1. What was one of the most challenging moments you faced while making A Million Lives? Did this ‘setback’ change the direction of the final story?

Filming in a public setting was challenging as we were frequently having to pause or stop due to passers-by either entering frame or disrupting the audio, which meant we had to do a lot of takes and ended up filming much later than anticipated so we could get clean takes when the streets were empty, which wasn’t until after midnight in what was an extremely cold winter night.

2. What was the biggest inspiration behind A Million Lives?

I found myself pondering upon many passions and ambitions, things I would love to explore and achieve, but many of which seemed like I would need a whole lifetime to see out. I was reflecting on my choices and what my life looked like had I pursued different routes, or chose different careers following other interests. I found it to be an interesting train of thought, as I’m sure it’s something everyone can relate to, and I thought it would make an interesting premise for a short film.

3. What message do you want the audience to take away from A Million Lives?

That you can’t just the past, and rather than getting bogged down in what could have been, focus on what can be, and make the most of what you have rather than wondering ‘what if?’. You only get one life, and that’s perhaps more of a reason to make the best of it.

4. How did you approach the casting process? Did you use an agency or arrange auditions yourself?

Given the film only has one character, I knew I needed a strong performer to carry the weight of the story. I reached out to Chris Gun directly as I had long been keen to work with him, after seeing him deliver standout performances in similarly individual-led roles.