A few months ago while shooting WACL’s (Women in Advertising and Communications London) Gather conference I met the wonderful Miriam Gonzalez Durantez. She was promoting her Inspiring Women campaign and asking us to simply sign up and donate an hour a year to visiting a school or club, to meet young girls to show them the variety of careers possible to them.
As Mrs Gonzalez Durantez said recently in The Guardian:
“There is still an issue about limiting ourselves and there is an issue of self-confidence that seems to apply to pretty much every group of girls that I have talked to,”
So on the 3rd Sept 2015 I was invited to Greenside School near Shepherd’s Bush to talk to 5-10 year olds about how I became a film producer. It was one of the best things I’ve done all year, I may have been there to inspire girls and boys about careers in film but I think I too was as inspired, by their enthusiasm.
It was interesting to find out what they thought film was. They were surprised at how many different types of film there are, as initially they could only think of Hollywood films and animations. Their questions were varied and interesting. The boys mainly wanted to know if I made money at this! While the girls were interested in the make up of the team that gets a film made.
These kids are making their own films this term and either wanted to be actors or the cameraman. I think after meeting myself and my two colleagues from Inspiring Women: one of whom was a Producer of French Drama films and the other a screen writer: they immediately had a better understanding of possible roles in their own films, and therefore more choices.
A thoroughly fulfilling way to start September.
Ladies please sign up and donate an hour to help create a better future: http://www.inspiringthefuture.org/inspiring-women/
Visit the WACL website: WACL
