[ News
| Homes
| Life
| Entertainment
| History
| Science
| Community
| Shop ]
| Sport
| Culture
| Cars
| Money
| Broadband
| Learning
| Health
| Dating
| Games ]
[ Text Only: Homepage ]
[ Graphical: Channel4 Homepage ]
Jonathan Hempstead is 21 and a 'struggling final-year student' at KIAD (Kent Institute of Art and Design), Rochester, studying for a BA in editorial and advertising photography. He went to a hearing mainstream school and was first introduced to Deaf culture at the age of 17 years through visiting Northants Deaf Club.
The Interview is a short experimental drama featuring a character called Bob, who is being interviewed for a job he really wants. There is one problem: Bob has lied about being deaf on his application form.
The entire film takes place in a long office, and Bob is the only character: the camera itself takes the position of the interviewer, so the audience sees Bob through the eyes of the interviewer.
'It's important to remember that the interviewer is hearing,' Jonathan told VEE-TV, 'and most probably not deaf-aware, and that the whole film is seen through his eyes and using his imagination.
'The film is about the different stereotypes deaf people are given, and where do people label others more stereotypically than with first impressions at an interview? Also the interview stage is where a lot of deaf people are let down, with their lack of ability to communicate easily with the interviewer.'
So what did Jonathan learn from the experience of making the film? 'I learned that not all of what you set out to achieve can be achieved in one short period of time,' he says. Too modest!
Graphic version
Includes layout and images.