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Who are three contemporaries that you admire, and why?

Phoebe Jane Hart. Amazing LA-based animator and all round great human. Their work has such an idiosyncratic, insane sense of humour that I haven’t seen before. We immediately bonded over a shared love of puppets. 

I love working with creative people, I love the energy of ideas pinging around, people smiling, it’s infectious.

Rodrigue Huart. French genre film master, I love the way he uses music to bring his work to life - that’s something I wrestle with but he has it totally nailed - it gives his films such a distinct edge. Plus he is a great dude.

Cecile Cournelle. A french musician, who directed her own music video - it’s a phenomenal piece, powerful, witty and it shows how inventive you can be on a small budget. It’s always inspiring to meet someone who can mix disciplines, create profound work AND be a total legend.

Above: JamieSonShine by Phoebe Jane Hart

Please share 3-4 pieces of work that exemplify great direction.

This scene [below] from War of the Worlds, directed by Steven Spielberg, iconic. The reveal of the gun. It doesn’t get any better. 

I had always written, and one day I decided to direct a short. I just loved it, in all the ways I didn’t love acting. 

The opening scene of A Man Escaped, directed by Robert Bresson. A whole story told in a single shot of hands. 

This scene from Terminator 2 might be best character introduction ever? Maybe. Maybe.

Above: scene from War of the Worlds, directed by Steven Spielberg

What do you like most about the work that you do?

The free food.

And the creativity, without a shadow of a doubt. Every day is a new challenge, a new idea, a new scheme. I love working with creative people, I love the energy of ideas pinging around, people smiling, it’s infectious.

 I storyboard every cut, and quite often the edit turns out very close to the plan. It’s how I love to work, and I love to share it

What was your journey to becoming a director?

I started out as an actor, and I’m glad I did. It taught me a lot about a set. When you’re a director, you don’t often get to peer into other departments - when you’re an actor, you have all the time in the world to wander around on set. It’s like being an intern, only you’re in costume. I got to work with some incredible talent, some amazing directors, to observe them, see how they ran the set. 

I had always written, and one day I decided to direct a short. I just loved it, in all the ways I didn’t love acting. 

Above: Opening scene of A Man Escaped, directed by Robert Bresson

What is the most valuable skill you’ve learned in your career, and why?

Storyboarding. I storyboard every cut, and quite often the edit turns out very close to the plan. It’s how I love to work, and I love to share it - I find it can really help actors grasp the style and tone of a piece, if they can see it almost like a graphic novel. 

My mentor is my old DVD collection from 2002-2009. It taught me everything I need to know. 

What is one thing every director needs?

Coffee.

Above: scene from Terminator 2, directed by James Cameron

Who was the greatest director of all time? Why?

Impossible question! Spielberg for me, I love his films; the versatility and heart. Kurasawa for the way he edits and moves the camera. Leone for the music. I could keep going. 

Did you have a mentor? Who was it?

My mentor is my old DVD collection from 2002-2009. It taught me everything I need to know, including a valuable lesson about one day being replaced by a new technology.

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