Sam Taylor-Wood masterclass

I went to the London Film Festival’s masterclass with Sam Taylor-Wood. She was very uncomfortable being in front of everyone. The guy who interviewed her was great. He mentioned that he’s known her for years, and the effect was of someone who a. knew his subject really well, and sounded like he’d been there with her along her journey, and b. she felt comfortable as he drilled her for information during the interview.

The amazing thing is that she’s only made two narrative films. The first was Love You More, which I’d seen at BAFTA a few months ago. Produced by Anthony Mingella, written by Patrick Marber. Bloody hell, what a great start! The way she told the story Minghella had approached her to direct a feature film. I wish she’d given more detail on how this came about.

I guess when you’re a renowned artist then for an imaginative producer it’s not such a leap to envisage the next step for you. I wonder who the current Minghella is? Who are the successful directors and producers who’ll help out up and coming talent?

Anyway, he’d approached her to direct a feature and strategically they realised she should direct a short film first. And with Seamus McGarvey as long-time collaborator and DOP… Presumably Minghella already new Marber, and was able to get funding, and the rest as they say…

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it was all about the contacts and nothing else. I can see from her work that it has a really strong energy. I don’t know how else to put it. It just vibrates with such a strong emotion. So much tension. Stuff just about to happen. The first play of Love You More (the song) and they’re not even facing each other. And effectively nothing happens except she takes her tie off, and her foot touches his leg.

“Gob on me” she says. Brilliant line. Specifically from that era. Pure punk. Probably lost on most viewers, but great because it’s so totally of its time. Once that line’s been said you realise there’s nothing else that could ever have been said instead. Superb.

Anyway, the lessons I take from this are:

a. Get a brilliant script. Nothing less than a brilliant script.

b. Work with an experienced and well-connected producer.

c. Get a great cast.

d. Work with an excellent DOP

e. Work with an excellent Editor

There you go: Great source material and superb cast and crew. I guess the skill there is in making those selections. Knowing what/who’s out there. Aspiring to something great. If I followed that recipe I’d get the Palme D’or at Cannes and then funding to make a feature film.

There was something that struck me in the way she engaged with the interview, in her willingness to really engage with the questions he asked her. Since I’ve been studying at Ravensbourne I’ve noticed a certain way of being with certain people. It shouldn’t surprise me but it does. Simply put, it’s that people engage with the questions. In the production world it’s much more about getting stuff done, and often things aren’t explained very well. In the university there’s a whole value placed on clarity, which I guess is a natural outflow of the educational environment.

The long and short of it is that now I’m in that environment where great value is placed on proper thinking, I can see how STW was operating in the style of ‘an educated person’, as someone who thinks about things.

I’m not sure I’ve managed to convey my observation that well. What’s happening with me, to me, is that I’m changing quite rapidly in my new environment, particularly as an MA student. I’m loving that chance to think, to explore my own art form of filmmaking, if you like.

Previously I’ve been all about how to make films, how to become a director. But a massive key component to my success is in the subjects I choose and the way I engage with those subjects ie story and directing.

I can really see the MA shaping up as my “track to run on”. Simply carving out that time each week to be there and engage is wonderful. I feel like Educating Rita. I think my fellow students must be really intelligent, and then there’s the whole language of education which can act as a barrier to engagement.

I’m loving it. Loving being engaged in ideas, and in discussing how I can exemplify and explore these ideas using my chosen art form of filmmaking. And guess what, this then gives me a whole bunch of material and practice at making films. The benefits are enormous, in developing my mind and expanding my showreel. It’s a win-win situation!

It’s amazing that there are now two women directors I know of who are new to the scene and both in their 40’s – Andrea Arnold and Sam Taylor-Wood. I want to interview both of them.

I’m really enjoying engaging with my MA at a filmmaker level. What I like right now though is that I’m starting to find my feet at Ravensbourne, and I could get access to all sorts of kit and crew. And the track I’ve built for myself to run on could look like directing 2 dramas (designed to win major awards) and 1 feature-length documentary over the next 2 years.

The thing I got yesterday, amongst other things, is that STW approaches the whole game as an artist. I need to do that too. To start using my camera as my brush. To move away from words on a screen, and instead practice on a daily basis, the putting of ideas onto camera, thru editing, and onto the screen.