Guest Seminar - Sam Francis - Creative Producing, Curating

Sam Francis joined us for another guest seminar, this time focussing on working as a Creative Producer and Curator. Recording of session is on Teams, see links and notes from this session below. For notes from yesterday’s Experimental Media Arts workshop go to this page

‘I am a creative producer, maker and doer now living in Weston Super Mare after 15 years in Bristol. 

 I am interested in engaged, live work that is not bound by a singular art form, and am currently project producer for Outlands experimental music network, a member of Supernormal Festival and arts collective Bristol Experimental Expanded Film (BEEF). 

 I also create things and make stuff sometimes. I like to observe and experience things through sound, image and words; snippets and moments, as a way to connect with place, space and spirit. I like working collectively and collaboratively, building and being part of communities, connecting people and responding creatively to contexts.

I am a creative producer, maker and doer now living in Weston Super Mare after 15 years in Bristol. 

 I am interested in engaged, live work that is not bound by a singular art form, and am currently project producer for Outlands experimental music network, a member of Supernormal Festival and arts collective Bristol Experimental Expanded Film (BEEF). 

 I also create things and make stuff sometimes. I like to observe and experience things through sound, image and words; snippets and moments, as a way to connect with place, space and spirit. I like working collectively and collaboratively, building and being part of communities, connecting people and responding creatively to contexts.’

Sam Francis

Notes and Links from Session

Supernormal Festival

SUPERNORMAL is a three-day, experimental arts and music festival taking place at Braziers Park in Oxfordshire. It offers a platform for artists, performers and musicians to work collaboratively and creatively for a new kind of audience seeking experiences out of the mainstream. It is determinedly small and intimate with an audience of 1,500. It has been born from a place that values the currency of ideas and imagination, as well as the inclusivity of artists and audiences alike, rather than commercialism and profit. Read more

Trailer:

Short Film (2015) by James Hankins & Richard Edkins

BEEF - Bristol Experimental Expanded Film

Bristol Experimental Expanded Film (BEEF) is a film and sound collective supporting experimental practice in Bristol since 2015.

BEEF provides an independent platform and much needed resource for artists’ production, distribution and critical engagement, predominantly focusing on experimental and analogue practices. BEEF members collaborate and work together to organise a regular programme of events, screenings, performances, exhibitions, residencies, and film & sound workshops. Read More

Why you Shouldn't be an artist 

LINKS - Weston super Mare

Weston Artspace: a studio hub and workshop space for Weston’s creative community, on the High Street.
https://www.westonartspace.com/

Culture Weston: develop inspiring cultural initiatives and events
https://cultureweston.org.uk/

Creative Meet Ups for young and emerging artists and creatives. The next one is 13 April. Book here: https://cultureweston.org.uk/listings/creative-meet-up-emerging-artists-creatives/

There will be event volunteer opportunities, and specific student opportunities.
Keep an eye out on FACEBOOK: Culture Weston / Weston Artspace.

FURTHER INFO + LINKS:

•Curating Context – Beyond the Gallery and Into Other Fields, edited by Magdalena Malm, 2017

•What Does an Art Producer Do? by Grace Bordelon

•BFI Future Film Festival film industry festival for young, emerging filmmakers

•BFI Film Academy - opportunities for young creatives aged 16 to 25:

Further Viewing:

Day in the life of a film programmer

Curator talk: curating in context - making exhibitions work 

How to succeed as an artist

How to get your short screened at film festivals:

The fifth sense: making exhibitions 

See more of Sam Francis’s work at: https://samfrancisco.co.uk/



Dirigo 2020 - 6th International Student Film Festival

More than 120 films were submitted to this year’s UCW Dirigo International Student Film Festival – making the sixth edition of the competition the biggest so far.

UCW Film and Media Arts Production students sought submissions for the festival and then organised and hosted a showcase of the best films at the Arnolfini Arts Centre on Monday 27th January.

Student filmmakers from around the world submitted their short films and then competed to win prizes in categories including Best in South West, Best UK Film, Best International Film and Best Animation.

Entries were received from Spain and France and also as far afield as the Maldives, Iran, the United States and Australia.

The 20 films chosen to showed at the Arnolfini tackled difficult subjects including the climate crisis, sexual harassment, globalisation and the taking away of disability benefits.

However 18-year-old Emmanuel Li won the Best Young Filmmaker award for his film Have You Seen Buster? about a boy trying to find a missing dog to impress the girl next door.

Other winners included Petroc Menuhin’s Offcut in the Best Animation category, and My World Is No Longer The World I Knew by Canadian filmmaker Weiye Su won the Best International Film prize.

Festivalgoers decided on the night to give the Audience Award to The Quiet – an animation about an astronaut directed by Radheya Jegatheva from Australia.

Cerys Swift, who studies at UCW and helped organise Dirigo, said: “It was rewarding to see the room full of people who share the same passions as we do.

“Being able to bring these films to the big screen and showcase all of these talented, inspiring and innovative up-and-coming filmmakers is something really special.”

Please click HERE to find out more about the degree in Film and Media Arts Production at UCW delivered in partnership with Bath Spa University.

Dirigo International Student Film Festival 2020 winners

Best Young Filmmaker: Have You Seen Buster? by Emmanuel Li

Best Animation: Offcut by Petroc Menuhin

Best in South West: Heartthrob by Chloe Law

Best UK Film: Grounding by Oisín-Tomás Ó Raghallaigh

Best International Film: My World Is No Longer The World I Knew by Weiye Su

Audience Award: The Quiet by Radheya Jegatheva

Encounters Festival (2018) - International Short Film, Animation and VR

FdA Film & Media Arts Production and BA Lens Based Media students will be attending Encounters Festival / Weds 26, Thurs 27th and Fri 28th SEPTEMBER 2018 / BRISTOL • UK

Encounters is the UK’s leading short film festival, bringing you the best in international short film, animation, and virtual reality. The festival takes place in Bristol on 25-30 September 2018, where you can enjoy screenings, special events, networking and lots, lots more.

FdA Film & Media Arts Production and BA Lens Based Media students will be attending Encounters Festival / Weds 26, Thurs 27th and Fri 28th SEPTEMBER 2018 / BRISTOL • UK

We are subsidising the trip so Costs will just be £20 for all screenings. You will need to make your own way to Bristol, we will meet outside Watershed Cinema each morning at 9.30am

WATERSHED : 1 Canon’s Road, Bristol BS1 5TX

You will need to pay for this trip via 'the shop' 

https://store.weston.ac.uk/product-catalogue/educational-trips-and-visits/creative-arts/encounters-film-festival

We have the following screenings / visits booked:

Wed 26th September

10:00  SHORT FILM 1: CAN’T BREAK ME
'Resourceful and resilient, these inspiring characters are seriously put to the test as they navigate day-to-day struggles, personal challenges and wider injustice.'

14:30  NAHEMI
'New graduate talent, NAHEMI screening & awards cermony. The National Associaiton of Higher Education in the Moving Image, presents a programme of some of the most exciting, dynamic and diverse films made in the UK this year by students studying at some of our member institutions. NAHEMI acts as a forum for debate on all matters pertaining to the teaching practice in the Moving Image in Higher Education across the UK.'

Thurs 27th September

10:00 SHORT FILM 4: BLOODLINES

'Family, it’s complicated. Mums, dads, brothers and sisters take centre stage in this programme of short films exposing those all-too precious, painful and always intricate strings attaching us to our family nest.'

12:30 DIFFERENT VOICES

'Different Voices is an ongoing Neurodiverse film talent development programme based in Bristol. The project combines group workshops and 1 to 1 mentoring with professional film makers and aims to foster a new generation of film makers working from a voice that is under represented in mainstream cinema. This screening will include 8 films from our most recent project. After each there will be the opportunity for an open and relaxed discussion with both film makers and audience. There will also be the chance to see the latest trailer/teaser from Dawn of the Dark Fox.'
 

FRIDAY 28th September

10:00 SHORT FILM 7: ON THE EDGE

'Dealing with life crisis, personal struggles, difficult feelings and cries for help, these stories open up an honest and stirring insight into mental health and the beauty and complexity of the human mind.'

14:00 ANIMATION 6: THE STATE WE’RE IN

'The personal is political and in today’s highly charged and dangerous times you would think we haven’t learnt a thing from our past. Do challenging times require challenging minds?'

In addition: You might also be interested in going to additional screenings and events, you will need to book these yourself at: https://encounters-festival.org.uk/programme/

These sound interesting:

Wed 26 September 19:30 Boiling Wells

Compass Presents: ARCADIA at Boiling Wells

'Join us for an expanded cinema screening of the BFI’s newly released folk-horror feature Arcadia , an experimental, visceral archive experience, scored by Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Will Gregory (Goldfrapp).'

dirigo film festival 2015 photos

The Essential List of Festivals and Online Eligibility

There is a list of festivals that accept online submissions or not. Click the button below.