What we’re about
Flash forward 10 years. You're at the podium looking at thousands of people cheering you on. They're whooping, they're clapping and you truly feel an undeniable appreciation for the project you've worked so, so hard on. As you wait for the applause to die down, you look back at the academy award that you grasp firmly your hand.
CUT. In the same hand is a cup of coffee. You're sat indoors on a fairly cloudy, normal day in London with a bunch of people you don't particularly recognise. A chyron reading 'YOUR FIRST DAY AT LUKE'S MEET UP' appears on the screen. You tune back into the conversation as your subconscious recognises that the person next to you's speech pattern suggests they're coming to the end of their own introduction. You're up next. You quietly clear your throat and reveal to the group that your dream job would be... FADE.
Dream jobs can come true. I believe you need five things. Talent. Skill. Perseverance. Luck. Other People. The last one being perhaps more important than you realise. No matter what you hear, nobody has made it to the top by themselves. People can be boosted by being in the right place at the right time, good old-fashioned nepotism or instead they’ve perhaps developed good social & networking skills. Networking skills that have allowed them to collect an array of friends and colleagues over the years that can directly or indirectly guide them into the direction of an opportunity that they would have otherwise not encountered.
More than ever agents, broadcasters, production companies, employers are wanting to SEE examples of your work. Before you may have submitted a script. Well now, they want to watch it. They want to see your editing, your lighting, your directing, your acting etc. they want to see whatever you do! And I may be making a presumption but I think whatever it is that you want to showcase will probably be enhanced by the help of others. But who are these others? How do we meet them? Especially if you’re new to London. How do we find like-minded people who want to collaborate on projects with you? Or at first, simply find people who you share a common love for a particular show or genre for? Because sometimes great collaborations take a little time to build, to get a genuine understanding of each other. You’re not simply putting out a ‘help wanted’ ad – you want to find people who truly operate on your wavelength.
This is where this group hopefully comes in. This is the hub. The place to meet new people, discuss and analyse your favourites, your inspirations and the art you’re excited to see. From there, projects will materialise either privately or for anyone in the group to contribute to. See this not only as a networking group but a group where you’ll truly make friends who you’ll not only be meeting on a weekly basis this year but friends who you’ll be sharing accolades with in years to come. If succeeding in the TV and Film industry is truly what you want then you won’t be stopped. You can’t be. You’ll get knocked down, sure. And hey, you’ll use this group to moan a helluva lot too. But you’ll find your feet again and you’ll take on whatever challenges that come your way. We all will.
And we’ll make it a promise that when the day comes when we’re standing at that podium and the applause calms down. That at some point during our list of thank you’s, one of them will be “thanks to The London Oscar Winners 2031”… to a slightly confused audience of millions. But stuff ‘em. They can understand our in-joke on an IMDB trivia page.
