Michael Stevenson Of Cusp Films: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker
Interview with Guernslye Honorés
‘Don’t try to do it all yourself’ — Put a team in place that you know is going to deliver your vision in the best possible way. You aren’t the master of all trades.
As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Michael Stevenson.
From Sheffield, Michael Stevenson is an actor and award-winning film producer, most well known for playing series regular Iain Dean in the BBC medical drama Casualty. Michael is now a co-founder of Cusp Films, an award-winning Birmingham-based film production company and has worked on films such as The One Note Man — a short film featuring BAFTA-winning actor Jason Watkins and the voice of Ian McKellen, with music by Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Warbeck, currently on its BAFTA and OSCAR® campaign; Hidden, a short film about an 11-year young carer looking after his single-parent mother who has Young Onset Dementia, which won Best Low Budget Short and Best Cinematography at the British Independent Film Festival; and Robin, a short film based on true events which looks at abuse within a care home for vulnerable young adults.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
I grew up in Sheffield in the UK in a working-class family. I was one of three siblings and my parents were extremely hardworking and supportive of my many interests. I never really found one particular interest or sport that I excelled at but I was always very competent at most things and could pick up skills easily and quickly. My main passion when I was young was working. I adored my dad and his skillset as a carpenter, so the majority of my younger years were spent following him around the many building sites that he worked on. Weekends were spent being his labourer, and I absolutely loved it. My dad has sadly passed away now but was one of the hardest-working people I have ever met and my drive to never stop working is the trait I took the most from him. His motto was ‘work creates work’ and I find that has always got me to where I want to be. Especially in the film industry I find myself in now. It’s all about keeping working and meeting people, and making sure you are creating things either for yourself or helping others.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
I was asked to be a background artist on a well-known British soap opera. I had never been on a film set before and was more intrigued than anything, mainly by what they expected from me for the very low fee. I remember being very bored and unimpressed by waiting around in a room with 20 other people for hours and hours before being selected to rehearse a scene. But once I walked onto the set, it all made total sense. I was completely blown away by the amount of people involved in putting together one tiny scene and how each person was responsible for their department, but how all of the departments were striving for the same thing, which was for the scene to look, sound and work the best it could possibly. People in our industry work so hard and that was evident from my first encounter with the film crew on that day. That’s what drew me in, I think, how hard people work and the pleasure they all took in making sure everything was perfect before the clapperboard finally dropped for the first take.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?
The funniest moments for me are when you forget about the celebrity status of the people you are working with and then you find yourself in a situation which makes you think, how the hell have I ended up here? Early on in my career, I was asked by a very high-profile actor to drive him back to London after a show. On the way back, we both needed the loo, but because it was so late at night, everywhere was closed. Little boys being little boys, we couldn’t wait, so we pulled into a layby to use nature’s facilities. As we stood there chatting away, it suddenly dawned on me that I was having a wee in a field with one of the biggest movie stars at that time, like it was the most normal thing in the world. I look back at that moment and it always makes me laugh.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
My latest short film, The One Note Man, has no dialogue. Music is the dialogue of the film and we were very lucky to attract the Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Warbeck to write an original score and music for the orchestra which feature in the film. Stephen wrote the music for one of my favourite movies, Billy Elliot, so to not only meet him but observe his process and that of getting the ideas from his head onto paper and eventually played by a live orchestra has been so interesting and rewarding. I am not a musical person, I love music but I don’t play any instruments. Being in a recording studio with a group of musicians who can all, in sync, look at a piece of paper and know exactly what to play and when and at what tempo is just phenomenal.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I guess the most influential people who have helped me along the way are the people who encouraged me to get involved in the industry in the first place. After that day on set as a background artist, I decided I wanted to be an actor, so I joined a local amateur dramatics group. I turned up at a lady’s house with a script tucked under my arm and when she answered the door, I said, “I’m here for the part!”. She looked at me and laughed at my innocence and said, ‘Well, you’d better come in then”. The older members of that group were so welcoming, encouraging and generous with their time. They introduced me to a world that felt safe to explore, be brave and make mistakes without any judgement. I instantly felt at home with those people. Then once I had decided to try for drama school, a good friend of mine called Jimmy McKenna took me under his wing and helped me enormously with my audition speeches. I had never looked at a page of Shakespeare and he spent hours with me talking about the iambic pentameter and breath and sound. Jimmy’s love for acting and films made me realise that ours isn’t an industry you can play around with. It’s an industry that requires you to respect the craft and that of everyone else around you.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I think I covered this in a previous question but, ‘work creates work’ will always be my “life lesson quote”. Many of the opportunities that have come my way have done so by working with someone or on a project that has always led to something else. I hate turning things down, it’s just not in my nature. I get that from my dad. He could never refuse to do small jobs for people, but they often led to those customers or friends asking him to return to do bigger jobs or recommending him to other people.
I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
Diversity is what makes our world a richer place. How do we ever enrich our lives and become more rounded and complete people without Diversity? I live in Birmingham now, which is one of the most multicultural cities in the UK. I love raising my children in a city that has no prejudice against colour, culture, or ability. Their school is so diverse and inclusive that it isn’t a thought in their mind that someone is different to them. Our industry needs diversity in order to make sure we tell stories and represent the world as a whole, not an elite.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
On the subject of diversity, one of the most exciting projects I am working on a the moment is a feature film which is set in a care home for vulnerable young adults. It explores the sad truth about abuse within the care system and how some of our most vulnerable people are shockingly mistreated. We made the short film version of the story in 2021, which was very well received and won awards. We worked with a charity in Sheffield called Sparkle and provided opportunities to some of their vulnerable young adults to work on the film. The feature film expands on the fictional world of a care centre and is written by a neurodivergent writing team. It has been one of the most rewarding projects I have ever worked on and I can’t wait to get the feature made.
Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?
The aspect of my work that makes me really proud is actually seeing projects through from ideas to creation. Many people say, “I have an idea”, but never follow up by writing or making it. The first short film I made was in 2010 with a bunch of pals from drama school. A friend wrote a script and I said I would produce it. On a very small budget, we managed to fly a cast and crew of around 12 people, including camera equipment, period costumes and props, to the south of France for five days to shoot it. The memories from that shoot are so precious that I can feel nothing but pride. That film went on to premiere at Palm Springs, which my pals and I went to. To see our little film on the big screen in front of a paying audience was priceless and a hugely proud moment. Plus, it meant that we got to experience a place that I’d never imagined visiting, Palm Springs, which happens to be where my favourite singer, Frank Sinatra, lived. I visited his old house and remember thinking that if it weren’t for making that little short film, I would have never had that opportunity. Work creates work…and opportunities!
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
‘Don’t try to do it all yourself’ — Put a team in place that you know is going to deliver your vision in the best possible way. You aren’t the master of all trades.
‘Take lots of photos’ — I have worked with some amazing people and created so many memories for myself, I wish I had taken more photos to show my kids.
‘Go to that event’ — Sometimes, I have held back from attending certain events because I don’t feel like socialising or that I might not have anything to contribute. But our industry is about networking, and even if you’re not someone who can work a room, you just never know who you are going to meet and where it might lead.
‘Watch everything’ — We learn and get inspired by what we see. If you have a spare hour, watch a TV show. If you have a spare evening, go to the cinema or theatre or art gallery or music concert. Even if the performance or show is bad, it feeds creativity.
‘Sleep’ — Unfortunately, I didn’t appreciate the art of sleeping until I hit my forties. I love working and can sometimes forget that my body needs to rest. 20-minute naps are the best!
When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?
The stakeholders that have the greatest impact on any of my productions are the cast and crew. It all starts with a great script, of course, or an idea, but once that script has been chosen, and my director and I have pitched our vision, essentially, it boils down to the people that you employ to make it, to deliver the final product. So, I can say what I want and describe how I want something to look, but it is my team that takes those ideas and brings their craft expertise to the table in order to make it better, which they always do. That can be across all departments, from a small prop choice to a focus pull or an actor’s decision to play a scene in a way I hadn’t imagined. That’s why this process is the most wonderful, because people surprise you and constantly amaze you with their talents. It’s all magic to me.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I don’t believe exams are beneficial to anyone. They aren’t fair to anyone who has to sit them. They put too much pressure on individuals to perform in highly stressful and often life/career-dictating moments. Especially young people. So if I could start a movement, it would be to get rid of exams at all levels. People should be merited on performance and practical experience. On their work ethic and their passion. I have never been the most educated person, but I graft and I don’t shy away from tasks that aren’t in my toolbox. I learn from every mistake and I encourage my teams to explain what their needs are and if it’s not my area of expertise, I ask questions and educate myself. A person may not be able to cope with the stress of an exam but still be the most highly skilled and motivated person for the job. That’s who I want to work with.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)
I would love to sit and have dinner with Al Pacino. I have watched his movies again and again and for me, he is the actor that stops me in my tracks with every performance. His range is incredible, from his performances in Panic In Needle Park, Serpico and, of course, the Godfather movies. His onscreen energy as a young performer was magnetic, and as the years have gone on, the depth and gravity of his voice and stillness in his performances blow me away. I would love to pick his career apart over a coffee.
How can our readers further follow you online?
www.cuspfilms.co.uk Instagram @cusp_films Twitter @CuspFilms Email info@cuspfilms.co.uk
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.
