Projects in genres: Experimental

Synopsis

Four stoners, five vegans, three mobsters, four hunters and a million reasons to free one elephant.

Roy Arnie has a dream. One day he will run his own circus and conquer the world. Today, however, he is a stable hand working in the Circus Stromowski, a miserable Russian big top, run by a hopeless alcoholic fourth generation circus director, Igor Stromowski, and full of useless has-beens and tired animals that will only perform under the influence of narcotics. Roy Arnie invites his old buddies Gaz and Odd, and their sidekick Flea, to come and work at the circus, and while work is an alien concept to Gaz and Odd, the appearance of an irate criminal who they are indebted to decides the issue.

At the circus, Roy Arnie introduces the trio to the star attraction: Jimmy the elephant. Jimmy is the key to Roy Arnie’s dreams. The elephant carries a secret, a secret of enough value to bankroll Roy Arnie’s circus. All he has to do is free Jimmy and his dreams will come true.

An epic farcical journey ensues where the stoners, the vegans and the mobsters, joined by an alcohol-fuelled hunting party all compete to capture the drugged-up Jimmy. Now the only thing that can thwart their plans is a strangely compassionate moose.
 

Synopsis

Short experimental drama that follows a journey of transformation by the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) who wore a series of orthopaedic corsets because of impairment. The film draws on Kahlo's own words and bold painting style. It refutes the picture of Kahlo's life as one of tragedy and suffering.

Synopsis

Hello You is contemporary and challenging; elements of a road movie, a drugs trip, a rock festival, an office party. It follows the highs and lows in the lives of Frank, Michael, Monica, Paul, Natalie and Lillian over two summer weeks. Each experience in turn is passionate, true to life and richly human; a galaxy of eccentric and loveable characters with Frank at its centre - Frank, 35, his rock-guitar fuelled music career has been on the verge-of-exploding ever since he can remember. He and Michael, 33 have never found success beyond the shed-cum-studio at the bottom of Michael's garden. The two best friends are striving to create the perfect demo tape to get the attention of the music companies.

Hello you is a dynamic kaleidoscope of contemporary Britain: A generation raised to be pop-stars face the aching void between the person they are and the person they thought they would be.

Synopsis

1985. A secret tree house. Two children disguised in animal costumes experiment on reviving a bee. But they are searching for a way to bring back something much bigger.

A magical and moving story about a journey of discovery and revelation.

Synopsis

At the request of his wife, a gregarious Father Christmas visits his psychoanalyst to find out why he is so happy all of the time. In only a metter on a few minutes the benign Saint Nicholas becomes convinced that he is a sexual deviant, has a fetish for small men, confides in animals, a raciast and bigot and with a significant weight and image problem!

Synopsis

A visual documentation of emigration, love, strength, creativity and old age. Annette Eick is philosophical about her migration from Nazi Berlin, via Hampstead to Devon. At 95 years of age she is not concerned about fitting in. After the death of a partner, she lives alone. She has written a daily journal and poetry for decades. She is sustained by her muse.

Synopsis

In a little Victorian theatre in the East End of London, the infamous story of the five victims of Jack the Ripper is being recreated in a rock musical. The film takes us away from the stage and out into the real murder locations. Entwined with the stage performance is an equally disturbing backstage drama. Jenni (Gillian MacGregor), is a new actress, and she's late for the show. We've seen her in a car with two businessmen, Geoffrey (Roy Hudd) and Andrew; she is seen running away from the car by a concerned policeman. Back at the theatre, Trevor (Tom Wontner) is a young stagehand, shy and a bit of an 'anorak'; he takes life seriously. Jenni, whose innocent looks disguise a brittle, sarcastic manner, is rude to all other actors and dismissive of Trevor's fascination with Jack the Ripper. Jenni is alarmed by a strange-looking lurker. No one else sees him, but Trevor is sympathetic. Back at the theatre, Jenni and Trevor find that they have more in common than they expect, but she continues to be alarmed by the appearances of the lurker, while on-stage we hear the gruesome details about each of the Ripper's victims. Jenni is to play the last victim, Mary Jane Kelly, but has become convinced that she is at risk. She turns to Trevor, the only person who seems to understand. But then Trevor finds out a secret about Jenni that tears them apart!

Synopsis

A patient finds out that he has presiscely five minutes to live.

Synopsis

This short experimental documentary is a layered audio visual look at the past and present of Buffalo's old Hotel Lenox, and the many stories contained within its weathered walls.

Synopsis

Out from the deep, dark woods, creep, creep, creeping come the Hobyar men.

Woodcut animation makes a traditional tale to keep children awake at night.

Winner of Best Animated Film, Dokufest 2005 Kosovo, and Best Children's Animation, London IMAF 2004.

Synopsis

Definition: mad·ri·gal (mdr-gl) n.

(1a) A song for two or three unaccompanied voices, developed in Italy in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

(1b) A short poem, often about love, suitable for being set to music.

(2a) A polyphonic song using a vernacular text and written for four to six voices, developed in Italy in the 16th century and popular in England in the 16th and early 17th centuries.

(2b) A part song.

Three women strive for freedom in a town. Do they have beauty on their side? London disintegrates and looks like the Third World, yet construction moves on apace. Eve runs a successful club, but appears to be alone, and searches for spiritual guidance in an esoteric bookshop. Mitzura paints a memory of her Romanian mother's communion with wolves, and travels to see her children at the sea. Why must she leave them? Charlie works in an office and is trapped in Groundhog Day with her man. Why doesn't she leave? We watch their confusion, pain and joy, their smiles and fears - their faces a terrain of emotion.

The friction of the interior world is made palpable. They drink: to forget, to connect (in a nation of alcoholics?). They wait, wonder and wander, for what? Why? For the madrigal?

Synopsis

When I was given a college brief to produce a short about an everyday activity in a style of my choice, I was immediately drawn to the beauty of time-lapse photography. I as a visual artist see every morning as an inspiration, be it a bright sunny morning, or dull and misty winter mornings especially with a frost or snow covering. At this time of day, I was intrigued by how many of the early morning activities would be perceived in time-lapse photography. In particular, as for a number of my projects, I was inspired by the works of Ron Fricke (Baraka, 1992) and Godfrey Reggio (Koyaanisqatsi, 1983, both of which are renowned for using this haunting style of cinematography.

Matutinus (early in the morning) is an experimental short, which I wrote to depict the start of a day and how it can start off really well and can go onto to turn out bad. Images of people going about their daily business go into the not so 'fluffy bunny' images of graveyards, domestic arguments and civilised madness. At this time of the day the landscape can be transformed into a somewhat mesmerising atmosphere and can in a way it can be the calm before storms ahead. As the day goes on many people experience an uphill struggle, be it at work or at study. Matutinus shows my vision of this through a series of time-lapsed photography and experimental imagery.