'Gimme Love' - (JOJI FAN-MADE MUSIC VIDEO)

November 2019 (16 y/o) 

The first thing you'll notice about my fan-made music video is that I put the open bracket in the wrong place. The music video is important for me, not only because it was the first time I went out with a camera and made something worthwhile, but because it was me forgiving George Miller, JOJI, for giving up on FilthyFrankTV. Sounds strange, I know, and I'm not gonna elaborate.  Samuel Grant, the guy I made it with, was one of the most willing people I've ever met. Usually, you have to convince your fellow classmates to go into streams barefoot or walk down a drain pipe, but not with Sam. 

He was the one willing me to do this stuff, and I'll always be glad that he did. Sam was a pleasure to work with. Looking back at it as a 21 y/o, this was where my love for editing began. I saw it as tedious and repetitive beforehand, but this helped me believe that there was some fun to be had. Some mistakes that I wish I knew: Don't leave the tripod in the background of a shot, apparently, it's 'unprofessional' and 'distracting for the viewer'. Also, always bring a spare SD card (I'm sure you can guess why). Furthermore, buy a cop jacket for the cop to wear... Obviously.

BJ

JILL

March 2023 (19 y/o)

Well, the first year of university came and went in the blink of an eye. I was excited to crack on with the second year and finally start making a film. We had to pitch a few ideas to my lecturers, however, I hadn't properly read the brief. I pitched 2 ideas that were both over 10 minutes each, however, the film only needed to be 3 minutes. This led to me cutting down quite a long idea into a 4 1/2-minutes short. 

Despite that, I think it's still fun. I spent a long time being ashamed of this film, thinking it wasn't good enough for where I wanted to be, but I look back with fondness. I think it's everything it needed to be, and beyond. It was sophisticated, or emotionally impacting, but it feels personal, and I hope that it translates that way. 

Plus, the music by Reuben R-T was fantastic. That guy knows how to use a piano. Many times in this production did it felt hopeless, our group got torn apart, my screenplay got changed several times, and every actor in it wasn't even into acting; they're all just friends. 

You see the main guy (tall guy), that's Scott, one of my best mates. He just said yes on a whim, and he was a fucking life-saver. He smashed it in front of the camera, and he continues to help out behind the camera in every project since. 

BJ

CONTEMPT

March 2021 (17 y/o)

Like most people, I had a few good months off due to the unforgettable event that occurred in 2020, and to be honest, it put my head in the perfect place to make something like 'contempt'. It was I, realising how much I loved story-telling that doesn't need sense or purpose.

After watching movies by Danny Boyle and Darren Aronofsky since making this, it was a no-brainer that I'd inevitably fall in love with their works. Like most productions (or my productions at least), there was chaos. Halfway through filming the scene in the woods, a storm hit. Heavy rain, lightning, the whole lot. We had to rush the camera equipment, the cast and the crew back to the local Tesco's to keep ourselves dry. Many lessons were learnt that day. After completing the rough cut, I submitted it to the college due to it being made for an assignment. And then I left it and left it and left it. I never got back to it, and in the process, I lost all of the original footage. And thus the rough cut became the final cut. IDK if I'm just coping, but I think it gives it more character if anything...I've always been eager to create psychedelic and off-putting stories, films that need to be dug into and analysed. Character arcs that are hard to pick out, even though they've been staring you in the face the whole time. This film was my first uneducated step into that world.

Like most productions (or my productions at least), there was chaos. Halfway through filming the scene in the woods, a storm hit. Heavy rain, lightning, the whole lot. We had to rush the camera equipment, the cast and the crew back to the local Tesco's to keep ourselves dry. Many lessons were learnt that day. After completing the rough cut, I submitted it to the college due to it being made for an assignment. And then I left it and left it and left it. I never got back to it, and in the process, I lost all of the original footage. And thus the rough cut became the final cut. IDK if I'm just coping, but I think it gives it more character if anything...

BJ

Let Me In

June 2023 (20 y/o)

I was eager, ready, and determined after releasing my first official short film. JILL had gotten me ready and excited for what was next, so I worked on my next short entitled 'Let Me In'. I wrote this in two days and started sending it to multiple actors and friends. Everyone thought the idea was decent and intriguing, but unfortunately, what you see on screen is not what was ever intended. 

The film's production was as tight as tight could be. The first day, we were supposed to film a whole 2-minute scene that took place at a graveyard (featured in the film), but by the time we got there, the rain was chucking down, and none of my actors/crew turned up. And thus, we only got one shot. The shot was good and did what it needed, but it was a shame. I spent the end of the first night rewriting the whole film to make sense without this scene. 

Unfortunately, the film was a bit jank, and I feel the final story lacks clarity. THAT BEING SAID, the music, the acting, and the weird lighting are still some strong points. I learned a lot from this one; if anything, I learned too much.

BJ 

Never or Forever

Disregarded Danger