Dom Lee
Crediton-based filmmaker Dom Lee tells us about his work, the brilliant Devon filmmaking community, and what inspired him to create a musical celebrating libraries…
What do you do?
I’m a filmmaker - the specific roles I do varies from project to project. Anything from writer/director, producer, editor or someone just lending a hand on set/offering advice. I’ve made short films, music videos, corporate videos, documentaries and social media videos. I like variety to keep things fresh.
Photo by Jim Elton
How did you get started?
I graduated from Staffordshire University in 2013 with a BSc in Film and Post Production, and since then I’ve been working as a freelance filmmaker. In the past year, I’ve also been doing bits of teaching on the film course at the University of Exeter.
There’s a brilliant filmmaking community in Devon and I help run Shooters in the Pub, a networking event at Exeter Phoenix on the first Wednesday of every month for filmmakers, actors or anyone keen to get involved with local film. I’m also involved with Devon & Cornwall Film, who shine a light on all filmmaking activity in the region. They also run SW FilmMail, a newsletter sharing film-related news, work and opportunities from the South West.
Who do you work with and why?
The great thing about filmmaking is it connects you with a wide range of people. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories, or learning about businesses when I make films for them. I’ve been lucky enough to forge very strong friendships within the Devon filmmaking community and found collaborators who I’ve worked with on multiple projects. These include producer Jeff Sleeman, costume/production designer Minna Gibbs-Nicholls, choreographer Rebecca (Bex) Melvin Phillips and composer Grace Hancock. You naturally just click with some people, which makes the creative process such a fun thing to be a part of.
Sharing work with audiences is both simultaneously exciting and terrifying. When you put so much into a project, especially ones that are personal, it can be difficult to hear negative comments so I think those involved in any aspect of a creative art do develop quite thick skins…
Name one thing that would make your life easier as an artist or arts organiser.
There is a fantastic range of filmmaking talent in Devon, but we do lack people who specialise in certain crew areas (lighting, for example). Perhaps having ways for people to be trained in such roles so every single position can be filled using local talent would be beneficial.
And what keeps you going when things get tough?
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. Three words that I think sum up the process when things get tough creatively. Films I make might not have gone viral… yet, but the fun memories, the good experiences making them and the friendships formed through creating them honestly makes it all worth it. Even having a few people reach out to you saying they enjoy your work makes such a massive difference.
Talk us through a favourite project or piece.
My favourite piece of work probably changes over time, especially after distance from it and having the chance to reflect. But right now I’d probably say it’s Between the Lines, a 15-minute musical/comedy short film I wrote and directed. It follows shy booklover Jane who is unexpectedly tasked with having to save her beloved library from closure... but help is on hand from a host of literary characters who guide her on a fantastical musical adventure in an effort to build her confidence.
Photo by Adam Sweetman
We had a fantastic cast and crew, and while it was certainly the most challenging film to make that I’ve attempted, it was absolutely the most fun. I hope the fun spirit it was made with comes across in the film.
Equally I’m proud of making Fort Box in 2016/2017, which involved creating a cardboard box fort from 3,000 boxes at an event attended by 250 people. Having never organised anything like it before it was great to see so many people having a good time, and a relief that nobody set fire to it.
Photo by Scott Stevens
What does the next year look like for you?
In the first half of 2024 I’ll be releasing two of my short films online: This Life of Ours, which is a 90-second music/dance film shot on Newton Abbot High Street, and Croak, which was commissioned by Exeter Phoenix and premiered at their Two Short Nights Film Festival earlier this year. We were lucky enough to win the ‘Audience Choice’ award with that one.
I’m hoping to produce more short films for other filmmakers and start writing some feature film scripts. This will of course be alongside freelance filmmaking, creating videos for businesses, music videos, and so forth.
What’s been the best moment for you in the last year?
Finishing and recently releasing Between the Lines – a journey that took 3.5 years. Myself and composer Grace Hancock were part of a team that took part in Exeter Phoenix’s 48-hour Film Challenge at the end of 2019. We made a musical, Counsellors (a rather silly film about a man in love with a lettuce), which ended up winning. Me and Grace enjoyed working with each other, so alongside teammates Elisabeth Burnette and Camilla Joyce we started developing a new, longer musical (not made in 48 hours!) and Between the Lines was the end result. This was just before the Covid lockdown, so it wasn’t until early 2021 when things really got moving. It was filmed towards the end of that year, finished in July 2022 and then released online in September 2023.
It was a massive labour of love from everyone involved – the film was shot entirely in Devon comprising a South West-based cast and crew. We filmed in locations like the Golden Hind in Brixham and the City Gate hotel, Exeter.
To help promote the film to new audiences, we’ve shown it at a number of libraries across Devon. It’s been lovely to see the reaction from people of all ages – one young girl who attended our event at Seaton Library watched the film four times in a row!
In what ways are you helping to put Exeter on the cultural map, nationally or internationally?
Exeter has long been central to my filmmaking journey and is where most of my connections have been made. It would be brilliant to help showcase the city through work made in the area to help draw bigger productions to the region, in turn creating jobs and opportunities for local creatives.
What if ….?
I’d love to connect with anyone who might be interested in helping develop Between the Lines (or another musical concept) further with myself and the core team (Grace, Jeff, Minna, Bex). This could be anything from a schools or library tour, stage show or feature film! We’re open to exploring all possibilities at this stage.
I’m very happy to offer advice on filmmaking in Devon or help connect people together where possible, so please do get in touch. There’s a brilliant and supportive community in the county to tap into and hopefully if we haven’t met already then our paths will cross soon.
How do we find out more?
Website: www.domlee.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/domlee_film
Between the Lines