The Filmmaking Q+A panel took place on Sunday at Summer in the City 2015. It was run by the team behind the upcoming series Oscar’s Hotel for Fantastical Creatures.
Immediately opening the floor to questions, the group covered various aspects of filmmaking areas and techniques. The team consisted of PJ Liguori, Chris Kendall, Sophie Newton, Louis Grant and Jamie Swarbrick.
(Mitchell Davis was due to attend, but was unable due to sickness – so he was replaced with a stick man with a balloon head.)
With an at-capacity room filled with new filmmakers, there were a lot of questions focussed on budget film-making, and overcoming budgetary restraints. The overall recommendation was to work with what you have around you in any way as a starting point, and to get a team together in order to orchestrate your vision.
The group talked fondly of using locations that they already had access to, such as Sophie’s parents’ basement, or their shared house while in student housing. When someone asked a question about whether or not it was worth a film student going to university, or going straight into the industry, the panel all agreed that while experience is important; they wouldn’t have found people with similar visions, and therefore their creative team, without it.
The group also offered advice who struggle with writers’ block in order to create what they want.
“Get yourself on the internet, that’s a good start,” said Jamie. “Go outside, go somewhere you’ve never been before, go travelling… trains are a good place to get inspired.”
“Don’t force yourself to make something if you can’t do it because you will not get anywhere for a while. Just kind of step away from it, and within a few days you will know the solution, most likely,” explained Sophie.
PJ also said that watching Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the things that helped him combat writing the script for short film Oscar’s Hotel. This has since been turned into Oscar’s Hotel For Fantastical Creatures – a six part series to be released on Vimeo On Demand next month. (You can read up on it here).
They also alluded to the fact that they would be making more announcements about the series on the main stage later that day.
Photos: Michael Dean.
Want more from Summer in the City 2015?
Check out our Summer in the City tag, where you’ll find all of our coverage. Also, why not take a look back at our Photo Recaps from Friday, Saturday and Sunday?
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