GEMMA MITCHELL

UnderWire Festival

gemma — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:15:15 +0000

UnderWire Festival was launched in 2010 with the belief that women working in the UK film industry needed more encouragement and a bigger platform for their work. The fact remains that women still make up a small proportion of film creatives, and UnderWire looks to recognise the best short work made by women across a range of crafts.

With awards for Best Director, Best Producer, Best Writer, Best Editor, Best Cinematographer, Best Composer, Best Actor, Best Sound Designer and Best Film Journalist, the festival hopes to move us towards a more gender balanced industry. There is also the XX Award which is open to both female and male directors whose films have interesting female characters at their centre. This, we believe, will benefit everyone by creating a diversity of perspectives, stories and experiences for audiences.

I co-founded UnderWire in 2010 with Gabriella Apicella, and was joined by Helen Jack as co-director for the 2011 festival. 2012 saw the team grow substantially, with a fantastic and energetic volunteer team delivering the festival each year.

“UnderWire will provide a much needed impetus to take a look at what new female voices in film can do. I’m really looking forward to watching the talent emerge.” Rebecca O’Brien

UnderWire partners include Women in Film and Television, Euroscript, Kodak, VET, Object, Shooting People, Little White Lies, Imagem, Directors UK, Star Now and Audio Network.

Patrons include Kat Banyard, Samm Haillay, Kim Longinotto, Laura Mulvey, Nira Park and Rebecca O’Brien.

Check out the website www.underwirefestival.com for more information.

YARN festival

gemma — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:22:08 +0000

YARN is a festival celebrating story and storytelling – showcasing film, theatre, music, literature and illustration and providing a platform for mixing them all up!

It’s all about fun and exploration, devoted to letting the imagination run wild.

YARNfest runs annually every February in London. Events include Cover Wars, Zine Workshops, and Four Stories High, and sponsors included Faber & Faber, Shooting People, Little White Lies, The London Short Film Festival and Bookhugger.

We also ran a monthly ‘YARN presents…’ evening the first Wednesday of each month in partnership with The Special Relationship across 2011.

Audience feedback included:

It was unique, I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was, then it was good. Then it was great. Great performers, and the variety of interpretations of the Odyssey was fantastic.

I came only for Four Stories High because I saw the advert on ArtsJobs and tried to apply as an artist although I couldn’t in the end…It was as fantastic as I imagined it will be, and told about it to all my friends. They were intrigued by the idea as well. Looking forward to the next one!

and from our performers:

I was hugely impressed by your event and so enjoyed doing it. Count me in next year!

Congratulations on setting up such a wonderful event and I hope it continues to succeed for many years to come.

I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful experience of last night! We had a great time and we are highly appreciative of all the work you put in to bring the evening together. The work produced was so varied and a real delight to watch. We were all really pleased to be a part of it.

For more info, and to sign up to the newsletter head over to www.YARNfest.com

An Ode To Modern Democracy And The Hairdresser

gemma — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:09:28 +0000

An Ode to Modern Democracy and the Hairdresser is a short film I produced as one half of The Room in 2009. Shot on Super16, it was one of the toughest shoots I’ve ever produced, but I think the final film was absolutely worth it!

Synposis: A hairdresser’s mind wanders as she trims Downing Street fringe and imagines the consequences of an assassination attempt using only hair salon essentials.

The film has played at: Palm Springs Shortsfest, Raindance Film Festival, Foyle Film Festival, Bradford Film Festival, Edmonton International Film Festival, Santa Cruz Film Festiva. It was a Light in Motion Award Nominee and a Shine Short Film Award Nominee.

Most recently, it was selected for the BBC Film Network.

I’d Rather Have A Memory Than A Dream

gemma — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:51:23 +0000

Another short film produced as one of The Room partnership, I’d Rather Have A Memory Than A Dream was originally put together for the 90second Depict! Competition.

Told completely in split-screen, the line between a man’s memories and dreams blur, mutating into something his ageing mind can’t escape from.

Shot on the RED camera – and have been completely converted!

The film has played at: The London Short Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival and in competition for the Anthony Minghella Award at the GLIMMER: Hull International Film Festival.

East End Film Festival

gemma — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:45:36 +0000

The East End Film Festival began as a platform for East London filmmakers, and has shown many works from local talent that have gone on to win awards at festivals all over the globe. The EEFF is extremely proud to be able to support one of the world’s most vibrant filmmaking communities, and providing that support remains a key objective, even as the festival has expanded over the past ten years to encompass a huge international programme.

EEFF 2011 features more than 60 feature films and hundreds of shorts representing some 30 countries. This varied programme takes in the best of both British and world cinema, and is complemented by a broad range of live, site specific events and master classes that explore the boundary between cinema and other artforms. With a specific emphasis on live musical accompaniment, the EEFF offers more ways to experience the magic of cinema than any other film festival. In 2012 when the eyes of the world are focused on the Olympics in East London, the East End Film Festival will be there to showcase all that is good about East London and its extraordinary diversity of citizens and culture.

follow EEFF on twitter @EastEndFilmFest and check out the website www.eastendfilmfestival.com/

New British Cinema Quarterly

gemma — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:30:12 +0000

Taking the most distinctive and original British feature films and filmmakers from the festival circuit and bringing them to the UK’s flagship independent cinemas.

New British Cinema Quarterly (NBCQ) is a programme of films which screen across the UK, starting with our fifteen partner venues where a Q&A with director, cast member or technician gives audiences and people interested in film making the opportunity to meet those who have succeeded in doing that.

The first year of the programme saw some excellent results with NO GREATER LOVE going on to screen in seventy cinemas and SKELETONS winning the best new British feature award (The MichaelPowell Award) at Edinburgh International Film Festival and being nominated for a BAFTA. These films along with both the playful and engaging 1234 and BIFA nominated BRILLIANTLOVE were included in the 2010 Annual DVD box set alongside a magazine, produced by Little White Lies.

NBCQ continues with 4 new films in 2011 and expansion plans for additional cinemas and alternative events.

Crunch*Doritos

gemma — Sat, 15 May 2010 17:05:29 +0000

Produced for the Doritos King of Ads competition, our ad came 20th out of over 2000 entries!

If you’d like to see the ad, head over to Matt’s site here.

Giraffes and Laughs and Feelings and Things

gemma — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:02:55 +0000