FORWARD!

Last week I went to a career's event at the Hazlitt Theatre. There was lots of free food and information that was irrelevant to me.

But there was a talk about film. It was meant to be about filming locally!? Which it wasn't at all. It was very interesting though.

Elaine Wickham, a film producer, from Screen South gave the talk and basically said if we want to be directors. GOOD LUCK. It's hard. And to start making shorts immediately.
She was studying to become a cinematographer but realised she was really good at producing so now she does that. She explained her role and that she basically finds money. And she explained that what people look for on a pitch is the director, the actor and the story and all have to be top notch or it will be turned away.

She also explained the huge importance of the director knowing what they are doing and mentioned Andrea Arnold (Fish Tank) who sounds really inspiring. She said that she made shorts for years and years and took one (Wasp) to sundance or something and it got noticed and she won an oscar for it and as soon as that happened her career spiralled upwards. Because she is a very talented Auteur (don't know if that's right) director and that it is rare to find auteur directors because the studio's and producers usually take the reigns after it's all shot. She also said that Andrea (and many directors) hate producers having been told "you are a necessary evil" by Andrea.

Elaine mentioned a lot of things I already know (but no one else seemed to). Like the Roles in the industry. Like the fact that 1st AD is a career in itself and not a step towards being a director. That people aren't always a cable basher or clapper loader to get higher in the ranks but because that is their career. That you can't go up the step ladder to become a director, you have to direct immediately.

Elaine also illustrated the industry to us. Saying it's a hierarchy. She said you make your way up the hierarchy to get recognized. Then once you are recognized it's like you have been accepted into the "club" in which there is a new hierarchy and so you have to start over again to make your way up THAT hierarchy.

I found it all very interesting and thought I would share some of it.