Danielle Johnson made a First Light funded film with Fierce Productions when she was 15-years-old. Set in south London, Fast Break focused on a basketball ace who risked a sport scholarship in the US to protect his brother’s back when he is caught with a knife.

Since starring in Fast Break, which won the Best Drama award at the First Light Awards 2007, Danielle, now 16, has just completed the first year of a two-year Musical Theatre BTEC course at the Brit School in Croydon, south London and is looking forward to continuing studying next year.

First Light recently caught up with Danielle and found out what impact working on a First Light funded film has had on her life.

FL: Had you been involved with filmmaking before making Fast Break?

DJ: Yes I have been before, but not for a film. I did media when I was in secondary school so I’ve experienced being behind and in front of the camera which is very different and challenging in different ways

FL: How did you get involved with this particular First Light Movies project?

DJ: Rebecca Johnson from Fierce Productions knew my media and performing arts teacher and he asked us if we wanted to be in a film, I jumped at the chance.

FL: What was your role Fast Break? Were you involved both in front and behind the camera?

DJ: I contributed with the development process, as everyone did, contributed possible characters which was a success. I mostly worked in front of the camera as a supporting actress which was quite scary but I loved it after a few seconds!

FLM: What did you learn whilst making Fast Break?

DJ: I’ve learnt a lot from making Fast Break. I’ve learnt that the filming process is MUCH longer and slower than I initially thought, I also learnt that even small contribution can make a huge difference and will bring out the best in you. Team work is essentially the thing that makes everything meet the standards of the project and succeed.

FL: Did winning a First Light Award boost your confidence to pursue further education within the performing arts?

DJ: I knew from the age of 13 that performing arts was the road I was going to go down, I didn’t really think of myself as an actor per say, but after the reviews I got on Fast Break from friends, family and even people I didn’t know, I thought to myself, I might have something here so I’m going to pursue it – so I did.

FL: What would you like your career/job to be?

DJ: My main focus is singing, I think I’m more experienced in that area, but I can dance, I can act, preferably anything offered to me in the performing arts industry, but I’m going to try and perfect all areas!

FLM: Once you have completed your course at the Brit School are you considering further education? How important do you think the role of education will play in your chosen career path?

DJ: I’m not going to go into further education. I do think its very important to have a degree and whatever qualifications you get in university, but personally, i don’t think that all people become successful just because of what you’ve got written on a piece of paper, some people have a sheer type of uniqueness and I believe that will show if you carry yourself well, stay humbled and are polite, you will have no problem getting far.

FL: What advice can you offer other young filmmakers who are about to start making a First Light funded film?

DJ: If you’ve got the dream, follow it, nothing is impossible.

FL: And finally, this is a bit of a hard question, but what is your favourite film and why?

DJ: Wow, there’s a lot to choose from. I think I would choose “Perfume: the story of a murderer”, due to the fact that its a very different storyline, its about a man who was born with a rare sense of smell and he wants to make the perfect perfume, so he goes to all crazy lengths of murder to get it. I think that it shows how desperate a person can get to get what they want, the acting was brilliant and the events were utterly unexpected!

Thanks Danielle, First Light wishes you good luck with your next year of the BTEC and with whatever you decide to do in the future.