2023 has been a huge year for me and this little business. I’m pretty certain it's the busiest year I’ve had to date and has definitely been the one most fulfilling to me. I have stepped into areas of photography I have always wanted to pursue, teamed up with some incredible creatives that I have learnt from and been inspired by, and met so many of you!!
So I’ll try to keep this wrap up short while also honouring some special moments from 2023.
In January we took a surprise trip to Sydney to see my best friend for the first time in years and I got to catch up with my chosen family down there. I shot some past clients and just immersed us (My daughter and I) in our friendships there. Turns out this was the best way I could have started my year. It kicked me into gear and made me decide to cheer on my dreams this year in the same way my people back home cheer for me.
So I came home and made a list of some projects I’d love to accomplish this year. And set about making a portfolio of my favourite work… and drafted a few pitch emails. I started by pitching to two dream projects. A small business and a community theatre production. Then sent them off and let them go.
I did some more family shoots, another quick trip to Sydney, another surprise trip to Melbourne to care for a friend and explore with my kiddo… Then while still in Melbourne I was editing one night I got the email that changed my year. The community theatre group replied.
Lynch and Paterson and their production of Wizard of Oz was a milestone moment. It got me back to the performing world which I love but behind a camera which I have been wanting to do for years. They gave me access to a range of rehearsals and behind the scenes and cheered me on. Sammy and Lucas took a big chance on me and I will never be able to thank them properly for that. Many of the other opportunities I have had this year have come from what I produced in my time with them. Wizard of oz was their last musical together as a production team and I am so Incredibly lucky that I found them. I’ll also note I was thrilled and honoured to be able to come back and cover their farewell show “Encore” as well. I have since been able to work with Sammy in her new Production company Paterson Productions and continue the behind the scenes fun with their first production - Spamalot! I look forward to seeing Lucas do his thing when I go to see Sleeping Beauty next year with Ballet Theatre Queensland.
Wizard of Oz led to fun trips behind the scenes with The Addams Family with Phoenix Ensemble (and the first read of Footloose which they will stage next year), Grease with Dejager Productions and Riley Cope Creations and as mentioned before Spamalot! The inaugural musical from Paterson Productions. These were full of wonderful performers and brilliant creative teams who have been a joy to work with and I cannot wait for future fun with them!
Wizard of Oz also introduced me to two brilliant creatives- PIF Productions… More on them in a moment.
By the way… the small business I pitched to also said yes. And let to me working with a wonderful small business called Kellective by Nikki. Nikki is such an inspiration as a woman in business. She started her company by doing everything herself and in her home and it has grown to a beautiful team making gorgeous meaningful jewellery. I adore them.
A few other “pinch me” jobs from this year include - Two seasonal campaigns for small businesses - Nappy Luxe and Lolopops Baby Gifts, Covering events for Sporting Wheelies, Doing the promotional shoot for A Chorus Line which Coastal Theatre Collective stages next year (Go see it!) And a promotional shoot for Mermaid Mumma Aqua Natal in Sydney. A last minute dash to cover Ben Abraham for his Christmas show... And not to forget… Getting to cover a show for David Hobson and Marina Prior in their "Just the two of us" tour!
I got to see regular clients grow their families and kick personal goals, documented two gorgeous weddings, did and end of year video for a graduating Kindy class and…
I changed my business name! So much has changed since I started my business and the old name definitely didn’t fit right anymore. By Brit Creative feels more like me and I love it. (And as an added bonus - people have stopped calling me August when they meet me )
So now for those PIF gents I mentioned before. I am so excited and grateful to be able to say that I am working with them going forward! Kenn and Jono are so excellent at what they do and I love learning from them and working along side them both.
So 2024 is looking to be just as brilliant and full of growth as 2023 turned out to be. I'll be completing some personal work I’ve been dying to produce, Continuing in my mission to highlight the behind the scenes of performance, business and every day life. And also working with PIF creating projects with impact that allow them to Pay It Forward and help charities through their social impact commitment.
So my takeaway from my year, that I want to recommend to you. Is to back yourself. Champion your skills and pitch the hell out of your dreams to achieve them. Sure it sounds sappy. But I’ve been watching Nancy Meyer movies all day. What do you want from me?
Love,
your cheerleader - hiding in the wings
B’rit
