Zach was home-schooled his whole life, travelled with his family, and picked up a camera at 15. From there it was self-taught hustle, then mentorship, then an apprenticeship — and now a working freelance filmmaker collaborating with creatives across the UK.
A camera at 15, knocking on doors at 16
Zach got a camera for his 15th birthday and started walking around Brighton trying to find clients — a self-described believer in "fake it 'til you make it". The early work was unpaid, scrappy, and good practice. He made short social media content for Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion before he had any formal training.
Mentorship via Viral at Lighthouse
Zach then joined Viral — a Young Creatives mentorship programme run by Lighthouse in Brighton. That's where he made the connections across Sussex that led to an apprenticeship offer at Plus X Brighton.
The apprenticeship at Plus X
At Plus X, Zach was surrounded by digital and tech businesses every day. Creative Process ran the off-the-job learning; almost everyone in the Plus X building contributed to the on-the-job side. By the end of the apprenticeship he had the technical skills, the client-handling habits, and a network to keep him busy.
Now
Zach now freelances full-time, collaborating with a network of creatives around the UK and making short-form content for brands.
With the help from Creative Process and Plus X I learnt the vital skills needed to be a successful freelance filmmaker.
Originally featured in Moulsecoomb Stories, a Plus X Brighton publication.