Approach & Filmmaking Process

Because we couldn’t rely on powered lighting or extensive gear, I built a lightweight and flexible setup — shooting mostly handheld or on a gimbal, using only natural light. Careful planning around the sun’s position and occasional use of flags or bounce allowed me to maintain visual consistency across drastically different environments.

Each location — from drilling sites and labs to rural villages — had to be assessed on arrival, as recces weren’t possible. That meant quickly evaluating space, light, and movement to decide how best to tell the story. For me, that kind of on-the-spot thinking is one of the most rewarding parts of filmmaking.

Working solo also made it easier to maintain a consistent visual tone throughout the film. WaterAid and I have collaborated for years, so there’s a mutual trust in how I shoot and interpret their brand visually — and that familiarity helped enormously in ensuring quality and coherence.

Working with Contributors

One of the biggest challenges — and joys — was directing contributors who had never been on camera before, many of whom were speaking in a second language.

Because of this, patience and empathy were essential. Having a script and a language barrier rarely go hand-in-hand, so I focused on making people feel comfortable and confident. We always got there in the end — and those genuine, thoughtful moments on camera are often the most powerful.

I’ve learned over the years that respectful, mindful collaboration always gets the best results. These aren’t actors — they’re real people whose pride in their work shines through when you give them the time and space to express it naturally.