Drama hopefuls urged to sign up for John's new short-film making course
John L Matthews, a seasoned filmmaker and founder of Bigger Picture Studios, has launched a new short-film making course in Uppermill aimed at beginners and enthusiasts. The course focuses on practical skills like sound recording and encourages fun and collaboration, with sessions held at the Swan Inn, Dobcross.
Veteran filmmaker John L Matthews has launched an affordable short-film course aimed at Uppermill residents who want to learn filmmaking without committing to lengthy programmes.
The four-week course, which begins Thursday, 27 March at 7pm at the Swan Inn in Dobcross, costs £5 per session with concessions at £3 for students and unemployed attendees. Those who can afford more are invited to pay £10 per session.
“There is a gap for people who want to learn how to make films but not wanting to do a full-blown course,” said Matthews, who has operated Bigger Picture Studios for 20 years and founded the screenwriting school First Ten Pages. “The idea behind this is to just have fun!”
The experienced filmmaker, who has lectured at the University of Bolton and University of Ripon St John in York, emphasised that modern technology makes filmmaking accessible to everyone. “Everyone can be a film maker now. If you own a decent smartphone then you have access to a video camera,” he noted.
Matthews plans to start with sound recording rather than filming techniques. “The thing is most people don’t have a clue what the difference is between amateur work and professional. So, our first session is about sound recording and not film making, because sound is where its at,” he explained.
The course will feature guest speakers with extensive industry experience. “We will have guest speakers who have written films, directed movies, made documentaries, directed actors, filmed stunts, blown up houses, lit sets and bashed cables,” Matthews said.
The filmmaker’s career spans from BBC Radio to working with Roger Corman in Ireland, where he became a Second Unit Director. “I ended up being a Second Unit Director with cinematographer Larry Manly in the main because I had a car! I was catapulted into big-crew production. There were over a hundred of us working on these films in the middle of nowhere in a peat bog in Ireland,” he recalled.
Matthews, whose work reaches 100 million viewers across 65 countries and has earned BAFTA long-listing and Grierson nominations, believes success in filmmaking requires dedication. “The thing is about film making is it’s 90% energy, 90% prep. So if you have a load of energy and enthusiasm and can sit down and work out exactly what you are going to do and how and when, you are almost there,” he said.
Those interested can contact [email protected] marked ‘short film course’.
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