Bristol Peace Vigil at Kill the Bill protest, 16th January 2022
I have come to the end of a six months period where I was able to expand my skills and understanding of community based filmmaking. The following is a reflection on this intense and precious time.
First I have to say that it was a fantastic journey that allowed me to dive deeply into this for me relatively new area. Having a grant – DYCP grant by ACE – enabled me to take time off and do things which I would otherwise not be able to afford. I went to several festivals, took part in workshops, did a series of interviews with hugely inspiring filmmakers, benefitted from expert mentoring, and shadowed a community artist. I also could spend time to try out different approaches in how to create films together without the pressure of needing an end result and was able to research and develop proposals for a film and a series of workshops. I am still in awe with the generosity of the all people who gave me their time to answer my questions, who freely shared their advice and expertise. Without them I would not have moved forward the way that I did.
I was also given on multiple occasions, when I least expected, invaluable advice by people in my already existing network, that is by my wonderful mates and colleagues. Visual artist and filmmaker Dr. Dani Landau, for instance, pointed me towards digital storytelling which has inspired me to develop a workshop to share this skill with others. By asking me concrete and piercing questions, the artist Dr. Lucietta Williams helped me to recognise that I can be an experimental filmmaker and work with documentary material. By sheer accident I got involved in an activist group led by Barbara Cook, an artist with expansive experience in community grass roots projects. Whilst working with her, I have learnt about how to engage with people and what it can take to get a project off the ground. I have met many campaigners and active members of the local communities. I also got to know many awe inspiring activists, so much so that I plan to make film about women and activism in Bristol. As part of working on this proposal I have made contacts with very astute yet kind people who have offered academic or theoretic insights into this area. To name but a few: Hannah Lowery, Dr. D-M Withers, Dr. James Watts, Jane Duffus, Dr. Merle Patchett, and Dr. Negar Behzadi. Talking with Dr. Edson Burton made me understand better the interconnectedness of culture and activism within this city.
As part of developing my practice, I have learnt to build a film team from scratch, something that I could not have done half a year ago. All in all good and I look forward to making this creative documentary film come true once funding is in place. Yes, there were blockages and delays due to the current situation. Meetings were post-phoned, once I was locked in the house for over a fortnight. Then mid of January I got ill with the Omicron variant and it took me quite some time to get back to normal. It can’t be denied that the pandemic slowed me down somewhat but it did not define my learning. Instead it made me appreciate even more this opportunity and with it every interaction with other creatives and intellectuals.
I come to realize that without this grant I would have progressed far less. I might have made it to one film festival, would have approached one or two filmmakers and done the odd experiment. It would not have been enough to understand even the raw gist of what it takes to make films let alone with people. That’s why I believe financial support as provided by the Arts Council is vital to the Arts. Without it many artists would not be able to develop their practice beyond university and Art would be ultimately defined by financial privilege. Let’s hope that public funding and with it its democratising power will last so that society carries on being enriched by the many and not only by the few.
loosespace 