Urchin: Harris Dickinson’s Directorial Debut Showcases Ambitious Low-Budget Filmmaking
Actor-turned-director delivers compelling addiction drama through innovative production strategies and authentic community engagement
Harris Dickinson‘s transition from acclaimed actor to filmmaker has culminated in “Urchin,” a raw and compassionate exploration of addiction and homelessness that premiered at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section. The 99-minute debut feature, starring Frank Dillane as Mike, a man struggling to integrate into society while battling addiction, represents both a personal passion project and a masterclass in resourceful independent filmmaking.
From Actor to Auteur: A Decade in the Making
Dickinson’s journey to the director’s chair began long before his breakout acting roles. “I was always making, like, sketch shows and short dramas that I would sort of get off the ground by way of help from family and friends,” he revealed during the film’s Cannes press conference. “My love of cinema and filmmaking was always what was driving me to be on set as well.”
The story of “Urchin” emerged from Dickinson’s decade-long volunteer work with London’s homeless community, particularly through the charity Under One Sky. “I grew up in East London just before the pandemic, I was working locally, a community project that was being run as almost like a refuge and a safe place,” he explained. When local councils shut down these community resources, Dickinson witnessed firsthand how “vulnerable people fall between the cracks.”
This real-world experience informed every aspect of the project. “I spent like, four years doing it, but then once we got to production, we also invited those people in to interrogate it and work with our crew,” Dickinson noted, emphasizing the importance of authentic community involvement throughout the filmmaking process.
An Ambitious Production Strategy
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of “Urchin” is how Dickinson and producer Archie Pearch (through their company Devisio Pictures) managed to realize such an ambitious vision on a modest budget. The production statistics alone are staggering: 39 locations across 28 days, primarily night shoots with split days.
“There was certain days where we had six locations and shooting until 4am, and we lost a location at 3am,” Pearch revealed. “But our location manager managed to find somewhere in half an hour. At 3am.”
This breakneck pace required exceptional preparation and team coordination. Crucially, when Dickinson presented his script with its demanding location requirements, his producers never suggested scaling back. “Not one point did they say to me, ‘oh, do you want to try and condense them or have fewer locations?’ They were just like, ‘great, let’s figure this out,'” Dickinson recalled.
Innovative Pre-Production: Building a Common Language
One of the most innovative aspects of the production was Dickinson’s approach to crew preparation. Six weeks before filming, the team instituted weekly film screenings in a proper cinema, creating what cinematographer Josée Deshaies called “a common language” for the entire crew.
The primary reference point was Lino Brocka’s “Manila in the Claws of Light,” described by Dickinson as “a sprawling, like urban odyssey.” Other influences included Agnès Varda’s “Vagabond” and documentaries by British filmmaker Mark Isaacs. “We screened some films for the cast and the crew during prep… everybody was invited so and that’s how I met some of the crew, actually for the first time, watching films together,” Deshaies explained.
This approach proved invaluable for establishing the film’s visual philosophy. “It goes in your subconscious. The whole crew, and it creates kind of memories in your mind,” Deshaies noted.
Visual Language: Elegance Amidst Chaos
The collaboration between Dickinson and French-Canadian cinematographer Josée Deshaies proved particularly fruitful. Deshaies, making her first trip to England, brought fresh eyes to London’s urban landscape. “We really wanted to be clear about the fact that the way in which we viewed the world wasn’t the London that we’ve seen all the time,” Dickinson explained.
Their visual approach prioritised restraint and authenticity over flashy techniques. “If you can do something in a frame and not have to try and do tricks and stuff, then it tests you and it tests the scene,” Dickinson observed. “You can have a sort of average situation, maybe some average acting, and you can do some trickery… to make it look cooler, but I think if you can really create something within a situation, within a frame…”
The team established specific visual rules: “Elegance without being stiff… funny, but not vulgar. Precise, but not over precise. So it’s a question of balance,” Deshaies explained. They also made conscious choices about visual pollution, selecting “street or corners that makes sense, and not too crazy or… not overwhelmingly distracting.”
Notably, the film employs very few close-ups. “If you overuse close up when you needed it, well, it doesn’t have any effect anymore. So by always keeping medium distance, also for the character, and also in respect of the actor that you’re not intrusive, but you let him play,” Deshaies noted.
Casting and Character Development
The casting of Frank Dillane as Mike proved crucial to the film’s success. According to Pearch, “Frank really stood out from the very beginning. He had an energy… it became very clear that he could really take the role on.”
Dillane’s commitment extended beyond traditional preparation. He worked directly with Under One Sky, the charity that had inspired Dickinson’s story. “He said, ‘I’ll be off comms for two weeks… you won’t hear from me for a bit,'” Dickinson revealed. “I think there was stuff he didn’t tell us that he did during that time.”
The collaborative relationship between director and lead actor proved essential during the intensive shoot. “We spent a lot of time workshopping the script together and then I just sort of sent him on his way to do his own work,” Dickinson explained. On set, their average was around 9-10 takes per scene, with Dillane maintaining discipline while remaining “unpredictable, which was maybe to Josée’s detriment sometimes… there’s no point giving him a mark, basically.”
Authentic Location Work
The decision to shoot in East London, where Dickinson grew up, provided both practical and emotional benefits. “It wasn’t important in terms of people knowing it’s East London. It’s important because I know it, and the locations and I’ve walked around those streets all my life,” he explained. “It’s not a London story, really. It’s not a London specific story. This could be anywhere.”
One particularly meaningful location was a hotel kitchen where Dickinson had worked for four years. “When I wrote the script, I sort of based it there because it was what I knew. And then when we were looking for the location, we went back there and asked them if we could film and they let us.” The location had since changed from a hotel to a private residence, but the owners permitted filming and the crew redecorated to match the script’s requirements.
Budget Management and Creative Solutions
The film’s modest budget required creative problem-solving at every level. Pearch noted that achieving their ambitious location count required “a lot of favours” and exceptional teamwork. The production design by Anna Rhodes, costume design by Kobe Yates, and makeup by Lisa Mustafa all had to maximize impact while working within tight constraints.
“I’m asking a lot of these people, and I don’t have a… there’s no limit. I’m like, ‘can we do this?’ And a lot of the time these amazing HODs would really try and get there for us,” Dickinson reflected. “You also had to inspire that same level of enthusiasm for people for their work. So they come in every day and they want to walk away from it super proud as well.”
Post-Production and Editorial Approach
Dickinson’s approach to editing proved equally thoughtful. After wrapping, he took a month alone to watch all footage and create his initial assembly. “I had a month on my own where I just watched everything and sort of made my selects and sort of put a rough assembly together, and then when [the editor] came, it opened up a whole new world, a whole new conversation for the scenes.”
The editing process allowed for continued refinement of the film’s tone and pacing. “I loved it, actually… it was invigorating going in each day… it was very civilized. But of course, you get to a certain point where you also start to feel like you’ve seen it so many times. I don’t know what’s good or bad. I’m seeing the mistake in the background… it becomes very neurotic, bit unhealthy.”
Industry Impact and Future Directions
“Urchin” represents more than just a successful directorial debut; it demonstrates how passionate filmmakers can tackle serious social issues through authentic community engagement and resourceful production strategies. Dickinson’s approach of starting with real-world volunteer work, spending years developing relationships with affected communities, and then inviting those communities into the filmmaking process offers a model for socially conscious cinema.
The film’s Cannes premiere in Un Certain Regard validates this approach, proving that authentic, community-driven storytelling can compete on the international stage. As Dickinson noted, “We hope that people look at this story and go on the journey with Mike and have an insight into this struggle, a human insight into it… it’s our job to just put them there and allow people to discuss them.”
For emerging filmmakers, “Urchin” offers valuable lessons in how passion, preparation, and community engagement can overcome budget limitations. The production’s emphasis on building creative relationships, establishing shared visual languages, and maintaining authenticity throughout the process provides a roadmap for ambitious independent filmmaking.
As Dickinson looks toward his next project, balancing continued acting work with directing opportunities, “Urchin” stands as proof that actor-directors can bring unique perspectives to storytelling when they combine their performance insights with genuine passion for their subject matter. The film’s success suggests that audiences are hungry for authentic, community-driven narratives that tackle difficult social issues with both honesty and humanity.
Editor in Chief of Ikon London Magazine, journalist, film producer and founder of The DAFTA Film Awards (The DAFTAs).
