Trainspotting (film) discussing which chapters of the book would and would not translate into film. Hodge finished the first draft by December. Macdonald secured financing from Channel 4, a British television station known for funding independent films. Pre-production began in April 1995. Ewan McGregor was cast after impressing Boyle and Macdonald with his work on their previous film, "Shallow Grave". According to Boyle, for the role of Renton, they wanted the quality of Michael Caine's character in "Alfie" and Malcolm McDowell's character in "A Clockwork Orange", "repulsive ... with charm "that makes you feel deeply ambiguous about what he's doing." McGregor shaved
Christopher Eccleston Eccleston sat on the 2nd Amazonas International Film Festival Film Jury in November 2005. The director Norman Jewison was chairman of the Jury. In December 2005, Eccleston travelled to Indonesia's Aceh province for the "BBC Breakfast" news programme, examining how survivors of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami were rebuilding their lives. In March 2006, Eccleston appeared in the ITV documentary special "Best Ever Muppet Moments" as a commentator. In May 2006, he appeared as the narrator in a production of "Romeo and Juliet" at the Lowry theatre in his home city of Salford. The theatre company with which he performed,