marihuws@outlook.

com
www.roddychoi.weebly.com
00:09:30

Filmed on the small Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, this is a documentation of my fascination with
Roddys life whos lived five decades of his life at sea.
A film that takes you on two journeys that intertwine. Roddy Choy opens a small window to the interesting life of an
unassuming character, and sheds light on a disappearing, independent and innovative generation. Conscious of time
passing and moments becoming memories, I felt an un explicable urge to film Roddy, and this documentary is the
organic, real and honest reflection of that.

The film is shot on the Isle of Barra, which is the most southern and westerly inhabited isle of Scotland. A whole 96
miles from the mainland. The first half of the documentary is filmed inside Roddys home and the second half out at
sea, both places that are significant locations in Roddys life.

At this moment in my life, turning 23 in August, I am very aware of time and life passing me by. Big milestones in
my life, disappearing under tens of pages of diary. Childhood friends getting married. Young family members,
growing 6ft tall and the adults of my life becoming frail and old.
I have always had a good relationship with my Grandparents, and Ive always been fascinated by their lives and
memories. There is something about that old age that I have always wanted to explore. The time in your life
when have worked your last day, youve passed all mile stones and took your last trip abroad. That time when you
have lived your life. What dose it all mean in the end? What is like to have lived your life?
I was first introduced to Roddy on a research trip to the Isle of Barra in February as the man who makes his own
hats. He was sat in the pub with a pint of bitter and a wee whisky, a grey hat on his head and a checkered shirt
on. He shook my hand with his giant hands that reminded me instantly of my grandfather and asked me what a
young girl like me was doing on Barra in February. I told him that I was coming back in March to make a film about
the young women leaving the islands, I was welcomed to their table and spent an interesting evening with great
company . And that was that.
On my 9th day back on Barra in March, when I had started to film with a local girl called Mairi who worked in the
Pub but wanted to leave the Island I bumped into Roddy again. He invited me over the next day for a cup of tea.
When I arrived, a full English breakfast was waiting for me. Over the next two weeks I started going there daily, he
took me under his wing and cooked for me every day, we became friends and I instinctively started to film.
My curiosity and instinct to film with Roddy has led to an organic, unplanned, exploration of a mans life through
my young inquisitive and curious eyes, as I reflect on time passing, generations changing and moments becoming
memories. In this documentary, through my unlikely friendship with Roddy, we are invited to learn about the fascinating life that he has lived.

What makes you pick up a camera and start to film someone? Is it the fear of missing a moment? The fear of forgetting? I I dont know why exactly I started to film Roddy, I was on Barra to film another project, but ended up
fascinated by this unassuming, friendly character, who has seen the whole world, but now lives a very simple and
happy life on Barra.
The story is seen through my eyes, and told by my words. This is me, looking curiously at Roddy, as he teaches me
how to smash crab, shows me old work books and lets me in to his day to day retired life. There are four main
stages of development in the film as I explore his life both past and present. The film starts with a series of close
up shots, the audience is immersed in what I saw and thought about when I was with Roddy. As the documentary
develops and we go out fishing, the shots become wide, the world opens up, and I start to reflect on bigger ideas
and thoughts. Such as , what its like to have seen that much of the world, and trying to imagine a whole life lived
at sea. The radio is on on the boat and this adds another layer of reality and reflection to the documentary, as we
hear whats going out in the outside world, it strengthens this feeling of a sense of place on the island. As if you
are protected here from the reality that lies the other side of the sea.
In this coming of age sequence for me as the filmmaker and narrator, I start to deeply reflect on the reality of
life. How time just passes you by. Roddy lived his life, I live mine and you live yours. The only certain thing in life is
that time passes, the earth spins around the sun, moments become memories and whats important in the end is
that your happy. The film ends with Roddy going through old photographs, photographs that bring smiles to the
audiences faces and warmth to the film. Through glimpses of Roddys 5 decades lived at sea, the audience is invited to start to imagine the wonder that he has seen in his life. I want to make people dream.

My approach as a documentary film maker is not just to make a film, but to live the film, and by doing so, make
the film come alive for the viewer. The film is shot from my point of view, looking, intrigued at Roddy as he teaches me how to smash crab claws and shows me old memories. All the time interacting: literally, by passing things
to each other and verbally, through conversation. .
The style of the filmmaking is loose and rule less, in my attempt to capture Roddy comfortably in his environment.
The shots of his face are a few and far between, but regardless of this, I capture his essence with in the frame.
Roddys life has been a happy and fascinating one, but unlike our modern day share everything with all social
media society , his whole life is kept inside an old box of Rovers Biscuits, unknown to everyone who dont know
him well. This hint of mystery is a constant through out the structure of the film, and even at the end, I just start
to open the viewers minds to the wonder that he has experienced in his lifetime.
I am also playing in the end with transparency and layering images, in a dreamlike memory sequence, which gives
time for the audience to think, without saying to much with the images as you can only get the idea of them. At
this point I believe that the really interesting thing starts to happen, by reflecting on Roddys life and choice to
always return home, it potentially makes the audience reflect on their own choices in life, and to ask where do
they fit in the world? The film finishes on a steady, solid frame of Barra. This is Roddys home, this is where he
belongs and will live the rest of his life.

My approach to sound in this documentary is to keep it as real as possible. The only sound editing that has been
done is to lesser the wind at points and synch the radio on the fishing trip. I strongly believe that a documentary
film should keep as close as possible to the reality of the situation, it doesn't need to be perfect: within the quirks
you find the wonder.
The voice over is thoughtful and reflective, its aim is to provoke thought rather than answer questions. Its honest and personal, which makes me a character in the documentary almost as important, if not as important as Roddy. As for the interviews, there arent any conventional ones, only conversations that reveal snippets of information and brings character and warmth to the film.
The film ends with a song by Sunhouse, sang my Gavin Clark called Spinning Round the Sun. This song sums up the
ending with its lyrics:
I said do you know that this planet were on is jut rolling round in space,
till our time has come,
well just keep spinning round the sun.
You and me spinning round the sun,
Spin spin spinning round the sun
A song about life, time passing and the reality of this world. I live my life, you live yours, and the only certain thing
is that were on the same planet, spinning around the sun. Its a song that gives perspective whilst also it reflects
on the fact that we only live once, and the path we choose to walk down is important.

My curiosity has driven me to many places in my life, from exploring

and experiencing my square mile at home to adventures thousands
of miles away on different continents immersed in other cultures
and languages. Human nature fascinates me and this curiosity to
learn about life everywhere has lead me to making this film.
I'm a practical young woman and I have had an interest in capturing
the world around me since I've been able to hold a pen and press a
shutter on a camera. This film is my attempt at questioning reality,
play with time and our place in the world and to be curious about
what it means to be alive.

Stephen Horne is a Scottish editor and filmmaker. He has edited

work for respected film directors such as Mark Cousins and David
Cairns. His own film projects have also been screened at festivals most recently at the 2015 Edinburgh Just Gather Film Festival.

Anthony Berardo was born in a little town in Normandy, France

close to Omaha beach, at the age of 19, he moved to London,
where he started to experiment with music . He proceeded with
his passion and with his friends founded Passive Manipulation, a
company which composes and works on sound for film.
www.passive-manupilation.com