster College, where he studied film and television production, learning to use a camera, edit, and network.
He estimates 90 per cent was filmed around Doncaster area, with a small amount in London.
He admits his film, which he says contains dark comedy, may not be to everyone’s taste, but hopes to get it shown and work to improve the culture of film making in the borough.
He said: “After college, while many decided to head off into further education, I began working on a series of short films, shot in and around the Doncaster area. I met people I still work very closely with today, all from Doncaster.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAfter screening his short films locally to contacts, he felt there was a buzz in the air, that he and his friends were doing something unusual and different.
He added: "I was working at Doncaster Sheffield airport at the time, when I started working on what was to be my debut feature film.
“The film was finished late December of 2019. I was getting ready to showcase my film at major festivals when the pandemic hit. So now I am in desperate need of help to get the film released correctly. A film related streaming platform is the idea. I am also looking for a venue where I can screen this film in Doncaster. I think a film premiere in Doncaster could be extremely exciting for the area.
“The film, titled Welcome to Wonderland is set in an alternate reality, where the world is set to end in six days. Six characters, Youth, Faith, Fame, Love, Death and Genius must come to terms with their own mortality and individual issues. I do not think the film will be everyone’s cup of tea, but it serves the purpose of showing the diversity in Doncaster. “The film was made on a small budget, coming together from hours of love and sacrifice as everyone working on it including myself, had full time jobs.”
He hopes to create more films in the borough and feels it is a great location for it, and it is much cheaper than London.