Remembering the people who have supported you at such an early stage of your development as a Director is so important. it’s those people that I remember when a fellow director or producer phones me up asking for crew recommendations or references. Too many filmmakers shit on people in order to get what they want, they have one goal- solely to make the film and they don’t care about the carnage that they leave behind. A wise person once told me “Be careful of who you step on if you think you are on the way up! You will have to pass them on the way back down!”
Photograph by Ian McCormick
So when Campbell Miller from Focus Films mentioned that he was planning on filming a short film called ‘The Poison Tree’, I was already involved even before receiving the script. I can honestly declare that if it weren’t for his enthusiasm and SERC equipment, Desecration would not have been completed on time. I will always be truly grateful for that.
Photograph by Ian McCormick
Photograph by Ian McCormick
Once I received the script for ‘The Poison Tree’ I was even more delighted and not just because it featured a good ending! It was a great story and the dialogue was written beautifully. After a few chats with the Director and Writer, I was ready to join the team over the three day shoot at the Ulster American Folk Park (which I must state were an incredible host!). The lads made it happen and I respect anyone who gets out and gives it a go whist respecting the basics of filmmaking. I have no time for “filmmakers’ who cannot even get the basics right.
Photograph by Ian McCormick
Photograph by Ian McCormick
Apart from my passion for storytelling, I am grateful to have another passion in my life- and this is my cinematography. I once mentioned on Twitter recently that “I see the world in exposure levels and tonal range- it does do my head in sometimes!” and it’s true! But I do take personal pride in my lighting set ups and the results hopefully show on screen. I’ve been making things look more expensive and beautiful than they really are for the last three years now and I will continue to do so in the future! Just like my Directing, I’m still learning and I will never stop learning. But what I can promise to the Director I am working for, is total dedication to the project. No egos attached just a positive result.
Photograph by Scattered Images
Photograph by Scattered Images
