Welcome one and all to the first episode of Pet Projects, in which host Pete and guest Karl talk about Karl’s beloved, much-missed and inspirational dog, Lola, and his pet projects, leading to Karl offering some fascinating insights from the world of filmmaking in which he is quickly making his mark as a writer-director. A passionate advocate for Liverpool and northern talent, Karl talks about the making of his award-winning short film ‘Wake’ (shot on the Mersey ferry), his work-in-progress ‘Lucky Cat’ and how Covid encouraged him to pursue his vision more aggressively, in collaboration with his partners at their production company Seven Streets, and a fantastic cast and crew. 

The episode also contains a snippet from ‘Mr Moog’s Dancing Light Rats’, an ancient Decaying Leather song named for Pete and brother Guy’s childhood hamster, performed by their family band. 

Pet Projects is a collaborative project devised by writer and editor Peter Humphreys and artist and filmmaker Ana Rebolledo. 

More about today’s special guest: 

Award-winning filmmaker Karl Livingstone trained as a theatre actor before studying filmmaking at the University of Salford where he co-founded the Salford Film Society. He now runs the Seven Streets film production company in his native Liverpool alongside partner Catherine and partner-in-crime Selina. Their film ‘Wake’ (written and directed by Karl), set on the Mersey ferry and drawing on personal loss, won best narrative short at the Lancaster International Film Festival in 2024. Realised beautifully by a dedicated cast and crew, it also feature’s music by Karl’s father. Seven Streets’ follow-up, ‘Lucky Cat’ is currently in pre-production. Karl has also worked on music videos and is an outspoken advocate for the talent to be found in Liverpool and the north. His inspirations include Christopher Nolan, Hideaki Anno and Werner Herzog. 

You can find more about Karl’s work through these links >>>

Seven Streets on Instagram (@_sevenstreets_): https://www.instagram.com/_sevenstreets_/ 

Karl’s dad’s music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1XfQ6vPTIUDAZmHfcgkRFw?si=2dtLKugbQ-WzWKoRmf7Edg 

A few more links to subject matter covered in the chat >>> 

Lancaster International Film Festival: https://totallylocallancaster.co.uk/liff/ 

Lessons of Darkness, a Werner Herzog film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMIM-ma2juo 

Interview with Werner Herzog on the Adam Buxton podcast: https://www.adam-buxton.co.uk/podcasts/rhwkafw2z2x3xe6-6ysb3

Pet Projects - Episode 1 - Karl Livingstone

I'm a writer and editor based in Lancaster. Check out my podcasts Pet Projects (in which I interview creative types about their pets - and their projects), First Impressions (a surreal slice of literary cheesecake), and Monkey Scribbling (two older blokes reflect on their youth in the '90s through the letters they exchanged at the time). 

Pet Projects is a collaboration with Ana Rebolledo and Monkey Scribbling with Richard Pye. 

The family band I formed with my brother, Decaying Leather, in 1989 continues to write and record. Our music can also be found on SoundCloud and elsewhere.

New tracks tagged #sevenstreets