A FORMER gangster has written, directed and produced a film based on his own life, and it is now available to watch online.
Clarke Tribe is a 38-year-old reformed gangster who has turned his life around after a series of prison sentences for various violent crimes.
Clarke, from Crawley, has now created a film called The Drugs Game based on his own experience of the criminal underworld.
The film has recently gone live on Amazon Prime and is available to rent on the streaming platform.
Clarke largely created the film by himself, writing, directing, producing and taking on the lead role.
He said: "To say that I'm overwhelmed with the superb feedback would be an understatement. It has already spread wide and far, hitting various parts of the world already, with such positive responses.
"Going from one lifestyle to a complete turnaround into another like this is remarkable."
From the age of 15, Clarke became heavily involved with the illegal drugs trade and acted as a debt collector and hired muscle for firms in London.
He was first imprisoned at 19 for ABH and has since completed nine prison sentences of up to eight years for a variety of crimes such as firearm offences and attempted murder.
During his last prison stay he decided he wanted to change his life and steer away from his violent and illegal past.
He said: "Something just clicked in my brain, I don't know if it was the age or what, but I just knew this was enough, I was done.
"I started realising the consequences of my actions and the ripple effect they were having on society. I then enrolled in a programme called 'keep out', a crime diversion scheme."
After leaving prison in 2016, Clarke finished his "crime diversion" book, which is set to be published in the new year, he also began to create a film.
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Over the next few years Clarke purchased all the equipment including lighting rigs, cameras, recording devices himself and sourced a team of cameramen and crew members.
He also carried out his own casting which includes established actors such as "Big" Joe Egan, and Matt Lapinskas and Tony Discipline from Eastenders.
Much of the filming took place at well known locations across Sussex and he used extras from those locations as well.
The film follows its main character Charlie as he leaves prison and finds his criminal empire has been taken over.
He and his crew then embark on a mission to get it back.
Clarke said: "Something I really need to express is that I am not proud of the things I've done and the work I did, I really have tried to turn it around and I hope this film will show that.
"I want to show how dark and dangerous it can be living that kind of lifestyle. When I moved back to Crawley in January to start my new life I needed to bring something positive and unique with me to my home town."
The Drugs Game premiered at Tulleys drive-in cinema in September and Clarke was thrilled with the response.
He is now set to launch his film production company in the new year too with a couple of his friends.
Clarke's documentary "Loveable Rogue" and his crime diversion book "Is it clever?" are also set to be released in 2022.
He is also working on a new film, based on a "very famous story" with a "well known" cast.
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