A Director’s Speech
Truth is, I am terrified. I wasn’t even this terrified the first day I interviewed for my first job or appeared in court. Today and in the weeks leading up to this moment I have experienced butterflies, mosquitoes and cockroaches in my stomach and frankly, I started to wonder, ‘who sent me?” The answer I gave myself was – passion.
For years, decades even, I have been a storyteller and irrespective of all the roadblocks that have stood in my path – and there have been many- I have finally gotten around to making my own film – not just hoping or talking or wishing or listing all the reasons why I haven’t… I did it. And for that reason, inspite of my fear, I am proud of myself. Just a little bit.
I haven’t made a perfect film – I don’t know if I have told the best story either. But I wanted to tell a familiar story in a different way – an unexpected way even. I want my story to grab your attention, I want you to observe the visual cues that have been placed here and there. I want to engage your mind and your senses and the truth is, you have to pay attention as you watch. If you snooze, you lose.
I would like to thank my cast and crew- you will be meeting them shortly – some of them have never shot a film before or acted on camera but they came, willing to teach and be taught – and as my co-producer stated during the shoot, ‘it was one of the most peaceful sets we had ever been on.’ They listened to this newbie director and they did their best to interpret my vision. Thank you to my post-production crew as well – they helped me add the extra zing to this film.
Filmmaking is where I want to be. On this set I was writer, producer, director, production manager, set designer, stunt driver, backup continuity writer and stylist — I was working on five doses of pure adrenaline and two doses of passion but I had never been more alive, purposeful, in-charge and on a mission. I believe absolutely that the media is perhaps the most powerful tool to drive change and I am immensely grateful that I have been given an opportunity to harness this tool.
I thank everyone who has honoured my invitation to share this moment with me and the cast and crew of Relive.
Let the conversations begin.
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