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We've teamed up with the prestigious London Film School so that you can pick the brains of their brightest graduates. If you have any questions about how to get on in the film industry, making your own film, raising funding or even a question on the film you're making for Film nation Shorts - ask our expert.
Send in your questions and then in a couple of weeks the featured filmmaker will get back to you with the answer.
Sasha Collington
'Lunch Date'
SYNOPSIS
2011 was supposed to be Annabel’s year. So why is she here, sitting in a restaurant, being told by a fourteen-year-old that her boyfriend, Thomas, doesn’t want to see her anymore. The small messenger is Wilbur. He has agreed to break the news as payment for borrowing Thomas’s tent. But dispensing with Annabel proves a bigger challenge than Wilbur had anticipated.
Biography
See how our expert became a success, who inspired and motivated them?Sasha Collington graduated in 2009 from the Masters in Filmmaking at the London Film School. She won a Skillset Bursary, a Postgraduate Bursary from South West Screen and a John Brabourne Award to attend the two-year MA.
After graduating, Sasha began work on a feature film screenplay, Another Anna. In 2010, she was selected for the Writers Lab at the Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam, where she spent five months developing the script. After completing the Binger Lab in February 2011, she was selected as a Director for the Berlinale Talent Campus at the 61st Berlin Film Festival.
Sasha returned to London in March 2011, and began work on a new short film, Lunch Date, which she wrote, directed and acted in. As an experiment, Sasha decided to use a crowd funding website to try and raise the budget. The pitch was successful and Lunch Date raised 271% of its initial funding goal in less than two weeks, and was selected by Kickstarter as one of their recommended projects on the home page:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1758348030/lunch-date-a-short-film
Lunch Date is currently in post-production. Sasha is presently doing the final tweaks to her feature film screenplay, Another Anna. She has plans to develop a romantic comedy sitcom.
Your questions answered
Our expert answers your questions providing helpful tips and advice.When did you decide you wanted to work in the film industry and what were the first steps you took to achieving this goal?I think the most difficult thing with film is knowing where to even start. It’s not like wanting to become a lawyer, or a doctor where there is a clear, direct, signposted path. In film, it’s like standing at a crossroads with a hundred possible paths, that are all quite steep, and perilous, and require some climbing through ivy, and brambles, and inching along cliff tops, always with the vague thought that perhaps this path might lead you to the blue sparkling ocean, but then again it might lead you in a giant pointless circle, right back to where you came from. But you know what, you’re willing to take the risk. And there will be moments that are exhilarating and moments that are utterly depressing, some triumphs, but many, many more defeats. But it will certainly be a journey. And now you’ve started on it. Well. There’s no point turning back.
Apparently when I was eight, my Aunt asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I told her, ‘I want to be a film director.’ My Dad overheard this, and he said, ‘If you're going to be a director you really should make a film. Otherwise you're all talk.’ So, with the help of my Mum and Dad (I'm an only child so there weren't any brothers and sisters to help), I made a six-minute film called ‘The Helpful Friend’, in which I played the villain. It was such an exhausting experience (as I hadn't realised you had to repeat the scene so many times) that I decided I never wanted to make another film ever again in my life. So it looked as though my brief film career was going to end there (aged eight.)
Eleven years later, I was studying for a degree in English Literature and Italian at Cardiff University and was preparing to leave for my year abroad in Italy. I had the idea of making a documentary following various students for the year, so I used my student loan to buy a DV camera. I spent nine months filming four friends of mine who were ‘characters’. ‘Just pretend I’m not here,’ I would say from behind a huge lens, while lurking conspicuously in the corner of the room. I spent the summer editing down hundreds of hours of footage into a fifty-minute piece that I was going to submit for broadcast. I sent the film to the then Head of Factual Programming at Channel 5. In my cover letter I described the documentary as ‘fascinating and insightful’. Several weeks later I received a letter from the then Head of Factual Programming at Channel 5. He said that my 50-minute documentary was neither fascinating, nor insightful, but was very well edited. Spurred on by the one encouraging line in the midst of an otherwise not particularly encouraging letter, I decided that I was going to learn as much as I could about the process of film production.
Apparently when I was eight, my Aunt asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I told her, ‘I want to be a film director.’ My Dad overheard this, and he said, ‘If you're going to be a director you really should make a film. Otherwise you're all talk.’ So, with the help of my Mum and Dad (I'm an only child so there weren't any brothers and sisters to help), I made a six-minute film called ‘The Helpful Friend’, in which I played the villain. It was such an exhausting experience (as I hadn't realised you had to repeat the scene so many times) that I decided I never wanted to make another film ever again in my life. So it looked as though my brief film career was going to end there (aged eight.)
Eleven years later, I was studying for a degree in English Literature and Italian at Cardiff University and was preparing to leave for my year abroad in Italy. I had the idea of making a documentary following various students for the year, so I used my student loan to buy a DV camera. I spent nine months filming four friends of mine who were ‘characters’. ‘Just pretend I’m not here,’ I would say from behind a huge lens, while lurking conspicuously in the corner of the room. I spent the summer editing down hundreds of hours of footage into a fifty-minute piece that I was going to submit for broadcast. I sent the film to the then Head of Factual Programming at Channel 5. In my cover letter I described the documentary as ‘fascinating and insightful’. Several weeks later I received a letter from the then Head of Factual Programming at Channel 5. He said that my 50-minute documentary was neither fascinating, nor insightful, but was very well edited. Spurred on by the one encouraging line in the midst of an otherwise not particularly encouraging letter, I decided that I was going to learn as much as I could about the process of film production.
I’m interested in interning as a Producer but not really in Production, I’m more interested in fundraising for films. How would I get into this?I think it's crucial for a Producer to understand how production works. So I would advise doing exactly what you don’t want to do and working in production. If you understand what is involved in the process of actually making a film then this is going to really help you when budgeting and financing one. I think that Producers, like Directors, need to really understand the whole process, as only then will you know which corners you can cut, and which ones you can’t. Any experience you have in production will surely be an asset to your CV when looking for jobs, and will also be useful in terms of contacts for future work.
Also you could apply for a job as an Assistant to a Producer, as then you can learn on the job, and then will learn more about the financing aspect. When I had just graduated from university, I was looking to get experience so I sent my CV and a cover letter to all the production companies in Oxford (where I was living). I didn’t initially get any responses, but then I got a call from a Producer/Director, who was looking for a Research Assistant who spoke some Italian for a documentary proposal. It was only two days work, but it led to future work and one of the projects I worked on ended up getting shortlisted for an Oscar. So I would advise getting out there and contacting people before they advertise roles.
I also think crowd funding is a really interesting area to look into. As a new producer if you can show that you’ve already successfully raised money for shorts, then it stands you in good stead for future projects, and again looks good on your CV, as it shows that you are resourceful, that you’re not going to wait until someone gives you money. You’re going to go out and get it. We raised $5,871 for my last short film, ‘Lunch Date’, in less than two weeks using a crowd funding website. And it means that you can bypass all the traditional waiting time and hoops you have to jump through to get a short film funded. So definitely also an area to look into.
Also you could apply for a job as an Assistant to a Producer, as then you can learn on the job, and then will learn more about the financing aspect. When I had just graduated from university, I was looking to get experience so I sent my CV and a cover letter to all the production companies in Oxford (where I was living). I didn’t initially get any responses, but then I got a call from a Producer/Director, who was looking for a Research Assistant who spoke some Italian for a documentary proposal. It was only two days work, but it led to future work and one of the projects I worked on ended up getting shortlisted for an Oscar. So I would advise getting out there and contacting people before they advertise roles.
I also think crowd funding is a really interesting area to look into. As a new producer if you can show that you’ve already successfully raised money for shorts, then it stands you in good stead for future projects, and again looks good on your CV, as it shows that you are resourceful, that you’re not going to wait until someone gives you money. You’re going to go out and get it. We raised $5,871 for my last short film, ‘Lunch Date’, in less than two weeks using a crowd funding website. And it means that you can bypass all the traditional waiting time and hoops you have to jump through to get a short film funded. So definitely also an area to look into.
I’ve acted for 8 years but have decided that I would like to be behind the camera as a director? Do you know how I could make this transition?Well I think you’ve already got an enormous advantage. Your acting experience is going to ensure you are leaps and bounds ahead of other new directors who aren’t quite sure how to effectively communicate with actors. Now I think you need to focus on learning the technical skills. One option for this is do a filmmaking course, whether it’s a short-term course, or a longer MA. The upside is that you will get a great overview of the technical aspects of film production. The downside is that most filmmaking courses are very expensive. You should definitely look into scholarships and funding. That’s what I did when I was looking for a course, as I didn’t have enough money to pay for the fees. The London Film School, for example, offers bursaries from Skillset. (I was on a Skillset Bursary). You should also look into John Brabourne Awards, and whether your local film borough offers any funding towards film courses.
Once you find a course that you like, I would check how much of the course is practical and how much is theoretical. I think you want to go for a course that is largely practical (say 80%) as I think film is something you learn by doing, and by making mistakes (in my case). And you can always buy books to read about film theory. Talking of books, there are some great ones written on structure and screenwriting, which I think would definitely be worth a read. My favourites are ‘Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting’ by the infamous Syd Field, and ‘Alternative Scriptwriting: Rewriting the Hollywood Formula: Successfully Breaking the Rules’ by Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush.
Being an actor, you’ve probably spent quite a lot of time on film sets, but I think the experience is quite different when you’re part of the crew. So I would also suggest trying to gain experience that way as well. I started out working in the art department on independent features in New York. My first job was as an intern, and then I worked as a Set Dresser and Props Master. It was great as I got to really understand the art department and how that functioned. I think it’s important for a director to understand the different departments, and their roles. And the best way to do this is to go and work in one. The advantage to working on smaller projects, rather than large big budget features, is that you will probably get to be more hands on.
Once you find a course that you like, I would check how much of the course is practical and how much is theoretical. I think you want to go for a course that is largely practical (say 80%) as I think film is something you learn by doing, and by making mistakes (in my case). And you can always buy books to read about film theory. Talking of books, there are some great ones written on structure and screenwriting, which I think would definitely be worth a read. My favourites are ‘Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting’ by the infamous Syd Field, and ‘Alternative Scriptwriting: Rewriting the Hollywood Formula: Successfully Breaking the Rules’ by Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush.
Being an actor, you’ve probably spent quite a lot of time on film sets, but I think the experience is quite different when you’re part of the crew. So I would also suggest trying to gain experience that way as well. I started out working in the art department on independent features in New York. My first job was as an intern, and then I worked as a Set Dresser and Props Master. It was great as I got to really understand the art department and how that functioned. I think it’s important for a director to understand the different departments, and their roles. And the best way to do this is to go and work in one. The advantage to working on smaller projects, rather than large big budget features, is that you will probably get to be more hands on.
What were the key lessons you learned at London Film School?I think one of the most important things that I learnt was through the discipline of shooting on film. At the film school we shot on 16mm and 35mm and were given a limited amount of film stock for each project. We weren’t allowed to use any more. I was always overambitious with my projects, and always had a lot of coverage. This meant that my shooting ratio was always pretty low. On one film it was 2:1 so we only could do one or two takes of each shot, which is quite a lot of pressure if anything goes wrong with the acting or with the camera – for example a bump in the tracking shot. This made shooting rather stressful, but it was really good training in being disciplined about the shots that you choose and the numbers of takes that you do. I think the tendency when shooting on digital is to do hundreds of takes, but on film you couldn’t do this, so it really forced you to be incredibly prepared before a shoot, and rigorous in your preparation. I would storyboard everything, and take photographs with my Director of Photography on a digital camera trying different lenses so that we would have everything prepared before the shoot.
The other important thing I learnt was how much you can achieve in a day’s shooting. In advance of the shoot, there is always a tendency to be optimistic about how many shots and locations you can do in one day, and I would say that especially with student film crews, it’s best to be pessimistic about how many you can do. Because things invariably go wrong – it rains when it shouldn’t, your actor is late, your location falls through. There are always problems. So it’s best to anticipate that there will be problems, and factor in contingency time.
Another important thing I learnt was about story. In my first year at the film school, I was always trying to condense a feature film story into a short film. It took me a while to realise that a good short film is essentially one scene. And keeping the story simple is better than overcomplicating it.
The other important thing I learnt was how much you can achieve in a day’s shooting. In advance of the shoot, there is always a tendency to be optimistic about how many shots and locations you can do in one day, and I would say that especially with student film crews, it’s best to be pessimistic about how many you can do. Because things invariably go wrong – it rains when it shouldn’t, your actor is late, your location falls through. There are always problems. So it’s best to anticipate that there will be problems, and factor in contingency time.
Another important thing I learnt was about story. In my first year at the film school, I was always trying to condense a feature film story into a short film. It took me a while to realise that a good short film is essentially one scene. And keeping the story simple is better than overcomplicating it.
Do you prefer filming in 35mm or digital? Why?Three years ago, when I was at the LFS, I would have said I preferred 35mm hands down. It just looks so incredibly beautiful. And as sophisticated as digital technology is, it never really looks the same. Now, however, I would say that I prefer digital. Simply for the fact that it is so expensive to shoot on 35mm, and for short films and low budget features, it isn’t really feasible. We shot ‘Lunch Date’ on a digital camera and the quality looks great. If we had shot on 35mm we would never have been able to make the film. We would have needed three times the amount of money. So I prefer digital now, in the sense that it has opened up the threshold to more people being able to make films. However, aesthetically, well, of course I will always prefer 35mm.
Do you take on interns for your films? If yes, how do you find these interns?We’ve never had interns, but we always have Runners, and I think essentially it’s the same role. Usually people working as Runners are just starting out in the film industry and are trying to gain experience. We always advertised online for people. I would say that the most important qualities are resourcefulness, and a good energy. Film sets can be long hours, and stressful, so it’s always great to have people who are positive and friendly, and they’re always the people that you want to have back.
Out of all the things you have done, making shorts, going to LFS, Berlin Talent campus etc. Which do you think has made the biggest impact on your career?I think the most pivotal thing for me has been the Writers Lab at the Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam, which I finished in February this year. The Writers Lab is a five-month development lab. They select twenty writers and writer/directors from around the world and you go to Amsterdam for an intensive five months developing your feature treatment into a script. I applied with the first draft of my script, ‘Another Anna’, which is a romantic-comedy-magical-realism-fable about learning to like yourself. They run a series of workshops on different aspects of writing: structure, genre, scene-writing, synopses and you each have a script development consultant who meets with you every couple of months to discuss your script.
I think it was crucial for me for several reasons. The main one being that I discovered the genre that I want to focus on, which is variations on the romantic comedy genre. Prior to the Binger, I had been a bit scared of writing comedy. There is always the worry that, horror of horrors, people won’t laugh. So previously I had focused mainly on drama. So my first draft of the script for ‘Another Anna’ was written as a drama. I had my first development session with two other writer/directors (from Australia and Bolivia) and a Producer (from Colombia) and my development consultant, Olivia Stewart, (the British Producer who produced Brassed Off, The House of Mirth amongst others) and Olivia looked up from the script and frowned at me, and said. ‘It’s not funny. It should be funny,’ and I said. ‘Oh I didn’t write it to be funny,’ and she looked at me and said, ‘But you’re writing a romantic comedy.’
I think this is really crucial. This process of discovering what subjects/genres/stories you want to focus on, to use the cliché: finding your voice. But it’s true. It takes a while to figure out, but I think as a writer or a director, that’s what the beginning of your career is all about. Finding out what it is that you want to say.
I think it was crucial for me for several reasons. The main one being that I discovered the genre that I want to focus on, which is variations on the romantic comedy genre. Prior to the Binger, I had been a bit scared of writing comedy. There is always the worry that, horror of horrors, people won’t laugh. So previously I had focused mainly on drama. So my first draft of the script for ‘Another Anna’ was written as a drama. I had my first development session with two other writer/directors (from Australia and Bolivia) and a Producer (from Colombia) and my development consultant, Olivia Stewart, (the British Producer who produced Brassed Off, The House of Mirth amongst others) and Olivia looked up from the script and frowned at me, and said. ‘It’s not funny. It should be funny,’ and I said. ‘Oh I didn’t write it to be funny,’ and she looked at me and said, ‘But you’re writing a romantic comedy.’
I think this is really crucial. This process of discovering what subjects/genres/stories you want to focus on, to use the cliché: finding your voice. But it’s true. It takes a while to figure out, but I think as a writer or a director, that’s what the beginning of your career is all about. Finding out what it is that you want to say.
When making a film which comes first making a film that you like or making a film that the audience will like?I think you have to make a film to please yourself. I don’t mean this in a self-indulgent kind of way. There’s absolutely nothing worse than watching films that are of interest to no one except the director. I mean a film that’s honest and that is you. Because it’s impossible to ever predict what other people will like. You can’t. So it’s best, in my opinion, to make something that says something that you would like to say, about what it’s like being you, your moments of failure or struggle, and if it’s honest, then I think other people will invariably relate to it.
Which directors inspire you?Elia Kazan, Alexander Mackendrick, David Lynch, Lukas Moodysson, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, Stephen Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, the Coen brothers and lots of others.
What are your top 3 films of all times?It’s very difficult to just name three, and tomorrow I would probably say a different three. But for today, it would be: Blue Velvet, Kind Hearts and Coronets, and Edward Scissorhands.
If you were not a filmmaker what would you be?A ballet dancer (I have never studied ballet, nor do I imagine I would have been very good).
I’ve been attending a performing arts school for over a year now, I have started later than most as I am already 23 and have been trying to find the best way to get started properly on my acting career, what advice could you give me for this please, as I am finding it difficult.Well firstly I think that 23 is still very young, so you don’t need to worry about starting later than other people. It’s great now that you know what you want to do. I think film and performing arts are incredibly hard, so I can definitely empathise with you finding it difficult. Having not come the performing arts route myself, I can only offer advice from my point of view as a director, so I think it’s worth you also speaking to actors. I think with acting, if you’re interested in film in particular, one thing you can do is to apply to short film castings. Saying this, I would try and apply to castings where the script is good, or the director’s previous work looks good, and where the technical facilities will be good. Chances are if that script or that director is good, then that writer or that director will be going places, and you will have been in the short that they made before their feature, which is now premiering at Sundance. It will also look better on your showreel.
I think having a good headshot is really important, as this is the first thing that people look at. So make sure you get several pictures done, and choose the best one. I think actors have to be the most relentless out of all the relentless people who work in the arts, and I really admire that. It’s always disheartening when you are turned down from roles, but you must remember that even the most successful actors suffered from countless rejections earlier on in their careers. You have chosen a difficult career path, I won’t deny that, but if it is what you love doing in life, (and you can’t imagine yourself ever doing anything else) then you must pursue it.
I also think it’s a good idea as an actor to have other strings to your bow, other ways of supplementing your income aside from acting. If you are a good writer, then I would use this to your advantage, as it is an incredible tool. If you’re not getting offered the right roles, then write a good script and cast yourself and get somebody to produce it.
I think having a good headshot is really important, as this is the first thing that people look at. So make sure you get several pictures done, and choose the best one. I think actors have to be the most relentless out of all the relentless people who work in the arts, and I really admire that. It’s always disheartening when you are turned down from roles, but you must remember that even the most successful actors suffered from countless rejections earlier on in their careers. You have chosen a difficult career path, I won’t deny that, but if it is what you love doing in life, (and you can’t imagine yourself ever doing anything else) then you must pursue it.
I also think it’s a good idea as an actor to have other strings to your bow, other ways of supplementing your income aside from acting. If you are a good writer, then I would use this to your advantage, as it is an incredible tool. If you’re not getting offered the right roles, then write a good script and cast yourself and get somebody to produce it.
I'm 14 years old boy based in derby and it's my ambition to become a successful film director. I need help where I can try or help on any film project please, can you give me some advice?Well I’m really impressed that you already know what you want to do, and you’re developing a strategy for achieving it. So in my opinion, you’re already ahead of the game. If I were you, I would start by seeing what local organisations there are in Derby. There is a place called Quad that run workshops, and they have a Youth Forum, which is for young artists, photographers and creatives, aged 14-25. So at 14 you would be eligible. Check out:
http://www.derbyquad.co.uk
I think it would be good for you to join a local organization that does workshops for young people, as they would be well equipped to advise you on anything of interest happening locally that you could get involved with. You can also look at making your own films. (Perhaps you’ve already been doing this). If you don’t have access to a camera, then you could always use a camera on a mobile phone, just to try out ideas. Or write down some ideas and draw a storyboard.
Another very interesting organization is First Light as they work exclusively with young people who want to be filmmakers:
http://www.firstlightonline.co.uk
I think determination is the most important thing with filmmaking. You have to be a little bit relentless and never give up. And you sound determined. And that’s a really good thing.
http://www.derbyquad.co.uk
I think it would be good for you to join a local organization that does workshops for young people, as they would be well equipped to advise you on anything of interest happening locally that you could get involved with. You can also look at making your own films. (Perhaps you’ve already been doing this). If you don’t have access to a camera, then you could always use a camera on a mobile phone, just to try out ideas. Or write down some ideas and draw a storyboard.
Another very interesting organization is First Light as they work exclusively with young people who want to be filmmakers:
http://www.firstlightonline.co.uk
I think determination is the most important thing with filmmaking. You have to be a little bit relentless and never give up. And you sound determined. And that’s a really good thing.
What is next for you?The next stage is a feature film. I’ve written and directed eight shorts, and that’s enough now. So the next stage for me is to get a feature film off the ground, and I also want to develop a romantic comedy series for television.
Where do you see your career 5 years from now?In five years I hope that I have finished my first feature film, and am developing my second feature. I already have the idea. It’s going to be an action adventure comedy.
