STORYTELLING HAS EVOLVED
TECHNOLOGY HAS LEVELLED THE PLAYING FIELD
AUTHENTICITY COUNTS
THE FUTURE OF FILMMAKING IS AUTHENTIC
INSPIRING
COLLABORATIVE
ACCESSIBLE
NOW
WHAT MATTERS TO FUTURE FILMMAKERS?
I remember the first video that I did.
And I remember when we wrapped the shoot
and I just didn't want to go home.
And I still get that feeling now.
Since I was little, my way of interacting
with the world was through images.
So filmmaking came as a natural way
of this native language that I have.
I think stories are best when
the filmmaker is passionate about the topic,
when they really believe in the story that they’re telling.
It just feels like home, directing.
EMBRACING CHALLENGES
I see climate change
as the greatest storytelling challenge of our time.
You know, this moment requires us to tell a new story,
and that just intrigues me and excites me as a filmmaker.
I love challenging myself. I get quite bored easily.
So yeah, looking at a new challenge,
I look at that and embrace it.
I really think that representation is important.
Especially now, people want to see women in these roles.
Something that I learned in my early career
is that when something is difficult,
it's going to teach you something.
This is a part that is challenging, but I love it.
COLLABORATION & MENTORSHIP
I really think mentoring is important,
because not only does it guide you,
it saves you so much time,
because you're learning from someone
that's already done what you want to do.
In the future I'm really excited
collaborative storytelling
and finding new and innovative ways
to highlight the voices of people who are so often
marginalised in the climate conversation.
Working with someone with a bit more of a name
is kind of like a way to get your foot in the door,
and people take you seriously.
So that's what I try to offer to my mentees.
HARNESSING SOCIAL MEDIA
I've noticed that a lot of creatives, especially women,
they kind of hide in their Instagram.
Like they don't show that they're a woman
and they just post their work.
I'm really big on, you know,
making sure that you build up a personal brand,
as well as just showing your work.
Audiences more and more
want to be in contact with the filmmakers.
They can change everything,
because they are part of your story.
What I loved about creating a YouTube channel
and making films on social media
is having that direct relationship with my audience.
Being able to get direct feedback
on what I've made and being able to converse.
And in a way it feels more informal than an audience.
It feels like a sort of two-way relationship.
ACCESSIBLE KIT
I think changes in technology
are making this filming more accessible for everyone,
because you have it in your hands.
I think it's really exciting
when you look at the development of cameras.
Every year they get smaller,
they get cheaper, but higher quality,
and that's exciting because it makes filmmaking
more accessible to a wider bunch of people.
When I think about the filmmakers in the ‘50s,
for example, you needed a big team,
a lot of money to do any production
and now with creativity and a minimum team,
you can do things that are very interesting.
My first Canon camera was a Canon EOS 60D.
And at first I got it just for photography.
And then once I found the film element, that was it.
I was using it for pretty much everything I could shoot.
I started with a Canon EOS 7D,
then moved onto a Canon EOS 5D Mark II,
then graduated to the Canon EOS C300 Mark II,
and now the Canon EOS C70.
And in a way, the development of Canon cameras
has sort of mirrored the development
of my own filmmaking career.
MOVING BEYOND GATEKEEPERS
I feel like I've had a really successful run
within the UK music scene,
which is where I always wanted to
make a name for myself.
And now I feel like I'm at that point
where I've done so much,
that I don't want to take up the space.
And I feel like it's vital to be able
to hand it to the next generation.
The filmmaking landscape has changed dramatically
over the last 10 or 15 years
You can literally build an audience from your bedroom.
And that's really exciting
because it means there's less gatekeepers,
which means that storytelling is democratised.
I think the future of filmmaking
is in combining different platforms.
Telling stories with images behind the camera
makes me feel complete.
It doesn't feel hard.
What I really love about directing
is being able to tell a story in movement and emotion
and you can really show a person’s personality
or tell a story in great depth.
If you want to make films, just grab a camera,
tell the story you want to tell and share it with the world.
#SEENOLIMITS