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Title: A Deep Breath
Runtime: 7 min
Country: UK
Director: Justin Spray
Placement: Honorable Mention
Synopsis: A look into the world of free-diving in London. It highlights the practice of static apnea in the world of freediving.
OR: What was the inspiration for your film?
JS: I have been a keen underwater photographer for over 25 years (www.justinsprayphotography.co.uk) and I joined the freediving club in the film as a way to learn to hold my breath longer while taking shots of sharks, manta rays, pilot whales etc. I am also a Chartered Psychologist, very interested in what makes us human. While freediving it struck me how fundamental the breath is yet how little attention we pay to it. A freediver makes the very most out of each breath. Prolongs the moment. Savours every second. Most of us don’t even notice we are breathing. I wanted to make a film that combined the beauty of the underwater world with the essence of life – breathing.
OR: When did you conceive the idea for your film and how long did it take before it was realized?
JS: It took about 4 months from pitching it to finishing it.
OR: What was the most challenging aspect of working in a short film format?
JS: It is the perfect format for this film so there were no challenges in this respect. It is also a format that means that the film is likely to be seen along with others. The contrasts and comparisons with films shown before and after it add to its meaning and interpretation.
OR: What was the most challenging aspect of your production?
JS: Apart from the obvious challenges of filming in and around water, I got married while filming which took up a little bit of my time!
OR: Do you have any advice for first-time filmmakers?
JS: I’m going to come across as a bit cheesy here. I am 47 but my filmmaking career has only just started. I’ve pursued a career in psychology and business for close to 30 years but I always really wanted to do something creative. I felt, like probably a lot of people, that the film world was an exclusive club where you had to be connected, special, from the right background to get anywhere. I always thought that it was closed to me and I had no idea how to get in. Then in 2012 everything changed for me. I was part of the London Olympics Opening Ceremony, directed by the inspirational Danny Boyle and then part of a immersive theatre group – You Me Bum Bum Train. Both taught me that you don’t have to be extraordinary to do something extraordinary so I applied to the London Film School to do their MA in filmmaking. I decided that I would rather try and fail than look back in years to come and wonder what if..
I was lucky enough to be accepted and started on a very steep learning curve in 2013. It has been utterly life changing.
So my advice is just get on with it. You may fail but that’s better than not following a dream.