Simply put ABE is about a robot that was programmed to love, but not programmed how to deal with not being loved in return... therefore he falls back on his most basic programming, which is to fix anything that is faulty. ABE perceives humans who do not love him as broken and, in his own unique way, tries to physically fix them.

The idea originally came when entering the Colchester 48 Hour Film Challenge, in a short animated film called 'Love And All That'... in that film, the basic character of the robot was realised and stuck with me as I moved forward onto other projects. Eventually I decided that because I liked the idea of a robot serial killer so much, I would remake the original short as a live action film. But with no real budget or potential funding, ABE was made on what was left in my bank account and a lot of favours from friends. 

I've never been afraid to admit that the two most influential figures for me are Philip K. Dick and Ridley Scott. What it means to be human is something which Dick explores in a lot of his work and it's something that, as a storyteller, I gravitate towards. In both Rahab and ABE this basic question is asked and explored (more so probably in ABE); what does it really mean to be alive... what defines having a soul and if you give that gift to something not prepared for it, the way we are, what could be the potential consequences of that.

I always said throughout the genesis of ABE, what's so great about him is that he is, in many ways, very human and that he is a commentary on are hidden darker sides... but also he is very familiar in that he is just a lonely character looking for love. To me that's what great about science fiction, is that it gives you an excuse to explore the deeper aspects of our existence in fun and exciting ways. Visually you can see a lot of Ridley Scott in my work and I make no attempt to hide that as I bloody love his style. Studying how he makes films has helped me find a voice in which I can best visually communicate my own ideals. 

Currently we don't have any casting confirmations, as we are very much still in the writing phase. But of course I would love Sam to return as ABE. He brought something amazing to the role and was able to bring real emotion through his digital facade. It's hard to now imagine anyone else doing such a brilliant job. Whether he actually returns for the feature is something we'll have to wait and see on... but I could see it being fantastic. 

My advice for young film makers is the same as it's always been; Stick to your guns, don't let people sway you from an idea or approach you're passionate about. But most importantly get out there and make as many films as possible, enter every competition and challenge, it's a great excuse to get out there and shoot something and not only will this help find your voice, but also teach you the ins and out more than any book or classroom will.