It has been just over four months since I started practicing a morning routine. Prior to this period in May, despite not having the Facebook App installed on my phone, I was still one of those addicted people who would check all socials before bed and first thing in the morning. So what, it's not hurting anyone, right? Wrong. It was hurting me, big time.
Even though checking morning and night was on the surface not harming me, when I really delved deeper and thought about what the affects could be I realised that this addiction was messing with my brain, affecting my anxiety levels, stopping my natural thoughts from rolling, and eroding my basic capacity to focus and concentrate. In all it was taking me out of my natural state of existing and telling me that I need a distraction from the moment. And let's not forget the time I will never get back, as it takes a while until you realise “damn, how long have I been scrolling and why? There is nothing worthwhile on here!'
Then you stop. For a while.
Read MoreI'm a godmother to an incredibly smart, knowledgeable, funny and caring four year old boy named Atticus, who, since his kindergarten days, has the ability to hold a conversation and out-talk the most talkative television presenter. He also has a knack for asking 'why' constantly and genuinely seeking a response for his knowledge tank. Atticus has a two year old sister, and when she was born I held her twice before boarding a plane to Europe to chase my dream of being a filmmaker.
Now I label myself the Invisible Godmother. The role of a Godmother is to be in the godchild's life to mould and shape their decisions through wisdom and moral guidance. Being on the other side of the world makes that near impossible, and Skype doesn't cut it. Hence, most days I feel guilty that I am not able to be there for my family.
Read MoreMy fellow filmmakers and writers say that to be struggling and feeling like you are the underdog is the way that the best stories come – when we have something to say, be it rising up from a political injustice or just pouring our heart out though poetry after a messy breakup. Being the ‘starving artist’ fuels your art and gives you a solid and purpose-filled desire to create.
But to accept and perpetuate the label of starving artist can lead to many complications for the art produced as well as for the artist themselves. Your self esteem as well as your mental health suffer. You think your art has no value. You moan and groan and think the world is against you and you become a chore to hang out with.
With this in mind, I decided to list ways to avoid being caught in the trap of labelling yourself a starving artist and instead to start looking at being an artist as not just a positive life choice, but a feasible job occupation, far removed from the damaging label. It is not 'selling out' to make money from your art or to make it clear you want to be paid. You, and your art, deserve it.
Read MoreIn 2019, when filmmaking has long since been revolutionised by digital technology, when movies shot on smartphones open at Sundance, when there are festivals dedicated to vertical filmmaking, and when so many people are making features that the ‘mystique’ of it has long since dissipated, the one area that still seems to hide behind a shroud of secrecy is distribution.
We’ve all heard the adage getting your film made is only half the battle; the real work begins when trying to sell it. Many filmmakers don’t understand the best practices when it comes to distribution, and choose to explore that path only when forced to, and I am prepared to admit that I am one such filmmaker.
Is working with sales agents, producer’s representatives, distributors the most viable method to release a micro-budget feature film? Or is self-distribution the best approach? One year later, after releasing our first micro-budget feature, myself and my partner Sarah Jayne are asking ourselves that very question.
Read MoreNot only did we shoot a feature in a single night. And not only was it entirely improvised (without a script, without a shot list, without regrets), but we decided to do it on the craziest and most chaotic night of the year... New Year’s Eve.
The film is called Friends, Foes & Fireworks and it explores relationships, love, friendship, and the truths we try but fail to keep to ourselves.
We have been asked one question numerous times: “How did you actually manage to shoot this in a single night without a script?”
The second question, often unspoken, but lingering on lips nonetheless is “…and have a story and structure that actually makes sense without a script?”
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