JASMINE

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WHEN AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO FILM?

 I think I realised film was a career path/hobby I wanted to take up two or three years ago when I started to mess around with visual footage I had downloaded from YouTube on premiere pro. It started with making edits and showing that interest in creating small stories through bits of archival footage. I then started studying my current screen and sound production degree which has allowed me to use the equipment and programs I need to sharpen my technical skills. 

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WHAT INFLUENCES THE FILMS YOU CREATE? WHERE DO YOU DRAW

INFORMATION FROM?

I'm actually a bit of a history nerd and I draw a lot of inspo from looking at old photos and video footage from the sixties to nineties. I take note of the angles and techniques that have been used over time and that mirror the era the photo or video was taken in. I'm really into researching subcultures, especially youth communities, throughout history. I like the sense of free will and self expression a lot of these groups give individuals that are reflected nicely in a lot of archival footage. I don't think I'm into the idea of finding something 'new' and 'unique', I like using film as a way to appreciate the ways humans have expressed themselves over time.  

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WHAT DO YOU THINK IS MORE IMPORTANT; STORY TELLING OR AESTHETICS? 

They're both equally important factors to a successful film, but I do believe the storytelling is so very key. If your plot is poor, to an extent you can save your ass and create incredible aesthetics to draw the audience in and it really depends on the film that you're making, however, usually the story line really is the solid foundation for your film. It's like a building - you can add beautiful decorative features on the outside but if you're curious and walk inside and the building is extremely unstable and the stairs lead to dead ends you're going to be standing there trying to figure out why the inside is so hard to navigate and the outside won't have that much of an impact anymore. Your film needs to have depth for a lasting impact and a further appreciation of its aesthetics.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT FILM COMPARED TO OTHER MEDIUMS?

I like the freedom it gives you to capture the world from your perspective. You control every bit of movement and every angle you give the camera, you control who and what you want to focus on and who you give a voice to and there are so many ways to execute your or your crews vision. With mediums like painting or photography, you're working with still works of art. With film you're working with movement and flow and after you film, the post-production process gives you such a huge amount of flexibility to chop and change how you want the world to see your story. 

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WHAT PART OF FILM MAKING DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST?

For me it's post-production just because I have so much creative control over my work throughout that period of time and it's the best feeling in the world when the project is completed and you get to watch it in its final form for the first time. I also really enjoy interviewing people when filming a documentary, it's great getting to know someone and hearing their stories and worldview. 

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ARE YOU WORKING ON ANY PROJECTS CURRENTLY?

I'm about to start working on a new dog town themed video project for an exhibition in September...that's about as much information as I can give ;)

YOU RECENTLY PRODUCED A SHORT DOCUMENTARY 'WE SHARE THE LANGUAGE OF RHYTHM' HOW DO YOU FEEL DOCUMENTARIES COMPARE TO OTHER FORMS OF MEDIA IN OUR TECHNOLOGICALLY SKILLED SOCIETY? 

I think there's always a rawness and level of spontaneity when it comes to the documentary process that you don't experience to the same extent with other forms of media. You can plan out your questions and equip yourself with the highest quality cameras, and obviously preparation is key in any huge creative project, but you will never know what to expect from the footage you take on the day and your subjects. It's a bit of an art form, being able to work with the subjects you are filming or interviewing in a way that will get you the footage or answers you desire - you have to exercise empathy and a genuine interest in each person you film so your discussions have more substance and depth. I think it differs from other forms of media as artistic and aesthetic ability is not as much of a focus as the connections formed between the interviewer and interviewee It's about human connection and stories...documentaries reveal controversial and unseen behaviours and communities in society without the sugar coating and photo-shopping.  

ED A SHORT WITH THE CREATION OF YOUR OWN MEDIA COMPANY, 'FOOLS PARADISE MEDIA' HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR CAREER IN FILM EXPANDING FROM HERE?

I hope to start making more mini-documentaries under that name and getting it out into the public eye a little more. I'd like to start to make the most of the freedom and leisure I have making my own films without the pressure of monetising it, and then seeing where that takes me. I don't want FP media to begin as a highly commercial business, I want to have a little bit of fun filming first while I have the time and ability to experiment, I'd like to think of it as a platform for me to expose the social and cultural importance of filmmaking, money is just a bonus.