Wedlock
Somewhere in the English countryside… one man drives as if his life depends on it, while one woman steps down the aisle on the biggest day of her life. Both speeding towards a future destined to collide.
'Wedlock' is an action comedy short film (6 minutes) about a wedding that goes wrong and results in a car chase.
'Wedlock' won 'Best Drama Short' at the 'International Motor Film Awards 2021' and has screened at numerous film festivals across Europe, Canada, and the US.
I had the privilege of working with a fantastic cast: Josh Harvey, Stephanie Hazel, Gianbruno Spena, and Sylvia Clegg. With Josh Harvey winning 'Best World Actor' at the 'Austin Revolution Film Festival 2022' for his portrayal of the best man.
A huge number of incredibly talented crew were involved, including: Producer - Elettra Pizzi, D.O.P - Calvin Day, Stunt Coordinator - Jim Dowdall, 1st AD - Andrew Potter, Stunt Drivers - Clayton Grover and Nellie Burroughes, Tracking Vehicle Operators - James Davis and David Hammatt, Key Grip - David Holliday, Production Designer - Kathryn Madge Healey, Sound Recordist - Tim Worth, Editor - Ricky Milling, Sound Designer - Tony Wall, and Colourist - Connor Coolbear.
Alongside an amazing crew came incredibly generous equipment providers. We would never have made a film with such high production value without the support of: Action 99 Cars, Focus24/Motion24, Shoot Blue, MSS Stunt Safety, Dan's Action Vehicles and Electric Theatre Collective (full cast and crew list below).
I wrote, directed, co-edited, and exec produced the film.
You can find out more about my inspiration for 'Wedlock' on my About page.
Film Festivals
International Motor Film Awards 2021
WINNER: 'Best Drama Short'
Nomination: 'Best Drama Short' & 'Best Sound'
Awards Night: 15th September 2021
(London, UK)
Budapest Short Film Festival (BuSho) 2021
'Official Selection'
Screened: 2nd - 3rd September 2021
(Budapest, Hungary)
'Official Selection'
Screened: 13th - 16th October 2021
(Providence, USA)
This is England - Festival du court métrage britannique de Rouen 2021
'Official Selection'
Screened: 13th - 21st November 2021
(Rouen, France)
Austin Revolution Film Festival 2022
WINNER: 'Best World Actor'
Nomination: 'Best World Short' & 'Best Actress'
Screened: 15th - 19th February 2022
(Austin, USA)
'Motor Valley Selection'
Screened: 1st - 8th May 2022
(Modena, Italy)
'Official Selection'
Screened: 20th - 24th October 2021
(Wichita, USA)
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival 2021
'Semi-Finalist'
Festival: 9th - 15th August 2021
(Providence, USA)
'Official Selection'
Nomination: 'Best Editing'
Screened: 18th - 25th September 2021
(Basingstoke, UK)
'Official Selection'
Screened: 1st - 31st May 2022
(LA, USA)
'Official Selection'
Screened: 26th - 30th May 2021
(Schull, Ireland)
'Finalist'
Nomination: 'Best Short Film'
Screened: October 29th 2021
(Swanage, UK)
Credits
Crew
Written & Directed by Stephen Ashwell
Produced by Elettra Pizzi
Director of Photography Calvin Day
Stunt Coordinator Jim Dowdall
Co-Producer Naomi Soneye-Thomas
Line Producer Mischa Andreski
Executive Producers Stephen Ashwell
Georgia Ashwell
First Assistant Director Andrew Potter
Second Assistant Director Ben Keswick
Second Unit Director Georgia Ashwell
Production Manager Dougal Mackenzie-Smith
Production Coordinator Shane Abbott
Production Assistant Clive Tydeman
Floor Runner Laurent Durham
Driver Runner Vitalijs Jasinskis
Runner Umberto Shaw
Second Unit Director of Photography Andrew Kuchanny
First Assistant A Camera Irina Cernea
Second Assistant A Camera Teresa Adamson
Camera Trainee A Camera Ross Dixon
First Assistant B Camera Julian Lalinde
Second Assistant B Camera Loui Sharman
Camera Trainee B Camera Joe Medlock
First Assistant C Camera Mathieu Treacy
Second Assistant C Camera Julie Steyaert
Drone Operator Robin Kay
BTS Camera Agne Denapaite
Stills Photographer Max Letek
DIT Max Elphinstone
Stunt Drivers Clayton Grover (Mini)
Nellie Burroughes (Audi)
Kevan Dunbar (Tractor)
Key Grip David Holliday
Grips Michael Farrell
Assistant Grips Suellen Abreu Meidell
Tracking Vehicle Driver David Hammatt
Ultra-Arm Operator James Davis
Ultra-Arm Head Operator Phil Arntz
Low Loader Driver Jamie Robinson
Tracking Vehicle Technicians Maximus Hammatt
Gareth Jones
Gaffers Paul Choy
Best Boy Ruben Cardol
Sparks Lorenzo Guerrieri
Sound Recordists Tim Worth
Sound Assistant Tom Fisher
Production Designer Kathryn Madge Healey
Art Assistant Beatrix Grant
Costume Assistant Georgia Ashwell
Flower Arrangers Fiona Morrison
Rosie Davies
Kim Ropek
Hair & Makeup Kathryn Healey
Stunt Safety by MSS TV & Film Stunt Safety
Stunt Safety Advisors Tim Deegan
Firefighter Rob Line
Paramedic David Devlin
Vehicle Mechanics by Dan’s Action Vehicles
Mechanics Luke Dawson
Nigel Wilkins
Location Managers
Millbrook Proving Ground Kevan Dunbar
Phil Smith
Avril Masters
Location Managers
St Margaret’s Lee Church Amie Dotchin
Rev. Tim Goode
Karlene Phillips
Bill Bishop
Wyn Kirkman
Editors Ricky Milling
Stephen Ashwell
Sound Design & Mix by Tony Wall
VFX Supervisor Calvin Day
VFX Artists Ricky Milling
Stephen Ashwell
Calvin Day
Colour Grade by Electric Theatre Collective
Colour Producer Oliver Whitworth
Colourist Connor Coolbear
Minibus Driver Tony Webb
Road Closure Permissions by Filmfixer / Lewisham Film Office
Charlie Scott
Cast
Jamie (Best Man) Josh Harvey
Robyn (Bride) Stephanie Hazel
Darius (Groom) Gianbruno Spena
Anne (Vicar) Sylvia Clegg
Photographer Neil Legg
Bridesmaids Laura Adams
Holly Jones
Becki Weston
Church Congregation Helen Davis
Chris Davis
Jonathan Ashwell
Carol Legg
James Day
Leny Day
Sam Denison
Tegan Allison
Ben Harris
Joe Purnell
Simon Percy
Miriam Holland
Rhys Maric
Bella Tyroll
Tom Wood
Jim Sykes
Miriam Sykes
Fari Shakourizadeh
Oliver Murray
Bonnie Murray
Lizzie Griffiths
Kelly Buchanan
Jessica Booth
Amy Elizabeth Fyfe-Taylor
Andrew Beckingham
Eleanor Hedges
Louise Beckingham
Matthew Williams
Ruth Samuels
Rita Tam
Huey Komon
Jolly Jones
Princess Rita Akpojotor
Yvonne Bruce
Sara Ojo
Lindsey Malin
Stuart Malin
Wyn Kirkman
Madeleine Dobson
B-Star Burrell
Daren Pearson-Hicks
Ivana Kravec
Lee River
Merry Merrymead
Nina Romain
Paul Simmons
Ricardo Esteban Pineda
Theresa Jacobs
Vitalii Malyshko
Anna McKay
Sara Nobrega
Fiona Anthony-Pillai
Rebecca Sargent
Sarah Hughes
Peter Wilkinson
Paul Miller
DjSupreme Kezie Ejibe
Beverly Peters
Amanda Heron
Pamela Bwomono
Taneka Miles
Suppliers
Camera & Grip Equipment Provided by Focus24 & Motion24
Leanne Gullifer, Ben Mitchell,
James Davis, Joanna Wolak
Tracking Vehicles Provided by Action 99 Cars
David Hammatt
Lighting Equipment Provided by Shoot Blue
Adam Parker
Location Lighting London
Mark Brennan
Dolly Provided by Movietech
Jeremy Sassen
Audi R8 Hire by Bespokes Sports Car Hire
Mandi Richardson
Greta Grochal
Minibus Hire by Doyle’s Minibuses
Andrew Doyle
Customised Clapper Boards by Cinestore LTD
Liam Elder
Catering by Anderson Catering
Eddie & Rebecca Anderson
Berkeley Delivered
Celee Campbell
Vicar’s Clothing provided by Rev. Jenny Dawkins
Insurance by Performance Media Insurance
Macaulay Monahan
Daniel Bodell
Gareth Graham
Accountants Wyatt & Co Accountancy
Tim Wyatt
Prop Hire Stockyard Prop Hire
Radio Hire Wavevend Radio Communications
Van Hire Kendal Cars
Courier Services Unicorn Logistics
Mini Spare Parts Minispares
Title Font by Antique Olive Std
Designed by Roger Excoffon
Music Supplied by Extreme Music Library
Casey Quantick