Students' Annual Filmmaking Project Continues to Raise the Bar

Braintree College Media and Performing Arts students' largest filmmaking project has raised the bar yet again this year by achieving new standards in industry quality production.

The project, which is now in its eighth successful year, includes a week of filming on location, a screening of students' films at Cineworld Braintree and the celebration of students' achievements at the 'Pammie' Awards.

In October 2008 forty BTEC National Diploma Television and Film students and BTEC National Diploma Performing Arts students spent five days filming at the St Gabriel's Conference Centre and Holy Cross House near Bungay in Suffolk where they produced short films covering a variety of genres ranging from historical costume drama, comedy and drama.

Media lecturer Rachel Bell said: "At St Gabriel's students experienced a practical hands-on approach to filmmaking and acting, and were inspired to create some excellent work. They were extremely professional and rose to the challenge of filming on location. After the editing process we saw some stunning and moving films that were of industry standard and worthy of submission to film festivals."

In May 2009 the students saw their films on the cinema screen for the first times during a special screening of their work for invited guests at Cineworld Braintree. Media lecturer Mark Cowell said: "The screening featured a series of eight minute films scripted, produced and edited by the students who worked as six individual production companies; it was the culmination of a project that constitutes a major part of their course and gives them are real feel for the processes involved in professional film production."

The 'Pammie' (Performing Arts and Media) Awards, which took place at Braintree College in July 2009, saw the presentation of 28 awards in recognition of the students' individual and group achievements, with categories such as camerawork, sound, lighting directing, production, acting and best film.

Media student Chris McMahon directed Orange Olive Productions' film 'The Fields' which received nine Pammie awards including best script, best publicist, best cinematography, best actor, best actress and best film. Chris, 20, from Braintree, said: "Filming at St Gabriel's was a fantastic experience. There was a lot of pre-production work like writing the script and planning the scenes, and to see everything come to life during the filming was really rewarding. I enjoyed the responsibility of directing and was pleased the Performing Arts students were equally committed in their professional approach to the acting. I am very pleased with the finished film and would definitely do it all again!" Chris is leaving Braintree College this summer with a BTEC National Diploma in Media and a Level 3 Motor Vehicle qualification and he is planning to go on to university to study for a degree in Film Studies.

For a full list of Pammie Award winners please click below:

Pammie Award Winners 2009.pdf (23.59 KB)