My Films
We Are Sailing
In 2005 I noticed an advert for a Screenwriting Course and went along to the first session. Apart from knowing screenwriters write films I had no idea what to expect. I became hooked. I loved the idea of structure. Screenwriting seemed to be something you could learn, there were, and are, rules. Which meant that anybody could write a screenplay so why couldn’t I?
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The course lasted 22 weeks but with breaks and holidays it was more like 26 or so, a total of six or seven months.
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The end result of the course was to complete a short film script of around 10mins in length.
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Now the difficulties of producing a film set on a canal boat are multiple in comparison to shooting in a nice
Robert (camera) and Dave (sound) patiently wait on my pondering a problem.
© Mandy Sykes
warm flat. Continuous fluctuation of a combination of sunlight, rain and wind may sound like a normal Scottish summer, but are all elements we had to contend with.
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I think it is very good film with great performances from a talented and experienced cast. A cast and crew who put up with my inexperience incredibly well.
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The one thing that I did learn from all of those months is that I am happiest as a Writer.
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A Man's A Man
GMAC (Glasgow Media Access Centre) put out a call for submissions for a short film, which they would help produce, for National Refugee Week in 2006.
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I had a couple of ideas and I applied, pitching one of them. As the grandson and great grandson of Irish immigrants to Scotland, my notion was that I could talk to Scottish born people like myself who could talk about the experiences of their parents or grandparents. They could tell why and when members of their family came to Scotland, and how they themselves feel about their own nationality.
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The idea was rejected, but I thought that it seemed an easy film to make – just people talking to the camera, what can be difficult about that? – and I decided to make it myself.
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I visited each of those people taking part for a general chat about the project and left them with a list of questions I thought they could consider before I came back armed with the camera.
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Because everyone’s background and experiences were very different no-one could answer all of the questions, but collectively we were able to build up a general and interesting picture and film.
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I don’t see this film very often but I still think it is very relevant to life today and, despite some technical inadequacies, I am a very proud to have made it.
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It was screened at GMAC for National Refugee Week the following year.
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It has also been accepted into the archive of Mindreel, an initiative to create a valuable learning resource using educational films that are about mental health.
Mamta Singhal
Tracy Kwok
Very recently I was told that a lecturer at Glasgow University was using this film as part of his lectures in immigration. Needless to say I am sure all of those who took part in this film will be very delighted to hear this.
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