D&CFilm

Top 5 UK landscapes you can visit from the big screen

While watching our favourite movies, most of us have probably spotted famous buildings across the country being used as backdrops. Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire became the Dark Knight’s Wayne Manor in Batman and scenes in Durham Cathedral became the classroom for a well-known wizard and his friends in Harry Potter. If you’ve spotted a scene in a film that you’d like to visit, then read on as Suttons, garden lovers and retailers of corcus bulbs seeds, tell us where to find them:

The top 5 best dressed out-of-costume superheroes

The trademark of a famous superhero is a kick-ass ensemble. Usually made from body-hugging latex, bold colours and featuring their memorable icon, the costume of a superhero can be the making of them. But, when they’re not saving the world or fighting their archnemesis, who still has swagger? Read on for our rundown of the most stylish superheroes:

Film and TV Charity: supporting all of the film industry

The Film and TV Charity got in touch…

We’re the charity working behind the scenes of the film and television industry in the UK. From research to writing, through casting and production, to editing, sales, distribution and exhibition, we support the lives of everyone involved.

The most visually stunning celebrity vehicles

While it’s true that vehicles are primarily created for transportation and to make money, that doesn’t discount their design value or aesthetic appeal. Many celebrities have envy-inducing car collections, and some of these iconic vehicles can be classified as works of art in their own right. Here, we take a look at some of the most extravagant and visually stunning celebrity cars of all time.

Nancy Astor Film preview screening at Plymouth Arts Cinema

Some 100 years after the people of Plymouth elected her the UK’s first female MP, Plymouth Arts Cinema is to screen a new Nancy Astor film – a documentary of the life of Lady Nancy Astor, herself.

The Ballad of Mary Whyddon | Chagford screening

To this day, brides who marry in Chagford Church lay a white rose on Mary Whyddon’s tombstone. It’s a sad reminder of a murderous incident which inspired RD Blackmore’s Lorna Doone. But closer to home, the incident also inspired the feature film The Ballad of Mary Whyddon.

Classic films support Co-operative push in Plymouth

Plymouth Arts Cinema is working with Plymouth City Council to present a series of films over the next 12 months to raise awareness of the great work that co-operatives do. Plymouth City Council wants to double the size of the co-operative economy in the city by 2025.

George O’Reilly | Everybody Shut Up at Aesthetica

Filmmaker George O’Reilly has been selected out of thousands of entries to screen Everybody Shut Up at this year’s Aesthetica Short Film Festival. It’s getting its UK premiere at the fest in York.

King-Collins: intelligence and social issues in genre films

With a feature film preparing to land, the indie production company King-Collins take difficult subjects head on. We chatted to director Luke Abbott and producer Jason Collins about what drives their filmmaking

Jo Ryan: Film has the power to key into emotions

Generations have been sheep farming on the edge of Taw Torridge Estuary. Jo Ryan has been exploring how connected a farming family is to the land and the way for life in her For Down On The Farm, for North Devon Moving Image. We caught up with her for ask about her experience of making the documentary

Film fest brings sustainability to Exeter’s solar-powered cinema

The programme has now been announced for Exeter Phoenix’s short film festival, Two Short Nights. The 18th annual festival of short film will take place 27-29 November at Exeter Phoenix’s independent solar-powered cinema, Studio 74. The newly announced programme places a diverse range of must-see films from around the world alongside emerging local filmmaking talent.

Books that have been successfully adapted to the big screen

Recent statistics suggest that the UK book market increased in volume in 2018, the fourth consecutive year in which the industry has demonstrated growth. Approximately 190 million book sales in the 12-month period translated into an annual market value of £1.63bn, up £34m on the previous year. The Guardian said that a physical book is “leading the entertainment pack”. Former First Lady, Michelle Obama, released her memoir, titled Becoming, while Adam Kay’s saw his book, This is Going to Hurt, a non-fiction recollection of his time as a junior doctor, go to print — both books finishing the year in the top five sellers.

Patryk Swiatczak: “Nothing’s stronger than the power of doubt”

Filmmaker Patryk Swiatczak is keen to tell more stories in film. The Plymouth College of Art student is in his final year, but has already made an international music video, an award-winning documentary as well as bagging commercial work. We caught up with him to find what drives him and where next…

Michael Ford animator of Disney, Marvel and Lego at PCA

Animator and VFX artist Michael Ford, who has worked on films including Disney’s Aladdin (2019), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and The Lego Batman Movie (2017) is a Lecturer for BA (Hons) Animation at Plymouth College of Art.

Phil Spencer: ‘Through my words I can create powerful images’

Phil Spencer stepped into creativity via The Royal Marines. And the route to his film House Hunting began as a poem. We caught up with him to chat about the Exeter Phoenix bursary film, his experience as a filmmaker and what feeds his imagination…

Mary of Exeter, the hero pigeon who wouldn’t give up

A new animated film commemorating the bravery of Mary of Exeter, a World War Two hero pigeon, is being premiered in Exeter this November.

Vitamin Sea: nature, the environment and mental health

One of the benefits of swimming, perhaps, is that you’re lying down when you do it… Cal Major paddleboarded from Land’s End to John O’Groats standing up! She bagged a world record and highlighted plastic pollution in the process. And the expedition is recorded in the film Vitamin Sea.

Jamille van Wijngaarden on her dark comedy School’s Out

In School’s Out director Jamille van Wijngaarden enters the hurly burly world of a primary school classroom. We asked her about the nightmare of parents evening, dark comedy and what it’s like being a best director

Hell-Tor Gothic film festival puts Devon on horror map

A new festival in Exeter celebrating Dartmoor and Devon’s rich history of ghosts, ghouls and witchcraft – Hell-Tor – will take place this November.

Marek Kawula capturing images our eyes would never see

Marek Kawula is a filmmaker with a far-sighted vision. Not only does his Time is the Enemy film gaze beyond the stars, but he’s also charting daily life for 10 year’s time. We caught up with him to ask how he made Time is the Enemy and what the future holds

Medical myths from the big screen: Hollywood Hospital

We must suspend our belief for a little while when we watch the latest medical drama or Hollywood heart-pounder. We know what we’re watching isn’t going to be entirely reflective of reality. But just how much of Hollywood’s portrayal of medical methodology is accurate? With the help of The Conference Website, a leading organiser of medical conferences, we look at medical myths on the big screen and how true they are.

Kayleigh Gibbons talks Featherweight, realism and honesty

The short animation Featherweight by Kayleigh Gibbons follows a daughter and father-figure as they struggle to cope with the death of a family member. Pretty powerful stuff. We caught up with Kayleigh to ask how she hit on the story and why she decided to make it

Chumbak: hope and aspirations from jungle to city

Adventure, invention and ingenuity seems to sum up both the film Chumbak and the approach of filmmakers Tobias Worrall and Isabelle van Hoorn.

Focusing on emotional truth: Louisa Fielden talks about Patrick

It’s rare that female friendship is explored on film. For Patrick, an Exeter Phoenix commission for Two Short Nights, Louisa Fielden takes two schoolgirls, an older boyfriend and mixes in social media for a film of complex emotional truth. We asked her about how the film was made

Challenge! Can you make a film in 48 hours

Two Short Nights Film Festival returns to Exeter Phoenix this winter, bringing with it the famous 48 Hour Film Challenge. From first-time filmmakers to seasoned professionals, this inspiring (and free!) challenge sees teams from across the region compete to be crowned the Best 48 Hour Film at the annual short film festival. And it poses the creative, fun challenge: can you make a film in 48 hours?