Corpse Paint – a Third Year BA Film Practice Graduation Film

As part of the LCC’s Graduate Showcase, we will be featuring the works of students from across Screen School, giving an insight into their graduation projects. For this week, we have Corpse Paint, a 3rd Year, BA Film Practice film directed by Anna Rooney and produced by Sanjida Rahman.

Corpse Paint is a documentary that explores the psychological isolation and dejection in 21st-century Western society through morbid fascination.

We spoke with Anna and Sanjida to discuss their work as director and producer on Corpse Paint.

Anna Rooney (Director)

How did you come up with the idea for the film?

I’ve been a big fan of black metal and other forms of extreme or experimental music since I was really young, and I never realised how much the rigid culture surrounding the authenticity of art, present in Black Metal has influenced my approach as an artist. Most people think consumerism and art can go hand in hand as long as “authenticity” is maintained. But when we consider how our ancestors used music and art we realise that the two are incompatible.

I wanted to make this film to explore how it feels to make peace with the fact that you may never get recognition for your art, if you don’t factor in commercial pressures into your creativity.

What are the themes explored in your film?

In a culture where we are constantly pressured to sell ourselves as creatives and make our identity a “brand” we are selling our souls and stories and traumas for profit. I think black metal, as a direct rebellion against commercial art has turned this notion on its head, by devoting itself to something that many consider “evil,” they have actually set themselves free from external pressures, and can make their work as disgusting, horrifying, or on the other hand as intimate and personal as they want. If you watch the film you’ll see that many of these artists literally put parts of themselves into the art, emotionally and physically. 

Many black metal artists see the form itself as a spiritual entity and I wanted to play with this idea, making characters interchangeable and free-flowing, allowing Black metal as a conscript to take center stage as the protagonist. 

How was your experience working as a director?

In terms of directing, I’ve made many non-narrative fine art films by myself. I also directed a short with the BFI before university, following this I directed throughout my degree.  For the past four years, I’ve worked as a documentary researcher and this has allowed me to see the beauty and individuality in every story. Currently, I am working as a production designer and documentary researcher, freelance, but I also make my own films for no one. I also sometimes work as an exhibition runner, I feel that these experiences have shaped my style of filmmaking. I have created a distinct style, blending documentary with artists moving image to fully immerse the viewer in the world of the subject in a tactile and immersive way. 

Sanjida Rahman (Producer)

What were the challenges in making Corpse Paint? How was your overall experience in producing?

One of the challenges was ensuring our interviewees felt comfortable and safe. It can be quite daunting to have strangers in your own home examining your passions and lifestyle, which is why my team and I made every effort to interact with our participants, before our shoot day, to ensure we maintained a steady and reliable relationship with our interviewees. 

As a producer, we always have to ensure our team is safe. One of the challenges was to make sure I covered all bases when it came to risks, travel and safety hazards. I have to be prepared for any and every mishap possible. I did so by arranging tickets and hotel bookings, monitoring safety procedures and thoroughly cataloging equipment lists and schedules for our trip to Chester and Nottingham. I also created a backup plan with two separate scenarios with how the shoot day will pan out – Producing all comes down to preparation. 

Overall, my experience as a first-time producer was a little stressful but incredibly thrilling and adventurous. I’d recommend anyone to try it out.

How was your collaboration with the crew?

In any film production, there will be ups and downs in the process as well as the collaboration. Considering not everyone in our crew were familiar with each other’s working process, I’d say we worked quite well in addressing conflicts and producing creative solutions. 

For me personally, finding the balance between fulfilling the crew’s vision, whilst putting the film first can be tricky to navigate. As a producer, we have to make sure the film is completed in the most cost-effective way, with minimal risk and within the timeframe we have been given, so trying to dictate which should be prioritized did affect our collaboration in the sense that we often had redrafts, and we often had to revisit the drawing board. However, we always maintained good relationships, and had mutual respect and understanding for each of our roles. This helped us in putting the production in motion. 

What are the next steps with the film once it’s completed?

Our aim is to publish our documentary to film festivals, and potentially even create a feature if the director wishes to do so. We see a lot of potential in this film, as it is a very niche subject matter. 

Look out for Corpse Paint during the BA Film Practice’s Graduate Showcase in June 2023.