BACK TO OFFICIAL PROJECTS
Originally titled �Solar Powered�, this is one of the short films I have made for BBC Local TV through the Rural Media Company in Hereford. Having completed �Coming Home� I was able to get involved with some more projects and take the lead in capturing the events on tape. This short focuses on Anne, a local woman who is a supporter of green issues � she grows her own food, rides a bicycle, collects rain water and also uses solar power to help fulfil her energy needs. Most impressive of all is the solar panel in her field, which rotates to follow the sun and can even harness energy on a cloudy day by lying flat, face up. Organised by James Clarke, I was put in charge of shooting and editing the piece. On our first visit we interviewed Anne and then had to come back on a sunny day (it had been raining otherwise) to get the visual stuff to illustrate the texture of her lifestyle. Working on the BBC Local TV project has been great experience, one of the most important lessons is how to deal with a variety of people � from the mature Anne all the way down to primary schoolers (for a film on making kites � I did the filming). Conveying your job and how we need to go about it to complete strangers who have no training in, or perhaps even understanding of, the audio/visual industry can prove challenging. However, this experience really teaches you how to work with people who aren�t actors, they�re not filmmakers � they�re ordinary people. It teaches you understanding, patience and how to communicate effectively � plus it makes you much braver � heading into a classroom packed with kids carrying the attention-grabbing camera equipment can be a terrifying prospect � you start thinking of �Children of the Damned� if you�re not careful!
