This project began in 2008
with the introduction of a digital filming device and a realization that its
operator, me, had the ability to deliver a message to a widespread audience...
an exciting discovery I must say! Within a few months I had resigned from my
inner-city office position and begun focusing my life on learning the art of
moving picture, which in a similar time frame quickly evolved into my
relocating to a remote island where I’d live and document a foreign culture for
almost a year.
The inspiration came from a
young man, native to the region, whom I had met whilst staying at a surf resort
there in January 2009 - a luxury also credited to this new-found passion. This young man’s
positive outlook on life and similar behaviors were most captivating,
especially in light of the worlds state of affairs, sparking excitement within me to learn more. Besides the time spent purchasing suitable filming equipment, there wasn't a great deal of planning.
I was presented with a
number of challenges throughout, beginning with building their acceptance, learning the
languages, the culture, and the skills to survive. I was alone too, which had
its difficulties. The rewards though would render all this quite irrelevant.
The challenge now, and a great one at that, has been readapting to the lifestyle
needed to develop all this into a feature-length documentary film.
Through this recent discovery of filmmaking, a passion for telling stories generated from real life situations, engaging with real life
subjects and real life issues has arisen. I have interest in ethnographic research, adventure and strong views on
equality so I wish to further develop this path as a documentary filmmaker. With a mere 2yrs experience I am yet to really scratch the surface of knowledge needed to achieve my
ambitions as a filmmaker. A mentor and some guidance, which could be gained from
your scholarship, would be invaluable to me.
Learning more in regards to the sustainable tourism aspect would also be extremely valuable as I am working on developing a support program
for Indigenous communities in this island region.
