Dog Altogether

Dog Altogether
Directed by	Paddy Considine
Produced by	Diarmid Scrimshaw Mark Herbert Gillian Berrie Anna Duffield Wendy Griffin Paul Welsh
Written by	Paddy Considine
Starring	Peter Mullan Olivia Colman
Music by	Chris Baldwin
Cinematography	Thomas Townend
Editing by	Colin Monie
Distributed by	EM Media (with the support of) * Scottish Screen * Sigma Films (co-production) * Warp Films (co-production)
Release date(s)	23 August 2007 (UK)
Running time	16 mins
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£60,000 ($120,000)

Dog Altogether is the first film to be entirely written and directed by Paddy Considine. The term 'Dog Altogether' comes from an Irish expression that Paddy's father used to use when situations got really bad. It was filmed on Jan 22nd 2007 in Glasgow

The lead role of Joseph is taken by Scottish actor/director; Peter Mullan (Session 9, Trainspotting, Braveheart, My Name is Joe) who was hand picked by Paddy to play a role loosely based on Paddy's late father (also called Joseph). Mullan is a winner of several BIFA and BAFTA best actor awards. Brit comedy darling Olivia Colman (Peep Show, Green Wing, Hot Fuzz) fills the supporting role as Anita, Olivia, already having shot British comedy film 'Hot Fuzz' with Paddy was approached to play the part due to her suitability for the role.

Paddy states: "Dog Altogether was made out of necessity. I'd contributed ideas and improvisations to other people's movies and decided it was time I established my own voice. I went through a period of resenting acting and I think it had a lot to do with not having control over the final presentation. I don't have a single director that I could name as an obvious influence, but Dog Altogether is definitely born out of the Ken Loach/Alan Clarke movies I watched as a kid. There's a frightening authenticity about their work, and that was the thing that struck me. They were telling stories about people that I knew. Gary Oldman's Nil by Mouth was hugely influential. You watch it as an actor with a sense of resentment because the performances are so brilliant. You wish that every director could get those results out of actors, but they can't. He's a brilliant director. I was hoping that I could make up for my shortcomings as an actor by applying myself behind the camera. Dog Altogether is the first of many films that I will write and direct. As I get older and uglier, I'll definitely be spending more time behind the lens."

As of 2010 Dog Altogether is being developed into a feature length film called 'Tyrannosaur' expanding on the story and subjects raised in the short film. Tyrannosaur will reunite Dog Altogether's principal cast Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Paul Popplewell with the addition of Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky, Vera Drake). Tyrannosaur was both written and directed by Paddy Considine.

Plot

Dog Altogether is the story of Joseph (Peter Mullan), a man who is plagued by a violence and rage that is driving him to self destruction. As he falls further into turmoil Joseph scours the landscape in search of a single grain of redemption that might restore hope to his fractured life.

Cast

• Peter Mullan as Joseph
• Olivia Colman as Anita
• Karl Johnson as Jack
• Paul Popplewell as Pub Youth 1
• William Ruane as Pub Youth 2
• Aston Kelly as Pub Youth 3
• Mahesh Soneji as Man in Post Office
• Gaurav Soodan as Youth in Post Office
• Osman Mohammed as Youth 1
• Patricia MacHugh as Barmaid
• Dominic Curran as Kid in Street

Awards

2007 BAFTA award; Best Short Film

2007 British Independent Film Awards; Best short film

2007 Venice Film Festival: Silver Lion for Best Short Film

2007 Seattle International Film Festival Short Film Jury Award (Narrative Special Jury Prize)

2007 Edinburgh International Film Festival; 2nd place for Best British Short.

External links

• Dog Altogether at the Internet Movie Database