DOMESTIC abuse cases increased in lockdown and an Oxford filmmaker has tackled the subject by focusing on an abusive relationship in his new short film Absent Thoughts.
Reece Scane, 26, from Greater Leys in Oxford, has been making films since he was 15, but Absent Thoughts is the first film he has created outside education.
Mr Scane has autism and started making films in work experience at the charity Film Oxford and later went to Middlesex University and studied for a master’s in film making.
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The first spark of an idea stated two years ago when one of his acting friends wanted to tell the story of an abusive relationship.
Mr Scane did not revisit the idea until he was reunited with an old friend from university.
He then decided to assemble a team of filmmakers and actors he knew from university and in Oxfordshire. They shot their film at an Airbnb and at J’s Sports Bar in Oxford over the August bank holiday weekend.
The crew included Nicholas Benjamin, Lillie Prowse, Andy Norton, Jessica King, Puranjay Samson and Francesca Fleur.
Mr Scane wanted to address the problems of abusive relationships and reflect on masculinity.
He said: “During the pandemic, at the height of it, domestic abuse cases went up, so it was a perfect time to do it and we didn’t want to it in a year's time when we couldn’t highlight how significant it was. We wanted it to be a reflection of what goes on because men, notoriously, do not talk.”
Absent Thoughts follows Richard, a concerned friend who tells the story of how his work colleague Tony is being abused by his girlfriend.
Richard’s concerns are reflected in a conversation with a ‘Jack the lad’ character in a sports bar as snippets of Tony’s relationship are relayed on screen illustrating the manipulation and aggression that is happening behind closed doors.
However, filmmaker Mr Scane hints at a twist and said that the film ‘might surprise you’.
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Mr Scane is hoping he can reach out to viewers and encourage people to open up and have a conversation about the tackling the subject of domestic abuse.
He said: “I would be happy if at least one person came up to me and said that it helped them, male or female.
“I think a lot of women can relate to it too, the film isn’t gender specific because it could happen to a man and it could happen to a woman, it could happen to anyone.”
The title Absent Thoughts stemmed from the idea that Richard is ‘dwelling on thoughts that are not really there’.
Puranjay Samson plays the ‘Jack the lad’ character, bringing a male stereotype into the film to reflect on the ‘man up’ concept.
Mr Scane said: “When you go down the pub, you will always get that male character saying, ‘man up, it’s alright’ and it is reflective of two different sides of culture.
“You have got the man that wants to talk, and you have got the ‘man up’ culture.
“I really wanted to make a statement with it.”
The Greater Leys filmmaker has entered Absent Thoughts into several film festivals.
Some of the film festivals he has entered the short film into are Bafta nominated, meaning if Absent Thoughts wins an award it could win a Bafta.
Spreading his wings outside of Oxford, Mr Scane is also taking the film to a screen in Brighton.
The filmmaker has entered the Oska Bright Film Festival in Brighton, which is the world’s biggest learning disability film festival.
The Greater Leys filmmaker has autism and sees it as a perfect opportunity to share his work and spread the message that men should discuss their feelings more freely.
Mr Scane said: “If I win fabulous, if I don’t win, I would rather save 100 people’s lives than win 100 awards.”
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The short film can be found on Youtube on ‘Reece Scane Productions’ titled ‘Absent Thoughts (Domestic Abuse Awareness Film)’.
Many viewers on Youtube have commented on the video saying it is ‘powerful’.
One viewer even commented that the film was not was he was expecting.
Youtube user ‘Mick Ferndale Speedy’ commented: “It was refreshing to see the other side of domestic abuse being dealt with.
“I think all abusers should be confronted about their behaviour but it’s important to remember it happens to men as well.”
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