NEDS

Released; 2010

Location; Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

NEDS or Non-Educated delinquents was released in 2010 and follows the path of John Mcgill, a young boy growing up in 1970’s Glasgow as he loses his way. From being a prize winning pupil in primary school to his self destruction as he gets mixed up in the violent world of street gangs. Its an often depressing look at how low self esteem, a search for identity and lack of positive roll models  can allow a life to spiral out of control.

When released in cinemas the papers were full of stories of gang fights breaking out during screenings. Not sure if this was clever advertising or press sensationalism but I certainly remember the stories.

The whole film was shot within Glasgow (though people may say Dalmuir is Clydebank) with the principal locations being Cardonald High school, a constructed for filming play park in Maryhill  and Cathcart cemetery. 

The shots in Cathcart cemetery are actually filmed around 10 meters from the house I grew up in and I remember the film location trucks at the time of filming.

If I remember correctly it was also in the press at the time that the playground props for the film had gone missing overnight from the location in Maryhill. I wonder if they ever turned up?

The housing estate used for the rival gangs territory was situated in Dalmuir and was demolished several years ago but surprisingly the roads, stairs and railings are all still in place at the time of making this project (2020) so once I had found the location lining up the shots was straightforward.

Last location of interest was the bridge where the fights take place. I searched for this location for quite a while until I read an interview with Peter Mullan. The reporter was taking him to film locations in Cardonald when they decided to find the bridge. All that was mentioned in the interview was that they were in Pollok, there was a playing field on one side and a housing estate on the other but at that point it even took Peter Mullan who directed the movie an hour to find the bridge.

Armed with the little information I had I headed over to Google earth and after lots of looking I found the bridge hidden by trees near Moulin Circus.

I hope you enjoy the videos and picture sets below and if you have any connection to the film please get in touch and let me know. 

Then and now gallery

Click for larger image