Like any other film student/maker aspiring to break out into the industry, becoming part of Sheffield Doc/Fest’s Youth Jury is certainly an incredible way to kick-start a career - and that’s just the beginning!
Part of this life-changing experience was the three-day Hothouse Project. I, and the other five youth jurors, had the chance to experience the fast-paced lifestyle living at the heart of London and better yet, had the chance of meeting some of the industry’s leading figures. It was a privilege to meet multi-award winning producer Simon Chinn and to learn about his thoughts about the industry and what the process was like behind some of his most notable productions – Project Nim (2011), Searching for Sugar Man (2012) and Man on Wire (2008). It was also incredibly great to gain key, first-class advice on how to break out to the industry, what works and what doesn’t.
We also met award-winning director Penny Woolcock and got the chance to talk about her journey to documentary film-making. Personally, it was very inspiring to learn about her experiences and what it’s like being a director in the industry. It was definitely a highlight to learn about some of her films – Tina Goes Shopping (1999), The Death of Klinghoffer (2003) and Principles of Lust (2003) – the process and what makes it her own.
Film4 editor Catherine Bray also gave us insight perspective on the more contemporary and digital side of the industry, focusing on film criticism and start-up productions. We also got the chance to talk about a film she co-produced called Beyond Clueless, and how her and her team managed to pull together a fascinating documentary about the phenomenon of the high school experience in fiction films.
Altogether, these three key figures have provided us with extremely helpful advice on how to break out into the industry and insightful knowledge about what makes a great documentary - but our journey doesn’t stop here. We look forward on attending Sheffield Doc/Fest this June, meeting new individuals and professionals alike from the industry and awarding the Youth Jury award to one film, which I’m sure, will be one tough job.