Scummy Man
Encyclopedia
Scummy Man is a short film, written and directed by Paul Fraser
and produced by Mark Herbert
and Diarmid Scrimshaw, based on the song "When the Sun Goes Down" by the Arctic Monkeys
, and released on DVD
on 10 April 2006 by Domino Records. The film, like the song, focuses on prostitution
in Sheffield
, and uses the same actors as the music video
to document a night in the life of the fictional 'Nina', a 15 year old drug addict who works as a prostitute in the Neepsend
district.
The film stars Lauren Socha
as 'Nina' and Stephen Graham
as George, known by the nickname of 'Scummy Man', a violent and manipulative
'customer' of 'Nina's, who attacks and intimidates both 'Nina' and those who try to help her escape prostitution, such as a magician who offers her a job as his assistant in his act. The magician becomes a victim of the Scummy Man's behaviour but is not without his own flaws, as the film-maker begs if anyone is really inherently good.
In order to achieve a documentary
feel for the footage, the film was shot in 16 mm film
by Danny Cohen
. The DVD includes an extra film titled "Just Another Day", which is more hopeful and upbeat in tone, and focuses on how every day events, such as being offered a lift by a taxicab driver, present opportunity and hope for her future. "Just Another Day" depicts the same chain of events, but from the perspective of the taxi driver who brings the Scummy Man to Nina, who takes pity on her as she reminds him of his own daughter who died young and would have been the same age as Nina were she still alive.
The name of the film comes from a line in "When the Sun Goes Down", describing the "customer" of the girl featured in the song,
The film won an award for "Best Music DVD" at the 2007 NME Awards
on 1 March 2007.
The only band member to appear in the film is Matt Helders. He is offered oral sex by Nina at the beginning of the film, but turns it down, saying he is going to band practice. Besides this, Matt and Alex Turner are seen carrying musical equipment through a gate in the credits of 'Just Another Day', but they do not feature in the film itself.
Paul Fraser
Paul Ian Fraser came to prominence through his involvement in the purchase and sale of the famous stamps firm Stanley Gibbons which he sold at a great profit, only to see most of the proceeds lost following trading difficulties...
and produced by Mark Herbert
Mark Herbert
Mark Herbert is a UK film producer and the head of the Sheffield-based production company Warp Films.He produced: Four Lions, Dead Man's Shoes, and Phoenix Nights ....
and Diarmid Scrimshaw, based on the song "When the Sun Goes Down" by the Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...
, and released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on 10 April 2006 by Domino Records. The film, like the song, focuses on prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, and uses the same actors as the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
to document a night in the life of the fictional 'Nina', a 15 year old drug addict who works as a prostitute in the Neepsend
Neepsend
Neepsend is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, it stands just north east of the city centre. The main area of Neepsend covers the flood plain of the River Don from Lady's Bridge at the Wicker up to Hillfoot Bridge...
district.
The film stars Lauren Socha
Lauren Socha
Lauren Marie Socha is a BAFTA award winning English actress, best known for her starring role in the E4 comedy-drama television series Misfits and a co-starring role in the Channel 4 drama The Unloved. She attended St. George's RC Primary School, Burton College and Saint Benedict School and...
as 'Nina' and Stephen Graham
Stephen Graham (actor)
Stephen Graham is an English actor from Kirkby, Liverpool. He is best known for his roles as Tommy in the movie Snatch, Combo in This Is England and its four-part television sequel This Is England '86, Danny Ferguson in Occupation, Billy Bremner in The Damned United, notorious bank robber Baby...
as George, known by the nickname of 'Scummy Man', a violent and manipulative
Psychological manipulation
Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative,...
'customer' of 'Nina's, who attacks and intimidates both 'Nina' and those who try to help her escape prostitution, such as a magician who offers her a job as his assistant in his act. The magician becomes a victim of the Scummy Man's behaviour but is not without his own flaws, as the film-maker begs if anyone is really inherently good.
In order to achieve a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
feel for the footage, the film was shot in 16 mm film
16 mm film
16 mm film refers to a popular, economical gauge of film used for motion pictures and non-theatrical film making. 16 mm refers to the width of the film...
by Danny Cohen
Danny Cohen
Danny Cohen is the current Controller of BBC One, the BBC's flagship television channel in the United Kingdom. He is the youngest person to be appointed as Controller of the channel.- Education :...
. The DVD includes an extra film titled "Just Another Day", which is more hopeful and upbeat in tone, and focuses on how every day events, such as being offered a lift by a taxicab driver, present opportunity and hope for her future. "Just Another Day" depicts the same chain of events, but from the perspective of the taxi driver who brings the Scummy Man to Nina, who takes pity on her as she reminds him of his own daughter who died young and would have been the same age as Nina were she still alive.
The name of the film comes from a line in "When the Sun Goes Down", describing the "customer" of the girl featured in the song,
The film won an award for "Best Music DVD" at the 2007 NME Awards
NME Awards
The NME Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine, NME .The first awards show was held in 1953 as the NME Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding of the magazine....
on 1 March 2007.
The only band member to appear in the film is Matt Helders. He is offered oral sex by Nina at the beginning of the film, but turns it down, saying he is going to band practice. Besides this, Matt and Alex Turner are seen carrying musical equipment through a gate in the credits of 'Just Another Day', but they do not feature in the film itself.