Daniel Lyddon

I've been producing short films on and off since 2005, and coming off the back of my first feature film and going back to a short (albeit one of half-hour length, so not your typical short film project) I can say that just because a project is small in size, doesn't necessarily make it easy going. There's a misconception that features are more difficult, and more worthy of your time, but short films come with their own challenges, that if met head-on, can be really rewarding.

I was lucky to visit Egypt on a day trip during a family holiday to Cyprus in 2002. It was a formative experience for me, despite it being a whistle-stop tour of Cairo. We squeezed in time at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, and a visit to the Giza Plateau to see the Sphinx and the Pyramids, as well as the obligatory shopping spree. I didn't know it until I was there, but it was a life-aim to stand inside one of the Pyramids (we visited Khafre's pyramid), and staring into the eyes of Tutankhamun's death mask changed me forever. As you'll see in the brief clip above, those eyes have a haunting, lasting gaze. It was shortly after this trip that I decided to pack in my job and do some traveling, to see a bit of the world. I was nineteen.

As screens get smaller and attention spans get shorter, it was inevitable that entertainment would follow. As technology advances, entertainment adapts to fit the new media outlets on offer. Now tech and film are combining in an exciting evolutionary step that brings high-quality content straight to the palm of your hand.

With the 72nd Festival de Cannes coming to a close on the French Riviera at the moment, I thought I'd write a guide to the event for those who are thinking of taking part for the first time at some point in the future. Complete with photos from my own trips to the Festival and some helpful tips, this should serve as a handy guide to what can be an overwhelming week or two in the sunshine (with the occasional rain cloud thrown in for good measure!)

I have fond memories of my first trip to LA—landing at LAX with my best friend, climbing into the hire car, and jumping on the 405 in rush hour traffic to head off in search of some Hollywood magic. For some reason, we took the freeway north up to Sherman Oaks and took the 101 going east to get to Hollywood (in retrospect, we'd have gotten there quicker by taking the 105 east and the 110 north until we got to Downtown and join the 101 going up to Hollywood).

Rome is notorious for being expensive to visit—there's so much to cram into your trip that the costs can add up quickly without you noticing. I've been three times now, both as a solo traveler and as part of a group, and each time I go I discover things new and interesting. Below is my top five list of things you can see for free whilst vacationing in the Eternal City.