What motivated you to make your impact video?
I read a report called Men Who Buy Sex by Julie Bindel. I was shocked by some of the language used by the men interviewed for the report and I wanted to sit and ask men who buy sex questions and hear their stories.
Please provide a brief description of the work or organization featured in your video:
Men buying sex.
What do you want audiences to take away from this video?
It would be great if it stimulates a discussion around themes relating to capitalism and patriarchal society – buying sex being just one of the symptoms.
Please list key points that should be covered in a post-screening discussion:
– The polarised viewpoints held about the industry, the grey scale in between and the complexity of the issue
– Why I try not to use the terms prostitution or sex work
– Why it’s important to discuss buying and selling in sex in relation to gender
– Buying sex as a symptom of living in a patriarchal society and the poverty experienced by women
– Discuss the role men have to play and what’s required of them
– challenging attitudes about entitlement and myths about sexuality in relation to gender
What opportunities are available for those interested in getting further involved?
Lots of funding has been cut to women’s services in the UK – if you have the time and head space, many charities would be overjoyed by people coming forward offering to volunteer in a committed way.
Please provide any additional resources (websites, links to additional videos, forms, articles, etc.) relevant to the context of the issue discussed in your video:
TED Talk: Violence against women — it’s a men’s issue
International Socialism: The Sex Work Debate
Is there a particular video, film, campaign or filmmaker that had a major influence on your career?
Clio Barnard & Penny Woolcock
Please tell us what camera(s) you shot with primarily – and any other special equipment that you used and why you used it.
Canon C300
Please share a personal story about your experience making this impact video.
Having never made a film before, I found the experience incredibly daunting. Every decision felt really important. Settling on using lip-sync was scary, I had a feeling of belief but it was hard to notice or articulate. In the future I will know to trust these instincts.
Please tell us about any special styles or techniques that you used during the production of your impact video to help tell your story.
I used the technique of lip-syncing which I believe was first coined by Clio Barnard.
How did your story evolve from day one, to the very last day in post? Is your story what you thought it would be?
It started off as a traditionally formatted collection of documentary films that were to be animated. As the project progressed it became clear I wanted to make a comment on how gender relates to the buying of sex.
Please describe the most rewarding experience you had while making this impact video.
To follow through on my own curiosity, it was a long and convoluted journey and at times completion felt impossible. Finally, I get to watch other people becoming curious about the issue.
What advice can you give to other impact filmmakers?
Everyone has their own technique, but the advice I will give to myself in the future is to research the subject thoroughly and interrogate my own perspective. Once I understand what it is I need to say, I’ll be brave and I won’t be dissuaded.
What’s your favorite part about the filmmaking process and why?
Realising that I believe in an idea enough to embark upon the enormous adventure of making it into a film.
What’s the one item you always take with you when working out in the field and why?
A bum-bag (fanny-pack, utility belt). A safe and accessible place to carry my spare batteries, pens, lenses and other small but significant things.
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