Well then: this has all been something of an adventure. You’re reading this on a website that didn’t exist at the start of the year, that I had no plans for it to exist, and yet circumstances have brought us here. And it is very lovely to see you.
In my previous job, I always liked to write a letter to the people who had read and supported our work over the previous year. I think thank yous are an underrated commodity in the world at the moment, and I think they’re more important than ever. Also: manners.
Now that I’m here, the thank yous are doubled. Because Film Stories wouldn’t be here at all if it wasn’t for people like you. People who have, if you’ll forgive me talking on a personal level, supported a project that came to light in a very dark personal time of my life. A project that (quickly) turned into a magazine, a YouTube channel and even a reader event. And lord, you should see what we’re plotting for next year. We’ve not launched half of the Film Stories things we’re trying to.
And that people supported me in the midst of such a bruising year means the world. I really can’t thank you enough.
Whether you’ve bought the magazine, read the site, sent messages of support on social media, come along to a Film Stories event or downloaded the podcast, I really can’t thank you enough. I never expected to be here at the end of the year, I never expected a podcast I began to try and rebuild after a horrible bereavement to lead here. It’s been a massive silver lining to my year. Bluntly, it’s meant the bloody world to me.
Indulge me one more time then as I say thank you. To you, and to the people who have come along with me with the Film Stories project. To the people who work alongside me on it – Hedda, Clare, Dan, John, Rachel, Jo, Kyle, Seb, the army of amazing writers – and the hundreds of people who supported me and it on Kickstarter: a massive thank you, too.
I’m an old soppy nerd these days. But: isn’t it remarkable that films have brought us all together. Thank goodness for the movies. Geostorm firmly included.
It’s been unexpected and difficult starting from scratch again, and yet hopefully we’ve all someone got to the end of 2018 in tact.
Wishing you, then, a very lovely festive break (although the podcast is still going over Yuletideness), and I hope to keep giving you something interesting to read/listen to/watch/attend in 2019.
You people are the best,
Simon Brew
Founder/editor: Film Stories
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