We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Matthew Bigham. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Matthew below.
Matthew, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.
I learned my skill through film school at Trident Technical College, they taught us how to use the film gear along with lighting. After I graduated from college I started out in independent film making and my first ever project outside of college was “The Light” directed by my best friend and mentor, Sean Morgan. During the time of this project we did not have “industry standard gear” that my college taught us with so, instead, I had to learn about a new gear, Led Amaran lights. What I learned through this project and independent film making as well is that I had to learn to improvise with what we had on hand rather than with the industry standard lights that I learned to work with while attending college. Months later I acquired my own gear and now I am a gaffer with my own kit. I have worked on several projects and a 48 hour film competition with the production team called Beyond the Lens Production. Communication is the most essential part of being a gaffer and I do not think I could have done anything differently to speed up my learning process because being a gaffer takes time and patience to learn the craft. I believe that team work and being supportive of your fellow film maker is what makes you successful in this industry.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I learned my skill through film school at Trident Technical College and working with Sean Morgan “The Light”. I am most proud of working on projects with friends because they didn’t mind showing me the ropes!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal in life is to become a free lance gaffer and my ultimate end goal is to be a film director and producer.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I wasn’t lucky enough to get into a film studio or union let alone a PA position the only option I had was independent and through independent film making a lot of doors have opened for me such as networking, film credits and most of all experience. The best part of my story is I didn’t have to go to Hollywood California to get my start!! There’s a huge independent film community happening right here in the Lowcountry in South Carolina!
Image Credits
Sean Morgan (MuviFilms)