In From The Side
(behind the scenes…)
Exclusive!
The gay rugby film In From The Side has become something of a cult, loved by millions. It was a happy accident that I came to be the set photographer. Because so many people around the world still enjoy the movie, I’d thought I’d share some of the behind the scenes photos…
Admittedly not all of the pictures are particularly serious. Will Hearle who plays Henry Michaels in the film and with actor Alexander Lincoln who plays Mark Newton and behind them, Christopher Sherwood who plays Jimmy.
“I got an email from my friend Adam Silver asking if I’d like to join a Kickstarter to help fund a film he’d co-written with director Matt Carter called In From The Side - a love story set in London’s gay rugby community. I said yes, pledged the money forgot about it.
A few months later an email arrived saying the campaign had been a success, they had the money and would I like to do some set photography? What a treat to be asked!
The first night of shooting was in January on a dark and cold rugby pitch somewhere in Zone 6 in north London. The conditions in which the film were shot went downhill from there!
I just remember it was the warmth of the cast and crew that made being on set so brilliant and I have so many happy memories that I thought I’d share some behind the scenes moments.”
“It’s rugby, but make it Vogue!” with actors Christopher Sherwood, Alexander Lincoln and Will Hearle (above).
The film was shot at so many rugby venues around London it’s hard to remember which club was which, but (below left) it’s Ivan Comisso, Alexander King and Pearse Egan prior to shooting at one in North London.
In From The Side is a tale of love and lust, both on and off the rugby union pitch, as two players (played by Alexander Lincoln and Alexander King) on the same gay rugby team - the South London Stags - fall for each other amid difficult, adulterous circumstances.
(Below from left) cast members including Alexander Lincoln, Franck Assi, Ivan Comisso, Christopher Sherwood, Pearse Egan, Carl Loughlin and Magnus Soby. Front row from left, William Hearle and Danilo Acosta.
(Above right) Pearse Egan who plays Pinky and Ivan Comisso who plays Carlos.
Actors Kane Surry (below left) who plays Oli and Peter McPherson who plays John Penrose on the set of In From The Side.
“As always in the UK, it was so tricky to judge the weather. On the day when the script required cold and rainy it was sunny hence the huge sprinklers (below) to shower the cast in near-freezing January weather. It was head-splittingly cold. Such is film-making!”
Photos from the locker room!
Attitude Magazine featured many more behind-the-scenes photos here from the set of In From The Side when the film was released.
Click on the photo below.
The locker room may look pretty steamy but it was actually fake smoke and it was freezing cold. (It’s called Atmosphere Aerosol and you literally spray it from a tin…)
And that’s a wrap! Below, the final photo on set with all the cast from the last day of shooting.
You can read more about In From The Side on Wikipedia here. There are reviews of the film via Rotten Tomatoes here. The film released in the United Kingdom on 16 September 2022 and in the USA on 20 January 2023. In the UK it is rated 15. It’s available for viewers on Netflix from 28th March 2023.
In From The Side
Genre: Drama, Romance, LGBTQ+, Sports
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Director: Matt Carter
Producer: Matt Carter, Andrew Faure
Writer: Adam Silver, Matt Carter
Runtime: 2h 14m
Distributor: Strand Releasing
Find out more from the official website of In From The Side here.