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On October 2, 2006 nearly 500 filmmakers were on hand to learn how one
of today's top filmmakers got his break and they had the opportunity to see the film that started it all! Director Christopher
Nolan ("Batman Begins," "Memento") discussed his career and gave a preview of his new film, "The Prestige,"
which was opening in three weeks. His first feature, the dazzling $12,000 film FOLLOWING (1998,
Zeitgeist, 70 min) was shown in its entirety and "Following" Executive Producer and leading film consultant Peter Broderick guided the candid discussion. Producer Emma Thomas ("Batman Begins," "Following")
was also on hand for the discussion. It was a very special evening.
Master of the fractured narrative, Nolan displays his talent for nonlinear
storytelling to great effect in "Following," giving this suspenseful film noir a decidedly modern sensibility. A bored and
frustrated writer follows strangers on the London streets randomly at first, until he is confronted by a professional burglar
named Cobb. Cobb soon involves the writer in a series of risky robberies, taking advantage of his voyeuristic obsessions.
Critics responded overwhelmingly to the young filmmaker's first feature and Newmarket was impressed enough to give him $5
mil. to make the groundbreaking "Memento."
For aspiring no-budget filmmakers, "Following" is a perfect no-budget
case study. The script was both written for and inspired by the unique set of resources available to Nolan at the time.
Unable to quit his job and without any money saved up, Nolan shot "Following" on Saturdays over the course of a year,
saving just enough money at the end of the week to purchase film stock for that weekend. Nolan told the story of how
these circumstances influenced the film that would launch one of the biggest careers in Hollywood.
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