Written by Luke Barnes
I recently had the chance to talk to actor/ filmmaker Tom Heard about his romantic film Getting It, which follows a selfish man as he opens himself up and finds love. We talk about, representation, love and Call Me By Your Name.
Q: How would you describe the film in a word?
TH: Hope. (That people can change).
Q: Who are your filmmaking inspirations?
TH: Well, Mike Nichols has always been my hero. And now Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) is right up there.
Q: What was your catalyst for making this film
TH: I wanted to make a love story about two gay men where being gay isn’t the story. Just two
people who fall in love who happen to be gay.
Q: Any funny on set stories?
TH: The campfire scene was shot on pastureland owned by a friend of mine where it had just poured rain and we had to dodge puddles and cow patties all night long!
Q: How would you describe the process of trying to get an LGBTQ+ romance film made?
TH: I met no resistance at all. Only support. Everyone thought it was a great idea and loved the story!
Q: How do you feel about the current state of the romance genre?
TH: Well, because of films such as the aforementioned, “Call Me By Your Name,” as well as others like, “God’s Own Country,” I think we’re in a great place at present!
Q: Would you say Hollywood is more progressive now than it has been in the past few years?
TH: I think Hollywood has jumped light years recently and has really embraced alternative storytelling.
Q: What was the message of your film? What did you want to say?
TH: That the most selfish thing anyone can do for themselves…is to be unselfish. In other words, the more you give of yourself, the more you will receive in return.
Q: If you were to go back in time to when you were a younger filmmaker first starting out what advice would you give yourself?
TH: The same thing I’d say to anyone. Believe in yourself. What have you got to lose?
Q: If you film ever won any awards who would you thank in your acceptance speech?
TH: My best friend, Michael. His constant encouragement gave me the confidence to embark on this journey.
Q: Future filmmaking plans?
TH: I am currently writing, “Comeback” about two actors who give each other’s careers and lives new life!
If you enjoyed Getting It you can find it on all good streaming platforms and on DVD, and as always you can head over to my site to find my review of the film.
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