An Economics Teacher’s Humorous Venture into Filmmaking: ‘Any Major Dude’
In a surprising twist of fate, an economics teacher from Swavesey has taken a detour from balancing budgets to producing a comedy film, proving once again that anyone can swap ledgers for cameras.
John Holdsworth’s micro-budget masterpiece, ‘Any Major Dude’—a title inspired by a Steely Dan jam that literally no one asked for—will have its world premiere at the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse on March 13. Yes, mark your calendars for what could either be a cinematic revelation or an elaborate social experiment to test the limits of local patience.
Joining John on this highly questionable adventure are over 50 enthusiastic villagers from within the Cambridgeshire vicinity, proving that the community spirit is alive and ever-ready to support any local endeavor—no matter how ridiculous it may seem.
“The villages of Swavesey and Over are fostering great community vibes,” John claims. Apparently, those vibes include a collective willingness to help a middle-aged man with an overactive imagination make a movie. “I wanted local residents to feel a connection to the film,” he adds, probably with a twinkle of irony in his eye.
Set against the backdrop of charmingly quaint village life, the comedy follows the laughably mid-life crisis of Colin Coombs—played by Scott Brindle—the not-so-daring gardening journalist. Rumor has it that Colin suspects his wife Freya might still have a soft spot for her aging rock star ex, because who doesn’t want an existential crisis with a side of jealousy? And as if that weren’t enough, Colin faces the perils of a potential cancer scare, and an awkward colonoscopy that practically guarantees public embarrassment.
With friends who are supportive yet mercilessly teasing, Colin’s solution is to form a band and showcase hidden musical talents—because when you’re grappling with personal crises, why not throw karaoke into the mix? John fashioned the screenplay alongside his friend Peter Tomalin, presumably while reminiscing about how they once rocked out in a covers band named Chumbucket.
“When we started, we quickly realized that production companies scorn scripts unless they come from agents,” John lamented, welcoming the stark reality of the celluloid castle they were attempting to penetrate. “If we didn’t take this on ourselves, it would remain a great idea that would haunt us,” he reasoned, perhaps envisioning their ambitious project looming behind him like an angry ghost demanding to be taken seriously.
With a minuscule budget and zero filmmaking background, John ingeniously scoured the local community for amateur talent. Essentially, they turned every pub, shop, and neighbor’s home into a film set, because who needs Hollywood when you can film in your living room? Two years later, with enough chaos to rival a family reunion, John confesses, “I initially thought it would be akin to a pantomime. How hard could it be?” Spoiler alert: a lot harder than anticipated.
The puff piece has already sold out the premiere but don’t fret! A second showing is scheduled for March 20, just in case you need to elevate your cinematic standards—or suffer through cinematic mischief with friends. For those yearning to escape the incessant bombardment of Hollywood’s sameness, perhaps John’s low-budget escapade is exactly what the doctor ordered to distract from the madness of the world.
For those eager to ride this quirky rollercoaster, tickets are hot and happening. For more gossip about the film, check out the ‘Any Major Dude’ Facebook page—if you dare.
