Finally I 'Sea'

Lessons I have learnt: from a young woman starting out in the industry

I have just finished producing my first short documentary, ‘Finally I Sea’. Because of my recent MA in Wildlife Filmmaking, it was the first story that I felt I was able to do justice, and have learnt some valuable skills. Producing this film has taught me a few things about filmmaking and I am grateful to Ocean Culture Life for giving me this platform to share my thoughts. I hope that what I have to say helps other young people that are new to the industry.

The first thing that I have learnt is that you need to be passionate about the story you’re telling. This is what will drive you when the process gets difficult, and it is what will ultimately make you feel fulfilled. I am so grateful to have learnt that I’m incredibly passionate about helping disadvantaged people connect with nature. This not only made ‘Finally I Sea’ an incredibly rewarding process but has also given me a drive to continue helping others which I think is invaluable.

I also learnt that I am more capable than I thought. I have always been the first person to believe that I can’t do something and during my time in Bristol, I’ve noticed that a lot of women around me do this as well. Producing a film sounded extremely daunting to me. I didn’t believe that I had the technical skills or the confidence to make decisions during a shoot and the list goes on. But I did it. There are so many incredibly talented women in this industry. We need to start trusting in our abilities. We are capable.

Lastly, I realised how privileged I was. I was very fortunate to be able to make this film due to monetary help from Ocean Culture Life and my fundraiser, as well as being able to borrow kit from my university. If I wasn’t in this fortunate position, I would not have had the means to make this film a reality. This is an issue that stops so many talented and enthusiastic individuals from getting into the industry.

I want to say a huge thank you to Ocean Culture Life and the Ocean Born Foundation for their incredible work. They are helping to give young filmmakers a voice and I am so happy to now be a part of their wonderful community of storytellers. I hope that other companies follow in their footsteps and make filmmaking a more viable career for people from all walks of life.