Filming Inside a Prison Cell
Scottish actor Bryan Larkin describes the challenging experience of shooting his latest film, Jailbroken, which was filmed entirely within the confines of a prison cell. He notes that the psychological impact of the shoot makes it "the best anti-prison film you could probably ever get."
The 52-year-old actor, originally from East Kilbride, portrays Joe, a violent inmate who, just days before his scheduled release, receives a disturbing phone call informing him that his ex-wife and son have been kidnapped. Armed only with a smuggled mobile phone, Joe must race against time to save them while confined to his jail cell.
Returning to Scottish Roots
Larkin, known for roles in major Hollywood productions such as London Has Fallen alongside Gerard Butler, returns to his Scottish roots for this independent film set in Scotland. The movie had its world premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival on Thursday night.
The cast also includes veteran Scottish actor David Hayman, who plays a smugly sadistic prison guard. Larkin explains that both his character and Hayman's represent a gritty reality for audiences.
He elaborates that these characters are reminiscent of people viewers might have encountered in everyday settings, such as outside a pub or at a taxi rank arguing. They are individuals one might be highly aware of but would prefer not to live next door to.
Exploring the Humanity Beneath the Surface
Despite Joe's tough and violent exterior, Larkin aimed to reveal the humanity beneath. He states:
"You're going to get to see this dinosaur, this violent, toxic man."
He adds that even individuals who are deeply flawed have something they care about. For Joe, this motivation is saving "a son that has no memory of him."
Preparation and Psychological Impact
To prepare for the role, Larkin collaborated with director Vasily Chuprina and writer Raymond Friel for three months before filming began. Together, they developed ways to highlight Joe's hidden vulnerabilities.
Once production started, the claustrophobic set quickly took a psychological toll on Larkin. He describes becoming "highly territorial" due to the intense environment.
"There were times when I was in there, it felt like my house,"
Larkin admits that the confined nature of the shoot made it difficult to separate himself from the character, as he began to feel the cell was "my domain, that's your space." This blurred the boundaries between actor and character, causing him to question anyone entering the cell.
"I felt anytime anybody comes in there, I was like, 'have you got a right to? no, don't move that'."
Unique Acting Challenges
Another significant challenge was performing with a telephone as one of the primary characters for much of the film. The production addressed this by hiring two actors to deliver dialogue live from off-set rather than using pre-recorded lines.
Larkin explains how this altered his acting process:
"You really have to listen even more closely than you would if you were acting with someone opposite you."
He further describes the experience as requiring a "shift in your concentration from outward to really kind of inward and making the words affect you more."
Directorial Approach and Cinematography
Jailbroken marks the feature-length debut of director Vasily Chuprina. To visually convey the protagonist's mental breakdown without making the single-room setting feel static, Chuprina intentionally changed camera lenses as the story progressed.
The director explains that he initially used wide lenses to emphasize that Joe was "distracted, he's not a likable person." As Joe's mental state deteriorates and he becomes more exposed and child-like, the camera was moved physically closer to Larkin using longer lenses.
"It's not only claustrophobic for the character, but of course it's claustrophobic for the viewers,"
Echoing this, Larkin states that the visual goal was to make the audience feel as if they are "sharing that prison cell" and eventually "sitting on Joe's shoulder" as he breaks down.
Focus on Human Psychology
By confining the audience to a cell with a desperate man, the film strips away traditional action elements to concentrate entirely on human psychology and the consequences of a life of crime, according to Larkin.
He hopes the intense journey will leave a lasting impression on viewers.
"If you're even thinking about doing something that could potentially land you there, watch Jailbroken before you do,"
he warns.
