So that the producers have the maximum information about you, who are you?

Hi! My name is Nyasha Daley and I’m a multi-passionate entrepreneur and artist, based in the West Midlands, UK.

 

How many years have you been making movies?

Black, Queer & Done was my first ever film.

 

What was your first experience making movies? Did you study at a film school or did you learn on your own?

I’m an experienced story-teller and writer and wanted to translate some of the commentary I was hearing at the time to screen; so, I decided to apply for funding and make a film. Myself and my very small crew of three had never made a feature film before. Nobody told us we couldn’t. So we did!

 

What budget did you have?

We secured £15,000 funding from Arts Council England.

 

Any anecdote that you can tell us about the filming?

Due to restrictions, we had to use digital video conferencing software (Riverside) for our focus groups. This meant that we had a lot of unforeseen technical issues to deal with in post-production (which we have essentially incorporated into the artistic direction of the film (including people literally disappearing mid-sentence!).

 

If you had unlimited budget. Which actor and actress would you like to work with?

There are a wealth of talented actors and actresses in the world.. however, I’m much more interested in real people and real stories.

 

Your favorite movie?

Contemporary: Everything, everywhere, all at once.

Classic: The Usual Suspects.

 

Tell us 3 filmmakers that you like.

Quentin Tarantino; Jordan Peele; Michael Moore

 

What is the scene that has impacted you the most?

The entirety of Ready Player One. That film changed the way I view our (dystopian) future!

 

If you could do a remake of a movie, what would it be?

I don’t know if I’d remake a film (I feel like most remakes are more about leaning into popular trends or ‘representation’ tropes than genuine filmmaking mastery). I’d quite like to make a film length version of The Office – the faux documentary style appeals and I love comedy!

 

Did you have light designs or did you shoot with the same light as the location? Can you explain the process of working with a cinematographer?

I was very hands on with the lighting, however, I absolutely deferred to my Director of Photography and Cameraman – both experts in film and image capture. I created a mood board for each of the performances to help visually describe the mood I was trying to achieve, as a starter and we adapted lighting in-situ as we captured each performance.

 

Did you have any problems when shooting?

Lots! We filmed during rolling lockdowns, with myriad restrictions in place, plus a lot of real anxiety for some participants, which we worked hard to mitigate and respect. It was definitely an interesting time to make a film (let alone your first ever feature!).

 

And in terms of sound? Neighbors, flushing, cars?

Thankfully, we didn’t have too many sound issues capturing performances; the focus groups was another matter. There were multiple occasions where we had to ask respondents to repeat themselves (and it’s never as good the second time around, right?). All good fun and great learning though.

 

How was the producer-director relationship?

Really great as I was both! And my husband was co-Executive Producer (so he has to be nice to me!).

 

And working with actors? Tell us about this process, how do you work with the actors?

Our contributors and performers were forgiving, passionate and professional; we’re very grateful that we were able to capture and share their voices.

 

Do you have any other project in progress?

Yes! I’m currently researching for a feature documentary exploring Black (heterosexual) relationships, specifically dating; I’m interested in the changes to protocols, the influence of social media and the differences between Black Western, Caribbean and African expectations.