Young film producer from Los Angeles, that is spending her second summer with a group of high school students in Široki Brijeg and is working with them on techniques and skills of making a film at the film workshops of Mediterranean Film Festival, has confirmed to us that there is a future for film production in Herzegovina and that we have young generations ready to tell our stories.  

Lucy got acquainted with Herzegovina a few years ago through volunteering in Mother’s Village (Međugorje), where she made decision and started to be engaged with film.  

- When I think about time spent in Mother’s Village I can see that I was in a special place among people that had a great influence on my life. During those years I understood the power of the picture and film and the beauty within the story they tell. Environment and the people I lived with inspired an artist in me and then I decided to enter the world of film. After that I applied for the Film Academy and mastered the film production, said Lucy that started the cooperation with the Mediterranean Film Festival last year as a member of the jury and, together with her mentor Midge Costin, as a leader of the workshop for amateurs.

- It was a very special experience for me. It was my honour to teach young filmmakers, because they were so eager to tell their stories. They were open for learning about different principles of film, and then they wrote the story ‘Chips’ according to which we made a short film. During the week of the workshop they learned a lot and we were in contact throughout the year, they sent me questions and ideas that they had for films. After the MFF school, that had shaped them and me too, I realised that I would like to teach young people about the film and the art of media, so I started to take the first steps to reach that aim.

Besides working with young people Lucy also makes short documentaries in her own production in San Diego. When asked about the perspective of film in Herzegovina and how much the MFF workshops contribute to film education of the young people, she said that there is the potential because they are ready to work hard and learn about specific skills, technical and artistic ones, which are required for making a film.

- I think that there are a lot of possibilities and future for film in Herzegovina. I think there will be more opportunities for films produced here with the growth of independent film and more options for internet distribution.  With active work on education about the principles and methods of creating film I believe that this generation will be able to tell the stories that need to be spread from this part of the world. When thinking about all the ideas that they shared with me in the past year I notice that some ideas are distinguished. Many stories they have been writing are about loneliness and about connection of technology and human relations, as well as about fitting in vs. uniqueness. The only thing I see that puts them off is the fear of telling their story. There are moments when I see their insecurity and they worry about other people’s opinions.

At the moment Lucy is conducting the workshop for young beginners with Antoni Ćorić at the Cinema Video Club Amater and next week her colleague Tyler Gunderson, a post production lead at YouTube Space and also a jury member at Mediterranean Film Festival for short documentary, will join them.

- Tyler will be great help at the workshops. He is an exceptional director, editor and sound designer and he will show some advanced techniques to the kids through practical lessons. He has also planned to have a lecture about the evolution of New Media and YouTube.

She says that the MFF workshop, that will last till August 30th when the audience will see the short film made by the young learners at the final night of Mediterranean Film Festival, had shaped her direction too because she is now working as the coordinator of the program ‘Outside the Lens’ and teaching young people about the film and the art of media.

- I am grateful that I have the chance to work with young people and be in the business that is my passion. I hope that I will be able to share my knowledge and contribute to the development of film in Herzegovina through the MFF workshops next year too.