Tell us about yourself. How did you become an artist?
As a community activist I always felt art and film was just another aspect allowing you to record and share and hopefully inspire others , film is the least expensive way to reach the widest audience and help raise the concerns and issues you care about to a global audience.
What was your first job in the art field?
Running Night Clubs and managing a pop group in the 80S everything was possible.
What makes you want to tell stories? In other words, what are the themes/issues you want to incorporate into your work?
It scares me how little is known about the working class heros whose bravery made the way we all live today possible with social media it is far too easy to forget those who were doing stuff before tik tok or twitter ever existed . whuy so important some one , all of us rediscover our past heroes to inspire us and understand what is and was possible.
Please tell us about your vision and your method of approaching a new project?
I think no point in making a film unless it challenges thouse who watch it, these days films are designed to reach the biggest audience and so fail to touch on really of important social justice , civil rights issues that in my few need to be told more than ever.
Who are your filmmaking influencers? What are the films that were influential for you?
The film I must love was Cabaret that is now 40 years plus old, it was the first film I ever saw that dealt with woman’s issues, gay issues and the rise of fascism , I wrote fly the flag my song in my film Liberty as direct response to the café moment when a young Nazi stands up and starts singing TOMORROW.
How do you think the industry is changing? How has COVID affected independent filmmaking/creation?
We can all become film makers , it is crucial we support independent film makers and insure our work is seen as much as possible on the big screen , NOT ONLINE.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists? What are some of the things they must follow/avoid?
Find a great Story , be creative follow what you feel and never be scared to think outside the box.
What do you think people like to watch these days? Has the pandemic changed people's taste?
More people are watching independent films and yet the film sector in Hollywood keeps turning out bland format projects that have a very limited shelf life and just offer an hour of pop corn and bland.
Please tell us about your upcoming projects.
Following on From Liberty my next film will tell the true story of a young black women in 1969 New York who took on the American legal system in a sensational court case that should be well known , but those who take on the system and win are usually the first the ruling elite seek to keep firmly in the shadows.