Brendan: hello, welcome to FestForge. my name's Brandon Cleves. we're here with Benedict Morrison from Loco, London, which is a a brilliant comedy festival. I've screened my films there a few times. How you doing, Benedict?
Benedict: I'm very well, very excited to be here. Thank you for inviting me.
Brendan: No, all good. Yeah, I'm on my own today. Johnny's on holiday, so I'm taking over on my own but we'll we'll we'll do alright I think. so tell us about your involvement in Loco and like w what made you want it to become an artistic director?
Benedict: Well, it hadn't particularly been an ambition of mine, but the people who originally set up Loco in twenty twelve, during the pandemic, I I I think it just reached the point where they wanted to to move on to new projects to try something else and were trying to find people to take on Loco for them. And one of them happened to have kids at the same school as an old university friend of mine. They were chatting one day, I think, over I think over a returned lasagna Tupperware or something like that. And Denise said to my friend Anna, Do you fancy taking over a film festival? And Anna, who had absolutely no qualifications to do so, said, Yeah, why not? I'll do it with my friend Benedict. I also had absolutely no qualifications for this. but when she suggested it to me, it sounded like, a bit of fun. Comedy film festival, bound to be a hoot. So so we thought we'd have a go. I was definitely more interested in the programming side than in the management and logistics side. I have no particular interest in staring at spreadsheets, but watching the amazing content that's submitted to the festival and working out how we can program as much of this content as possible to make as as rich an experience for audiences as possible. That's amazing.
Brendan: Yeah, yeah, 'cause I was super I was gutted when they did do it. They didn't do it for one year, then they didn't do it for another year and I like, What's going on? someone's gotta bring this back I I think I think my my my film Roger screened at Loco in like twenty maybe seventeen, eighteen and it was it's the
Benedict: yeah.
Brendan: English English premiere and it was down at the BFI and it was such a good good vibe down there and they had plenty of talks and yeah, when it when it sort of suddenly just disappeared, it was kinda like as a big gap there, like waiting to be kinda filled. So super glad you actually Got involved with that.
Benedict: well, thanks. And and yeah, the reason that Loco came into existence in the first place is because a lot of film festivals are really snobby about comedy. if you look at the London Film Festival program, there are a handful of comedies and they squirrel them away to one side. They're quite marginalized. I think it's really, really unfair. There is an idea that unless someone is suffering, it can't possibly be art. And we just think that's absolute bollocks. We we think that. the world has never needed comedy more than now, partly as relief from all the horror, but but partly, satirically to confront all the stuff that's going on. So I think a a co a film festival that's dedicated entirely to comedy is really important. And we're we're very proud to be one of the very few festivals that is that is totally focused on on laughter.
Brendan: That's fun, yeah. So but you're you're a lecturer, right? So you you you're at study academia, so how does that then two then things balance between like you're looking at commercial programming and your academic eye? how are those are those the two things you're looking at? do you throw one away or do you look at it from a a balanced perspective?
Benedict: Yeah, I I tried I try to get them involved in each other in in various ways. sometimes it's quite nice to have a holiday from our nine to five, isn't it? It's quite nice to have a a demanding hobby on the side, which you can be passionate about and devote time and energy to, but which isn't the main event. But a lot of the time I do I do think they complement each other quite well. My last book was on plug for the book. My last book was was on comedy. And post-war British comedy. So not particularly cutting edge, but but nevertheless, I've I'm really fascinated in in what comedy does, how comedy works, how how audience tastes change over time, but also how they vary. I mean, it is amazing, isn't it? Being in a in a cinema watching a comedy film and seeing how some members of the audience are falling around laughing and others are totally unimpressed by what they're seeing. You know, this this to me is is really fascinating. So yeah, at an intellectual level, I think it's I think it's interesting. And and the themes that a lot of the films which are submitted to Loco come with are, some of them are really hard-hitting. Some of them are just great gags and, they're just a delightful way to spend a few minutes. But some of them are addressing really big, juicy, thematic issues. And yeah, I'm I'm very happy to bring my my scholarly eye to to those films.
Brendan: Yeah, no, that's that interesting. and like Local itself as a festival, obviously you are like a non profit, right? So that obvious that brings a lot of challenges, right? what what what is that? What makes it difficult to to to pull it off?
Benedict: Well, it's it's just made difficult by the fact that we don't really have any money. so we're we're often relying on goodwill. n none of us on the team is paid. there are a couple of of people who have amazing technical skills that we that we we quite rightly pay them, but most of us are doing it for the love of it. But we're also, you know, relying on the goodwill of filmmakers and others to take part in QAs, to do the odd networking event and so on. Generally speaking, I have been overwhelmed by people's generosity, the way in which they are absolutely, it seems, very happy to dedicate their time if they can. we really try to champion work by emerging directors rather than just really established directors. So they're not all big names, but I think that many of them will be big names at some point. So so the more established directors are often really, really happy to get involved in supporting them. But nevertheless, you it's difficult going to someone asking for some support, some contribution, whatever, and not being able to say, And here's the fee attached. So it is tricky. But it's doable.
Brendan: Yeah, I suppose comedy as well. I d I don't know if that's just f sort of from what I've witnessed, but especially in the comedy and horror I think have the sea similar thing, especially the festival circuit. Like they they're slightly more niche and the fans tend to be a bit more hardcore and people are I think more bit willing to help out, I think, that than like some of like the straight drama festivals. Like there is a there's a certain underlying passion for these kind of niches or the genre festivals.
Benedict: Yeah, I think that's absolutely right. And what you were saying just now about the fact there was a bit of a gap in the market, people recognize that what Loco does is is useful and important. And so they're really keen to support it if they can. And you're right. there's a there's a delicious eccentricity amongst our fans, and indeed, I think those of us who who run the festival as well to some extent. we are really passionate, we are geeky about it, and that That makes running a festival much easier. When you've got those absolute die hardcore fans who come every year, it's lovely. when we took over
Brendan: so
Benedict: Loco, we we were we were really told by Denise, who ran it before, that that Loco is a community, it has a kind of family feel to it, that there's a real sense that the people who are involved, whether they're filmmakers, audience members, volunteers, they're really excited and enthused by it. And that's definitely what we've tried to retain as a kind of ethos.
Brendan: Yeah. And what as a a filmmaker sub me into loco, it 'cause it's it's more than just a film festival, isn't it? You do you do do other things beyond just the screen itself.
Benedict: Yeah, yeah, we do. we we in the past have run significant training events, networking events. There are lots of social events, of course, as part of the festival. We run QAs. this year we are working with the King's Trust to to support really young filmmakers who are often from quite disadvantaged backgrounds. To just to start to get a bit of a foot in the door, just to start to get some really good experience of filmmaking, start to develop their own voices. So we're really, really keen to do everything we can, not just to screen films, but also to support those people who are making them or who will be making them in the future. I think this is this is really crucial. And and I think maybe particularly in comedy, I think there are a lot of people who Have a really funny, really amusing sensibility, but don't quite know where that fits in. They can see the, the big award winners, they can see the the films that seem to be getting funding. And so many of them are angsty dramas. And I have nothing against angsty dramas, but if the world consists only of angsty dramas, then we will all be angsty. I mean, that seems to me to be pretty straightforward. So the world needs variety, and whether that's comedy, horror, whatever, I think. The the emerging filmmakers or the filmmakers of the future really need to see a path towards how to how to get involved in making those films.
Brendan: you obviously Loco is a is a BAFTA affiliated festival, right? That's that's correct, right? Yeah, yeah. So that's mega.
Benedict: It is. It is. We're very proud.
Brendan: yeah, and so how did that come about and what are the we recently had Lok had Kino on and their Biffa and we're just like what what do they require? What do what are the the things that BAFTA want from you guys? Or is it quite like you said you're the you're you're the only BAFTA affiliated comedy festival, right? Is that correct? I didn't think there's
Benedict: I believe that is correct.
Brendan: sp yeah. So like is there anything that they allow you to do or they look at you in a slightly different light, maybe, because of because of the comedy element? Or do you how much dealings do you have with BAFTA?
Benedict: almost none, to be honest, kind of day to day or or even year by year. The process of affiliating with BAFTA was done before I joined the festival. So I don't know exactly the process that the festival had to go through. But when I took over as programmer, there was a discussion with BAFTA about whether that accreditation would continue and it was decided. In fact, BAFTA immediately and enthusiastically said yes. I think there was a a sense that that Loco's track record was very, very strong. There was confidence that it would continue to be strong, that the quality of the films that we were selecting was very high. And the quality of the submissions is amazing. Every year there are dozens of films that we just don't have time or space for, which could very easily appear in a festival, are brilliant. So it's the heartbreaking part of my job, really. So the standard is so high. BAFTA was really, really keen to maintain that accreditation. We're category B, which means that if you qualify for loco and another, BAFTA qualifying festival, then you are then eligible for submission to BAFTA. So, you know, it's yeah, it's a it's a big deal. And I think I think it is one of the things that yeah, that sets Local apart a little bit.
Brendan: Yeah, yeah. it it was great when that actually happened. I do remember when that actually happened and I was like, Finally I thought finally there might be a BAFTA winner that's a comedy. I don't don't don't hold me to that. I'm not gonna hold my breath. But it it's it's out there at least, do you know what I mean? It's it's it's at least given it s I I'm a BAFTA Connect member as well and you know, everyone you gotta go to the networking and everyone is almost like there needs to be more comedy. There needs to be more comedy in in the BAFTAs, you know, just for the especially for like, you know, the short film section.
Benedict: This is the thing, isn't it? Everybody always agrees that that's the case. Everybody says, yeah, comedies need to be programmed far more in festivals. They need to be represented more in award ceremonies. comedy really needs to be championed and celebrated, funded properly, and so on. And then nothing changes. It's really, really depressing. But I'm really glad that Loco exists as a space at least to fly the flag for comedy, to fly the flag for comedy filmmakers. Really, to try to do all it can to campaign for for better representation on awards lists, on you know, successful funding applications and so on. So I think I I know that a number of filmmakers who have done well at Loco have have used that as a springboard for developing future projects, for securing funding and so on. It's it's it's still held as a nice little kind of guarantee of quality.
Brendan: how many submissions do you get roughly a per year? you do shorts and features, right, as well, so
Benedict: We did features for the first time this year, and we I mean we did feature s open submissions and we were dazzled by the responses. So we will be redo we're doing that again this year, and we're really optimistic that we'll get great entries again. With the shorts, we usually get around two hundred. That's that's the kind of rough number, but but sometimes a little bit more, sometimes a little bit less, but roughly around two hundred.
Brendan: let's talk about actually getting into loco. Let's talk about like what what films, what makes a film like good enough, funny enough to get into Loco.
Benedict: Yeah. It's a really, really difficult question because the simple answer is that programming is not is not an absolute science. it's it's there's a there's a lot of feeling and intuition in it, which is I realize very unhelpful when people are trying to to work out how to how to pitch their film. So in that sense, I would say if you've got a film that you find funny that you're confident in, then submit it. Don't worry about trying to put a particular spin on it because It's very much just a question, I suppose, of two things. One, a sense that I have of not even necessarily whether I find the film immediately funny, but whether I can I can imagine the audience who will find it funny. I know the people who who will who will find something in this that that delights them. Often I'm part of that audience, but there are certain types of comedy that I don't entirely get, but I know that others do. So that's the first thing. The second thing, and this is much harder to to Prepare for as a filmmaker, but it's trying, even as I'm watching the films for the first time, and I do watch every second of every film that's submitted, as I'm watching the first time, I'm already trying to see how they might work together. So thinking about how films complement each other, how I can start to imagine particular kind of interesting lines, thematic or aesthetic, running through a program. the most important thing, of course, is just. That I can see how a local audience will find them funny. That's the main thing. But the other thing that I would absolutely stress is that I don't have a particular prejudice against against any particular types of comedy. I we every year program really, really dark comedies. We also program really silly slapstick. We program everything in between. If there's enough in it to make a a laugh or even an enthusiastic smile. Then I will I will brand it comedy and will consider it eligible for screening at Loco. we we just want we want to show good films. So I
Brendan: Yeah.
Benedict: will I will find a way to to to reassure myself that it's a comedy as long as I can get in. And I don't favor one type over another as a programmer.
Brendan: And have have you seen more of people trying to like obviously like you said you do sort really dark stuff. I mean, have you seen people making films that do have like more uncomfortable things, maybe a blend of like horror or something, like or violence or even like really dark grief ridden things? Like I mean, those can be exceptionally funny if But I mean d have you seen it in the actual films like rather than your own opinion about it, have you actually seen The these films come through more now.
Benedict: Yeah, I think so. we've always had a a good, a good representation of that kind of film, I'd say, in the submissions. But I do think we probably get more each year. I think we're living through we're living through quite a a savage, dark, dystopian time. So I mean it's no wonder really that people are reaching for fairly dystopian themes. so we have, generally speaking, we have four programmed scheduled selections of films which we show on the final day of Loco. One of them is specifically called the Dark Side. So it's an hour and a half entirely dedicated to films that want, you know, they can get as as bloody and as messed up as they like. They can be absolutely disgusting. And they will qualify happily for the dark side. So yeah, I do think people are using comedy as a as a way of exploring some pretty gruesome ideas. And we love it.
Brendan: And do you Yeah Yeah, it's good to hear. I mean, is there any forms of s like comedy that you kinda would would w want people to maybe delve into more? Like we don't I mean, going from what you just said about, you different themes of grief, but I mean I've never really seen like in comedy festivals someone trying to like recreate a kind of nineties American sitcom unless it's a kind of parody or, you know, different like like almost mini sketch shows or anything like that or things like that, d is there anything that you would be like, no one's done one of these in a while, doing one of these might be a cool idea.
Benedict: While while we don't get whole sketches, we we do get sketches and I often love them. I think there is something perfect about a three-minute comedy short film that just has a situation and a r a couple of really good gags in it. I think that's gorgeous. So I we do get things that feel sketch-like. So they're not they're not kind of as elaborate, they're not as developed, the character arcs are not as complex and so on, but there's Just a beautiful distillation of a comedy situation. So we get those. I think it's probably true that we don't get things that feel sitcommy generally. And that is a shame, I guess. I wonder whether there was a time when short films did that more. Every now and again, we do get something that is pitched as the pilot for a possible series. And we always love that. We love it when they're when it feels like there's a bit of a to be continued. It feels as if this world has scope to be expanded, to be developed, that things aren't totally resolved. that's great. It's not that we favor that particularly, but it's really nice when we see it. and it would be wonderful at some point to see one of one of those taken to series and to feel that in some small way Loco helped to be, you know, part of the the gestation of the project. So I I am always amazed by the variation that we get. You know, we get we get silent films in the in the style of Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin, right through to, you know, sci fi, horror, and everything in between. It really does feel as though as though yeah, the submissions pages on Film Freeway are really rich with variation. And I try really hard when programming to get as much of that variety as possible. In the programme. That's that's really
Brendan: Yeah. Yeah.
Benedict: important to me. I I want people who come to Loco to see just something of the range and scope of British and Irish comedy that's being made today. we're usually able in the end to program about between thirty and forty. So it's it's it's challenging, it's tough, it's really competitive. we also when I'm programming, I go in with as with as open a mind as possible. The fact that there might be, the name of a filmmaker I recognize from previous years doesn't mean that they get an immediate shoe-in to the festival. everybody is competing on a level playing field as far as I can. if I'm in any doubt, I'll watch a film several times. You know, I really try to make sure that it's it's as level as possible and that as many people as possible get a chance.
Brendan: Yeah, cool. I what's the the the process? So t on the journey of a film that enters Loco, what would be the steps that it goes through until from submission? I'm assuming you just do the submissions through film freeway, right? That's the main so f from when you submit in film freeway, take us through the steps in which that film goes, say if it does get accepted into the screening, down at Brixton.
Benedict: Yeah, so as you say, all our submissions come through Film Freeway, which is miraculous. Thank God for Film Freeway. I don't really understand how film festivals worked before it. but anyway, that's the the the conduit for submission. I then watch everything and begin to to kind of whittle down a short list. once I've got kind of reasonably close to the final number, which is agonizing, because, you know. I end up with at least 80 films that I would probably fairly happily show. And then beginning to whittle them down really does begin to be a question of how do I imagine these films sitting alongside each other? And that's that's a much kind of harder, less precise science. Then when I've got it down to, you know, a little bit above the total number, the other directors and members of the loco team may well. Take a look at things, to give some second opinions. They may well also have watched other things, and very occasionally, because I am, you know, we're a democracy at Loco, very occasionally they will convince me that something that I have initially rejected deserves not to be rejected. So, you know, my my word is not absolute law. And then we come up with our with our final list. we then, of course, notify all the filmmakers. And for the for those whose films are selected, they will then ultimately, of course, be shown on the Sunday of Loco at the Ritzy in Brixton. It's a really exciting place to be. It's very buzzy. It's very exciting. It's a really great chance to meet other filmmakers and just to get a taste of what other people are working on at the moment. And I know that occasionally there have been really interesting new collaborations which have emerged from the networking on the Sunday at Loco. Meanwhile, while we're preparing for the festival, there is also then the competitive element, because we do have an awards ceremony as well. And the competitive element, we always get a panel of luminous judges. We've had Mark Commode, Celia Imry, all sorts of interesting people in the last few years are judging the films. They will they will watch them and select their favorites in a number of categories. And then at the end of the Sunday, there will be a thrilling award ceremony. People are absolutely agog. We have a couple of times coincided with the BAFTAs, and some fools who have been nominated for both a BAFTA and a Loco Award have chosen to go to the BAFTAs rather than to the Ritzy. But I think they've
Brendan: Unbelievable.
Benedict: unbelievable, they've made a wrong choice. And actually, on a couple of occasions, they have come back to us
Brendan: Bam.
Benedict: to say that the BAFTAs were extremely tedious. And I mean, partly suppose because they didn't win. But extremely tedious, and that they wish they'd been with us at Loco because it's a really good party. It is absolutely full. We do it on the upstairs bar at the Ritzy. The balcony is open and available to us. Everybody is, everybody just has a really, really great time. One of the really nice things about working on a comedy film festival is that, at least in my experience, the people who make comedies tend to be really, really great people who it's nice to spend an evening with. So it's a really great party. Really exciting atmosphere. And then we we hand out some awards. What could be nicer?
Brendan: Yeah, cool, but yeah, no, it was it was a great laugh down there. going back to like actually filmmakers submitting to local, do you have any kind of premiere status where to to get into local or do you mind where it's been screened? d can it I'm assuming you don't let films that are already online screen or do do you care about that at all?
Benedict: Do you know we do? w basically we really want to be as open
Benedict (cloud): Festival as possible. We're really, we don't mind if if films have premiered somewhere else. Of course, we're really excited to get a premiere. It's lovely, and we're very happy to help publicise the particular film as a film premiering at Loco. But but the most important thing for us is that filmmakers get the chance to have their film put on at one of London's most beautiful, most historic, most impressive cinemas. And to get, as you were talking about earlier, that really important BAFTRA accreditation. If the work is good, we want it. And sometimes the reason that films have been online first is because the filmmaker was uncertain or, you know, wasn't confident enough to pitch it to festivals. And so we really don't want them to be disqualified just because the work has been somewhere else. we're confident that our viewers get their get their money's worth in our programs. We keep the price of tickets as low as possible so that people really are able to to savour a an exciting range of short films.
Brendan (cloud): No, that's great, yeah, because I think comedy is slightly different than other sort of like dramas or something. I think you can, that amount of flexibility is definitely appreciated, definitely for a lot of younger filmmakers. When programming comedy, I mean, there has been a lot of, just over the last few years, some of the more riskier comedies, People are scared, I guess, to put some comedies out there that could potentially offend or risk losing the trust of an audience. I mean, how do you negate that? How do you look at that and go, this film is on the edge. Should we screen it?
Benedict (cloud): Yeah, it's I mean it is a tricky one. there's no point in in denying that. It is difficult. My general feeling is that that unless a film is is so morally objectionable, is so outrageous in its political views that it could actually kind of incite aggression, hostility, hatred, could really make someone feel uncomfortable. My my feeling is that that Nothing is disqualified. the reality is that it's this has really come up in relatively few of the films that we've had submitted. Most of the films, and I guess this is partly because it's a comedy film festival, but most of the films are pretty straightforwardly good natured. But there have been some films, for example, that have handled questions of homophobia, sexism, or racism. And I I am very happy to defend the film. And say this film is clearly critiquing and laughing at the sexism, homophobia, and racism. It is not itself homophobic, sexist, or racist. And therefore, I will absolutely support this film. So there have been some films, I've been very aware in screenings, there have been some films that have elicited gasps from the audience at moments. And I think that's part of what comedy does. Comedy is shocking. You know, the experience of laughing is shocking. For a moment we lose control of our bodies. Our bodies are doing something, they are convulsing in a way that were it not within the context of watching something funny, we would be alarmed. I am not fully able to control and regulate my breathing or my, you know, I'm not able to sit still. Laughter is subversive, comedy is subversive, and therefore it needs to be able to tackle subjects which are, as you say, edgy. With the features, it's a bit easier because you can you can put up. The necessary warnings and people are just coming to see one thing. So we've had some, I think we've had some pretty edgy comedies are in the feature selections. And and I've just been confident that we're able to make sure that anybody who would be problematically offended by this, we we just keep them away. And that seems fine. With the shorts, it's a bit harder because you have 10 or so films in one screening. But There have been a couple of films, I think, where my initial response was, I don't know if we dare show this. And it is precisely because that was my feeling that I decided that we should show it. You know, that it's really important that as a programmer, I am not trying to second guess what other people might think about. It's not to say that we don't take looking after our audience very seriously, but But I also think that we need to make sure that comedies have a platform, even comedies that are tackling some edgy topics.
Brendan (cloud): Yeah, that is also a great thing to hear because I do feel that sometimes especially there's been debates recently surrounding certain comedy shows on the BBC and such that they're trying to delete the past in a way and I felt like festivals should be a way you escape that. you should be going to festivals to get something you don't get on telly you should be going there to get something that potentially is out your comfort zone just to experience something slightly different and again hopefully you see that with a lot like you definitely see that on the festival circuit especially in some of the horror films festivals so it is important to keep that keep that dream of being able to have free speech and just and i think the one thing with british comedy as well i mean is that we are brilliant at taking the piss. Or at least we were great at taking the piss. And they're like you said, taking the piss and really, like, you want to take the piss out of homophobia and take the piss out of racism. Like for example the Ali G debate that's come up recently, know, and I think if you're looking at that and saying that's racist, I don't think you really fully understand what's happening behind the comedy. You know, there is something deeper going on behind there. And it's quite easy for people to just push it to one side and say, this is that, this is the other. you know, for the most part people are laughing. It's the people that are really picking holes in it.
Benedict (cloud): Yeah, I think I think that's absolutely right. And and going to the cinema should feel risky. we're gonna sit in a dark room with strangers for an hour and a half, and we're gonna watch something that we're not we're not quite sure what it's gonna be, and we're going to surrender to it. That's a risky thing to do. And and it's good that we take that risk because we know fundamentally that it's also safe. nothing terrible is gonna happen. And I think being able to take that risk collectively is. is crucial. We're really diminished if we remove that, if we remove that function of the arts. The arts are there in part, at least to shock us, surprise us, make us rethink what we thought we knew. And and I do worry if we yeah, if if we if we diminish that that that power that they have. It's also frustrating sometimes that the people who are most vocal in their criticism of a particular film Haven't actually seen the film. You know, they will often speak with total confidence about something that they haven't watched. And I find that really peculiar. Of course, as with everybody, there are things that I watch sometimes that I find offensive. A, that doesn't mean that I think they shouldn't exist just because I don't like them and they don't measure up to my idea. B, I I don't my criticism is dependent on my having seen them. I would never read a blurb. Or read someone else's view of a film and then feel in a position to be able to attack it. So I am I am very happy to to defend every program, every film that I program. And I would always be happy to talk to any audience member, either before or after a screening, before to set out what's going on in the screening and whether there might be something that they don't like. And after the screening to talk to them about why the film was programmed. But I would never I would never resist programming a film that I think is good because I'm worried that some imagined person might find it objectionable. Also, mm mm most of the films that we program that are are most likely to to you know to slightly put people on edge will be in that programme that I mentioned before, the dark side.
Brendan (cloud): You are saying that.
Benedict (cloud): You go to a programme called The Dark Side, expect it to be a bit dark. don't be surprised when questions of death and and other fairly, fairly challenging topics come up. This is gonna happen in a programme called the Dark Side. So we try to be honest and upfront, but at the same time not not bow to to imagined offended people.
Brendan (cloud): how's your, mean, obviously you're a festival and I do think that especially comedy is the only way you're gonna see, I mean, I like to stand up. mean, to see good comedy now, does feel like you've gotta go and watch stand up, like to be honest. Like when I look at what's on the telly, there is some all right stuff out there, but nowhere near as much potential there was, you know. a good few years ago and I think going to festivals is again another way of you just like you said you're going to see something you're not going to see I what are your thoughts on that and the way that television and handles comedy nowadays?
Benedict (cloud): Yeah, I I it feels it feels as though television comedy is to such an extent reduced to panel shows, which are, you know, intensely formulaic and and often quite boring. And, you know, they're fine. As a bit of kind of, you know, Tuesday evening wallpaper, fine. But that's not where we're really going to see go to see well crafted comedy or something that that really makes us rethink what the what the form can do. It is it is sad. I I I tend to agree, there are there are fewer sitcoms that I find really exciting now. There are some that are perfectly watchable, enjoyable even, but they're not they're not really stretching the boundaries of what sitcom can do or what comedy generally can do. So I I really, really agree with you that festivals are this kind of this privileged space where we get to see the stuff precisely that isn't on telly. I think that I think people who are who are scheduling television, who are who are controlling and commissioning T V programs, I think they do have a a tough job now because there's so much competition that if they if they do something that's that might risk alienating someone or turning them off in the first few minutes, then they're not likely to stick with it. So actually, bland and inoffensive is often safer than something a little bit more challenging. In festivals, we don't have that problem. You've paid for the ticket, you're in. You're probably not going to leave. once we've got you, we've got you. And now we can we can put some stuff on that's quite good. So on the on the the the the banner above the the ritzy, we we tend to have slogans such as, films not available on screening platforms and stuff, really trying to emphasize the fact that what you see there, you you can't see somewhere else. This is the space to see it. Because festivals can still get away with something that perhaps TV and even even other forms of cinema exhibition can't get away with or don't risk anymore. So and this is this is really exciting to me. I love it when I'm programming something, and I think I think I know this film is weird. This is strange. This is unsettling. This is this is kind of absolutely wild. And I don't think that. anyone in any other form of programming would select this. But I happen to have a job which allows me to say yes. Because, a actually the impression we get is that precisely what our audience wants is to see comedy that they wouldn't see anywhere else. And what could be more thrilling?
Brendan (cloud): Yeah, totally agree with that. mean, I know that unfortunately the broadcast space is in decline. I know that just from working in the industry over the last like 10, 15 years that, you know, things, budgets are getting cut, things are going here. And I think people are definitely heading towards, you know, more online things, know, like YouTube as well. What are your thoughts on kind of like that? transition between because obviously I think YouTube now I think was about a year ago became the biggest, definitely biggest streaming platform in the world. What are your thoughts on that like sort of taken over from your standard broadcaster?
Benedict (cloud): In a sense, I think that all of these kind of transitions and and evolutions we need to be reasonably philosophical about. the the downside of a platform like YouTube or TikTok or anything like that is that it's often quite hard to wade through the huge amounts of content in order to find the really good stuff. But there is really good stuff there. And there is something to be cherished in this kind of democratic medium where people are able to produce content which is relatively inexpensive, but can be really, really effective. So I think that I think that if we can, if we can find ways to use these platforms really enterprisingly, I think they can be brilliant. I'm old enough now to feel nostalgic about broadcast television. You know, I obviously grew up in a time before. There were streaming platforms and so on, there were four channels. And there was something, there was something to be said for the idea that there was a curated content. And if you could find a channel that curated content in a way that you appreciated, then you know, were this this was great. This was utopia, because you could settle down for an evening and just watch a stream of images that would to some extent satisfy. And I think because there was relatively little competition, I think there was some really good, edgy stuff made. Channel Four in the 1980s and early 90s was actually blisteringly good. It was it, I mean, obviously it produced some rubbish, but it produced some really spectacular stuff, including comedy. And I I don't think the proliferation of channels, broadcasters, and streaming platforms has helped with that. So actually, in some ways, I think the the democratic slightly anarchic spaces like YouTube actually potentially are g are going to mark the regeneration of screen comedy, which is really exciting. And every year we get some submissions of, as I mentioned earlier, of YouTube things and and TikTok videos even. And I don't disqualify them simply because they come from those platforms. I wouldn't want the whole festival to be defined by that content. But I think that it would be it would be silly of us. To to deny the fact that that is the future of comedy. I'd read I
Brendan (cloud): No, sorry, I was gonna say that I've I actually just have found myself going back to watch watch the older comedies now if I want to see a sitcom are we like Some of them I meet this I've just started watching rewatching 99. I don't know if you remember that I
Benedict (cloud): From Magnificent.
Brendan (cloud): mean you just Absolutely just mad. Yeah. Or something like Monkey Dust or something like that. Like just rewatching all those and I'm like, I just love to see more of that. Like some more of these kind of like actually, but the longer form stuff rather than kind of more sort YouTube small, like a lower attention span, like something more longer form, but on YouTube. Have you guys ever thought about doing like a YouTube channel or anything like that? Or do you reach out to filmmakers to potentially start a kind of subscription thing on YouTube?
Benedict (cloud): This is one of the things that we discuss every year and and we would really, really like to do it. It's just trying to work out a way to do it that really works for the filmmakers and doesn't end up kind of compromising them in some way. For example, as you've already alluded to, a lot of festivals say that if you've if your film has appeared online, then you're not eligible to submit it. So we we don't want to end up actually damaging people's chances of getting into other festivals. But we would really love to do it. Not least because as I mentioned earlier, every year there are a number of films that I would love to to kind of give a a version of a loco screening to, but we can't fit them into that one day at the ritzy. And it would be wonderful for us to have some kind of platform or space to celebrate those films if it works for the filmmaker. So yeah, we are definitely, we are definitely thinking about it. And as you say, I think you're quite right. There is something sad. About the the possible future in which all comedy filmmaking appears on YouTube and is no longer than a minute and a half or two minutes. that would be really sad. That that longer form stuff, including, including series, I think is really important. And it's definitely possible on YouTube. And it would be great if Loco could, in some way, kind of contribute to that. So yeah, these conversations are very definitely under. underway and I hope very much that in the next year or two we will we will get a proper presence on YouTube or another platform.
Brendan (cloud): Yeah, I I follow a lot of other podcasts from comedians and I've got a lot of other friends that are comedians and there's always been a talk about it or maybe doing the show or doing the longer form stuff but no one's really apart from just in a talking head or doing a visual podcast or a comedic one no one's really gone out there yet and going right I'm gonna do a full-on sitcom a British sitcom so I eagerly await in that if someone can put it off for obviously a modest budget but I know just from my experience going around the comedy production companies, it's super hard to try and even pitch to a lot of these guys because they've got a stack of projects a mile high, you know, and it's funny, a friend of mine, Elliot Landridge, he has a podcast called Life in Film and recently, I think it was about a year ago actually, but he interviewed Steve Coogan and it's a really interesting interview, but he was like, how does someone pitch to like Baby Cow? And Steve was like, to be honest, I've got 20 projects of my own that I can't get commissioned. It's like, well, where, how does everyone else fit in that? Like that doesn't really seem like, you know, that's locked tight. You know, we, the rest of us have got to find another, another way of getting out there, getting our stuff out there. and it's kind of saying, obvious saying YouTube, but again, it's still, it's still plenty of barriers to entry. You still got to go out and you got to write it. You still got to shoot it. so it's still, again, super goddamn hard, but, Hopefully someone will find a pipeline that will work.
Benedict (cloud): And as with everything, all you need is one person to make a really good go of it. Suddenly that opens up as a possibility, and other people will be keen to do it as well. You're right, it's a huge amount of work. There's no point in saying just because you've kind of vaguely got distribution sorted that that it's it's easy. Production is still really hard. But yeah, there are a lot of really talented people, and it would be great to see to see one of them. Why not you? Put yourself together. Come on.
Brendan (cloud): I'm off now. I'm gonna go and shoot my sitcom. The first thing I ever did was I did actually shoot it. It took me a year to make one episode. was quite funny and it's shit. I mean it isn't shit. It's alright. I did it with a comedian called Mark Simmons. I don't know if you've heard of him. He's a stand-up and a guy called Stuart Foreman. They're my roommates at the time. Well Mark wasn't. I worked at Cineworld with Mark. The first thing I ever did is we did the sitcom. It was funny. Every scene we shot like seen a weekend and their haircuts changed so much for this year period it was ridiculous it was long hair one scene short hair the next scene it was trial by fire but it was was fun to do but you can do it as long as you keep things simple i think yeah
Benedict (cloud): But that that's funny. continuity is such a such a weird preoccupation of all the things to get worried about. I think that's great. That's a that's a great gag.
Brendan (cloud): Yeah, yeah. All right, Loco, so advice for filmmakers. So if you're taking a short to Loco, what advice would you give to a filmmaker?
Benedict (cloud): My first and most important piece of advice is just submit it. Because we're first of all, we only charge 20 pounds to submit, which is you know as little as the as we can afford to make it. We really don't want that to be a barrier to people submitting. as I say, every film is really carefully watched, really lovingly watched, and and I feel that it's an enormous privilege. To get to see all of these films. I will very carefully read every bit of information that filmmakers put in about the film. introductory letters which celebrate Loco and more particularly me, of course, are very, very well received. you know, we really do try to take what we do as seriously as possible. My absolute advice is don't make a film or or even pitch a film. In a way that feels uncomfortable to you, but which you feel will be what I want to read, or any other programmer wants to read. The most important thing is that you make something that you think is funny and that you really believe in. And if you have that level of conviction, that conviction will express itself through the screen to me as I watch. And I will be, you know, carried away by the film. As I say, there are always a lot of films that are really good, but which We just don't have space or time for. So don't be too disheartened. I know it's really easy for me to say that on this side of the of the process, but don't be too disheartened. I would still really recommend coming along to Loco, meeting filmmakers, getting to get a sense of the atmosphere and what else is being made, meeting people who who may be your next collaborator. and definitely submitting again. As I say, each year. It's a clean slate. There's no kind of sense that this person has submitted before and I had a particular idea about their past film. indeed, one film that we screened this year was submitted last year and didn't make it last year, was very, very close, but didn't quite make it, and this year did. And I was really excited to be able to program it this year. So the I mean, really make a film that you find funny, that you think is in some way. going to delight an audience. And if you do that, then you stand a really excellent chance of getting in. We squeeze as many films in as we possibly can because our job is not, our job is not to say no to people. Our job is to say yes to as many people as possible and to give as broad a representation of comedy as possible and to support filmmakers. So, you know, or know at this stage as you're submitting that what I want is to be able to program your film.
Brendan (cloud): Fantastic, that is great advice and go forward. What's what's next for loco? You've got obviously next 2027 is coming up. When are you open at the moment?
Benedict (cloud): we yes, we we have just opened for submissions. so get submitting for both shorts and features. So so yeah, get get beavering away. The the closing date is just into the new year, so you have three months to submit. And I cannot wait to start seeing the amazing entries pour in. We will then be notifying people. I can't remember the exact date, but at some time in March, we'll be notifying people about the the selections. So you haven't got too long to wait once you submit.
Brendan (cloud): And the festival is Mayu.
Benedict (cloud): And the first the festival is is always in early May. In fact, actually, having said that, this year we're still finalising the dates, but it could be very, very late April. We're discussing two weekends, either the f last weekend of April or the first weekend of May.
Brendan (cloud): Cool, well everyone follow local on socials and then you'll get all the info, the dates. But no, nice one Benedict. Do have any final thoughts before we sign off?
Benedict (cloud): really, just to say that we we believe that comedy matters. We think that film is an amazing medium to to celebrate comedy, to achieve comedy in. We just want everyone at Loco, whether they're filmmakers or audience members, to have the most amazing time. We want people to come there and feel excited. We think it's a festival with a really great atmosphere. Whether you have a film to submit now or not, we really recommend coming along to to Brixton next year. getting a a a taste of loco and and just seeing seeing the amazing comedy work that's being done by filmmakers in this country right now.
Brendan (cloud): Awesome. That's great. Well, I'll be seeing you there then. Can't wait.
Benedict (cloud): Not at all. My absolute pleasure.
Brendan (cloud): Cheers mate, alright, bye.
Benedict: I'm very well, very excited to be here. Thank you for inviting me.
Brendan: No, all good. Yeah, I'm on my own today. Johnny's on holiday, so I'm taking over on my own but we'll we'll we'll do alright I think. so tell us about your involvement in Loco and like w what made you want it to become an artistic director?
Benedict: Well, it hadn't particularly been an ambition of mine, but the people who originally set up Loco in twenty twelve, during the pandemic, I I I think it just reached the point where they wanted to to move on to new projects to try something else and were trying to find people to take on Loco for them. And one of them happened to have kids at the same school as an old university friend of mine. They were chatting one day, I think, over I think over a returned lasagna Tupperware or something like that. And Denise said to my friend Anna, Do you fancy taking over a film festival? And Anna, who had absolutely no qualifications to do so, said, Yeah, why not? I'll do it with my friend Benedict. I also had absolutely no qualifications for this. but when she suggested it to me, it sounded like, a bit of fun. Comedy film festival, bound to be a hoot. So so we thought we'd have a go. I was definitely more interested in the programming side than in the management and logistics side. I have no particular interest in staring at spreadsheets, but watching the amazing content that's submitted to the festival and working out how we can program as much of this content as possible to make as as rich an experience for audiences as possible. That's amazing.
Brendan: Yeah, yeah, 'cause I was super I was gutted when they did do it. They didn't do it for one year, then they didn't do it for another year and I like, What's going on? someone's gotta bring this back I I think I think my my my film Roger screened at Loco in like twenty maybe seventeen, eighteen and it was it's the
Benedict: yeah.
Brendan: English English premiere and it was down at the BFI and it was such a good good vibe down there and they had plenty of talks and yeah, when it when it sort of suddenly just disappeared, it was kinda like as a big gap there, like waiting to be kinda filled. So super glad you actually Got involved with that.
Benedict: well, thanks. And and yeah, the reason that Loco came into existence in the first place is because a lot of film festivals are really snobby about comedy. if you look at the London Film Festival program, there are a handful of comedies and they squirrel them away to one side. They're quite marginalized. I think it's really, really unfair. There is an idea that unless someone is suffering, it can't possibly be art. And we just think that's absolute bollocks. We we think that. the world has never needed comedy more than now, partly as relief from all the horror, but but partly, satirically to confront all the stuff that's going on. So I think a a co a film festival that's dedicated entirely to comedy is really important. And we're we're very proud to be one of the very few festivals that is that is totally focused on on laughter.
Brendan: That's fun, yeah. So but you're you're a lecturer, right? So you you you're at study academia, so how does that then two then things balance between like you're looking at commercial programming and your academic eye? how are those are those the two things you're looking at? do you throw one away or do you look at it from a a balanced perspective?
Benedict: Yeah, I I tried I try to get them involved in each other in in various ways. sometimes it's quite nice to have a holiday from our nine to five, isn't it? It's quite nice to have a a demanding hobby on the side, which you can be passionate about and devote time and energy to, but which isn't the main event. But a lot of the time I do I do think they complement each other quite well. My last book was on plug for the book. My last book was was on comedy. And post-war British comedy. So not particularly cutting edge, but but nevertheless, I've I'm really fascinated in in what comedy does, how comedy works, how how audience tastes change over time, but also how they vary. I mean, it is amazing, isn't it? Being in a in a cinema watching a comedy film and seeing how some members of the audience are falling around laughing and others are totally unimpressed by what they're seeing. You know, this this to me is is really fascinating. So yeah, at an intellectual level, I think it's I think it's interesting. And and the themes that a lot of the films which are submitted to Loco come with are, some of them are really hard-hitting. Some of them are just great gags and, they're just a delightful way to spend a few minutes. But some of them are addressing really big, juicy, thematic issues. And yeah, I'm I'm very happy to bring my my scholarly eye to to those films.
Brendan: Yeah, no, that's that interesting. and like Local itself as a festival, obviously you are like a non profit, right? So that obvious that brings a lot of challenges, right? what what what is that? What makes it difficult to to to pull it off?
Benedict: Well, it's it's just made difficult by the fact that we don't really have any money. so we're we're often relying on goodwill. n none of us on the team is paid. there are a couple of of people who have amazing technical skills that we that we we quite rightly pay them, but most of us are doing it for the love of it. But we're also, you know, relying on the goodwill of filmmakers and others to take part in QAs, to do the odd networking event and so on. Generally speaking, I have been overwhelmed by people's generosity, the way in which they are absolutely, it seems, very happy to dedicate their time if they can. we really try to champion work by emerging directors rather than just really established directors. So they're not all big names, but I think that many of them will be big names at some point. So so the more established directors are often really, really happy to get involved in supporting them. But nevertheless, you it's difficult going to someone asking for some support, some contribution, whatever, and not being able to say, And here's the fee attached. So it is tricky. But it's doable.
Brendan: Yeah, I suppose comedy as well. I d I don't know if that's just f sort of from what I've witnessed, but especially in the comedy and horror I think have the sea similar thing, especially the festival circuit. Like they they're slightly more niche and the fans tend to be a bit more hardcore and people are I think more bit willing to help out, I think, that than like some of like the straight drama festivals. Like there is a there's a certain underlying passion for these kind of niches or the genre festivals.
Benedict: Yeah, I think that's absolutely right. And what you were saying just now about the fact there was a bit of a gap in the market, people recognize that what Loco does is is useful and important. And so they're really keen to support it if they can. And you're right. there's a there's a delicious eccentricity amongst our fans, and indeed, I think those of us who who run the festival as well to some extent. we are really passionate, we are geeky about it, and that That makes running a festival much easier. When you've got those absolute die hardcore fans who come every year, it's lovely. when we took over
Brendan: so
Benedict: Loco, we we were we were really told by Denise, who ran it before, that that Loco is a community, it has a kind of family feel to it, that there's a real sense that the people who are involved, whether they're filmmakers, audience members, volunteers, they're really excited and enthused by it. And that's definitely what we've tried to retain as a kind of ethos.
Brendan: Yeah. And what as a a filmmaker sub me into loco, it 'cause it's it's more than just a film festival, isn't it? You do you do do other things beyond just the screen itself.
Benedict: Yeah, yeah, we do. we we in the past have run significant training events, networking events. There are lots of social events, of course, as part of the festival. We run QAs. this year we are working with the King's Trust to to support really young filmmakers who are often from quite disadvantaged backgrounds. To just to start to get a bit of a foot in the door, just to start to get some really good experience of filmmaking, start to develop their own voices. So we're really, really keen to do everything we can, not just to screen films, but also to support those people who are making them or who will be making them in the future. I think this is this is really crucial. And and I think maybe particularly in comedy, I think there are a lot of people who Have a really funny, really amusing sensibility, but don't quite know where that fits in. They can see the, the big award winners, they can see the the films that seem to be getting funding. And so many of them are angsty dramas. And I have nothing against angsty dramas, but if the world consists only of angsty dramas, then we will all be angsty. I mean, that seems to me to be pretty straightforward. So the world needs variety, and whether that's comedy, horror, whatever, I think. The the emerging filmmakers or the filmmakers of the future really need to see a path towards how to how to get involved in making those films.
Brendan: you obviously Loco is a is a BAFTA affiliated festival, right? That's that's correct, right? Yeah, yeah. So that's mega.
Benedict: It is. It is. We're very proud.
Brendan: yeah, and so how did that come about and what are the we recently had Lok had Kino on and their Biffa and we're just like what what do they require? What do what are the the things that BAFTA want from you guys? Or is it quite like you said you're the you're you're the only BAFTA affiliated comedy festival, right? Is that correct? I didn't think there's
Benedict: I believe that is correct.
Brendan: sp yeah. So like is there anything that they allow you to do or they look at you in a slightly different light, maybe, because of because of the comedy element? Or do you how much dealings do you have with BAFTA?
Benedict: almost none, to be honest, kind of day to day or or even year by year. The process of affiliating with BAFTA was done before I joined the festival. So I don't know exactly the process that the festival had to go through. But when I took over as programmer, there was a discussion with BAFTA about whether that accreditation would continue and it was decided. In fact, BAFTA immediately and enthusiastically said yes. I think there was a a sense that that Loco's track record was very, very strong. There was confidence that it would continue to be strong, that the quality of the films that we were selecting was very high. And the quality of the submissions is amazing. Every year there are dozens of films that we just don't have time or space for, which could very easily appear in a festival, are brilliant. So it's the heartbreaking part of my job, really. So the standard is so high. BAFTA was really, really keen to maintain that accreditation. We're category B, which means that if you qualify for loco and another, BAFTA qualifying festival, then you are then eligible for submission to BAFTA. So, you know, it's yeah, it's a it's a big deal. And I think I think it is one of the things that yeah, that sets Local apart a little bit.
Brendan: Yeah, yeah. it it was great when that actually happened. I do remember when that actually happened and I was like, Finally I thought finally there might be a BAFTA winner that's a comedy. I don't don't don't hold me to that. I'm not gonna hold my breath. But it it's it's out there at least, do you know what I mean? It's it's it's at least given it s I I'm a BAFTA Connect member as well and you know, everyone you gotta go to the networking and everyone is almost like there needs to be more comedy. There needs to be more comedy in in the BAFTAs, you know, just for the especially for like, you know, the short film section.
Benedict: This is the thing, isn't it? Everybody always agrees that that's the case. Everybody says, yeah, comedies need to be programmed far more in festivals. They need to be represented more in award ceremonies. comedy really needs to be championed and celebrated, funded properly, and so on. And then nothing changes. It's really, really depressing. But I'm really glad that Loco exists as a space at least to fly the flag for comedy, to fly the flag for comedy filmmakers. Really, to try to do all it can to campaign for for better representation on awards lists, on you know, successful funding applications and so on. So I think I I know that a number of filmmakers who have done well at Loco have have used that as a springboard for developing future projects, for securing funding and so on. It's it's it's still held as a nice little kind of guarantee of quality.
Brendan: how many submissions do you get roughly a per year? you do shorts and features, right, as well, so
Benedict: We did features for the first time this year, and we I mean we did feature s open submissions and we were dazzled by the responses. So we will be redo we're doing that again this year, and we're really optimistic that we'll get great entries again. With the shorts, we usually get around two hundred. That's that's the kind of rough number, but but sometimes a little bit more, sometimes a little bit less, but roughly around two hundred.
Brendan: let's talk about actually getting into loco. Let's talk about like what what films, what makes a film like good enough, funny enough to get into Loco.
Benedict: Yeah. It's a really, really difficult question because the simple answer is that programming is not is not an absolute science. it's it's there's a there's a lot of feeling and intuition in it, which is I realize very unhelpful when people are trying to to work out how to how to pitch their film. So in that sense, I would say if you've got a film that you find funny that you're confident in, then submit it. Don't worry about trying to put a particular spin on it because It's very much just a question, I suppose, of two things. One, a sense that I have of not even necessarily whether I find the film immediately funny, but whether I can I can imagine the audience who will find it funny. I know the people who who will who will find something in this that that delights them. Often I'm part of that audience, but there are certain types of comedy that I don't entirely get, but I know that others do. So that's the first thing. The second thing, and this is much harder to to Prepare for as a filmmaker, but it's trying, even as I'm watching the films for the first time, and I do watch every second of every film that's submitted, as I'm watching the first time, I'm already trying to see how they might work together. So thinking about how films complement each other, how I can start to imagine particular kind of interesting lines, thematic or aesthetic, running through a program. the most important thing, of course, is just. That I can see how a local audience will find them funny. That's the main thing. But the other thing that I would absolutely stress is that I don't have a particular prejudice against against any particular types of comedy. I we every year program really, really dark comedies. We also program really silly slapstick. We program everything in between. If there's enough in it to make a a laugh or even an enthusiastic smile. Then I will I will brand it comedy and will consider it eligible for screening at Loco. we we just want we want to show good films. So I
Brendan: Yeah.
Benedict: will I will find a way to to to reassure myself that it's a comedy as long as I can get in. And I don't favor one type over another as a programmer.
Brendan: And have have you seen more of people trying to like obviously like you said you do sort really dark stuff. I mean, have you seen people making films that do have like more uncomfortable things, maybe a blend of like horror or something, like or violence or even like really dark grief ridden things? Like I mean, those can be exceptionally funny if But I mean d have you seen it in the actual films like rather than your own opinion about it, have you actually seen The these films come through more now.
Benedict: Yeah, I think so. we've always had a a good, a good representation of that kind of film, I'd say, in the submissions. But I do think we probably get more each year. I think we're living through we're living through quite a a savage, dark, dystopian time. So I mean it's no wonder really that people are reaching for fairly dystopian themes. so we have, generally speaking, we have four programmed scheduled selections of films which we show on the final day of Loco. One of them is specifically called the Dark Side. So it's an hour and a half entirely dedicated to films that want, you know, they can get as as bloody and as messed up as they like. They can be absolutely disgusting. And they will qualify happily for the dark side. So yeah, I do think people are using comedy as a as a way of exploring some pretty gruesome ideas. And we love it.
Brendan: And do you Yeah Yeah, it's good to hear. I mean, is there any forms of s like comedy that you kinda would would w want people to maybe delve into more? Like we don't I mean, going from what you just said about, you different themes of grief, but I mean I've never really seen like in comedy festivals someone trying to like recreate a kind of nineties American sitcom unless it's a kind of parody or, you know, different like like almost mini sketch shows or anything like that or things like that, d is there anything that you would be like, no one's done one of these in a while, doing one of these might be a cool idea.
Benedict: While while we don't get whole sketches, we we do get sketches and I often love them. I think there is something perfect about a three-minute comedy short film that just has a situation and a r a couple of really good gags in it. I think that's gorgeous. So I we do get things that feel sketch-like. So they're not they're not kind of as elaborate, they're not as developed, the character arcs are not as complex and so on, but there's Just a beautiful distillation of a comedy situation. So we get those. I think it's probably true that we don't get things that feel sitcommy generally. And that is a shame, I guess. I wonder whether there was a time when short films did that more. Every now and again, we do get something that is pitched as the pilot for a possible series. And we always love that. We love it when they're when it feels like there's a bit of a to be continued. It feels as if this world has scope to be expanded, to be developed, that things aren't totally resolved. that's great. It's not that we favor that particularly, but it's really nice when we see it. and it would be wonderful at some point to see one of one of those taken to series and to feel that in some small way Loco helped to be, you know, part of the the gestation of the project. So I I am always amazed by the variation that we get. You know, we get we get silent films in the in the style of Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin, right through to, you know, sci fi, horror, and everything in between. It really does feel as though as though yeah, the submissions pages on Film Freeway are really rich with variation. And I try really hard when programming to get as much of that variety as possible. In the programme. That's that's really
Brendan: Yeah. Yeah.
Benedict: important to me. I I want people who come to Loco to see just something of the range and scope of British and Irish comedy that's being made today. we're usually able in the end to program about between thirty and forty. So it's it's it's challenging, it's tough, it's really competitive. we also when I'm programming, I go in with as with as open a mind as possible. The fact that there might be, the name of a filmmaker I recognize from previous years doesn't mean that they get an immediate shoe-in to the festival. everybody is competing on a level playing field as far as I can. if I'm in any doubt, I'll watch a film several times. You know, I really try to make sure that it's it's as level as possible and that as many people as possible get a chance.
Brendan: Yeah, cool. I what's the the the process? So t on the journey of a film that enters Loco, what would be the steps that it goes through until from submission? I'm assuming you just do the submissions through film freeway, right? That's the main so f from when you submit in film freeway, take us through the steps in which that film goes, say if it does get accepted into the screening, down at Brixton.
Benedict: Yeah, so as you say, all our submissions come through Film Freeway, which is miraculous. Thank God for Film Freeway. I don't really understand how film festivals worked before it. but anyway, that's the the the conduit for submission. I then watch everything and begin to to kind of whittle down a short list. once I've got kind of reasonably close to the final number, which is agonizing, because, you know. I end up with at least 80 films that I would probably fairly happily show. And then beginning to whittle them down really does begin to be a question of how do I imagine these films sitting alongside each other? And that's that's a much kind of harder, less precise science. Then when I've got it down to, you know, a little bit above the total number, the other directors and members of the loco team may well. Take a look at things, to give some second opinions. They may well also have watched other things, and very occasionally, because I am, you know, we're a democracy at Loco, very occasionally they will convince me that something that I have initially rejected deserves not to be rejected. So, you know, my my word is not absolute law. And then we come up with our with our final list. we then, of course, notify all the filmmakers. And for the for those whose films are selected, they will then ultimately, of course, be shown on the Sunday of Loco at the Ritzy in Brixton. It's a really exciting place to be. It's very buzzy. It's very exciting. It's a really great chance to meet other filmmakers and just to get a taste of what other people are working on at the moment. And I know that occasionally there have been really interesting new collaborations which have emerged from the networking on the Sunday at Loco. Meanwhile, while we're preparing for the festival, there is also then the competitive element, because we do have an awards ceremony as well. And the competitive element, we always get a panel of luminous judges. We've had Mark Commode, Celia Imry, all sorts of interesting people in the last few years are judging the films. They will they will watch them and select their favorites in a number of categories. And then at the end of the Sunday, there will be a thrilling award ceremony. People are absolutely agog. We have a couple of times coincided with the BAFTAs, and some fools who have been nominated for both a BAFTA and a Loco Award have chosen to go to the BAFTAs rather than to the Ritzy. But I think they've
Brendan: Unbelievable.
Benedict: unbelievable, they've made a wrong choice. And actually, on a couple of occasions, they have come back to us
Brendan: Bam.
Benedict: to say that the BAFTAs were extremely tedious. And I mean, partly suppose because they didn't win. But extremely tedious, and that they wish they'd been with us at Loco because it's a really good party. It is absolutely full. We do it on the upstairs bar at the Ritzy. The balcony is open and available to us. Everybody is, everybody just has a really, really great time. One of the really nice things about working on a comedy film festival is that, at least in my experience, the people who make comedies tend to be really, really great people who it's nice to spend an evening with. So it's a really great party. Really exciting atmosphere. And then we we hand out some awards. What could be nicer?
Brendan: Yeah, cool, but yeah, no, it was it was a great laugh down there. going back to like actually filmmakers submitting to local, do you have any kind of premiere status where to to get into local or do you mind where it's been screened? d can it I'm assuming you don't let films that are already online screen or do do you care about that at all?
Benedict: Do you know we do? w basically we really want to be as open
Benedict (cloud): Festival as possible. We're really, we don't mind if if films have premiered somewhere else. Of course, we're really excited to get a premiere. It's lovely, and we're very happy to help publicise the particular film as a film premiering at Loco. But but the most important thing for us is that filmmakers get the chance to have their film put on at one of London's most beautiful, most historic, most impressive cinemas. And to get, as you were talking about earlier, that really important BAFTRA accreditation. If the work is good, we want it. And sometimes the reason that films have been online first is because the filmmaker was uncertain or, you know, wasn't confident enough to pitch it to festivals. And so we really don't want them to be disqualified just because the work has been somewhere else. we're confident that our viewers get their get their money's worth in our programs. We keep the price of tickets as low as possible so that people really are able to to savour a an exciting range of short films.
Brendan (cloud): No, that's great, yeah, because I think comedy is slightly different than other sort of like dramas or something. I think you can, that amount of flexibility is definitely appreciated, definitely for a lot of younger filmmakers. When programming comedy, I mean, there has been a lot of, just over the last few years, some of the more riskier comedies, People are scared, I guess, to put some comedies out there that could potentially offend or risk losing the trust of an audience. I mean, how do you negate that? How do you look at that and go, this film is on the edge. Should we screen it?
Benedict (cloud): Yeah, it's I mean it is a tricky one. there's no point in in denying that. It is difficult. My general feeling is that that unless a film is is so morally objectionable, is so outrageous in its political views that it could actually kind of incite aggression, hostility, hatred, could really make someone feel uncomfortable. My my feeling is that that Nothing is disqualified. the reality is that it's this has really come up in relatively few of the films that we've had submitted. Most of the films, and I guess this is partly because it's a comedy film festival, but most of the films are pretty straightforwardly good natured. But there have been some films, for example, that have handled questions of homophobia, sexism, or racism. And I I am very happy to defend the film. And say this film is clearly critiquing and laughing at the sexism, homophobia, and racism. It is not itself homophobic, sexist, or racist. And therefore, I will absolutely support this film. So there have been some films, I've been very aware in screenings, there have been some films that have elicited gasps from the audience at moments. And I think that's part of what comedy does. Comedy is shocking. You know, the experience of laughing is shocking. For a moment we lose control of our bodies. Our bodies are doing something, they are convulsing in a way that were it not within the context of watching something funny, we would be alarmed. I am not fully able to control and regulate my breathing or my, you know, I'm not able to sit still. Laughter is subversive, comedy is subversive, and therefore it needs to be able to tackle subjects which are, as you say, edgy. With the features, it's a bit easier because you can you can put up. The necessary warnings and people are just coming to see one thing. So we've had some, I think we've had some pretty edgy comedies are in the feature selections. And and I've just been confident that we're able to make sure that anybody who would be problematically offended by this, we we just keep them away. And that seems fine. With the shorts, it's a bit harder because you have 10 or so films in one screening. But There have been a couple of films, I think, where my initial response was, I don't know if we dare show this. And it is precisely because that was my feeling that I decided that we should show it. You know, that it's really important that as a programmer, I am not trying to second guess what other people might think about. It's not to say that we don't take looking after our audience very seriously, but But I also think that we need to make sure that comedies have a platform, even comedies that are tackling some edgy topics.
Brendan (cloud): Yeah, that is also a great thing to hear because I do feel that sometimes especially there's been debates recently surrounding certain comedy shows on the BBC and such that they're trying to delete the past in a way and I felt like festivals should be a way you escape that. you should be going to festivals to get something you don't get on telly you should be going there to get something that potentially is out your comfort zone just to experience something slightly different and again hopefully you see that with a lot like you definitely see that on the festival circuit especially in some of the horror films festivals so it is important to keep that keep that dream of being able to have free speech and just and i think the one thing with british comedy as well i mean is that we are brilliant at taking the piss. Or at least we were great at taking the piss. And they're like you said, taking the piss and really, like, you want to take the piss out of homophobia and take the piss out of racism. Like for example the Ali G debate that's come up recently, know, and I think if you're looking at that and saying that's racist, I don't think you really fully understand what's happening behind the comedy. You know, there is something deeper going on behind there. And it's quite easy for people to just push it to one side and say, this is that, this is the other. you know, for the most part people are laughing. It's the people that are really picking holes in it.
Benedict (cloud): Yeah, I think I think that's absolutely right. And and going to the cinema should feel risky. we're gonna sit in a dark room with strangers for an hour and a half, and we're gonna watch something that we're not we're not quite sure what it's gonna be, and we're going to surrender to it. That's a risky thing to do. And and it's good that we take that risk because we know fundamentally that it's also safe. nothing terrible is gonna happen. And I think being able to take that risk collectively is. is crucial. We're really diminished if we remove that, if we remove that function of the arts. The arts are there in part, at least to shock us, surprise us, make us rethink what we thought we knew. And and I do worry if we yeah, if if we if we diminish that that that power that they have. It's also frustrating sometimes that the people who are most vocal in their criticism of a particular film Haven't actually seen the film. You know, they will often speak with total confidence about something that they haven't watched. And I find that really peculiar. Of course, as with everybody, there are things that I watch sometimes that I find offensive. A, that doesn't mean that I think they shouldn't exist just because I don't like them and they don't measure up to my idea. B, I I don't my criticism is dependent on my having seen them. I would never read a blurb. Or read someone else's view of a film and then feel in a position to be able to attack it. So I am I am very happy to to defend every program, every film that I program. And I would always be happy to talk to any audience member, either before or after a screening, before to set out what's going on in the screening and whether there might be something that they don't like. And after the screening to talk to them about why the film was programmed. But I would never I would never resist programming a film that I think is good because I'm worried that some imagined person might find it objectionable. Also, mm mm most of the films that we program that are are most likely to to you know to slightly put people on edge will be in that programme that I mentioned before, the dark side.
Brendan (cloud): You are saying that.
Benedict (cloud): You go to a programme called The Dark Side, expect it to be a bit dark. don't be surprised when questions of death and and other fairly, fairly challenging topics come up. This is gonna happen in a programme called the Dark Side. So we try to be honest and upfront, but at the same time not not bow to to imagined offended people.
Brendan (cloud): how's your, mean, obviously you're a festival and I do think that especially comedy is the only way you're gonna see, I mean, I like to stand up. mean, to see good comedy now, does feel like you've gotta go and watch stand up, like to be honest. Like when I look at what's on the telly, there is some all right stuff out there, but nowhere near as much potential there was, you know. a good few years ago and I think going to festivals is again another way of you just like you said you're going to see something you're not going to see I what are your thoughts on that and the way that television and handles comedy nowadays?
Benedict (cloud): Yeah, I I it feels it feels as though television comedy is to such an extent reduced to panel shows, which are, you know, intensely formulaic and and often quite boring. And, you know, they're fine. As a bit of kind of, you know, Tuesday evening wallpaper, fine. But that's not where we're really going to see go to see well crafted comedy or something that that really makes us rethink what the what the form can do. It is it is sad. I I I tend to agree, there are there are fewer sitcoms that I find really exciting now. There are some that are perfectly watchable, enjoyable even, but they're not they're not really stretching the boundaries of what sitcom can do or what comedy generally can do. So I I really, really agree with you that festivals are this kind of this privileged space where we get to see the stuff precisely that isn't on telly. I think that I think people who are who are scheduling television, who are who are controlling and commissioning T V programs, I think they do have a a tough job now because there's so much competition that if they if they do something that's that might risk alienating someone or turning them off in the first few minutes, then they're not likely to stick with it. So actually, bland and inoffensive is often safer than something a little bit more challenging. In festivals, we don't have that problem. You've paid for the ticket, you're in. You're probably not going to leave. once we've got you, we've got you. And now we can we can put some stuff on that's quite good. So on the on the the the the banner above the the ritzy, we we tend to have slogans such as, films not available on screening platforms and stuff, really trying to emphasize the fact that what you see there, you you can't see somewhere else. This is the space to see it. Because festivals can still get away with something that perhaps TV and even even other forms of cinema exhibition can't get away with or don't risk anymore. So and this is this is really exciting to me. I love it when I'm programming something, and I think I think I know this film is weird. This is strange. This is unsettling. This is this is kind of absolutely wild. And I don't think that. anyone in any other form of programming would select this. But I happen to have a job which allows me to say yes. Because, a actually the impression we get is that precisely what our audience wants is to see comedy that they wouldn't see anywhere else. And what could be more thrilling?
Brendan (cloud): Yeah, totally agree with that. mean, I know that unfortunately the broadcast space is in decline. I know that just from working in the industry over the last like 10, 15 years that, you know, things, budgets are getting cut, things are going here. And I think people are definitely heading towards, you know, more online things, know, like YouTube as well. What are your thoughts on kind of like that? transition between because obviously I think YouTube now I think was about a year ago became the biggest, definitely biggest streaming platform in the world. What are your thoughts on that like sort of taken over from your standard broadcaster?
Benedict (cloud): In a sense, I think that all of these kind of transitions and and evolutions we need to be reasonably philosophical about. the the downside of a platform like YouTube or TikTok or anything like that is that it's often quite hard to wade through the huge amounts of content in order to find the really good stuff. But there is really good stuff there. And there is something to be cherished in this kind of democratic medium where people are able to produce content which is relatively inexpensive, but can be really, really effective. So I think that I think that if we can, if we can find ways to use these platforms really enterprisingly, I think they can be brilliant. I'm old enough now to feel nostalgic about broadcast television. You know, I obviously grew up in a time before. There were streaming platforms and so on, there were four channels. And there was something, there was something to be said for the idea that there was a curated content. And if you could find a channel that curated content in a way that you appreciated, then you know, were this this was great. This was utopia, because you could settle down for an evening and just watch a stream of images that would to some extent satisfy. And I think because there was relatively little competition, I think there was some really good, edgy stuff made. Channel Four in the 1980s and early 90s was actually blisteringly good. It was it, I mean, obviously it produced some rubbish, but it produced some really spectacular stuff, including comedy. And I I don't think the proliferation of channels, broadcasters, and streaming platforms has helped with that. So actually, in some ways, I think the the democratic slightly anarchic spaces like YouTube actually potentially are g are going to mark the regeneration of screen comedy, which is really exciting. And every year we get some submissions of, as I mentioned earlier, of YouTube things and and TikTok videos even. And I don't disqualify them simply because they come from those platforms. I wouldn't want the whole festival to be defined by that content. But I think that it would be it would be silly of us. To to deny the fact that that is the future of comedy. I'd read I
Brendan (cloud): No, sorry, I was gonna say that I've I actually just have found myself going back to watch watch the older comedies now if I want to see a sitcom are we like Some of them I meet this I've just started watching rewatching 99. I don't know if you remember that I
Benedict (cloud): From Magnificent.
Brendan (cloud): mean you just Absolutely just mad. Yeah. Or something like Monkey Dust or something like that. Like just rewatching all those and I'm like, I just love to see more of that. Like some more of these kind of like actually, but the longer form stuff rather than kind of more sort YouTube small, like a lower attention span, like something more longer form, but on YouTube. Have you guys ever thought about doing like a YouTube channel or anything like that? Or do you reach out to filmmakers to potentially start a kind of subscription thing on YouTube?
Benedict (cloud): This is one of the things that we discuss every year and and we would really, really like to do it. It's just trying to work out a way to do it that really works for the filmmakers and doesn't end up kind of compromising them in some way. For example, as you've already alluded to, a lot of festivals say that if you've if your film has appeared online, then you're not eligible to submit it. So we we don't want to end up actually damaging people's chances of getting into other festivals. But we would really love to do it. Not least because as I mentioned earlier, every year there are a number of films that I would love to to kind of give a a version of a loco screening to, but we can't fit them into that one day at the ritzy. And it would be wonderful for us to have some kind of platform or space to celebrate those films if it works for the filmmaker. So yeah, we are definitely, we are definitely thinking about it. And as you say, I think you're quite right. There is something sad. About the the possible future in which all comedy filmmaking appears on YouTube and is no longer than a minute and a half or two minutes. that would be really sad. That that longer form stuff, including, including series, I think is really important. And it's definitely possible on YouTube. And it would be great if Loco could, in some way, kind of contribute to that. So yeah, these conversations are very definitely under. underway and I hope very much that in the next year or two we will we will get a proper presence on YouTube or another platform.
Brendan (cloud): Yeah, I I follow a lot of other podcasts from comedians and I've got a lot of other friends that are comedians and there's always been a talk about it or maybe doing the show or doing the longer form stuff but no one's really apart from just in a talking head or doing a visual podcast or a comedic one no one's really gone out there yet and going right I'm gonna do a full-on sitcom a British sitcom so I eagerly await in that if someone can put it off for obviously a modest budget but I know just from my experience going around the comedy production companies, it's super hard to try and even pitch to a lot of these guys because they've got a stack of projects a mile high, you know, and it's funny, a friend of mine, Elliot Landridge, he has a podcast called Life in Film and recently, I think it was about a year ago actually, but he interviewed Steve Coogan and it's a really interesting interview, but he was like, how does someone pitch to like Baby Cow? And Steve was like, to be honest, I've got 20 projects of my own that I can't get commissioned. It's like, well, where, how does everyone else fit in that? Like that doesn't really seem like, you know, that's locked tight. You know, we, the rest of us have got to find another, another way of getting out there, getting our stuff out there. and it's kind of saying, obvious saying YouTube, but again, it's still, it's still plenty of barriers to entry. You still got to go out and you got to write it. You still got to shoot it. so it's still, again, super goddamn hard, but, Hopefully someone will find a pipeline that will work.
Benedict (cloud): And as with everything, all you need is one person to make a really good go of it. Suddenly that opens up as a possibility, and other people will be keen to do it as well. You're right, it's a huge amount of work. There's no point in saying just because you've kind of vaguely got distribution sorted that that it's it's easy. Production is still really hard. But yeah, there are a lot of really talented people, and it would be great to see to see one of them. Why not you? Put yourself together. Come on.
Brendan (cloud): I'm off now. I'm gonna go and shoot my sitcom. The first thing I ever did was I did actually shoot it. It took me a year to make one episode. was quite funny and it's shit. I mean it isn't shit. It's alright. I did it with a comedian called Mark Simmons. I don't know if you've heard of him. He's a stand-up and a guy called Stuart Foreman. They're my roommates at the time. Well Mark wasn't. I worked at Cineworld with Mark. The first thing I ever did is we did the sitcom. It was funny. Every scene we shot like seen a weekend and their haircuts changed so much for this year period it was ridiculous it was long hair one scene short hair the next scene it was trial by fire but it was was fun to do but you can do it as long as you keep things simple i think yeah
Benedict (cloud): But that that's funny. continuity is such a such a weird preoccupation of all the things to get worried about. I think that's great. That's a that's a great gag.
Brendan (cloud): Yeah, yeah. All right, Loco, so advice for filmmakers. So if you're taking a short to Loco, what advice would you give to a filmmaker?
Benedict (cloud): My first and most important piece of advice is just submit it. Because we're first of all, we only charge 20 pounds to submit, which is you know as little as the as we can afford to make it. We really don't want that to be a barrier to people submitting. as I say, every film is really carefully watched, really lovingly watched, and and I feel that it's an enormous privilege. To get to see all of these films. I will very carefully read every bit of information that filmmakers put in about the film. introductory letters which celebrate Loco and more particularly me, of course, are very, very well received. you know, we really do try to take what we do as seriously as possible. My absolute advice is don't make a film or or even pitch a film. In a way that feels uncomfortable to you, but which you feel will be what I want to read, or any other programmer wants to read. The most important thing is that you make something that you think is funny and that you really believe in. And if you have that level of conviction, that conviction will express itself through the screen to me as I watch. And I will be, you know, carried away by the film. As I say, there are always a lot of films that are really good, but which We just don't have space or time for. So don't be too disheartened. I know it's really easy for me to say that on this side of the of the process, but don't be too disheartened. I would still really recommend coming along to Loco, meeting filmmakers, getting to get a sense of the atmosphere and what else is being made, meeting people who who may be your next collaborator. and definitely submitting again. As I say, each year. It's a clean slate. There's no kind of sense that this person has submitted before and I had a particular idea about their past film. indeed, one film that we screened this year was submitted last year and didn't make it last year, was very, very close, but didn't quite make it, and this year did. And I was really excited to be able to program it this year. So the I mean, really make a film that you find funny, that you think is in some way. going to delight an audience. And if you do that, then you stand a really excellent chance of getting in. We squeeze as many films in as we possibly can because our job is not, our job is not to say no to people. Our job is to say yes to as many people as possible and to give as broad a representation of comedy as possible and to support filmmakers. So, you know, or know at this stage as you're submitting that what I want is to be able to program your film.
Brendan (cloud): Fantastic, that is great advice and go forward. What's what's next for loco? You've got obviously next 2027 is coming up. When are you open at the moment?
Benedict (cloud): we yes, we we have just opened for submissions. so get submitting for both shorts and features. So so yeah, get get beavering away. The the closing date is just into the new year, so you have three months to submit. And I cannot wait to start seeing the amazing entries pour in. We will then be notifying people. I can't remember the exact date, but at some time in March, we'll be notifying people about the the selections. So you haven't got too long to wait once you submit.
Brendan (cloud): And the festival is Mayu.
Benedict (cloud): And the first the festival is is always in early May. In fact, actually, having said that, this year we're still finalising the dates, but it could be very, very late April. We're discussing two weekends, either the f last weekend of April or the first weekend of May.
Brendan (cloud): Cool, well everyone follow local on socials and then you'll get all the info, the dates. But no, nice one Benedict. Do have any final thoughts before we sign off?
Benedict (cloud): really, just to say that we we believe that comedy matters. We think that film is an amazing medium to to celebrate comedy, to achieve comedy in. We just want everyone at Loco, whether they're filmmakers or audience members, to have the most amazing time. We want people to come there and feel excited. We think it's a festival with a really great atmosphere. Whether you have a film to submit now or not, we really recommend coming along to to Brixton next year. getting a a a taste of loco and and just seeing seeing the amazing comedy work that's being done by filmmakers in this country right now.
Brendan (cloud): Awesome. That's great. Well, I'll be seeing you there then. Can't wait.
Benedict (cloud): Not at all. My absolute pleasure.
Brendan (cloud): Cheers mate, alright, bye.
