‘let it go. Once it’s in the right hands

Page M4 April 18, 1990. This Week

PROFILE

Ratz could be a major motion picture
if all goes well for David Simmonds

By JOHN STANTON
This Week Contributor.

Next year could be the year of the “Ratz” in
Victoria if David Simmonds, a screenplay writer,
producer, director and actor has anything to say
about it.

Raiz, if it materializes, will be a movie depicting
the life and death of former Victoria architect
Francis Mawson Rattenbury. More than a year
after receiving a script-writing contract, English-
born Simmonds has just submitted his effort to the
British sponsors for review and approval.

“Ratz is indepth. I’ve seen the thing approached
before but I really don’t believe anybody has dug
deep enough,” he said, adding other
interpretations focussed on Rattenbu-
Ty's murder, and not on all three
people involved in the fatal love trian-
gle.

“They were three people who had no
intention of doing any harm to each
other.”

Rattenbury’s wife and her young
lover were convicted of the famous
architect's murder in 1935 in Britain
and were sentenced to hang.

Subject to the various contracts and
agreements, part of the film — a
Canada-UK co-production — will be
shot in Victoria.

Rattenbury’s legacy here included
the B.C. Legislature, and the Em-
press Hotel.

Looking back at his researching and
writing efforts over the past year,
Simmonds is hoping the producer will
be sensitive toward the characters.

“I think what one has to do is just

just let it go.”

It is the possibility of this movie
proposal becoming a reality that
spurred Simmonds to establish acting
classes in Victoria. With the help of
local film maker Barry Casson and
the Barbara Coultish model and ta-
lent agency, classes are being conduct-
ed to prepare acting students for Ratz
and other films including a black
comedy Simmonds is already plan-
ning. Three courses are offered, he
said, starting with the basics and
moving toward learning many acting
skills.

In one course he takes scenes from
movies and has the students act those
parts in order to learn more about the
characters being portrayed, he said.
In the most advanced course students
actually make a movie using improvi-
sational acting techniques and the
various skills they learned in earlier

will get a copy for their resumes.
ae people a sense of being part of making a
m.

Putting aside his thoughts on his current pro-
jects, Simmonds looks back to the beginning of his
media career that spans nearly two decades. He
described his work as an ongoing process.

‘I really just switch tracks very easily because
I've worked that way for years.»

After leaving Britain, where as a teenager he
was a member of a rock and roll band, Simmonds
moved to Toronto where he unleashed his consider-
able talents and worked in most facets of the media
arts. He acted on the stage, in movies and behind

lessons.
“Original characters are developed and a story is
built during the eight-week project,” he said.
The film being made now depicts the return of
Amor de Cosmos, an early premier of British
Columbia. When the film is completed students

DAVID SIMMONDS is hoping his screenplay
about the life of Francis Rattenbury will be-
come a major movie. “Ratz, as he was
affectionately known, is shown as a young
MAGN. (Photo courtesy of Terry Reksten, author of the book Rattenbury)

the scenes as a writer, director, producer and music
composer. His work has included radio and
television commercials, and the cult movie Buzz
Wray and his Telephone.

Other acting assignments put him to work with
the likes of James Coburn and George C. Scott.
Then in 1975 he moved to Vancouver where he
helped found the Actor’s Workshop. Ten years ago
he moved to Victoria and continued writing com-
mercials for radio and got involved in the local
acting scene. He is enthusiastic about the number
of talented people he has encountered here.

“I've seen a number of people come to my courses
who are quite capable of doing parts in films,” he
said.

Shunning the current Hollywood
North syndrome that seems so evi-
dence in the B.C. movie making scene,
Simmonds prefers a home grown
Movie industry on the Island.

“It is a question of developing it on
the Island, and not getting carried
away by this Hollywood North num-
ber which tends to inflate us,” he said.
“I'd rather make a small film that had
integrity than the Hollywood packag-
ing thing. It’s not a concern of mine.”

His musical accomplishments, in
addition to commercial jingles, in-
clude a song commemorating Saskat-
chewan’s 75th anniversary. He has
also written country and western
songs some of which won awards
including the number Ordinary Peo-
ple in 1987 for a group called Bootleg.
While he writes his songs and plans

that black comedy, which may begin

production in June, Simmonds is ex-
- cited about another prospect. A young
Victoria mod-
el who has ta-
ken his acting
lessons is
about to be
signed up to
play a major
role in a moy-
ie to be pro-
duced in Hol-
lywood.

The woman,
who must re-
main anony-
mous for now,
has a very
bright future
in the movies,
he said.

“Tm keep-
ing my fingers
crossed for
her,” he said,
adding oppor-
tunities are
out there for
prospective
actors in Vic-
toria.

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