Most Sunday mornings, I join an online writers group. Today the conversation went to social media. I talked about the importance of building one’s brand, and how producers, publishers, & distributors will want to see that you have an audience who you can promote to. That said, social media is not effective if you are only shouting into the void.
I’m editing a short project rn, and, on the external hard drive, I’ve seen some of my archival photos that I hadn’t seen in ages. So this reminds me of the power of social media to document our own experiences for our own future reference.
Hence, a bullet-pointed list for now, of what is happening in my life this month…
- Pearls (pka Me Too) screened in Liverpool on Saturday 20th January 2024, at the NEW YEAR, YOU’RE YOU Trans and Non-Binary Film Night.
- For KEN short film, we’re prepping a script readthrough next month and will be starting a crowdfunding campaign in around March. On our Facebook page, I’m sharing short documentaries on disordered eating and muscle dysmorphia in men (it’s a social awareness film, so this is part of our strategy). We’re also still weighing up whether the film will be shot and set in Northern Ireland or London.
- A Winter Barbecue played in the London Lift-Off Festival in December 2023. I added the films in the Local Filmmakers Shorts I could to a Letterboxd List.
- On Sunday 21st January, I directed a showreel scene called Desk Jockey, which I’m now editing. If this film goes well, we’ll be making more showreel scenes.
- I’m in talks with a Writer / Exec Producer to produce and potentially direct a 9-page period piece short in Sheffield. It would be shot around August, to be finished in November and screened in December.
- I have been focusing on grading student work and prepping lessons. I’ve been sick with the lurgy for the past week + , which has made it difficult to meet the deadlines I set myself.
- I’ve had a change in financial situation over the past few months, so I’m selling things and applying for more paid work.
- With my teaching work, I have access to LinkedIn Learning, which I’m finally taking advantage of. Speaking of learning, I’m over 800 days with my DuoLingo learning (in case you’re interested, I’m keeping up the French, whilst learning Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Korean, and keeping up Music and Maths).
- In my goal to write a feature film this month, I’m still trying to get into the regular habit of writing. I’ve picked up a short film that’s been in my mind for a few years, at which I am tinkering. I also wrote a draft first chapter of a longer-form project.
- I gave myself a second resolution for 2024 to get my films I’m pretty sure I’ve seen but I’m not sure list on Letterboxd down by 100 films. [13 films down so far]. I’ve also been trying to watch films in my Watchlist to keep it below 700 this year.
- My accounts are due at the end of February, so that needs to take priority soon.
- The plan is to run the Action On The Side one-month filmmaking project in London in March, but time is marching on and I haven’t been doing enough marketing and promotion. Plus I haven’t confirmed the location to run the preproduction weekend. I have a worry it (again) isn’t going to happen then.
- I’m working with a colleague to run the AOTS one-month filmmaking project in Sheffield in May.
- Adding to the concern that I’m not promoting enough, with AOTS, I’m running weekly script development workshops this year on Wednesday evenings – both online and in-person. Registrations are here, as is a calendar where one can see the dates of upcoming events.
If this post inspires you, let it inspire you to share your own monthly update for your own documentation.
Busy Times 