You capture something because you want it to live.

John Akomfrah, 2015. Why History Matters. TateShots

Whilst researching some elements to support my thoughts on a recent Turner Prize/Vertigo Sea visit I came across John Akomfrah talking about exactly the motivation for my Zero project. It is deeply difficult to consider own own mortality, but possibly even more so that of those that we love. When initial discussions about the Zero project came up my first instinct was to document my Grandparents relationship. I entertained other possibilities whilst considering if I could do them justice but the other possibilities did not have the emotional relevance for me. I was able to screen the two cuts of the film that I have made so far for some members of my family this weekend, it was my birthday, the family was together like in the film. This highlighted the importance of film as a way of preserving the subtle things that we would otherwise loose. On a personal level this is about sentimentality, as a film maker this is about humanity, and empathy, documentary films give us the power to spend time with others, widening our social circle not just to include those who are geographically far away, but those who are temporally distant as well.

The responsibility that I feel for this film I now feel is to present those moments most important to share and preserve.