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While (or some might say despite being) at the Bar, you can still build creativity and fun into your life if you are able to integrate your interests outside the law with your legal skills. I never let go of my interest in journalism, drama and film, for example, and gradually learned how to integrate these into my practice which led me on to media law.
Some of my cases have been very distressing; ‘unbelievable’ situations to some are the real-life stories of others. As an antidote to the serious nature of our profession, I am a keen advocate of laughter (and yoga), so I started writing down some of my courtroom experiences that had a comedy slant. I also continued my radio journalism (having worked for the BBC on a freelance basis back in the 90s and early 2000s), script writing and short film projects.
In 2018, I decided to ‘bite the bullet’ and go to actual film school. I embarked on an MA in filmmaking at Sheffield Hallam University with a view to making films about the law. During the course, legal responsibility was a central theme and this comes up every step of the way when making a feature-length documentary film. In many respects, lawyer-filmmakers are very well-positioned.
For any barristers interested in making a documentary, my first tip would be to choose your topic carefully. Keep it simple. Many of my fellow film school students had plans for obscure or distinguished topics, which can involve a lot of planning and time-consuming/bureaucratic permission-seeking. I shortlisted many ideas for my first film, but in the end decided on a relative’s wedding in Delhi for the following reasons. First, Indian weddings are always captivating, colourful, and chaotic, but secondly, and most importantly, there were no sets or locations I had to source and get permission to film. This was a wedding of a relative and, once I had secured the family’s permission, everyone was on board. Adhering to the principles of crowd release, I placed signs all around the home so that everyone knew that a documentary film was being made and that they were going to appear in it. I obtained individual consent from everyone who gave formal interviews to camera.
Shooting in an Indian wedding is a bit like shooting at the Carnival in Rio – electric in atmosphere but also unpredictable. This brought several challenges, such as how to obtain the consent of people who randomly chose to speak to camera. After the shoot, I realised how difficult, timely and costly it would be to track down many of these people given I was back in the UK and they were in Delhi. It was no use having consent forms to hand during shooting because it is not practical to ask someone to fill out a form while they are giving a great interview amid a music filled environment. I also sourced footage from many of my trips to India. Each piece of footage had people in the background, and many scenes have incidental footage, which is inevitable if you shoot in public locations. Therefore, I used technology to assist me in this process.
I never thought the film would have a red carpet premiere at Arc Cinemas nationwide and online global release on Paus.tv. The film has reached almost 5 million people on social media.
Ultimately, I realised that the process of filmmaking is not only creative, but heavily law driven. As a lawyer, and a filmmaker, it has been a benefit to approach everything with caution and utilise my skills to know where to cut out red tape (where possible!). So, in conclusion, my advice is to not let your other skills become stale. After all, we have many highly articulate and creative individuals at the Bar with the ability to tell great courtroom stories. You, too, can follow your creative dream and see where it leads.
While (or some might say despite being) at the Bar, you can still build creativity and fun into your life if you are able to integrate your interests outside the law with your legal skills. I never let go of my interest in journalism, drama and film, for example, and gradually learned how to integrate these into my practice which led me on to media law.
Some of my cases have been very distressing; ‘unbelievable’ situations to some are the real-life stories of others. As an antidote to the serious nature of our profession, I am a keen advocate of laughter (and yoga), so I started writing down some of my courtroom experiences that had a comedy slant. I also continued my radio journalism (having worked for the BBC on a freelance basis back in the 90s and early 2000s), script writing and short film projects.
In 2018, I decided to ‘bite the bullet’ and go to actual film school. I embarked on an MA in filmmaking at Sheffield Hallam University with a view to making films about the law. During the course, legal responsibility was a central theme and this comes up every step of the way when making a feature-length documentary film. In many respects, lawyer-filmmakers are very well-positioned.
For any barristers interested in making a documentary, my first tip would be to choose your topic carefully. Keep it simple. Many of my fellow film school students had plans for obscure or distinguished topics, which can involve a lot of planning and time-consuming/bureaucratic permission-seeking. I shortlisted many ideas for my first film, but in the end decided on a relative’s wedding in Delhi for the following reasons. First, Indian weddings are always captivating, colourful, and chaotic, but secondly, and most importantly, there were no sets or locations I had to source and get permission to film. This was a wedding of a relative and, once I had secured the family’s permission, everyone was on board. Adhering to the principles of crowd release, I placed signs all around the home so that everyone knew that a documentary film was being made and that they were going to appear in it. I obtained individual consent from everyone who gave formal interviews to camera.
Shooting in an Indian wedding is a bit like shooting at the Carnival in Rio – electric in atmosphere but also unpredictable. This brought several challenges, such as how to obtain the consent of people who randomly chose to speak to camera. After the shoot, I realised how difficult, timely and costly it would be to track down many of these people given I was back in the UK and they were in Delhi. It was no use having consent forms to hand during shooting because it is not practical to ask someone to fill out a form while they are giving a great interview amid a music filled environment. I also sourced footage from many of my trips to India. Each piece of footage had people in the background, and many scenes have incidental footage, which is inevitable if you shoot in public locations. Therefore, I used technology to assist me in this process.
I never thought the film would have a red carpet premiere at Arc Cinemas nationwide and online global release on Paus.tv. The film has reached almost 5 million people on social media.
Ultimately, I realised that the process of filmmaking is not only creative, but heavily law driven. As a lawyer, and a filmmaker, it has been a benefit to approach everything with caution and utilise my skills to know where to cut out red tape (where possible!). So, in conclusion, my advice is to not let your other skills become stale. After all, we have many highly articulate and creative individuals at the Bar with the ability to tell great courtroom stories. You, too, can follow your creative dream and see where it leads.
Update from the Chair of the Bar
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Unlocking your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step. By Philip N Bristow
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, discusses the upcoming changes to pensions and Inheritance Tax and the potential impact on your financial future
Save the Children UK is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
The Chief Legal Officer to the Metropolitan Police, barrister Brett Welch, tells Anthony Inglese CB about his mission and the work to turn the Met around
Barrister apprenticeships – shortly to provide the fourth pathway to the Bar – are an ideal opportunity to support local talent and ‘grow your own’, say Tim Coulson and Dr Jane Dennehy
Born from a grievance, their research project grew into a book and is now challenging the status quo. Emma Price and Emma-Louise Fenelon reveal the key findings – and the critical next steps
Grok around and find out – or not? Mariya Peykova investigates the nudification scandal, what the law has to say about sexually explicit deepfakes, and whether stronger regulation is needed
Oliver Lewis spotlights an overlooked yet rapidly evolving area of law – coercive and controlling behaviour within care contexts
