For day 5 of the KCL Strand Film Festival, a sold-out auditorium saw a conversation with Singaporean filmmaker Nicole Midori-Woodford.
The intention of the evening, planned by third-year Film students Charlie Chua, Genc Tairi and Changyoon Lee as part of their Film Festival module, was to curate a Masterclass with Woodford that provided students with practical industry knowledge, advice and support from a seasoned film-maker. They emphasised a need to ‘expand beyond the classroom’, showcasing a masterclass on the reality of filmmaking from funding, forming a crew, applications, film festivals and the real nitty-gritty needed to excel in a difficult industry. Thus, the second half of the event was dedicated to a discussion with Woodford on her successes, problems and advice, followed by a much-anticipated Q&A.
But, before Woodford revealed all, the evening began with a screening of three of her short films: We Are Strangers (2015), Permanent Resident (2017), and Tenebrae (2018).
Albeit the difference in situations, all films captured well the feeling of loneliness and emptiness in a vast space. Woodford successfully expressed this universality in isolation through little dialogue and sound. Wind chimes, hushed chatter, traffic, the dripping of water, and the clanking of pots and pans all welcomed a very familiar feeling of mundanity, enabling you to identify in silence and story.
Tenebrae, my personal favourite, observed a young girl lingering in the fading spaces of her home, caught between memory and departure, as her family prepared to move on. Touching on themes of gentrification, her home is marked for destruction and soon to be replaced by an unaffordable shiny high-rise. Alike, the increasing number of properties and council houses here in London.
To start the discussion, Woodford spoke on ‘What she wished she knew as a young filmmaker’.
‘Get thrown in completely’, she emphasised, have your name and face everywhere, and opportunities will follow. As a natural introvert, she did address the difficulty in this, but acknowledged that the rewards massively outweighed the temporary discomfort.
Next, she addressed the f-word on everyone’s mind. Funding.
Apply for everything, big and small, and never underestimate yourself. She told a story about one of her student’s who was rejected from several small festivals but eventually accepted to the Tribeca Film Festival in New York – ‘anything can happen!’ After warning us of her own mistake of spending too much of her own money, she urged the young filmmakers to go for ‘soft money’. Funding with no repayment or strings attached, ideal if you’re starting out.
Then, from nearly getting chased by a bear to teaching her actress Mandarin over Zoom calls, Woodford shared what she considered her most valuable advice: get a good support system. Don’t just go out to coffee with someone once; hang out with them, and then you’ll see if they’re a good fit. From her past experiences, she noted how a crew shouldn’t just be experienced but bring a ‘positive vibe’, align with your vision, and always advocate for the team. She spoke fondly of a bubble tea rota in one of her projects, and emphasised how important the experience of making a film is, alongside the final finished product.
She finished the evening with a recommendation and final piece of advice.
‘Deeply honest and moving’, she commended Charlotte Wells’s Aftersun (2022), as a film that will ‘stay with you for a long time ‘. She urged the young prospective filmmakers in the audience to develop a ‘thick skin’, adding that rejection, disappointment and difficulty await. Just don’t be disheartened as it’s all a part of and necessary for the process.
From the selection of short films, thoughtful information sheets placed at every seat, and an engaging discussion with Woodford, the consideration shown by Chua, Tairi and Lee was evident throughout – making it an insightful event and perfect for the students eager to enter the industry.
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