Production Companies and Filmmakers in Cornwall - Awen

awen

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awen is a collective of creative practitioners currently constituting as a co-operative consortium. This business structure will enable members to benefit from shared resources whilst retaining independence as artists, filmmakers or companies.

awen is intended to be an evolving, sustainable resource for local filmmakers; to support and develop collaboration rather than competition; to share contacts, work opportunities, good practice and development opportunities; to help develop a strong grass roots independent filmmaking industry in Cornwall.

awen is a living idea, which will grow and change with it’s membership whilst retaining a solid root in the cooperative principles of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.

awen will produce work which is of social, community and / or educational benefit. Every project is different – some emphasize the participatory experience, some the content, others the product – but all work will be carried out to a high degree of professionalism with consideration for all involved.

The founder members are Barbara Santi, Nick Harpley & Denzil Monk.

Barbara Santi

(filmmaking, production, directing, photography, mentoring, research, editing

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Nick Harpley

(graphic design, film, music, information architecture, motion graphics, coding)

Last year Nick made Jubilee Pool (digital short 2003) and has created graphics for numerous film productions.

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Denzil Monk

(scriptwriting, filmmaking, producing, mentoring, graphic design, project management)

Denzil writes, makes films, shows films, mentors young filmmakers & campaigns for love, peace & anarchy.

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Films by awen

Directed by James Lucas (13yrs)
Produced by Denzil Monk

Funded by Creative Partnerships Cornwall & Plymouth & supported by the Lottery through the Film Council’s First Light initiative.

AIM - to inspire a piece of contemporary slapstick, presented in the style of 1930’s silent comedies, devising a unique story around an issue that affects the pupils involved in the production.

The theme of “loneliness” was used as an anchor for the young people to devise their own drama from, relating to their lives and feelings.

This was realised by turning the Cape Cornwall Yr 9 Trailblazers group into a production team (CREW) over a three - four month period to produce a 5 minute digital film working with a younger group of pupils (Yr 7) as the CAST.

All the major creative and dramatic decisions from story development through script, production to the final edit were made by the young team of film-makers, who were mentored through all aspects of the work by professional film-makers. The young people did all the hands-on work except for the music (which was commissioned for the film) and the final digital effects o­n the finished edit.

“The Freak” exhibition / distribution to date:

• Winner of Best Silent Film at the 2004 First Light Awards where two of the YP were given the opportunity to attend the awards ceremony at the Odeon West End, Leicester Square.
• Broadcast o­n BBC 2 as part of the BBC BLAST programme.
• Short listed for the National Young Film Makers Award at the Leeds Children and Young People's Film Festival.
• Entered into various Film Festivals.
• Included in Cornwall Media Resource Screenings around Cornwall.
• Available for view in the festival Videotheque at the 2004 Celtic Film & TV Festival in Dundee.
• Streamed o­n the Community Media Association showcase website
• Archived at The South West Film & Television Archive.

VHS copies have been distributed to all those involved in the production.

An Mor Daskorr

(Mounts Bay School and Denzil Monk)

A dance film exploring 'Scummow' - what is thrown into the sea and what the sea returns...

Scummow

(Mounts Bay School & Denzil Monk)

A documentary about the Scummow project at Mounts Bay, Humphry Davy & Cape Cornwall schools.

Made by pupils from Mounts Bay School as part of an integrated sculpture, dance, music & film arts project for Golowan Festival 2004 exploring the theme of Scummow.

The film is an awen production made for Golowan Community Arts supported by Creative Partnerships Cornwall & Plymouth.The young filmmakers shot and edited the An Mor Daskorr under guidance from Denzil Monk & Steven Paige, and Scummow under guidance from Denzil Monk & Barbara Santi

Monsterfalls

is from a First Light production made by awen productions with young people from Trelya last Summer, it received it's premiere at The Savoy a few weeks ago with:

The Trio

a Cornish Western made by Barbara Santi with young people from Humphry Davy's Excel group.

Ramble

Denzil Monk's debut short, recently referred to in The Guardian as "a polemic o­n poverty in Cornwall" has been screened at numerous events around Cornwall including the first Cornwall Film Festival (2002), CMR screenings, at presentations to community groups and featured recently as part of an exhibition at the Salt Gallery, Hayle. Also can be seen o­nline at showcase.commedia.org.uk