University Films - Third year

The following videos are from projects I created or participated in the creation of during my third year as a student at Manchester Metropolitan University.  Most of the videos listed here were created in correlation to the course I was a part of (Contemporary Film & Video) however a few of them were outside projects.


Research Film (2011)

At the beginning of my third year I was tasked with creating a short research piece where the aim was to experiment and practice techniques relevent to my final film projects. At the time I was focusing on the script which would eventually become Apathy of Adam (2012). Because I wanted to represent a kind of nauseous, isolated feeling on screen, I decided to experiment with a device known as a SnorriCam.

Whilst strapped to the chest of a subject, the device allows an actor to move around while the camera remains closed in on them. As the actor walks around, the world flutters in the background in a kind of psychedelic haze.

As a practice run of different techniques, the film was mostly a success. It helped me to be more experimental in my technique and perfect creating an atmosphere of loss and isolation. The biggest problem comes with the lack of narration. The film I would eventually make would feature a lot of this, and due to time constraints, I was unable to add this to my list of experiments.


This Day & Age (2012)

This Day and Age is a British social realist drama written and directed by Joe Sherwood. As the cinematographer on this project I think that the film overall has a really nice look. We managed to capture some really nice shots on this one in some really interesting locations. There are a few shots mixed in that aren't so good; an example being the flat shots of the protagonist and his friend talking. But overall I'd say the film has quite a nice look.





Apathy of Adam (2012)

My final project as a writer / director at university. Overall the story has a solid structure to it, it's shots are nicely framed and the lighting is good. As producer, Damien Carlisle did a great job on getting us the right locations to give the story it's proper setting. Joe also helped providing some fantastic sound to give the film a great natural atmospheric soundtrack, without us having to resort to the use of traditional music. 

The actors all provide strong performances, filling there roles with the necessary grace. Likewise, Daniel as editor provided a great service in monitoring what was and wasn't required for the narrative to progress smoothly. On the whole, Apathy of Adam is a well made film. And, probably the most well rounded of my direction efforts whilst at University.

Infinity's Edge (2012)

A really well made Science fiction short written and directed by Damien Carlisle. As producer I was tasked with getting the locations, organising casting and general scheduling and time mangement. 

On a whole I'm a big fan of Infinity's Edge. The writing here is great, it's well shot, well directed and the acting is spot on. Helen Ginder's make up effects were phenomenal, we were very lucky to work with her - truly one in a million. Our actors: Joshua Harris, Lorna Tinsley and Jackie Lam were a pleasure to work with. And last but not least, our assistant director Andrew Harrison who was a great help on location during the shoot. 

Overall it's a very enjoyable film and I thoroughly recommend it.




Bette Davis (2012)

This is certainly an interesting one. It's a kind of surreal, satiric and experimental look at final moments of actress Bette Davis' life. As co-cinematographer on this one it was easily the most collaborative of all the projects I worked on whilst at University; and as such, the project is almost like a last hurrah to all the work we did together. 

As you'd expect, the film is very well crafted on a technical level. From the sound, to the cinematography, down to the acting, everything is spot on. Nagwa Rahman did a great job on directing here and in collaboration with Sion Eirug the writing was great. Overall this is a very professionally film created with much charm and wit.

University Films - Second year

The following videos are from projects I created or participated in the creation of during my second year as a student at Manchester Metropolitan University.  Most of the videos listed here were created in correlation to the course I was a part of (Contemporary Film & Video) however a few of them were outside projects.


1988 (2010)

With the first of my second year projects, the aim was to produce a film under the guise of a 'personal' project. Working in collaboration, I was tasked as sound designer to produce music and and help with some of the editing of this short film.

The initial idea was to follow and reflect upon certain aspects of Joe Sherwood's (the director of the project) life at certain stages. Combining different types of music, I attempted to add emphasis on how Joe felt at different points in his life. But in the end, the film feels a little heavy handed. It attempts very broadly to compress various stages in Joe's life in a very short space of time. Because of this tonal (and musical) switches happen quickly with harsh results. Subjects like childhood, the death of a family member, and early adulthood are all drawn on, and moved on from in a very short space of time. 

I think that what the project needed in retrospect was for one moment or event to be the focal point. Whether that had been a nostalgic look at childhood, the death of a relative or the highs and lows of young adulthood, one focal point could have been built up and developed in a much more natural and organic way.



ISLAM(A)PHOBIA: REFLEXIVE MANOVEURS IN POPULAR CULTURE (2011)

Created as an educational short for a PHD student, the shorts purpose was to examine a recurring trends in various media outlets of Islamaphobia and it's many facets. The video is likewise strictly for educational purposes and was designed to be shown for presentational use only.


Suspicious Minds (2011)

For my non-linear narrative unit, I wrote and edited the following short entitled Suspicious Minds. The idea was to show a drug deal gone wrong from multiple perspectives - with each section of the narrative elaborating on previously unknown information. As the film progresses we are lead to a number of tense stand offs and the suspense is set to build throughout.  

Overall I think the film works quite well. The suspense and the building of tension are done excellently,  with the sound design really enforcing this throughout. The cinematography is also a stand out here, as different colours suitably enforce the mood of each scene. 

The only real problem with the film is the lack of character development. The story is an interesting one but you don't really get a sense of the characters and the dialogue is mainly to the point and blunt.

End (2011)

For the third 'Thematic' project, I chose to write and direct a short social realist film, the result of which being the film End.

After the death of the older brother he idolised, Lewis runs away from home and reflects on the events that lead up to his brother Mark joining the armed forces.

All in all End is something of a flawed film. There is some good acting, it has a nice visual style and a engaging use of music - but something is missing. It lacks a kind of overarching emotional pull. I think the key here is that the story is defiantly underwritten and in the end result it shows.

Visually it's fine. The shot composition is a little wavy at times, but overall, it's pretty good. Again the acting is solid and the technical aspects are all completely competent, it's just the underwritten script that lets it down.

For a flawed yet interesting work, here is End:



Parallels (2011)

The last film project of my second year Parallels, is a story about two emotionally damaged men meeting each other in the worst of circumstances. Declan is seventeen, and has been kicked out of his home by his mum and step dad due to his erratic behaviour. Alan on the other hand, attempts to find solace in working on his allotment after the his son comits suicide. However, when Declan breaks into the allotment's caravan the two find a kind of peace working together.

As the cinematographer on this project, I think the film itself has a nice overall look to it. The story is well paced and narratively there is an appropriate slow burn. Visually the film is nicely framed and the actors carry out their performances relatively well. 

The ambience brought about by the music is also a stand out part to this piece.  Although I think there are some really strong shots in this film, I do believe there are others which are quite flawed. The over exposure in parts of it can be quite distracting and at certain points a deep focus has been used with relatively little meaning.

Overall though it is a nice piece. Not perfect, but with some very interesting aspects.

University Films - First year

The following videos are from projects I created or participated in the creation of during my first year as a student at Manchester Metropolitan University.  Most of the videos listed here were created in correlation to the course I was a part of (Contemporary Film & Video) however a few of them were outside projects.


Instinct (2010)

Instinct was a short montage assignment in the first year of study. The initial idea was to have a young woman walk down an alley as a sinister looking man trails behind. As she turns and spots him she would have begun running - dropping her bag as she tries to escape. At the end of the film she would reach a dead end, and as she turns to face the supposed pursuer, he hands her the handbag she dropped and walks away.

The intent of the original idea was to have a short suspenseful montage where we see things from the young woman's perspective and feel her anxiety and paranoia growing. The end would then of included an interesting twist where the character and the audience would be forced to question the judgements they make about other people.

What we ended up with was a kind of blunt, sinister film where a woman is chased and apprehended by this mysterious man in an alley way. It clumsily mixes together elements of the slasher and supernatural horror films in a way that is really disappointing considering how the idea initially began.



Keep It Real (2010)

This experimental film was a fun mix of a number of influences from mainstream American cinema (an example being Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction) to more surreal artists like Salvador Dali, Luis Buñuel, Dziga Vertov, and in particular, Maya Deren.

Looking back now the film is technically crude. There is a kind of passion to the film, yet it feels somewhat sporadic and unorganised. The influences do indeed shine through, and the film could be seen as a bit to derivative and lacking in its own identity. I think some of this comes from a discomfort with the task at hand. Me and my collaborator Daniel Little come from a background draped in the influences of classical narrative cinema. I believe by being tasked with producing an experimental film we were somewhat put out of our comfort zone. In this mind set, I think what we tried to do was incorporate some elements (and at points excerpts from scenes) from more traditional narrative cinema, and mix them in an almost tongue in cheek way with a more experimental form of presentation.

And I have to say that it's in this way the film works best. There's an almost gawky awkwardness to it. It has the kind of character that can only come from a real passion for producing something and a somewhat naiveness to the way it may be perceived. It's clumsy, it's awkward and geeky; it is what it is. And with that being said, there is a slight charm to it.


Peer Groups & Moral Panic (2010)

Created as an educational short for a masters degree student, the shorts purpose was to elaborate on the reoccurrence of media frenzies surrounding different youth or peer groups whose appear to go against the conventional norms.



Frank Sidebottom Documentary (2010)

This documentary was a freelance project to create a short film for fans of Frank Sidebottom, in celebration of the life of the recently deceased comedian Chris Seivey. 

To give some background on the project, I think it is important to elaborate on a few limitations we had during the making of this production. Firstly, we were informed about the project less than a week before the filming was to begin. Because of this we were unable to secure certain pieces of equipment that would be seen as essential to this kind of production. Basics such as a tripod, a boom mic and a high quality external sound recorder were all unavailable to us. 

However, with these limitations clarified I think the film turned out rather well.  

Breaking the Ice (2010)

This next film Breaking the Ice, which is also the first film I directed whilst at University. It's a short silent drama about a father and daughter dealing with the passing of a loved one. Visually, the film has a strong Film Noir design which adds to the overall melodramatic feel of the piece. From pre-production stage I had a strong idea of how I wanted the film to look and feel, and planned around this. In relation to the production, we managed to get some great locations that really added to the films scope.

I do think that the film was slightly underwritten, however. There does seem to be at times a slight lucidity to the action and plot, causing the film to feel stiff and stumble a bit here and there. Overall
though the film has charm, and, with an an interesting visual style, it wasn't a bad effort.

Jordan's (2010)

This documentary short shows viewers the day to day goings on at Jordan's interior landscapers. The film itself is very well executed, with a smooth flow and sharp editing. Sound design on this project also stands out with some really interesting layering.