Open Sessions #17: How We Tell Our Stories In Film

Audio Recording

In November 2023, we hosted our Open Sessions #17, which was a huge success! Keep reading or listen to the audio recording of the event to discover what we got up to.

Our Open Sessions #17 – How We Tell Our Stories In Film and programmed by our current cohort of Lighthouse Young Creatives – explored the many avenues of visual storytelling through film and video. We were joined by an incredible panel of professional filmmakers, who each brought their individual experiences and expertise in filmmaking. This collaboration made for a rich discussion about the variety of ways in which film can be creatively utilised: from music videos and drama shorts to documentaries and commercials, and even poetry visuals and interactive films.

Our incredible panel included the following filmmakers:

• Chelsea Mtada – journalist, content creator, poet and beauty thought leader
• Nosa Eke – platform-agnostic director, writer and filmmaker
• Matt Hopkins – director, documentary filmmaker and co-founder of The Progress Film Company
• Lewis Jones – director, editor and co-founder of post-production company Cousin Films

The evening began with a humorous yet heartfelt poetry reading from Chelsea Mtada, who treated us to three poems from her self-published poetry collection Daughter. The poems explored themes of feminism, religion and the transition between youth and adulthood with both linguistic delicacy and confrontational emotion.

We then moved on to the panel discussion, which award-winning filmmaker and Lighthouse producer Lucie Rachel hosted. Lucie asked the panel a variety of insightful questions about their filmmaking practices, starting with what sparked each panellists’ passion for film. We heard about the panellists’ personal styles and aesthetics in their visual storytelling and how they approach narrative whilst championing authenticity and diversity.

The panellists discussed the importance of crafting emotion in film and the strategies they employ to shape their viewers’ emotional responses. They shared what motivates and inspires them to create films, and offered some practical advice and words of wisdom for aspiring filmmakers looking to find their voice in this competitive industry.

Lucie then invited the audience to ask their own questions to Chelsea, Nosa, Matt, and Lewis. This Q&A grew into a fruitful and fascinating conversation regarding the future of film in the current climate of significant technological advances.

This Open Sessions #17 was a wonderful, inspiring exchange of ideas and stories. We hope you can join us next time for our Open Sessions #18 in the new year!