WidowsScreeningandSteveMᶜQueenQ&A—live-tweets

Last week Directors UK members attended a special screening of Widows, followed by a fascinating Q&A with the film’s director Steve MᶜQueen

Steve MᶜQueen spoke to Beeban Kidron (Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason) about working with actors, filmmaking as a sensory experience and never underestimating your audience. Catch up with all the live-tweets below. 

Our week of screenings continues with @WidowsMovie! Follow us afterwards as we live-tweet our Q&A with director Steve MᶜQueen #DUKwidows pic.twitter.com/NOMrPmTHYX

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

What a ride @WidowsMovie is! We’re now having a Q&A with the film’s director Steve MᶜQueen, moderated by Beeban Kidron #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Beeban introduces Steve by saying he’s described himself as a “maker”, rather than a filmmaker. Why is that? #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Steve: I’d describe myself more as an amateur! As soon as you know what you’re doing you should stop #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Beeban: you’ve said you were put in the “stupid class” at school - people find it hard to get out of that. How did you manage it? #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Steve explains how difficult it was, especially growing up a black child in London. It’s hard but you follow the art you can find #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

He particularly highlights how important The Singing Detective was to him. It was art but it was on telly. For free! #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Steve talks about taking on class, race, gender and politics all within one movie, and using the heist format to explore those themes #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

But that’s a consequence of living in the world we live in. All those things are intertwined and present in everything we witness #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Audiences are so intelligent these days. Before they sit down and watch your movie they’ve absorbed so many things. You don’t need to shout things at them #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

You should never underestimate your audience. It’s all about the movement, and making sure the audience follow that in a natural way #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Steve explains that as a British filmmaker he’s always looking to stretch a pound #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Beeban asks about the cinema experience, and why he decided to bring a TV story to film in this golden age of television #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Steve: maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I made this film to be seen in a crowd, in a cinema #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

You can’t get that experience on a streaming service. If that’s the future then that’s rather sad #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Steve: the collaboration and camaraderie between the women in the main cast was incredible. We went out together near the beginning, and my monocle popped out a few times listening to the things they had to say! #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

#DUKwidows pic.twitter.com/DX5ZHHhBY0

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Talking about the use of beauty in his films, Steve says that the most horrible things often take place in beautiful environments. He wouldn’t want to “darken” things up to give the false impression that they don’t #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Sound and smell are so important to memory and feeling. Unfortunately he can’t do scratch and sniff for his films, but he can concentrate on sound #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Sound design can create atmosphere and tone so well, it places you there #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Steve explains that the original Widows TV series was one of those things he saw many years ago and it stayed with him #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

He would be at these parties in LA full of amazing actresses who were out of work or not getting good parts, and he just kept on thinking of Widows again and again #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Question: was it difficult to bring people along with you on this project? Steve: no! #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Asked what you should do if you want to make a film but don’t have the money or support, Steve’s advice is to write. You can go anywhere on a piece of paper #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

Once you’ve got a script, then you’ve got something you can show anyone. Just keep on writing and keep yourself occupied #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

On working with actors, Steve says he loves actors and finds it amazing how he gets to see himself coming out through someone else #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

It’s his job to shout action and get out of the actors’ way #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

It’s his job to shout action and get out of the actors’ way #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018

And that’s a wrap! A massive thank you to Steve MᶜQueen for joining us, and to Beeban Kidron for moderating #DUKwidows

— Directors UK (@Directors_UK) December 11, 2018