About Sam Firth
Sam was born and grew up in Walthamstow but moved three years ago to a remote peninsular on the north west coast of Scotland where she teaches film making, edits and writes scripts, and makes her own films. I.D. has also picked up the Best Student Short at the Celtic Media Festival this year.
New Beginnings!
So today I set as the day to start writing my blog about my Depict! British Special Mention Award . . . unfortunately it’s a day that so far seems to be dominated by having no money!
It was fantastic to be at Encounters both as part of Depict! and to have my film in the Best of British section and a few things have happened since then. I’ve had quite a few people get in touch about screening I.D. although nothing definite and I got selected on to the Bridging the Gap documentary making scheme. I’m really looking forward to going to Edinburgh this weekend for the first session. I am one of twelve film makers selected seven of whom get funding to make a ten minute documentary so fingers crossed. I get to hear about their projects on Saturday which will be really interesting. (My film is called Suprise: Your Body is Eating Itself! and it’s also all about me). I’ll tell you more about it in another blog.
Oh and I.D. screened on Sunday at the I.C.A as part of the London Short Film Festival. I used to visit the I.C.A. a lot when I lived in London (I was a bit of a Batmacumba groupie) so it felt great having a film on there even if it is wee and even if I couldn’t be at the screening but Claudia was there as my representative and said the film was well received.
Instead I took the day off and went on a big walk to some waterfalls which have had two weeks now to freeze. I’ve added a picture as they were pretty amazing.
So there seems to be lots and lots of opportunities at the moment but so far no money involved, the lack of money I guess is just typical of the lot of a struggling film maker and largely the result of most of my life choices. Which is why if I am totally honest I had hoped more than anything to win the cash and it’s taken me a while to get my head around this award and what it means. It’s value is certainly more than two grand and I’ll have to keep remembering that when I get my electric bill next month. Having the opportunities makes this a lucky time for me and I have to make the most of it. I also seem to have lots of ideas all achievable with very little money and my faithful Sony Z1 so not a bad position at all to be in. It’s just hard went you have that nagging fear of rent at the back of your mind. The idea of being given a cheque to do what I want with was so appealing. It would have probably vanished on said rent and new shoes but I had grand ideas about spending it on making films.
I think I’m just having one of those days. It’s January and I’ve chosen to live in the middle of nowhere. I love this place and the inspiration I get from it, but it costs an arm and a leg if I want to go anywhere. Life seems such a fine balancing act and today I am spinning plates.
So, enough on life, in terms of the Depict! Award so far the NFTS offered me a selection of three different courses and I’ve chosen Directing Actors which is in February. I chose it mainly on the basis of it filling me with the most fear which seemed a good reason. BAFTA have assigned Antonia Bird as my mentor which is very exciting and I’m hoping to meet her when I’m in London doing the NFTS course. All I need now is to find the money for the boat hire and train fare to get there!
I did get very excited about the idea of bringing my BAFTA mentor to Knoydart so they could spend some time away from the London centric film industry walking in the mountains with me and discussing life, art and film making then show their films to the other hundred people who live here in the village hall as a way of sharing my prize with my local community, but for some reason BAFTA didn’t seem to go with the idea.
The most remote film festival on mainland Britain is however a tentative plan that might just come off (although yet again, not a venture that is going to make a lot of money). Hey ho, such is life!
Over and out for now.
This entry was posted
on 12 Jan, 2010.
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3 Responses to “New Beginnings!”
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Hi Sam
Been meaning to email you. Congrats again on the award and great that Antonia Bird is your mentor. Look forward to following your progress and most of all look forward to developing Britain’s Most Remote Film Festival with you! Will be up your way in early June for planning meeting. Til then will email you.
all best n enjoy the frozen snowy Scottish landscapes.
best
Mark
ps cant see your pic of iced up waterfall
And the good news is Sam’s now been offered a travel bursary by BAFTA and Watershed so she can take part in the NFTS course and meet he mentor in the big smoke:)
Hi Sam,
Glad to hear you’re keeping the creative fires burning through the winter months.
The feedback we got from Michael, who attended the course as an award winner last year, was that the course was hugely beneficial and inspiring so we’re looking forward to hearing how you get on.
Good luck with the Bridging the Gap application and I look forward to reading you’re next update.
All the best,
Rich
ps – loving the pics of your thought processes!