Getting to Know Me - The Kid Asks the Other Kid Some Questions

The Kid in the Front Row has been running this little feature where he goes to some blogs and asks them some questions. Which is awesome. After reading the posts from The Matinee and The Velvet Cafe, I was pretty happy when he asked me some questions. So if you've ever wanted to know a little more about me and the site, here you go!

I think you have a fantastic and wonderfully written blog, one of my favourites. And you're SIXTEEN!? How long have you been blogging?
Thank you! You're blog is one of my favourites too (and I'm not just saying that, it literally inspires me!)
I've been blogging since I was 14. I remember the beginnings quite well - it was a rainy day in October and I'd just seen Let the Right One In (my first subtitled film), which I loved and wrote a review on in this scrapbook I had. But I decided that no-one was going to see that scrapbook, so I started up a blog instead. The review was only one paragraph long and it was really crap. Let's just say, the blog has grown since then.

Your writing has a great maturity to it - are you the same in real life?
It is funny you ask that. I remember one day when I was 14 (I think) and my friends told me that I was pretty much like an adult. They said I was the most mature person they knew. Which was strange, but I kinda think that's true. When I'm at work or at school, I'm not really treated like a kid any more, I just fit in with the adults. I'm not your average kind of teenager that goes out to parties all the time. I'm the kind who would rather sit at home watching indie movies on my Saturday nights. I've always been that way, I don't feel the need for rebellion or anything clichéd like that. Mind you, I do have my immature moments!

Your blog is very nice on the eye -- well designed and great use of images. Even your header image at the top, it's fantastic. Do you have a creative background?
Thanks! I don't really. Well, I did get top of Art in year ten, which was awkward because I didn't take it in year 11 (but I'm taking photography this year). Let's just say, I am quite a creative person, and always have a keen eye for design and making things look pretty, but it's nothing special.

There are so many bloggers around writing about film. How do you feel you fit in?
I'm not sure. Most bloggers are a lot older than me, but they've included me a lot so I don't feel like "that 16 year old who doesn't know anything about film because she's so young". I wouldn't say I'm one of the best blogs out there, however I do feel like I am one of the more creative and personal bloggers - I love trying new things with my writing, and I often talk about myself (it may be self-obsessed, but I can assure you I'm nothing like that in real life). I have a lot to credit the blogosphere for, I've made some great friends and they've taught me so much about film and life in general. Mind you, I just feel like one tiny, minuscule part of such a great movie blogging community.

Explain your 'A Conversation with..' feature to me..
Haha, that one. That is just me showing how insane I am. I started it with L.A. Confidential - which had a great script - but I was unsure of how to review it since I was 14 years late to the party. So I was thinking of a new way to review it, and I came up with the conversation post. Basically, it is me using my imagination and seeing what it would be like actually having a conversation with a movie. Strange, I know, but I have fun with it!

You are a prolific blogger - do you feel a pressure to write content constantly, or does it occur in a natural and enjoyable way?
When I had no readers, I'd post whenever, but since I got readers, I somehow got it in my head that I needed to post every day. I try my best to do that, but when school gets hard, you won't find me posting. Usually, I post every day but allow myself a day off each week - I work late on Saturday's so that is the day I'm absent the most.

Are you currently studying? And allow me to condescendingly ask: what do you want to be when you grow up?
Yeah, I'm in my second to last year of high school. Fun.
If you asked me that question when I was 10, it would have been something to do with horses. But no, I want to be a director. I know it sounds clichéd, and there has been much chatter on the internet lately that people who love films probably shouldn't work in the film industry, but I know that I wouldn't rather do anything else. Ever since the moment Kathryn Bigelow won that Oscar I knew that's exactly what I wanted to do. I'm a firm believer in living the life that I want, so despite all of the disbelief people have when I say "I want to be a director", I'm still going to have a decent whack at it. Recently, this director thing has become more of what I need to do rather than something I'd just like to do - so I'm not going to take my chips down now.

I'm amazed that you've compiled your top 100 films list. How long did that take, and how did you go about doing it?
It's hard to say how long it took, because I had a mental list which I'd added to since my last edit (back in October last year). I'm a person who loves lists and order, so I just went with the flow and wrote down which movies I genuinely love. It is a hard process, and one which many people have differing regimes as to how they go about it. My list isn't perfect, but it made me happy!
Thanks for this opportunity - these were really great, thoughtful questions!