Media Studies Students at the National Film Festival

Having attended some afternoon screenings with A2 students hungry for ideas and inspiration last year, and been impressed with the range and quality of work on display, we looked to expand our involvement in the Festival this year. The Co-Op's National Young Filmmakers Festival is a long-established, prestigious event. In the year it first launched people were flocking to see Michael Caine as Alfie and Christopher Lee as Dracula: Prince of Darkness, while Cliff Richard was one of the top performers of the day! Apparently there was some obscure football tournament too, though nobody ever seems to mention it these days…

That was 1966, and I'm proud to say that many of our own students made their own mark in the history of this fantastic event, winning screening slots in the opening session. The event ran over two packed days, October 8th and 9th, providing a great mix of screening sessions and practical workshops on everything from SFX make-up, acting, editing for beginners and advanced practitioners, operating a TV studio … and breakdancing! All four AS and A2 Media classes attended, and certainly made their presence felt, providing enthusiastic roars as young filmmakers from across the UK (and a few from the US!) got their moment on stage.

Naturally, the cheering was loudest for the three productions chosen for screening in the main cinema from amongst our 2008-9 AS Media Students' entries. Given that what we produce at AS (the opening two minutes of a new feature film) doesn't entirely match up with what the festival ask for (complete short films, music videos), having more successful entries than any other school in the UK was a reflection of the extremely high quality of the work produced!

Footage of the moments when each group was called up on stage, after their work was screened - along with every AS Media production - can be found on a DVD which will be on sale at the Creative Arts Evening (Wednesday 16^th December) for anyone interested. None milked their moment in the spotlight quite as shamelessly as myself when unexpectedly called up to the stage, but this was an honour and experience. Megan Ridley, Lorna Kennedy and Bethan Herbert (with their production Lost in Love and War); Lucy Johnson and Kristie Woolley (Dead End), Alex Snowden and Ben Garvey (In His Sights) can be rightly proud of. Not only do they have the certificate and professionally shot photos to prove their achievement, they also got the event t-shirt!