I first met Tom and Chrissa, at the premiere for The Musician. I loved seeing the film and thought that these guys would be awesome to work for/with!

After acting in a promotional film Light Films produced about Derby for Marketing Derby and thoroughly enjoying it, I emailed them about being a member of the crew on 'Coming Home' they replied and allowed me to be a runner. When on set, I was asked to play the role of "dead soldier"; I immediately snapped it up and went on to play 5 dead people in this film! A VERY challenging role(s), I can assure you! This film was my first taste of a proper professional film making production.

Dead Soldier  - Chris Seddon Photography

The past couple of years had been a steep learning curve for me.

I have joined the well known Television Workshop in Nottingham.  I have performed at the National Theatre in London, and got a great mention for my performance in the Financial Times review. I travelled to Portugal where I was cast, courtesy of Light Films, for the main role of their national tourism project which is likely to become a global project over the next decade. This role was a mixture of screen and stage work with a live performance; again fantastically challenging and I loved it. Most recently, I starred in my first feature film, too.

In June of this year I had a meeting with a well known casting director who advised me to get a show reel. I immediately contacted the only people I would want to make my showreel - Light Films.  I got a script ready so that the crew could start making plans for the lighting and then start producing it.

I chose a monologue from Dexter and told Tom Wadlow how I wanted it to make me/the character come across and left it with him and the team; I knew I could trust him to get it right! I then arrived at about half ten one Saturday morning and saw the set, it was amazing, everything was just how I imagined it!

Within an hour and a half we had wrapped on set and i was back home!  By the Wednesday of that week, I was sent a link to the video asking if i was happy with it.  I was more than happy and approved it, Tom put it on YouTube and it was mine to do what I want with it!

I sent it off to two casting directors and was offered the part in one short film down in London without an audition because he was so impressed with the showreel! 

I also got a lead role in a production called 'Broken Youth' by up and coming writer Karen Woods, this will be performed at the Lowry in Manchester next June, then hopefully on tour to London, Liverpool and Birmingham!

I look forward to filming my next showreel scene with Light Films and hope that one day I will be in another of their films!!

To see Tom Murton's Dexter monologue click here.
To see Light Films independent filmmaking showreel click here.

Editing a feature film, how hard can it be? I've edited a fair few short films in my time as a student of Film and Video Production at Derby University, so once we wrapped filming I knew that the edit stage wouldn't be easy, but I didn't realise how different it would be to editing everything else I had done before.

Firstly the vast scale of the film hit me, we had accumulated almost 1TB of footage that needed organising by scene and shots. Each scene would be edited in a new tab in Final Cut, currently there are over 80 scenes/tabs to go through and edit. The main editing station is almost full just from Wasteland but its handling the footage and edit great considering there is very little room left. We also have all the footage backed up on our servers so we always have a copy.

Some Raw Stills from Wasteland

The hardest thing about the edit I think both the director, Tom Wadlow and I found is how long it takes to edit even the shortest scene and finding the time to sit down and edit, often editing on our days off, which can be few and far apart. Our VFX guy lives in LA, so it takes time to transfer the data he needs over and back again. There are a lot more VFX shots than we originally thought!!

There are still some shots that are required to complete the film. It is not uncommon for feature films to still be capturing scenes and shots deep into the edit, either for pick-up shots, reshoots of scenes that didn't work in the edit or even brand new scenes to be added in. Luckily there isn't much more to film, but they are essential to the final edit.

Some more raw stills from Wasteland

We're at an exciting stage currently with the edit! The majority of the scenes have been rough cut and can see and feel the shape of the film coming together, which helps going back through the scenes and making tweaks to work with the rest of the film. This has allowed us to start putting together a trailer that will hopefully be released early 2013! So make sure you've 'liked' out Wasteland Facebook page to keep updated on the progress.

This blog was written by our Film Production Assistant, Chris Newman, to get in touch with Chris This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Purely By Chance

Going to my first film première was purely by chance. A good friend had a spare ticket and as I am of the ”if it's free grab it” school of thought, I did just that.

The première was for “Coming Home”,  a short movie by Light Films. Little did I realise at the time, but this was to be the start of a wonderful and fascinating working relationship.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the film, I met Tom and Chrissa, and it was clear from talking to them that they were very serious about their film making plans. Later that same evening, I realised that the night’s events had rekindled a desire within me to make films, something that I had not done since my teenage years.

I wasted no time in sending an email to Light Films offering my services, if they should need any help or had a space for me in any capacity during their next film shoot to give me a shout.  I was highly delighted (and maybe a little stunned) when I received an email in return offering me the chance to be a runner for the short film “Shelf Stackers” written by Tommy Draper.

Then started a three day shoot that was enormous fun but very long hours. Early bleary eyed starts followed by late sleepy eyed finishes.  As the shoot progressed, my role as a runner was expanded to set builder, set dressing assistant and driver too, and I loved each and every minute of it.

But, in the days after the film wrapped, I felt empty. I had been on such a high, and had had such a real buzz from those three days, that now it was all over, I had “post filming blues”. It was at that moment, that I realised I had the film making bug - in a very big way.

	Mike on set at shelf stackers

Following the excitement of the premiere of “Shelf Stackers”, of which I was immensely proud, I was once again contacted to help make “Light Films” first feature film “Wasteland”.

I, of course, jumped at the chance.

Acting Debut

  During this much longer shoot, I have had many roles to play, from runner to being included in the cast of the film!  My acting debut.

Zombie Mike on set

I have thoroughly enjoyed myself on each and every shoot, and have met some very talented and interesting people like Chris Newman, Sophie Black, Deborah Bennett, Shameer Seepersand, Sian Revill to name but a few, all of whom I have throughly enjoyed working with and from whom I have learned a great deal. I hope to work with them all again sometime.

My heartfelt thanks go to Tom, Chrissa and everyone at “Light Films” for their friendship and for giving me the chance to rekindle my love of film making. For that, I will be eternally grateful.  

Mike Rhodes.

In a recent blog I spoke about how sometimes working on one project can lead you to work on something else quite different. At the time I was talking about the experience I had on working on my own film The Apartment.  However, recently I was filming a winter wonderland wedding in Nottingham that proved it's not just in independent filmmaking that this sort of collaborative networking can be done.  I love filming weddings as they are always different and again you get to be let in on peoples most precious of days; often in beautiful locations that I don’t usually get to visit.

This wedding in December, however, was different for a number of reasons. First it was the coldest day I can remember, once the sun had gone down it was around -10, but also because I finally got to meet and work with highly-regarded photographer Crash Taylor.  It was a great experience to work with some so creative and passionate about photography. After that wedding, Crash got in contact about making a film. It was a completely different project to the ones I normally work on and it was using the Canon 5D; something I’d never used before for filmmaking. The idea was to shoot a series of stills with and film to accompany it all centred around the Strigoi Viu - living vampiric witches part of Romanian mythology. Immediately I was interested. So Crash organized the shoot and away we went. It was a great day, the weather just about held off, a great location and a great cast. The results of the shoot can be seen below. 

It’s was a great project to be involved in and now there are exciting plans for the future. This includes a screening of the film and exhibition of the photographs as well as the next shoot which is being planned for May. We will be shooting on Canon 5D Mark II again and looking to push ourselves more, now that we can see both what he Canon is capable of doing and more importantly what we are able to do.

This blog was written by our Managing Director, Tom Wadlow.  To start a conversation with Tom, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

I've spoken to a number of companies who have turned down video in the past because of bad experiences.  Many because the film company had an imbalance between the commercial and operational aspects of it's business; and so couldn't deliver what the client needed.  To help you on your way to choosing the right film production company, I've listed a few things you need to ask and/or look out for:

• Ability to market themselves - is it up to your standards? Or could it use some work? 

• Offerings in terms of marketing for you - are they just film production? Or can they offer marketing through video advice that's relevant to your business? What qualifies their marketing advice?

• Added extras such as PR and exposure of new video - can they offer this? Are they as switched on to NEW media and exploiting all avenues of advertising as much as you need them to be?

• Directing the film, rather than just filming - so often I meet other corporate filmmakers who are baffled when we state we have corporate film directors! We are baffled that they're baffled!  Any big movie or TV commercial has a director - why should yours be any different? Isn't your company worth the best?

• The people involved in the video production - is there a balance between commercial, operational and creative? This doesn't necessarily mean you need lots of people, just a good indication (along with case studies or testimonials) that those involved can deliver ALL elements.  Where were they trained? Where have they gained their experience in filmmaking?

• The project management element - producing a video is a big deal! It's not just about deciding what you want and getting it filmed. There's a lot more to it. Can your production company manage the project from start to finish? Can they fully produce a film? Don't be afraid to ask for proof.

• A variety of work that can be shown in addition to the snippets you see on their website/showreel (a variety meaning a variety of similar videos to yours as well as a variety of videos that show a diverse range of skillset from the production team).  A good company won't give it all away on their site, they'll give enough away to allure your phone call/Email contact but will always be keen to share their full portfolio at a first/second consultation.

• Are they video-makers or true filmmakers? What are their reasons for wanting to produce films? What experience have they got to be listed as experts or gurus in this field.

• Quality – find a video you want. It maybe on YouTube, it maybe on your idol company's website.  Regardless of cost, this is the video that will provide inspiration for yours. Can your chosen production company realistically deliver? Don't compromise that aim of video production because you're in doubt for any reason.

• Budget – set a budget before meeting a videographer. How much is this video worth to your business. How much business does it need to generate. What's the minimum? Are you expecting enough of your video?

• Understanding of a film set – I have met so many filmmakers who don't understand the importance of good lighting, of a good director or gaffer – you don't need to understand these terms, but you need to understand that your production company does!

• How will the production business understand your business – do they carry out a full consultation and reccy, along with costume, prop and script consultations? If not why not? Your business is worth the full works, so demand it!

• Are they outsourcing or using contractors for any part of your service?  How much of the service is being outsourced and why?

Other questions to ask:

• How many crew members are you to expect for your money and why are they needed?

• How long will the filming take? How long will the edit take? Can you edit with your production company in their studios?

• How will your video be displayed or hosted, if online? YouTube is great, and cheap, which fits right in with some first time users of corporate video.  A good commercial videography company will NEVER suggest social media sites such as Vimeo as they have a strict "anti-commercial" policy.

• Have you a choice of stock music and tailor-made music? Has the company got access/do they employ a musician/composer?

• Can they provide a list of options/packages that are tailor-made to your needs? (Not just "off the rack" price lists.)

One last thought...

A badly produced video can prove detrimental to your business. Just today I was looking for a new forward thinking supplier for our business, and I relied on the way that their website helped me understand them to enable me to produce a shortlist.  One website was fantastically well presented, but the image was destroyed by a badly produced video that can only be described as a "home video" done on a mini HD camera hosted on YouTube. This was the deciding factor for me, could it be the deciding factor for your prospective clients?

This blog was written by our Commercial Director, Chrissa Maund.  To start a conversation with Chrissa, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

As you may know Light Films are currently in pre-production for their next short movie ‘Shelf Stackers’.  My name is Tommy Draper; I’m the writer of the screenplay and this is my blog trying to explain how Shelf Stackers has gone from a blank piece of paper to the movie screen.

Toward the end of 2010, just after the filming of Coming Home finished, I met with Tom Wadlow to chat about working together on a new project.  We had never met until then but I had been in contact with Light Films through Twitter and Facebook.  During our first meeting we discussed movies we liked, movies we had made and the sorts of movies we wanted to make.  We had several ideas flying around.  One of the ideas that I had mentioned was about a group of people working the nightshift in a 24-hour Super Market; the title was Shelf Stackers.  The idea was just that, an idea.  No plot, just  the thought that it would make a decent indie movie.

Cut to several months later and me and Tom are having regular meetings and working on several screenplays.  Tom mentions that he’s had an idea for the plot of Shelf Stackers; a simple story of a young man working his last shift who falls for the young woman replacing him. We both liked the idea so I set about writing a screenplay draft.

The very first thing when creating a screenplay is to decide on the genre.  For Shelf Stackers it was always going to be a comedy, which is both a first for Light Films and for me too.

Now that the characters have names, histories and personalities they need a world to live in, that world are the scenes which tell the story.  This is normally when a writer will put together a treatment, something to be used as a story guide. With Shelf Stackers, as I tend to do with a short films, I usually just write the first draft from the character notes and any ideas that are residing in my head. The first draft came together pretty quickly but it wasn’t exceptional.

Just before Christmas I had another meeting with Tom where we discussed the first draft and how it should be changed. Tom had the excellent idea of telling the story from the point of view of the 5 ‘Shelf Stackers’. This would give each character their own story, so we would see the same incidents but from different perspectives to give different outcomes and play with viewers perceptions. This is a story telling method I’ve always wanted to try but never felt I had the story to justify it but for Shelf Stackers I thought it would work.

Cut to early 2011 and another script meeting, both me and Tom agree that the script is way too long. The only way to fix it is to take out two of the character’s stories; this should cut about 20 pages/minutes from the script.  But then there is the issue of which stories do you leave out? We know we need to keep the romance element of Fish (hero) and Katy (love interest) so their stories become the first and last; the bookends for the screenplay.  As for the ‘middle’ story we decided on a very different point of view, the one of Gloria, the Boss of the store and the most unique and touching story (in my opinion) of the screenplay.

So from here on in the screenplay (give or take an adjustment or two) for Shelf Stackers is complete.  The pages that were once empty are now full of characters and life.  The task now is to take those pages into the real world and create a short but entertaining movie.

I’m sure there will be more on the movie’s development soon.... watch this space!

This blog was written by our ScriptWriter, Tommy Draper.  To start a conversation with Tommy, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

To read more about our upcoming film collaboration with Tommy,  including a full list of cast and crew requirements, click here.

We have recently held yet another Premiere at Derby Conference Centre for Ashgate Primary, St Wyston’s Primary and Gayton Primary, where each school produced their very own film incorporating the topic of Pantomimes and Fairytales.  Each child had the opportunity to create their ideas for the story, write the script, storyboard their film and work to produce it by being the sound, camera person or the producer.  I've been so proud of the students' efforts, and the end result was fantastic.

Each and every student involved has worked really well, whether they have been behind the camera or in front.  During last term it was exceptionally hard as unfortunately we had a technical issue, known as 'digital fallout' with one of the films that was made at a school.  This is not something can be helped, however it was very difficult to have to tell the children that it needed to be re-filmed.  It was disappointing for all of us, but we have overcome this by arranging a re-shoot and another film premiere.  All the children are very excited to be able to film this project again and are really looking forward to it.

We are currently looking forward to our two holiday clubs that will be running during February half term.  February 21^st and 22^nd 10am until 3pm is creating an advert and February 24^th and 25^th 10am-3pm is creating an Urban Music Video, to read more click here.
 

This blog was written by our Education Manager, Josie Henshaw.  To start a conversation with Josie, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Whilst editing a current project this week, a picture caught my eye which triggered a full mental audit on the development of Light Films and it's people.  The picture was taken while I was filming 'The Apartment' in 2009 and this got me thinking... Although Light Films was in fact set up in 2006, it wasn't until Chrissa Maund came on board in 2009 that things really began to take shape.

It seems a life time ago now, that nervous night in May 2009 at the University of Derby, and we've had 3 more premieres since then; each more impressive and more expansive than the last. A lot has changed in terms of the clients that we are working with, as a company. A lot of them looking for ever larger and more complex and complicated films. Yet, it is from The Apartment that this belief stems.

It's more interesting now because we are gearing up for the 5th collaboration between Chrissa Maund and myself.  This time we've had a fantastic response to our casting notice, where as in the past the interest has been disappointing. That's not to do a disservice the the actors and crew we've worked with in the past, we've never made a film without being happy that we have done a good job in the casting process; but the number of people wanting to be involved this time are much higher, which is truly pleasing. 

We all put some much work into making these projects it is the hope of everyone involved that they do well. It is not just me, the director, that gets things out of these projects. The premieres are a testament to everyone and enables them to get the recognition and exposure they deserve. Plus, I believe to our credit, our crew has developed but the core key players have remained throughout with superb talent being recruited back each time we recruit. The same can be said of the actors. We love working with people more than once; building a working relationship that can forge a path forward and benefit everyone.  

So it seems to me that this small film that was made very quickly in January 2009 over 3 days in cold apartment in Derby may well have been the catalist for where we are now and that the projects that you find yourself questioning can actually have a bigger impact on you than you think.

 Chrissa and I with the cast, crew and employees at the premiere of "Coming Home" in November 2010

This blog was written by our Managing Director, Tom Wadlow.  To start a conversation with Tom, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .