Devon and Cornwall Film» The world of film in Devon and Cornwall

• VIEW FROM HERE FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS

D+CFilm — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:53:00 +0000

Spreading the word of film through encouraging and educating those who are interested is a key part of the ethos behind the View From Here film festvial. Why? Because, not only is it fun but it teaches techy and communication skills… er… and it sets up the region as the nurturer of the next batch of hot new filmmaking talent around - check out the next Roger Deakins, Peter Richardson or Nick Park.

The View From Here workshops were carried out throughout South Devon during the run up to the View From Here celebration of moving image. We caught up with some young animators at the Coombeshead College family animation day in Newton Abbot.

Some of the work produced at this and other workshops, along with other films by young people will be on at the View From Here Young People’s Screening at the Carlton Theatre, Teignmouth, on Monday, December 1 at 7pm.

Posted by Cptn

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• DEPP AS MAD HATTER: EARLY PICTURES

D+CFilm — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:05:35 +0000

Early pictures of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s forthcoming Alice in Wonderland – you know, the one we’re extra interested in ’cause some of it’s being filmed in Antony House, Torpoint – suggest a certain Vivienne Westwood look, along with, what Aint it Cool News claims is: “A kind of Kabuki Theatre mised with Tim Burton’s trademarked gothic style.”

Then again, if you remember Westwood teetering around in tartan, then you’ll probably recall all those New Romantics, too. Seem to recall an economic crisis back then too…

Either way, looks like we’re set for some kind of caffeine and cake induced nightmarish tale – and we’re not talking National Trust tearoom.

Posted by Cptn

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• VIEW FROM HERE FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS

D+CFilm — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:50:00 +0000

A series of workshops have been on the go throughout South Devon during the run up to the View From Here, the celebration of moving image that takes place throughout South Devon between December 1 and December 5.

Workshops are key to the community filmmaking agenda of this year’s View From Here. The celebration of moving image lets all abilities get their hands dirty with filmmaking while engaging them in the process as they learn new skills. The filmmakers will also get their film shown and will hopefully find out a little bit more about what goes into making films.

The workshops are just part of the range of opportunities from The View From Here for all those who are interested in film, on whatever level.

Below are images from two of the animation days, at Teignmouth Community College and the Family Animation Day at Coombeshead College.

The films made in the View From Here workshops will be shown during the Young People’s Screening at the Carlton Theatre, Teignmouth, on Monday, December 1 at 7pm.

• Stay tuned for more from the View From Here workshops, with a behind-the-scenes look at the Family Animation Day at Coombeshead College.

Teignmouth Community College

Family Animation Day

Get a full run down of the events at the View From Here on the View From Here pages on D+CFilm.

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• IMAGINARY FRIENDS AT TWO SHORT NIGHTS

D+CFilm — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:34:14 +0000

The films from the Imaginary Friends project, which took filmmaking to young people who don’t have easy lives, will be premiered at the Two Short Nights Film Festival at the Exeter Phoenix, on Friday and Saturday November 28 and 29.

The interactive mixed media project had the Exeter Phoenix’s media centre working with young people from Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education, Exeter Health Care Arts, Animated Exeter (Young and Animated) and the Devon Youth Inclusion Service to teach them new digital media skills such as Flash, stop motion, photography, audio recording and graphic illustration and encouraging them to express themselves.

The intention is for ‘Imaginary Friends’ to be a project that the young people involved will ultimately take charge of themselves, and it is being supervised by award-winning South West based filmmaker and film director Peter Snelling.

After the premiere during Two Short Nights, the films will be released on DVD, showcased on Chew TV and screened at Animated Exeter.

Two Short Nights, the Exeter Phoenix, Friday and Saturday November 28 and 29.

• TWO SHORT NIGHTS PROGRAMME
YOUNG AND ANIMATED
• 48-HOUR FILMMAKING CHALLENGE FOR TWO SHORT NIGHTS
Phoenix funding
It’s a good call

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• TWO SHORT NIGHTS PROGRAMME

D+CFilm — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:12:38 +0000

Two Short Nights, the Exeter Phoenix Media Centre’s annual short film festival is back, bringing the best of this year’s local, national and international short films to Exeter, supported, of course, by D+CFilm, with our own international open screening kicking off events on Friday, November 28 at 6.30pm.

Last year’s Two Short Nights film festival premiered The Revenge of the Jazz Hoodie by Exeter based filmmakers Jerry Hart and Ben Sherriff which went on to win the 2008 Media Innovation Award for Best Independent Film/Video, not the mention the D+CFilm trophy designed by Helen Snell.

Two Short Nights 2006 bursary winner The Crinoline and The Rose by Devon based fashion designer and filmmaker Emma Kempton, went on to be screened at the London Fashion Show and also won the 2007 South West Media Innovation award for Best Film.

TWO SHORT NIGHTS 2008 Programme:

D+CFILM OPEN SCREENING
Fri 28 Nov/6.30pm/£3.50 (£2.50)
An exciting selection of short films by filmmakers from the UK and abroad.

48 HOURS FILM SCREENING
Fri 28 Nov/8pm/FREE
Screening of the results of the 48-hour film challenge, where filmmakers were given 48 hours to get a film made from scratch.

GUERRILLA FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS
Sat 29 Nov/10am–4pm/£30 (£25)
Learn the ins and outs of making a movie outside the studio system and on a budget. Workshops will be held in the Black Box, teaching the basic skills, tips and shortcuts in budget filmmaking.

PHOENIX MEDIA BURSARY SCREENING 2007
Sat 29 Nov/7-8pm/£3.50 (£2.50)
Premiere of the Phoenix Media 2008 Short Film and Digital Animation bursary films. Followed by the Two Short Nights award ceremony. Join us after the screening for a networking event, with DJ, in the Café Bar.

On the lead up to the festival we will be bringing you interviews with the bursary winning filmmakers. Stay tuned to D+CFilm.

Two Short Nights, the Exeter Phoenix, Friday and Saturday November 28 and 29.

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• 48-HOUR FILMMAKING CHALLENGE FOR TWO SHORT NIGHTS

D+CFilm — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:19:29 +0000

Filmmaking is big business – it took two years, involved over 500 cast and crew, and cost $225,000 000 to make Quantum of Solace. But what can you do with 48 hours, a handful of mates and a budget big enough to keep you fuelled with coffee for the weekend?

This is the challenge put to you by the Exeter Phoenix Arts and Media Centre this month. From November 21-23, budding filmmakers can enjoy a quick-paced weekend of filmmaking, working to an ‘assignment’ and a strict 48-hour deadline to produce a film no longer than five minutes.

All scripting, music and production must take place within the timeframe, beginning at 7pm on Friday, November 21 at the Phoenix, and ending the with the hand-in at 7pm 48 hours later, on Sunday, November 23.

Organiser Jane Rosenbaum hopes that the project will encourage creativity and promote film in the south-west, offering the opportunity for some innovative short films. Jane, who lectures in drama at Exeter College, said: “The challenge is open to everyone, and with such a variety of media at so many people’s fingertips, we’re hoping for a wide variety of entries.”

The challenge will form part of the Two Short Film Nights festival held at the Phoenix on the November 28-29. A free screening of 48-hour films selected by a panel of judges will be held at 8pm on November 28, where the winning film chosen by the panel will be announced.

Challengers will need to pool creative talents with friends and co-participants, as well as organising their own equipment to create a team. Each pre-registered group will be given an ‘assignment’ containing individual inspiration for making their film, thus beginning a weekend of high-octane film-making, wild spontaneity, and little opportunity for sleep.

This will be the first 48-hour film challenge to be held in Exeter, with other cities around the country carrying out successful challenges regularly. Local filmmakers Joshua Gaunt and Dave Shaerf, who are currently carrying out filmmaking doctorates at Exeter University, took part in the London Sci-Fi festival 48-Hour Film Challenge in May 2008 with a small team of local cast and crew. Their short film, Noise Reduction, was shortlisted as a top-10 film from 100 entries to the festival, and screened in front of a panel of judges, including director John Landis.

Joshua said: “The whole experience tested our resolve and resourcefulness as filmmakers – we barely slept in two days, but by the end of the weekend we had an amazing experience, and a great little film.”

Potential participants are encouraged to register their team for free at the Two Short Nights site before the closing date of November 19.

Posted by Pippa Stephenson

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• HEAVY LOAD, THE BAND

D+CFilm — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:45:44 +0000

You’ve heard about the film, what about the band? Heavy Load band members Paul Richards (bass guitar); Simon Barker (vocals); Jimmy Nichols (rhythm guitar); Michael White (drums); Mick Williams (lead guitar) talk about the band, the film and aspriations.

How did you start the band in the first place?

Paul Jim started it

Jimmy Yeah, I wanted to be in a band.

Paul So he sent a memo to people in the same housing association and Michael and Simon said they’d join and that was it.

Michael I always wanted to be in rock and roll. My mum plays the piano and my dad was a singer so I’ve always heard music. I always thought I was going to be in the music business. Heavy Load is the only band I’ve ever been in.

How has the process of making the film changed the band?

Paul It has enlarged some egos in some places and it’s given us the impetus to be more ambitious and experiment a bit more and try to get our sound out to a more mainstream audience. Ultimately the experience has been enriching – we’ve done stuff we would never have dreamed of before.

Michael It has made me more relaxed and confident. I would like to be a professional performer.

What do you think of the finished film?

Simon I like the film – I’d like to see it again but I can’t afford it at the moment.

Paul You’re going to get some dvd’s – free!

Michael It’s a really great film actually. But I think it should be longer – maybe three or four hours.

How do you think the film will change people’s perception of learning difficulties?

Paul I hope that people watching the film will se the individuals in the band as individuals and forget about learning difficulties. It’s not a film about learning difficulties. Hopefully they’ll get to know the characters and lose some preconceptions.

What are Heavy Load’s aspirations now?

Paul Our immediate plans are to release the next album and at the same time we want to bring out a compilation of other UK artists with learning disabilities called Wild Thing: Songs from the Disabled Underground, volume one. We’re planning it to be a series! We’ll just do more gigs and see what happens.

Michael I want to be a serious actor. Maybe supporting roles, bit parts. I want to be rich and famous.

• Heavy Load will be shown as part of the View From Here with a talk by the director and Jerry Rothwell and a member of the band, on Thursday, December 4 7pm at the Alexandra Cinema, Newton Abbot.

• HEAVY LOAD PRODUCERS JONNY PERSEY AND AL MORROW
The View goes on
• DEEP WATER, 40 YEARS ON
Don Letts at Flipside (video)
Joshua Jackson Q&A

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• HEAVY LOAD PRODUCERS JONNY PERSEY AND AL MORROW

D+CFilm — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:53:21 +0000

What makes ‘a story about happiness’? Heavy Load producers Jonny Persey and Al Morrow talk about their involvement in the award winning documentary.

How did you first come across the idea for the film?

Jonny We’ve been working with the director, Jerry Rothwell, for several years and he had come across the band in Brighton. Al and I thought the concept of Heavy Load was just so brilliant – a band who played everything with such love and vivacity that they were wonderful even when playing badly. It’s a brilliant concept for a feature film. The characters are so cinematic: the lead singer is forever using words that are entirely inappropriate for the song he is singing; the drummer is desperate to be the lead singer but really can’t sing, and they have great stories in and out of the band. There’s a fantastic set of tensions between the characters that plays itself out in real life and we capture
it on film.

Al I think that deciding to make a film about Heavy Load was easy because, it’s completely unique and although we didn’t have a narrative for the film – we didn’t know where it was going – the characters are so extraordinary and so much fun to be around that you know something wonderful is going to happen. And it did.

When did you first meet the band?

Al I first met them at Metway Recording Studios in Brighton about two years ago when they were recording their first studio album and they were everything I had imagined. I spent the next year and a half trying to go on every single shoot because it has just been so much fun hanging out with them – they literally do make you feel happy.

How did the film evolve from what it was originally intended to be?

Al In the beginning it was going to be an observational documentary and we hoped that something was going to happen during the two years that we were filming. We made a decision quite early on to film the band together as a unit and to film each of them separately in their home lives and that gave a real structure to the film and gave us the beginnings of a story. Luckily they all had things going on in their lives and that made for a good film.

Jonny I remember the first time Jerry came up with the tagline ‘a film about happiness’: I was privately surprised because I hadn’t realised that was what it was but watching now, that is exactly what it is. At the beginning we knew it was a fascinating concept but we didn’t really know the emotional impact that the story could have. I think it found it’s emotional truth as it went through the process.

Did you find Jerry’s decision to involve himself in the film odd at the start or did the idea evolve?

Al Jerry had his own reasons for being in the film which I think were very relevant, and, certainly, financiers appreciated it so we just let him run with that. For me watching the film Jerry’s just another character and he’s a great character to watch. His journey from real heartache and depression to happiness at the end is really lovely and dramatic. I can’t imagine the film any other way – I can’t imagine Jerry not being a part of it now.

When you were first pitched the idea did you have any concerns that it could be exploitative?

Jonny I did have concerns at first because Jerry and Al, two sensitive people I have worked with for years, were suddenly proposing a film about disabled people that was going to be funny. But as soon as we started to talk about it properly and as soon as we saw the first images it was clear that it was actually going to be a story about people, individuals who had very important journeys and those journeys were defined both by their disabilities and our perspectives of them, and by their perspectives of the world. It became a fascinating, insightful, touching, and at the same time funny movie. So my concerns went away as soon as I got beneath the surface of the concept.

How did the way the film was funded affect the creative process?

Jonny We actually made this film by giving away rights only to North America and Finland, and so we had the space to develop the idea, to go into production and to come up with a pretty advanced cut before we even had to share with anyone else and for us it was a fantastic model. The support and advice that we then got from the financiers was fantastic and came at the right time. It is the way I want to carry on making films from hereon in.

What are your hopes for the film now?

Al I just want as many people to see it and love it as possible. It premieried at South by Southwest festival in Texas in March 2008 and I think it’s got the potential to be huge. I just want it to get the attention and find the audience that it deserves.

• HEAVY LOAD PRODUCERS JONNY PERSEY AND AL MORROW
Vim and Aggie
Rise Of The Silver Surfer review
Fest man (video)
Shadow filming

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• HEAVY LOAD DIRECTOR JERRY ROTHWELL

D+CFilm — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:47:01 +0000

Heavy Load, the BritDoc Audience Award winning film about a punk band some of the members of which have learning disabilities, has been nabbed for the View From Here. Director Jerry Rothwell will present the film with a member of the band at the Alexandra Cinema in Newton Abbot, Devon on Thursday, December 4.

How did you first come across Heavy Load?
I first came across Heavy Load at a doctor’s surgery, where I picked up an old edition of a Mencap newsletter and read about this band made up of people with and without learning disabilities doing a version of I Fought the Law. Being a Clash fan, and old enough to remember that song the first time round, I got really excited about the idea and decided to follow it up from there.

What made you think this could make a documentary?
I was drawn to the band because there was an incredible joy about what they did, and I was interested in doing a film that got to that exuberance. I have done work on learning disabilities in the past and liked the idea that this could be a sort of rockumentary, not about the usual issues of services or housing, but about a band, whose learning disabilities are there but are not the main focus.

So this is not an issue-driven film about learning disability?
No, I wanted to treat the band as a fact and just look at the way in which that band had the same kind of struggles and dilemmas, highs and lows as any other band trying to achieve what they wanted to do. As you watch the film you become aware that some of the band have all kinds of things that a lot of us don’t have, like social workers or people sitting in when they go out with their girlfriends and telling them when they have to wash up and those are the different circumstances of their lives and you encounter those things in that way rather than being as an aspect of their disability. You see them just as people who are surrounded by a set of conditions in their lives and what we tried to do was to present those things through the eyes of the different members of the band. I don’t want the audience to come to it primarily thinking about going to watch a film about disabled people.

What do you think the film is about?
I think it’s a film about the tension between ambition and happiness and between success and happiness. We live in a society where we are continually urged to seek happiness and I think that my conclusion through the film is that whole notion of a search for happiness is a false one. In the end we just have to be receptive to the moments of happiness we’re offered. In fact one of the things I learned from the band was about being receptive to the world. It’s interesting that all of the people in the film, both me and the band, are middle aged – it’s partly a film about middle age and getting to a point where you look at your life and wonder what it means. It’s as true for me behind the camera as it is for the band in front of the camera and in some ways that is what we have in common – except the band have found a much better way of working it out.

How do you think your presence changed the dynamic within the band?
Obviously filming changes a situation: people become self-conscious or become aware of being watched, which is an unusual situation for most people. In some ways filming the band unleashed kinds of hopes that perhaps wouldn’t have been expressed without the cameras there, and the expression of those hopes has an impact on the band and can undermine it as well.

What do you hope people will take away from the film?
I hope that people will watch the film and lose the preconceived frame through which people tend to look at people with disabilities. Although in some ways it’s a film which may shift people’s understandings about learning disability, I wouldn’t say that that was what I primarily set out to do.

Hopefully people will think about their own lives and their own happiness. I think it’s a life-affirming film about being human and taking joy in the world and in the relationships that we have.

• HEAVY LOAD PRODUCERS JONNY PERSEY AND AL MORROW
Lights, camera… Disability Action
Onscreen - Hannah Mulder
Twins set (video)
Heathfield

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• GONZO, TRAILER

D+CFilm — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:42:16 +0000

Gonzo – the documentary about Hunter S Thompson narrated by Johnny Depp, is out on December 19, we have the trailer.

As most people who ever put pen to paper, members of the D+CFilm team have a deep and divided interest in Hunter S Thompson, which is why we’re planning one of our office outings to coincide with the release of Gonzo.

Johnny Depp narrates the documentary by Alex Gibney, which focuses on ‘the good doctor’s heyday 1965 to 1975, the film includes clips of never-before-seen (nor heard) home movies, audiotapes, and passages from unpublished manuscripts’.

Posted by Cptn

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