In another life I would be a filmmaker

I was out on Saturday night and met this guy who was friend of a friend. He was a film director and writer with his own page on IMDB. I tend to associate young people on the art scene, especially those in London, with Ray-Bans wearing east end hipsters in skinny jeans with a cigarette between their fingers. But this guy was actually quite friendly and easy to talk to. If he was ever a hipster, he had grown out of it.

I have thought about going into film making. I was really into making videos and editing when I was a student. In fact I have wanted to do many things. As a child I wanted to be an artist doing sketches and paintings - the creative flair did not run in the family so people were amazed by my talent (or wondered if I was adopted). When I was old enough to realise that an artist was not a real job, I wanted to become a product designer making cool chairs and gadgets you don't need but you'd still want to buy anyway. Then I chose engineering at university because I thought if my brain got fried I could still start again with design (like a gamble with contingency). That was before I got into looking through the camera lens.

Sometimes I wonder if I have sold out, by not taking the risk of the filmmaking world. But I do want to use my engineering skills to do disaster relief / development work in the future. It will happen because it has always been at the back of my mind - as long as I don't let myself get too used to a comfortable life that is dependant on a healthy salary.