Janice Kearns, LSFM Senior Lecturer | Sheffield Doc/Fest 2015

cf070a5b3a585c473cf526e2ef70cf96LSFM Senior Lecturer Janice Kearns said: This year’s Sheffield International Doc/Fest (5-10 June 2015) was bigger and better than ever with a mixture of film screenings, presentations, discussions, masterclasses, pitching sessions, live performances, exhibitions, installations and interactive media; as well as opportunities to meet funders and commissioners and chat to filmmakers and other people in the industry. There were several LSFM students and graduates working as volunteers at the festival, which is a great way to get involved.

For me highlights were: a live musical performance of the soundtrack to Michael Nyman’s War Work: 8 songs with film with a screening of the film; a really good pitching session for research funding for an environmentally themed TV series; a session on getting your film funded; some really interesting films including India’s Daughter (dir. Leslee Udwin), The Russian Woodpecker (dir. Chad Gracia ) Star Men (dir. Alison Rose)  and The Look of Silence (dir. Joshua Oppenheimer), a companion piece to the acclaimed The Act of Killing and themed strands featuring films by Albert Maysles and John Akomfrah. Continue reading

Bryony Hooper, Student Volunteer | Sheffield Doc/Fest

LSFM student-mentee and 2015 Graduand Bryony Hooper said: BryonyHooper_groupshot-Sheffield DocFest2015I had the honour of attending Doc/Fest (5th-10th June 2015) for free by volunteering for it. This has to be one of the best media experiences I’ve had. I got to network, see films and enjoy the overall festival.  My job for the week was Cinema Steward, which is basically letting people into the screens, scanning the badges and taking tickets. However I believe there was a number of volunteers that didn’t show up and because I was based in one of the main rooms I was used as a runner as well. I didn’t mind doing this as I got to see more of the festival, however carrying quite heavy chairs across Sheffield isn’t the best way to spend an afternoon. Continue reading

Sophie Gillott, Student Volunteer | Sheffield Doc/Fest 2015

LSFM student-mentee and 2015 Graduand Sophie Gillott said: I had the opportunity to volunteer for Sheffield Doc/Fest (5-10June). I was assigned the role of ‘MeetMarket Volunteer’ after a phone call with Volunteer Co-Ordinator Elliott Thompson who had held a lecture in Semester B of this year.  I booked my hotel super early and ended up having a day and a half spare in Sheffield before my first briefing. I decided to have a wander and came across The Peace Gardens, Sheffield Cathedral and amazing coffee shops and cafes – ‘Tamper Coffee’ and ‘Marmadukes’ both of which you’ve got to go to if you’re ever in Sheffield!

Our first briefing was short, and our Managers and Assistants went through the details on how we conduct the MeetMarket and the plan for the next couple of days.  Continue reading