Don't Look at the Finger Film
‘Don’t Look at the Finger’ is, at one level, an exploration of how the highly stylised genre conventions of Hong Kong martial arts movies have permeated the mainstream through the influence of directors like Quentin Tarantino and in blockbusters like The Matrix. It is also a reminder of how some of the highly specific signature symbols of historical cultural traditions and languages can become interestingly blurred and entangled in today’s hybrid and eclectic visual landscape. Shot in a church, Don’t Look At The Finger presents a wedding ceremony where bodies speak physically, where the protagonists seek human connection through ritual, combat and signed languages.
Encompassing the UK, North America, South and East Asia, and West Africa, the confluence of culturally specific reference points inform the fluid relationship between reality and fiction that we see in this film, featuring specially made costumes, choreography, language and music that each question their own origins.
Commissioned by Film and Video Umbrella with Manchester Art Gallery and QUAD. Supported by Arts Council England. Initial research supported by Jerwood Choreographic Research Project.








Artwork Details
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Medium
HD Film with stereo sound
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Duration
16 Minutes 8 Seconds
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Year
2017
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Film Credits
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Director
Hetain Patel
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Executive Producer
Steven Bode, FVU
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Produced by
Sophie Neave
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Production Supervisor
Susanna Chisholm, FVU
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Director of Photography
Carlos Catalan
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Costume Designer
Holly Waddington
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Fight Choreographer
Chirag Lukha
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Sign Language Consultant
Louise Stern
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Composer
Amy May
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Editor
Oliver Parker
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Cast (Bride and Groom)
Victoria Shulungu and Freddie Opoku-Addaie
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Production Designer
Beck Rainford
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Hair and Make-Up Designer
Jessica Shulungu
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Costume Cutter and Maker
Kate Whitehead
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Supporting Cast
Zoe Charlery, Vilma Jackson, Carol Lake, Claudette Little-Herron, Kadeem Oak, Thomas Owoo, Alicia Smikle-Little, Jessica Shulungu
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1st Assistant Director
Chris Malin
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2nd Assistant Director
Sammy Wong
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3rd Assistant Director
Magda Kozak
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Production Assistant
Polly Wright, FVU
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1st Assistant Camera
Sebastian Marczewski
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2nd Assistant Camera
Chai Rolfe
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Digital Image Technician
Jordan Wallace
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Steadicam Operator
Charlie Rizek
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Grips
Brett Lamerton, Myles Soldenhoff
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Gaffer
Antti Janhunen
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Spark
Jack Knott
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Additional Spark
Mike Johnson
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Props Dressing
Tom Savery
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Standby
Aimee Alicia Meek
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Costume Assistant
Rosie Stoward
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Additional Costume Makers
Elizabeth Brown, Florence Emiola
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American Sign Language Interpreter
Helsa Borinstein
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Additional Sign Language Interpreters
Sophie Allen, Brett Best, Anna Kitson, Karen Newby, Daniel Roberts
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Stills Photographer
Nick Matthews
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Post Production
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Digital Intermediate
CHEAT
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Colourist
Joseph Bicknell
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Post Producer
Chloe Saunders
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Strings, Vocals & Composition
Amy May
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Percussion
Matthew Whittington
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Cello & Mixing
Ben Trigg
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Flute
Hannah Lawrence
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Tuvan Singing
From Live Perfprmance by Kaigal-ool Kim-oolovich Khovalyg
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Sound by
Soundnode
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Location Sound Recordist
David Crane
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Supervising Sound Editor
Martin Schulz
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Dubbing Mixers
Daniel Jaramillo, Martin Schulz
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Foley by
Clap Studios, Medellin
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Foley Artist
Daniel Giraldo
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Foley Recordist
Sebastian Alzate Lopez
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Foley Editor
Alexander Aguilar
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Insurance supplied by
Integro Entertainmant
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Camera Equipment supplied by
Arri Rental
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Lighting Equipment supplied by
Panalux
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Sound Equipment supplied by
Soundnode
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Location Catering provided by
CGI Catering
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Location provided by
Stone Nest
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Rehearsal Studios provided by
Sadler's Wells and RESCEN
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Special Thanks
Billie Achilleos, Erik Eno Anderson, Chris Bannerman, Gemma Beasley, Anna Billington, Sophie Bugeaud, Rob Garvie, Mike Jones, Pei Ling, Eva Martinez, Hannah Myers, Kate Pryor-Williams, Coraly Salamanca Stern, Inna Schorr, Richard Williamson, Students of Middlesex University
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Filmed on location in
London, UK
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A Film and Video Umbrella Production
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Commissioned by
Film and Video Umbrella With Manchester Art Gallery and QUAD, Derby
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