Latest news

Post Graduate Open Day

We are having our first post-grad Open Day of the year!! Come meet the Course Leader of the MA Filmmaking, Larra Anderson, who will answer all of your questions about the Course - and get a tour of our facilities here at the Northern Film School!

Tuesday Feb 7th, 5-7pm! See you there!

Postgraduate open evening - Leeds Metropolitan University

BLOODSHOT: THE DREAMS & NIGHTMARES OF EAST TIMOR

Senior Lecturer and Film Editor, Martin John Harris recently completed the editing of a new documentary about East Timor. ‘BLOODSHOT: THE DREAMS & NIGHTMARES OF EAST TIMOR’ was produced by independent producer Peter A. Gordon. Twenty years ago Peter made an undercover documentary in East Timor, a far off island under occupation. The programme changed the course of the nation, Peter won numerous international awards and for the crew it led to extraordinary changes in their lives. read more

Daniel Lucchesi lands BBC commission

Daniel Lucchesi, BA Film and Moving Production graduate and co–director of the award winning WE ARE POETS, has just been green lit by the BBC to shoot a Paris based cookery show, entitled 'Little Paris Kitchen'. Link to article announcing the commission:
click here

More graduate success

BA Film and Moving Image Production graduate and EPIC Award winner, Aurora Fearnley, is one of ten finalists in Pinewood Studios 25k short film pitching competition. We all wish her luck with this final stage.

Pingu's The Thing

Northern Film School graduate Lee Hardcastle has created a claymation piece named Pingu's The Thing. This is not for children ....!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/mediamonkeyblog/2012/jan/04/pingus-the-thing

C4 : 4Talent : CALLING ALL NFS STUDENTS AND ALUMNI

CALLING ALL NFS STUDENTS AND ALUMNI

The School of Film, Music and Performing Arts is hosting a workshop day at Old Broadcasting House on Wednesday the 22nd of February, in conjunction with Channel 4 and the NTI.

Students and alumni will have the opportunity to gain real insight into the industry from the Channel 4 team as well as meeting Sky 1 boss Stuart Murphy, who will be sharing his story and discussing what he looks for in new talent.

The day you will consist of practical workshops in front of and behind the camera including:

Producing and Directing Comedy ­ As the world¹s media looks for the next comedy sensation this session will look at practical ways of filming for laughs.

Producing and Directing Music ­ Everyone says they want to see more music television but audiences are hard to hold. This session will look at what¹s involved in creating a music video.

Presenting Comedy ­ Sharing ideas on building your own brand, tips on how to get noticed on the circuits and getting out there and doing some filming on the day

Using Film with Music ­This session will look at ways to use film with live music from 'VJ' to on-stage brand reinforcement.

Free registration is via the C4 website at

http://4talent.channel4.com/getstarted/kickstart/inspiration-day-leeds-201 2

The closing date for registration is the 15th of February, but spaces are limited, so book early.

Participants will have the opportunity to apply for an internship at Channel 4.

Smile You've won Kodak

Two student film crews from the Northern Film School have won three major prizes at this year's Kodak Commercial Awards.

The final year BA (Hons) Film and Moving Image team led by students, Thomas Allen and Dan Straw, won the Industry Trust category outright and gained third prize overall with 'A small price to pay'. The MA Filmmaking team. led by South Korean student Youngil Kwon won 2nd prize in the Kodak category with their film 'A Man and a Woman'. Both teams won £500 worth of Kodak professional film.

Oscar Nomination

'Wish 143' a short film designed by Northern Film School graduate, Tim Overson was nominated for an Oscar in early 2011. The short, for which Tim was the production designer, was nominated in the live action short category and although it did not win on the night it is a massive achievment to be short listed. Tim commented : "I am thrilled and excited that 'Wish 143' got nominated for an academy award. It is richly deserved by everyone involved with the production especially Ian Barnes, director, Tom Bidwell, writer and Sam Waithe, producer.'

John Dower Visiting Lecturer

John Dower is a regular Visiting Lecturer and graduate of the Northern Film School
Below is a link to an interview with video games director John Dower, and his collaborator at VideoGamesConsulting.com, Martin Korda. To read the full interview, click the link...
Directing video games: an excerpt from our interview | Directors UK

Senior Lecturer in Post Production is currently working as a Guest Lecturer in Burma and sent us this message:

Found myself in the same room as noted Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi the other day. The event - The Art of Freedom Film Festival in Yangon - Burma.

http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/6359-art-of-freedom-film-festival-smash-hit-with-audience.html

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22777

Not so much about the quality of the films but the fact that openly critical and satirical films were being shown publicly. Astounding! I was at the prize giving where the winning films were shown - the audience could hardly believe what they were seeing. The fearless organisers put a big screen on the street, that along with locals trying to catch a glimpse of Aung San Suu Kyi brought that part of the city to a standstill.

If you want to learn more about the climate of fear the Burmese people have been living under (and on the whole, still do) check out the winner of the documentary section - 'Click in Fear'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP0RHwpuEfk

Extending Local Partnerships

Students making a short fiction film in response to a client brief for the NHS Foundation Trust's Time to Change campaign, have been working closely with Leeds United Football Club – which culminated in an exciting day shooting the live match between Leeds and Reading.

From all of us here at the Northern Film School we wish you a very happy holiday season.

We have had a fantastic year here a the School - with our Alumni Production Scheme producing a winner at the Sheffield Documentary Film Festival and Yorkshire Short Film Award and achieving theatrical distribution with DogWoof, a BA graduation film was runner up at the Leeds International Film Festival, a Foundation Degree cinematography student in competition at the prestigious Cameraimage in Poland, another graduate being offered a coveted traineeship with the BBC in Manchester, an MA student completing his first feature – members of staff have had loads of exciting career developments….a book optioned by WARP Films, a screenplay on its way to Berlin and Cannes, completion of a controversial, feature length documentary on EastTimor, a graphic novel being featured in San Francisco's underground publishing network, a PhD submitted ... here's to more in 2012!

'Tetley's - Quality Pays'

"Tetley's - Quality Pays" made by 2011 graduates from the Northern Film School’s BA (Hons) Film and Moving Image Production course, has been shortlisted for the Yorkshire Film Award at the Leeds International Film Festival and is screening at the Hyde Park Picture House on Saturday 12th November

http://www.leedsfilm.com/films/yorkshire-short-film-competition/

'We Are Poets' on tour

The award winning 'We Are Poets', directed by Northern Film School at Leeds Metropolitan University graudates, Alex Ramseyer-Bache & Daniel Lucchesi,and supported by an EPIC Award from the Northern Film School at Leeds Met, is on tour around the UK. Following a screening at the British Film Institute, Southbank, the film is ‘coming home’ and will screen at the Hyde Park Cinema on 2nd October at 5:45 pm.

Winner of the Youth Jury Award at the Sheffield Documentary Fest 2011 and shortlisted for a prestigious Newcomer Prize at Grierson: The British Documentary Awards 2011 – it’s unmissable!

Here Is a link
http://www.hydeparkpicturehouse.co.uk/index.php?showing=3151#now-showing

and

http://www.wearepoets.co.uk/

Daniel Lucchesi, Northern Film School graduate, has been named as a 2011 Broadcast HotShot…

...Dan is the "future of TV", according to Plum Pictures managing director Will Daws. "He films beautifully, edits superbly, can turn his hand to graphics and is leading the way in our push in the world of augmented reality apps". One of the key members of the James May Man Lab team as both cameraman and editor, Dan is about to launch an augmented reality app with May. Other successes to date include winning this years Youth Jury Award at Sheffield Doc/Fest for a film he co-directed with Alex Ramseyer Bache, and co-founder of internet hit comedy group Rocket Sausage.

more...

LATE ADMISSIONS ARE STILL OPEN on the FILMMAKERS' MA!

Come learn real-life independent filmmaking right here in Leeds

Places available for
Screenwriters, Screen Actors, Creative Producers, Directors, Cinematographers, Production Designers, Editors and Sound Designers.

For immediate consideration, email Course Leader – Larra Anderson at l.l.anderson@leedsmet.ac.uk

We Are Poets - Premiere

We Are Poets premieres at the Sheffield Doc Fest on Saturday 11th June, 7.35pm, Screen 3.

In 2008 Alex Ramseyer-Bache and Daniel Lucchesi were awarded the EPIC (Electric Press Initial Career) Award from the Northern Film School at Leeds Metropolitan University. The Award of £10,000 enabled the two Northern Film School graduates to follow their dream story about a group of young writers and poets, LEEDS YOUNG AUTHORS from Chapeltown, Leeds. Alex and Dan had already made a short film documentary with the writers for their graduation film, and the EPIC Award gave them the opportunity to develop their story, filming the team as it competed in the WORLD POETRY SLAM in Washington DC, USA.

WE ARE POETS has been selected to enter the Youth Jury Prize at the world renowned Sheffield International Documentary Festival this June, competing against five world class films - including CAVE OF FORGOTTON DREAMS by veteran filmmaker Werner Hertzog!

This trophy was added to the already received BBC ‘Best of the North’ Award and the ‘Best of Post Production’ Award it was given at the Exposures Film Festival in Manchester. This was in addition to the film being selected for the Student Etudes Competition at the prestigious Plus CamerImage festival in Poland. Click here for full story.

‘Edith’ garners further awards

The short film ‘Edith’, produced by students at the Northern Film School last year, continues to receive industry awards both in the UK and internationally.

Recently it was voted an Audience Award by the attendees of the 9th International Film and Video Festival of the Beijing Film Academy.

This trophy was added to the already received BBC ‘Best of the North’ Award and the ‘Best of Post Production’ Award it was given at the Exposures Film Festival in Manchester. This was in addition to the film being selected for the Student Etudes Competition at the prestigious Plus CamerImage festival in Poland. Click here for full story.

Rozi Fuller produces CITV Animated Ident

Rozi Fuller, regular visiting lecturer at the Northern Film School and member of Animated Yorkshire has produced an ident for CITV which is currently being broadcast. It is one of a series produced by Animated Yorkshire commissioned by Childrens ITV.

"Stickfighters" Animated Yorkshire CITV Ident by Rozi Fuller from Animated Yorkshire on Vimeo.

Nomination for BBC Achievement Award

The Northern Film School at Leeds Metropolitan University have been shortlisted for the BBC Achievement Award. The winner will be announced at the BBC Developing Talent Conference on 2 March at University of Central Lancashire in Preston. Click here for full story.

Ink Control

‘Ink Control’ a film directed and produced by Northern Film School at Leeds Metropolitan University alumni, Costas Yiallourides, is currently screening on the BBC film network. Click here to watch.

8th Brighton and 1st Leeds Filmmakers Coalition Film Challenge

Its a joint Challenge between the two cities with a free screening in both cities of all the films.
This is a 48 Hour challenge 'The Weekender FilmBender'
Starts Friday February 18th 7pm @The Pin Bar on Dock Street
Ends Sunday February 20th 8pm @The Pin Bar on Dock Street

Anyone can get involved and full rules and details will be available on the night.

We will arrange groups on the night if needed and personal projects are welcome.

It should be a highly achievable challenge thats going to be fun for everyone involved.

Email Adrian Worsfold adrian.worsfold@filmcoalition.co.uk for further information.

Stephen King adaptation

Northern Film School’s FdA2 Film and Television Prodution student, Joe Youngman, has obtained the rights to adapt the Stephen King short story ‘REST STOP’. This is under the famous ‘Dollar Baby’ scheme, set up by Stephen King, to encourage and enable talented early career filmmakers to work with his material.

Graduate Success

We are delighted to announce that the film Now Or Never (original working title Get A Life) has been selected for the London Short Film Festival and will be screening at the prestigious Curzon Soho Cinema on 8th January 2011 at 12 noon. The film has ben produced by Northern Film School graduates with assistance from the Northern Film School EPIC Award.

Calling All Alumni (09/12/2010)

TRIANGLE is a unique development opportunity aimed at fostering creative collaboration between feature film writers, directors and producers in the North of England. The scheme, a partnership of Screen Yorkshire, Vision + Media and Northern Film & Media with support from the Skillset Film Skills Fund, is open to all filmmakers based in Yorkshire and Humber, the North West and North East of England. Read On....

OPEN DAY for MA Filmmaking

December 9th 14:00 – 17:00

The Filmmakers’ MA at the Northern Film School is throwing it’s doors open on Thursday, December 9th from 14:00 – 17:00. You can meet Course Leaders and specialist lecturers and talk to current students whilst we show you around our School.

The Filmmakers’ MA is looking for people with all sorts of experience – not just undergraduate film, media or that kind of thing. We are also looking for professional film people...if you have worked in the industry, but are looking for more – more creative input, more challenging projects, more interesting collaborators – this is the course for you. We also welcome anyone with a passion for film and telling stories....i.e. business and law grads (they make great producers), anthroplogists (they make great documentarians), dancers (to explore film for dance and dance for film) - if you love what you do we want to meet you.

>!!!! NEW FOR 2011 !!!!!<
Unique amongst film schools – as well as welcoming producers, editors, directors, sound recordists, production designers and cinematographers, the Northern Film School is pioneering a Screen Performers’ pathway. This offers the opportunity for actors to gain their MA working alongside future award winning filmmakers, whilst exploring and learning screen techniques and gaining the on-screen experience essential to further their careers.

We’re in Leeds – a ten-minute walk from the train station - in Millennium Square under a tall chimney with the words “Electric Press” written in big letters on the side.

Please RSVP Jess Owens if you would like to attend J.Owens@leedsmet.ac.uk or call 0113 812 8019.
For more detailed information on the course click here and visit our Facebook page.

FAWN at Encounters

Northern Film School MA graduates' Digital Short FAWN has just been delivered to Screen Yorkshire, and has already been selected to premiere at Encounters Film Festival. It is part of the Digital Nation collection, best funded shorts of the year!
This is the link to the page on the festival website.

'EDITH' at Plus Cameraimage

The Brief
We are happy to announce that the film “Edith” shot by BA Cinematographer/now MA Cinematographer Youngil Kwon has been selected – and for competition! - in the international film festival of cinematography, Plus Camerimage!

This is FANTASTIC news and congratulations to all involved. Full story.

Northern Art Prize documentary on Sky

The Northern Art Prize documentary, made by Leeds Metropolitan alumni, students and staff is going to be transmitted on Sky Arts 2 on Thursday 18 November at 7.30pm, with repeat screenings to be announced.

More...

Tony Grisoni – godfather to the filmmakers’ MA

Tony Grisoni – godfather to the filmmakers’ MA - is coming to the film school to talk about collaborating. What does it take to get something made? Tony is a major British talent – he has written, to list just a few, “The Red Riding Trilogy”, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”, “the Unloved” and Terry Gillingham’s newly resurrected “Don Quixote”. He will be here on November 3rd. MA writers will meet him in the morning, and in the afternoon Tony will give an informal Q & A to the whole film school.

Recent Royal Armories Films

The last two years has seen BA Film & Moving Image second year students make films in conjunction with the Royal Armories. A selection of these films can now be seen on the Royal Armories YouTube channel.

Republic
Medicine Man thro Time
Dulce Et Decorum Est
Reasons To Riot

Alumni Production Scheme off to a flying start

The Northern Film School's Alumni Production Scheme got off to a flying start over the summer break - with a film about the short-listed artists for the Northern Art Prize, and a film for Play England, encouraging children to play with natural elements. Both films were made by recent Northern Film School alumni, with the help of some current undergraduate students. More...

Next Generation: the story so far

A group of young musicians that Laura Taylor (Senior Lecturer in Audio Production) has been working with at East Leeds FM have produced a radio musical, which they performed live at the Electric Press on Thursday 28 October. More...

'Edith'

The Northern Film School's short film 'Edith' is currently in the running for two awards at Exposures, one of the UK's leading student film and moving image festivals.

The awards are for 'Best Post Production' and a special 'BBC North Award'. This is the latest in a series of successes for the film, which was also given a special commendation by the external examiners of the BA (Hons) Film and Moving Image course and it is also due to be screened at the Beijing International Student Film Festival later in the year. More...

On Safari

Kate Jary, a recent FdA Film & Television Production graduate completed a work placement opportunity over the summer as a Cinematographer at a cat reserve in Africa. More...

The Film Coalition

The Film Coalition is venturing out from Brighton with its second free networking and resource group. Co-Run by Adrian Worsfold an alumni of the Northern Film School, The Leeds Filmmakers Coalition will help to encourage and nurture local filmmaking offering weekly meetings, free workshops, casting and crewing, film challenges and much more to help imporove your craft and help others in theirs.

We meet every 2nd/3rd/4th Monday of the month at 6.30pm in the Pin Bar on dock street and
every 1st Tuesday of the month with the West Yorkshire independent film network at 7pm in the Roast on 1 whitehall riverside

More information on facebook fan and group pages.
Search: Leeds Filmmakers Coalition
contact: Adrian Worsfold  
Email: adrian.worsfold@filmcoalition.co.uk