In this conversation I chat to writer/director Adjani Salmon (https://www.instagram.com/s.adjani).
Adjani is an award winning writer and director from Jamaica. Before graduating from the Met Film School, he wrote and directed a 13-episode web series, which achieved over 40,000 views in 3 months. In 2013, Adjani moved to the UK to pursue his Masters in Directing Film. His graduation film, His Father’s Son, screened at numerous film festivals internationally, including Cannes, Blackstar and the Montreal World Film festival. He is the writer, producer and lead actor for Dreaming Whilst Black and co-founder of 4Quarter Films.
Adjani explains how the accumulation of a few years work led to him having a positive 2020, career wise. We discuss the danger in getting caught up in the industry rather than making your next independent project. He recalls how he moved from Jamaica to the UK to pursue his dream of being a filmmaker and what he got out of going to film school. Adjani describes how his experiences of working at Pinewood studios influenced ‘Dreaming Whilst Black’. He talks about the experience of winning film festival awards all over the world and going viral, but why Adjani still felt the series underperformed.
We discuss why the short film festival circuit should be given more industry love and respect. The importance in getting feedback from your filmmaking contemporaries and why to choose them carefully. Why Adjani decided to only direct one episode and to bring onboard other people to direct the web series. He also explains what motivated him to re-write the ending of the series on the day of shooting it.
Adjani highlights his favourite filmmakers and highlights why he setup his own production company. He shares his thoughts on whether there been progress in the push for diversity in the TV and film industry and why he is driven to become self sustainable. We question when you get a set back on a project, does that mean it's not meant for you or that you have to work harder? How to figure out what is the idea you should focus or take action on and loads more!
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Happy listening :)
Steve - @offkeysteve
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