The beauty of Screenwriter Ryan Walker-Edwards’ intimate hook-up short MAN>CODE comes in the form of its humour and playfulness. The story follows Lucas, a computer techie who invites another man named Theo over for a hook-up, which is then complicated when his ex-girlfriend arrives at the home unannounced. This isn’t a romantic story shrouded in seriousness or a depiction of a formative traumatic experience. Instead, Walker-Edwards uses lightness and wit to portray an encounter with an honesty that usually doesn’t accompany queer relationships on screen, let alone Black queer relationships. With the film embarking on festival screenings across the globe over the next few months, DN joined up with Walker-Edwards to discuss his journey as the writer, originator, and co-star of MAN>CODE, the collaborative process he built with Director Adrian Gardner, and the importance of working with an Intimacy Coordinator to foster a safe, supportive on-set atmosphere.
What can you tell us about the origins of MAN>CODE? Where did the idea for this short come from?
MAN>CODE was originally produced during the DYSPLA writing residency, a programme for neurodivergent writers. I won this residency in 2022, which gave me the opportunity to create MAN>CODE. We later had a reading at Hat Trick Productions, where Adrian Gardner and I met Exec Producers Robert Douglas and Glen Funnell from Hatch Films. From there, with my producer George Somner, we began production. The development process for the script was great, with support from DYSPLA through mentorship and connecting me with the brilliant Script Editor Gavin Whenman. This support allowed me to craft something that was both funny and dramatic.
It’s about letting someone into your world when you’ve been trying hard to hide it.
What was it you were looking to explore or represent with this story? What I liked about how it’s told is the way it initially seems to be heading in one direction, but then playfully pivots into something else.
Adrian, the director, and I wanted to show that this is not a queer trauma story. Instead, it’s a witty tale about two men from Birmingham practising the ancient art of hooking up and discovering a deeper sense of intimacy through honesty. It’s about letting someone into your world when you’ve been trying hard to hide it, despite using humour and emotional barriers. Adrian was the perfect fit for this project, bringing a unique perspective from his theatre background. He was particularly interested in the narratives of marginalised people overcoming their deepest fears, whether it’s the fear of people knowing who you truly are or the fear of letting yourself be loved fully.
Once your script was in place and Adrian was on board where did you head next?
From the beginning, we were strategising not only where we hoped our film would be received but also considering our crew and heads of departments. We understood that sometimes it’s hard to control how pre-production wishes translate to the final product, but Adrian, George, and I always prioritised this when meeting people. Having Robert and Glen from Hatch Films was fantastic, as their company focuses on crew diversity, talent from the global majority, low-socioeconomic backgrounds, and LGBTQ+.
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Given the close-quarters nature of the story and how character-centric it is, how early were your other actors involved in the making of the short? Did you have time with them ahead of production?
For the cast, Adrian and I were fortunate to have Stephen Adjei-Kyem and Taja Christian involved in the reading and filming. We aimed to showcase Black Midlands talent on screen, as regional accents are often overlooked, with some believing they’re not palatable to a wider audience.
This is not a queer trauma story. Instead, it’s a witty tale about two men from Birmingham practising the ancient art of hooking up and discovering a deeper sense of intimacy through honesty.
You mentioned earlier about collaborating with Hatch Films on the production, were they able to help with funding the short?
The initial process was fairly streamlined, with support from Hatch Films. We self-funded post-production costs, rallying support from friends to get us over the finish line. Self-funding can be challenging, but creating a buzz online and having stills and shots taken by Photographer Brynley Odu Davies helped people see our vision and build hype for the project’s completion.
How was it for you, as the writer of this story, seeing it come to life with a full crew and your fellow actors?
Bringing the script to life was a rewarding experience. George, our producer, always drove the production forward, reminding us that the film would be made in pre-production. It was all about assembling the team and giving Adrian the support and room to direct. Adrian and our DOP, J.P. Garcia, had meetings beforehand to work on the shot list, so once we got into the space after a recce, we knew our limits. It was crucial for everyone to be on the same page and understand the story we wanted to tell. Thank God for Zoom, as it made communication with each department much easier.
MAN>CODE was shot over two days. I want to emphasise the importance of having a great 1st and 2nd AD, they’re not your friends, in a good way, and help push the day forward. For us, it was the fantastic Owain Astles and Anita Safowaa, two brilliant filmmakers who were on top of their game.
When dealing with homosexuality, especially within the intersection of blackness, the topic is often taboo and shrouded in shame. However, in this film, we wanted to create a joyous and romantic moment.
There are some intimate moments between Lucas and Theo during the film, did you work with an intimacy coordinator for those scenes?
The film is essentially about two Black men hooking up, with a significant focus on intimacy. We worked with Performer and Intimacy Coordinator Jamila Wingett, who made the actors feel safe during rehearsals and offered guidance and support on set. Jamila’s involvement was invaluable. As an actor and writer, working alongside her was incredible. We analysed the script and did exercises to support the scene. When dealing with homosexuality, especially within the intersection of blackness, the topic is often taboo and shrouded in shame. However, in this film, we wanted to create a joyous and romantic moment.
You spoke about the nature of how the film would be ‘made in pre-production’, did that mean the edit was more about tying everything together and finding a rhythm for the short?
Post-production always feels a bit shaky. You finish the film, and then the assembly begins, which can be a whole other beast. Our Editor Patrick Walsh made the process easy. Patrick was also on set for our film, which helped a lot. He’s an amazing editor and filmmaker. Adrian and Patrick crafted the early cuts of the film together, and then we had input from the producers. I was also allowed to give notes, which was good as it provided a chance for a different perspective. This let us zoom out a bit while still staying true to what the director had built.
The colour grade was done by Nielsen Bohl. We wanted the film to have a slight nostalgic and warm feel, emphasising changes in colour during moments of joy or turmoil for the characters. There’s a nice emphasis on reds and oranges, contrasting with cold colours during moments of tension. It’s as if you feel the joy of the characters being seeped away when Lucas is caught and nervous. The score and sound editing were crafted by Biodiversity Studios’ Alex Batchelor and artist Mali Baden-Powell, also known as Rhythm Section’s ‘Z-Lovecraft’. They really helped to highlight the awkwardness and tension in moments while also adding an electronic music influence to the project.
MAN>CODE is now fully in the midst of its festival run, how’s that going? And do you have any other projects on the go?
MAN>CODE is having a great festival run, with a few more festivals coming up in Europe, which is brilliant for getting it out there. In terms of our next project, MAN>CODE was my first short film, and I have a few scripts in a similar vein of comedy-drama based around Birmingham and its lovely people. George, Adrian, and I are multi-hyphenates, so alongside producing, directing, acting, and writing, I’m sure another project collaboration will happen very soon… As for MAN>CODE, a lot of the audience have been asking what happens next. There’s a story that happens both before and after, so it would be great to explore that further.
