Fresh Cuts Ross

Good day readers. I’m Ross, and you find me in a really positive state, having just reflected on 5 months of being a Fresh Cuts mentee.

A little about me - If you’re reading this at bed time, this will put you sleep nicely….

I graduated from a Product Design degree in 2023 and have spent the last year working in Graphic Design and Marketing.

I sparked my passion for 2 wheelers Mountain Biking as a teenager. I’ve since grown fond of all forms of cycling. A Downhill race with pals, ultra endurance road mission, power hour, commute to work. Call me greedy, but if you love it, why not do it all?

I’ve always found joy in playing with (usually pretty ropey) cameras. I’m a creative person, and the output that excites me the most is video.

So why did I not pursue this avenue sooner? To be frank - lack of confidence and fear of failing something I care about.

Enter Fresh Cuts. It was an exciting day when I saw that advert! This was an unmissable opportunity to build confidence and test / develop my skills.

It all feels a bit too good to be true! It seems like everyone is winning. Organisers, mentors, collaborators, mentees… I think everyone has found value from the program. As a result, the vibes were good and the experience matched. Something like this feels rare, and I count myself very lucky.

I enjoyed soaking up the insights from our mentor sessions with Cut Media and Screen Scotland. There was a great mix of structured info and epic tangents. Both of which are required for a good download of info.

The film screening event in Glasgow and 48hr challenge have to be a highlighted too. They were very rewarding and positive experiences.

I’ll be honest here. When I first saw my brief I thought, essshhhhh, this looks dry like an oatcake. However, you know what they say about assuming…

The very thing that injected life into the film was the content of the brief itself. The work Marc and Ed do is just great. As a rider, this was all positive new information to me, so digesting the ‘boring’ content into a film that educates and engages (hopefully!) was a privilege. I really hope people can take away the importance of their complex and impressive work.

The idea for the film grew from 2 things.

(A - I didn’t want to re-invent the wheel. Let’s show viewers what work DMBinS is doing in the Scottish Borders. Keep it simple.

B) - How could I keep it from being a bore-fest? I wanted it to be positive, fun and engaging!

I took in inspiration from works I’ve enjoyed and filmed with the intention of keeping the feel genuine, human and inserting some splashes of visual comedy. You’ll see hints of inspiration from previous Cut Media productions and Edgar Wright flash cuts nestled within The Local Loop.

Highs

Seeing an edit begin to take place.

Successfully completing a hectic schedule of filming accommodations, local businesses and biking with friends.

Hitting export on that bad boy.

Lows

Butchering camera settings as I found my feet.

Flirting with burnout. The process was a formative experience at points. Working an office job alongside pulling the film together is a luxury I’m very grateful for, but goodness, it took it out of me at points. A great lesson in understanding what you are / are not capable of.

I loved this. I’m going to buy some kit, and I want to make another film. Colena has my number if you trust me on your project!

Heartfelt thanks to all involved with Fresh Cuts. I’ve grown confidence in my video skills and learned a ginormous amount in 5 months. Thank you.