HE'S THE BEST ASSASSIN IN THE WORLD... APPARENTLY.

Directed by Charles Copsey.

 

The story behind Hitman was inspired by Theodore Gericault’s painting, Nude Warrior with a Spear (left) - similar to our assassin watching from a distance.

 

The initial concept for Hitman, whilst following a similar narrative, was missing the suave, cheeky and slick style of the final product. The comedy aspect followed shortly after Charles was introduced to the project. Director and Story Editor Charles and Director of Photography Conor Chalk, opted to develop the project with a stylistic approach that explored both visual comedy and planimetric shooting.

 

The most exciting yet challenging aspect about making Hitman was shooting on 16mm film. We had one reel of film, which is the equivalent of around ten minutes worth of recording time. By opting to use seamless transitions, such as whip pans, this meant we had to rehearse every frame with precision and absolute surety before rolling. The original intuitive approach that film stock uses allows for less pondering over digital screens and argumentative discussions over composition, allowing for a faster turnaround for shooting that relies on trust amongst team members. 1st AD Billy also acted as our Baywatch lifeguard for our extremely dangerous pool scene...

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Hitman was recently screened this year at the BFI's Future Film Festival and Screentest Festival.