Page 27 - Fujifilm Exposure_15 Melinda Messenger_ok

The specialist aspect is what appealed to Perrin Sledge, currently in his second year on the director’s course. “I had a small independent film and video company of my own in Devon and I was tending to have to write what I was filming myself. Here I knew I would be leaving the writing to someone else and could concentrate on directing.”
Stephanie Hardt, winner of the Arriflex Award for Lighting Camerawork at the Fujis, is one of only two cinematographers in her second year and has found herself in demand working on her fellow stu- dents’ films.
“For me, the fact that it is such a hands-on course is what brought me to Leeds,” says the girl from Cologne. “And one of the valuable things about being here is that it introduces you to a whole network, not just of directors, but focus pullers and gaffers and so on.”
Perrin has been commissioned to make a promo video for the school to be shown to investors and potential sponsors, a marketing initiative by consultant Venetia Barton (an ex-stu- dent, naturally).
The Northern Film School, part of Leeds Metropolitan University, does not receive any state support. “We provide the budgets for our films and raise the money from different sources,” explains Macdonald. “For 10 years we have had a pre-production broadcast contract with Yorkshire Television and for six or seven years we have had support from the European Social Fund.
“Yorkshire Arts helps us too in a different way by commissioning courses which helps us to support the films people make.”
Post-graduate diploma students work on five minute pieces in their first year and then concentrate on a 15-minute film in the final year. They are all written by students on screen- writing courses and the scripts for the longer films compete for commissions as they would in the real world. They are made on film with a crew of about 30 and edited on AVID or Lightworks.
Established professional actors are prepared to lend their services. “The acting profession is wonderful in its support of film schools. There isn’t the money in this part of the
industry to pay them properly so they get something else out of it,” says Macdonald.
“For example, Lynda Bellingham, who appeared in Fish Supper, direct- ed by Liberty Lindley [this year’s Fuji Scholarship Best Director for Wolf In An Arran Sweater] on location at Robin Hood’s Bay, felt she was putting something back.”
The Oxo mum and sitcom veter- an was quoted afterwards as saying, “Working on Fish Supper was a joy. All the crew were so professional and tal- ented. I really enjoyed the shoot.”
Others who have appeared in NFS productions, Rita Tushingham and Alun Armstrong, were happy to give glowing testimonials for Perrin’s promo.
Industry figures like writers Brian Clemens, Andy Hamilton and Adrian Hodges and producer Sandy Lieberson are prepared happily to spend time as visiting lecturers. Apart from the wisdom they impart, they have also become enthusiastic supporters.
Last word then from Get Carter director Mike Hodges, who purrs: “Any school which tries to confront its students with the real world must be doing the right thing. The NFS does just that!” ■ IAN SOUTAR
northern film school
Photos opposite page: Head of production Tony Klinger with the Fujifilm Award for Best Overall Production - Wolf In An Arran Sweater; this page from top: stills from three recent productions; Perrin Sledge; Christopher Clarke, director of Left; Lynda Bellingham and Liberty Lindley on Fish Supper; Stephanie Hardt