Interview with Guernslye Honorés
The hardest part of any creative project is starting it. There’s nothing more daunting than a blank page, the only way to get past that is just to get on with it.
As a part of our series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker”, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Tom Stuart.
Tom has worked extensively as an actor for the past 20 years. His first feature film as a writer — ‘Mainstream’ — premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2020, was officially selected to screen at Telluride and Mill Valley film festivals, and secured distribution with IFC and Universal for release in 2021. Directed and co-written by Gia Coppola, it stars Andrew Garfield, Maya Hawke, and Jason Schwartzman. Tom has original TV projects in development with Bad Wolf, Sunday Night, 101 Studios, Lookout Point, Silverprint Pictures and Kindle Entertainment. His first play ‘I Am Not Myself These Days’ was an adaptation of Josh Kilmer-Purcell’s New York Times bestselling memoir. It was produced by Fuel and directed by Nick Bagnall. It received great reviews at the Edinburgh Festival and secured a tour of the UK, which included the Liverpool Everyman, MAC in Belfast and Shoreditch Town Hall in London. His second play, ‘After Edward’ was commissioned by Shakespeare’s Globe and received a full production in their Sam Wannamaker Theatre in 2019: “A forceful and fanciful drama by a fresh new talent” — The Telegraph. ‘Good Boy’ marks his directorial debut.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
I grew up in East London. It was quite an impoverished area, but it was very multicultural which I loved as it exposed me to a wide range of different backgrounds and cultures from a young age. There wasn’t a great focus on drama or the Arts at school, but I had a couple of great teachers who encouraged me.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
My parents would often take my sister and I to our local theatre — the legendary Theatre Royal, Stratford-East. When I was 11, we went to see a play there by Mike Leigh called “It’s A Great Big Shame”, I was so blown away by what I saw that I begged my Mum and Dad to take me back to see it again. I remember sitting there in the dark and having — what I now recognise as — an epiphany; I knew I had to be involved in storytelling in some way.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your filmmaking career?
Whilst shooting a scene for our short film ‘Good Boy’, the van that Ben Whishaw was driving suddenly filled up with smoke. I thought this was gonna be the end of the film as having a functioning campervan was essential! Luckily the problem was fixed and Ben was able to get straight back in the driver’s seat and we resumed filming!
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
I’ve been an actor for 20 years and have been lucky enough to work with some extraordinary people on and off camera. But the most interesting thing is always meeting the audience, I love it when they approach with questions, and share their own stories in response to something that they’ve just watched.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Kathy Burke has been a mentor and friend of mine for a long time. We met when she was directing a play at the Royal Court Theatre in London. I was 20 years old and fresh out of drama school and was a huge fan of hers. I learnt so much from her about how to lead with charm, sensitivity, and humour. Kathy was the first person to encourage me to make my own work.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Arrange whatever pieces come your way”, I think that’s a Virginia Wolf quote and it’s incredibly important to have in mind whilst filming — you have to constantly adapt to changing circumstances and calmly rearrange things to fit what’s in front of you ie — make a scene work with what you have rather than what you hoped you’d have.
I am very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
All art should represent the world we live in. Listening to other people’s experiences and stories enables us to understand ourselves better, and the more diverse the stories the richer we will all become.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I am writing a number of original projects for TV with 101 Studios, Silverprint, Kindle and Bad Wolf. I have also written two feature films which I hope to start developing as a director soon.
Which aspect of your work makes you most proud? Can you explain or give a story?
Hearing that a piece of work you have made has resonated with someone and made them feel understood or less alone is a feeling you can’t beat. People have been coming up to me after the screenings of ‘Good Boy’ to talk about their own sense of loss and grief, the fact that they feel compelled to share their stories is a huge privilege, and it means our film is connecting with audiences in the way that I hoped it would.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why.
- The hardest part of any creative project is starting it. There’s nothing more daunting than a blank page, the only way to get past that is just to get on with it.
- It’s okay to admit that you don’t know things.
- It’s a really tough business so be kind to yourself.
- Hold on to your passion and stay focussed.
- Through the moments when the creativity isn’t flowing — just keep showing up for it, eventually it’ll come.
When you create a film, which stakeholders have the greatest impact on the artistic and cinematic choices you make? Is it the viewers, the critics, the financiers, or your own personal artistic vision? Can you share a story with us or give an example about what you mean?
I think it’s vital you follow your artistic vision, but you have to keep a firm eye on the audience. For me, making a film is about communicating ideas and feelings, so you have to make sure that the people you’re trying to reach understand and follow what you’re trying to say.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would give everybody an Arts training of some description. The opportunity to study acting at drama school changed my life; it instilled me with discipline and opened my head and heart up to the world. The benefits went way beyond becoming a better actor, it made me a better person.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this. 🙂
The creatives at A24 — I’m a huge fan.
How can our readers further follow you online?
My Instagram handle is @mrtomstuart, and handles for the film are @goodboy_film on Instagram and @goodboy_short on X (formerly Twitter).
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.
Tom Stuart: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became A Filmmaker was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.