Inside The Correction Unit, a new sci-fi thriller made in Notts

How important to you was it to use predominantly Nottinghamshire-based talent when making this film?
Derry: The aim was to capture the feeling of Nottingham and its rebellious culture. Those rebellious roots were crucial because this was a group of young offenders who were maybe in the wrong place at the wrong time, leading them to commit criminal acts, and now they’re in prison for it. We want them to remain likeable, which meant using actors who brought that rebellious nature to the roles. All of the actors managed to bring that to the production as they’ve lived in Nottingham all their lives, so it just came naturally to them.

Street casting gave the film a raw authenticity. How did you earn the trust of young people who might not have seen themselves as actors?
Derry: It’s so important when street casting that the actors are playing a role similar to themselves. I’ve read plenty of books that advise against doing street casting or getting untrained actors to perform, as it can be difficult to work with them. However, you can help them succeed by creating characters similar to them and using scene blocking in a way that comes naturally to them, since they lack the training to understand where the camera will be in the shots.

Did any of your real-life experiences give insights that reshaped the script or scenes?
Zak: When we started rehearsing, I’d just come out of alternative provisions because mainstream schooling wasn’t working for me. I wasn’t thriving there. It’s sort of like if jail and school had a child together. For example, we had to walk through a metal detector before we entered the building. That’s why Derry wanted me to play the role because it’s set in a system very similar to the alternative provisions I was familiar with. I knew what it was like in there.

Jacob, the character I play, sees everything and waits for the right moment to act on things, which is a lot like me. In the past, I’ve watched friends plan to commit crimes, and I sat back and kept my mouth shut to avoid any drama falling onto me.

Derry: Jacob is way more empathetic than everyone else because of how Zak chose to play the character. He wanted to expand the role and play it as more of an emotional character to complement the other cast members. As we started filming, the role of Jacob expanded more to give the other characters more to work with.

What was it like watching first-time actors carry such heavy roles?
Derry: Using Zak as an example, it elevated the film to a different level. The themes are really important, and if we didn't have authentic actors who gave a natural performance, those themes wouldn't have been as powerful. Jacob is a good kid who we know has done some wrong things. Same with Elleese and Sonny. They are playing an exaggerated version of themselves.

The audition we put Zak in was a scenario with Nick Preston, a good friend of ours, and it had Zak's brother being stabbed, and he stumbled onto the aftermath and had to call an ambulance. We had no script, and Zak gave a really realistic, emotional audition. It was real, believable, and it was mad because Zak hadn’t acted a day in his life.

Were there moments on set where the performances surprised you, or changed how you saw the characters?
Derry: 100% we developed Jacob because Zak had characteristics and nuances that were great to watch. There were moments where tragedy happened, and the reaction from Zak, Elleesee, and Sonny was fully unscripted. I got goosebumps watching it.

Zak: On set, Ziad didn’t speak to anyone, so the first scene we see him in really took us by surprise. He stayed in character the whole time, so when he’s on screen, it’s like he’s got the screen to himself.

There’s a fine line between using technology to help young people and using it to control them. Where do you think we are on that line right now?
Derry: I think the people who run these big companies, like the billionaires, don't care at all what happens to young people. They don't consider it, and they don't realise how effective and powerful online media is. The manipulation of the algorithm and social media is capable of giving people more power, and there's no current regulation to stop it.

Zak: Even if you find community online, all you're thinking about is this online world. You're spending all that time on the server. You need to come to the real world. People don't understand those dangers.

Was there a particular real-world influence behind the institute and its “correction” methods?
Derry: They are currently rolling out the use of VR in rehabilitation tools. If a criminal commits a murder, in some instances, they're letting them re-enact the murder through VR so they can see the victim's reaction. It's supposed to be empathy testing. They're thinking of bringing that into alternative provision schools. In a VR setting, I don't think that will be as effective as people think it is. A Clockwork Orange was also a huge influence, especially in how they use the Ludovico Technique to expose criminals to further violence.

Zak: I don't think if someone who stabbed someone is put in VR to revisit that, I don't know if that will affect them.

Do you see The Correction Unit as a warning, or as a mirror of what’s already happening in schools and youth services?
Derry: I want people to see it as a warning. It's definitely exaggerated, and I'm not an expert; I want to make that clear. The Correction Unit is my perspective on how things are going. It is a warning rather than saying this is the reality, but it's not far off reality.

How do you feel about the current projects taking place with companies like Neuralink, looking to place AI-powered chips into the human brain?
Derry: With the Neuralink stuff for someone who is severely autistic, it would be amazing if you could help them work through instances of confusion and assist their development from a young age in a moral way. It can be a good thing. There are so many negatives through, and it is just crazy. Like with the film, this constant push from progress and control without regulations or consequences is the problem. People like Elon Musk don't really care about the effects.

The antenna is a connection to Neuralink, and there's a whole conversation about transhumanism and combining humanity and AI. It fascinates and scares me. It's something we should all talk about and be aware of.

The film touches on cycles of crime and violence. What do you think needs to change in real life to break those cycles?
Derry: I think there needs to be creative outlets for young people who are exposed to criminality. It's what we've tried to do in this film and other things in the past. Councils and the government are shutting down youth centres. What are young people meant to do? Just go online or go to the park? They need other outlets. What we found in this film is that most of the time, “troubled” teens are the most creative. They get kicked out of mainstream school because they lack the outlets they need. That will change criminal exposure to young people. If you get them young, you can change their perspectives from a young age.

Zak: There are more things like this, even if we were to offer things like this to younger kids, people like Derry coming into youth centres and talking to people might ignite the passion. Nothing is being offered apart from street life. I don't understand why youth clubs are being shut down. Derry let me in on the creative process. I really enjoyed being in The Correction Unit, having that much freedom. I'd like to make my own film one day.

What did you want the audience to feel about these young people by the end of the film?
Derry: I love all of them and their characters. They've all got something, and we know there's something to them deep down, and circumstances have made them who they are. With the right outlet, they'd be better people. I hope by the end of the film, the audience is rooting for them. They're only fifteen or sixteen and easily manipulated. With the right chances, they would thrive.

What are some things you’d like the audience to take away from the film surrounding the subject of AI and its ethical uses?
Derry: I want people to consider and openly discuss the uses of AI. The provocative twist at the end of the film... We used AI in a brief scene in the red room because it's the perspective of the AI. I find AI images creepy. We wanted it to look a little bit off. The AI was produced a year ago, and [modern] AI has already overtaken that.

Shooting around school timetables and raising funds stage by stage sounds intense. What kept you going through that process?
Derry: In all honesty, it had to be finished. The pressure and despair were so deep that the only way out was finishing the film. A lot of my own money has been invested in it; loans I’ll be paying off for a long time. We had to get funding for the film, which is coming in at £150,000; we only had £40,000 at the beginning. We had to get it from random places, favours, and crowdfunding.

We've done a film the hardest way possible, with young people, an ensemble cast, a sci-fi film and all the main cast were in school. We had to get chaperones in for it. We figured it out and shot it over two years. Zak was very dedicated and made it happen when on set.

Did budget limitations force you to be more creative in how you told the story?
Derry: There's a thing where we had to rely on sets looking the way they looked rather than designing them. There were things like the headset, which were budgeted in some scenes. We had to lean into it being a prototype. We remixed scenes to make it work within the budget. The film looks like it has a higher production budget than it actually has.

Now that the film has international distribution, how does it feel knowing Nottingham-made work is about to reach a global audience?
Derry: It feels huge. It means so much to me. It's still a lot of stress because there are a lot of marketing responsibilities. We're still trying to get traction. Bella has been massively supportive, and they've done a lot of videos to promote the film. They've been super busy shooting other films, but they've always been responsive. Now we’re just trying to get it out to the world.

If Nottingham audiences take one thing away from the film, what would you want it to be?
Derry: There's an industry here, and I want people to know we are making stuff, we exist as a team of people. It's hard to get anyone in Nottingham to really care. We're just trying to get the word out.

I want people in Nottingham to see that films are happening here. We made a big sci-fi thriller that'll be released worldwide, and it was all made right here in Nottingham. I want people to see it's possible. And get involved with the next project.

You’ve already compared The Correction Unit to films like Get Out and Ex Machina. What kind of conversations do you hope it will spark after the credits roll?
Derry: I want people to think about where we are going as a society. Why aren't we challenging the motives of tech billionaires and world leaders? Why aren't we challenging their intentions? The division created by powerful world groups online, and how we can combat that. Very real characters that reflect those on the street now. If things aren't challenging, it might end up being a reality for young offenders.

Do you see yourself continuing to tell stories rooted in Nottingham, or is this film a springboard to other kinds of projects?
Derry: I think there are definitely more stories to tell about Nottingham people. It will be a springboard for bigger productions, but we will still shoot in Nottingham. It's a struggle shooting on a small budget; we would have to go elsewhere for funding. All of the actors and crew are based here, and that won't be changing anytime soon.

What’s next for you as a director/writer?
Derry: I run a production company, and we are putting together a similar budget feature film to develop and shoot next year. We are also packaging The Correction Unit as a TV show. We have two short films at festivals, and some other shorts are also happening that Zak is hopefully going to get involved in.

Zak: I've got a short film with Nick Preston. Nick really looks after me. That's the next thing for me, I'm really excited for the part. I’ve also got a Shane Meadows film coming out next year.

The Correction Unit is available on Amazon, Apple TV and Google TV from 23 September. Check out our review of the film here.

@FoyleRiverFilms