Sometime ago, I was stuck in a rut trying to find a story to tell. It was around this time when was sent a link by my regular collaborator and DOP, Josh Monie, with a note that simply said ‘watch this!”. It was a captivating 30s video of a girl falling through the sky but it wasn’t just someone falling in a mad panic. It was a skydiver performing the most graceful type of dance I’d ever seen, with flips and spins that would make any gymnast dizzy. It genuinely blew my mind and I responded to Josh with “WE NEED TO MAKE SOMETHING WITH HER!" This graceful sky-dancer was Maja Kuczyńska; a professional skydiver from Poland. Like most people, I was struck by her incredible ability as an athlete at the top of her game and the way that she made falling towards the earth at terminal velocity look like a ballet. But beyond that, both myself and Josh knew that there would be a bigger story hiding just below the surface; one that could delve into the mental & emotional implications of what it means to throw yourself from a plane on a daily basis: we wanted to get to the core of this choice of lifestyle. Digging a little deeper, we learned more about Maja's battle with her ‘busy mind’ and the resulting struggles with modern life that she faced. In a world as chaotic, loud and so often thrown into turmoil as our own, she sought peace and escape in an activity seen by so many as terrifying and dangerous. After spending some time with Maja - and experiencing the rush of the sport for ourselves through a tandem skydive - we collectively agreed that rather than making a film that focussed on the risks associated, we would instead shine a light on the positives of the sport: the all-encompassing joy and elation of flight and the escape that it provides Maja. As a filmmaker who has spent most of their career working in commercials, I knew from the very start that this needed to be a true personal project - a film that had zero input from anyone else and one with which myself and Josh (DOP) could could tell the story exactly how we wanted to. To say this would be a challenge would be an understatement and we knew that in order to be truly personal project, it would need to be self-funded. Who the hell decides to make a self-funded film that involves hiring planes and then jumping out of them?! Not to mention filming in the world’s second-deepest pool and a wind tunnel. From the outset, it was an incredible project to be part of with some extremely challenging production hurdles. For example, we knew that we wanted the skydiving footage to be shot on a cinema camera and to get away from the typical GoPro acquisition approach. However, to do this, we had to create a camera package that was a specific size and weight for our flying camera operator Mairis Laiva so that when he deployed his parachute, it wouldn’t snap his neck. This is just one of countless challenges & problems we encountered throughout production. For me, this film is - and always will be - more than just a short film. It has helped me discover exactly the kind of filmmaker that I want to be and for that, I will be eternally grateful.

Adam is a leading director and producer of documentary and commercial content, excelling as both a director and producer. His journey in this field began after he graduated from art school with aspirations of becoming a documentary photographer. Just one week after graduation, he was scouted and signed by an agency, launching him into the realm of commercial photography. Combining his passion for storytelling and an ability to quickly connect with his subjects on a deep level, Adam quickly established himself as a highly-successful editorial and commercial portrait photographer. It wasn't until years later that he fell in love with the world of moving image. This transformative moment marked a significant shift in his career, steering it in an entirely new direction. With a newfound enthusiasm for filmmaking, Adam realised he could leverage all of his existing skills to delve deeper into his subjects, better conveying their stories to the audience. Since then, he has dedicated himself to perfecting his craft, focusing on the art of telling captivating stories. His work places a strong emphasis on character, authenticity, and genuine emotion. “When people watch my work, I want them to be touched & affected by it - I want to evoke something in the viewer. My goals as a filmmaker are to be authentic, honest and above all else, do justice to the story that my subject has entrusted to me.”