What areas/ specialisms in creative media would you like to work in?

If I could chose what area of creative media I would like to work in it would obviously be the film industry. This is because, film is one of my biggest passions, and I get so much from it that I would love to be a part of it. There are so many roles within the film industry, which I haven’t tried out and therefore, I’m still not too sure what I’d like to specialise in, however, currently what interests me the most in film is cinematography and editing. This is because these are two very essential parts to storytelling that if done well can really bring a film to a whole new level.

Another area within the film industry that I would really enjoy working in is film criticism. This is because, while a lot of people view film critics as pointless and evil who only enjoy subtitled black and white foreign films, I think film criticism is one of the most important aspects of the industry as if done correctly, can bring an audience to a film, that would have never seen it without reading a review. I really like writing reviews as one of the most important things about films is talking about them and generating a discussion, so I find it very interesting to find out how a film was made, what inspired the director and what it’s trying to achieve.

Would you like to further study film / creative media?

I would like to pursue further study into film. This is because film is such a huge entity, with so much history behind it, and therefore I would like to learn more about it and deepen my knowledge within film. Not only would I like to improve my understanding of film, but I would also want to get a better understanding of how films are made, and how to correctly carry out all the different roles using technical equipment.

What courses interest you? Give reasons

Because of this two types of courses interest me. Firstly, a Film Production course at university seems very exciting, as within these courses you not only learn how to make films, but you also get to loan equipment for free (however you do have to pay tuition fees…) which means you can practicaly make as many films as you want, while you are studying there. I think this would be a phenomale experince, as it would really give me chance to develop my skills in filmmaking by creating a number of short-films. Hopefully by doing this I would be able to find an area in film which I would like to specilise in.

The second type of course which interests me would be a Film Theory course at university. This is because, as I just mentioned I am really interested in the history of film and cinema, and therefore would like to expand my knowledge on it, and what better way to do this then by getting lectures on film, watching a range of films and having to write papers on areas within film. I therefore think by taking a course like this it would allow me to write better film reviews, as my knoweldge of film would be more expansive.

Because of these two different types of courses I will probably end up selecting a course which has a mixture of the two, and by doing this not only will I learn about the theory of film, such as what makes a great film and the history behind it, but then I will also be able to put this into practice by making a film, and testing my knowledge and skills.

Which local media companies would you be interested in working with? Give reasons

While I don’t really have any select media company in the UK that I really want to work with, there are a few company who I really look up to and enjoy their work, and therefore would probably like to work with.

I really enjoy reading film magazines, and therefore if I was to get into film criticism I would like to work for one. For example, Total Film which was the first film magazine I ever read, is a really great company, as their reviews are easy for anyone to understand, but have a lot of interesting points to make about film. They are also up to date with what is happening in the film industry because they manage to write articles and interview people/topics that are being talked about. And I always get a very fun vibe off Total Film as they don’t take themselves too seriously and therefore it is a really enjoyable read. Another film magazine I like reading is Sight and Sound as while Total Film is great, they don’t focus a lot on independent films, which Sight and Sound do by having their vast majority of film reviews on independent features. And while sometimes their reviews may be a little hard to read they always give very in-depth and well thought out criticism.

I would also like to work for a media company that produces films. For example, the BBC, Film4, and of course the BFI. I think all these companies are similarly great in creating independent/original content such as, Film4 choosing to co-produce The Favourite(2019) or the BFI choosing to distribute the critically acclaimed Bait (2019).

What are the options for making your own content?

One option to create your own content which more and more people are choosing to do nowadays is to release productions onto YouTube for free. This is because while YouTube may not generate any money for your short-film or content, at least it will get eyes onto it, therefore allowing you to become more well known in the industry. An example of the happening would be the filmmaker who goes by the name of RapMan who released his trilogy Shiros Story onto YouTube and by doing so it received over 10 million views. This therefore cemented his place as a person who could create high-quality content, and in doing so went on to make the recent Blue Story which got a large distribution throughout the UK. I also currently release my own content onto YouTube, which are mainly videos on the topic of film, and I enjoy doing this as not only is it enjoyable to create something but you can also receive feedback on it.

What would you make and how?

Because film is such a large entity, there is a wide variety of content that you can make. For example, similar to many people within the film industry I would love to make a feature film. An example of something that I have always wanted to turn into a feature is a documentary centred around illegal street vendors, as whenever I see these people I feel a sort of sadness for them as many of us have come in contact with them, however most of us know very little about their lives, and how much of a struggle it must be. I would also like to make a feature set over the course of a run, but throughout it the viewer is present with a series of flashbacks until we finally find out why they are running.

Other than a feature I would like to make smaller pieces of content, such as, video essays, film reviews and I think we really need a regular TV show on film!

What are the options for funding and distribution?

Two of the hardest parts of creating a feature is the funding and distribution that goes with it. Firstly, funding can be a real struggle, especially when making your first short, as only a few people with have confidence in someone that hasn’t got any proper work behind them. Luckily, there are still options, for example, in the session with Amy O’Hara who is the Talent Executive from Film Hub North she gave us a talk on financing short film, and how the BFI can provide filmmakers money to finance a short-film. Another possible route for funding can be crowd souring through using websites such as Kickstarter. This allows people from all over the world to give money to a project that they believe in, without having to be a traditional producer. However, Richard Heap who is a director that came to see us and show us his feature film, The Runways, told us that because he financed his film the unconventional route, by getting money from lots of different people, he has now found it a struggle to distribute his film. But because of the internet and the rise of streaming services, filmmakers are finding new ways to distribute films. For example, as previously mentioned you can upload work straight to YouTube to raise awareness of your work, or you can upload work to platforms such as, Netflix or Amazon, removing the need for films to be put in cinemas and compete with blockbusters.

Are there other opportunities you are interested in?

While film is really the only thing I want to pursue, if it never worked out one thing I wouldn’t mind doing would be design. This is because I have and still am interested in design, as I find it very interesting how we should correctly design a product or building to maximise our quality of life. I enjoy reading about designers/architects, design movements or researching famous buildings or products. However, something like architecture requires a lot of dedication, as the the university course it requires is very long, and because while i’m interested in it I don’t really want to do it for a living, I’ll probably never pursue it.

I also wouldn’t mind working on a radio station or podcast, as while they are very hard sectors to get in, especially radio, as you almost always need prior connections to get into it, I have always enjoyed listing to the radio, as I find it very entertaining at times and a great way to get information.

What are your next steps?

After I finish sixth-form my next step will probably be going onto university. This is because as I mentioned before, despite the cost, it is a great way to make a large amount of shorts, meet potential filmmakers, gain industry experience, receive lectures off professionals and improve my knowledge on film. Also university is a great experience, where you can meet a lot of new people, experience living independently and join societies.