Artist Statement

As an artist, I have grown exponentially over the past three years. Having studied filmmaking at LIPA, I have grown more and more comfortable in my craft and my intended career role as a Director. As I have grown, my one major goal has not changed whatsoever. To provide my audience with a world to escape to, to distract them or to comfort them from the sometimes harsh realities of their lives. Growing up, due to my ongoing family issues and personal mental health struggles, I found a lot of comfort within Film and Media. Watching these characters, getting lost within these worlds and being invested in these stories, it just made me forget about all of worries, my issues, it gave me an outlet to feel happy.

Which is why I have now devoted my career to being able to tell these stories myself. Creating these films, I would love it if even just one person would find comfort and escapism in it, if I could affect just one person, make their day a little bit better, I would know I have succeeded in what I set out to do.

As you'll see from my Portfolio, I have garnered quite a few projects under my belt. Ranging from dramatic pieces based on real events to comedic short films with an absurd situation. My mantra when going onto the next project is how can I challenge myself more? How can I do something different from the last one? I want to keep things fresh and exciting for myself because if I'm enjoying it, if I'm being challenged myself, I can challenge my audience in a similar way. Famous Director Peter Jackson once said, "the most honest form of filmmaking is to make a film for yourself". That is exactly what I intend to do for all of my work, to make what I want to see, what I relate to in that point in my life, what story I need to tell and what story I feel like the world needs to hear.

My overall Career ambition is to become a Director in Film. It's what I've been building towards since the start of my filmmaking career. Making mistakes, learning from each project as I complete it, becoming a better creative all around. Directing is something that I find the upmost joy in doing, being the creative driving force for telling the story and working with like-minded creative people who are just as passionate about film as I am.

About Me: About

My Early Years

I was born in Devon, Plymouth in 2000. Having moved up to the North West when I was still a young boy, I was housed and raised in Burnley. Growing up in a fairly Lower/Middle Class household, I found a lot of comfort in Film and Media, learning about it, about the world through the lens of a camera.

From a young age, I have been exposed to Film and various pieces of Media. Having been born at the beginning of the turning point of the Internet, I grew up with it always there to provide me with whatever I needed at the time. Constant content at my fingertips, never being bored, always finding something to watch, to play, to read, to write, I have always had access to these creative outlets.

"Computers and Cellphones, and the constant stream of stimuli they offer, pose a profound new challenge to focus and learning" - This statement from the New York Times is something that I fundamentally disagree with, I never thought that the emergence of the Internet would be something that would replace the old ways of learning but something that would advance and support them in their quest to teach. My experience, shaping who I am and what I know mainly through my viewings of films, is something that I would not change for anything. Films made me who I am, and for that I am eternally thankful.

I've attended all levels of education up until this point:

Holy Trinity Primary School
Blessed Trinity High School
Thomas Whitham Sixth Form (Studying English Literature + Language, Psychology and Sociology)
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (BA Creative Technologies and Performance)

About Me: Bio

"To be a Director is to have at once a strong ego and a profound sense of humility, an overall knowledge of the many skills that go into production and an acute awareness that, in the end, it is others that are involved in putting your vision to the screen"

Myrl A. Schreibman

About Me: Quote

My Work

When it comes to my Projects, I only ever have one requirement before I start. That requirement is that I need to be emotionally invested in the idea, so I can guarantee that my best work will be put into it. I like to do things that interest me, that can keep me invested and engaged with the story, ever single one of the projects that you find on this Portfolio is something that I have been very attached to at the time of making it.

I find that my work usually attempts to tackle an issue or a value that I hold close to me. Throughout my life, I have gone through a number of events that have fundamentally changed me, and as a result, I try to make sure that all of my projects have a personal connection. For example, a lot of my films tend to have female leads, because I grew up in a female centric household, I am very passionate about Feminism and Equality in all areas of society.

I feel that without that personal hook to keep the filmmaker invested, you really lose the humanity in the film. You can really tell the difference between a film that has the Director's full attention and a film that doesn't. It can feel artificial, forced even. In my work, I want to be able to find a personal hook that warrants me making this piece, something that justifies that this story needs to be told by me and only me.

My main goal when creating a short film, or a radio play, or a theatrical based piece, is to provide my audience with the same luxury I got from Film and Media when I was young. To provide them with an effective form of escapism. What got me through a lot of the hardships I faced in my youth was Film, watching these stories unfold allowed me to forget about it all, to truly get invested and enjoy my time with these characters. That's something that I want to provide in all of my work. A way for people of all ages to forget about their troubles and just enjoy watching a film, to get them away from their harsh realities.

About Me: Image

My Skills and Knowledge

Job Roles:
Director
Producer
Writer
Camera Operator
Editor
First A.D.
Runner

Skills:

Leadership
Management
Collaborative Working
Adaptability
Creative Problem Solving
Administration

Knowledge:

Blackmagic Pocket Edition 4K and 6K
Premiere Pro
DaVinci Resolve
Audacity
Reaper
Microsoft Office

About Me: Text

My Inspirations

Growing up, I have formed my own style and approach to filmmaking but I have not done it without anything or anyone to aspire towards. I have developed a lot of heroes within the industry and also found myself inspired by a lot of critical theories and movements within Film itself.

Starting with my personal heroes, they are as followed:

Robert Zemeckis - This man has created many of my favourite pieces of media. Director of the Back to the Future Trilogy, Forrest Gump, A Christmas Carol, Castaway and many more. The way he finds the intimate character journey in ever story and brings it to the forefront is something that I can only aspire to get close to. In an interview with Little White Lies, Robert said about his filmography, "what attracted me to all those stories was the journey of the characters.". His style of character above all else really resonates with mine, giving me the drive to find the characters in all of the projects that I undertake.
Bong Joon Ho - A Korean filmmaker, he created the fantastic 2013 film Snowpiercer and more recently, created the Oscar-winning Parasite. What drives me to him isn't the quality of his films, it's his drive behind said films. He tells stories about Class Inequality and various different issues that he feels are important for him to tell in his films. He has managed to smash through the language barrier in film in a way that no other filmmaker has in my opinion, in doing so, he brought his ideals and values with him. He describes people who are less fortunate in their financial situations as "People in societies' blind spots", noting his wording as blind spots, his views on the gap between the rich and the poor is something that I feel that no other filmmaker on this high of a platform has really understood. As someone from a working/middle class background, it's important to me to be able to see these issues brought up on such a major platform. I relate to him, relate to his views and the values he stands for.
Ryan Coogler - An American filmmaker with a unique voice in today's cinematic landscape. From his roots in Fruitville Station to his turn with Creed and his monumental achievement in Black Panther, all the way to most recently, his completely authentic and soulful release of the film Sinners. I've found his films to be so personal and intimate, no matter the scale or the material he is adapting, he manages to always find a way in that ensures his creative voice is heard. He is so authentically himself and you can see it present in his work, the characters are all well defined and true, the way he collaborates with people, and how fearless he is in adapting issues that are present even today. Ryan Coogler is such an important voice in today's media, because he proves to people like me, that it's okay to be yourself and that it's okay to stand and fight for what you believe in.
Chloe Zhao - A Chinese filmmaker who has recently become a big name in the Directing world. She helmed the acclaimed Nomadland and made a unique experience within the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Eternals. One thing that I really appreciate about Chloe is her approach to Naturalism. She shoots on location, utilises natural lighting and ensures that little VFX are used in the makings of her films. Not because she doesn't like VFX, because she is a grounded filmmaker. She wants to show the world around us as is, and her approach to filmmaking reflects that. I really respect her voice as an artist and can't wait to see what else she does!

Going over to critical theories, I find that a one of them are present in every single one of my projects.

I relate a lot to the movement in the late 1960s, the New Hollywood Cinema movement. The main reason for this, I'd argue, is the ambiguity of the movement itself. Any film or project that finds itself under the umbrella of New Hollywood Cinema is at it's heart, unique. This era really defined the experimental and brave storytelling that cinema is known for now, with no one definition agreed upon. "The label New Hollywood has been attached to what sometimes seems to be a bewildering and contradictory range of Hollywood cinema in recent decades", Geoff King said this in response to the overwhelmingly vast amount of different features released in this era, and this one quote is what excites me about the movement. I adore how unique and experimental this era was, everyone tried everything, George Lucas tried Star Wars, Pixar delved into 3D Computer generated animation with Toy Story, and no one was chastised or abused for it. I relate to this movement so much because it was a movement of creative freedom and autonomy, people just did what they wanted to do and no one said otherwise, if there's one thing that I value in my work, it's creative freedom. I'd prefer to be left alone and let me tell the story, rather than having too many hands stirring the pot.

About Me: About

My Final Statement

I believe in both myself and a world in which everyone is brought together. I want to create stories that will mean something to people, that will connect with them on an emotional level. I adore this artform and want to provide the same level of comfort and relatability that Films and TV has provided for me. I truly love this world and want to showcase just how beautiful and layered it and the people within it, can be.