Rebel with a Camera: Zoe's Journey Through Independent Filmmaking

Zoe is a passionate and independent filmmaker with a rich history of creating meaningful and engaging content. Her journey began straight out of university when she chose the bold path of freelancing rather than following the traditional route into the industry. She has nurtured a particular interest in female-focused stories, documentary-style projects, and works that contribute positively to society. Zoe's skills not only encompass shooting films but also editing and delivering complete packages that resonate with her personal ethos and align with values she holds dear.

Episode Summary:

In this enlightening episode, we get an intimate look into the career and insights of Zoe, a filmmaker with a distinctive approach to her craft. From the onset, Zoe's narrative sets the stage for a discussion that traverses the challenges and triumphs of forging an independent path in the film industry.

Zoe opens up about her early career choices, particularly her decision to go freelance immediately after university—a move motivated by a less-than-ideal work experience at ITV. She shares stories from her travels to Tajikistan to film a grueling marathon and talks about the power of standing by your principles, especially when it comes to choosing projects that align with personal values. Listeners are offered a raw and candid glimpse into what it takes to walk one's own path and the importance of owning your craft.

Key Takeaways:

• Independence and courage can be a massive asset in the creative industry; Zoe's decision to start freelancing straight out of university demonstrates this.
• Zoe emphasizes the importance of saying no to projects that don't align with personal values, even if they are financially tempting.
• One of Zoe's notable projects included documenting a marathon in Tajikistan, highlighting her penchant for adventurous and meaningful storytelling.
• Her advice to aspiring filmmakers is clear: start creating content about things you care about, share your work, and be patient as your portfolio naturally draws the right kind of work.
• The early passions we indulge in around the ages of twelve to fifteen can be the true compass for our future careers; Zoe's story is a testament to this belief.

Notable Quotes:

• "I've always done photography. I'd done photography before uni... I'd been doing projects for people, for charities."
• "[ITV] said, oh, sorry, it's not in our policy to credit work experience staff... I decided to go my own way instead."
• "I think I've worked quite hard on kind of finessing the projects that I do and saying no to the ones that I don't want to do."
• "Make films about stuff that you care about and then put them out. Show them to people. Tell anyone and everybody that you meet about what you do."

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