Creative Media students at Stratford-upon-Avon College have proved their artistic flair by being awarded runner up places at a national short film competition.
The Film of the Month competition was created by UK film body Into Film, which promotes cinema and filmmakers across the UK, to recognise and support the next generation of writers, directors and producers.
The students received glowing feedback from the judges on the Into Film panel.
First-year Creative Media students Henry Hedges, Sam Aries, Harrison Pearce and Finley Boxall collaborated to produce the silent film The Duel for the Jewel. Impressed with the students’ storytelling prowess, the judges commented “This is a fun film, well executed and almost faultless. We were blown away by this great homage to the days of silent cinema – absolutely brilliant effort.”
Amy Benjamin’s film 121 – which portrays the dreams of a man lying in a coma on his deathbed and his inability to communicate with his sister who sits by his side, while the dark figure of Death hovers over him – received particular praise for its impactful message: “This was a very deep and powerful film; an emotional and brilliant piece of work.”
Amy, 18 from Wellesbourne, was delighted to hear the feedback she received from the judges. “I was thrilled that my film was chosen as a runner up in the Into Film Film of the Month competition. When I received the judges’ comments I couldn’t stop smiling. It made me feel appreciated and boosted my confidence in filmmaking.”
Discussing her inspiration behind 121’s hard-hitting story, Amy explained “I enjoy crime, mystery, and thriller stories because I find them the most intriguing. What makes them interesting is their ability to draw you into the story. They create questions for the audience and keep us guessing along the way. This is something I aimed to do with my short film. I wanted my audience to question what was going on and to manipulate some of their emotions.”
Throughout her Creative Media course, Amy has found herself growing more confident as a filmmaker. “I’ve learnt how to write a story. I’ve learnt the importance of shot composition and colour. And I’ve been given advice by industry professionals that I will carry with me through my filmmaking career.”
