Introductions, strong opinions & sage advice

Born and bred in Dublin City, Gavin FitzGerald is an award-winning director whose work has captivated audiences on Netflix, BBC Studios, and international film festivals such as HotDocs. Early in his career, he gained recognition for high-profile celebrity biographies, including "Conor McGregor: Notorious" (2017, Universal Pictures) and "Liam Gallagher: As It Was" (2019, Warner Music).

His reputation solidified further with the IFTA-nominated "Million Dollar Pigeons" (2022, Dogwoof) and the BBC docu-series "Stable: The Boxing Game" (2024, Lorton Entertainment). Gavin's multi-award-winning short films also showcase his talent.

Currently, he is developing feature-length documentaries and writing fiction for the screen. His work is entertaining and highlights important subject matters that deserve more attention.

Gavin FitzGerald continues to be a significant voice in documentary filmmaking, creating content that sparks meaningful conversations.

How to avoid an unfortunate bean counting dilemma…

Getting a job confirmation is tough enough.

The next tough task is to achieve the best outcome from the available budget without the project descending into a bean-counting exercise. So here are some best practices I've followed over the years to assist this process:

1?? Your budget is your bible, so needless to say, follow it religiously and without exception?? but don't be dogmatic. If you go over one line… maybe there are a couple of other lines where these costs can be recouped.

2?? Establish payment T's and C's upfront to avoid any late payments or unexpected hiccups down the line.

3?? Find creative ways to increase the scope and vision without increasing costs. For example, look for locations closer to keep travel time down and better yet, look for multi-use locations to avoid multiple moves. Additionally, explore using small second units to get the shots required without extra days.

But what if I'm a staunch advocate for analogue?!

Next up, I want to discuss the looming presence of AI in the film and advertising industry.

With the development of new AI technologies, like Sora AI, I believe we find ourselves at a crossroads between embracing the future and preserving the essence of our past.

As a staunch advocate for analogue processes and the irreplaceable value of doing things by hand, I can't help but feel that our rush towards digital convenience may be leading us away from the very soul of craftsmanship.

The transformation from analogue to digital, especially within production and advertising, is often celebrated as progress.

Yet, it's essential to question: at what cost does this progress come?

The narrative that AI and digital tools serve merely as aids in our creative endeavours glosses over a critical concern—the gradual de-skilling of our industries.

Just as the chemist shop's evolution into a pharmacy has shifted the pharmacist's role, the introduction of AI in creative fields risks reducing artists and craftsmen to mere technology operators.

I've witnessed first-hand the tactile magic of capturing sound on 1/4" tape and the meticulous art of editing with a razor blade. The tangible connection between creator and creation in these moments is unparalleled.

Working with film taught me the significance of care and attention to detail; the exposed negative was not just a medium but a repository of moments waiting to be brought to life. The risks were real, but so were the rewards.

In my journey from location sound to film production, I've never had to file an insurance claim for lost film footage, yet digital data loss was a nightmare in the beginning.

This distinction underscores a broader issue: the impermanence and fragility of digital creations. It's a bit like coming back to old rewriteable CDs to find them now blank or old mechanical hard disc drives that no longer mount.

As we pivot towards AI and away from hands-on craftsmanship, we risk losing skills and a deep, intuitive connection with our work. However, it is encouraging to see the high demand for vintage lenses still there—a camera is for Christmas, and a lens is for life.

So, I suggest leveraging technology to augment our capabilities, not diminish them. Let us remain vigilant in preserving the essence of our crafts, ensuring that the skills honed over centuries are not lost to the convenience of automation.