Case Study: From Film Club to Film Festival – Fleet Film Student Festival

Farnborough Sixth Form College teams up with members of BFI FAN and the award winning film society Fleet Film to create Fleet Film Student Festival.

Film Hubs

Impact Areas

Focus Areas

Summary

WHAT HAPPENED -
After initial introductions by Into Film, Hampshire based film society Fleet Film developed a relationship with the Film Studies department at Farnborough Sixth Form, working with student representatives on the best ways to work together. Initially, students volunteered at Fleet Film screenings which then developed into the students producing ‘Fleet Film Student Festival' - a festival showcasing the best of the students' work. Fleet Film and the college worked closely together to develop the format of the festival, which included guest speakers, screenings of professional short films and the screening of eight student films. Initially 20 films were sent to the Fleet Film selection team who had the unenviable task of shortlisting to 8. However, they were so impressed by the quality on display that they ended up selecting 11 final films, 10 of which were solo projects with running times of 4/5 minutes and a final 10-minute group project. The evening itself was a huge success and was attended by over 130 people, including the students' friends and family.

WHY THIS MATTERS -
Fleet Film Student Festival was a great way for the students to share their excellent films with an audience of cinephiles. It built the students confidence and many of the students remarked afterwards on their pride at seeing their own film on a big screen. Films are made to engage, move and evoke a response - not just to pass an exam - and the night really represented that.

Project aims

  • To build relationships between Fleet Film and Farnborough College

  • To develop a younger audience at Fleet Film

  • To give the students a platform t showcase their work

Headlines

  • After screening at The fleet Film Student Festival, two of the students films - Squircle and Castillo - will screen at two further festivals - Encounters Film Festival in Bristol and Two Short Nights Festival in Exeter.

Films

The Unexpected Love (Charlotte), The Sun in the Day (Ewelinka), Humanity (Ethan), Remember (Dominic), Paper Aeroplane (Ellen), Castillo (Eleanor), Daphne (Nell), The Last Napkin (Tim) The Hit? (Max), Squircle (Rouge), Watching the Detectives (Ellis, Kieran, Lewis, Callum, Lucy & Jack)

Key partnerships

BFI FAN, Into Film, Fleet Film, Farnborough Sixth Form College

Awareness / Attitudes

The films themes and stories were inspired by the young people’s own experiences and were reflective of issues that are pertinent to them.

Knowledge & Experience

It was a great way for the students to share their excellent films with an audience of cinephiles and many of the students remarked afterwards on their pride at seeing their own film on a big screen. There was also a great talk by two guest speakers, one of which was the director of short film Our Kind of Love whic was also screened on the night – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7344281/

Economy

This collaboration will hopefully increase Fleet Films audience numbers with a younger audience.