On Your Radar: Owain Astles
On Your Radar is a Grad Film News segment that features a current student. We asked Owain Astles a few questions and this is what he said.
Where do you consider home and what is it like there?
I've always had a troubled relationship with that question. I've always moved around a lot, since being a kid, and have always struggled to find somewhere that I feel truly settled and that I feel comfortable calling 'home'. The first time I visited New York, when I was 21, I fell in love with the city. The vibe of the city felt like where I belonged, and from then, my goal was to move to New York and attend NYU. Now I've been here for 2 years and will be graduating soon, I'm questioning the next stages of my life and career, and thus am investigating what I look for in 'home'.
But if you're asking where I grew up, I grew up in the South West of England and it's like the Edgar Wright movie Hot Fuzz.
What is the best advice you've ever received, and why?
Work hard and be nice to people. Says it all.
What is your most treasured possession?
I bought these burgundy Doc Marten loafers recently. I only ever buy second-hand or thrifted clothes but these I bought new. So they're cool.
What do you value most in your film crew?
I prefer collaborative, non-hierarchical power structures in film, and the filmmaking practice that I’ve developed has been centred around community-building. That means that I develop my films in collaboration with a group of people that have lived experience of the topic of the film, with everyone credited as co-creators. For that reason, in both crew and cast, I look for collaborators above all. People that are not just players, but are active creators, who come to the set with a spirit of improvisation, active discovery and openness. That also means that a priority of mine is ‘nice-ness’. Collaborators that will prioritise equal respect over achieving the perfect ‘product’. I also respond best to harsh, honest feedback, so I always look for collaborators who will call me out on my BS!
See Owain's work at owainastles.com
@owainastles (instagram)