Frankie Ashcroft (spark)

Miles:
Hello hello Frankie. Welcome.

Frankie:
Thanks for having me. 

Miles:
I’m going to shake up the format a bit and ask first:

If you were forced to turn a core life memory into a short film, what experience would you choose?  

Can you describe the plot, visuals, and any other production details?

Frankie:

It’s a long story, but it started with me going to the David Hasselhoff Museum in Berlin and ended with me in a rural town, digging a trench in wet jeans. I imagine it would be similar to Boiling Point, shot as one unbroken take, as my world literally crumbles around me.

Miles:

The details and also the lack thereof … are compelling.
Is there anyone reading this who can fund?

I’ll leave it to readers to ask more about this in person.

Miles (cont):
Back on track now: can you start by telling us, in your own words, what do you do for a living? And, how did you get started?

Frankie:
I work as a spark.

In technical terms, that means I do all the loading and unloading of lighting equipment, safe set-up and operation of lights, power distribution and rigging.

In non-technical terms, I’m the person eating biscuits on the back of the lighting truck you ask to run power to the tea urn or to see if you can borrow a sandbag.

Anyway, I got started in lighting purely by accident. When I was in university, someone asked me, “Hey, could you do the lighting on my FMP?” and I said, “yeah no worries bud, sounds like chump work to me”, and proceeded to get my ASS handed to me for four days.

But people kept asking me to do lighting on their projects, to my utter amazement, and now I have been able to carve out a career for myself in it. Joke's on them, I guess.

Miles:

Growing up, were the visual arts an interest? Or did you have other career aspirations?

Frankie:

I didn’t really have any interest in film until I was about 16, and even then, I didn’t know if I wanted to do it for a career. I don’t remember what my career aspirations were at the time, but I remember at one point really wanting to be a baker.

God knows what I was thinking there. I burn eggs.

what
Miles:
For those who don’t know the ins and outs of the industry, what are you thinking about - going onto a job? What are the kinds of challenges and unexpected blessings that crop up?

Frankie:

Mostly, what I’m thinking of stepping onto any given set is how not to make an arse out of myself. Other than that, I’m usually thinking about where we can draw power from, how accessible the location is for our equipment, and being prepared to set up anything the Gaffer might need. Most of the common challenges are when you’re battling the weather, which could be trying to make it look like a summer’s day in February, blocking the sun as it moves so it doesn’t ruin continuity, or being stood on a light stand in the wind and rain for hours so it doesn’t tip over.

The unexpected blessings are usually when the DP decides they’ll shoot the scene with natural light. That always cheers me up.


Miles:

Are there projects that you’ve worked on that you’re proud of? Including ones you’ve gaffered on (rather than sparked)?

Frankie:

I am a bit overly self-critical of the work I have gaffed. So, often the projects I am most happy with are the ones I had the most fun on.
Through that lens: one of the projects I am most happy with has been a short film I gaffed up in Anglesey in North Wales. It was 2 weeks of working with a great crew, beautiful scenery and a decent enough budget that enabled us to get the right sparks and the equipment that we needed for the job.

It was hard work, and it’s not finished yet, so I can’t share much, but I’m so proud of the work we all did together.

A few BTS from the Anglesey-based film

Miles:
The Welsh are doing an increasingly bad job of keeping Anglesey a secret. Newborough beach is amazing. Recommend to anyone willing to do the drive.

Miles(cont.):
Are there any creative or technical challenges you’d love to take on in any future work?

Frankie:

I would love to do some gaffing work with a more substantial budget. And I would like to work on something that’s a little more creatively restrictive, maybe lighting with tungsten or fluorescent lights only.

I would REALLY like to do some more music videos too; I don’t think they’re as common as they used to be.

Miles:
It’s late at night, at a pub/bar/house party, and you’re defending a piece of film or television as an absolute masterpiece. What is it?

Frankie:
It’s got to be Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. The soundtrack alone puts it in a tier above whatever shit A24 is putting out at the moment.

Miles (cont.):
Age-old question: LED or Tungsten? Who’s on that winning top trump card and why?

Frankie:
Tungsten every day. LED is great, it's more energy efficient, it’s more weather resistant, it’s more versatile, and it puts out significantly less heat. In fact, the more I talk about it, the more I think f**k tungsten, but there’s something about it that just feels right, and it STILL impresses people today.

Miles:
And now, any industry or worldly beliefs you’d like to bestow. What hill are you dying on?

Frankie:
The important factor in whether you are good at your job isn’t skill, but empathy and kindness. Anyone can be good at their job; it takes a real professional to be good at their job and STILL be a decent and kind human being.

It’s hard on set because there is so much happening that we can all often forget that, I know I have before, but if you keep coming back to focus on that, I think we will all go a lot further in our careers and lives.

Miles:
Closing with some personal life questions:

You’re quite well-travelled?. What has been/have been your favourite countries and cities?
What is it about travel that you love?


Frankie:

Oof… this is a tough one.
I love Vietnam; there was so much going on there, and it’s so beautiful and intense.
I just came back from China, and it was amazing too. Lovely people and amazing food.

I’ve been to lots of beautiful cities… but at the moment, Hong Kong in particular comes to mind. It was such a unique place. I wish I had got some more time there.

I think what I love about travel is that it forces me to be present. I find it hard to stay out of my own head sometimes, but when you’re travelling, there’s so much happening all the time that it really forces you to be grounded in that moment.

Miles:
That resonates with me.

Nothing like being in a new place to remind you of a self that should feel normal.

Miles(cont.):

That’s a wrap.
It’s been a pleasure, man!
Thanks for agreeing to do this.

Glad we found a window. Saw some nice goats in the process too :)

Frankie:

The pleasure is all mine!

Links:

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