Local filmmaker Dom Lee is already known for his moving short films Fort Box and Rocketshed, both made in Crediton. Dom’s latest venture is a musical comedy, Between the Lines, about a young woman’s quest to save her local library from closure. Here he tells us about this ambitious project, which involved collaborating with artists across the South West and filming all over Devon.
Between The Lines is my latest short film - an unashamedly upbeat and slightly bonkers musical comedy which we hope will put a smile on people’s faces after all the difficulties of the past two years.
Some may recall my bittersweet drama film Fort Box which was made in Crediton during 2016. It involved building a cardboard box fort in Newcombes Meadow from over 3000 boxes!
Whilst Between The Lines involves significantly less cardboard, it is no less ambitious. The film is a collaboration between myself and composer Grace Hancock and a whole host of creative talent from around the South West.
We first worked together on Counsellors https://vimeo.com/642355516 a short musical comedy which was the winner of Exeter Phoenix’s 48 Hour Film Challenge in 2019. Keen to work together again, we started developing a new idea alongside teammates Camilla Joyce and Elisabeth Burnette, which evolved into Between The Lines.
Our film follows shy book lover Jane (Alex Stewart), who is unexpectedly tasked with having to pitch to save her beloved library from closure. All alone in the library, Jane is unsure where to turn... until help arrives in the unlikely form of Lawrence Livingstone (Adam Kurton), a character from the book Jane’s reading. He takes her on a fantastical, musical adventure where they meet well known book characters who all try to help Jane develop the confidence she needs to deliver the pitch.
The film was shot between September and December 2021 in locations all around Devon, school libraries, woods, beaches and pirate ships - we had it covered. It turns out making a musical film is a massive challenge but also a lot of fun.
We were so lucky to have such a fabulous cast and crew, including producer Jeff Sleeman , costume designer Minna Gibbs-Nicholls and choreographer Rebecca Melvin-Phillips.
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Follow the film
The aim is to complete the film by the spring, after which it will be submitted to film festivals around the world. We hope to arrange some local screenings so please follow/like our social pages for the latest updates.
Please email me if you’d like to chat about anything related to Between The Lines or filmmaking in general.
Dom Lee has lived in Crediton most of his life and was a pupil at Landscore Primary School and QE Academy. It was during his A Levels that he made his first ‘proper’ film and he now works as a freelance filmmaker/editor, making anything from music videos to films for local businesses.
Another of his films with a strong Crediton connection is Rocketshed which was filmed at Crediton Arts Centre.
To watch more of his work visit his website.
Filmmaking in Devon - Useful links
If you have an interest in getting involved in filmmaking in Devon, here’s a few helpful links.
Devon & Cornwall Film - A great news source
SW Film Mail - A fortnightly newsletter sharing opportunities and more from and the South West.
