Last month I was excited to find out that my short film, Chalk, had made the Official Selection for the Hastings Rocks International Film Festival, 14-15 April 2023.
I went down to the screening on Friday evening to see it included in a programme of short films that had a connection to Sussex (in Chalk, some of the footage is shot at Seven Sisters in East Sussex). It was wonderful to see such a packed venue for these early evening films and to see Chalk on such a big screen, with fantastic sound. There were some very strong films - a stop motion film called Salvation Has No Name by Joseph Wallace really stood out, and I enjoyed Just Add Water: Stories from the Sea by Kristian Coburn. I went down again on the Saturday and enjoyed more films, especially Ortolan - Bones and All by Director Tracy Mathewson and Writer Kate Winter. Additionally, the team running the festival - Dr James, Sara and Archie - were so welcoming, it was a lovely experience.
It has really been the month for film, as Chalk was also part of the Official Selection for the Fisheye Film Festival which took place in High Wycombe on 22 April 2023. I had never been there before, and was happy to visit and see Chalk screened as part of a lunchtime programme of films. All of the filmmakers were invited to speak and answer questions about their films which was very interesting. I particularly liked Order 27 which was written and directed by Thomas Wheeler, and Head Boy, which was written and directed by Lee Campbell. All the films were included in a printed brochure which was a lovely souvenir of the day.
Millennium Images catalogue 2023
This month I was very happy to be included in the newly published Millennium Images catalogue, entitled Universal Happiness, Peace and Prosperity. The image is one of a series that I shot up at Sizewell Nuclear Power Station - it was strange seeing so many people relaxing, reading and picnicking in this landscape.
Kent coast, April 2023
Early this month I managed to arrange one filming trip to the coast, where I visited a few different locations and then met up with a friend to see two exhibitions at the Turner Contemporary.
Later in the month I got some useful feedback on my script - which was timely. I’m still writing and refining, but am not giving myself pressure to complete anything by June. Hopefully, once my camera issues are sorted I can travel back to the coast and film.
I’m also working on Disrupted Landscapes and taking the work into a different graphic style. I haven’t printed any of these new images yet, and that has to be the next step, to see how they look off the screen.