Sabrina Thomas shines with powerful debut film ‘Shattered’

The world of local filmmaking has a new emerging star. Fresh off her win at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) FIWI Short Film competition, Sabrina Thomas is embracing the success of her directorial debut, Shattered, which earned her a cash prize and opened doors in the film industry. While she’s savouring this moment, her journey to success has been anything but easy.

The story is about a young girl named Moya whose life gets shattered following a traumatic encounter with her own brother. With her father departed, and her relationship with her mother strained, Moya has to overcome the obstacles she’s faced with and try her best to remain resilient. As difficult as her life becomes, Moya isn’t defined by her struggle.

Her story is inspirational, something that Thomas described as a driving factor behind making the film. “The thing about it is, we don’t really understand what a person goes through behind closed doors. It is good to connect and ensure that the environment they’re in makes them feel comfortable to express themselves,” she told The Gleaner.

In making the film, Thomas recognised the sensitivity behind certain topics. In telling Moya’s story, Thomas hopes to encourage others to come forward with theirs. “I’m hoping that this movie can provide a platform for people to create those spaces or promote spaces that are available to people who are in need and going through trauma and don’t know how to get out of it.”

With experience behind the scenes on other projects, Thomas had some knowledge of how a film set would run, but running the show herself was a different story altogether.

“I thought that I had everything under control. My mentor Nadean Rawlins told me to be careful because things can change and to always be open to obstacles.I had to change my cast two times. I had a week left at one point and had to change my cast. Locations cancelled on me last minute, that was very stressful, but you know it kind of pushed me and forced me to think more creatively. I became more adaptable to the situation, knowing that these things will happen, and I have to ensure that I’m quick to think on the spot and resolve the issue ... I think I got the right cast for the show. It had its ups and downs. There are times where I’m very frustrated when I don’t get what I want. I realised that filming changed me as a person, where I had to be the bigger person.”

The process was challenging, but the lessons were invaluable. By overcoming her drive for perfection, Thomas found comfort in collaborating with her colleagues. She created an open space for discussion and idea-sharing, welcoming the cast’s unique perspectives. Their willingness to follow her direction made the experience rewarding for everyone involved.

The team she had led her to victory, but one particular hardship almost had her throwing in the towel. “We actually shot the entire movie, and there was no audio. We were saying “Yes, we did it!” and then when we checked it was silent. I was so frustrated, I had to ask for a minute.”

In her moment of frustration, Thomas cites her cast as the ones to pull her back into production. “I felt a way because I know I’m not paying them to do the production, so I don’t want to feel as if I’m abusing their generosity or their time. I was going to just use the older version that we had and they said no, we’re already giving you the time, we want to get it right, and I’m grateful for that, and we did it. Finished about 2 or 3 in the morning but yeah.”

With a win under her wings, Sabrina is only just getting started. “I have other projects I’m working on. [I’ve] completed one already called Surviving With Faith, another short film.” While she stays busy, Sabrina has big hopes for herself and her impact on others. “I’ve worked very hard on myself, staying humble, just to achieve what I want because I want to make a difference. I think this is the start of it, hopefully by God it is, and I can make an impact on the younger generation, and people who are out there and have not gotten the opportunity or the motivation to push to do what they want to do in the creative space. Especially for a woman, I want to step out of my comfort zone and embrace everything this creative world has to give. I’m going for it and I’m not stopping.”

Shattered, the film, is available for viewing on the JCDC YouTube channel.

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