Profile: Ed Hancox

Ed Hancox tells us about his filmmaking.

Your age:

I think it’s important to really listen to people’s criticism without being a diva about it...

The title of your film:

Identically Different

What motivated you to make this film?

I’m interested in unusual relationships. To me, people come alive on film when they’re interacting with others - that’s when you really learn about what makes them laugh, what annoys them, why they behave the way they do. On the whole, I find documentaries about groups or pairs of people have more of an authentic feel than ones about individuals, because your subjects interact with each other and become less conscious of the camera (although there are some fantastic documentaries that prove the opposite of that!)

The main thing I wanted to explore was what it’s like to grow up with someone who is profoundly different to you. I think it’s an important story to tell because it has meaning to everyone - even if we don’t have a sibling with a disability, we all have to learn to live alongside people who are very different from us. Jenna and Rachel have been doing it all their lives, so they’re better at it than most.

What equipment did you use to shoot the film?

Canon 5D Mkiii for the sat-down interview, Canon XF305 for the rest.

Tell us about post-production:

I self-edited most of it, but BBC Three Fresh gave me a few days with an editor, who was brilliant. We both used Final Cut Pro 7. My friends - some of whom work in TV, some of whom don’t - were really incredible at giving me advice on the different cuts. It’s so important to have different perspectives - they made me see the story in a completely different light. Thanks guys!

Who/what inspires you?

Wow, it’s impossible to answer this question without being pretentious! I’Il give it a go. I try to be open to inspiration all the time and not be too snobby in my tastes. So whether I’m watching The Simpsons or a ten-hour documentary about the Holocaust, I’m always looking for inspiration.