Wowee what a week! Aside from all the important everyday, (2 children, 3 clients, 1 job, 1 HND course, and a social life); two important things have happened.

First up was my friend John McPhail, getting his short film, ‘Just say Hi’, short listed in the Virgin Media Short film competition. 850 films streamlined down to just 12!! Told you it was amazing!! So exciting, so exciting for them all. I feel so close to ‘Just say Hi’ as John sent me it to use as a film for a silent film competition I was entering. There’s no way, despite John offering to help me, I’d have made it that awesome! Please vote for it on twitter with hash tag #vmshortsvote and watch it here Amazing what magic can happen from words, passion and the right director.

Then fellow South Londoner Tom Wilton, announced this month’s Bootleg Film Festival held in New York, will be the last.
If you have 2 -3 minutes to spare, read his story of why it is the end for Bootleg . Not only is it inspiring, it gives you the history behind the festival, detailing the story, the highs, the lows, the yes people and the head shakers. And the determination of one filmmaker to, in his own words; “make it easier for the next film makers”.

It would be easy for me to detail the post, but I want you to discover it yourself, because maybe it will be the start of something for you.

It’s proof that there are good people out there, proof that there are people who do good things for no return of their own. The film industry seems to be full of ‘no people’ and people who give negativity under the disguise of ‘help’ with no real help coming forward. I’ve had so many people tell me what I can and can’t do, what to think of others and how ‘things are done’ with no room for new or innovative. Except Tom Wilton that is. He summed me up in a sentence last week and made me smile, while simultaneously encouraging me to stick my fingers up at those other people. Tom’s story is so encouraging. A similar strain of person as Jonathon Sothcott. Both guys sum up independent film making.

Creating anything from scratch is difficult, breaking barriers and conventions are what keeps our world inventive, fresh and evolving. Free thinking people are responsible for big things, aren’t our timelines full of quotes from Inventors and Politicians as well as Actors and Writers? We desperately need those people who stand up and walk in the opposite direction.

If you’re in New York next weekend, head to Bootleg! Be part of something amazing! And check out my next post on the Guardian Television Festival – I met Mel and Sue!