We recently connected with Liam Arnold and have shared our conversation below.
Liam, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Finding Film was a journey for me. I always loved making videos with my friends and writing stories but it didn’t click until I was 16. I joined my school’s theater company at the start of the school year and made a lot of friends with both the actors and tech crew. That influenced me a lot. Over the course of the year, I started watching more movies, plays, and reading more. After a few months, I decided I wanted to try making my own movie and started writing a feature-length script. I had no idea how I would make the movie, I just wanted to write a story.
My friends and I tried filming it on our DSLRs but with no budget, we had to put the project down. Despite us not finishing the project, planning out the shoots and being on set was the most exhilarating feeling I had ever felt. There’s nothing like filming a movie. You’re balancing all of these different logistical elements and everything can feel crazy but when it all comes together it creates this beautiful piece of art. It’s intoxicating.
That feeling was cemented in me in January 2018. I had gone to a New Year’s Eve party with my family and there happened to be someone there looking for PAs to work on their short film in a couple weeks. After begging my parents to let me miss a week of school, I got on the set and it was the best experience of my life. Despite the early mornings, late nights, and freezing cold weather, I didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.
The experience confirmed that being a filmmaker was my purpose and everything I have done since then, has been to serve that.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
The main jobs I do as a filmmaker are Directing, Producing, and Writing. I love seeing a project from start to finish and shaping the way it comes out. Seeing how a movie changes from the first idea to the shooting script and then to the final cut is very exciting to me. Typically I like to work on unique projects that introduce an audience to new worlds or ideas that they can explore and draw their own meanings from. For example, my current project “The Straw Lady” follows two brothers in a mysterious family cult. One of them is trying to leave the cult while the other tries to make him stay. Stories like these interest me because of both the interpersonal connections between the characters but also the opportunity to create a world with its own rules and history for them to occupy.
Currently, that project is being submitted to festivals so we can get as many people to see it as possible.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I’d say the three most important things in my career have been Organization, Teamwork, and Dedication.
Organization: I might be too organized sometimes. I update my calendar every day with meetings, tasks, and even my sleep schedule. While that might not be necessary for everybody, it has helped me manage my projects and keep up to date on everything I need to. Along with that, I keep files organized so that my team and I can find everything we need efficiently. I cannot overstate how much an organized approach has helped me complete my projects successfully.
Teamwork: Film is often called the most collaborative art form. I believe that wholeheartedly, taking in lots of consideration with who I bring onto my projects and constantly communicating between departments. Without proper communication, a film will collapse and sometimes all it takes is one misunderstanding. For this reason, I like to be very involved in every aspect of the process from preproduction to post. As the Director, it is my job to make sure that my whole team is on the same page about the film and excited to see it through.
Dedication: Whether I am in the Director or Producer role, it will always be my job to see a project through to the end. For example, I started writing my most recent project “The Straw Lady” in 2020 and we didn’t shoot it until 2024. Throughout that time, my team and I faced countless setbacks but always pushed through. As the heads of that project, it was our job to make sure it got finished and without the dedication to constantly do what needed to be done, we would not have finished that film.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am always looking for new people to work with. My ideal collaborators are driven, intelligent, and bold creatives who enjoy working on ambitious and unique projects. Those interested can connect with me on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liamarnoldd/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-arnold-73026316a/
Image Credits
Shane Hecksel
Michelle Chwalla
Holly Jorgensen
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
