Meet a local film maker who has been acting/ directing in a film, alongside some faces you should recognise.

Express & Star

We meet a film maker/ actor at one of the locations that has been used in his upcoming film Fall to the Top. The location is the Wulfrunian Boxing Club in Castlecroft.

Transcript

00:00So we're here at Wolfrounian Boxing Club, Wolverhampton, and why are we here, what's going on, what's your name sir?

00:06So my name's Peter Hurst, I'm writer, director and starring in the new UK gangster based movie, Fall to the Top.

00:14What's your background then Pete?

00:16So I'm a Midlands based lad, come up from mainly industrial in the automotive industry.

00:22Spent the majority of my years working around the Midlands and understanding just what it is to kind of be a Midlander.

00:28And then I've kind of naturally put that into the script and the writing in this film.

00:32It's a very urban, gritty, real life experience gangster movie.

00:36So what's kind of the basic synopsis of the film then?

00:39So it's a young Irishman that's in the UK, he feels and believes he deserves better from this life.

00:45And on a chance encounter in a club, he meets a drug lord, a kind of very nasty, sinister guy.

00:52And decides that's the route he wants to take.

00:54He wants to become top of the drug ring and he wants to become number one.

00:58So this journey follows him through that kind of path.

01:01And his trials and tribulations to get to the top, but also the pitfalls that kind of wait for him.

01:08So you're a local lad, living just in between Wolves and Bridge North there.

01:13So your first dabble into acting, you were doing a bit yourself weren't you?

01:19What's some of the projects you've been involved in as an actor?

01:21So I kind of fell into it on accident. I've got quite a typecast kind of physique.

01:26I have that kind of bigger build, I'm tattooed, I'm muscular.

01:29I have the Brummie accent, which some people can find intimidating.

01:32Which is fantastic on camera.

01:34And I got kind of dragged into a few TV shows.

01:37Brassic, which is on Sky.

01:39Also got brought into Joe Lycett's Late Night Lycett.

01:42Which is a fantastic Birmingham based show.

01:45And then I kind of got into movies, so there's a few of those on Amazon.

01:49Ship the Damned, Geezers.

01:51And then I filmed in several other things.

01:53So I thought it was my time to have a go, my time to direct.

01:56And really bring something to the Midlands.

01:58Well yeah, you kind of found this little hidden talent didn't you?

02:01You started doing a bit of writing, it was just going to be a short film at first wasn't it?

02:05That was the original plan.

02:06Yeah.

02:07And you got a bit carried away.

02:08I did, yeah. It started off as just a show reel for a friend.

02:12Yeah.

02:13And it ended up becoming a short film.

02:15Yeah.

02:16And my mindset and drive, I just went, if I'm doing a short film, let's just go all out.

02:21Let's do a feature and let's make this something big and something fantastic.

02:24Yeah, you sent the script out to a few people.

02:26And you know, it's your first time kind of delving into that world.

02:29So you're thinking, well I enjoy it, but how does it rack up?

02:32But everyone came back didn't they?

02:34And said, you've got something here.

02:36So there's a talent you perhaps never realised you had, eh?

02:39Yeah, I'm a very hands on kind of guy.

02:42I'm very kind of manual in everything I do.

02:44So I'd never sat down and wrote anything before.

02:46I wrote it and I thought, this isn't going to be that good.

02:49And I sent it out to a series of ghostwriters and a few family and friends.

02:52And they all absolutely loved it.

02:54There were scenes where they kind of looked in horror.

02:57There were scenes where they kind of laughed out loud.

02:59And they said, look, we have to make this.

03:01This has to become something.

03:03And away I went. Here we are.

03:04Have you got the title of the film sorted?

03:06So the film's called Fall to the Top.

03:09So it follows Mickey's, I'm going to say, drive to get to the top.

03:14But it's not a smooth journey for him.

03:16And this film follows that journey and those, as I say, trials and tribulations.

03:20His fall to the top.

03:22So where are you filming locations then?

03:24So we've filmed all over the UK.

03:26We've filmed Manchester, we've filmed London.

03:28But I'm trying to predominantly keep it within the West Midlands.

03:31And we've got a few scenes kind of less the way.

03:34It's very Midlands based.

03:36But the big scenes for me, we were filming near Purton.

03:40And then today we're filming in Wolverhampton.

03:42Fantastic.

03:43And you've got some ring experience coming up with a big Joe Egan.

03:47Ex-Irish heavyweight, haven't you?

03:49I have.

03:50More for you.

03:51What are you getting in the ring with Joe Egan?

03:53I'm really looking forward to the fight scene with Joe Egan,

03:55which is this coming weekend.

03:57I'm experienced in fight choreography.

04:00Joe's experienced in putting guys on the floor.

04:03I'm hoping I don't miss a stray blow or two.

04:06But I'm really looking forward to that fight scene.

04:08It's going to be a bare knuckle fight.

04:10There's going to be big crowds, lots of energy.

04:12People screaming at us.

04:14It's going to be absolutely fantastic.

04:17Any other names or faces that we'll recognise in the film?

04:20So there's a few big celebs that we've got coming in.

04:23So we've got Mason Antonio Fardo from The Gentleman.

04:26We've got Pete Bennett from Big Brother.

04:28We've got Big Joe Egan.

04:31We've got Paul Chuckle of the Chuckle Brothers.

04:33Wow, fantastic.

04:34Playing a very, very sinister role like you've never seen him before.

04:37I was going to say, that'll be interesting to see.

04:39Yeah, he's typically a comedy man.

04:42And for this role, I'm going to push him to be something else.

04:44So I'm really, really looking forward to seeing him.

04:46I bet you'll have a good time on set with him.

04:48I'm really looking forward to that one myself.

04:50We've also got George Newton from This Is England starring in it as well.

04:54So it'll be really good to see him back on the screens.

04:56Well done.

04:57You've got yourself a great cast around you there.

04:59So when can people and how can people see this when it's all put together then?

05:03So we're aiming to release in cinemas next summer.

05:06It will then naturally flow onto streaming platforms such as Amazon, Hulu, Apple TV.

05:11Well, we wish you all the best, Mike, doing good work for us here in the Black Country.

05:15Thank you, sir.

05:16Of course. Up the Midlands.

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