Do
you believe there is a ‘best way’ that someone goes about climbing the film
industry to become a director?
I don’t think there is just one way or even
a better way to the climb the industry ladder. I myself are still struggling to
get where I want to be but I just focus on making the types of films I would
want to see, and then hopefully there are enough people out there who agree. I
do however want to progress with every film I make, as I will re-watch anything
I’ve made numerous times and pick holes in it – but I believe this makes me a
better filmmaker in the end.
I also think being clever about what films
you make and if there is an audience and can it grab anyone’s attention.
What
are the next steps for you on your career path?
My original plan was to shoot an ambitious
sequel to my 2016 Batman vs Jack the Ripper fan film, with the sole intention
of trying to better what we made previously but also showing a progression of
my abilities. I wanted to make something a little different to ‘Ripper’ and get
more into the action/horror side of things. My thinking was that if we did this
right we could make quite the splash and get our name out there even more. The
plan after that was to try and get a green lit on a feature comedy script I’ve
been working on the past couple of years.
I’ve had an opportunity to pitch a feature
idea to a UK based company who have a distribution deal with Sony in the US.
The UK side loved the idea and I am now waiting on a potential green light from
the States. This is a great chance to make my first feature and hopefully lead
to bigger and better things.
Where
do you aim to be in ten years and how do you think you will have gotten there?
My aim is to be a fully working
writer/director who has made at least five feature films and is comfortable
enough financially that I can take my time with what films I want to make. I
don’t need to be famous – I’ve always wanted to make cult like films that have
a fan base. My aim is to get paid for something you love to do and that’s it.
I believe hard work pays off but you do
need a bit of luck and I have some help from another North East director Martin
Owen who I worked with on his 2nd feature ‘Let’s Be Evil’. Martin
has essentially became a mentor of sorts and gives me advice but also opens
certain doors I can’t.
What
skills and traits do you feel make a good director?
Just looking at myself I think creativity, vision,
passion, enthusiasm and drive are big things. Even at university I was adamant
on what type of films I wanted to make, and that same passion and enthusiasm
not only allowed me to make ‘Ripper’ but it also helped gather the great cast
and crew we did. I was told by Bruce Payne that he knew straight away how
passionate I was about the project just after one phone call.
I also think you need to know exactly what
it is you’re making because you will be asked numerous questions from numerous
people during a shoot and you MUST know what you want and be clear about it.
Are
there times when you doubt that you want to be a director, if so, how do you
get past these and continue pursuing the dream?
I never had doubts about being a director,
I knew the first day at CCAD it was what I wanted to specialise in. I do
however struggle with the financial side of things and lack of work, but I just
try to put all my energy into any projects I am developing. I think it’s good
to have a number of projects ready to go.
2016 was a tough year for me financially
and I was supposed to be working away in LA which got cancelled at the last
minute which was very disappointing, but I just tried to stay positive and
focus on the future and the projects I was writing.
Given
that I will be following a path not dissimilar to your own, what advice would
you give me regarding post-graduation and where I go next?
I would suggest that you stick with it.
When I started CCAD all I wanted to do was make films, learn and leave with a
potential crew. I got what I needed out of CCAD and I am thankful for the
freedom I was given to make the films I wanted to make. I am now at a point
where I can call upon a number of crew, some who worked on ‘Ripper’ but some
who saw it and liked it. The film has essentially become a bit of a calling
card for me and it has opened a few doors.
I see far too many students leave
university, get a job and never pick up a camera or work on a film shoot again
- and that saddens me to be honest. I would recommend finding a part-time job
that isn’t terrible, but then also gives you enough time to still be creative
and make films. Even if it’s on a weekend and only something small – you must
keep going.
Also try and get on as many post-grad film
shoots as possible as a way of meeting new people and learning. There are also
a number of North East based networking nights which are great for meeting
like-minded filmmakers.
I realise this is a lot to take in on a blog post but this is easier than summarising and as such all I would like to add is that I got a lot more than I expected and cannot thank Jim enough for the level of detail and commitment he gave me in doing this.
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