As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a filmmaker. I’ve always loved to read, listen to music, look at paintings and photography etc. and I’m sure I’d be quite happy pursuing any of these other routes, but there was always something different about cinema. It’s like the perfect fusion of all these other pursuits. I’ve always loved the form.
I have written and directed short films for years now, and my long-term goal has always been to write and direct my own feature films. Back when I was young and made films by myself, I obviously had to do everything myself, and I have continued to dabble in other departments when the opportunity has arisen. However, writing and directing has always been my goal. There is no greater feeling than when you are able to follow something that started as a simple idea in your head right through until it’s a fully produced film. It’s an impossibly difficult process that rarely goes to plan, but it is absolutely worth it for those moments when everything actually comes together. I don’t really separate writing and directing as different jobs; I believe that from the moment my pen touches paper, I am directing.
With every film I make, I aim to surpass all of my previous efforts in terms of quality or direction. I find it difficult to love my own films in the moment of their creation, because if you have a very firm vision for the project then in my experience no film can ever turn out as what you set out to make. However, looking back at the countless short films I have made so far, while there have definitely been some missteps, each film is definitely building on what I have learned before. I genuinely believe the best way to learn can be by making mistakes, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes! It’s the best way to work out what works and what doesn’t. You can’t really teach that kind of thing. I think it’s too personal to every filmmaker; you have to learn it yourself.
As a filmmaker, I have encountered many issues in my films and have tried my best to overcome them. During my time at university, I have definitely become better at collaboration. Before university, I largely made films by myself; writing, directing, producing, DPing, sound designing etc. all by myself. This meant that I struggled to let go of certain aspects of my films and trust other people to do their jobs themselves initially. I can be a bit uncomfortable talking to strangers, so collaboration didn’t come naturally to me; I had to work at it. However, I have discovered that with the right collaborators this can be one of the most creativity-inducing and rewarding aspects of filmmaking. Some examples of recurring collaborators that I have to continue working with on various projects in the future are Aaron Ross, who I have written several shorts and a TV pilot with, Juliet Brown, who has sound designed several of my films and Harris Redpath, who has edited several of my films. Working with a crew of 22 people at times on my most recent short film The Hollow Men most certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone, but when there’s a job to be done, it’s a pressure I’ve learned to enjoy.
I got in touch with Leo McGuigan, the Northern Ireland-based writer and director of 2015’s Braxton Butcher. He was kind enough to sit down and talk with me about his filmmaking background and he was willing to give me some filmmaking advice as well. He offered to look over any scripts or edits I had if I wanted. While McGuigan isn’t necessarily the biggest name in the film industry, every contact I make is the door opening slightly further. I think it would be invaluable to shadow a director as they direct a film. I’m planning to ask McGuigan if this would be something he’d be interested in. I’d also like to get in touch with other filmmakers and ask them for advice for a young independent filmmaker like myself.
I have dabbled in various types of filmmaking over the years. I have done videography at weddings etc, which might be one way to make money on the side, while still working with a camera. Similarly, I have directed videos for HMP Edinburgh and Barnardo’s to show to the relatives of inmates. While I enjoyed these experiences and learned a lot from them, it isn’t something I’m interested in pursuing long term. I have also worked on several documentary films, including a film I directed called Streets of Fire, about the violent impact of Brexit in Northern Ireland. However, my interests very much lie in narrative, fiction filmmaking.
I am aware of certain gaps in my knowledge and experience as a filmmaker. Firstly, while I have definitely been improving in working with actors, I have never really been formally trained as such. I would like to explore this further, possibly by attending an acting class, so I can better understand the experience of actors.
As I leave university, I have a number of short films under my belt. Film school has a real focus on making one big project; which is great. I’ve learned a lot from it. However, it limits the variety and quantity of experiences you can have. So perhaps it would be nice if I could get a few more short films under my belt. For a long time, the university wouldn’t let us write and direct, so while I have written films and I have directed films, I am slightly lacking in films which I have filled both roles.
I am also a little concerned about my lack of experience on professional film sets. The only professional set I have been on was when I worked as a runner on the set of Disney’s The Lodge several years ago. This is something I should definitely address, even if my plan is to go down a more independent route. It would potentially give me an opportunity to observe other directors and departments at work. I’ve always felt that the more I know about someone else’s job, the easier I find it to direct them. I think it would be a good idea to get a part time job as an AD or a runner so I can gain experience working on a professional film set and network. However, this is not a route I want to take long term, as my focus is definitely on writing and directing my own independent films.
There isn’t necessarily an obvious route to directing. It’s entirely possible to work your way up through the ranks to the position, and I’m sure this is a route filled with lots of educational experiences, however this path isn’t necessarily for me. It’s definitely something I will consider, and I will apply for positions as a runner and an AD etc. but I’m not putting all of my eggs in one basket. Through my research, as far as I can see, the best way to prove you can direct films, is by directing films. So that’s my plan. I will explore this in more detail in my Action Plan, however for the next few years I plan to make as many short films as I can and show them to as many people as I can, online and through festivals. I will fund this by hopefully working on sets where possible and by getting a job.
I have also been working on setting up a production company with my close friend and fellow filmmaker, Harris Palmer. More on this later.
I have done a lot of research into options for my future in order to maximise my chances at success. See my Action Plan for a more detailed overview of my plans.
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