Ed Lilly, an Essex lad who somehow stumbled upon the short film industry, has become an established Producer/Director for his video production company Blind Aura Pictures, the sickest video-making machine in Manchester.
Working with some of the biggest names in the Manchester underground hip-hop and dubstep scenes, Blind Aura have gone from strength to strength.
With Bafta and Royal Television Society nominations already in the bank and an independently produced short film, ‘Three Little Words’ being screened before all major feature films in 214 cinemas across the UK after winning the 2009 Virgin Media Shorts Competition, Example decided to catch up with the focused Lilly for a cuppa and a biscuit to discuss his triumphs and life in the fast lane on the road to recognition.
Example: So how you been Ed? Have a good Christmas and New Years?
Lilly: I’m great thanks, keeping busy! New Years was good thanks, had a few beers and watched the fireworks, nothing very exciting!
Example: Well with the year you’ve had a rest is needed! (am sounding like an old woman!) Lets get the ball rolling, when did Blind Aura Pictures first kick off?
Lilly: We first started working under the name Blind Aura around 3 years ago.
Example: Have you always been into making films, robbing the family cam-corder as a kid?!
Lilly: Ha ha, nah none of that! I kind of stumbled into it really. Before I moved to Manchester to study I was working full time in London, doing a long commute from Essex everyday and just needed to get away from everything there! Manchester was my escape and I kind of picked a course to study and went from there. I’d always been interested in photography which I think stems back to my Dad, cos he was always into it. Making films is a lot about just putting things in frames and arranging their order!
Example: For the budding producers and directors, how have you worked your way up to get Bafta nominations and making videos for Nokia and City Councils, cos that’s a big achievement in such a short space of time.
Lily: Just hard work really. The BAFTA thing was a good thing for us cos it began to get our work seen by more people. Nokia and the City Council are part of the corporate side of what Blind Aura does - obviously the Nokia thing was a good opportunity for us and was made easier by Skittles writing a great tune that was pretty much an advert in itself! The Manchester Council project was good too cos it got us working with more people - we put a lot of work into that at the start of 2009.
Every young actor in that is a 'non-actor' so to speak, and had never acted before in their lives. We ran a load of auditions and workshops with the help of the Contact Theatre and actually found the lead in that film just one Saturday afternoon on Market Street.
Example: Besides Skittles then you’ve also made vids for Virus Syndicate and Highrise, where do your ideas come from for making the thought provoking fresh music videos?
Lilly: It varies really. Like the recent Highrise vid they came to us knowing that they wanted to recreate a Silent Hill esque thing for the video. And then its just a case of us looking into exactly what we need to do to achieve it; from the location to the props and the costume - and then further into how we're gonna shoot and light it to get that dark 'horror' feel. Other times an artist just comes with the track and we have a blank canvas - that was the case for 'Believe' with Virus Syndicate and Skittles' 'We'd Drink' - they both gave us a free reign on them - we didn’t make it easy for ourselves though particularly with 'Believe'!
“Ed Lilly is a one off. Him and his team have a real understanding of how the artist wants to come across and knows exactly how to translate the shit you feel from the song into something physical and visual. I would only trust Ed with my videos, its like the barber you been goin to for years thats got your shit crispy. Eds the dogs bollocks!” Quote From Shotty Horroh
Example: Whos been the easiest and worst to work with?
Lilly: Hahaha. Everyones different! To be honest everyone we've worked with has been fantastic. I think it comes down to everyone needing to work together to achieve the bigger thing.
Example: No diva-like requests from anyone then like only green m&m’s!?
Lilly: What are the green m&m’s? the ones?? Ha! nah none of that. Everyone just gets on with it. But if you can get a hip hop artist up a hill at 530am you can do anything!
Example: Is that the anticipated arrival of Shotty Horroh’s new video, Winner’s Anthem you’re hinting at there Ed?
Lilly: Maybe!
Example: Ha keeping it top secret? What are you working on at the moment?
Lilly: We've just completed two music promos for Shotty Horroh and Sidewinder Raw Entertainment. So depending on when this goes out, they should be available on the net or soon will be! On the short film side of things we have been commissioned by the UK Film Council to produce a 6 minute short titled 'The Greasey Spoon' - we'll be shooting that at the end of January!
Example: So graftin hard! Whats been your favourite project so far?
Lilly: I get excited with every project. That’s the great thing about what we're doing is that even when you're tired or stressed or working too much, a new project is like a breath of fresh air and is another opportunity to push the boundaries of what we have already done. Obviously the success that Three Little Words has had this year has been a great experience - shooting that was hilarious!
Example: Always good to be able to get a kick outta what you do. So who has influenced you the most, given you that push to become the video skilled man that you are today?
Lilly: I’m influenced mainly by the people directly around me. I’m not a film buff or a music video expert by any means - like I concentrate on what's relevant. I look up to some people in Manchester who are doing the same things as us, producing short films and music videos - I think its important that you set yourself high standards but at the same time think about what is realistically achievable - if you constantly live in a dream world you’re not gonna get anywhere!
Example: You seem to have a good side behind you too.
Lilly: There are quite a few of us who have all developed Blind Aura together over the last few years. We've got a really tight team of people and that is really important when it comes to video production because it aint easy! We've also been really lucky enough to work with some really talented actors and artists!
Example: Well you and the team have certainly become a favourite, seems a big red arrow is pointing all the Manchester underground artists in your direction! How do you feel when seeing your media productions or knowing that others are going to be seeing it?
Lilly: Yeah its great - but you know by the time anyone is seeing it, I’m either sick of it or I’m already working on the next thing! Essentially at the end of the day, you're doing it so others can see it and hopefully enjoy it but at the same time its not great to solely focus on that! Ya gotta enjoy what ya doing and just try and enjoy the journey of it all!
Example: What did you ask santa for?
Lilly: A brewery.
Example: Did you get one?
Lilly: Nope
Example: Bless up Ed for doing the interview all the best for 2010. Expect big things from ya!
Cyberwaste #3
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