There he is… Horror Film Producer Lawrie Brewster with Cat Ears
Ah, it’s a hard life for Lawrie Brewster… working the late-night shift doing sound post-production for Amicus Productions’ In the Grip of Terror!
Lawrie Brewster’s full majesty is thus captured as he can be seen wearing Megan Tremethick’s Miss Mutter costume ears from her horror debut Spoiling You… and he has a cuddly pet cat, gifted by his remarkably talented producer-ninja-partner Sarah Daly!
Lawrie Brewster’s 10 Rules for Working Late Without Bourbon
This is to help all you folks working the post-production late shift beside me.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #1
Always have a medium-sized bag of Marks & Spencer Cheesy Puffs by your side… or any middle-class equivalent. The extra cost for the class distinction of cheesy puff will help reduce any existential crisis you might feel while editing.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #2
Keep a cuddly toy or plush (or “plushy”, as you Americans like to call them) on your desk. But make sure it doesn’t look too cheerful. Better yet, it should have a fairly judgemental expression, filled with subtle disdain. This will help create the sensation of working under the purview of management, increasing both your efficiency and anxiety.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #3
Ensure that any available news sources focus on international conflict and American domestic politics. This can inspire a sense of impending doom which, by quickening your pulse rate, may increase your post-production performance.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #4
Just to be on the safe side, make sure your background music playlist doesn’t include anything too cheerful, or you might work too quickly and escape the hopeless long haul. To ensure you lack the emotional strength to leave your chair, simply set up a playlist consisting of Kate Bush’s This Woman’s Work played on repeat. Forever. And. Ever.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #5
You may also, in the background on an iPad or television, play the exploitative historical action series Spartacus: Blood and Sand… but make sure a very moral friend has edited out all the scenes that consist of naughty or violent bits. Just the talking. Talking. Nothing with Lucy Lawless either. Just the buff guys talking about their feelings. Forever. And. Ever.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #6
Reflect on your life in the ’90s… especially if you were a young man trying to load a naughty picture on the internet. Remember not the seconds… but the minutes it might take to load via a dial-up modem. Then remember… that was still faster than the post-production work you’re doing now.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #7
When considering your own feelings, remember that the remorseless software staring back at you with obsidian-black, unblinking eyes can stay on forever… can work forever… and is probably mocking you with its heartless gaze, as you scramble about your computer desk in the vain hope of finding the last remaining chocolate snack or biscuit.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #8
When you go to the loo, make sure you bring your mobile with you, so that you cannot enjoy even the briefest moment of emotional escape. For too long… before the advent of the mobile, going to the toilet provided a form of brief relief from the emotional tornado that is modern life. No escape for you. Back to work!
Lawrie Brewster Rule #9
Make lots of black coffee… obviously to be poured without milk or any other vain milk substitute. Then just stare at it… and the clock… wondering whether you should stay up as late as you must to get your work done. The answer is yes. You must! Forever. And. Ever.
Lawrie Brewster Rule #10
Ensure that, while on a post-production marathon, your house is stocked with nothing but chocolate, biscuits, cheesy puffs, black coffee, bourbon, cola zero… and perhaps bread. Anything else will only give your body hope. And we can’t have that during the post-production process, can we?
About Lawrie Brewster
Lawrie Brewster is a veteran horror film producer with 15 years of experience. Lawrie Brewster leads Hex Studios, serves as president of Amicus Productions, and runs the British Horror Studio project in collaboration with filmmakers from around the world.
You can also follow Lawrie Brewster on his Official Website at www.lawriebrewster.com
Lawrie Brewster has also recently produced a series of fascinating articles, offering professional insights into the state of independent film distribution, along with five hot tips for success aimed at aspiring film producers.
Earlier posts cover the launch of LawrieBrewster.com, his professional tips, and a recent outting with his dad Kiwi Neil for some cake!
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