Interview with Dale O'Keeffe [daleokeeffe] on Whohub

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What is your specialty? Production, direction, something else?

My speciality is in Direction and editing, I produce video for online distribution.

I currently work as a filmmaker (producer/director/editor/camera op) for a company which is creating a careers information website for 16-30 year olds. My main role is to work and manage a group of 17 researchers who are finding industry leaders to interview. From there I will film and edit several of the interviews that the researchers have conducted.

I have also worked at the BBC and Maverick Television and also freelance.

Is there a link to a site where we can see references to your work?

How did you begin in this field? Who introduced you to it?

I began by creating short 10 second animations out of plasticine using an old 2mp camera but I always just saw this as mess around.

I suppose it all started when it came time to choose my options for A-Level, I had friends who had done Media Studies in GCSE but that sounded like a lot of analysis and theory and not much practical learning. But I was told about a similar course that was Media and Communication, this was my real start, it taught me all the basics I needed. Alot of the course was practical, we did bits on video, photography and radio.

So at the age of 16 was the time I really got interested in becoming a filmmaker.

Which have been the most symbolic works of your career?

I filmed, directed and edited a short documentary film called 'Take Only Photographs, Leave Nothing but Footprints' it was based on the philosophy of Urban Exploration whose motto is ‘Take Only Photographs, Leave Nothing but Footprints’ the idea of entering hard to reach places to explore and document not to steal.

The film follows a photographer as he explores an iconic Birmingham building, the Birmingham Battery and Metal Co. in Selly Oak, Birmingham, England.

I think this is certainly the most symbolic because the closing line of narration asks what will happen to this building in the future, whether it will be torn down or refurbished. And as it happened it was torn down two months later.

Do you work for a client, for the audience, or for your own creative adventure?

It has to be all three. To what degree on each of these depends on the project I'm working on. If I'm working on my own short film I'll work for the creative adventure and wont be too focused on what an audience will think. Of course if I'm working on a promotional video for a company, their wishes have to be realised as it they who are paying me.

What should a good script have in order to interest you?

A good script has to keep me asking what's going to happen next, it has to draw me in and keep me there.

Name three contemporary directors or producers that you admire.

Werner Herzog - He is really one of the best filmmakers in the world, his way of story telling is fantastic.

Alfred Hitchcock - The suspense thriller genius, I could watch Rear Window on repeat for the rest of my life.

Ridley Scott - Alien & Blade Runner I need not say any more.

What movies or television shows inspired you to work in this field?

There are tonnes of films and television programmes that inspired me, Grizzly Man has got to be one of those, it really made me want to become a documentary filmmaker.

If an actor delivers the lines but is not believable, how do you direct him/her?

Raw emotion can be very hard to just fake, especially if a character is angry for example. If you actor can't feel the scene I would get him to shout or scream, jump up and down, anything to get his blood pumping.

What actor would you love to work with and what type of character would you propose to him/her as a challenge?

Difficult question. I like to work with a lot of good actors. But if I had to choose One I'd say Tom Cruise, but I couldn't give a reason.

Are you the type who instantly knows when a take is good, or one who does another three takes to be safe?

If I feel that a take is perfect as it can be after only one take I'll only do it the once. You know instantly if it's perfect. Sometimes I'll do several takes if maybe I'm not perfectly happy plus it will give you something to edit with.

What type of direction are you used to giving the director of photography?

I let them do their job, we would have had a conversation previous and we would be in the frame of mind.

How interested are you in image technologies such as robotized cameras, special effects, etc.?

I'm not a big fan of 'on a budget' special effects and cgi as often they take too long and don't fit in. I prefer using other means to tell the story.

Which has been your experience with conflicts between direction and production?

It's easiest to resolve any conflicts as soon as possible. You need to work as a coherent team.

Do you enjoy post-production, or do you prefer to leave that in the hands of other professionals?

Post production is one of the best things about filmmaking, it's only there do you see all your hard work come together. Especially if I've been directing a shoot I'm going to want to make sure my visions are being realised.

Do you approach an editing session with a clear idea of what you want to do or with an attitude of experimentation?

It has to be a bit of both, you will want to know the final outcome before you even start shooting so you should have a clear head for editing but that also means not sticking your head in the sand and not listening to others. Often an outsider can offer you advice where you may have over looked something,

What magazines or websites of the sector do you follow regularly?

None really but I'll usually read articles posted on twitter, so it's usually from many different sources.

What is the best movie than you have seen in the last year, and why did it seem especially good?

A British film by Chris Morris called Four Lions, it's a satire following a group of Jihadi Islamist terrorists from Sheffield, England.

Very funny and very clever.

Do you eat popcorn at the movies?

Not very often no, I usually just like to sit and watch, I prefer when there's not rustling of sweet wrappers to distract me.

What do you think of public subsidies for cinema?

I think to keep none Hollywood cinema going they're needed.

What respect does the reality phenomenon deserve? What experiences have you had with this genre?

I've not had any experience in it myself but as a genre, I'm not one for watching it. The Big Brothers and I'm a celebrity shows exploit desperate people.

What works best for you when selecting an actor: an audition, seeing some of his/her previous work or having a long conversation with him/her?

All of the above I suppose. Sometimes it can vary, it may not be needed to see their previous work if I talk to them and have an audition that goes well.

Do you like to have a second unit or do you prefer to control every still of a production?

I've not worked on a project big enough to need a second unit, but I tend to want to do everything and take control.

Do you change the dialogue after selecting the actors in order to adapt the characters to them?

Yeah, if it works to change it.

Which do you like more, large budget or small independent productions?

I work on small independent productions so that's what I like, smaller crews, smaller cast, smaller unit.

Do you like to experiment with new technology immediately or do you prefer to wait for it to develop?

If I get the chance to use the newer technology I'll jump right into it. It's always good to play around with different things.

Is the future of cinema the Internet? Mobile phones?

Yes it is definitely the internet, mobile phones I'm not sure about, the iPhone being the exception.

Technology is moving on and 'On Demand' is very important consumers want their information now, now, now.

Does the concept of interactive video stir up creative thoughts for you, or does it leave you cold?

I like the way you can create interactive videos through YouTube, but any other interactivity? I'm not so sure one. I wouldn't like to see a 'video game' sort of movie where the viewer gets to change the story.

What recommendations do you have for someone who wants to break into in the industry?

Experience is key, that doesn't necessarily mean professional, working on a blockbuster, experience. It means getting out there and doing it.

I have friends who went to university to do a media degree and only created as part of their course, you need to do more, the more knowledge you have the better.

If you leave university and have independently made 30 films and only got a 2:1 you'd still be miles ahead of someone who only did uni work and got a first.

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