The production company acts as a platform from which there own creative projects can arise. It also demonstrates their seriousness, ability and helps them gain experience in the industry.

Off The Planet's most recent completed project has been 'Most Hunted' a 30min spoof of Living TV's popular show 'Most Haunted'.I had the chance of watching a demo recently and thoroughly enjoy it; it came across as humorous on many levels and revealed the idiocy of many of today's television programmes, it was also extremely well produced with a professional feel. They can produce something that is made on a budget of next to nothing appear as if it was made with some serious money. This is down to their ability to be effective writers, actors, cameramen, editors, directors, and producers and to utilise any available techniques and technology at their disposal.

I had the opportunity of putting some serious questions to Tim and found that he should speak for himself on what its like to try and make it at something you love to do in a place you love to do it.

Q: How long have your been filming for?

A: I first started writing in late 1998, then after raising the money to buy some filming and editing equipment, started filming around April 1999.

Q: Do you have motto/quote you like?

A: I'm rather fond of the motto; 'Who Dares Wins' as it's from one of my favourite sitcoms, 'Only Fools and Horses' and I think it bears relevance in many situations of everyday life, if you want something bad enough then you'll go the extra mile.

Q: Would you consider yourself an actor/Performance artist/comedian/ writer/director/One Man Movie Maker/film maker etc.? You can pick more than one.

A: At one stage or another I've done all of these, but if I had to pick just a couple then I'd go for 1: One Man Movie/Film maker, and, 2: Writer, probably in equal proportion as once I've written something, or even come up with a concept for a film or programme, then, generally I like to be involved at every step of the way to ensure that things are going exactly the way I envisaged.

Q: Where do you show or send you work?

A: The first port of call for anything I ever do is family and friends, as I value their opinions and can trust them to be honest, sometimes brutally honest. Once everyone is pleased with the result I then send it to a number of contacts that I've built up over the years within various T.V. channels and production companies, contacts that have been very hard to come by, and have taken an extreme amount of nurturing.

Q: Have you found it easy to get your work available, recognised?

A: Not in the slightest. There is an extreme amount of 'banging your head against a brick wall' syndrome involved in my chosen vocation, especially in the first couple of years. Even now it is extremely difficult although it does get easier with time. The biggest problem at the early stages is getting someone to take you seriously who is in a position of authority. It doesn't seem to matter how good your work is, or what the subject matter is either.

Q: Have you tried the Cornish film Festival?

A: I have considered it, and will probably be entering material for next year's festival, providing there is one! (I heard through the grapevine that there was a relatively poor showing compared to the previous year).

Q: Do you have qualifications in what you do? Do you think you need them?

A: I don't have a single qualification that even remotely qualifies me for what I do, not counting qualifications in English language! Whether or not the necessity of qualifications in this industry is relevant purely depends on what area you wish to focus on. As an example: In mid to late 2000 I wrote and co-produced a performance comedy show reel, which, after getting the thumbs up from all friends and acquaintances, was sent to a class of sixth-form media-studies students at Okehampton college together with a questionnaire for them to fill out. The results of that questionnaire, as well as being highly pompous and snobbish, also slated the show reel quite badly. That same show reel was then sent to BBC talent and entered in the comedy sketch section in the year 2001. Of the thousands of entrants only a very small number were picked and shown on the programme and that very first show reel was one of them. So, if you were to ask me if I thought a media-studies course would be helpful in my chosen path, I would have to say no, as I've always been a firm believer that there is no substitute for experience. Who would you take advice from? Someone who's learned what they know in a place of education then teaches others, or, someone who is actually doing the job? On the other hand, I'm sure it would be useful for a number of other vocations within the Industry.

Q: Have you consider a course in further education as a future step to achieving your goals? Do your think it's worth it?

A: I think I've answered that one in the previous question, although I would add that; as new knowledge has been necessary I'm certainly no stranger to sitting down with a book on the subject and/or a P.C. and teaching myself. I find it a far quicker way of learning than any course or schooling I've done in the past.

Q: What is your favourite colour?

A: Now that's a difficult one...Red...NO, BLUE!

Q: Have you found people in the film/TV industry helpful?

A: That is really a double-edged question; Generally people in the lower echelons are extremely helpful, people such as cameramen, soundmen, production assistants etc, are always full of useful advice, but, the people with the most influence most often don't even have the common decency or sense of obligation to reply to a simple E-mail!!!!!

Q: Is Cornwall a good place for material?

A: Cornwall is a perfect place for material and inspiration alike, purely in the nature of the county itself. There is such diversity in personalities, characters and scenery that coupled with the serenity granting peace to think that it really is difficult not to be inspired.

Q: Do you find it's who you know not what you know situation?

A: Extremely so, and I cannot emphasize this fact enough! Due to the apparent snobbery found primarily in the corridors of power, it is incredibly difficult to even get your product shown to anyone of importance. It is a slow process indeed building up any contacts of any real value too!

Q: Is funding/money an issue?

A: Not particularly. As with any industry, from small acorns etc. The first project I ever wrote and produced was done on a budget of absolutely nothing! As have a number of my projects, you tailor whatever you're writing to your budget. That doesn't mean to say that I never had the ambition to create something that cost millions right from the beginning, just that it's better to learn to walk before you can run, because in situations like this a trip can prove very costly!

Q: What drives your work (what's your inspiration)?

A: Primarily ambition and the desperate need for people to appraise my work (I can hear that prime-time spot calling now). There's nothing better than watching other people watching your work and totally enjoying it for what it is, plus, I really, really enjoy my work and can't think of a better vocation or way to spend my life!

Tim's most current project 'Needles in a Haystack- Substance misuse in the sticks' is a shocking hard-hitting yet informative 60-minute health documentary on substance misuse in the predominantly maritime and rural county of Cornwall. This approach to working with serious subject matter I believe is more likely to gain Tim the contacts and the recognition within the T.V industry that he wants and needs to move forward.

www.offtheplanet.tv