CVP: The freedom to film
Posted on May 19, 2025 by Admin
Stories in Motion winner Olz McCoy details his experiences in documentary filmmaking, starting with Passion, Purpose and Parkinson’s and arriving at Uhuru
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When his grandfather passed away, it changed Olz McCoy’s life. While, of course, he mourned this loss, what he gained was something much bigger. While going through the belongings his grandfather left behind, McCoy found an old video camera from his grandfather’s early days as a filmmaker. In that moment, he realised he’d found his calling.
After graduating sixth form, McCoy went straight into the industry, picking up his first gig at RSA Films (founded by Ridley Scott and his brother Tony). He worked as a production assistant for a while, shooting passion projects in his own time. Until one day, he took the leap into freelance directing and editing. It hasn’t always been steady since – the pandemic took its toll, unsurprisingly – but McCoy has nonetheless found success, evidenced by his most recent documentary, Uhuru, winning this year’s Stories in Motion competition.
Movies with a message
Filmed on location in Tanzania, Uhuru – which translates into ‘freedom’ in Swahili – follows several locals living with Parkinson’s disease. Although McCoy has no personal connection with the neurodegenerative disorder, he’s made three films about it thus far; Uhuru is his latest documentary.
His interest in Parkinson’s began with wildlife photographer David Plummer, who’s been diagnosed with the disease. After hearing his story, McCoy only wanted to amplify it; he reached out, and Plummer was in. The final result was Passion, Purpose and Parkinson’s, a five-minute film in which Plummer, artist Alex Echo and musician Nigel Bates share their experiences with the disease, from how it’s impacted their careers to how, in a sense, it’s inspired them to keep living. Parkinson’s UK and Cure Parkinson’s both supported the project.
After Passion, Purpose and Parkinson’s, McCoy made Shaking Hands with the Devil, collaborating again with Plummer (he acted as the film’s executive producer) and bringing on Natasha Fothergill-Misbah. This was followed by Uhuru (also with Fothergill-Misbah).
“In East Africa, where resources are limited, Parkinson’s is often associated with supernatural forces or witchcraft,” he explains, so the ultimate goal was to spread scientific awareness in those communities – particularly Kenya and Tanzania. That’s why he filmed Uhuru in Swahili, the local language; “the message is clearer when it comes from people who look and sound like you,” he says.
According to McCoy, filming in Tanzania was no picnic. There wasn’t much there in the way of a film industry in Kilimanjaro, where they were based. “That meant sourcing local crew and kit was challenging,” and stable internet wasn’t a given, either. McCoy and his team had to carry all their kit from the UK, apply for permits and charge batteries whenever and wherever possible. “The practicals were the biggest hurdle.”
It’s not just a feat of documentary filmmaking; Uhuru also carries a socially significant message. “There’s a distinct lack of awareness or total absence of knowledge about what this disease is,” Plummer narrates in Shaking Hands with the Devil. McCoy agrees, “It’s not witchcraft, it’s not superstition, it’s not a curse. It’s just a disease, and these people have the basic right to be treated like normal human beings.”
Second time’s the charm
Uhuru took this year’s documentary award at Stories in Motion, but this wasn’t McCoy’s first go around with the Canon- and CVP-sponsored competition. He had entered Passion, Purpose and Parkinson’s in 2024 and was selected as a finalist. The title was also an official selection at Big Syn International, Ramsgate International and Novella Film Festivals, among others. To get Uhuru the gold – and enter it in the first place – McCoy cut the runtime down to just under five minutes. This submission requirement could be somewhat limiting, but McCoy doesn’t see it that way, noting that all the finalist films are screened during the ceremony, so being longer than five minutes each would be impractical. He believes Stories in Motion is a ‘great opportunity’ for young, emerging filmmakers like himself. “To be recognised by Canon and CVP – having those names behind you – that’s big.”
Besides directing, McCoy works as an editor and drone operator, often wearing many hats at once. He’s created social content for Wagamama, Fever-Tree, Sky Mobile and directed a commercial for the Elba Hope Foundation, an international charity co-founded by Idris Elba.
Thanks in part to his Stories in Motion win, McCoy’s filmmaking future looks promising (“I’m using the winnings to buy more gear,” he admits). He has several projects in the works, including a ten-week shoot in Mallorca, Spain this summer – but he can’t say much in the way of details. It’s clear that, whatever the brief, McCoy will give it his all.
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This article appears in the May/June 2025 issue of Definition
