Documentary Film

Burbage Parish Council Artwork Commission

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The story behind the commission from Burbage Parish Council.

Burbage Parish Council contacted me to ask if I could supply them with canvasses of my photographs from the project Hinckley, Burbage & Bosworth Photographed.

They wanted to brighten up Millennium Hall in the village, a public space used by the community for get togethers, parties and all kinds of meetings. In Meeting Room 1, during the recent renovation, the builders forgot to put the sound proofing tiles in the ceiling, which has caused an auditory echo, making it uncomfortable for people using it.
This commission was for canvasses featuring my artwork around Burbage and big enough to fit sound proofing tiles behind and will help contribute to reducing the echo in the room.

I’ve also made a short film about the commission, touching briefly on how the artwork has been made.

Enjoy…

This commission has inspired me to look more deeply at my archives and I’ll be curating all images that would work as wall art for a new artwork sales and rental part to my business.
I plan to provide unique local photographic artwork of the Leicestershire landscape to all residents and businesses, where you can choose to rent for a low monthly subscription and having the ability to swap the artwork around at 6 and 12 monthly intervals and also with the options to purchase.

This idea will suit any offices and workspaces, cafe’s, bars, pubs and public buildings and also in your own homes. Currently this idea is in it’s infancy, where I’m curating the work that is suitable and designing a route to market. This will launch in 2023.

If this is something you would be interested in, then please by all means subscribe to my emails, which I only do a few times each month but always with new information about services and big things that are happening, like this amazing commission from burbage Parish Council.

Islastones World Record Breaking Day

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A short film documenting the community of Hinckley and Islastone’s smashing the world record.

Isla ‘Smiler’ Tansey would be so proud of her legacy.

This film is dedicated to Katherine, Simon, Harrison and all of the Islastones team.

Creating this film was good for the soul and something that I needed to do to help raise awareness for Islastones and Abbies Army, partly because I feel so close to the cause and it’s a way of me giving back to the community. I also get to practice doing something I love, for filmmaking and telling stories has become my way of life. I’ve made this completely for free. It has cost me very little to produce except for my time, resources and use of my equipment, staying up until the small hours, til 2am, editing and tightening up the timeline but it’s been great fun.

I hope you enjoy the film and please do leave me comments, so I know the hard work I’ve put in to it was worth it. You can leave comments at the bottom of this page or on the social media posts.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog, which will help me reach wider audiences with my work.

If you're interested in having a film like this being produced for your business or organisation, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch so we can share ideas on how to help. Contact me.

Hinckley Bid's 9th Annual Soap Box Derby Film

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The Soap Box Derby

Hinckley BID (Business Improvement District) organise many social events in the small market town centre in Leicestershire every year in what is now becoming an historic tradition.

I was commissioned to create a short film of the whole event and arrived early on the Sunday morning of the race day.  The first thing I encountered was the huge numbers of entrants hanging around in the pits, tinkering around and putting the final touches towards their carts.

The Soap Box Derby is a timed solo race down Castle Street which is a large hill named after a small Mott and Bailey that centered in Hinckley many years ago.  Castle Street is a long downhill gradient and the course is manufactured with a chicane and a ramp with a large stopping and turning area at the bottom of the hill.

Thousands of people come to Hinckley from all over the UK to watch the derby and this film is a short tribute to everyone that takes part in both the racing and the organisation.

The commission was to create this short film with a focus upon the event and the crowds that flock to watch and for the purpose of showcasing the extent the BID go to, to bring people in to the town centre and to show how good for local business are the BID and the events that bring the footfall.

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Type One Diabetes UK Commercial Film

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Diabetes UK Type One Events Film

Earlier on in the Summer of this year, I was commissioned to make a series of documentary photographs for Diabetes UK and their Type One Events which if you ask me, are flippin' amazing!

The nationwide charity Diabetes UK put on a series of events all over the Country for children that live with Type One Diabetes.  At these events, they get them doing lots of fun activities, ran by a large group of volunteers and also teach them how to manage their diabetes through shared learning experiences.

They're all such an inspiration and made me feel so lucky to be able to stand there all day, making the film and photographs.  My feet began to hurt towards the end of the day and my legs wouldn't carry me up the steep hill but I had to carry on and felt awful that I considered resting.  When you see how inspiring these children are, it puts your life back in to perspective.

Anyway, I'm very proud of this work.  This is the film I shot for Diabetes UK...

Type One Events Documentary Photography

Click to enlarge.

This assignment brings my year to a close.  I've been very happy with this year because all the time I've been building my business, I have also been studying Photography & Video at University and recently graduated in June 2017.  So I've only been working in my business full time for 6 months and it's gone very well.  Here's to an even better 2018, and I've already got a few very large scale projects being lined up.

Don't forget, you can receive prompts each time I post a blog by simply subscribing to my posts. You don't get spammed, just en email telling you that I've written another blog, giving you an opportunity to follow a link to come here and read my blogs.

Alternatively, you can contact me here to just ask about my work or commissions etc.

Gorman's Fight Club Documentary Film

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A story about a hardened group of unlicenced fighters from the middle of England coming together for a ringed bout of gloved boxing.

This short documentary discovers a little about Jerry Gorman who runs the fight club and includes talks with some of the tough guys who step in to that ring.

If you're interested in going along to watch some of this fighting live then go to their Facebook page, and get in touch about purchasing some tickets.

The next fight night is on Saturday 4th March at The Athena in Leicester.

I'll be there again this year, with my camera doing the ring side photography.

Have a watch of the film and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Finally, if you need or know any businesses that need professional photographs for their company website or marketing material, please direct towards my website via this link.

Simon Workers Motor

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Here's a short promo video that I put together in my spare time to help save Simon's awesome motor from being to sold to an unloving home.

DMU Student's photo chosen as one of the best pics of the year

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This is a nice accolade to start 2017 with.  If you're not aware, I'm studying a photography & video Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree at De Montfort University while running my photography and video business, which is now in to its successful fifth year.

I entered a national student photography competition last year and missed out on £12K worth of prizes by a Gnat's nut.  However, my work was highlighted as highly commendable.

You can read more about my success with this nationwide competition here... 

This was my entry chosen by the judges as significantly good in their opinion.

 

I also have some even more amazing news to share with you.  My wife Lisa and I had a little too much Paella and Red Wine at one of Lisa's exhibitions last year.  This ended with the most incredible experience of my life.

Emma Leigh Hands was born 31/12/2106 @ 17:29 weighing 4lb 15oz.

My world has just turned upside down and my outlook on life is so very different to that of a couple of weeks ago.  It will be interesting to see if this moment in my life has an impact on my photography style and outlook.

So, 2017 promises to bring around a completely different lifestyle for myself.  I'm sure I'll be working even harder this year.  I'm hoping to get some more work creating films like the last two with R-Tech Performance and Gorman's Fight Club.  I'm happy to make commercial styled films that have a backline story and add a commercial context to be different to the typical advertising style.  I like to create documentary styled films that have high impact and hook the viewers straight away.

I'll also be looking for new clients regarding my still photography side of the business.  I'm hoping to be working with many more (PR) Public Relations Agencies, Commercial and Corporate clients as well as potentially get involved with more charities like SSAFA (The Armed Forces Charity).

What is important to note is that I will be graduating from my degree course and will then be applying myself to my business completely on a full time basis.  This can only mean that my clients are truly going to get the best of me from here onwards.

Happy New Year

If you'd like to get in touch with me, please click on this link.

Sir David Attenborough & The Attenborough Arts Centre Documentary Film

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A team of four people; Paul Hands, Kate Rendell, Lydia Wood and Ανδρέας Πολυκάρπου created and produced a short documentary with Sir David Attenborough on behalf of the Attenborough Arts Centre at Leicester University.

We're sharing this now at an appropriate time with Sir David Attenborough's 90th birthday being on Sunday 8th May, 2016.

Attenborough opened a newly refurbished arts centre on Lancaster Road in Leicester on behalf of his late brother Lord Richard Attenborough who worked so hard during his life for the arts and helped to form Attenborough Arts Centre in his name.

Please click on the image below to watch the short documentary and then follow this link to visit the website for Attenborough Arts Centre.

Gorman's Fight Club Documentary Film

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Following on from my recent book 'Behind The Gloves', This short documentary film is about a Gypsy Traveler, Jerry Gorman and his group of hardened unlicensed boxers, set in the middle of England.

The entire production from start to finish has been created by myself but with verbal guidance from Senior De Montfort University lecturers; Nick Lockett and Laura McGregor.

Please click on the image to play the film and leave a comment for me afterwards (beneath).