We were fortunate enough to have Rhidian Davis (cultural programme manager) and Dick Fiddy (comedy screenwriter) to offer us an overview of comedy genres throughout history and in our current climate. We looked through examples of comedy ranging from slapstick to screwball to alternative in order to gain an understanding of the diversity of the genre. Dick Fiddy commented on the hybrid nature of comedy in recent years, revealing that stand alone comedies have often been box office failures. However, films like ‘Game Night’ and ‘Girl’s Trip’ have been outliers in this trend, as they’ve taken a new spin to a classic comedy.
The second part of our evening consisted of the previous years alumni panel. Cinematographer Grace Talbot and director Alice Akturk came to show us their FutureFilm film’s from last year’s thriller genre. We discussed their initial impressions of the course, their processes and where they have come as a result of the course. The films shown were ‘A Cry for Sore Eyes’ and ‘Where Loyalties Lie’, both of which had been nominated for various short films festivals. I was impressed by the high stand of the films, the clarity of narrative and the professionalism of the crews.
Holly McCandless-Desmond - NCFE Qualification 