Payday

30 January 2014

PAYDAY, directed by FRED&NICK and narrated by George the Poet, is an innovative, unique and hard-hitting performance documentary set in the heart of Croydon, which delves into the finances and wallets of four twenty-somethings that came of age in the financial crisis, a generation blighted by debt as well as overwhelmed by consumerism. 

The film focuses on the contrasting lives of our diverse cast from the moment they receive their ‘payday’ money and what they go on to do with it.

Filmed over one summer in one of the most diverse boroughs in one of the most unequal cities in the world – London, the documentary follows the highs and lows of these members of Generation Y as they cope in one of the toughest economic times since the 1930s.

A documentary for First Cuts directed by Frederick Scott & Nicolas Davies
Producers: Ellie Di Martino & Max Gogarty
Executive Producer: Ursula Macfarlane
Production company: Pulse Films

 

CONTRIBUTOR BIOS:

Ricky is a window cleaner with a 7 year-old son, Tommy, and another child on the way. Cleaning contracts come and go, but Ricky has set his heart on the British welter-weight title. Determined to give his kids a better life than the one he grew up with, he hopes boxing will provide his payday, as he trains hard for the biggest match of his life.

Wes is on his way to becoming a millionaire at the age of 24.  The heir to his dad’s demolition business, he’s keen to make his own money rather than rely on the family business.  A born wheeler-dealer, he renovates and sells high-end cars and houses and is on his way to his first million. But life for Wes wasn’t always about money, and we discover that he’s had to give up his true dream in life.

Cadice is a young singer who has been sleeping rough.  On disability benefit, and counting every penny, she finds shelter when she reunites with her ex-boyfriend Kiel.  But could tensions in the relationship is risk  her new home?

Harmony is a stripper, pole dancer and porn star.  Estranged from her Catholic family, she sets out to prove that she can make it on her own.  Harmony earns big bucks dancing nightly on a pole. The money is rolling in – until Harmony’s explosive temper loses her the only job that makes her feel like she’s worth something.

 

GEORGE THE POET BIO:
Signed to Universal/Island Records George The Poet is a spoken word performer, public speaker, writer and recording artist from North-West London. At twenty-two years of age, he offers social commentary through poetry. This draws from his life in the inner city as well as the Politics, Psychology and Sociology course he studied at Cambridge University.

DIRECTOR BIO:
FRED&NICK are Grammy-nominated directors Nicolas Jack Davies and Frederick Scott, whose worked includes documentary, live films, commercials and music videos for artists like Coldplay, Elbow, The Maccabees, PJ Harvey, Laura Marling and White Lies. They are triple-MTV VMA nominees for their work with Mumford & Sons, a collaboration which also saw them gain a nomination for 'Best Music Film' at the Grammy Awards 2014 for 'The Road to Red Rocks'. FRED&NICK’s work in commercials also includes work for Dr Martens, McDonalds, Vodafone, Skype, Nike, Yorkshire Tea, British Airways, ASOS, Bulmers and match.com, to name a few.

 

PULSE FILMS:
Founded in 2005, Pulse Films has produced award-winning features films including Shut Up and Play the Hits, No Distance Left to Run, Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D and most recently the Sundance award winning 20,000 Days on Earth. Pulse is also recognised as forerunners in music videos, advertising, TV and branded content working with some of the worlds most successful and influential artists & brands including The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, The xx, Adele, Beyonce, M.I.A, Take That, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Nike, Adidas, McDonalds, Samsung, T-Mobile, 02, MTV, Vice and Gucci. Last year’s ‘When Bjork Met Attenborough’ produced for Channel 4 aired to critical acclaim and exemplified Pulse’s attitude when producing groundbreaking and innovative format ideas for TV broadcast.