The making of Life Just Is

I've been following this film for quite a while so to discover there are two books coming out about the film piqued my interest. The first one is about making the film and the other is the script. This isn't the normal "here is the script" book but it also has the first draft so you can see how the film evolved from the first idea to what was actually filmed.

London, 13th December 2012 – To tie in with the release of the debut feature film LIFE JUST IS, the film's writer-director Alex Barrett will be publishing two books, available in both printed and digital versions. The books will be officially launched during a special event held at the Shortwave Cinema on Thursday 10th January 2013 at 18h30.

LIFE JUST IS: DIRECTOR'S JOURNAL

Graduating from a university film course in 2005 at the age of 21, Alex Barrett had an idea: he wanted to make a feature film. Flash forward seven years, and the idea has been realised as his debut feature LIFE JUST IS, nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2012. But how did a young graduate with no industry connections manage to get a film made, sold and distributed? And why did the process take so long? And what was the toll it took?

LIFE JUST IS: DIRECTOR'S JOURNAL offers all these answers and more. Giving an unparalleled exploration of what it takes to get a debut microbudget film made, the journal presents a fascinating glimpse into the conception, development, production and postproduction of a film.

Alongside its insight into the development of a film, LIFE JUST IS: DIRECTOR'S JOURNAL also builds a vivid picture of the development of an individual. Edited as it is from seven years of daily entries, Barrett's passions and frustrations are laid bare in full, while his honest, open and engrossing journal entries are filled with anecdotes, musings, reviews and thoughts which slowly build into a coherent philosophy of film and of life.

Throughout the production of LIFE JUST IS, writer/director Alex Barrett has been documenting the process of the film's creation. In keeping with this open exploration of the making of the film, LIFE JUST IS:SCRIPTBOOK presents not only the final draft of the script, but also the first draft, thereby offering a unique insight into the film's development.

LIFE JUST IS tells the story of Pete, Tom, David, Claire and Jay, a tight-knit group of friends who share neighbouring flats in London after recently graduating from university. As they hang out, throw parties and navigate the new responsibilities of adult life, romantic tensions and existential crises begin to simmer beneath the surface.

ABOUT WRITER-DIRECTOR ALEX BARRETT
Alex Barrett is an independent filmmaker whose films collectively have been selected for over 50 international festivals, including such prestigious events as the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Hamburg International Short Film Festival, and the Tribeca Film Festival. In addition, his work has enjoyed a number of non-festival screenings, including showings at the BFI Southbank, Riverside Studios, Brixham Theatre and the Victoria & Albert museum. To date his films have garnered eight awards, including 'Best Lo-Budget Film' at the London Short Film Festival and 'Stoli Emerging Filmmaker Award' at the Babelgum Online Film Festival. His work has been described by the writer and broadcaster Sarfraz Manzoor as 'witty and profound', while Sight & Sound contributor Brad Stevens has called his first feature, LIFE JUST IS, 'one of the most promising debuts in contemporary cinema'. The feature was released in the UK in December 2012, after being nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June 2012. www.alexbarrett.net.

LIFE JUST IS SYNOPSIS

Pete, Tom, David, Claire and Jay are a tight-knit group of friends who share neighbouring flats in London after recently graduating from university. As they hang out, throw parties and navigate the new responsibilities of adult life, romantic tensions begin to stir beneath the surface. When Jay begins a relationship with the much older Bobby and Pete goes on a quest to discover the meaning of life, their friendships are put to the test. www.lifejustisfilm.com