Why "Plume"? The Story Behind Our Name
Have you ever wondered about the name "Plume Films"? It's not just a fancy word; it's got a story woven from punk zines, French island life, and some rather dramatic skies.
From a young age, I was obsessed with making things - scissors, sellotape, cardboard, glue. This DIY spirit eventually led through art school and to the world of punk zines and the raw energy of Dada and Futurist art. Collaborating with friends on independent publications and events was my jam. So it's always been there in a funny kind of way.
The real genesis of Plume Films happened later, when my partner and I escaped the vibrant chaos of Brighton for the peaceful Ile d'Oléron in France. Days were simple: fishing, growing veggies. But without a studio, my usual artistic outlets faded. So, I grabbed a laptop and started teaching myself digital design.
As autumn rolled in, so did those magnificent skies. Those gushing, Turner-like clouds, unfurling like great plumes of smoke, captivated me. "The Autumnal Plumes" I thought. A great name for a zine, and that's exactly where it began. The name stuck.
This was the spark. I started exploring digital creation more seriously. Our next move took us to the Alps, and that's where filmmaking truly took hold. My first attempts with Windows Movie Maker were, let's just say, characterful. But bringing a collage animation approach to them felt just like making zines – it scratched that creative itch and aligned perfectly with the punk aesthetic. A short film titled "The Autumnal Plume" was a genuine turning point. I knew then: this was it.
While I still still created cut outs, animation quickly became my focus. I made a music video for a friend (a classic rite of passage) and then, missing the words from my zine-making days, I started creating films for poets and spoken word artists. The blend of narrative and collage animation was deeply satisfying.
Then came the big moment: I stopped doing things for free, someone asked for an animation, I quoted a price, they agreed. Being paid for something I loved was incredibly simple and profoundly validating.
Every animation felt like a new issue of "The Autumnal Plume" zine. So I simply adopted the idea and name. The lightning bolt icon you often see with Plume Films? That's a nod to the plume, the cloud, and those dramatic impending winter storms that inspired it all.
Eventually, as our collage and film hybrid style approach evolved and the team grew, "The Autumnal Plume" became Plume Films. It felt like a natural, slightly more grown-up progression. Though, truth be told, sometimes I miss "The Autumnal Plumes" – maybe it sounds a bit pretentious, maybe it sounds like I can't believe it's not butter, but I think continuing with it would have been equally enjoyable, perhaps while sipping some lovely table wine, gazing at those dramatic skies draw in.
