Is there a Doctor in the house? We catch up with Eicke Bettinga, a young director and one of the unexpected stars of last year’s Cannes Film Festival. His short film Together won rave reviews and starred the erstwhile unknown quantity, now the eleventh incarnation of Doctor Who, Matt Smith. Eicke also won production house The Gate’s Young Director competition and was snapped up.

Check out the trailer for Together here.

When did you first pick up a film camera?
I started out making short films as a teenager. Just the other day I told my editor how I cut my first 35mm short in my living room on a Steenbeck flatbed editing suite. He was amazed because it’s not done anymore these days. Don’t get me wrong, there is no alternative to Avid or Final Cut but as a filmmaker it’s good to see what a strip of film actually feels like.

Tell us about Together, the film you shot with Matt Smith?
Together is a short film about the distorted relationship between a son (Matt Smith) and his father. Essentially it’s about family and communication. Each scene is charged with repressed emotions because in the story I focus on the things that remain unsaid. So at the beginning the film is all about gestures and atmosphere. Eventually it leads into a climactic scene where all that tension is unleashed quite radically.

The film was pretty successful at last year’s Cannes and of course it drew lots of attention thanks to Matt’s casting as Dr Who. What was that experience like? Were you expecting the film would gain so much attention?
I had been following Matt’s career very closely and recognized his potential early on. I thought he was perfect for the part so when he signed on to play the lead I was really pleased. But of course I never expected that he would soon become one of the most well known faces in British television. Matt accompanied us to Cannes where we presented ogether at the International Critics’ Week and got lots of exposure in the press. The audience loved the film for its raw portrayal of existential human needs. In fact, the Cannes selection committee said that Together had the most powerful climatic scene of all 900 submitted short films! In Cannes they are waiting to see what I’m up to next, which is a great position to be in.

You were snapped up by The Gate by winning thei in-house young director competition – what was that experience like? Tell us about your winning film?
The winning film is a spec advert for KitKat which features a forensic team at a crime scene. The team leader calls for a break and the next thing we see is them sitting in the crime scene’s garden enjoying their KitKats with mugs of tea. They talk about all sorts of mundane nonsense of which we only grasp little snippets, and that’s quite funny. I loved the contrast of the whole scenario and fleshed it out by concentrating on the characters and their peculiarities. Since then it’s been great working with The Gate because they really look after their directors.

What do you think are the benefits for production houses of supporting young directors in this way?
These days it’s important to react instantly to new and fresh ways of advertising. And young directors like me are flexible and full of enthusiasm for the job. My generation thinks on the spot and outside the box – whatever the job requires. It’s a very clever move from a production house to work with young directors and make use of that potential. And there should be much more of it. From my point of view it’s essential to keep working and constantly challenge myself.

What have you been working on recently?
Besides working on various commercials and virals, I have also shot a couple of mockumentaries which I really enjoyed. I think it’s a great and exciting way to advertise on the internet and to play with an audiences perception of reality. I am also developing a feature film project with FilmFour in the UK which I hope will go into production next year.

Outside of directing what inspires and interests you?
I love photography. And Music. Films and commercials are all about rhythm – just like music. Often my ideas emerge from the audio before the visuals kick in.

What are your ambitions as a director?
At heart I am a storyteller and I enjoy working with compelling characters – no matter if it’s a commercial or a narrative film. At the end of the day it’s always about finding the core of an idea. So whenever there is a chance to direct – I jump at it. I want to keep working internationally and I’m currently looking for production houses all over the world to collaborate with.

To find out more about Eicke and his work, check out www.eickebettinga.com