For ALL actors and filmmakers

As I get older I am more and more fascinated by the randomness of life.

Recently I saw a Facebook post by Stephanie Walton looking for office space in London. Why she came up in the newsfeed was a mystery as we don't really know each other nor do we interact on Facebook much but I could point her towards  Sarah Berger who has just taken on new premises for the So & So Arts Club and was looking for just a few more people to share the building.

I then thought I must read more about Stephanie as she is undoubtedly going to be a future leading player in the industry running BBC 2 or something. I then found a post she had written about how living in Jersey and how she saw some random note wanting volunteers for what became the Branchage Festival. She said that changed her life.

I am only in this industry because of a chance remark made by a Horsforth milkman. If he had not made that what would I be doing now?

I thought of this at the opening night drinks at Philip Ilson's London Shorts Film Festival, where Matt Harlock introduced me to said Stephanie.

In that room were the Ridley Scott, Ken Loach and Andrea Arnold's of tomorrow. Also the in attendance were the new producers who will create so many exciting and interesting films and TV series and shape the British film & TV industry over the next 25 years. I kid ye not !

I invited Gabriella Francesca, Tommi Murshed - Paris, Minerva Amiss, Karen Connell and Pepsi Chen and three times as many more who did not attend. I felt these people needed to be there for one true fact I know is that as you go through your professional life you continue to work, over and over again, with people you randomly met at such events. Working with people you know and trust is of paramount importance no matter what they do. In time you develop a shorthand with them and that improves whatever it is you are working on.

Will any of those who went to the LSFF at my suggestion gain anything form any of the talks they had last night ?

I don't know.

What I do know is that it can't harm them or their careers and they now have contact details that those who did not attend, do not have.