Exposures - New Talent in Moving Image

THE MAGICIAN
(Drama, 10mins)
Dir Vera Juliusdottir
The London Film School
Crew: Thorvardur Bjorgulfsson, Svava Hrafnkelsdottir, Marteinn Ibsen, Sigurbjorg Jonsdottir.
Cast: Benedikt Clausen (Daniel), Bergur Hrafn Jonsson (younger brother), Valdimar Flygenring (father), Elva Osk Olafsdottir (mother).

Daniel (11) is a magician. Or so he thinks. His father’s drinking has cast a shadow over the family’s vacation, and Daniel flees the constant tension by retreating into his own world, where his magic powers can protect him. When Daniel’s father drives home drunk one night and rows with his mother, Daniel finds out just how far his powers can reach, as he is chased through the woods in a final showdown between father and son.
Originally planning on studying cinematography, Vera Juliusdottir describes herself as an ‘accidental director’. She writes: ‘The story (by Jon Atli) wouldn’t let me alone. It has a mixture of humour, sadness and poetry that appealed to me very much. I felt it was amazing material for a film and I knew I had to direct it myself.’ Vera lives in London and works as a freelance camera assistant and spark. She has written several scripts, and is currently fundraising and beginning pre-production for her next project.

THE WHEEL
(underexposed / Animation, 1min)
Dir Archie Leigh-Jones
Rudheath High School, Northwich

From wheel to space travel in 90 seconds. A caveman discovers the wheel by accident and then soon discovers space travel.
This short animation was primarily made so Archie could practice on Flash, but after praise at last years exposures for his other animations he decided to make it longer. Archie started animating when he was 7 and enjoyed it so much he’s been animating ever since. Archie’s ambition is to work for Aardman, Pixar or Dreamworks. This is his third film at exposures and had this film shown on Blue Peter in November 05.

CAN I BUY YOU A DRINK?
(Documentary, 7mins)
Dirs Tara Cody and Dennis Donoghue, University of Wales, Newport
Music: Ioan Thomas, Director of Photography: Amy Evans.Role of Susan played by Emma Naylor

Can I Buy You a Drink? seeks to jolt the viewer into thinking more deeply about the long-term effects of drug rape, a crime which is on the increase. Based on a true story, the film avoids traditional dialogue, replacing it with the use of real text messages from a drug-rape survivor. Tara Cody, its co-director observes that while rape ‘occupies a significant corner of humanity’s sexual character’ it continues to be a taboo subject, generally avoided by an embarrassed society.
Dennis and Tara are students in Documentary Film and Television at the University of Wales, Newport. In addition to his studies, Dennis is working on his first novel ‘Daddy’s Angel’ which addresses the issues of self-harm and incest, subjects which Dennis plans to focus on in future film-making projects. The BBC has recently taken on Tara as an editor, to create six 1- minute films on postcards which refugees have written about life in the UK. She began her studies doing an art foundation course, and found her real passion lay in film making and particularly editing.

EVERY STREET DREAMS
(underexposed/Animation, 6mins)
Dirs Group Project, aged 14-18
LiveWire Studio, Manchester

What do people on the same street dream on the same night? This documentary/animation film looks at the dreams of the individuals that live on one street in Manchester. The people were asked to record their dreams on the same night and were then interviewed. The documentary was produced from the interviews and their dreams recreated with animation.
EVERY STREET DREAMS is part of LiveWire Studio, a First Light funded scheme and having just finished production, this is its première screening

THAT’S WHAT’S SO SAD
(Music Video, 4mins)
Dir Sharon Keighley
Bolton University
Music: That’s What’s So Sad by Gideon Conn
MUSIC VIDEO WINNER

Music video for Gideon Conn’s song. A mushroom wants to leave his punnet for the adventures outside the fridge…
This project was a low/no-budget stop-frame animation made in Sharon’s kitchen and cellar using modeling clay and vegetables, amongst other kitchen items. There are also two live action scenes and the music was then edited over the finished animation. It’s all about a mushroom who wants to leave his punnet for the adventure outside, and the dangers of the kitchen for a young ‘fungi’ who doesn’t know what to expect. Sharon was an exposures 04 experimental finalist.
Gideon Conn is one of Manchester’s most idiosyncratic new songwriting talents, praised for his exciting live shows. www.gideonconn.com

CONEHEAD
(Animation, 2mins)
Dir/Pro/Wri/Ani: Don Pan
Sound: Noah Payne-Frank
Bournemouth University

This story, set on a very hot day, is all about CONEHEAD and a runaway ice-cream van.
From conception to finish, Conehead took about 15 weeks as part of a final MA project. Don wanted to produce a film that used richly textured environments, fun and quirky characters, and thoughtful storytelling. Influences for this piece include, Studio AKA, Partizan Midi Minuit, and Georges Méliès’ A TRIP TO THE MOON. The primary software used was Softimage XSI, along with Photoshop, Shake, After Effects and Premiere.
Don was born and grew up on the Wirral and has worked as a product designer, graphic and web designer. Work included character and interface design, websites and print graphics. In 2003, he decided to study at the National Centre for Computer Animation, at Bournemouth University and pursue a lifelong passion: 3D computer animation. His influences include Aardmann Animations, Partizan Midi Minuit, Studio AKA, Mark Ryden, Hayao Miyazaki and Satoshi Kon. He is currently planning on a new idea for the next CG short.

WAITNG FOR HAPINESS
(Documentary, 10mins)
Dir/Ed/Wri Gunhild Enger
Edinburgh College of Art
Crew: Laura Clarke, Glenda Rome, Ishbel Neat, Maja Borg, Alex Ashcroft, Nick Dudman, Marcelo De Oliviero.

WAITING FOR HAPPINESS is an honest, playful and humorous film that explores the psychological puberty we all tend to suffer from in our twenties.
Gunhild wanted to make a different film that challenged the clichés, he writes: “I thought a lot about how I wanted the feel of the film to be and how I could support that with an interesting image system and shape. I ended up with this blend of crossing between documentary and fiction. It is a true story, but it is also a self conscious and ironic debate I have with myself.”
Gunhilds plans after graduating from Edinburgh College of Art are to stay in Edinburgh and start applying for funding of new projects. He has been working with the ‘mockumentary’ genre most recently and hopes to continue to do so.

PHOTOGRAPH
(Music Video, 4mins)
Dir: Andy Sykes
Music: Photograph by Former Bullies

The video for Former Bullies’ track Photograph is a black and white animation, which depicts a character’s bizarre attempts at photography.
Andy Sykes is a graduate of Interactive Arts at MMU who makes animated films and illustrations. He received a special mention for his film, ANDY’S LIFE ANIMATIONS, at last year’s Exposures Festival, which was also a runner up for the Audience Award.
Former Bullies are a two piece; Nick Ainsworth takes up vocals and guitar, while Tom Settle is on drums. So far in their relatively short career they have supported the likes of Nine Black Alps and Evan Dando and released the excellent World Ended single on High Voltage Records. www.myspace.com/theformerbullies

THE REALLY TERRIBLE ORCHESTRA
(Documentary, 10mins)
Dir/Pho/Ed Edward Brooke-Hitching
Pro: Susan Hayward
Exeter University

Since 1995 The Really Terrible Orchestra has provided refuge for the cream of Edinburgh’s musically disadvantaged, where the use of sheet music is discouraged for being “too distracting”. But who are these people who freely admit their lack of accomplishment, who frequently demonstrate their incapability to audiences in the hundreds? This short documentary follows the chairman as he prepares for a performance, interviewing players and their cult following along the way to find out why they play, and why, oh and why do people listen?
Having witnessed a performance of the orchestra at the 2004 Edinburgh Festival Edward decided to make his 3rd Year film dissertation a documentary that explored their motives for playing. Edward writes: “I made three visits to Scotland over the course of a year, shadowing the orchestra’s chairman, interviewing as many participants as possible and filming numerous performances and rehearsals. The result was over 23 hours of footage to whittle down to ten minutes, and a constant ringing in my ears.”
Edward is currently planning other documentaries with no interest as yet in fictional stories. He has just completed his Film Studies course at Exeter with a distinction in filmmaking, and having set up the production company Empathy Group he’s hoping to be able to continue making films about other such eccentric characteristics of our society.

KENKENEB
(underexposed / Music Video, 4mins)
Dir Archie Leigh-Jones
Music: Kenkeneb by Wevie Stunder

A music video for Wevie Stunder
Another gem from the 14-year-old Archie. After finding ‘Wevie Stunder’ music on the internet, he contacted the band who allowed him to use their music. The band now back projects Archies animations at their gigs. www.weviestonder.com

DARKIE DAY
(Documentary, 17mins)
Dir/Pro Dewi Bruce-Konuah
Roehampton University
Crew: Rachel Bull, Chris Hodgson

Is Cornish folk in ‘black-face’ singing old minstrel songs a harmless tradition or an act of racial mockery? Three student filmmakers embark on a journey across England to find out exactly what ‘Darkie Day’ is all about.
When the crew arrived to film the ‘Darkie’ Day parade, they were treated with varying degrees of animosity. Dewi writes: ‘Many locals obstructed the cameraman while he was filming the procession and some landlords would not let us into their establishments. Upon leaving the town, we then discovered that someone had let one of our car tires down.’
Dewi recently graduated from Roehampton University studying Film and Television. He has been commissioned by Touchpaper Television to write a storyline for a 2 hour drama, provisionally entitled A BRIGHTER TOMORROW and in 2004 founded AD82 Productions Ltd with British actor and musician Ashley Walters. With a focus on British film, music and youth culture, AD82 is conceived as a viable alternative to the mainstream. Dewi’s ambition is to write, direct and produce documentaries and fiction feature films.

THE CUMMERBUND
(Animation, 4mins)
Dir/Pro/Wri: Sally Wain
Music and Sound: Simon Dye Narrator: Sexton Ming
London Metropolitan University
GRAND JURY WINNER

THE CUMMERBUND is a surreal interpretation of the Indian ‘nonsense’ poem by Edward Lear. A fair lady watches the stars at night. In the forest strange creatures twitter and hum. Panic ensues when a warning cry rings out ‘the cummerbund is come!!!’
Having previously worked as a traditional stop frame puppet animator, Sally wanted to create a film that used a mixture of contemporary and traditional animation techniques. She loves Edward Lear’s nonsensical poems and thinks they are perfect material for animated adaptations. Sally is particularly keen to begin another animation using similar techniques. She has a story in mind that would appeal to both adults and children and already knows what the characters look like and has very nearly finished the storyboard. All she needs now is funding!