Ever wondered what it’s like to pitch an idea to executives working in the top TV studios in the world? So did I, and then in the summer of 2021, I was invited to pitch my TV series concept to the makers behind Joker, Arrival, and channel 4’s
Career
As someone who studied film at university and hated it, became a commercial filmmaker, a BFI-funded writer/director, and now teaches film at a university, I feel pretty uniquely placed to answer this question. Or at least attempt to… If you want my short answer, it’s this - you
Career
It’s that time of year again; directors in the UK are scrambling to find a producer to pitch for BFI Network Short Film Funding. Let me breakdown how I found my producer for our successful BFI application in 2023. If you are a director, this might feel like an
Cinematography
BBC’s Planet Earth is a spectacle of nature, a ‘thing of beauty’, and a masterclass in cinematography. I was asked to replicate this look, and after a week of disappointing shoots and mishaps, capturing nothing but trashcan-worthy footage, I finally figured out how to do it. There is no
Career
This article contains affiliate links to Skillshare, which means I receive commission should you purchase something through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you! In 2022, I said no to my largest client on a new bigger ad, told my regular commercial producers that I was no
Career
After a year of post-production, we are on the brink of submitting Green Grass to film festivals, which made me wonder, how much do people know about film festival strategy? A few years ago, I had no idea how to approach a film festival run. When Green Grass was commissioned,
Storytelling
Should you pay someone to read your script? Money is tight enough as a filmmaker, is it really worth the extra outlay? How do you know if their opinion ill help or hinder? You get bad script consultancy and good script consultancy, and as someone who has paid for consultancy
latitudefilmschool.com
We protect our camera gear, our screenplays, and our local film awards sat on the bookcase, but are we doing enough to protect our mental health as freelance filmmakers? Now let me firstly just state that I am not a mental health expert. If you need serious help, then you
Talk about a loaded question. An argument as old as time; should you do work for free? Work takes skill, time, and energy, so is it ever worth volunteering that, whether it be for your benefit or the benefit of others? It is definitely not as black and white as
I’m going to keep this one brief. No. But you do need something. In the 11 years I have been working as a filmmaker, I have only ever once made a showreel. No job or film fund has ever been given to me because of a showreel. Showreels make
Clients, deadlines, tax returns, shooting schedules…the list of tasks to do as a freelancer is never-ending and at times it can be intensely stressful. So you better figure out a way of balancing it all without damaging your health and happiness in the process. My personal life can be