Congratulations to Sparks Film School students and the makers of Lost in the Backrooms, which has been selected for inclusion in two film festivals, the Northampton Film Festival and the Little Venice Film Festival.
Congratulations also to the makers of Burnout, which has also been selected for the Northampton Film Festival.
Lost in the Backrooms
Lost in the Backrooms was produced by filmmakers from Studio 2 and 3 (ages 7-11). The film is a mystery thriller film, in which a boy gets lost in the strange backrooms, where madness descends… You can take a look at the film here:
We spoke to Sparks Film School instructor Matt, who supported the young film crew through the production process. Matt told us, ”It is a perfect Sparks film in a lot of ways, because it comes from an idea that feels so specific to kids and to childhood: we tried to draw directly on their experiences of YouTube and internet culture to make a horror film that only they could make.
The film is filled with images and ideas, and some genuinely nail-biting moments. We worked really hard at suspense, fear, and uncertainty, and tried to pull out what’s actually frightening about mundane things like corridors, doors, and stairs, and use that to the advantage of our film.
And there’s awesome cinematography throughout – I remember we had loads of fun with torches and shadows, and there’s lots of evidence of that in the film. So a big warm congrats all round to everyone involved!”
Burnout
Burnout was produced by filmmakers taking part in the Young Filmmakers’ Lab (ages 14-18) at Sparks Film School Balham.
The film has also previously been screened internationally at Afilmteensfest last year. The film explores how young people are affected by burnout and how it can take many forms.
We spoke to student Alice about her experience creating the film ”Creating this short [film] was a special experience and shows that no matter how much you struggle, you are not alone, and however lonely life may seem there are people around you who will find you and help you to shine.
The style and overall development of the production was amazing from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed working with my talented crew and directing this film.
Thank you to Sparks Film School for giving us this opportunity to use our creative voices to communicate with the world about how a couple of young people experience burnout within the school system. As a proud neurodivergent and aspiring director, I felt supported, academically enriched and upheld by this course.’’
Our team also spoke to Sparks Film School consultant Sheena, who worked as a mentor to the group throughout production.
“The concept for Burnout came from a creative freewriting session where each group member worked individually to explore writing prompts like images and subjects.”
The Northampton Film Festival (NFF) showcases the best filmmakers with a connection to Northamptonshire and those from around Great Britain who embody Northants’ unique independent spirit: Northamptonshire is a county of Rebels and Revolutionaries, Misfits and Mavericks, Creatives and Changemakers.“
The Little Venice Film Festival is an annual independent film festival and competition that, along with supporting independent filmmakers, will champion inclusivity by supporting female, LGBTQ+ and Global Majority filmmakers, amplifying underrepresented voices in cinema, removing cost barriers to entry and attendance, and putting on specialised screenings for disabled, deaf and neurodivergent audiences.
Set in the heart of Little Venice, the festival will showcase features, documentaries and shorts encompassing the lives and experiences of marginalised groups alongside established independent filmmakers from the UK and abroad.
Congratulations again to the young filmmakers involved here. Film festivals are always highly selected and fiercely competitive, so it’s always amazing to see the hard work, talent and creativity of our students recognised in this way. It’s an incredible achievement for everyone involved and we’re excited to see your work shared by a wider audience.
