Float

I wanted to make a life-affirming film about our deep need for human connection and our will to keep living, even in times of great sadness. Although Float is about grief, it is mainly about re-awakening.

As a dramatic twenty-something I used to deal with life’s blows by making sweeping changes… to my geography, job, partner. You name it, I’ve changed it. I always assumed I required something monumental to jolt me back to life. But really, most of the time, it was tiny moments of humanity, small shared experiences and brief interactions that seemed to hit the hardest.

This is a film championing those small but impactful moments, of realising that life goes on and the cautious steps we take back into the noise of the real world. It's also important to me that I create complex female characters and normalise the queer experience through universal emotions - and I think this is an interaction everyone can relate to.

Having the elements at play was very important to me. There is something primal about surrendering to the merciless nature of the sea and I felt like having Ruth taking this risk to try and resuscitate herself would speak to the magnitude of her pain. Sam assumes she’s trying to kill herself, whereas I would say she is desperately trying to feel alive. Filming on the coast lends itself to unique angles and a soundscape which enhances the panic and trepidation Ruth experiences.

To mirror Ruth’s delicate transition back into the world we moved from static, Ruth-centric shots, to handheld more balanced compositions throughout the film. Giving the film a filmic, grainy look with pops of saturation also lends weight to the fragile journey Ruth goes on.

Similarly, with music, we wanted to create a textural, layered, organic sound, using breath and waves to underscore the more dramatic scenes. We allowed the natural more narrative-lead scenes to remain untouched so you recognise Ruth’s struggle and Sam’s humour.

As my second self-funded short, I was reliant on goodwill and collaboration - but thankfully we assembled a passionate, talented team I work with often in the corporate world. Having this already established team really supported us with the challenging logistics and creative limitations of shooting an exterior-only film.

Float was shot over two days in October on the south coast of the UK and we experienced all the weathers! The crew and my incredible actors were required to be super flexible as locations, schedule and blocking were updated based on the ever-changing sky. Despite all this, we had an incredible time on set! We also worked with extras that had actually swam the English Channel and it was incredible to receive so much support from the swimming community… a lot of them stating the well-known link between open water swimming and improved mental health.

Just as we leave Ruth reminded of the joy and humanity a simple connection can bring, I hope the audience leaves with the same feeling.