Yourcinemafilms.com | Koby Adom (Top Boy, Noughts and Crosses) shares the key moments his career changed and advises emerging filmmakers on their own progression!
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00:00 Our Stories Festival was really set up to help support people from diverse backgrounds to really get into the industry.
00:08 Those people that you see do fantastic stuff, they put in the work.
00:14 This session is something that we've designed and called Ask Kobe.
00:23 Basically what it is, I still have some questions, but it's a real open forum for you guys to draw from this amazing man, creative exec,
00:41 who not too long ago was in a lot of the same positions as you guys.
00:48 For me, when I look at his journey, what he's doing now, I would probably expect it to take someone 15 to 20 years to do.
01:00 Directing a full series for a broadcaster, it's not that long ago you came out of film school, went in the big picture.
01:12 Having five short films commissioned by Sky, who don't even do short films, but it's through your own production company,
01:22 and then you're an exec on all of them, and I might not be able to say what might happen from some of them.
01:28 But do you know what I mean? It's not... Yeah, so this is an open forum for you guys, so please don't be shy.
01:36 The questions are not going to come at the end. If you have questions, just have them ready.
01:40 I have one or two questions to kick them off, but is that okay? Yeah? Alright, cool. Thank you, Kobe, for your time.
01:48 Cool, so Kobe, question, right? Let's say there's someone who has made maybe two or three good quality shorts, right?
01:58 And they're struggling to get an agent. What should they do?
02:04 I mean, look, I've got an easy answer and a long one, but I think the easy answer is just keep making films, as far as I'm concerned.
02:11 I think agents are great. For example, my agent is amazing. He's even like my friend.
02:18 But I guess it takes time as well, do you get what I'm saying? To find, I guess, the perfect setup to make stuff.
02:24 But I guess the most important thing is making stuff. Do you get what I mean?
02:27 And I think if you keep making and learning, it becomes undeniable when the team builds itself, I guess.
02:32 And you can kind of start avoiding little hiccups along the way, because you've done what came to you,
02:40 as opposed to going to hunt down the perfect image, do you know what I mean, of our agent and etc.
02:46 So if you've done three shorts and no one's approached you, then keep making your shorts.
02:52 If you've made three shorts, the likelihood is you probably will get approached, but it doesn't mean those people are right for you.
02:58 So I wouldn't jump into the first conversation I have. But yeah, so I think just keep making films, I guess, is my main response to that.
03:07 Thank you. What would you say to a creative who is in their mid-30s and feels like time is running out?
03:17 Says who? No one's God, do you know what I mean? Like there's people that start, when I say KFC guy started at 61 or something,
03:24 he was about to kill himself or something weird like that. Do you know what I mean?
03:29 People always have their own perception and illusion of time in their head for whatever reason.
03:35 Do you know what I mean? It might be personal, it might be whatever. Do you know what I mean?
03:39 And that has nothing to do with the facts and the pragmatic nature of what we do.
03:44 Do you know what I mean? There's a lot of sentiment that kind of gets poured into the craft.
03:48 And I think the craft can also be looked at as scientific. Do you know what I'm saying to you?
03:52 And if you stick to the science, the likelihood of you succeeding is very high.
03:56 And I think, you know, just go and find the science, do it your way. Do you get what I mean?
04:00 Then everything will work out for you, whatever that's supposed to mean. Do you get what I mean?
04:04 And I think that saying, OK, yeah, cool, yeah, I'm 40. So what? Do you know what I mean?
04:09 Like let's call a spade a spade, making films or TV or anything of the sort.
04:15 I could possibly even say still is quite an elitist thing to do.
04:18 So if you come from a working class background, you know, the likelihood is the first 20, 30 years of your life
04:24 is full stability to reverse the way you've come from. Do you get what I mean?
04:27 But, you know, in the same breath, that's your choice, because I guess for me, I didn't think in that fashion.
04:33 You know, from Jump Street, I didn't even know about film till I was like, what, 23?
04:38 That's when I really understood what film was before I was from shooting with cameras and stuff, figuring it out.
04:43 Do you know what I mean? And yeah, so eventually at that time, I thought I was old, 23.
04:49 Do you know what I mean? Thinking I need to get it. You know, I'm seeing all my friends living life.
04:52 And I mean, and I'm here pushing cameras around or whatever. That's the way I'm looking at it.
04:57 It's not a bad thing, but it's the way I'm looking at it.
04:59 But I think, you know, my view on things was, you know, learn how to do things the best way,
05:05 if you know what I mean, and let everything transpire.
05:08 And whenever you're ready to do that, do it, because it's never going to be easy.
05:11 Do you know what I mean? If it's at 19, fair enough. If it's at 60, fair enough.
05:15 But do not add the age as part of the reason or whatever.
05:20 Do you know what I mean? It's nothing to do with age.
05:22 Do you know what I mean? There's different things to worry about, which, you know,
05:26 climb the obstacles, don't give up, you know, et cetera.
05:29 Ava DuVernay, when did she start? 35, 36?
05:32 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:33 You know, so I don't, yeah, if someone comes to me at 35,
05:38 I'm going to say I can speak to you like I would a 21 year old,
05:41 because it makes no difference.
05:43 I know, obviously, there's a lot of sacrifices have been made.
05:45 I'm not saying that's not important, but it's got nothing to do with
05:48 how I would advise you to proceed.
05:52 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
05:55 Any questions from the audience for Kobe?
05:57 We have one back there. Go for it.
06:04 If an investor came to you with ten million dollars to make a film,
06:10 what film would you make?
06:12 Oh, that's a very timely question.
06:14 She's got ten mil.
06:15 I know, but I feel like God is telling me there's ten million in the room.
06:20 So I need to get my picture boots on.
06:22 Oh, look, I don't want to talk too much, but I actually have a concept right now.
06:27 And it's a fantasy horror.
06:32 Right. Which is really about me exploring my own head.
06:35 Do you get what I'm saying to you?
06:36 And then, you know, sort of like raising the stakes on that.
06:39 It's a real spiritual, otherworldly, but heavily rooted in reality
06:44 with realistic lessons.
06:47 If I ain't got the ten mil, then that's it, because I can't really say much more.
06:51 You know, I was going to say the title, but something tells me not to say it either,
06:54 because, you know, I need to kind of keep it, keep it, you know,
06:59 with me and God for now.
07:01 Yeah. But if you've got ten million, I'll catch you after.
07:05 Yeah. We could talk some more.
07:07 I love it. I love it.
07:08 We have another question at the back over there.
07:12 Feel free to also have your hands up and then, Sonia, you can choose people
07:20 if I'm missing stuff. Yeah. All good.
07:22 Hey, guys.
07:24 Just out of curiosity, I know you've done great things already in the industry
07:30 and for our culture.
07:33 But what would you say at your stage are still the barriers that
07:37 and the challenges that you are facing today?
07:40 This is going to sound funny and no offence, I'm not trying to be like,
07:49 you know, weird or anything, but it's kind of the same as everybody else.
07:52 You know, everyone assumes that, OK, you've done this and you've done that.
07:54 So, yeah, this should fling all of these doors open.
07:58 They just cut through and then your life is perfect.
08:00 And it's just not the case.
08:01 You know, I mean, I feel like you do one thing.
08:03 God blesses it. You know what I mean?
08:05 And you probably struggled for ever so long to get to this spark of blessing.
08:09 Right. So then the spark is here and it looks great.
08:11 Do you know what I mean?
08:12 But eventually all of this stuff is going to settle back to reality
08:15 until the next part comes and that spark can be five years later.
08:18 Do you know what I mean?
08:19 And obviously the spark is subjective as well, because one might say,
08:23 well, if you do Top Boy as a spark or, you know what I mean, or whatever.
08:26 But again, as much as I love working on that project and every other project.
08:30 I've been blessed to work on.
08:33 I know what I'm trying to achieve.
08:35 Do you get what I mean?
08:35 I know why I started doing this as well.
08:38 Do you get my drift?
08:38 So it's like I think that, you know,
08:41 where I'm at doesn't really make a difference.
08:44 Do you get what I mean?
08:44 Like, I think, you know, I always feel like I started all over again,
08:47 but I just know so much more.
08:50 Do you get what I mean?
08:51 I've got so much more resources now.
08:53 Do you get what I mean?
08:53 I've got so much more favors now.
08:55 So even though, yes, I am practically in the same position as when I started,
08:59 but it's like an evolved version.
09:01 So whatever I achieve is also going to be evolved.
09:04 Did you get my drift?
09:04 So I kind of have to get used to this rhythm.
09:07 Do you know what I mean?
09:08 As opposed to sort of like fantasizing over this consistently successful career.
09:13 You know what I mean? It's just not the case.
09:14 It's a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice, a lot of, you know, fallouts,
09:19 lots of friends, lots of whatever. Do you get what I mean?
09:21 It's just literally just life.
09:22 It's another part of life.
09:24 You know, just sort of plug yourself in if you love it and just go through it.
09:27 Do you know what I mean?
09:28 Thank you.
09:32 Yeah. Sonia, you choose.
09:34 I'm really inspired on what you've achieved.
09:42 When was it like when you got your first break?
09:45 And when did you get your first break with your career?
09:48 Again, I think I feel that first break is subjective.
09:53 Do you get my drift?
09:54 Because everything you could call a break.
09:56 Do you know what I mean?
09:56 Everything I've done by God's grace was the next step,
09:59 as opposed to sort of like, you know, staying on the same playing field.
10:03 So it was a question again, I was about to load it, but
10:08 I can't I can't actually hear him.
10:11 So, yeah.
10:13 Yeah. What was it like when you got your first break and when did you get your break?
10:17 Like that moment when you thought, yeah, I've got something big.
10:20 So so I would say, look, if you want to call it a first break, I'll say
10:23 the first time I got paid money to direct.
10:26 I'll call that a break, do you know what I mean?
10:28 Because otherwise, really, it's a hobby, isn't it?
10:31 Do you know what I mean?
10:31 You know, profession means you're getting paid.
10:34 So I'll use notes and crosses because, you know, obviously.
10:37 So I made haircut.
10:38 You could call it a break because that's then what brought the other break.
10:41 If that's the first point I was trying to make, but notes and crosses
10:45 was the one where it's kind of like, oh, my God, yeah, maybe this guy
10:47 should be doing this.
10:49 Do you know what I mean?
10:49 And maybe this isn't a risk anymore.
10:51 And do you know what I mean?
10:51 Like maybe it's like, oh, my God, like Kobe's a director now.
10:54 Right. That was that.
10:55 I think that happened in 2018.
10:58 So I finished making my short film haircut in May 2018.
11:02 I started I shot that in February 2018.
11:05 Got commissioned in November 2017.
11:09 So that was like the whole process of having no money and making the short film,
11:13 praying to God that it does something.
11:15 And then come May time came out.
11:18 And then honestly, I got to admit like.
11:21 There was like a click of a finger when something was announced
11:24 and then everything changed, you know, I mean, like all of a sudden now
11:28 emails, people like all of that kind of stuff.
11:32 So that was the big break.
11:33 And it was quite surreal because it was almost like being in the Black Mirror
11:36 episode was like it is this guy that, you know, what people do care about me.
11:41 I've got friends in my area and stuff, but on a grand scheme of things,
11:44 who the hell am I to all of a sudden, oh, what's he doing next?
11:48 And it's kind of been the same since, you know, it's been five years.
11:52 It's never kind of stopped.
11:54 You know, it doesn't mean that.
11:55 Oh, yeah, I'm super successful.
11:56 I live in a mansion of gates.
11:57 But you get what I mean?
11:58 It was that moment where now
12:01 everybody can kind of see I'm probably going to end up there,
12:04 if you know what I mean. So now I'm on the journey.
12:06 So I'll call that the big break.
12:08 But then again, Top Boy came in.
12:10 I was like, whoa, it's that big show, you know what I mean?
12:12 So then there's another big break because, you know, now people in America
12:15 kind of know your work, you know what I mean?
12:17 So when you go in those meetings, they're like big fan and you're like,
12:19 oh, sorry, I haven't been to America since I was 21 or 22, you know.
12:23 But you get what I mean?
12:24 So there's a lot of nooks and crosses, but then they're also not really
12:28 because everything I do is the next step.
12:30 Nooks and crosses season two, I was the only director.
12:33 Again, big break, you know what I mean?
12:35 I was what, 30, I forgot how old I am, 31 or something at the time.
12:39 I did the whole BBC show to myself.
12:42 Do you get my drift?
12:42 And then the next thing is I executive produced short films.
12:45 Wow. Another big break.
12:46 Do you know what I mean? I'm still young.
12:48 Somehow, by God's grace, I've been able to leverage opportunity
12:51 for other people when it's not just the writers and directors.
12:54 It was the production designers, the costume designers.
12:57 You get my drift.
12:58 So it's just kind of like.
12:59 Everything's a big break,
13:02 and I think you should kind of like see it that way,
13:04 because it kind of keeps you grounded, keeps you excited, et cetera.
13:07 So there's not like one pinnacle to aim for.
13:11 And when you get top boy or when you get nooks and crosses like,
13:15 yeah, we're here, 100 bucks coming in every month, we're good.
13:18 It's like that's one step towards another step.
13:23 Yeah, because God knows I didn't come in here to just direct TV shows.
13:27 No offence. It's a great opportunity and a blessing.
13:29 But that's not why I started.
13:32 Right. I had a meeting with my pastor last week and he said, what's your vocation?
13:35 So what's a vocation?
13:36 A vocation is why you're doing this thing as opposed to you just doing it.
13:40 Do you get my drift?
13:41 So I think, you know, the TV and actually my career thus far,
13:46 it hasn't been based on every shiny job that comes my way.
13:50 I'm like, yeah, let me go do that. Let me get money.
13:53 You know what I'm saying?
13:53 So you let me go and get that gate in the house and everybody be ready.
13:57 You might think like I have I have got to submit to you,
14:00 which has actually filled out the vast majority of what has come my way.
14:04 You know what I mean? Which I've had to reluctantly turn down.
14:07 Do you get what I mean? Those could have been big breaks.
14:09 You feel me, but some of them could have been massive breaks.
14:12 You get me, but to be honest with you again, my big break is me doing
14:17 what I want to do and being paid for it.
14:19 Do you get what I mean?
14:20 If I'm doing something that I'm just like, oh, should I be doing this?
14:23 You're paying me money.
14:25 You can look at it as a big break, but it's going to eat you up inside.
14:28 Do you know what I mean?
14:29 So my big breaks is really just, yes, you know, doing notes and crosses about love.
14:34 You know, talk about something that, you know, I've kind of been
14:37 experienced and can put together, do you know what I mean?
14:39 Like the sky thing, you know, working with like minded people to, you know,
14:43 there's just things that I actually want to do
14:45 and will be remunerated eventually to get my drift.
14:48 So, yeah, I don't know if I've answered your questions.
14:51 Long winded.
14:53 I love that.
14:55 Yes, Sonia, you load up that person, but I have one question before that.
14:59 DBK, right?
15:03 What's the reality of running
15:07 DBK Studios whilst being a director?
15:13 The reality is no offense to anybody, I love everybody.
15:18 That's why I do it.
15:19 But it's a nuisance.
15:20 It is absolutely a nuisance.
15:22 You know, I mean, like I'm trying to create, I'm trying to live my life
15:24 like everybody else that messages me to get what I mean.
15:27 But the reality is that, you know, I feel like it's a responsibility.
15:32 I feel like it's not just me that should be doing it.
15:34 I feel like everybody should be sort of doing that.
15:36 And I think everyone is doing it, actually.
15:38 You know, I'm not trying to say no one is.
15:40 But when I decided to do it, I didn't think there was enough to get my drift.
15:45 So DBK is, I guess, again, a ministry again.
15:47 It's just kind of like, OK, God has told me to.
15:50 This is my vocation again. Back to that conversation.
15:53 This is why you're doing it.
15:54 So go and make content.
15:56 You know what I'm saying to you, which aligns with what you align with.
16:01 Right. It's not a case of, you know, me, to be honest with you,
16:05 is a case of, again, what I submit to you, which is God in it.
16:07 You know, I'm saying to you, it's like, you know, and that's
16:09 what people don't understand is you think, oh, yeah, God, Christian.
16:12 So it narrows it down.
16:14 Actually, it widens it.
16:15 Do you get what I mean?
16:16 Because the reality of the matter is in life, there's light and there's dark.
16:19 So I can write as much dark as I like.
16:22 Do you get what I mean?
16:23 I could go to hell. I could write hell. I could write a scene in hell.
16:25 Do you know what I mean?
16:27 With the worst thing happening, no one can say anything.
16:29 If you know there's a redemption to it, if there's a lesson to it.
16:31 Yeah. So for me, it's kind of like
16:35 I don't have the capacity as one human being to do what God needs to be done.
16:40 And I mean, so.
16:41 It's got fun, as many other people that agree with the way,
16:46 you know what you think, and let's go if you disagree.
16:49 God bless you.
16:50 Do you know what I mean?
16:50 I can maybe not.
16:52 I know somebody that agrees with what you agree with, and I could put you in touch
16:54 with them.
16:56 Did you get my drift?
16:57 But DBK Studios is really a machine that
17:00 is there to shine the light on a lot of things.
17:02 There's a lot of things that, you know, and just because I'm a Christian
17:04 doesn't mean that, for example, I can't tell a story on Islam.
17:07 Do you know what I mean?
17:08 Like my faith doesn't reject anybody else's standpoint or viewpoint or,
17:12 you know, do you know what I mean?
17:13 Or any other religion or beliefs.
17:15 To get my drift is actually about
17:16 putting God's part of the story in it.
17:20 Do you know what I'm saying?
17:22 So if anyone has any ideas, I know I called it a nuisance, but.
17:26 It's a response.
17:27 You love it.
17:28 You love it.
17:28 Yeah, I do love it.
17:29 I actually do.
17:29 I think, you know, being able to work with like new people as well,
17:32 meeting new people, connecting on a deeper level because you're creating
17:36 something. I mean, you go to people with like, you know, deep rooted
17:39 stories and stuff and they're coming to be vulnerable.
17:43 You to explore that.
17:44 You're going to be close.
17:46 Do you get what I mean?
17:46 And I'm a people person behind the scenes.
17:48 Do you get what I mean?
17:49 So it's kind of like that.
17:51 I do get a bit of satisfaction from that as well.
17:53 You know, I've made some brilliant friends.
17:54 Charlie and Jessica, they're my friends.
17:56 You know, they call me sometimes.
17:57 Hey, how are you?
17:58 I mean, so, yeah, it's a blessing.
18:00 I love it. I love it.
18:02 There was a question at the back, right?
18:04 Yeah. Yeah.
18:05 Hey, bro, how you doing?
18:07 Just a question on the DBK Sky Arts.
18:10 Sorry, the light's shining.
18:11 I don't even know what I'm looking.
18:13 Right over here.
18:13 Oh, yeah.
18:14 So yeah.
18:15 How you doing?
18:16 Yeah, bro.
18:17 Yeah. So just the Sky Arts.
18:18 I'm interested in the story as to how that came to be with Sky Arts.
18:23 And also your process in picking the films that you worked with.
18:27 Saw them all. They were great.
18:29 Favorite was Why Me? Very nice.
18:31 But yeah, man, just interested in that process and how it all came together.
18:35 Sure, man. It was all the glory of God, man.
18:37 Like, I'll be honest with you, it was lockdown.
18:39 And I was meant to start the top way in April.
18:41 And then they pushed it back to God knows when.
18:44 You know what I mean?
18:45 So you're kind of sitting there thinking, "Oh, damn.
18:47 What did you do now?" kind of thing.
18:49 But me and my good friend Karl Olkow, he's a very, very good friend of mine.
18:52 He's into investments and is currently in tech.
18:55 You know what I mean?
18:56 Making a killing, you know, sort of like raise 10 million,
18:59 you know, for sort of like black tech startups.
19:01 You know, that's the vibe he's on.
19:02 Batesman Brixton, you know, whatever. Christian, same age.
19:06 So we put this thing together, actually.
19:08 Do you know what I mean?
19:09 This sort of... Because we
19:11 exec, co-exec, a short film for Charlene Wango,
19:14 my first mentee, do you know what I mean?
19:17 And it worked out.
19:18 It was kind of like, "Rawr." Do you know what I mean?
19:19 So we do know what we're doing.
19:21 We might as well run it again.
19:23 So that's, you know, we put a proposal together,
19:25 which my lawyer actually told me to do.
19:27 So on one Sunday, spent like three, four hours just figuring it out.
19:30 Then, yeah, it was like Black Lives Matter was happening.
19:35 Kind of sent a proposal to my lawyer.
19:37 So they were like, "Yeah, you know what?
19:38 This is Black Lives Matter. We believe in this.
19:40 We're going to, you know, represent you pro bono."
19:42 Right. I was like, "OK, you know, it's all right."
19:45 And then, yeah, like there was an opportunity
19:49 that came around from a good friend of mine, Jerome Bukunelson,
19:53 who's a fantastic writer.
19:55 He was part of a group of people that were going to meet
19:59 one of the commissioners, actually the head of Sky Drama at the time.
20:02 And he was like, "Yeah, we should go into this chat."
20:05 This sort of like, you know, I call it Zoom,
20:07 but it's one of those behind the scenes Zooms.
20:10 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:11 You know, and it was like, we're all in there and then we're all talking to him.
20:13 You know, I'm going to not say his name out of disrespect.
20:16 I don't want to, you know, not a name dropper.
20:19 But, you know, it's kind of like, oh, yeah.
20:21 Yeah, this is the issue of the industry or whatever, because, you know,
20:25 we got chosen because we've done, I guess, something.
20:27 And we're black. So what's your experience?
20:30 So we had a really good conversation of him, actually.
20:32 You know, and I was very encouraged in that chat
20:34 because he really took his time to understand everybody
20:36 and was genuinely concerned, which you can't actually fake.
20:40 You know, I think that also there was follow up to that conversation as well.
20:45 He put his money where his mouth was.
20:46 He literally offered all eight of those people in that Zoom one on one time.
20:51 Yeah, and at the time was actually quite busy, which is strange,
20:54 because back in the day, I'd skip sleep and send the email.
20:57 But, you know, I didn't send the email.
21:00 So about three weeks later and I sent that proposal that I already had,
21:03 which we were already going to get money for, by the way, not necessarily from Sky.
21:07 It was it was a proposal that we put together that one to five is a specific number.
21:12 You know, I mean, we came with a fully fledged plan.
21:15 We didn't come and say, oh, how do we do this?
21:17 We said we're going to do this,
21:18 but we've got it.
21:21 So, you know, and actually what I put in the email was, oh, can you just let me know
21:25 what you think of the proposal from a commissioner standpoint so we can get investment?
21:29 That's what I put in the email and I sent my TV show, House Girls.
21:33 Well, if you want to make that, you feel me, we can we can run something there.
21:36 So, yeah, literally the day before the meeting,
21:40 because we set a meeting, he got back saying, oh, yeah, you know,
21:43 thanks for sending the stuff going to digest.
21:45 We should meet on this day.
21:46 I said, yeah, cool.
21:47 It's about three weeks later again, the day before the meeting.
21:50 I get an email from him like,
21:52 I hope you can't wait to jump in at me and, you know, all of that.
21:56 Do not mean it was like cussing me out when I was reading.
21:58 I was like, wow, I've done kind of thing.
22:00 Maybe it's how I was getting gas.
22:01 I was thinking, yeah, my TV show is sick kind of thing.
22:04 And then he was like, yeah, you know, we should talk about everything you said.
22:06 You know, like the film scheme looks exactly what's needed, you know, etc.
22:11 So it's like there's a sort of vision in it without even pretending.
22:15 Do you know what I mean?
22:16 Or trying to play chess with me or anything that just came on a very honest
22:20 and transparent vibe like, look, it's black lives matter.
22:23 This makes sense for us to do.
22:26 You know what you're doing.
22:27 We're not going to step on your toes.
22:28 We're not here to tell you what to do.
22:30 We just want to support you.
22:31 Do you know what I mean? And so what do you want?
22:33 I said, what do you want?
22:34 I was like, oh, snap.
22:35 I was seeing that's what's in the proposal.
22:37 Yeah, yeah, done.
22:39 I was like, oh, what else?
22:40 I was like, oh, no.
22:41 You know, you're just so hot.
22:43 Yeah.
22:44 I should have said to 50 of them.
22:48 But not so, you know, I just said, yeah, you know, OK, we obviously distribution.
22:52 We've got a plan for that as well.
22:53 I think they were just genuinely impressed by the fact that this practical
22:56 nobody just came and drew up, you know, with his other friend who works in tech,
23:01 you know, a plan to do you get what I mean?
23:04 To make a difference is not for me.
23:06 I don't get I think I didn't I didn't get paid for me.
23:09 You know, I mean, there was no line in the one to five to pay me.
23:12 Do you get what I'm saying to you was actually just something inside of me
23:16 which had to come out.
23:16 And I think in the meeting we had, it probably came out
23:19 because the thing about me is if I believe in something.
23:21 I don't even need to sell it.
23:23 You see my face, you know what I mean?
23:25 So, yeah, that happened.
23:27 And by the end of the meeting, is that your career business affairs,
23:29 you know, let's get it done.
23:30 I was like, I didn't even know what that meant.
23:32 Business affairs.
23:33 So anyway, my lawyer clearly obviously my business affairs.
23:36 I copied them in three months later.
23:38 I do was done.
23:39 You got the talent.
23:41 So you asked how do we get the talent right?
23:43 The talent.
23:44 We're just about, you know, I mean, like it's not I don't.
23:46 I do believe in open cause.
23:48 Yes, I do. But I don't want to do it.
23:51 Right, and I'll explain why.
23:54 Like, I just think that life isn't just about, yeah, I help you and you help me
23:57 because we've got all these common things together.
24:00 I'm saying to you, there still needs to be an extra layer of creative
24:03 and business alignment for us to work.
24:06 You know, I mean, like all the, you know, things on paper that puts us together.
24:11 It's not all it takes for us to work.
24:13 And I'm not ashamed to say that.
24:14 Like, I believe in quality.
24:16 I believe in, you know, the top shelf.
24:19 Do you get what I'm saying to you?
24:20 And the top shelf isn't what you can do is what's your character like?
24:25 Do you get what I'm saying to you?
24:26 It's like, what's your vision?
24:27 Do you feel me like what you're like around other people?
24:30 How teachable are you?
24:31 Do you get what I mean?
24:32 Because I personally, that's my belief that that's what's going to get you
24:36 to where you need to go.
24:37 Do you get what I mean?
24:38 I've just mentioned a few things, but it's not everything that we look at.
24:41 It's a very rigorous process.
24:43 And it's not just my decision as the people I'm around as well.
24:46 And I think that, yeah, so the people we chose and curated,
24:50 do you know what I mean, kind of clicked into place.
24:52 Do you know what I mean? It felt right. It felt organic.
24:54 Right. And yeah, we took it from there.
24:55 And we figured it out every step of the way.
24:57 There was there was a plan.
24:59 But in terms of executing that plan and all the obstacles that came
25:03 that we didn't know because we've never done it.
25:05 We just wrote it out and it was long, but we did it.
25:07 I love it. And the results were amazing and exceptional indeed.
25:12 Next question, please.
25:16 Hey, how you doing?
25:17 My guy, my guy.
25:19 I've even got the top one.
25:20 I see.
25:22 So I just wanted to ask when we're applying for like funding, right?
25:26 They'll like for BFI, we had one, for example,
25:29 when you go on the application, they'll ask for prior work.
25:32 But then I'm thinking like if I had the money, I would have made it.
25:35 So what are some early barriers to entry?
25:38 Did you find after leaving film school to make your projects
25:42 and how did you overcome them?
25:44 That's a good question.
25:47 I finished film school in 2017, practically.
25:50 It's beginning and I made haircuts.
25:54 It got commissioned later that.
25:57 Yeah. In November.
26:00 But from January to November, I thought my life was over, to be honest.
26:04 You know what I mean? I wrote loads of scripts. No one cared.
26:06 And I thought I was so sick. I finished film school. I thought I was the best.
26:09 And just, you know what I mean?
26:12 All the scripts, you know, I'll be sending it to people now.
26:14 That's not it.
26:15 Kind of thing. And I'm like, oh, what do you know anyway?
26:17 You know what I mean? Just go through that process.
26:20 That self-humbling process.
26:22 But yeah, like honestly speaking, like there is a language
26:28 like that, and that goes back to the point I made about science.
26:31 You know what I mean?
26:32 About what craft can be scientific and go and seek the language.
26:37 Do you know what I mean?
26:37 And put that language in what you're doing.
26:40 Do you get what I mean?
26:41 Like it's just a case of sometimes not a case of whether your idea is good or not.
26:45 It's how to communicate it to the people who have money.
26:48 Otherwise, again, that's taking sentiment out of the equation about, oh,
26:52 but I need the opportunity and I'm this and I'm that and making it pragmatic.
26:56 Do you get what I'm saying to you about, OK, well,
26:58 this is the language that needs to be spoken.
27:02 This is my idea.
27:03 How do I merge these two together if I don't get the money?
27:06 And I get on in my life.
27:08 You feel me? And I feel like that's all you can do if you do your best
27:11 and you go learn what you need to learn and you do it nine times out of ten.
27:15 It should work.
27:15 But if it doesn't, you go do it again elsewhere.
27:18 Like, for example, we talk about that at that stage,
27:21 you know, sort of like getting your short film money.
27:23 You know, I'm in a process where I've spent the beginning of this year
27:27 trying to finance my future.
27:29 Do you know what I mean?
27:30 It's the same thing like at the end of the day, and I did loads of things
27:34 after learning.
27:35 Putting it together, executing the plan and it still didn't work.
27:39 Do you get my drift?
27:41 So that's as good as me applying for BFI and not getting it.
27:43 So it's basically the same thing.
27:46 Well, I guess my thing is I learned a lot from that.
27:48 Do you get what I'm saying?
27:51 Big L's were the lessons.
27:54 Well, I'm doing it again now with a new project.
27:57 And that all makes sense.
27:59 Do you get my drift?
28:00 It all makes sense.
28:01 Like nothing that I went through, all the inconvenience and whatever,
28:05 you know, and feeling like, you know, I thought this idea was good.
28:10 You know, I've listened to the principles that the science of,
28:14 you know, applied the science to it.
28:16 It's getting the interest, you know, it's getting them flirting,
28:19 you know, boom, boom.
28:20 But then everyone's like, no, no, no, no, no.
28:22 Do you get my drift?
28:23 So it's kind of like, OK, you have to look at it.
28:25 Like, why did they say no?
28:27 You fool me and, you know, pray on it, whatever, and go again.
28:29 So my thing is like, don't rely on one thing.
28:32 OK, boom, BFI.
28:35 Feel me like figure out, like try and find a way to raise money.
28:39 Like I've done three kick starters in my life.
28:41 That's practically begging for people, begging people for money.
28:45 Right. If it's supposed to manifest that because it's all digital.
28:48 So it's like, fair enough.
28:49 You don't see me begging from on the street asking what 500 people.
28:52 Oh, yeah, I beg you. Give me 10 pounds.
28:54 I can make a film like it's hustling.
28:56 I'm saying to you, and I guess when I told Charlene to do it,
29:00 but she did it.
29:01 Do you get what I'm saying?
29:02 So I've done it for my grad film.
29:04 Right. I've done it for a film while I was still in film school
29:07 and I made the film.
29:09 You fool me. So sometimes don't always just sit around and wait, you know,
29:12 and these people are not giving me money.
29:14 Just find a way to make films.
29:16 Like, just do it. Honestly speaking, I think, you know, one of the biggest
29:20 lessons for me this year, and I've said it about three times here today,
29:24 it just be pragmatic.
29:26 This is a business.
29:27 Do you go on saying to you is like you can go to your therapist
29:30 and your family, right, and the people that care
29:32 and they'll sort of rub your back about all the opportunities and etc.
29:36 But then once you get back into this space, nobody cares.
29:39 Like fact, you know what I mean?
29:42 I'm not saying that to be pessimistic is actually quite empowering,
29:45 because now you can do what you need to do, go learn
29:48 and do what you need to do, how you want to do it as well.
29:50 Do you get me? And it will work out.
29:53 That's the thing. That's one thing.
29:54 That's my belief in my head.
29:55 Once you learn and you apply, that will eventually work out.
29:59 Do you get my drift?
30:01 It just might not be what you looked at, which is BFI.
30:03 I love that. I love that.
30:08 Please keep the questions coming, but I have one.
30:10 So a lot of people write, right?
30:13 A lot of people can write, but.
30:16 A lot of people often overlook story
30:19 and story is something I hear you speak about a lot, right?
30:25 What is story and why is it so important?
30:28 I feel like every time I get asked that question, the answer changes,
30:33 but I think, you know, story essentially is just
30:35 what I've now learned is just general life.
30:39 I think some set of people have sat down and found a way
30:43 to make it scientific again, you know what I'm saying?
30:45 So you probably even based on like human behavior
30:47 and lots of work that I don't want to do.
30:49 Do you get what I'm saying to you?
30:50 So it's like they've come and they've put these set of principles together
30:52 and says, well, it's work for these people in the past and
30:55 they're not millionaires and, you know, won Oscars and stuff.
30:58 Do you get what I mean?
30:59 And I'm like, OK, I want to do that, too.
31:01 Do you get my drift?
31:02 So I think that story is the key to that.
31:03 And I think, OK, what is story?
31:05 I think story is now I always go on Zooms and do the same thing,
31:09 which I'm going to start again soon, by the way, if I unplug.
31:12 I'm going to do those Zoom sessions like intro to storytelling and filmmaking.
31:17 But, you know, it was the eight points that
31:20 I've put together reading books, read it somewhere.
31:24 People telling me mentors, you know, through my time,
31:26 which is character, obviously, is the most important thing.
31:29 Like a story has to be about a person or people, right?
31:32 With a goal, meaning they want something.
31:35 With obstacles, meaning something's in their way.
31:38 With a dilemma, so they have to do this or that
31:40 to get over this obstacle, to get what they want.
31:42 Simple. That's everything.
31:44 Like me today.
31:46 What's who am I?
31:47 Kobe, the filmmaker.
31:48 What's his goal? To come to your cinema, do Q&A.
31:50 Obstacle. Darfur Crossing's choked.
31:52 Do you know what I mean?
31:53 It's a two hour. What am I going to do now?
31:55 I'm just there bugging out.
31:56 Do you know what I mean?
31:57 So I go and park up in Woolwich, get Elizabeth lying.
32:00 Do you know what I'm saying to you?
32:02 It's still a story like, you know, if it's a comedy, I can spin it this way.
32:05 If it's a horror, I can spin it that way.
32:08 Do you know what I mean?
32:08 But that's that's what story is at the end of the day, is about just simplifying
32:12 what I just said, do you know what I mean, into your idea.
32:15 Do you get what I mean?
32:17 Because it kind of helps you strip out.
32:19 Because I always say, if you just come in, just regurgitate.
32:23 Something you think that's happened.
32:27 Like it's not really a story just yet, like you're not actually communicating
32:30 when you when you observe something, you're just taking in info, there's no.
32:34 You know, you haven't connected that information yet
32:37 to actually go and make it make sense to anybody or justify
32:41 even telling me that, do you know what I'm saying?
32:44 But what story does is this mechanism that does it for you.
32:47 So you don't need to sit on this for two months until the dust settles.
32:51 You can just use this thing to pull out what's important
32:53 from what you've just been through or what you've observed.
32:55 And then so we can understand.
32:58 Yeah, you know what I mean?
32:59 And I think that's what story is.
33:00 That's why they always say story is king.
33:02 If you look at anybody who's anybody who's, you know, the people we look up to,
33:07 you watch all their Q&A's and stuff, they say the same thing.
33:09 Story is king.
33:10 Story is king.
33:10 Even DOP say, well, the story is the first thing.
33:13 And you feel me once you're in and you've been what you're working with.
33:16 These people has been doing this 20, 30 years.
33:19 If you give them creative decisions as a director, as a editor, as whatever.
33:23 And you don't talk about story, they'll probably just disregard what you said.
33:26 Do you get what I'm saying to you?
33:29 Like, if you can't just say, well, I feel like this person should have done that.
33:31 Why?
33:32 Yeah, I'm saying to you, why should that person have done that?
33:35 But if you say, oh, story wise, you know, he did that because,
33:38 you know, he needs to save his mom.
33:40 So boom, boom, boom.
33:42 You know, he needs to.
33:43 But this is in his way.
33:44 That's why he did that.
33:45 OK, so that's why the show has to be like this.
33:47 We get it. Do you get what I'm saying?
33:49 So it's like stories is absolutely an immense thing to learn.
33:52 And people have their different ideas of what it is.
33:55 But I guess go on Google and just learn as much as you can in it.
33:57 And you choose that your spirit is what you think is the best.
34:01 Try it. If your film's not good enough, then I guess you need to go back
34:04 and do some more homework until you love what you do.
34:07 And then you have your formula of what story is.
34:10 So if you ask me, I'll tell you those eight points and stuff.
34:12 But, you know, you can come up with what you think is best.
34:17 Like Tenny, for example, I'll keep telling the eight points,
34:20 eight points, and she'll keep sending me stuff back regarding it.
34:23 I'm like, you know, I just do what you like.
34:25 I mean, because that eight points might not stick with you,
34:28 but you have an essence of that and whatever you're going to do.
34:31 But just please, story is just story.
34:33 If you go on Google, all the resources are there, you know, to kind of
34:37 sharpen your understanding of it.
34:41 Thank you. Thank you.
34:42 Please take notes on that, because I think that's the difference
34:46 between someone banging out loads of scripts,
34:50 which I guess practice is great and stuff, but the difference between
34:55 like doing that and crafting work that really hits here and travels.
35:02 So, yeah, please, please look into what story is more.
35:06 Yes. Sonia, are you choosing or OK?
35:11 Someone's chosen. Yeah, go for it. Go for it.
35:13 Hi, Kobe.
35:16 Yeah, love all the gems that you dropped so far.
35:20 So you mentioned I'm so sorry, I don't know why I'm looking again.
35:24 Oh, yeah. Thank you. I'm short sighted as well.
35:26 So please forgive me.
35:28 So you mentioned not too long ago.
35:32 I'm kickstarter and whatnot.
35:33 So obviously the amount is going to be different for everybody,
35:38 depending on the project they're working on.
35:40 But for a first time filmmaker, whether it's short film
35:46 or would dare to even jump to a feature,
35:49 like what questions or what kind of format would you personally recommend
35:55 someone to look at just to help?
35:59 Get even a basic idea of what budget to aim for
36:02 if they were going to crowdfunding or kickstart a route.
36:06 So by the time I finished film school.
36:12 I decided I was going to be a director rather than a DOP. Right.
36:16 And the first thing that I guess I learned as a director,
36:22 if I want to make films like this rather than like that,
36:26 is find a producer that can make films like this.
36:28 You know what I'm saying to you and pitch to them.
36:31 And it doesn't mean it's the person that runs Universal Studios.
36:35 Do you get what I mean?
36:35 It's actually somebody who might be about five years ahead of you
36:39 or like three years ahead of you, do you know what I mean?
36:42 And figure out how to impress them in it.
36:44 Do you know what I'm saying?
36:44 So you figure out how to, you know, make that connection.
36:46 Do you get my drift?
36:48 Because they've made films like this that look like that.
36:50 So, you know, oh, rah, OK, what if my ideas now
36:53 is now matched to that level of production?
36:55 That's what producers are there for.
36:56 So if you're a director, that's my advice.
36:59 But if you're a producer, on the other hand, then I guess
37:03 I'm not a producer.
37:05 So it will be a very difficult question to answer.
37:07 But there are templates available.
37:10 I have budgeted before, to be honest.
37:12 I'm really bad at math, so it was a very long day.
37:16 But, you know, there was a list of things to do and to consider.
37:20 Right. There's templates of other budgets from other stuff
37:23 that I've just looked at and made my own version.
37:25 You know what I mean?
37:26 And then I've sent those budgets to mentors.
37:28 Do you get what I'm saying to you?
37:29 To say, what do you think of this budget?
37:30 And they'll say, yeah, have you considered this?
37:32 Have you considered that?
37:34 Do you get my drift?
37:34 So budgeting is a funny old thing.
37:37 But if you're a director like me,
37:39 who has no interest,
37:42 then you probably just want to find a producer.
37:45 And I'm sure you've got plenty in this room,
37:47 so you better get your networking boots on.
37:49 This is the space
37:52 where you meet a lot of collaborators, as I have.
37:54 You know, so.
37:56 Thank you. Thank you.
37:58 We've got time for two more. Yes.
38:00 Thank you. I'm almost getting tired.
38:05 So this is just in regards to DBK Studios
38:10 and, you know, the short films that got commissioned by Sky.
38:15 So my question is,
38:18 do you, is DBK or does DBK look for other projects
38:24 that they can take on board to pitch to broadcasters
38:28 or streamers or anything like that?
38:30 Yeah, the conversation is open.
38:34 Do you get my drift?
38:35 It's just an open conversation, but I think it's always just falls down
38:38 to alignment, really.
38:39 Do you know what I mean?
38:40 And alignment has many factors like timing, resources.
38:44 Do you get what I mean?
38:46 Where the filmmakers are at a time and et cetera.
38:48 So we've actually just started working with one person.
38:52 I'm not going to put her on blast,
38:53 because I believe she might be here.
38:55 But, you know, it's not part of any scheme or anything.
38:58 You know, it's just somebody that we met and it's like you
39:00 an absolutely special filmmaker.
39:02 And we go and look at the resources and we're like, oh, OK, well,
39:05 this is what we've got.
39:06 This is what we don't have.
39:07 And we've been in that position before and said, well, we don't have enough.
39:10 So God bless. Here's some people to meet.
39:13 And if the resources is read up in future, then we can have another combo.
39:18 But I think in this instance with the one project that we've committed to
39:22 is that, you know, some resources just came in at a time
39:26 where we've met her and she's pitching ideas.
39:29 Do you know what I mean?
39:30 And we've seen a short that she's made, which was absolutely out of the box.
39:35 And we're kind of like, OK, well, well, we understand the landscape
39:39 now of what's required from these commissioners and stuff
39:41 because we've sat around them a bit now.
39:44 You know, we've we've that's the question I always ask.
39:47 What are you looking for?
39:48 So you meet somebody that says, oh, my idea is this and did it.
39:52 Oh, my God. This guy said he was.
39:54 Well, do you know what I mean?
39:54 And a lot of the time when you say, what are you looking for?
39:57 It's not the same, but a lot of people, decision makers have similar.
40:01 Do you know what I mean?
40:03 Things that they're looking for.
40:05 So, yeah, man, I don't know.
40:06 I think what I'd say is we do is the easy answer.
40:10 But how many times we've done it is hardly ever.
40:14 Do you get what I mean?
40:15 So it's just one of those ones where it just has to be right, because
40:18 it's not like DBK Studios has this big office in Soho with runners
40:23 that's going to meet you at the reception.
40:24 Who are saying to you everything happens on Zoom?
40:27 You know, I mean, so, you know, until until the capacity grows,
40:31 we're going to have to be pragmatic with what we choose to do in it.
40:35 I love that. Thank you. Thank you.
40:38 The last question. Oh, yeah.
40:40 Everyone's hands raised now. OK, cool.
40:42 You take the pressure. You choose.
40:44 Oh, it's over there. Oh, OK, cool, cool.
40:47 Yeah, go for it.
40:48 Hi. You briefly touched on this earlier when you're talking about
40:52 writing about Islam.
40:55 When pitching a story as a quote unquote diverse creative,
40:59 how can you push for a story that isn't just about, for example, race
41:04 or just about one aspect of your identity?
41:07 If it was someone who's disabled, they don't
41:09 they might not want to write something about being disabled.
41:11 If someone who's gay might not want to be a coming out story.
41:14 There's so many different stories, although they're important.
41:17 There's other stories to tell. So how can we push for that?
41:20 What a story that's not about things that tick boxes, basically. Yes.
41:26 Get private investment,
41:30 because I guess the people that have money tick boxes.
41:34 Do you get what I'm saying to you?
41:35 So, again, it's not about really what I want to do.
41:38 Actually, is one million percent. I take that right back.
41:41 It is about what I want to do, but it's about merging that with what they want to do.
41:45 You know what I mean? Just communication, really.
41:48 And, you know, it's just about coming to terms with the fact that, you know,
41:54 we're just not in control of everything.
41:56 If just because we've got this idea, well, if we believe in it so much,
42:00 we have to make it happen hook or crook.
42:01 Do you know what I mean? I can't hold anybody accountable to that.
42:05 That's my job to get what I'm saying to you.
42:07 And I guess for me, another response to that would be.
42:10 Your idea always links up to those things anyway, do you know what I mean?
42:15 Is life life is again, I keep talking about science
42:17 because that's just the season of my life, I'm realizing how scientific life is.
42:21 You know, everyone goes through so many things in life thinking that, oh, yeah,
42:25 this is so bad and I'm unique when.
42:28 You literally hear somebody else's story and it sounds like
42:31 they went through exactly what you went through, if you know what I mean.
42:35 And the detail might be different.
42:37 Do you get what I mean? So there is always a connection point.
42:40 And I think that this thing that I said about story and the eight points
42:44 is something that always clarifies what that is.
42:48 Do you get what I'm saying?
42:50 You might not know it exists, but it's there and it does tick a box.
42:53 So why not tick the box and get money?
42:55 Do you know what I mean?
42:56 So it's just there's two ways of looking at it.
42:58 But you could have a rich uncle somewhere that believes in you and has an M
43:02 to just dash away.
43:03 If you do, just think of me as well, because I've got ideas in it.
43:07 So, you know, I love it.
43:10 I love it. Can we have a round of applause for Koyuki? Thank you.
43:13 Thank you.
43:14 [BLANK_AUDIO]