London Short Film Festival 2012

Huge Thanks to London Short Film Festival for selecting to screen
The Hardest Fight at what The Guardian describes as
‘The Best Short Film Festival in the World’ during Festival Week 6-15th January. 2012 – it really means a lot!!!!
Showing as part of the New Shorts #12 Night of the Living Docs the ever-popular documentary marathon returns to the Roxy Bar & Screen at 18.30 on January 10th, 2012 with a double bill of the very best in short documentary.
The Hardest Fight was the first short film I ever made and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that, at the time, I didn’t really have a clue what I was doing – just a desire to do it.
I feel truly honoured to be included in the selection and look forward to being there on the night.

The Hardest Fight by John Hicks

Rafa Botello Push With Me

Rafa Botello – Push With Me
I’ve been really inspired by professional athlete Rafa Botello and his story.
His drive, his desire, his determination and his dignity.
If I was half the man he is, I’d be twice the man I am.

ideas vs equipment – who dares wins

You can own the latest HD DSLR rig. You can have the latest lens and newest gadgets but if you don’t have the eye, the skill or the sheers guts to get out there and shoot then you’ve got nothing…
This incredible ‘point of view’ video, shot with the HD Hero, is a one take continuous film of a downhill bike race in Valparaiso. It’s steep, scary and heart stoppingly watchable!!! Enjoy…..
I just wish we could have seen the guy’s face at the end – pure adrenalin and high emotion it MUST have been.

VCA 2010 RACE RUN from changoman on Vimeo.

10 second portrait

It’s funny how you become known for a certain style, a certain signature ‘look’ to your images.
Encouraged by the industry that feeds you to define and identify that ‘style’, you find yourself exploring less and less avenues as you close down on your own visual eye and work on specialising your ‘branded’ identity.
Trouble is, the danger is, that along the way you lose yourself and it’s not until you strip everything away and start back with the basics – just you, a camera, an open mind and your own creative vision that you can start seeing again.
Recently I decided to give myself a task.
Take a photo.
Sounds simple doesn’t it? And it is!!!!!
But, sometimes, the further you get from that place you first started out in the harder it is to stop obsessing about the light, the location, the set up and just seize the moment to take the shot.
I’d been invited to a boxing match and after his fight I grabbed this 10 second portrait.
It’s not my best work but I like it because I took it.
I like it because I didn’t let the fluorescent lighting talk me out of taking it.
I just took it.