Action thriller Pendulum a slick, professional film

As a student project now in theatres nationwide local action thriller Pendulum is “a big breakthrough” and is also a “slick” and professional film, says University of the West Indies (UWI) Film Programme Coordinator Yao Ramesar.

Ramesar was one of the attendees on Wednesday night for the red carpet premiere of Pendulum at MovieTowne, Port of Spain. The film is directed by Michael Rochford and is about a former soldier with post traumatic stress disorder named Ryan (Jovon Brown) who is asked to track a stalker/hacker for an old friend and software company CEO named Luther (Stephen Hadeed Jr) and then is accused of his murder.

Ramesar said Pendulum was made in his Capstone class (where film students create a film as a final project) and it was the first feature film achieved by the UWI film students. It is also the first student feature to be released nationwide in cinemas.

Ramesar said he is proud of the team and their perseverance and recalled that even in the previous version it was already a “relatively slick film.”

He said the action thriller is a genre that we have not historically done well and the film features well choreographed fight scenes.

“It has a particular professional finish and polish which I think stands out.”

He said there is a significant phenomenon of seeing local films with much more regularity in the multiplexes and he had predicted this some time ago. Ramesar added that he would like to see more local films.

“I would like to see two, three features end up with the usual foreign fare. And I think we will get that soon. But it is a great experience to walk into the multiplex and see our stuff up there.”

Ramesar said that after building the momentum locally the next step is to do a foreign push.

Actor Stephen Hadeed Jr said that they are really excited about Pendulum not only because it is their film opening in cinemas but because it is another one of the films showing the viability of film as a business model.

“We are getting a chance to grow the industry and show everyone, from young filmmakers down to investors as well and the public and private sector, that we can get films in cinemas. We can start to recoup some of these investments and create returns. And that’s when we start to turn the industry into a film business industry like show business. Because it is still a business at the end of the day.”

He said that local films The Cutlass, Green Days by the River and Pendulum are all self distributed films getting nationwide releases and outside of the country as well.

“I know for Pendulum hopefully we have some great news in the similar realm of being outside Trinidad and Tobago.”

He said that if the country reaches the stage where there is a local film every month it would be the “greatest thing.”

Director of the TT Film Festival Bruce Paddington said it was very exciting to have Pendulum showing in three different cinema chains and Green Days by the River still in theatres and The Cutlass having shown regionally.

“So it’s very exciting. I think that we have made the leap to the next stage which is to get the films in the cinemas.”

He said that he is very proud of Rochford who was one of his past students and he has done very well.

“And I hope the public come out in their numbers to enjoy the film.”

Actor Jovon Brown said he felt excited at the premiere and ecstatic and a little bit scared.

“You think it’s great but what will the audience think. And the audience keeps things alive. If they don’t come to see it then it’s dead and you feel terrible. Once people come to see it and enjoy it then it’s great. And I just feel so excited. Super excited.”

He said that his parents to pursue film up to Hollywood.

“So they really supportive and I love them for that. And I thank all my friends and family for that.”

Actress Chanel Glasgow said the fact that the film was in theatres it did not fully sink in until she walked through the doors of MovieTowne. She said that she was happy, especially being someone involved in theatre.

“It is just so good to see the crowd for theatre and film growing every single year.”

Director Michael Rochford said he was excited and anxious.

“I am interested in seeing the audience reaction,” he said.

He said that he is glad that people came out to see it.

Also in attendance at the premiere were Green Days by the River director Michael Mooledhar, local filmmaker Mariel Brown and television writer, producer and director Danielle Dieffenthaller.