A struggling army recruit’s life is transformed when a pin-up poster girl seemingly comes to life.
A new recruit, Lawrence (Benjamin Smith), finds himself an outcast within his platoon during basic training. His failure to conform puts him in conflict with his peers, and the mounting pressure takes its toll. His fortunes mysteriously change when Scarlet (Coral Beed), a pin-up girl from a poster on the barracks wall, appears to manifest in person. Lawrence becomes convinced she is his guardian angel, helping him cope with the brutal environment. However, Scarlet’s motives are revealed to be far more sinister than simple protection.
This short film was commissioned for Channel 4’s Coming Up initiative, a respected platform for emerging filmmakers. The scheme provided a crucial television debut for writer Seamus Hilley and director Miranda Bowen, alongside a cast of rising actors including Alfie Allen. The teleplay uses the familiar setting of a military training camp not for a conventional story of army life but for a psychological fantasy. The introduction of a supernatural element, a living pin-up, allows the film to examine themes of toxic masculinity and mental breakdown through a surrealist lens. It is an unusual genre hybrid, mixing barrack-room realism with a dark, fable-like quality.
Broadcast: Channel 4 – iwc, 1 Episode, 13 August 2008
Written by: Seamus Hilley
Director: Miranda Bowen
Executive Producer: Judy Counihan
Producers: Jim Spencer, Hannah Weaver
Main Cast: Benjamin Smith (Lawrence), Coral Beed (Scarlet), Sean Rea (King), Kevin Wathen (McBride), Warren Brown (Campbell), Richie Campbell (Clarke), Alfie Allen (Adams)
