Thursday, 16 March 2017

Report- Interview answers.

Here are the responses I got from Jim to the questions I sent him, I am very happy with the response and will find it to be very useful when it comes to adding this into my report.

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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