For any creative mind, being fresh out of university poses many challenges. How to stay focused, inspired and how to keep that all-important spark alive. Artist Focus is here to provide interviews with artists in the big, wide world and pose those very questions. As a recent BA Film graduate from Falmouth University, Sophie Hurry (https://sophiehurry.com) is keen for a career in experimental film practice. At the start of her professional journey, Sophie looks forward to discovering new practices, techniques and outlets for inspiration and Artist Focus is here to ask how she does it. 1. Why and how did you decide to pursue film? From theatre, art, photography, music and writing I’ve always been interested in the creative industries, set on a task or involved in a project. But nothing quite stuck like film. Film was always so natural to me. Whether picking up a camera or working on film projects, I was always at my happiest when life involved video production. My desire to make my film ambitions more concrete rested on my university choices and A-Level success, and, at the time, I wasn’t aware that art could be approached through the medium of film so struggled to connect to art. However, I succeeded in media and studied an AS Level in Film in my second year all as part of my individual studies. After my A-Levels I pursued a degree in Film at Falmouth University. At the start of my degree, working in crews became more difficult, a complete contrast to my experiences working with friends on fun projects back home. I began to doubt my teamwork capabilities until both my degree and myself changed upon being introduced to experimental filmmaking in my second year. Here, I realised a creative approach to filmmaking was what I desired most and established a connection to my initial passion for film. Despite enjoying independent projects, I am very excited to the possibilities to creative collaboration and the future of working with others in a niche I feel suited. 2. Describe your artist style and influences. I’d describe my style currently as very personal and nostalgic. By concentrating on the beauty and pain of human psychology and relationships, I feel that my films have often been very open and honest. I use mixed media (digital, vhs, super 8mm) to unlock and explore each medium’s meaning, and unlock any new perspective when combining several. Whenever I have struggled for resources in the past, I make sure to continue creating, returning to solely digital films if needs be. With my recent introduction to the wonders of experimental and avante-garde cinema, I’ve only discovered a handful of artist filmmakers so far who continue to influence my work.
3. Life gets busy. What is the best way to stay inspired? Constantly create, always have something on the go, no matter how prominent it may take shape in your daily life. Make sure there is always something worth thinking about or towards, so if you don't have the opportunity to do it, you can think on it. Remaining in this mind frame will allow you to see things when you least expect them, an inspiration or idea that takes itself forward into your work. 4. Describe your perfect creative space. A sturdy place to sit where the desk is at the perfect height so you could fold your legs under your knee and you would still fit underneath. The chair is comfy but not too comfy that you sink. My laptop, a million pens, notebooks and cameras strewn and a big cup of coffee. This is great for editing, pre-production and planning. If I'm filming, put a camera in my hand and every space becomes a creative space. If I have a lens to look through or a shot to frame I feel constantly creative. 5. Your favourite project so far. Every project is a piece of me and therefore holds a part of me in some way or another. As a personal success, my 9 minute film Space Repudiation was my most creative, emotional and psychologically challenging film. I pushed boundaries and most definitely comfort zones, creating something so close and raw to my heart. The response from many has been the most rewarding thing and therefore the film has become my favourite work. 6. The best thing about film. That every individual experience for a film remains completely subjective from the persons viewing situation to their format to what mind set they were in that day to the life experiences that they hold. If you open yourself up to film you will realise more things about yourself than many other mediums can. This goes for watching a film to making your own. What remains particularly fascinating about experimental film is that when you watch enough you can choose to what extent you become the film in front of you or you become its meaning and purpose. Film can lend you someone else's eye, a different view point to the world and therefore you can feel safe in knowing that you are never isolated in what you think or feel or know. 7. Hopes for the future. I would like to study a masters in Experimental Film, and I have a place on a course at Kingston University starting in September 2018. In the mean time, I want to continue furthering my understanding of the bridge joining together film and art. This means developing my professional practice as an artist and engaging with the community of artists-filmmakers around me. Besides this, as long as I'm creating and growing I'll be happy and excited for what's to come. Follow Sophie and her work at the following links:
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