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Screen-Skills Bursary Winners Showcase

20 November 2010
All eight bursary winners together at the showcase event at BAFTA. From left to right: Will Ormerod, Harriet Beaney, Joseph Bevan, Tim Benger, Christopher Butler, Jack Crocker, Joe Reed, Sam Shetabi.

After months of expert mentoring eight BAFTA and BBC Blast Screen-Skills Bursary winners each created a piece of work showcasing their talents.

All eight bursary recipients attended a showcase event at BAFTA on 15 November 2010 to screen the work that they had created as part of their bursary.

Sam Shetabi:

Already a TV Production student, Sam used his bursary to undertake a Filmmaking Diploma course at the London Film Academy, where he learnt the foundations of cinematography, and was given hands-on experience in a variety of roles on a series of short films. On set of Home Sam had the chance to put his DoP skills to the test. The film was the culmination of weekly cinematography classes. He says “I might be years or even decades from being a professional DoP, but the all-round experience in the camera department has opened doors”. In addition to the course, Sam’s bursary took him to the set of Harry Potter thanks to The Guild of British Camera Technicians

and even gave him the chance to work as camera assistant on BBC drama The Cut. Sam says “My involvement in the bursary this year has become the most valuable experience I've ever had.” Following graduation, Sam hopes to secure work in the camera department or in production. Sam won the BAFTA and BBC Blast Screen-Skills award at the TV Craft Awards in May this year.

Joe Reed:

Joe attributes his interest in film and television composition to his eclectic musical upbringing and enjoys the challenge of creating music suitable for the moving image. He says “it provides you with a canvas that is both big and small at the same time – exploration within limits”. Armed with new recording equipment, guidance from his bursary mentor Tim Saul, and images that are “so beautiful and inspiring”,

Joe has produced a score for an extract from the visually stunning Wonders of the Solar System on BBC2 as part of his bursary placement. Having just begun a BMus in Popular Music in London, Joe intends to continue to follow his passion for music and composition. Joe says, “to be given an opportunity such as this to develop and really hone my compositional skills was incredible”.

Jack Crocker:

Jack has been passionate about film from a young age, but often found it difficult to finish projects he started. His work on the short film From Choice to Change won him a bursary in the Editing category. He says “it’s important because it was the first time I finished something so for that reason I love it”. Under the guidance of ENVY Post Production and with crucial input from his BAFTA mentor Joby Gee, Jack has further honed his editing skills; refining and crucially completing his short film An Organic Perspective. Outside of his bursary, Jack has made five additional films this year as well as making an application to the USC School of Cinematic Arts in California.

Jack says “it’s my dream to come back to the UK with a Film and Television Production degree and help revitalise our media industries, the film industry in particular. I’m excited for what the future holds, and I’ve definitely got to thank the Screen-Skills scheme for bringing me closer to the realisation of that”.

Harriet Beaney:

In the midst of studying for her AS-levels, Harriet wrote Goodbye, Goblin! This short screenplay won her a Screen-skills bursary in the Scriptwriter category. Since then her placement has taken her to the TV Writer’s Festival in Leeds, an actors’ read-through of The Cut, and even onto the set of East Enders. Harriet’s film this evening shows work on The Wonder Of You, an hour-long screenplay she has produced over the past six months under the guidance of BBC Writersroom.

The footage is taken from a professional read through designed to help Harriet bring her script to life. Harriet says “I’ve learnt such a lot. (The bursary) has given me new confidence to keep writing in the hope that I can one day cut a career as a professional screenplay writer.” Harriet is now in her final year at school and hopes to study English Literature at university.

Will Ormerod:

Currently studying Film Production at university, Will has been making short films for several years. He was selected for a Screen-Skills bursary in the Director of Photography category following the submission of his film Time After Time. His placement has allowed him to gain valuable experience via The Guild of British Camera Technicians, as well the opportunity to complete a two week intensive course at the London Film Academy (LFA). The placement gave him the technical knowledge, understanding and confidence to undertake the role of Director of Photography on short film Who Are You. Working closely with a production team of LFA students, Will was in charge of the focus puller, cameraman and lighting department as well as being a close collaborator with the director. Will says, “The scheme enabled me to experience a working environment much closer to that of a professional shoot than I am used to, it certainly makes a change from my usual guerrilla filmmaking style!”

After completing his degree, Will hopes to work in the film industry as a cinematographer. Will says, “The scheme enabled me to experience a working environment much closer to that of a professional shoot than I am used to, it certainly makes a change from my usual guerrilla filmmaking style!” After completing his degree, Will hopes to work in the film industry as a cinematographer.

Tim Benger:

Tim won a Screen-Skills bursary in the Composing category for his soundtrack to the short film Madness. Despite already having a keen interest in music and playing a number of different instruments, the music for the film had been his very first attempt at film composition. Tim says, “the bursary has consequently been a really steep learning curve but I have enjoyed every part of the process”.

Throughout his placement, Tim has received in-depth industry advice and guidance from his mentor Tim Saul as well as input from other professionals in the field. As a result, Tim has gone from strength to strength, gaining greater confidence, knowledge and experience, demonstrated this evening in his final piece, a soundtrack to accompany an extract from BBC 2’s Wonders of the Solar System. Tim says “using everything I have learnt, I hope I will keep on composing for films and television”.

Christopher Butler:

Chris won Screen-Skills bursary in the editing category with his short film Face2Face, a drama about identity theft via social networking sites. On being told he had won a bursary he said “I couldn't believe it! … It was like all of my Christmases come at once!” Soon after starting his placement with his mentors at Platform, Chris was asked to produce a thirty second teaser for multiplatform teenage drama The Cut. The edit was so well received that The Cut team chose to use it as their official online mid-season catch-up video.

For his final piece Chris went on to re-version a short film from The Culture Show about Kings College London's Materials Library. Working to the original script, Chris not only completed an engaging edit but also designed and produced his own graphics to supplement the on-screen visuals. Chris has recently begun a degree in Television Production and intends to apply for a place on the BBC Production Trainee Scheme in 2011.

Joseph Bevan:

Joseph’s film The Professional won him a Screen-Skills bursary in the Scriptwriter category. He calls his entry “an experiment”, a combination of his interest in both short film and creative writing. Working under the guidance of BBC Writersroom, Joseph’s placement has given him the opportunity to write his original drama, Pale Shade of Doubt. His film this evening showcases extracts from a professional read through designed to help Joseph develop this feature-length screenplay.

He says “when my script was performed by professional actors it really gave me an insight into how a creative team works which is valuable advice you can’t be taught”. The bursary experience has given Joe the confidence to go on to study screenwriting at university where he hopes to build upon the skills he has already learnt. He says “my ambition doesn’t really have a limit; I want to be the best in my field”.