Lady Godiva is the first feature-length film by Vicky Jewson. At just 21 years of age, this is one lady to keep your eye on.
By the time one reaches the age of 21, there are certain milestones that should have been passed: learning to drive, learning to drink, losing one鈥檚 virginity, writing and directing your first feature film鈥 well, maybe not that last one. While not wishing to speculate on the first three, it is safe to say that Vicky Jewson is one of a very exclusive club of 21-year-old film directors.
鈥淚鈥檝e always loved telling stories,鈥 she says, 鈥淲hen I was seven I grabbed my dad鈥檚 video camera and made some quite horrifically bad short films, then as I got older in the summer holidays I鈥檇 get all my friends to stay at my house and we鈥檇 make 40-minute mini-features.鈥
Vicky鈥檚 first foray into feature-length is a modern re-imagining of the Lady Godiva legend, re-written as a quirky romantic comedy. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Oxford, the film sees Jemima Honey/Lady Godiva (Phoebe Thomas) ride across the city鈥檚 famous Magdalen Bridge to the tune of The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson.
鈥淲hen I researched the legend I found that it was about taxes,鈥 says Jewson, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have enough finance to make a historical drama, and if it was about taxes 鈥 well, no-one would want to see it, would they?鈥
Godiva鈥檚 original cause of reducing taxes is replaced by the more audience-friendly aiding a charity art space for troubled children.
鈥淢y hairdresser told me about a charity in Oxford called the Art Room, which the art factory is based on. It鈥檚 an amazing place where children can get away from the world and create art 鈥 I thought, if Jemima鈥檚 going to have a cause to fight for, what could be better than this?鈥
Winner of the Arts and Media Woman of the Future Award 2006, Jewson cites determination as the most essential tool for success.
鈥淭o fund Lady Godiva, I took out a huge bank loan and blew it all on a one-night do, to pitch to 90 investors. That night I raised 拢400,000 and over the following weeks that grew to 拢700,000 鈥 the budget for the film.鈥
The film blends romance, comedy and drama to create an endearing movie with something for everybody 鈥 including, of course, a bit of tasteful nudity.
鈥淭he actresses we spoke to for the role were more apprehensive than the models, because of the nudity involved,鈥 says Jewson, 鈥渂ut without that scene we wouldn鈥檛 have a film.鈥
Jewson is concerned with the issue of making British blockbusters: 鈥淭he British film industry fails to encourage commercial films. It鈥檚 almost not the done thing to make a commercial film. My film is to entertain the masses, because of that I鈥檝e met this wall of criticism.鈥
So what鈥檚 next for the enterprising young filmmaker?
鈥淚鈥檓 working on a new concept called the mini blockbuster. It鈥檚 about stripping a story down, so that you are left with just the skeleton of a great film 鈥 so it鈥檚 relatively cheap to make, but still has the capacity to make money and for people to want to see it.鈥
Jewson lives for filmmaking, and you can hear her boundless enthusiasm in her voice. 鈥淏eing on set is definitely my favourite part of the process,鈥 she says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 what gets you up in the morning, everyone striving for the same thing, telling a story.鈥
Lady Godiva was premiered on Oxford鈥檚 Morden Street. 鈥淲e had a pink carpet instead of a red one, and horses and carts instead of limousines!鈥 With such talent, passion and professionalism at such a young age, Jewson is surely destined for great things.
Poppy O鈥橬eill
