Debbie Isitt

I did everything. I lived and breathed it. I did watch other people’s work but I had been doing that my whole life. I fell in love with the films of Martin Scorsese, Federico Fellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Mike Leigh, Ken Loach – that is always a great film school. But mostly I was too busy making my own work. Making my own films. I developed my own particular process for filmmaking – a mix of cinema verite and comedy using improvisation within a strong narrative. Putting actors into the most real situations I could create was my mission. My first film Nasty Neighbours was about warring neighbours who lived next door to each other in a Midlands cul-de-sac. So we bought two houses that were for sale next door to each other and just moved the actors in. It was an interesting way to begin work on character. The cast lived next door to each other for weeks and weeks and then at the end of the shoot we sold the houses. I have since put actors into real schools, real wedding shows, real situations and always matched them with non actors – be they children or adult – to keep everything as real and alive and spontaneous as possible. Creating your own distinctive working process and asking others to trust it is an important way of honing your craft and discovering your own particular voice and vision. When people see my films they tend to know that I am behind them. That is a lot to do with process.

Also, years of being in front of an audience on the front line as an actor in my own shows honed my craft – any solider that has been on the front line will probably make a decent general.  I know how to communicate with actors – I know how audiences will respond to what I give them.  I used to make black comedies with a feminist twist by I think my voice changed – I think it does as you evolve. I became more of a smuggler – I didn’t want to make the kind of agit prop political statements that I made in theatre. I wanted to make my comments on the world in a much subtler way – and I wanted to speak to young people and children. Creating a film franchise has been a really interesting way to hone and develop my own process and voice.

The irony is that now, in spite of the budgets and the big cinema releases, all I am every really trying to find is that creative freedom – trying to get back to that feeling of being 9 years old directing my friends and family, being in control but having fun and knowing the audience is going to love it.  

Creating a filmmaking family is also a big part of honing my craft now.  You discover that not all actors are your friends and not all crew are your family. But you keep hold of the ones who feel like they are and you work with them again and again and create a kind of new family.  There are so many challenges in filmmaking – things go wrong all of the time and you can’t rely on anything, not a location, not the weather, not transportation, not sickness – nothing. The only thing you have got is your instinct and your support network to make you feel as free and comfortable and courageous as you did when you were a kid. To be creative – to be free – that is what I crave and strive for every time.

Directing as a craft is about so many things – getting great performances, amazing locations, the look, the colour, the vision, the photography right. But it’s also (and this is absolutely just as important) about how you behave and conduct yourself on set.  You are the leader of an army – you are going to battle with the elements, creative choices, ego’s et al.  I have learned to value my contributors and collaborators and make sure they know they are valued.  I learn the names of the people I see day to day, smile and thank my runner when they bring me a coffee and chat to me in a break. And I try to find out what their ambitions are – I try and include and inspire people. Have fun and make fun – it is stressful and tense on set but it’s also home to all these people – your home. You brought these people to your party so be a great host – and make sure the catering is good – bad catering leads to bad on-set vibes and that will not help your vision, trust me.

Being a director is also about psychology – you need to know how people tick, what gets the best out of them – help them to help you. You have one shot at a film – several actual shots obviously – but one opportunity to make it. It’s probably taken years of your life to get there so don’t blow it – don’t give it up or away. It’s your movie – it’s your baby, you don’t give babies up too easily.  But learn how to listen – you need to find out whether the advice and ideas you are being given are good fats or bad fats. Eat the good fats with thanks, but don’t hesitate to throw away the junk food – don’t let it kill your confidence or your movie.