Thanks, Kate!

Picture of Kate Taylor with a guest short filmmaker, Chris Shepherd

Today is the last day of my 8-week Short Film course. Wow! Time flies really fast. Although it was only an introductory programme for someone with no prior knowledge of short film like me, but I really have learned a lot from Kate Taylor. Definitely I will enrol myself for another course by Cornerhouse.

According to its December 07 listings, there are three course in next January - (1) Transnational Trends in Recent European Cinema; (2) Sembene and After: 40 years of Africa Cinema; (3) Introduction to Photography and one more in February i.e. (4) Screening the Self: Autobiography on Film.

Hmmm... it is a tough one but I am deeply interested with the third and fourth one. Although the first two sound quite tempting but I have a feeling that both courses might be too challenging for me. Anyhow, I have some time to make up my mind and I am quite used to last minute changes. Thanks to the extensive experience at my work place!

On separate matter, I am so in the mood for another cinema outing. But with whom, because my coursemates are so into their assessed essays. I know I have two to be submitted before this term ends, but I really, really need a couple of hours break.

Should I bother some of my undergraduate Malaysian friends or I should continue doing what I normally do in Kuala Lumpur, which is go all by myself.

Well... I guess I don't have much choice. Eh! Where I put the December 07 films listing?

p/s: I am so happy to receive reply from SRSI and equally happy to see that Andrew has started to bond with Bree.

Death to Short Film

Gasman, a short film by Lynne Ramsay

How ironic it is, that I've been complaining to a number of people how struggled I was finding time to read the literatures on my long recommended reading lists, without I realised I've enrolled myself into an introduction course on short films!

This 8-week course, which started this evening from 6.30 to 8.30 pm, is led by Kate Taylor, editor of the Northen Film Network and co-director of the London Short Film Festival.

No prior knowledge is required because this course by Cornerhouse is specially designed for beginners like me. Hooray!

After attending the first class, I've a feeling that I'm going to enjoy this course because of two simple reasons.

Firstly, I'm the only Asian and if I'm not mistaken, the only two non-British in my class. At least, it makes me feel like studying in England, not in the United Nations territory or HQ.

Secondly, although the facilitator was not as lively as what I would expected, at least I learn a lot about film and filmmaking. And in this context short film, which from the lecture just now, briefly highlighted the distinct of short films as compared to feature films.

The class started with ice-breaking session and guess who were picked by Kate to start the ball rolling? Yeah, you're right... me. I introduced myself with my very best pronounciation of my own name, which really an effective attention grabber (I think I'm starting to love my unique name! hehehe). I was paused a bit, when were asked what was the last film I watched. My God... simple question but unfortunately it was difficult for me to think straight and after a couple of "hmmm..." I told the class that it was a Malaysian film, a love simple love story movie (Wah, memang satu sahaja filem Malaysia yang berkisarkan cinta!).

What's my expectation from this course? All of the sudden, I answered it like a beauty queen from India and hall of the class nodded. I'm not sure whether they're impressed/satisfied of my answer or my answer straight away confirmed how naive (or stupid) I am.

During that two-hour class, we're shown of two award-winning short films - I forgot the title of the first film, but I think it's About A Girl and Gasman. I love the latter because it has less dialogue, it shows a briliant use of colours (Kate looked impressed when I highlighted this point) and not too dramatic (or to Mus maybe no climax). It is a story of a little girl who just found out that her father has another family and how she tries to deal with her jealousy.

About A Girl by Brian Percival