Profile: Richard Armatage

Why did you pick this subject for Fresh?

I picked this subject as grief is something that everyone will have ex-perienced in their life at some point, and can relate to. Grief is also something that people deal with and overcome in a number of different ways. I’ve known Sammy for a number of years and when her father died I saw first hand the positive effect that her art had on helping her with her grief.

What motivated you to make this film?

When deciding to make a film I knew I wanted to make a documentary that included someone who had an interesting story to tell. From knowing Sammy for a number of years, I knew she would be a great subject to film as she is confident and outgoing and would therefore bring a lot to the documentary. She hadn’t really talked about the loss of her father openly before and I felt I had the chance to allow her to open up on film.

From the early stages of the film and having discussions with Sammy about the idea for ‘The Artist’ Sammy continued to motivate me and I decided to go ahead with the idea. From directing and conducting research interviews, I learnt a lot about Sammy and how her passion for art has blossomed since the death of her father in 2010, and how art was a way of placing her grief. The documentary allowed me to ask questions that enabled Sammy to emo-tionally open up during the interview in the best possible way. Sammy was extremely confident and explained every little detail about her life, which meant I got the desired content I wanted for the film.

What equipment did you use to shoot the film?

JVC GY-HM100E Camera, MCE86 SII Microphone

Tell us about post-production.

I used Abobe Premiere Pro CC (CS7) to edit, grade the film and mix the sound. It was a bit daunting at first as I had never edited a whole film by my-self before. However, it was something which I really wanted to do as I want-ed to bring my vision of ‘The Artist’ together myself which I believe I was able to do.

Who/what inspires you?

Everyday life and people inspire me, as I love hearing the many different sto-ries that people have to tell. I feel that documentaries are really personal and allow someone to open up and tell their individual story. One of my favourite genres is documentary. Cherry Healey and Stacey Dooley really inspire me as I love the way they are able to get into the lives of many different people and allow them to tell their individual stories, which sometimes can be really emotional. One day I would love to be involved in the production of their shows.

What are your plans for the future?

In 2014 I will graduate from Northumbria University in Film and Television studies and the next step is to start my career in the TV industry. At the mo-ment I am looking to become a runner/production assistant then go on to be-come a camera operator or editor.

What is the most important thing you have learned so far?

I have learned how being organised and working as a team is essential for a successful film. From creating my own call sheets on my production and keeping a diary I was able to make sure the talent and crew were in the right place at the right time. I believe being organised in this way is crucial and al-lows filming to go a lot smoother.