I’m writing this while in route back home to Maryland. I honestly struggled with what I should focus on about my first trip to the UK, but… the one thing that became prominent in my mind (and usually does) is what I am grateful for.
Aside from the enlightening array of films screened at the London Short Film Festival, including my own (SENSES), the panel discussions, particularly one on the importance of team collaboration, were exactly what I needed during this period of my life. Although I’ve successfully produced six short films and another is in the works, I do recognize that I am embarking on new territory with my goal of producing my first feature-length film.
This is why the film I mentioned, “in the works,” is critical in capturing the essence of what I envision for it.
One of the biggest takeaways from the team work panel was the importance of working with the “right”, right hand (usually a producer or assistant director) that not only gets and connects with you and your story but also defends it when necessary, can provide sensible feedback, and detaches themselves from wanting the writer’s script to be told as they see it. The panel stressed that although you may get along with “that person,” if these elements aren’t in tune, it pretty much leaves one of you unhappy in the end.
That conversation definitely taught me the best way to provide feedback to a writer who is an artist, and as Erykah Badu said, “I’m sensitive about my shit.” As a writer, I can relate, but I’ve always been sensitive to feedback because I know how it feels.
Going deeper, as we all know, when you have that gut wrenching feeling that the connection may not be what’s best fit, it’s best to lovingly let it go before the relationship goes to ruins. This can be relative to various aspects of one’s life.
A film team, and any team for that matter (including family), is like a marriage. It benefits all parties if you love and understand who you’re married to.
I say all that to say that I appreciate the many gems that were shared, which have sharpened my perspective on writing and directing in the world of film. And in turn, I will only help when it comes to planning for my feature film.
Nonetheless, I am grateful for all of the team members that I’ve worked with, past, present, and future, and I look forward to the production of DOUEN II.
Though I'm not exactly sure how it will be done, I KNOW the Universe is working it out for production.
Aside from the festival, I did the sight-seeing thing. Although I chose not to do too much of it, I enjoyed my cousin, Cindy, telling me the names of the sights as we passed over the bridge and my self-guided tour, including this lovely swan nodding at me.
The real highlight of my trip was meeting my UK family for the first time—my aunt and cousins.
Aunty Anna is the wife of my great uncle, Uncle Irving (my mother’s father’s brother). Before Grandfather passed (we actually called him grandfather), I probed him with a handful of questions about our ancestry and what I learned over the years that I passed onto my children. I can’t stress enough how beneficial it is to know where you come from. In the stories of our ancestry, we also discover a lot about ourselves.
As patient as Grandfather was, I remember one of his responses being something like, “You need to speak with Uncle Irving; he knows all the family history” (he’s the oldest sibling). Though Grandfather enjoyed sharing the family stories with me, I sensed he felt like I was asking too many questions and needed to get them from the main source (in a friendly way).
I must admit, I’ve always been inquisitive and was encouraged as a child to not shy away from wanting to know more in order to have a better understanding of a situation.
Unfortunately, I never took advantage of the opportunity to meet Uncle Irving prior to this. I definitely learned a lesson about doing things now and not waiting. In the midst of my waiting, my uncle passed away in 2017, so I missed the chance to speak with him.
Thankfully, Aunty Anna answered my questions that I’ve always wondered about him and the two of them together. And Cindy, my cousin (Aunty Anna and Uncle Irving’s daughter), shared audio files of a few stories told by my uncle. What a gift I will forever cherish. And now that my family and I have met, we are forever connected.
In the end, London is NOT a place I see myself living (my spirit yearns for the sunlight), but I am so grateful for the experience, the relationships built, and a new-found understanding. I feel like the more I travel, the more I discover a little more about myself.
I give thanks for this opportunity and the many others to come. And thanks to you for taking the time to read.
Alyscia Cunningham 