6 - 10 November 2019
Furthering ASFF’s ambition to support new filmmaking talent and provide an exciting cinema experience, the 2013 festival screened 300 films from 36 countries across 15 iconic locations spanning York’s historic and contemporary spaces. Masterclasses, hosted networking sessions and special events presented an opportunity to engage directly with leading industry representatives.
The presence of the filmmakers added a real sense of excitement to the festival, with festival-goers able to question them about the art of filmmaking at the ever-popular Meet the Filmmakers event on Saturday night. Panellist Curt Apduhan gave an exclusive insight into the making of his film Anniversary and discussed cinematography and the power of film as a narrative medium. Manjinder Virk took home the Best of Fest award at the closing night of ASFF 2013 for her acclaimed short Out of Darkness, which the Observer’s Chief Film Critic Mark Kermode has described as “intriguing and thought provoking”.
The festival presented a number of events, including a dynamic series of masterclasses from Joakim Sundström (Seven Psychopaths) and BAFTA on Sound Editing, Craig McNeil from Beggars Group on Music Video, Warp Films, Film4, Channel 4, Alice Lowe on Screenwriting (Sightseers, Hot Fuzz and Kill List) and more. There were also special programmes from BAFTA, Yorkshire Film Archive, and Screen Bandita, as well as our guest countries: India, Mexico and Kuwait.
Alice Lowe has appeared in some of the UK’s best loved TV comedies (Black Books, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace), and popular British films Hot Fuzz and Kill List. As co-writer and star of the acclaimed black comedy Sightseers, Alice will discuss screenwriting techniques and how performance can be used as a writing tool.
BAFTA nominated Supervising Sound Editor Joakim Sundström will discuss the principles of sound editing and design, drawing upon his extensive experience working on Oscar and BAFTA winning films (Seven Psychopaths, The Constant Gardener). He will be joined in his masterclass by Producer Mia Bays.
Craig McNeil is Director of TV and Film at Beggars Group (Rough Trade, 4AD, Matador, XL Recordings). He has extensive experience in promoting music videos to the leading music channels. Offering insights into what makes a music video commercial, he will give advice on how to make yours stand out.
Susie Wright is Media Project Manager with Channel 4’s Creative Diversity team, which is a first point of contact for new, emergent and unorthodox film talent. She will discuss her role in making Channel 4 the most creatively diverse and innovative broadcaster in the UK, and what the channel looks for in new content.
Lisa Bryer is Founder and Producer of Cowboy Films, the company behind such recognised titles as Marley, Last King of Scotland, Fire in Babylon and Goodbye Charlie Bright. Lisa will share the secrets of being a highly successful producer and provide advice for those aspiring to get into this diverse and creative field.
Film4 is known for working with the most innovative talent in the UK. As Development Editor, Tom Leggett collaborates with emerging filmmakers to nurture films from conception to the end result. He will discuss the production processes involved, and what the channel looks for in its upcoming talent.
Film London is the capital’s film and media agency. Maggie Ellis, Head of Artists’ Moving Image, will discuss the movement and development of artists’ film into features and the crossover from galleries into cinemas. She will also be highlighting upcoming opportunities for filmmakers at Film London.
Lisa Bryer (Chair of BAFTA Short Film Jury), Alan Bernstein (Director of Learning at London Film School), Philip Ilson (London Short Film Festival Director) and Colin Pons (Producer and Board Member of Showroom & Workstation) debate whether a short film can exist in its own right or if it has to lead to other things.
Chris Thomas has been directing actors in film and theatre projects for the past 20 years, so he knows a thing or two about the business. He will provide various approaches and helpful dynamic tips on directing and how to get better results from the cast. Chris will also focus on how to create a richer experience for the audience.
Sheffield Doc/Fest is the UK’s leading festival focusing on documentary. As Programmer for the event, Hussain Currimbhoy knows what to look out for in cutting edge factual film. Discussing how the genre is developing, he will explore the notion of what documentary is in 2013 and what makes a good non-fiction film.
TANDEM is an Oscar winning animation studio. Producer Emma Burch will discuss the studio’s filmmaking process with Oscar and BAFTA winning director Daniel Greaves. Looking closely at his new short, Mr Plastimime, the masterclass will include clips from his Oscar winner, Manipulation, and a Q&A.
Warp Films is known and respected the world over for such modern classics as Four Lions, Dead Man’s Shoes and This Is England. Producer Barry Ryan will cover the breadth of Warp’s projects, encompassing a dynamic range of shorts and features, and offer insights into production and how to stand out in the film industry.
