Rotherham filmmaker Nathan Geering on shooting kung fu feature in his home town

BBC News

16-02-2025

Nathan Geering heads off into the basement of the bar he's shooting his film in."I'm the writer, director, lead actor and fight choreographer" he tells me as he disappears down the stairs.The 43-year-old martial arts expert is taking on a host of roles for his debut feature - a kung fu thriller entitled The Lock In.The Forge bar is one of a handful of venues in Rotherham town centre being used in his "passion project".Nathan, who was born and bred in the town, first developed a taste for martial arts action as a child."I use to watch old-school kung fu movies back in the 80s with my grandma but two years ago I was in a bit of a funk. I asked my inner eight-year-old child what I really wanted to do and he said 'I want to be Jackie Chan!'"
In the dusty basement, a bar brawl scene is being shot. This is filmmaking on a shoestring budget which means each crew member takes on multiple roles. The scene laid out in front of me needs director of photography Adam Hornsby to play the part of a victim. In a dramatic moment, glass showers across the room after a bottle is smashed over his head."I'm not hurt," he reassures the room. "It's the weirdest thing. It's sugar glass so it just pops on impact."Mr Hornsby says the film is "like Quentin Tarantino meets Jackie Chan but in Rotherham".The story focuses on a "nervous guy" on a date who meets a mysterious bartender (played by Nathan) and gets caught in the crossfire between assassins.
Despite the film's lack of budget, there is a wealth of experience amongst the bubbly crew, even through long days."I've worked with these guys on short films. We are of the same heart and mind. "I need my team to feel happy, valued and appreciated. This is a collective" explains Nathan.As we talk, Carolyn Dean, who plays one of the assassins, stands nearby confidently holding a broken pool cue.
Nathan wrote the script for the film in late 2024. He'd spent the summer training with the Jackie Chan Stunt Team in Beijing where he learnt the art of action filmmaking and martial arts sequences.Returning to the UK he says he felt "inspired" and ready to make a longer film, having previously had some success with short action films, including Flaming Assassin, which bagged a number of awards."You can either wait for permission or you create your own opportunities" he says.The film was always going to be set in his home town."We're not pretending this is Shanghai. We want to raise the aspirations of the town and change the narrative."We are here to show that if you collaborate, great things can happen," he adds
Although The Lock In has been shot predominately around Rotherham town centre including at the redeveloped Empire Theatre, Nathan also took advantage of a recent visit to the US.After claiming three martial arts gold medals in the The Battle of the Dragons World Championships in Atlantic City, he managed to get a little help from "Hollywood stunt royalty"."Jeff Pruit, the stunt co-ordinator on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, leant me a helicopter so now we have a helicopter stunt. It's mad!"
The cast and crew move upstairs to the main bar of The Forge and begin setting up for the final scene of the day. A pool table is pushed to the side of the room and lights shine towards the bar where Ethan Lyndsey, who plays The Farmer, prepares for a fight scene with Nathan's character The Barman.Ethan trained in martial arts and break dancing but says he was cast because he had "very specific" skills."I'm really good at what they call hit reactions, that's my thing," he explains."Not everyone can do it but I get hit a lot in this film and I make it look realistic."
Nathan hopes to wrap at the end of February and is hopeful the film can travel "far and wide"."We are still raising funds to ensure the post production, sound effects and music score can be as good as possible," he says."We have to have a premiere here in Rotherham, but then hopefully a full international distribution deal, [hopefully] Netflix, Paramount Plus. "We want to take on the big boys."Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.