From Ealing to Hollywood

Interview with UWL alumna Rebecca Harris

In March 2018 Rebecca Harris was Oscar®-bound for her work as producer of short film, The Silent Child, which picked up an Academy Award®. We sat down with Rebecca to learn more about her path to global success, her female role models and the importance of teaching sign language in schools. Plus, what's it really like to win an Oscar®?

What made you want to get into film?

Rebecca Harris: I became interested in film at a young age so over the years at school and college I picked media and film subjects. As I did this, my passion for film production grew. An early memory is watching the behind the scenes of The Lord of the Rings and I was fascinated by how many people were involved in each department and their graft and determination. There was also a moment when I realised that film isn't just about entertainment and escapism; it's also a powerful medium through which to bring about change.

Tell us about your time at UWL.

I got to write, do camera work, editing and sound through all my university assignments. But I learnt most in the final year when you were forced out of your comfort zone to make a film on your own. It was a bit of a shock but it gave me the confidence I needed just before graduating.

Who are your role models in the film world?

Ceán Chaffin, who worked on films such as The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. She is brilliant and her work is really impressive. I am drawn to real life dramas and documentaries such as The Imitation Game and Philomena that are really hard hitting. These are inspirational for me. Another good director and producer is Gabriela Cowperthwaite who did the Blackfish documentary, which was both shocking and eye opening, and has changed a lot at SeaWorld.

Rebecca celebrates with her team, family and friends

©A.M.P.A.S®

How did you get involved in The Silent Child?

Chris Overton and Danny Ormerod of Slick Films asked me to join them in 2014. In 2016, Rachel Shenton (Chris’s fiancée) had written a script which Chris sent on to me asking me to produce. This script was of the kind of quality that would normally have taken years of experience to be given the chance to produce so they were really putting a lot of trust in me. It was the first film I produced and the first that Slick Films produced.

How did you hear about being nominated for an Oscar ® ?

At first we were told via an 11pm email that we would be short-listed, but it was only the next morning that I realised it had gone public. Then the 5 nominations are announced on TV, so everyone finds out at the same time. It was more tense being nominated than when we won!

What about the after-party?

The Vanity Fair after-party was surreal too – it was another “how am I here?” moment. We didn’t really stay long because our team was holding another party to include all the people who couldn't make it to the event; we just wanted to be with the rest of the team to share the moment.

Rebecca with her partner and fellow UWL graduate, Tom Turner, who was Second Assistant Director on The Silent Child

©A.M.P.A.S®

Tom Turner, your partner and fellow UWL alumnus, was Second Assistant Director on the film; how did you find working together?

Luckily we have a good working relationship because producers and assistant directors do need to work closely together. We’re in post production on a ten-minute short film called A Glimpse which Tom is directing and I am producing. It's a drama romance with a lot of the same team involved. So it didn’t put us off working together!

What opportunities have been opened up for you, having won the Oscar ® ?

We are developing a feature film, still on the subject of the deaf community, and I have some unrelated short films coming up, including A Glimpse. Tom has written some golden feature scripts so we hope to get those made soon. Rachel is always full of golden ideas as well! We’re lucky enough to have a number of exciting things in the pipeline that we now have the opportunity to make.

What are your tips to a graduate who wants to pursue a career in film production?

The most important thing is knowing that you have a right to be there, because everyone has started somewhere, including the big directors and producers. It’s also about being passionate about making a film: in reality, it's not about the awards and the glamorous side, it's about getting stuck into the tough process of filmmaking. Just keep making films even if it’s on your iPhone and get experience in any way you can. It is really that simple and if you just keep going things will happen – it’s not a myth. Whatever happens, never give up.

Rebecca and The Silent Child team receiving an award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival

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