Home Articles News Focus On Yes An Interview with Filmmaker Michele Dacosta

“Focus on the Yes”: An Interview with Filmmaker Michele D’Acosta

By William Boyd

19 December 2024

Resilience and intuition have shaped Michele’s filmmaking career, with experiences ranging from rejection on her first day to dangerous moments on set. Here, she shares the lessons she’s learned, the advice she lives by, and why trusting your instincts is key to surviving—and thriving—in the industry.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

“One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from Mopreme Shakur, Tupac’s brother. He said, ‘You judge a man by how he comes back from hardship.’

“We often focus on the challenge itself, but it’s about how you recover—how you move forward. Even when I’m in the middle of a difficult moment, I’m already thinking about how I’ll come back stronger.”

How did rejection shape your early career?

“My first day in the industry was a strange one. I’d been hired to work at the BBC as an Assistant Producer, and I was so excited. But as I was leaving my house, the postman handed me a letter that said I’d been rejected by the BBC.

“It wasn’t a mistake—two departments were making decisions. The creative team said yes, but HR said no. I took that rejection to heart, and it really affected my confidence. Looking back now, I’d tell myself, ‘If someone says yes, focus on the yes. Don’t let the no hold you back.’”

What’s the most unglamorous lesson you’ve learned on set?

“When I was making the Tupac documentary with Nick Broomfield, we went to interview Suge Knight at a maximum-security prison in California. When we got there, we saw a sign in the cell block that said, ‘No warning shot.’

“That means if something happens—a breakout, an incident—the guards would just start shooting. As a filmmaker, you think you’re somehow protected, but you’re not. That moment made me realise just how real the risks can be.”

How important is trusting your instincts in filmmaking?

“I was told very early on in my career: ‘Don’t second guess yourself.’

“In filmmaking, you often have a split second to make a decision. If you stop to think, ‘Should I do this or that?’ you’ve already missed the moment. Trusting your intuition is more than just hearing it—it’s about acting on it, even when you’re unsure. That’s the advice I’ve lived by ever since.”

What excites you most about the next generation of filmmakers?

“As a patron of a film school, I’m constantly amazed by the new generation of filmmakers. Their technical skills, storytelling ability, and vision are light years ahead of where I was at their age.

“I’ve seen short films made by students that I couldn’t even make now. They’re incredibly talented, and I think we’re going to rely on their creativity and perspective to tell the truth about the world in ways we’ve never seen before.”

Michele’s journey proves that filmmaking is about persistence, adaptability, and trusting your instincts. Her advice? “Focus on the yes, trust your gut, and always be ready to do what needs to be done.”