Being Considered

Twenty-five-year-old Jonathan Newman credits thriftiness and resourcefulness as key to getting his film made. He pre-sold the internet video-on-demand rights to British Telecom (a first, which he attributes to luck and good timing) and, in a shock move for a low-budget British film, even snagged a UK distributor - none other than the mighty Redbus which picked up the film at rough-cut stage.

Shot over 21 days, Being Considered is a romantic comedy following the separate but connected fortunes of two hapless men: aspiring screenwriter Jake (Gimme, Gimme, Gimme's James Dreyfus in a rare straight role) and petty thief Jojo (Tom Farrelly). Convinced that his career is going nowhere and depressed by his love life, Jake escapes to Brighton and a life of hedonism with his best friend (Adam Levy). Meanwhile, Jojo steals one of Jake's screenplays and embarks on a new highly successful creative sideline.

Newman describes his film as "commercial, feelgood and Woody Allen-ish about a north London Jewish guy. It's not so much a comment on the film industry as a comment on life, career and success. The theme is really that you can't compare yourself to anyone else, that it's no good judging yourself by other people and that's what the main character comes to terms with."

Newman is now waiting for the film to be released in the UK sometime later this year. Meanwhile he is working on his follow-up, Salsa Con Fusion, with UK production company Dan Films, one of three projects he has in the pipeline.