After a very hectic three weeks leading up to this years NSFF and 7 incredible interviews with nominated filmmakers on TNC the festival kicked off with a bang last night at London’s South Bank University with a small, but polite, introduction by the VC Professor Martin Earwicker. Noting the importance of student films and the support for student filmmakers it seemed a fitting introduction to this years festival which takes place at their new London home after several years in Bristol.
One of the first films showed in the EXPERIMENTAL category was Simon Hutchins “We Can Be Heroes”. Shot with a variety of angles, focuses, and themes Hutchins short is fun, well envisioned, and pretty unique. The music forms a real heart of this film with the over all storyline well paced and thoughtful. There are sometimes in te film that are just ridiculously joyous to watch (the spaceman trying to build a rocket in the garden).
This was a great start to the opening of NSFF 2011.
Luke Snellin Q & A
This years festival is full of award winning filmmakers who are bound to give the many student filmmakers who have come to be part of the festival a lot of valuable experience and advice. The first speaker last night was Bafta Nominated and Virgin Short award winning filmmaker Luke Snellin who’s short film “Mixtape” was shown before the Q&A.
The film is just over 2 minutes long but instantly effectual. It shows like so many film at this years festival just how powerful and beautiful short films can be and in 2 minutes you can get across a life, love, experience, wanting, and hope. During the questions from the audience one of the main themes seemed to be ‘do you sacrifice art and creativity for the pay check’?
I was unsure what he would actually say as he has made and be part of a very creative outfit, 2am, that has produced some of the most stunning commercials that blend simple advertising techniques and needs with creative minds. Luke’s response was one that I guess young filmmakers need to hear as it can be very easy this early in their career to cut their noses off in order to ‘save’ their creative credentials, but you have to pay the bills. Explaining how commercials are made and how the director is one of the last members of the team to join the project and how they have to pitch the ideas to the client was insightful.
Clear the Music First Kids!?
One of the interesting aspects, or learning curves for Luke, seemed to lay in the music he used in the film. So essential and an indelible part of the film Snellin only sought to licence the music after the film was made, at a cost of over £2,000. But he said in the Q&A that this had proved to be an expensive mistake and he would be sure to have the music cleared next time. As a cruel joke to the packed crowed (many of whom came in during the Q&A session) Snellin’s next film “Disco” got it’s teaser trailer, 30 seconds, shown.
It doesn’t need saying we got to see little of “Disco” but after “Patrick” and “Mixtape” it’s obviously set to become another defining moment in Luke’s career.
“Disco” is making the rounds of US festivals and will join the BEST new British film “Submarine” in Nashville and will no doubt form part of the UK film festival season later in the year.
Highlights of Day 1 of the 2011 NSFF continue with Bafta Winning Director Paul Wright – “Till The River Runs Red” and Bafta Nominated Producer Ross Mckenzie for the beautiful and heartwarming “Rite”.
