Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:11 Whoa, whoa. Oh my Lord. We're putting that one in, I mean, me, me, me. Welcome back everybody. There was on shift. No mistakes made here. We don't do that. We don't edit anything. Everything's perfect.
Speaker 1 00:00:32 This week we are talking to Chris. Chris is a filmmaker and we are super excited to learn about his job. Hi Chris.
Speaker 2 00:00:39 Hi. Hello. Welcome. Yeah, it's great to be on the hill.
Speaker 1 00:00:44 So, um, for our listeners, Chris is a friend of Will's. If you remember, will we spoke to him about his carpentry business and then also his advocacy business. So, um, Chris and we'll, uh, our friends and we are, uh, we're going to have just as much fun with Chris as we did with will. So awesome.
Speaker 3 00:01:07 Let's start by, um, uh, having you, if you don't mind telling us, uh, kind of a day in the life of work, what does a filmmaker filmmakers?
Speaker 2 00:01:18 Um, I think filming is kind of like a blend in terms. It was like, I know in England we kind of have like different bowls, like Gomez or film filming can be split into all sorts of different roles and busy comes like you've got here pre production. If I got like risk assessments, not, then you have like your production getting, um, going out and filming on camera. And then you've got, um, your, uh, post production, which is like taking your footage into the editing software and putting together the story of what you want to sort of how you want the story to look. And, um, basically I'm kind of starting off my own. So recently I started my own business. I started off a couple of years ago. I did a masters degree at the university of Bradford where I learned my craft in like digital filmmaking.
Speaker 2 00:02:08 And it was basically more being more independent and do things for ourselves. And then, um, after I was just like spending a lot of time for work. Cause obviously it's difficult in this industry, this industry where you have to know people, especially it makes it more harder when you come from like a very small town. Um, there's like, no, any, any big cities like in, Aliquippa be like all the, be all the big jobs are all down in London. And we've kind of got this idea of I'm from the Northeast of England where there's the hobby, anything going on there. And basically I think it's like difficult for, um, I was fortunate enough to be a part of a disabled group, but filmmakers who wanted to do stuff with film, uh, coping and film space. And you've asked them one time. And that was where I, um, was fortunate enough to offered a placement.
Speaker 2 00:03:01 I went through a couple of interviews and they really liked my eye. They really liked the way I conducted the interview and they really liked the fact of why I wanted to do the placement, how I want to use it for the future. And I think since ages group, um, I started learning more about the filming process and basically I was working at the museum, uh, creating films for them about some of their exhibits. One of their films was actually featured on that YouTube page. And I was actually became one of the top 10. I later found out most watched videos. Um, and basically we find it. We finally did a final film, which kind of like was used to advertise the museum to university students at new castle university for them to use this emphasis of the museum for that studies. And then since then, it's kinda like we kinda like looked into developing this business model.
Speaker 2 00:03:55 Um, so basically the idea behind my business was to be, um, to champion Euro diversity, to kind of work with organizations locally to kind of like highlight the awareness of autism. Um, so, so quite a few projects with like local charities. Uh, one of which was called Daisy chain where we did a couple of films with volunteers week in the UK. And we also did some films for autism awareness week for the Newcastle city council. And we're hoping to continue with them next year, um, with lots of other English councils, um, to kind of highlight the wins of autism and kind of show like people's artistic talent and what they're capable of through autism. Um, and basically I think we've got other projects where like we did a project recently with a girl who, Hey, who had a body painted. I was kind of showing the different sides of autism, like being able to like math lights, all like masking autism in one side, then basically the project is called BU and I think it's like the idea of being who you are, which I think is like important process.
Speaker 2 00:05:01 Like it's not about masking who you are. It's about basically saying I am who I am and I don't care what people think. And I just like want people to know that. And I think the project is really, really good, um, for that purpose. And like I say, I've been waiting on like a lot of other projects with the little organizations, with my mentor who, uh, she works with me for the year and she like goes around with me doing the camera work and I do the editing. She's there to give me feedback on my work. And she's really a beautiful woman, Laura Degnan. And like I say, she's, um, yeah, I wouldn't be where I am today without the help and support of, uh, uh, spectrum enterprises and the help they give me in, by finding me the spot gave me the help that I need.
Speaker 2 00:05:48 So, yeah. And also, as people will know, um, there's bill who is doing the atypical project has been on your program. And finally I was actually, I'm actually also working on that. So basically I caught it way out of my comfort zone near the week. Cause we were doing it a series of instructional videos on how use at TJ and how easy did you or camera at guys giving like tutorials as the atypical project. And he basically turned around and said, we want some like, um, instruction wheels to turn around and said, we want, we've got this guy and want to do some instructional videos on how, on how to use camera to present at his, um, sessions and then say, well, that's going to be a big because of this one we'd never done before my, my mentor hadn't done it. I hadn't done it.
Speaker 2 00:06:35 There's this guy called Phil who does photography. Hadn't done it. So here's the will like being in, um, this is going to be quite difficult, but once he got anywhere, once he caught, like, I think it was kind of like he was nervous on the fifth day. And it was kind of on the first session. It's kind of like, you kind of didn't know what you were saying. Kind of like, um, um, what do I, what do I wanna say? And we had to kind of write the script room and then basically when we, once we read the script for him, we did the first session and the other sections, we just easier just got it. It kind of like blended into the roll easily. And then you just by kind of knew what he was saying and it made it a lot easier. Um, I know like we're going back to do some more stupid atypical, and we're going to promote everybody, everybody who is going to be involved in the project, including, well, so when do some promotional videos for Will's company, for my company, um, the, as we also got a Willow Weaver who was going to do a video form of also called Iran as somebody, I think who makes curtains, I think, um, and those fabric design.
Speaker 2 00:07:40 So we're going to do a promotional video pen and they are going to be shown. So yeah, it's like really, there's a lot of like perspective work coming in, especially from like the new, uh, the new, a diverse community.
Speaker 3 00:07:50 That's fantastic. It sounds like, uh, um, kind of getting your foot in the door, you know, uh, really, uh, really opened up a lot of stuff and it sounds like it's going well. That's, that's fantastic. And I love some of this stuff. Oh
Speaker 2 00:08:05 Yeah. It's really, it's really, it's really going well, you know, there's a lot of like stuff happening and I'm like surprised. I think it was like a big surprise why I'll ask her said I actually made like 3000 pounds in only my first three weeks of trade. They've been my first three months of trading, which is like really good going. And I think like that's an achievement in itself. Absolutely. Fantastic.
Speaker 1 00:08:29 Yeah. Yeah. That's, that is so exciting. What, what is your favorite part about filmmaking?
Speaker 2 00:08:37 My favorite part of the job is kind of like getting out there. It's like being able to travel to these different places. It's about meeting the types of people we get to meet, you know, you get to meet some of the most amazing people. I think it's like everyone has their own sort of story. It helps. And I think like doing that through filming is really beautiful. I guess it's also like as well. The other thing about good name or being familiar is it's all about problem solving. You're kind of like, so was like, I always look at like my edit and everything. It's just like one jigsaw puzzle. You're trying to like put, especially with the stupid we film kind of like working out, we have the script, we was just like weighing out where things need to go and put them into like a certain order.
Speaker 2 00:09:15 And I think it's like just putting that puzzle together and like once you've got the post again and then put like everything in your doing your color grade and you've done, like your sound mix mixing made the sound like sound really better. And then you've got like your, um, yeah. Why did you like it affects transitions? Uh, it's really good. Nothing. It's like that saw a thing as if I say it's about like the travel, just getting out there again to see it, to see where it gets us well, like as well, being able to meet people, you know, like I said, I'm currently looking at submitting some of my work to like film festivals in the UK and kind of like saying, you know, I really want this work to get out there and really like show who I am and really like promote my business as far as it can go.
Speaker 1 00:09:59 That's fantastic. So can I ask, how do you personally feel about like telling someone's story? Do you feel like you have a certain responsibility to tell it in a certain way? Right. Cause like I know from our perspective, that's kind of what we do a little bit. Right? Like our podcast is telling people, stories about work and how, you know, autism impacts us at work. So in a sense we're telling people stories, but not like you do so, um, I'm just interested to see how you feel about telling people's stories and how you approach that.
Speaker 2 00:10:32 And the way I, the way I approach it is like, I kind of like just, just get to hear what the people said. And I kind of like think of my own way to put it there. I mean, like I said, I've, um, I've been looking at like, well where it's not too like stressful where people don't like, if I tend to look at it as like some people have a level of expectation, I think my level of expectation might not meet your level of expectation. That's why I tend to think if I can work for organizations where they don't sort of have a level of expectation or I tend to think like, like I've worked for organizations where there's no, like deadlines are quite far when we don't have to worry about like how long we've actually got do things where it's not like stressful.
Speaker 2 00:11:11 And I think that that's what makes it a lot more easier. Um, I guess it's like, you know, as long as I think sometimes as well, I, I think as a VA that we get the creative freedom to be like, as creative as we can be. And we don't like, we don't have to, we don't have to worry about what people lingers in the league with two meals, say like, oh yeah, you've got the creative freedom to do what you need to do as long as, as long. I think it's small. Like as long as you get the message across of what the person is trying to say, it doesn't matter how it, how it goes together. I love that. Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. So
Speaker 1 00:11:46 Do you know ahead of time how it's going to go together or you just put like, do you, are you, are you design? Are you designing it as you go? Or do you do that all after
Speaker 2 00:11:55 That? Yeah. I mean, I, the way I do things is I, I tend to think of myself as very visual. So I have, like, I know one thing that's unique about me is I have a really good photographic memory. I can like imagine things in my head. It's like, it's like, it's weird. Cause like I can see something in my it's like, I'm looking at something like, like a photograph. So many, like if I imagine a place, I can look at it, like I'm at that place. I play acuity in my head. Like I can actually get like the light that she was actually playing in, live in the room or something. Or I look at like video and I feel it's the same as a filmmaker. I'm like sometimes I often visualize, I'm often kind of visualizing how I want the film to look.
Speaker 2 00:12:35 It may not always look how I expect it to, but I'm always trying to visualize my I'm always like thinking creatively I'm sometimes I'm thinking, you know, what can I do with this? How I just, I think it was like yesterday I was doing it around the shoot for the body painting. I was just looking at everything and you know, I was, and we would kind of love, I kind of seen it. I was kind of going through it in my head thinking, you know, this would look so gray if it was like, if it was like turning into slow motion footage. And I was just in my junior year, I was actually at my gym with Lou I right there. And then I was like, it's like, it's like some drool over just thinking, you know, I can just see the possibilities of where this footage can actually go. And that's how my brain works. That's awesome.
Speaker 3 00:13:16 I have a very similar, uh, way I see things and create things. I think it's awesome to have. Do you think that, uh, what interested you in the beginning is having that kind of being a visual person or is there other, is there other things that got you interested in the field in the first place?
Speaker 2 00:13:34 I guess, I mean, this goes back when I was, I mean, when I was at school, I was always interested in like kind of like working with computers. I always said, you know, I'm good at like software learning, how to use things and being like a creative person, um, which I was using, I was good at like using Microsoft office word and Microsoft Excel and stuff like that. And I was kind of like, just sort of do a college prospectus one day, um, looking at like what I could do with like my talents and my skills. And I did MDC decide on doing game design. Cause I I'll leave still playing in or anything. I wonder how they're actually made. But then when I kind of got through like the, of, I worked out couldn't even design a character without copywriting, somebody else's and it kind of looked like, like this idea of just going along the route of like media production, trying to learn how to create like photographs and doing like bits of photography I emission, um, and filming and stuff like that.
Speaker 2 00:14:31 And like I said, Wilmington, wasn't calling me originally. And I thought, well, what if I'm better with doing, like creating the stuff like graphic designers and creating like so flight logo. So I tried behind the put then in university, but I think like it didn't go quite as well as I'd hoped. And then I realized that if I went like a master's doing filming, I mean kind of my idea of I could be my own person. Like if you were to go on an undergraduate degree, you'd probably have to work in like groups. And whereas my severe is like a smaller group and it was kind of like being able to learn on our own by doing our own thing. It's kind of like really funny. It was something that was like fast pace away. Some of the modules to play sport. It was really fun.
Speaker 2 00:15:13 Like I think that's what finally got me into the idea of like wanting to be a filmmaker. And some of the projects I did were like really great. Like I know like I did a file project, which is all about like autism. I did, I go into an organization, a property mushy auction, and they turned around and said, we want you to, I said, I would love to come and like film some film about, um, what it means to be autistic, how it affects people, you know, when the, like the achievements of what people from this organization have achieved. And basically, um, I was allowed to go in and then film. And that was like a challenge in itself because like, we like got all these workshops going on. Both you can't film them because people might not be, want to be on common slate sky and like, Hmm, well, how do I go about doing this?
Speaker 2 00:16:00 And then I thought, well, we've got a drama group that don't mind being filmed. Would you use the drama group, replicate the workshops? And then we've already got footage of like a pioneer was also a band there that do gigs around Bradford called that top block. And they allow me to use that footage of the yen recording. Um, and basically they turn, I actually go on their songs as I actually have one of the singers that he is considering how he talks with this guy called Oxy. He talked about the stood out, but when you heard his voice, it sounded like really, really gruff and deep when he was singing on one of the songs, um, a song he did call them sworn in our tunnel. It's about some, uh, total disaster in a being Muslims, a tunnel costs one an hour. And so, and basically, uh, it was really unique and I think it was like really interesting book. I, like I said, once I got down, once we found what we were filming, they all came again. It was really good. Oh, my now I am home to work on like, well, my men are calls, the directors could have it so I can get it ready for like film festivals. So I would say, this is what I made back in college in university, but this is why I really want a piece to say something about autism. Yeah. That's awesome.
Speaker 1 00:17:14 I think my favorite piece, I got to, I got to look through your Facebook, um, before we met today. And I think my favorite piece is the one you call backwards. Hi.
Speaker 2 00:17:23 Yeah, that was, yeah, basically. That was quite interesting that basically subacute used to give us like an, that module is based, like in the module we call guerrilla filmmaking, which is like going out without a crew or a butcher or anything just filming, um, without permission or anything like that. And I think I just filmed it on an iPod touch and all I did was like show up like a world where everything goes by within to give like inspiration for like each of the pieces. I said, well, it was kind of like an episode of, uh, red dwarf where, um, when Aubrey sitcoms where everything it goes, goes backwards in the episode. And like, it's kind of an inspiration for it. And it kind of like felt like a dream sequence. It was one of the clever tool used to give us like key words.
Speaker 2 00:18:07 And like you say, like every week I'm going to give you 10, this 10 weeks, you're going to get a keyword every week. And you're basically going to be given like, um, so when you do is to go out and build something for those weeks and Dem, I know we did, like, there's quite a few words. Like the first way we would give him was like tea as well. Like, um, <inaudible> a cup of tea, a golf tee, um, in base, he came with all these ideas, like, and some of the projects were really good. Now I was told by my cheapest bet that the best ones, like the animated ones, I did one where I, I, I bought this little glass and jigsaw puzzle, um, which you have on the shelf behind me. And one of them was a 10 Noah and one of the videos was called the one, the tight one, the objects w one of the, um, <inaudible> was we give him was K as in, what do I do for a kid?
Speaker 2 00:19:03 And then I I'm looking around and I just got inspiration from this to no, I thought you wind up 10 knots with a key. So I did with one, one of these 10 robot and made this show on emission of it, moving along and live the reason of the time. And then moving off the great, I kind of found an effect on line of like use a scanner, just going across me. It looked like it was moving. It was so good. And so the animations were very little, like, I think it was a little like where were, but like one of my famous favorite catchphrase, like it's not about waiting there, uh, waiting for the stolen past about learning to dance in the rain. I design mission of a cardboard, all these capo. And it was like, go in a new umbrella, kind of like being worshiped by way, and then landing on the ground, throwing your umbrella when kind of like dancing in the rain. It was kind of like an address. I mean, I've always lived by that kind of, you just kind of wait for things to pass. You've got to just learn my breadth them. Um, but yeah, some of those films I did were absolutely brilliant, nothing. Like I got a really high grade for those
Speaker 3 00:20:07 W I I'm curious to know, uh, what has been your biggest learning curve in setting up your own business?
Speaker 2 00:20:18 I guess that's kind of an interesting thing. I mean, I've, I think I've had like a lot of sort of like learning cares. How would it be? Like, I mean, for my business, I was always worried about like, you know, especially when you try cause, oh, we've got like tax forms and not kind of like online self-assessments for like toxin and all this <inaudible>. How do I do that? I was thinking like, you know, where do I go to look for work? I don't know. Any boy I said in the film is kind of like, she's way you have to know people to be able to get into it. And then I think it's kind of like go when you come. Like I said before, when you come from a small town and when you kind of like don't know anybody, it's kind of really difficult.
Speaker 2 00:21:01 And I think, like, I think like once I met my mentor, she kind of had all the contacts that I needed. I think that's what made things much better. I think it's kind of like learning, learning, like, I'm always learning new things. Like I know before I did this, I was learning myself that new piece of software that I'd never used before, because I was always used to using won't be software in, um, in university. And I think like, this is this piece of where no one hardly using Israel and all like Hollywood uses it right in four over here. We don't use it as much apart from like color grade, I think like, why does nobody use it? It's a really good piece of software where everything is laid out, especially somebody who's autistic and you just like things they clear easy to read format.
Speaker 2 00:21:47 They're easy to see what works. I think like, you know, why should I have to do things just because other people expect it's like saying it, you know, you know, just cause the normal just cause the norm says you have to do it, then you have to do it. And I think, well, I feel like saying if I was, if someone told me I had to walk off a bridge because it was the norm, I'd have to do it. And I think norm, I like to challenge the norm and say I'm different. I, I do things my way and I don't care. As long as it, as long as it gets the end result, as long as it gets, it would probably get the same results. If I use this other software, it's just like, um, it's just like at the end of the day, it's how I do things. It is still going to get the same result. It's still, it's just about the, they said it in software. It's a lot, there's a lot better than what I've used before. It's a lot more advanced, but it does a good job. And then they, what you want me to do.
Speaker 1 00:22:38 Exactly. You know, what's funny. I think that's the thing. That's like the, the, the thing I'm seeing in almost every interview that we've done is that people have the mindset, you know, that why does it matter how we do it? Right. We, we get the job done. Why does it matter how we do it? That seems to be like a common thread.
Speaker 3 00:23:02 I think that's a lot of times why people go from, uh, especially if you, if you're the type of person who you can't get caught up very easily in, in, uh, being an employee to somebody and it's just doesn't work because you, you have better ideas of how things should work and it's like, your, your ideas don't go anywhere. So, you know, when you have your own business, you know, it's like, oh, look, I'm able to succeed because I'm, I can do it my way. And then by the way, also I think every, uh, every new business should come with a, uh, a book of all the people you need to be able to call.
Speaker 2 00:23:36 Yeah, definitely
Speaker 3 00:23:38 Super useful. And the other thing, like, like you were saying, Chris is, um, you know, having, being in a small town versus a large town, cause we've been in a large town and you know, jobs are just a plenty and, and, and you could go anywhere in and meet, meet somebody. Or some people who know somebody, you know, in a smaller town, it's, it's much harder to get things going, uh, with, you know, it's just less people, you know, and people
Speaker 1 00:24:04 Are more closed or closed, but like, you know, they have their group of friends and they don't really need to add anybody. Right. Literally
Speaker 3 00:24:10 Have to know somebody. And of course being here long enough time, we get to know, you know, Hey, so-and-so knows so-and-so who knows so-and-so and it becomes, you know, um, you know, every, you know, somebody who can do just about anything, but when you first moved to a small town, it's a very different from a large city or starting up something that's very true.
Speaker 2 00:24:32 Yeah. I guess Skylar, at the same time, like you have to like, Hey, asset for us. Like, it needs to be way half-day. So normally it's kind of like, it's like, you're applying for a job. Like everyone tries to apply for the same job. But like, if you know, somebody probably, if I get a job with my house skill you where it's like, if I went for a job and I turned around and said, um, I've got these, this, this is name. Um, and then you might get somebody else to comes along and tells. I said, well, I know, I know Steven Spielberg. It's like, um, yeah. And, and it's kind of like, oh, you know, CEO's feel like, yeah, you've got the joke. The joke is, you know, Steven Spielberg's like, Hey, it's like, you know what, you know, it's like who, you know, based upon
Speaker 3 00:25:19 Probably much more in your business as well, but any business for that matter. But what was
Speaker 1 00:25:24 That story? That story. Oh, I can't, it was it's so poignant right now. It was a father went to, um, bill gates and said, uh, you know, I'd like my son to marry your daughter. And he's like, w w you know, my son, my, my daughter's not gonna marry your son. I don't even know who you are. Well, my son is the CEO of, you know, whatever massive enterprise. And, and then bill gates says, well, yeah, okay. You know, my daughter will now marry your son. And now the father goes to the, to the board of the enterprise and says, okay, um, I need my son to be CEO. And they're like, well, we don't even know your son from anybody. Well, he's bill gates. A son-in-law. Oh, okay. Well now he's the CEO. So let's talk about autism and how, how it impacts your work. Um, let's start with, um, you know, what is it what's hard for you about your work? That, that is an autistic trait?
Speaker 2 00:26:23 I would say, like, I think with autism, I guess it's kind of like, like I said, it's about, like, I think one of the main problems, like I said, originally is about being able to know people, obviously when you're autistic, you kind of like, don't socialize. You feel like, you feel like a wallflower just sat there in the corner of a room. Don't talk when you body. And I guess it's kind of like that, it's like one of the biggest, um, barriers to like getting into, getting into the film industry. Like I know like, um, I guess he's kind of like, people probably don't love your dog RTA and all I was told and ingested fuck that, especially in England, that like only 10% of the w the screening industries in England is actually made up, uh, um, disabled people. And I think that was like rolling.
Speaker 2 00:27:10 That was like something I wanted to challenge. And I kind of did in creative, another film I was working on before locked down the spot, like, you know, how, when about that, that sort of statistic and like, kind of thinking about, like, how do we sort of, you know, I wanted to be able to challenge that and be able to say to people, look, this needs, this new needs to change. We need more people. I know, like, uh, we also set up a group called we called hashtag we shall not be removed, which is about like his group where we kind of like every character, those people and tell them, you know, the, the money needs to happen. You know, it yet more disabled people into this industry. Um, and like I said, I guess that's like one of the major sort of barriers around like autism is like, you know, we don't socialize very well
Speaker 3 00:27:56 On the, uh, on the flip side, having autism. What, uh, how does that help you with what you do?
Speaker 2 00:28:03 I guess it's kinda like with autism, because I'm working with a lot of autistic people and try and fill them autistic organizations in 10 hours. I'd say, I can make these films. I guess it kinda like helps. Cause I understand autism. I understand how they will be feeding in Navy with the nerves to go on camera, if the nervous to speak and I can help re reassure them and stuff like that and say, you know, is there anything we can do to make your experience as comfortable as possible? And like, I know I did an interview with <inaudible> about his company and IRA, the sport and the stuff he does. And he turned around and said, I don't mind you using my voice as long as you're doing show my face on camera. And I know it was something I forgot the first time, but then once they did it, I would say, this is it.
Speaker 2 00:28:51 You know, you, you, you kind of speak, but you do not have your caviar voice, Sean. And he was really fine with that. And then I think, like I said, if you can meet the needs of what people want, they had Scranton, I think, but I have talked to all of the, as I was the whole idea of the business, like to be, to, to help open that, be other neurodiverse people and try and say, you know, I come in neurodiversity and I can like help out with all these, um, artists, uh, people on the autistic spectrum, because I can understand that can relate to them.
Speaker 3 00:29:25 Yeah. That makes perfect sense.
Speaker 1 00:29:27 You know, it's funny, it occurred to me when you were saying that, um, would you consider, and just as a separate thing, not like in lieu of your business, but like being a consultant, like a film consultant for autistic characters or autistic, uh, actors or that kind of thing, because I know the, the industry needs a lot of that. There's, there's not many good consultants that are teaching people, you know, how, how we operate and how to work with us.
Speaker 2 00:29:55 I don't know, man, something we never, we never experienced over in England about like how the I've I've never actually heard of it was actually needed consultants <inaudible> yeah. I mean, I, I always say I want to be an advocate for like autism and China, like share my stories of autism and kind of like, you know, I want to push out the people's stories of autism as well. Kind of like say, you know, we are not just, I guess it kind of like challenges that sort of idea that, um, that we are not w maybe we may be different than other people. We may just have those different needs, both. I often think we can, um, we can challenge that. We can kind of like, even though we are different, we can still perform, uh, in everyday society is normal people. We can do things. I mean, I, I always used to think when I was a kid that, um, the way I was, I, I always thought I would doubt would have to be cat off the, by so many for the rest of my life.
Speaker 2 00:30:52 And then yeah, there, I found myself going off to uni for one year that me leaving my family behind, like one year and I, I enjoyed it and made new friends. And, um, and I think it's like, um, it was like coming back and like earning all the achievements. I didn't, you know, I was able to get some, I look by my music, you know, I did really great. So I got like, um, uh, half of the full grid from my, my, my master's project, which is like a high level, which, which I think is really impressive. Somebody on the autistic spectrum. And I think it's like, um, some of the other stuff I was able to do that, like, I know one things I did was I was, um, a student representative for my cost and we were able to go out and attend meetings.
Speaker 2 00:31:35 And, um, we kind of like, kind of bottled use across is how I kind of got our classes views across with like how we felt the call should change to meet our requirements. And I think like, um, basically I was also, um, speaking up at meetings. Like, I know one thing that used to do it means you say, we, we ask students like check these, these, uh, department or meetings, um, for the whole department to kind of like, see what, um, if, if they want to do an, I just had a one day and say, y'all do I want to see if I can like be, um, I, you know, I feel like I've seen how it's been done before and I can do this. So, um, it was just easy to read, not an agenda. And I guess it was kind of like, and the, it was really great.
Speaker 2 00:32:22 Do not, I think like, because of, I don't know, because of all the work I did, I did manage to earn myself soon representative of the year award, uh, 20 17, 28, which I do have a trophy downstairs and a city, a good the states. Um, but these kind of like all these achievements side, you said anything, I want to be an advocate for. Also, I want to be able to go around and say, these are my achievements is what I achieved, and this is what you can achieve too. I like that. And do that through my film as well, like saying like we, as the people that have these, um, then you were diverging both having said that we can also perform insight and through my films, I've kind of done. I've kind of said, you know, this is what we've achieved when we bought, Hey, Alex, who we've got a fund of all, if you button middle, watch the people that can actually play really well to put light eyes from all around the Northeast, England who have done some studying poetry and illustrations and, um, and w we'll we even, and photography and not.
Speaker 2 00:33:28 And I tend to think that is like, um, every great achievement that we're proud of. And I B H and I am happy to like, show those stories to those. We'd say we are not, we, we be, we may be slightly different, but we can still perform normally in society.
Speaker 3 00:33:43 I think that's fantastic. And I think everyone, uh, you know, uh, uh, should see that stuff that you've done. I'd, you know, we'll share, um, if, if it's good with you, I'd love to share some of that in our show notes, um, where people can, um, find, uh, find your stuff so they can, so we can share it with everybody, because I think it'd be great, um, with that too. Um, where do you, I guess, where do you see your business growing? What would you like it to be in the future? I mean, with, you know, the stuff that you're with, with what you have in mind, what would be like the, you know, the ultimate goal, you know, for the future of your business?
Speaker 2 00:34:22 Yeah. I guess, I guess one of the things I'm like, kind of looking at is there is expanding like to different parts of the UK. It's kind of, I think in like, in, like, I know I asked the dollar, I think, and like, you know, I I've, I've focused mainly on the Northeast of England and I wanted, cause y'all know all the areas of the Northeast England, try and get my work out there. And I know we have like, quite a lot of places where I could show that like on big screens, in some of the cities we have, we have like big screens where we can kind of like show a lot. Um, working said, you know, this is, um, my w this is like the work for Chris Robin. Like I know some of it would be great for like Austin last week, showing it on big screens and saying like, this is what was meant by Chris <inaudible>, he's a filmmaker from so-and-so.
Speaker 2 00:35:05 And then basically, um, if you need a way of doing contact him, and I think like, that's one of the ideas we kind of had going foil gate, I guess, kind of all like trying to meet him one way. We kind of put like a projection together of how, if we, we, we, I would make in like the first year we said like, oh, six grand in version nine in the second, 12 in the third. And I'm kinda like, um, meet north star and kind of working to meet those facts, I guess kind of like just got us all expanding, kind of like reach out to a lot of, a lot more organizations that I have known kind of just getting those contacts. And I guess it's like seeing, I, like, I've always said, I want to move to like biggest cities within the, within the, within England as well.
Speaker 2 00:35:47 Probably like I got like, um, some of the areas we have in the Northeast in like our coastlines and our, our like Yorkshire countryside. Um, that's where I like, like the couldn't be side, not where it's a bit more quiet and peaceful, but like some of the cities around that, um, so basically is like Leeds, Manchester, um, and, uh, maybe even as far as like Liverpool or not. And then basically it's just like, um, we in to see what handsome as I, I don't, I do tend to think all things in the longterm, but then sometimes I also think about what happens the here and now kind thing. And like, you know, I'll see where things take me and I go in here and see where things take me and then work out later on, um, what ha what the next steps are when we've reached, where we kind of crossed all these bridges.
Speaker 3 00:36:37 It was important to see, uh, uh, to have aspirations in short term and the longterm. Um, it's, uh, you know, to be able to go back and forth, because if you're only looking at, you know, too far in advance, you're going to take missteps in the here and the now. And if all you're looking at is what's right in front of you. Uh, I mean, it might, you know, it's good to live in the moment, but, uh, it's, it's good to have goals. And then, you know, things that, you know, things to, uh, try and get to
Speaker 1 00:37:02 A better idea of what to do in the moment. If you have a place
Speaker 3 00:37:05 That you're going, we'll put it in. That's true. Um,
Speaker 1 00:37:09 So let's wrap up with, um, if you could give one piece of advice to somebody starting their own business, whether it be in filmmaking or just in general, what piece of advice would you give another autistic person looking to follow your footsteps?
Speaker 2 00:37:26 I guess I would say, um, you know, I guess I would say don't be afraid. Just go for it. You know, if you get, like I said, if you can find the sort of right. Help and support, um, the rest of it will just come naturally. Like, I, I mean a business that I know a lot about, I just didn't at the time, I just probably, cause I thought, well, I haven't got the stuff I need. I haven't got those con there's bio contacts that I'm needed to the business. And I also don't have, like, I also don't feel football, like filling out, like going through like long forms. Like we attended the little forms thing, like deal, it's terrible, terrifying to like, have the thing about that. So I think, um, I walked in and said that, um, that at once let's save together, like save, you had the right help and support, then it becomes a lot easier.
Speaker 2 00:38:14 And I think it's like, I wouldn't my business wouldn't be where it, where it is today. If it wasn't when the help from spectrum enterprises. And it also wouldn't be from the help of my mentor, Laura, I say, anybody going into business, she's confused. Go for it. You know, it's a really great experience. I think it's like be great, especially if you want to have to like B, B, B a pull down, like the set number of hours, you have to work each day and you don't want to have to be, um, you don't, you don't have to be tied down like a nine to five job. You don't have to be, um, stuck with like doing things people's waste, uh, just cause the expert you do, you can do things your own way and be happy about it. So yeah, I think like, just go for it. Yeah. Brilliant. I love it.
Speaker 1 00:38:58 Thank you, Chris. We have had a really good time hanging out with you and we appreciate your insights and your willingness to share your work with us. Yeah. Thank you so much for being with us.
Speaker 2 00:39:09 No problem.
Speaker 1 00:39:11 Thanks for listening. We enjoyed our guests and we enjoy you. We sure do. If you want to hang out with us, we actually have a Facebook group now. Awesome. Uh, you can find us at autism on shift podcast, the social experience. Very cool. It's a good time.
Speaker 0 00:39:32 We have a lot of our guests that, uh, previous guests are in there and we chat about work and life and they're cool cats.
Speaker 3 00:39:42 So maybe you want to ask them questions. Maybe they'll answer you. Maybe they'll ignore you. I dunno, but join us. Thanks.
