They believe that every project should tell a story because that’s what people open up to: great stories, told well. London-based couple Alex Kyrou and Clare Shields are a dynamic duo who are passionate about music and the power of film…
1. How are you both doing what you love?
We have found a creative outlet in film which has given us the freedom to express ourselves authentically to an interested audience. As artists, that’s more than you can ask for.
2. How have you found yourselves here? What’s your story?
Before we set up Sixty Clicks Productions in 2011, Alex studied at film school in Canada and then subsequently worked in the film industry in both Vancouver and London on films such as Night at the Museum and Dark Shadows. Meanwhile, I was bored to tears working in creative marketing. When the two of us met, we both discovered that we had a shared love of film. Alex’s passion for directing his own work, and my get-things-done attitude as producer, created the perfect partnership.
Alex directing Ghosts music video
Clare producing Ghosts music video
3. Tell us about Sixty Clicks Productions…
Sixty Clicks Productions was formed three years ago out of our desire to produce independent narrative works, whether they were music videos, short films or commercials. Over the years we have collaborated with many different people and the team is continually growing as we discover like-minded creatives who share our enthusiasm.
4. What makes your music videos so unique?
We’ve watched a lot of music videos and the ones that always resonated with us were the ones that either told a strong story, or that were visually memorable. This ultimately is what we’ve taken into each of our own music videos.
Image from XOVA 9 Lives music video
5. What is it about raw and visceral filmmaking that excites and motivates you?
We both love that feeling of escapism, of sitting in a cinema and being transported to another place, another time. A good film has you engrossed. You feel empathy with the characters and you become so emotionally overwhelmed by them and their stories that while you’re watching that screen you forget about your own life. This magical spectator experience is what drives our own work.
6. You’re working on a new exciting project – White Awake – what’s it about? What inspired the story? How long has it been in the making?
White Awake is a short film about innocence, loss, and the social masks we wear. The film follows Joshua who is seemingly happy and successful, but inside he’s empty. During a therapy session he recounts stories of a friend and his adopted son, and the therapist asks him a question about his own story: “does it mean something to you?” This makes Joshua question his past and open up to things he may choose to forget.
The short comprises of scenes set in the past and present, and we are taking the unorthodox approach of shooting part of it (the past scenes) on 16mm film to give it a romantic, reflective aesthetic. We’re also going to be recording an original music score which will be key to the underlying mood of the film.
The script was written (and re-written) by Alex over the course of six months. It’s a personal story, parts of which have been inspired by his own family history.
Script for White Awake
7. How does White Awake explore the human psyche and emotions?
White Awake is a deep film that confronts the notion that we live our day to day lives hiding our true feelings. Joshua lives his own day to day life hiding his own emotional history, but this barrier is broken down by his therapist.
Botany Bay – a still from White Awake
8. Why is White Awake your passion project?
We’ve always wanted to make a film that resonates with an audience, and ultimately we are a filmmaking couple setting out to make a film that we’d want to see. In a way, all of our narrative music videos have been leading up to this project.
9. White Awake is being funded by Kickstarter – what is this and what made you go down this route?
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding website that allows people to seek funding for their creative projects from an online public audience. In return for financial support, people receive rewards based on the tier that they pledge towards. We were inspired to choose this website as some of our peers had used it successfully to fund their own short films. We also noticed that it allowed a creative freedom that might be restricted from other funding resources.
10. How can people get involved?
You can watch our Kickstarter pitch below and support the project on the Kickstarter page here.
We rely heavily on people spreading the word about the project, so please share the Kickstarter link with anyone who might connect to it and is passionate about independent film.
11. What advice would you give any budding writer, actor or filmmaker?
Take action and find collaborators that share your passion. Many aspiring creatives like to talk about future projects without ever taking the first steps to realise them. Fundamentally you have to believe in your project and put aside self-doubt, and then you will attract a team that believes in what you do.
12. What’s your dream for White Awake? And what does the future hold for Alex and Clare?
To have the film screen at international festivals. We hope this leads us to make more films in the future.
Alex & Clare’s snapshot…
Happiest moment: Witnessing our first music video, Enough Time, playing on the video screens at all the London National Rail train stations.
Still from Enough Time – The Ghosts official music video
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be and why? Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead. His unique film score for “There Will Be Blood” was inspiring.
Most inspiring film you’ve seen: Magnolia
Best light-bulb moment: Realising that it was OK to walk out of the safety of our 9 to 5 jobs to pursue a freelance career.
Anything is possible… what’s your wish? The freedom and opportunity to produce emotionally rich feature length films that will appeal to an audience.
Quote you live by: “The most glorious moments in your life are not the so-called days of success, but rather those days when out of dejection and despair you feel rise in you a challenge to life, and the promise of future accomplishments.” – Gustave Flaubert
