Making One Life Stand

Writer & director May Miles Thomas explains why she was driven to make One Life Stand, and how it proved to be the best thing she could have done:

One Life Stand is that rare thing, a film made for its own sake. There was no money riding on it and no reputations were on the line.

Leading up to the shoot, when trying to convince myself that making it was a good idea, everybody told me it couldn't be done, that it was impossible. Looking back, this was probably the most helpful attitude. It unleashed a tiny monster called defiance. Reined in by pragmatism - and some talent - it's as good a definition of independent filmmaking as it gets.

There comes a time when a filmmaker must refuse to give in, even when the whole world says no. Realising that their barriers were not my barriers I was set free. When we finally made OLS, lack of money, time and wisdom became the very things that made it possible.

It all comes down to the way you look at things. With just enough positives - a little cash, a solid, doable script, a few good people to work with - we were able to turn all the negatives into something lasting.

I'm convinced that a lack of confidence, of self-belief, goes to the heart of why so many aspiring filmmakers can't get past go, whose ambitions are stalled.

They believe more in the business than in themselves. Six years ago, this was the very situation I found myself in. But with the emergence of the first good camcorders and cheap editing tools everything was about to change.

Now only the right combination of human qualities - skill, good sense and sheer hard graft - would be required. Money - other people's - no longer mattered. Knowing no better, we had no expectations beyond making the movie. It wasn't about the outcome, it was about the attempt.

Armed only with a Sony VX1000 camcorder, we entered some of the least practical locations my home city of Glasgow had to offer, locations that other productions would run a mile from. And luckily the planets shifted into alignment.

On conventional shoots there's a ludicrous redundancy of manpower, but our lack of budget flattened the pyramid of hierarchy. Less was more because we simply couldn't pay an army of unnecessary crew. And those we did hire gave their all, knowing there was no slack. The Chinese whispers filtering down a chain of command just faded away. The wrong thing happening at the wrong time in the wrong place couldn't happen.

As for the actors, we were equally blessed. Once they bought into this strange little project, reading the script and loving it, they were wholehearted in their roles. For all of them, experienced or not, this way of working was a revelation.

In tiny locations the intimacy of the shoot resulted in some of the most brilliant performances I've ever seen; I shed tears behind the camera at times.

I was deeply moved but also thrilled to have my words made real. For any filmmaker these moments are gifts, when your vision is realised and the printed words are finally voiced and given life.

Recently, for the first time in six years, I ploughed through 24 hours of behind-the-scenes material. Watching, I was amused and amazed at our naiveté and good humour. Instantly I was there, in that place which, like any fond memory, we would do well to remember when we feel we're losing.

To be honest it's hard to find the words to describe what a great time we had, hard work as it was. Making OLS - even without the acclaim and awards that followed - was a total blast and the best filmmaking experience I'm ever likely to have.

When watching, I hope you too will find some of that truth and humanity, making you glad to have seen One Life Stand.

May Miles Thomas