Passion and plastic

The way you make a video these days is by passion and plastic. You find a subject that is so amazing that a video just has to be made. Then you put yourself in hock as far as you can go, trying to complete the project. You get as many credit cards as you can and take out as much money as possible from each one: you bash the plastic.

Yet it is quite difficult to make money out of video making. Even if passion and plastic results in a magnificent end product, it may be impossible to capitalise on it.

The professionals (the gate keepers who buy documentaries for tv companies) openly say things like: Don't give up the day job.

If there is a way forward it may include funding from NGOs (charities, campaigning organisations) like the Joseph Rowntree Trust. There is also a need to build collectives of video makers. But this is a hard thing to do. Everyone seems to have their own vision and only to be interested in working on their own project. It's a bit like herding cats.