BFI Looks To The Future

The BFI Future Film Festival returns from 16-18 February 2013.
The line-up is packed with workshops, masterclasses, networking opportunities, screenings and Q&As at BFI Southbank.
Film Education has been identified in the BFI’s five year plan Film Forever as a key priority for the future vitality of the industry.
The Future Film Festival is open to everyone aged 15-25, with ticket prices kept to a minimum so that everyone has a chance to attend. Aspiring filmmakers will be able to take part in sessions designed to inspire and develop their knowledge and skills and help them find their own pathway into the world of film. The Festival will also welcome award-winning directors following screenings of their work including Sally El Hosaini (My Brother the Devil), Penny Woolcock (One Mile Away, From the Sea to the Land Beyond, 1 Day) and Rob Savage (Strings) to discuss their careers and offer participants a valuable insight into the industry.
To accompany the Festival there will also be an exhibition of work by students who have been taking part in The Future Film Design Workshop, a practical workshop for design students with the final aim of creating the marketing campaign for this year’s Festival. Saturday 16 February will focus on screen fiction, Sunday 17 February is all about animation and on Monday 18 February documentary takes its turn.
Day one of the Festival will focus on fiction storytelling. As well as a selection of amazing short films by talented new directors, there will be a screening of 20-year- old director Rob Savage’s BIFA-award winning debut feature Strings, and Sally El Hosaini’s multi-award winning first feature film My Brother the Devil. Other highlights of the fiction day will include practical writing insights, examine distribution and exhibition opportunities for emerging talent, tackle the on-screen kiss and approach how to film controversial subject matter.
The second day of the Festival will be dedicated to animation and the art of bringing unique worlds and characters to the screen. The Festival will cover everything from Claymation to anime and 3D, with a host of animation experts and panellists who will provide insights on how to make it in the industry. Masterclasses and workshops will explore voicing characters and recording sound, writing for animation and lighting. In addition sessions will also look at the commissioning process and how to create a thriving animation collective. There will also be a screening of the 3D stop-motion thriller Paranorman (Dir. Chris Butler, 2012), the latest hit from animation company LAIKA (Coraline).
On the third and final day of the Festival documentary takes centre stage. The day will be packed with practical insights and information for budding documentary and factual filmmakers. Workshops will help participants gain the confidence to master the art of interviewing as well as sessions on pitching and funding and choosing your subject. To close the Festival BFI Southbank will welcome genre-breaking director Penny Woolcock, who’ll be discussing her acclaimed new film One Mile Away.
To accompany the Festival there will also be an exhibition of work by students who have been taking part in The Future Film Design Workshop, a practical workshop for design students with the final aim of creating the marketing campaign for this year’s Festival. Running over two weeks in November, the workshop consisted of two introductory lectures by workshop tutor Piccia Neri, and was followed by discussions, presentations, peer-to-peer assessments and a presentation of the students’ final piece of artwork in the form of a poster launching the 2013 edition of the Festival. The concept selected, by student Michael Langdon, has been developed into the marketing campaign for the Festival.
Sessions throughout the BFI Future Film Festival will be suitable for people of all levels and abilities - from beginners to those more experienced - with plenty of opportunities to network too! The Festival is designed for budding directors, writers, producers and those interested in other key roles to gain experience across animation, documentary and fiction filmmaking. Whether you take part in one day or all three, Future Film Festival is an essential weekend for the next generation of filmmakers.
www.bfi.org.uk/southbank