BUFF Enterprises

(Actress Kyla Frye alongside actor boyfriend Marcus Onilude)

The much maligned profile of Black British actresses has been well documented on this blog over the past 18 months and most recently in the London Evening Standard with the forthcoming feel-good flick ‘Fast Girls’ and the supposed significance of Leonora Crichlow playing the lead role in a British film. On such matters is primarily where Twitter comes into its own as a live news editor run by the public. It doesn’t take long before feedback is immediate and corrected (many thanks to @ECForde, film critic for @colourfulradio) for his contribution in the debate at the time. Those of you who joined in via Facebook @buffenterprises thanks you also. Since then, BUFF has gotten into the Twitter spirit by launching its own hashtags – the latest one being #FFFF which stands for Fascinating Friday Film Facts. The 1^st tweet in this feed related to @NoelClarke and the fact that in 2008 Adulthood was released in June as was Doghouse (in 2009) and 4321 (in 2010). In June 2012, Noel will feature in 3 films – the aforementioned Fast Girls, Storage 24 & What If. The 2^nd tweet in this feed relates to this month’s BUFF blog which – for the first time in its history – is being published on a Friday c/o #FryesFridays. The woman behind FryesFridays just happens to be an actress in her own right who, like many others, are self-publishing their experiences as a blog in their chosen profession – and why not! (Apparently that wasn’t the catchphrase of that other film critic Barry Norman).

Anyway get ready to read this month’s edition of the BUFF Blog – guest written by @kylafrye (and don’t forget to FF @kylafrye @buffenterprises plus any other twitter handles that you can handle – literally… )

Greetings One & All…

Welcome to this special British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) edition of Frye’s Fridays! I am honoured to have been asked by the founder of BUFF, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, to write a blog entry for the website. Thank you, Emmanuel, for believing in me and allowing me to share my thoughts with fellow BUFF supporters.

For those of you who may not have heard of me, my name is Kyla Frye, I am 24 years old and I am primarily a film actress who has also worked in TV and on stage. I have worked with the likes of Noel Clarke, Ashley Walters and Aml Ameen and have been fortunate enough to be nominated for Best Actress twice – Black Filmmaker Magazine (BFM) in 2008 and Black Entertainment Film Fashion TV and Arts (BEFFTA) in 2011. Last year, I also won the Black Youth Achievement (BYA) Award, for my contribution to the Arts.

I would say I am a born performer as ever since I was a toddler, I would sing, dance and act out scenes from my favourite Disney movies. I studied drama throughout school, college and university whilst also attending a variety of theatre groups including, most notably, the youth theatre group at Theatre Royal Stratford East. I joined the Identity Drama School at the age of 17 and it was here where my professional acting career began and I started to audition for shows like the BBC’s Casualty and ITV’s The Bill before eventually being cast in the BBC Three drama, West 10 LDN. Since then, I have done a number of short films, including the award-winning Zion and also Black British feature, The Naked Poet.

Since the launch of my website, www.kylafrye.com in April last year, I have been the author of Frye’s Fridays, where I blog about my experience of being a Black British actress and I have to admit, I have found it somewhat therapeutic. The idea of getting your innermost thoughts and feelings down on paper is not a new thing however, thanks to social networking, sharing these experiences with the world is still relatively new & rising. The most rewarding thing I have found about blogging is that it enables others who feel and think like I do to share their experiences with me… It’s comforting to know I am not alone!

Francis Ford Coppola once said, ‘I don’t think there’s any artist of any value who doesn’t doubt what they’re doing’, and I haven’t found that to be any truer than where I seem to find myself at this moment in my career. I KNOW, without a shadow of a doubt, that acting is what I do best. What is more, I KNOW that my pursuit of a career and success in acting is my destiny… I KNOW that – but that doesn’t stop the “army of enemies” in my mind, trampling over that knowledge and replacing it with doubt, worry and fear.

It’s natural at times to feel doubt, especially when working in this industry. You are constantly under scrutiny and being picked apart by people who believe they can sum you up in the space of three minutes in what can quite often be an awkward situation. Furthermore, the constant rejections are very difficult to continually rise from. The only thing that keeps me (and I suppose, many other artists going), is the knowledge that this is the right path laid out for us by the ‘Big Man’ upstairs and that one day, He will reward us for all our efforts.

Whilst watching a recent episode of The Graham Norton Show, I witnessed an interview with the Avengers star, Mark Ruffalo (i.e. Hulk) who explained that it “took years to become an overnight sensation…” and that he had roughly 600 auditions before his big break. In that moment, I tried to calculate the amount of auditions I have had but I couldn’t. The answer was simply, “countless”. Did Mark’s story inspire me? No, because it comes with the territory but it sure did console me.

I always knew (as most people do) that trying to become a global star is one of the hardest things you could ever embark upon. Never one to shy away from a challenge, I have to remind myself that patience is key! Being in this acting game is like being in a marathon… you just keep chugging away until you get to the end. Through all the stitches, breathlessness, cramps and blistered feet, you WILL get to the finish line & bask in the glory of your achievements. However, I wasn’t much of a long distance runner – I am a sprinter and like a kid at Christmas – I literally just can’t wait!

How do you tell your heart to settle down and chill out when all it wants to do is jump out of your chest and onto a film set or onto the stage? I have NO idea and that, I have to say, is my biggest problem. I love acting… I love becoming someone completely different to myself and telling their story in a way they couldn’t do themselves. Acting is my air and all I want to do is breathe! So what do I do whilst waiting and working towards my “lucky break”? They say that luck is opportunity meeting preparation so I choose to focus on being in a constant state of readiness and I do my best to wear my skin basked in resilience. Not only that, but I feel that I’m in a position now where I can finally take ownership of my craft. From my years of experience and also, the inspiration I receive from my peers, I have been encouraged to write and direct my own work. The whole idea of hanging around, waiting and hoping that someone will cast you in a project is something that I can no longer stomach, so I’ve decided to be the change that I want to see.

I’m tired of the same old, stereotypical, negative and destructive stories depicting an unrealistic and unrepresented look at the Black British experience. It is time for those in charge of new writing and production at the big movie companies and television networks to wake up and the only way this can happen is if the work that I and my peers create, ring a very loud alarm in their heads!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to go out of my way to be famous for famous sake. Fame doesn’t appeal to me, however I do want to reach out to millions and be successful. Success is what drives me and through my own success, I want to encourage others to live out their own success stories. I’ve always said that my motivation is to inspire a generation and earlier this month, I became a BYA (Black Youth Achievement) ambassador which enables me to speak to young people up and down the country, share my story and hopefully, inspire them to turn their dreams into a reality. I believe there is a star in each and every one of us and it is our duty to let our own light shine bright!

So what is next in store for me? Well, the great thing about being an actor is that you never know what’s next. You trust and hope that your agent is working as hard as they can to get you seen by the right people. You also trust and hope that when you do get an audition, the casting directors et al. see and hear exactly what you do when you go through the scene and that is greatness!

At the moment, I’m in rehearsals for two Writer’s Avenue events; the first being the Writer’s Avenue Films Launch on Tuesday the 29^th of May and following that, in “6 Degrees” on Saturday the 23^rd of June, both at Soho Theatre. Other than that, who knows what the good Lord has in store for me? He knows my heart and I trust in Him to fulfil my heart’s desires. In the meantime, I will continue to work hard on my craft, give the best of me in every situation handed to me and leave the rest up to Him.

Thank you all for taking the time out to read this and to everyone who has continually shown me their love and support- It has not gone unnoticed and I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know!

Wishing you all nothing but love & blessings…

Kx

Buff Enterprises is the home of urban film coverage in the UK – keep up to date online at www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk BUFF 2012 comes to London in October

The UK Hip-Hop group N-Dubz will headline the British Urban Film Festival’s broadcast coverage on Community Channel in April. The four-time MOBO winners, who got together as teenagers, are the subject of a documentary, which followed the band when they first started out in their career over a decade ago.

‘Before they were Dubz’, directed by film journalist Jessie Grace Mellor, is the centrepiece of the “BUFF Presents…” strand premiering on Community Channel on Saturday April 21, which also includes ‘The Holiday’, directed by Ida Akesson, ‘Special Delivery’, directed by Geoff Searle and starring Kamara Bacchus and Aml Ameen, who also directs ‘Drink, Drugs & KFC’, which completes the line-up.

“BUFF Presents…” will debut on Community Channel in its’ peak-time weekend schedule. The 4 featured films were previously screened at the British Urban Film Festival (also known by the acronym BUFF), now in its’ 7th year and a regular autumn fixture on the London arts scene.

“BUFF Presents…”is being brought to *Community Channel by Jasmine Dotiwala, executive producer and Alex Kann, editor of TV & Online at Community Channel.

“BUFF Presents…” starts on Saturday April 21 at 9.00pm (repeated Sunday April 22).

*Sky channel 539/Virgin Media 233

At the time of publication, it was recently announced that ifeatures2, Britain’s low-budget, feature film-making initiative, has just reopened for submissions. Creative England, the BFI Film Fund and BBC Films are joining forces to support the development and production of three full-length features, all to be set within the English regions.

Each film will be produced on a budget of £350,000 and the BBC is also pre-buying UK Free TV rights to the completed films. It’s open to writer, director and producer teams who can already demonstrate a strong body of work.

There are many from the British Urban Film Fraternity to whom this would apply to. One of them is Ida Akesson who is this month’s guest writer of the BUFF Blog. When the question is asked (as it invariably is) about ‘What is British Urban?’ Ida doesn’t just tick the box, she stamps all over it. Ida has been a friend of the festival for many years and BUFF has been both fortunate and delighted to have witnessed a real talent at work. The last 12 months in particular has seen Ida win a Film London award (following in the footsteps of other BUFF filmmakers who’ve won the same award including Mawaan Rizwan & Rohan Green); she also had 2 of her short films showcased online and in person at the British Urban Film Festival and starting on April 21, she completes the set by going on-air with ‘The Holiday’, which has been selected by BUFF’s newest broadcast partner The Community Channel as part of the #buffpresents strand marking the festival’s return to TV for the first time in 5 years (watch the promo here – http://www.blottr.com/london/breaking-news/british-urban-film-festival-unveils-tv-idents).

Ida also happened to correctly forecast the winners of all this year’s main Oscar categories (best actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, best picture) as part of a Shooting People competition – it seems she can do no wrong.  Remember the name – Ida Akesson… here’s her blog.

They say it’s not the most talented people who succeed at what they do, but those who are the most focused. It’s certainly true that to get things done as an up and coming filmmaker you need to be focused – and passionate – but you do need some talent too, and a bit of luck. Support from true champions of filmmakers such as the ever energetic BUFF is also helpful, as getting the film made is only half the battle – once you’ve broken your back getting the film made you need all the help and luck you can get in getting it seen by as many people as possible. And that’s before you start all over again and make another one. My short film ‘The Holiday’ screened to a very healthy-sized audience at BUFF 2011, and thanks to BUFF it will also soon screen on the Community Channel. Overall it’s screened at many festivals and this is a great reward as I had to be quite determined to get the film made in the first place. I wrote the film whilst studying for an MA in Screenwriting at LCC (London College of Communication) and knew that I also wanted to direct it – I had quite a set idea of how I wanted the tone and feel of the film to be. I knew that it would cost more money than I had to make the film, so once I had graduated I applied for some public funding at a grass roots filmmaking scheme. I was told that the script was good but seeing that I didn’t have a sensible piece of drama on my showreel – mainly stuff I had done in art school – I could not be trusted with any funding. Fair enough really, and not enough to deter me in any way whatsoever. Therefore, to be able to get a decent piece of narrative film on my showreel, I sat down and wrote the cheapest possible script I could come up with, my self financed 2009 comedy ‘Door to Door’, which screened online as part of BUFF 2010 (go to www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk and watch it on the videowall).

There is so much to learn in filmmaking, so many parts of the process, and had I not made Door to Door first, ‘The Holiday’ wouldn’t have been the film it is – surely the case for any other director – and in this case a very good thing.

The plan was to make Door to Door for as little money as possible – a figure that quickly doubled even though it was made on love and favours. As my first proper narrative film it has its flaws but I’m still fond of it, and in the end it found its audience. It won Best Short Fiction Award at the Festival du Film Pan African 2010 and got licensed to Canal+ in France and the African Territories for a year, a great feat for a film shot on DV Cam on my own doorway. Armed with a narrative piece of fiction on my showreel I again applied for some public funding to make The Holiday, and this time I had better luck. The Eastern Edge Film Fund – one of Film London’s Borough Film Funds – supported the project with funds but also with workshops and guidance, and we completed the film in 2010. It’s different making a film within a structure where you have received funding and I quickly learned what a collaborative process filmmaking is.

Whereas with Door to Door I had written a script that I was directing and financing and nobody really questioned any of my decisions, making The Holiday was a different kettle of fish. Throughout the development period I was getting questions and feedback not only from my two producers, who were great and very involved, but also a professional script editor and the executive producer. I remember being pulled up on things in the script as late as a week before shooting – which felt like a hassle at the time – but it meant that we ended up shooting some extra stuff that made its way into the final cut and the film is better for it. My editor also refused to read the script and instead just had me tell her the story of the film over the phone before assembling a first rough cut – interesting for someone like me who’s studied screenwriting and been picking over words for years. But I guess that old cliché that you picture the film three times – in the script, on camera and in the edit suite – really is true, and this is also a good thing. Once you’ve shot the film it’s better to throw the script away and look at the footage you’ve got instead, at least for a short film. And then of course, because you’re making the film within a public funding structure, at every stage of the editing process you get questions and feedback from an entire panel of people, keeping you on your toes as you go along. You also obviously have a rigid deadline since you’ve signed a contract saying that you will deliver the film at a particular date, and this is not something I would ever take lightly. What matters the most of course is quality of the final film but getting on in this industry is also all about building successful working relationships with people so if I have promised to get something done by a particular date I will bloody well do my best to deliver. Once The Holiday was out there and playing at festivals I was lucky enough to get to make another publicly funded film, ‘Moments’. As they say, every director’s new film is a reaction to his or her last one and in this case that was certainly true. I guess after all the years of screenwriting and quibbling over character arcs I just wanted to make something short and beautiful. It was, again, the Eastern Edge Film Fund who supported Moments and even though I don’t think they were entirely convinced at first, perhaps due to the slight experimental nature of the film, I’m sure it was our previous successful collaboration that finally persuaded them. And a good thing that was too as Moments went on to win the Jury Prize at Film London’s Best of Boroughs 2011. Amazing – and this wouldn’t have been possible if the film had been self funded. Looking at the difference between making a publicly funded short, as opposed to a self funded one, I think the most important factor is that it’s good training for when you eventually – hopefully – get to make a feature. As a feature is so much more expensive to make I imagine the process is likely to become much more business-like than a short film you make for the bare minimum.

I know that if I invested 100 grand or a million in a film I would want to know that the filmmakers knew what they were doing – really – and would be able to work to deadlines and be willing to discuss feedback etc. Unless you happen to be rolling in money you’re going to have to – metaphorically – get into bed with somebody to get your idea made, whether that is a public funding body or someone else willing to invest in your project. I’ve only made a handful of very low budget short films but I do know that making a really great film is difficult – and that’s the aim, isn’t it? – to make a really great film. I see films all the time that are good or pretty good but by no means great. So when you come to shoot your own film, maybe it’s not just about someone giving you the money to do it, maybe it’s also about being able to collaborate with other people within the industry who are very good at what they do and can help make your film better? Choosing between trying to go the publicly funded route or the ‘striking out on your own’ route, I think you have to look at each project to decide what suits it best. As I have churned out five shorts in three years, two of them funded with strict deadlines etc, and two commissioned documentaries, one for BFM and one for Tate Gallery, I now fancy a breather and have started working on a project all on my own. Like I said before: every new film is a reaction to the last one and as I have been either working to a brief or having had to pitch and summarize the film at every stage of the process, I’ve now embarked on a different kind of project that needs very little money and resources and can be shot over a much longer period of time. It’s nice starting a project and having no idea where it’s going. I would imagine that once I’ve shot enough material and put together a cut I’ll again come knocking for feedback and funds to finish the project off, whether that’s from a funding body or anyone else who might be interested.

There is no best way to make a film, you just have to try and be flexible in what’s available to you and to be as critical about your work as possible, to always challenge yourself and try to make the best film possible. And occasionally keep your fingers crossed.

‘The Holiday’ screens as part of “BUFF Presents…” starting on Saturday April 21 at 9.00pm (Sky Channel 539 & Virgin Media 233). The Community Channel is also available on Freeview and BT Vision – check for availability.

In a little over 4 months from now, this year’s British Urban Film Festival line-up will be decided. Another year consuming, digesting and deliberating on hours of output, private screenings and submissions will come to a head and the UK’s buffest films (otherwise known as the sweet 16) will be offered to the public for due consideration at BUFF 2012, the 7^th such occasion, with each festival seemingly surpassing itself in profile and prestige year on year. And so it goes without saying that the responsibility bestowed on those who have the fortunate (as opposed to arduous) task of watching these films as they come in, is one that has never been taken lightly and in turn will present a unique window of opportunity for the chosen few filmmakers to bask in the spotlight on a par with their acting contemporaries.

There are of course exceptions to this rule, one of them being the actor and now fully fledged director Aml Ameen who is twice striking whilst the iron is hot with both his acting and his filmmaking taking centrestage in 2012. Another exception is Adam Deacon who, earlier this month followed in the footsteps of another exception (Noel Clarke) in winning the public vote and bagging himself a BAFTA in the process. Co-incidence or calculated strategy? 

Whatever one thinks, there is nothing to say that actors can’t be directors as well as producers and writers. Take the issue of BUFF to one side, there are in fact countless British actors who have become directors – award-winning directors in their own right. Across the pond and indeed around the world, to have a director’s CV alongside an acting CV is a seemingly must have accessory. And not only does it apply to actors as we will soon see with the release of Ben Drew’s ‘Ill Manors’, later this year.

It was in last month’s blog where Aml Ameen took the view that it was only a matter of time before street films (by which we mean the likes of ‘Anuvahood’) were nothing more than carcasses left bare with no life left in them. Are we to assume that Adam Deacon’s triumph signals more of the same – ‘riding the wave’ as it were, or maybe perhaps ‘a changing of the guard’, a view shared by Aml and many considerable others including BUFF who celebrate diversity in its’ truest form; culturally, artistically, commercially – ultimately it is in the eye of the beholder. 

Writing exclusively for BUFF, read the thoughts now (and indeed re-post them and retweet them) of Aml Ameen in the final part of his blog and the state of the UK film industry as he sees it…

Success of peers (Actors turned filmmakers)

I’m very proud of my peers; filmmakers and actors alike that have been part of a pioneering generation. I believe that for all the criticism I’ve made, there’s a movement happening. I always liken what many of us are experiencing to how Hollywood was back in the 70′s regarding filmmaking; when people like Martin Scorsese began changing the status quo with films like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, and Francis Ford Coppolla with the Godfather series. It goes without saying that our generation of filmmakers may not have yet reached the classic heights of these films (or maybe in some ways we have). That said, I refer more to the revolutionary approach to filmmaking in the early 70′s; the end of relying on the studio system; filmmakers getting out and making films with little or no budget which I believe is happening right now in the UK; actors are writing their own scripts, picking up cameras, and making an impact.

My hope is that UK urban filmmakers, influential actors and actresses alike, will find time to collaborate more, creating commercial success on a par with our UK Urban music artists. My hope also is that we find a way to make UK urban films, a more diverse and ultimately lucrative industry, making money and sustaining art. My hope is that we can have more films like ‘Attack The Block’ that cross over into the international market, and make young stars out of our actors and filmmakers. And much like Idris Elba, actors that see success abroad (and therefore) find themselves a commodity to British projects, come home and star in projects they deem worthy of their talents. This in turn broadens the market in recognising the global appeal of British actors and stars.

The movie star system works best (for the most part) in the American market. Our young industry needs to model itself on that and create young stars (i.e. our own Will Smiths, Denzel Washingtons, Quentin Tarantinos, Al Pacinos & Halle Berrys). The calibre of these names gets audiences excited and rushing to the movie theatres. It is happening here in the UK I’m happy to say, let’s just keep pushing more.

My Hollywood Experience (Opportunity and reality check)

For any actor who’s coming over to the states, an important thing to know, is that you’re pretty much starting again, unless you have the luck of having a film which is or has played internationally and having what they call ‘heat’ behind you.

You’re relying on your actual skills as an actor to get you ahead, and a good demo reel together with the work you’ve done at home in the UK serving as experience, and that’s pretty much it. There are a lot of us out here, some actors you’re already aware of, some of whom you’ll be aware of soon, and others that pass themselves off as working actors. The benefit to me of having a career in acting over here, is that you can make a good living, and build a career. Have a trajectory of where you wanna go in this business, and the kind of actor you hope to mould yourself into, and with a great team behind you, take the steps to make it a reality. The competition is bigger, more of your ‘type’ are in the waiting room, but there are many more job opportunities. America is the major league of entertainment and that has its’ benefits. People often ask me, what’s the difference between working on a set like ‘The Bill’ to ‘Harry’s Law’ and the honest answer is a set is a set, trailer maybe be bigger, the catering better, and the stars are more famous (i.e. Kathy Bates), but if you know how to navigate yourself on a set in the UK, it will be very much similar here in America. I’ve also found that much like at home, American actors, also have their complaints when it comes to the quality of representation, and though intellectually I understand their argument, coming from the UK film industry, I see things from a far more optimistic point of view (Look out for more ‘Harry’s Law’, ‘Red Tails’, and my role as a detective with Steven Moyer in slasher-thriller ‘Evidence’).

AmeenDream Entertainment

My production company was formed as a remedy to my frustrations, as my own roll of the dice. And much like my peers, I have stories I wanna tell and characters that I’d love to play. So far, AmeenDream Entertainment has produced five short films, two music videos, and have four feature films on the desk, ready to be made.

All the shorts have been financed by me and the help of a few friends at different times. The challenges I’ve been met with (mainly in producing them) very much go against the grain in terms of what is deemed popular at the moment. My ideas are fresh, innovative, and a leap away from what UK urban films have been doing. Much like anything that’s different, it will take much effort and time, “life doesn’t get easier, we get stronger”. I have used my shorts, especially ‘Drinks Drugs and KFC’, as a way to demonstrate that with no money, the potential is there for diverse storytelling and good films.

‘12 The Damaged Race’ is my latest short film, shot over two days last Christmas, with guest appearances from Red Madrell, (Kidulthood), Femi Oyeniran (Kidulthood), John Bowler (PC Roger Valentine from ‘The Bill’) and Nabil Elouahabi (Eastenders). It’s a social commentary based thriller about the eventful year that was 2011 in London, told through the eyes of HERO, the main character. Its’ got a 2012 Olympic style feel to the film, with themes like the London riots, the student riots, and my thoughts on the UK urban film industry all told in an abstract way.

The teaser has recently been released (WATCH HERE: http://youtu.be/rtlVbtfFOak)

We’re entering the film into many festivals, and we will also have a screening at The AmeenDream Entertainment night I intend to do in London later this year.

In closing, I believe that there are a lot of great things ahead for this generation. I think that we’re using our disgruntled energy as a source of inspiration for creativity, and we’re seeing international success with the knock-on effect spreading to our peers. The next steps, I believe, involve making more commercially viable films -  playing to a global market with varied subject matters; diversity on and off screen for the many Black British actors in the UK, and more trans-atlantic careers. 

We’re in a good place; we just need to keep pushing, challenging and take action to keep evolving as UK artists (writers, directors, actors) – we need the financial support of the mainstream, but that’s a whole other debate.

UNTIL NEXT TIME :  )

Thanks to BUFF and Emmanuel for giving me a voice. I”d like to hear from more professional filmmakers and actors, and implore them to get involved. 

Aml Ameen

Follow me on Twitter @amlameen

Facebook Fan page search “Aml Ameen”

www.ameendreamenetertainment.com

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HYPERLINK “http://www.spotlight.com/261912722109″ \t “_blank” www.spotlight.com/261912722109 (Showreel) 

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www.amlameen.com

www.spotlight.com/261912722109 (Showreel)

The first month of Olympic year in London has not failed to disappoint in terms of celebrating the best of British. At the time of publication of this blog came news that the network television premiere of ‘Sus’ – co-produced by and starring Clint Dyer attracted 600,000 viewers on BBC 1, dominating all TV viewing at the time of broadcast (which at 11.15pm is quite impressive). Previous BUFF blogs and the festival in general have championed the likes of films like ‘Sus’ and will continue to do so. For everyone involved in its success to date, there is satisfaction to be had from a UK independent film being appreciated by the mainstream. News of the film’s success came in the same week that the coalition government commissioned a panel to draw up proposals to increase audience choice and grow the demand for British films in the UK. The panel, chaired by former Culture Secretary Lord Chris Smith commented on how British film is currently going through a golden period: “A run of British-made and British-based movies has been taking audiences around the world by storm. But we cannot be complacent.” Complacency is certainly not a trait you can lay at the door of this month’s guest blogger who, although is known to his peers and fans as an actor, is also immersing himself as a writer, producer, director and founder of his own acting school. In the first of a two-parter, Aml Ameen writes exclusively for the BUFF blog and gives us a rare insight into his own take on UK film & broadcast media and what he sees as the way forward. Part 2 will be published next month…

While in London, home for the holidays, and fresh off shooting my recent AmeenDream short film “12″ The damaged race, (which is a short film about London in 2011), I attended a screening of The Naked Poet. This is a feature film, funded, starring, written and directed by a good friend of mine Jason Barrett. The screening was a success, and brought about much debate surrounding British films from an urban perspective; the stories being told; the way in which companies that are making urban films are debasing themselves for commercial success whilst lacking diverse creative story telling – in essence the state of this ever growing UK urban film industry. Let me be clear – when I say urban, I not only mean BLACK, but also the YOUTH of the UK which has become an amalgamation of so many cultures, and races, potentially a very multifaceted NEW generation of young people.

After the screening, as everyone was heading to the bar to indulge in free cocktail (me included), I ran into BUFF founder Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, a graceful welcoming guy I had previously met several years back at an event, but never having held a full conversation. Early on last year while in the States, Emmanuel had gotten in contact with me, regarding two AmeenDream Entertainment short films that he’d heard of from my production company launch in April. “Special Delivery” a silent film, and the online favourite DRINKS DRUGS AND KFC (HYPERLINK “http://vimeo.com/23434756″ \t “_blank” http://vimeo.com/23434756) written and directed by me. 

Emmanuel screened both these shorts at the BUFF film festival. While in the halls we caught up on the film ‘The Naked Poet’, on my success across the pond, on my film making here in the UK, and then he posed the question to me, why did I not discuss my thoughts during the Q&A session? Why did I not share my opinion on why British actors are on an exodus to the states? Why are people not supporting different types of films from an urban perspective? What do I make of my peers in the UK essentially picking up a camera in frustration and creating work for themselves? “I’m sure people would be interested in hearing your opinion”…

I smiled at this man, with respect, and responded “I prefer to be active and be the change I personally wanna see” (sound corny?) perhaps, but very true for me. I hate fucking complaining! Especially when I’ve seen a fair amount of success from the UK film industry; especially when I believe in my generation who are making world wide moves, and especially when I’m aware that I’m in the company of people where my opinion is valued. Emmanuel then smiled, and I could tell the cogs were working rapidly, as he then asked “Would you consider writing a blog for BUFF sharing you experiences and opinions?”…

(Smiles) So this is my attempt to do so, though I have written a blog before which I very much enjoyed. “AmeenDream Journey”, which was about my experience in the States before signing on to “Harry’s Law”, was very much to inspire any of the up and coming artists out in the UK. I suppose this blog will be about my opinions (which I very rarely share) on UK film; I’ll discuss briefly why I left for the States and why I’ve turned down a few notable UK projects; Why I began AmeenDream Entertainment; The success of my peers in the UK independent film world and what I’m sure will be the controversial short film “12″ when it is released.

Frustrations: (The future is Trans-Atlantic Business)

Being a Hollywood actor has always been the dream of mine from an early age. Growing up in the UK, there were very few “stars” that I could look up to, that looked like me from my home town. I would run to my mother upset, saying how was I going to make it as an actor speaking with a British accent. Thank God for Adrian Lester in the film Primary Colors, who gave me my first bit of hope. Fast forward 15 years and there are many people pioneering a generation of what is becoming known as British American Actors, (British actors that primarily work in the US), of all races. From a black perspective it’s getting better and people are making waves to allow future generations an easier leap over. The future to me is a trans-Atlantic career, and British actors having more of a presence as their British selves in America.

WHY is there a mass exodus to the U.S. is the question? To me, the quality of roles and variation of characters that are available for black British actors (particularly young black British) in Britain, in terms of collective narrative story telling, is nothing short of abysmal. To be blunt, the characterization of youth stories are damaging, limiting and very telling of the perception of the youth in our country. I have encountered a few opportunities to come home, and work (most of which I’d love to do) however the roles have either been revamped versions of characters I’ve already played or just degrading. I was a part of the movement and franchise that was Kidulthood/Adulthood. At the time when these films were made, there was a yearning for the tales of disgruntled youth to evolve from how terrestrial TV were portraying them. We (young people) wanted to see ourselves on screen; our language, our culture, our real life. I think that in no small part to the likes of Kidulthood, Adulthood & Bullet Boy and also with the commercialization of urban music, this has been achieved. 

I personally am now FRUSTRATED that this is all we are seeing. Being clear on my point, I don’t think gritty street films/TV shows should go away, on the contrary a great story is a great story but we (the audience) are not stupid; we can quickly identify the difference between an honest piece of entertainment and watered down, formulaic, “riding a wave” type films, that not only lack in quality content, but are there for pure commerce and rarely achieve that goal. Bullshit doesn’t stand the test of time, quality does. It would be nice if more of our talent were in a position to refuse work that doesn’t push the growth of our diverse culture. It’s quite possible that people are choosing to do exactly that and if so I stand corrected. It would be nice if the major channels supported a “changing of the guard” of the sort where we see less shows that are about the hardships of street life (for now), and instead perhaps (maybe) we start to watch dramedies, non- race specific action thrillers, or shows about relationships.

Where are our ‘young people’ films like The Goonies & Back to the Future? Where are our period pieces like The Wonder Years about a time in the 60′s and 70′s? Am I dreaming too big? A bit deluded perhaps to think these things are possible? Are there not people writing this kind of material? Or are they just being backed into a corner (much like young black British actors) having to perpetuate the same stories and being told “There isn’t a market for it”. Many of my friends and previous colleagues are working behind the scenes to change this, much like I am, so my words are not to discredit their efforts, or the efforts of others working to change this, or to downplay the recent success we’ve had in “Small Island”, “Luther”, “Anuvahood” (a comedic play on the street thing), but merely to re-awaken a much discussed and complained about issue – “developing the representation of black actors and urban youth in entertainment”.

Growing up, films and TV shows were one of my first points of call to an education of the world outside of my sphere. Entertainment not only informs and shapes opinions, but plants seeds that help change the world. An example of this is President David Palmer in “24” played by Dennis Haysbert. The powers that be introduced the masses to the notion of an African American President, which in turn planted the seed for a future realisation of this, and that the idea of a black President was not obscene or an impossibility, but almost a projection of a time we were heading towards. To a lesser extent I remember receiving emails during my time at The Bill, where young black males were telling me that through my character Lewis Hardy, they could see themselves thinking about joining the Metropolitan Police – one young man even wrote to me saying he did indeed join the Met as a result. Entertainment is powerful, and I agree sometimes should be reflective of life, but at other times should be aspirational. Is it just me that feels this?

What good is coming out of this? The birth of the independent film maker – innovators who are using technology and the internet as an outlet for new material and for work to be shown. My hope is that these projects become more supported through finance and that production companies, and TV companies alike take a risk and support quality work, that can become commercial. Trust me I love commercial films as well as indies, I’m not a complete believer in art over commerce, I’m just saying can we not beat a dead horse, until all that’s left is the carcass, and that no one wants anything to do with “Street Films”.

Buff Enterprises is the home of urban film coverage in the UK. Keep up to date online at www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk BUFF 2012 comes to London in October.

In keeping with the tradition of listening to a rather powerful woman just before you’re about to embark on what’s really important – or maybe you’ve already squashed Christmas lunch by the time your attention is perhaps swayed by a certain Elizabeth Windsor – its’ time we took note of another Christmas message – the one being brought to you by another powerful woman (Sheila Nortley) who is fast becoming a regular fixture on the urban independent film circuit. And before we hear from her, BUFF would like to thank all of this year’s guest bloggers who’ve graced these pages with their inspiring words including Anjela Lauren Smith, Wil Johnson and Kamara Bacchus – long may the passion continue. We leave you now with the December edition of the BUFF Blog, guest-written by Sheila Nortley…

This has been the year of who are you and who do you think you are. For many I have spoken to, a year of self reflection, growth, preparation and development. I find it hard to separate myself from my career, and I don’t really think this is a bad thing. Designed by the mind of the Most High and Most Near, I’d assume that we are complex and deep beings. And everything we do and say is as a ripple in the ocean, a butterfly effect. So my career, my family, my character, my talents, my mood, my prayers, my fasting, my being – all are very much related.

This is why I nearly told Emmanuel that I didn’t want to write the blog and that I had nothing to say. The premise of having my 15 minutes doesn’t do much for me. I nearly told Emmanuel that I didn’t want to write this blog because it would be hard for me to write about my year, my career, my hopes, dreams, and aspirations without, in one way or another, writing about my thoughts, my opinions and thus my self. Thoughts are precious things to be valued and treasured and nurtured when productive – regardless of what Twitter tells us – and I didn’t just want to ramble on. Why would I? Like, who am I? And who do I think I am? This has been the year of who are you and who do you think you are.

I’m Sheila Nortley. Writer. Producer. And a Managing Director of Kingdom Entertainment Group. I am also a daughter, a sister, a friend, a niece, an aunty, a cousin, an enemy, a mentor, a mentee, a believer, an unbeliever, an entrepreneur, an employee, a contact, a fan, an ex, a partner, a memory of a smile from a random stranger passing, a sista, a human, a queen and a slave depending on the transcience of context and perception.

Here and now, in this context, on your browser, I’m assuming the honour of being the guest writer for the final British Urban Film Festival blog of 2011, yet it’s ironic that I’ve been asked to write this blog as I don’t really like to talk much. I’d like to think I’m of those who’d rather do. I do, until I have little time left to be. And then I be, and in that time I do not like to do. Whilst trying to find the balance between doing and being, what time is there really to talk?

So, I was going to tell Emmanuel: “Brother. I’m sorry. I have nothing to say right now.” Who really cares anyway about the eccentric nuances and electric abstractions which dance around in the synapses of my mind? And even if suddenly everyone wanted to know – for some reason – what I thought and felt about my year, I rarely feel the compulsion to share such intimacies with a bunch of strangers when even good friends are hard to find these days. (I hope this doesn’t offend you – I know you know what I mean.)

So yesterday, I was going to tell Emmanuel: “Sorry brother. I have nothing to say.”

And then, Jacob ping’d me. His BB status said: “why am I fighting to live if I’m just living to fight”.

For those of you who don’t know, it was the conversation I had upon meeting Jacob in the park in summer 2010 that inspired me to embark on a venture which consumed my time, my mind, my resources, my energy and my heart throughout 2011. My film, Zion. We met by ‘chance’ in the park – what I know to be the undeniable poetry of the One who knows all things and His eloquence with time and destiny. Jacob was a sixteen year old boy with a seemingly broken hand, who was scared to go to the hospital because he’d seen so much death there. A boy who had been labeled with ADHD since he was 4, yet spoke with the softness of a broken boy with a gentle soul, or a gentle boy with a broken soul – one or the other. A young man who, when asked where he saw himself in 10 years time, said to me: ‘To be honest with you, Miss; I don’t.’ One day, 6 months later, a script was written, and a beautiful cast and talented crew produced a short film called Zion. Jacob was supposed to attend the premiere but he didn’t.

He had community service and was so upset he couldn’t make it. I told Mr Elusive he should write something on the Facebook wall; told him I would mention him in every interview and that people would soon start to suspect if he’s even real. (He said he would, but he hasn’t yet.)

In light of the success of the night; the glamour, the inspiration, the buzz, the hype, the excitement of friends and family, supporters of and believers in, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and celebrities, thespians and socialites, speakers and thinkers, doers and dreamers, lovers and, dare I say, “haters” (cringe) despite all this magic on the premiere night of a film inspired by the conversation I had with him – here he was, on my BB, yesterday sad as ever. I could send you a screenmunch (screenshot of phone screen). His BB status said: “why am I fighting to live if I’m just living to fight.”

I asked him what was wrong and he replied: ‘Had a madness. Dere’s guna b a prob dis tym tho…’ We spoke a bit more, and I felt so useless; I asked him if he could ask God for one thing what would he ask for and he said ‘To hurry up n end it. Big man ting. Jus feel 2 give up’.

This is a boy that on a dark night, if he rolled up to you on a pushbike with his hoodie down low, would frighten you – here he was telling me how vulnerable he is. I lament for all the victims, misrepresented as the villains – even those who become villains at the torment of their very nature. If you don’t see the value in your own life, or your purpose for living, the consequences could be dire – you don’t have to be a young black child growing up in the estates of South London to know this. We can all relate to this one way or another. At some point, we have all doubted our value, and deviated from our purpose [if we ever knew what it was]. Wow. He confided in me that he wished God would end it all. That hurt.

Then my thoughts turned to the inTOUCH youth event that the team behind Zion held just before our glittery premiere. It was set up for the young people to speak up and have an open forum with Ashley Walters, Jaja Soze, Rashid Kasirye, Dexter Simms etc, watch some films, and some performances and just vibe. Wow. What an unruly group we had. Some of them were so disrespectful, talking over speakers, talking over the films, fighting, arguing to the point that security had to get involved.

…But wait, this is for you. Why is it so hard for you to accept this small gesture? Perhaps it is so unfamiliar to you that you do not know how to respond to love? If you don’t see the value in your own life, or your purpose for living, the consequences could be dire. If you don’t respect yourself, how are you going to respect anything else?

InTouch was, to be honest, a bit of a nightmare – let’s keep it real – like, it was a nightmare. BUT this simply illustrated how much attention the youth crave and confirmed that the film was necessary.

The Premiere event followed – I couldn’t have asked for more. The film was well received. Reviews have been excellent; better than I could have hoped. Who for a minute underestimated the minds of the masses and thought that spoonfeeding us mind-numbing rhetoric day in day out on mainstream TV, would cause us to forget the sweet delights of independent cinema, in all its’ rugged imperfect and beautifully raw glory?

To every single person that came and understood the film, I thank you and celebrate you daily. There were so many people behind this production and so much inspiration drawn from so many more people.

And, as a self-confessed Ebenezer Scrooge who denies many of the festivities of this season, who else would I celebrate? I’d celebrate the writers whose plays this year moved my mood like the moon controls the waves; Arinze Kene and Beau Willimon. The people I’ve worked with all year; Najan, Duane, Abiola, Daniel Bailey (you know its a powerful brother when you can’t mention an individual without including the surname), Sebastian Thiel, Aisha of Red Pepper Agency. Thank you for putting up with the idiosyncrasies of a mad scientist – I hope I’ve made it interesting for you. And of course, Miss Kyle Frye and Shomari Brown: the future of black British cinema whose talent has found that perfect balance between refinement of the craft and raw talent. Ryan Samuda, my director and friend [thank God we’re still cool after this film] and the entire Zion team. I respect the inspirational entrepreneurs I’ve met this year like Dexter Simms, Ismael South, Raymond Douglas – inspired visionaries that build and strive day in and day out for the people and not just for material gain or status.

I respect people like my dear friends and mentors, Stephen Lloyd Jackson and Andy Mundy-Castle. I respect people like Richie Campbell, Sway and Ashley Walters who have managed to stay so grounded, down-to-earth and humble despite their massive success and achievements, actors and artists who have refined their art with mastery, and not at the expense of their sense of humour and good manners.

I respect people like Jahnoi Cranston and Alesha Pryce, who love their art and work hard to achieve their dreams and have an impact in whatever piece they are working on, and do so with a smile. I respect people like Kamara Bacchus and Dionne Reid and Anisa Kissoon, who are smiling high-achievers with such grace and elegance and inspiring other sisters to dream big and never lose themselves. I appreciate and love my mum and my dad who put up with this black sheep through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, and taught me to follow what I believe in. My family is the best and without their support, I’d have nothing to celebrate.

I would like to celebrate the British Urban Film Festival for providing a platform for us to present the fruits of our labour for public scrutiny, praise, constructive criticism and thought-provoking discussion. I was greatly humbled that this year I discovered by chance that I had 3 films I worked on accepted in the festival (David is Dying, Special Delivery, Drink, Drugs & KFC). Had Zion been ready earlier it would have been four, but I stubbornly refused to hasten the process, advised by wise words from Wil Johnson at the Screen Nation nominations launch by the bar. Emmanuel’s kind words and support for me this year have been so encouraging. Thank you Emmanuel and also to the stunning actress Anjela Lauren-Smith, who is often seen with him. Thank you Anjela.

And as we celebrate together we give all thanks and praise to the One to whom it all belongs. The final curtain is drawn as we enter the last few weeks of 2011 and the energy at the moment is buzzing with anticipation as the promise of 2012 draws closer. As the world gets crazier, some aspiring filmmakers are zealous with drive and passion, and others crazed with an unquenchable thirst for prestige and power, success and fame.

With the social entrepreneurs building new doors to previously inaccessible pathways, and the game-changers marching into the brick wall (which used to seem so high and wide and solid before) brick by brick it crumbles away and the army begins to march through, together, to a triumphant fanfare. Together, as romantic as it sounds, seems to me to be the only way to progress. Competing with anyone would suggest that I think success is much more dependant upon my competence and determination than it really is. I’m not saying that I don’t work really hard, but I know Who gives and Who takes away. Everything is written. So I just do the best I can and try to trust Him. Yet, I have seen ego drive people to the point of loneliness, paranoia and writers block. The concept of all three frighten me. (You need to be open to bring anything into being) It’s nearly 2012.

Time has flown by like a jet-fighter and whether or not you entertain a conspiracy theory or two, or have any religious inclination indicating the dawn of a terrifying New World Order, then you will at least know this: by the time you have finished reading this you are closer to your death than you were before you started reading this, and let this undeniable fact encourage you to make the most out of every second and every opportunity to achieve true success in this life and the next.

So that was today’s message – just when you think you had nothing left to say, remind yourself of all that you are grateful for and give thanks for what you have been blessed to achieve so far. And just when you think you had nothing left to say, remind yourself of how much work we have yet to do and how much further we have to go to honour the struggles of those who came before us and prepare the way for those who are yet to come.

In the words of Kelis: Learn from losing, Cherish winning.

Happy New Year everyone.

From Top Boy to Wuthering Heights, the much vaunted and much celebrated prominence of cultural diversity in British film and TV shows no signs of abating and continues to rouse and excite cinema buffs both here and abroad. In a month which has already seen Sket, Demons Never Die & Death in Paradise entertain the masses, there is much to take in – including yet more awards for David is Dying; introducing the newest member of the BUFF board, journalist and filmmaker Jessie Grace Mellor; and not forgetting the latest James Bond title as the year draws to a close.

Bernard Kordieh

picture courtesy of www.alexwinn.com

“Charles Thompson is a Godsend. I’m fortunate to have started out in media under the tutelage of Charles almost a decade ago now. I was there when Screen Nation was in its infancy and I’m privileged to still be a part of it all albeit as a supporter of this year’s event where another of my mentors (Menelik Shabazz) will be rightly honoured also. I have a lot of time for Charles who in turn has shown a lot of time for me and for so many people in the film industry who would’ve taken great pride in hearing of his award of an MBE earlier this year. May you enjoy good health and continued success in everything you pursue”… Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, British Urban Film Festival

And it’s with those sentiments (available with a whole host of others inside page 7 of the Screen Nation brochure) that we welcome you into the fold for another BUFF blog fresh from being wined and dined by one of this year’s festival partners at London’s showpiece Black History Month awards show. And whilst it was never going to be Sunday Night at the Palladium, it was a lively old affair for many of the great and good from film and TV who came together for the return of the Screen Nation Awards, the 7th in all and the 1st one making its’ bow at the rather plush Indigo at the O2 complex in Greenwich.

From the moment comedian Kevin J took to the stage to ‘warm up’ the crowd, the evening’s vibe was set in many ways, mainly that at various points if it wasn’t most of the awards winners (27 in total) then it was definitely a fair few of the awards presenters who took to the mic and enlightened the faithful with their lethal brand of head shaking humour (the TV highlights should make for interesting viewing). One of the big winners on the night was the movie ‘The Mirror Boy’, a film flagged up by this very blog back in February and which has gone onto amass critical and popular acclaim from fans and pundits alike. The film’s director, Obi Emelonye was at pains to remonstrate with BUFF as to why the film was not considered for the festival just over a month ago. Well it just so happened that the festival was onto a winner (also) with ‘David is Dying’ which, at the time of going to press, is currently impressing audiences once again, this time at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Another festival film which impressed audiences both at home and abroad was ‘Sus’ for which actor, writer and director Clint Dyer collected a thoroughly deserved award for best male performance in Film. Getting caught up with events (and the wine) at the O2 meant that there was a social media vacumn of sorts – one can only imagine what the twitterati and others would’ve made of events as they happened. And though premiership footballer Jay Bothroyd (Queens Park Rangers) and his missus were amongst those in attendance, the stories that we shared were certainly not going to make any back pages (or front), not unless you count going to the same school as Heartless Crew and former Arsenal legend Charlie George as ‘gossip’. From all accounts, Mr Bothroyd certainly fancies himself as an actor… well if it can work for Lonyo it can certainly work for the Holloway boy whose done rather good – watch this space as they say…
Speaking of which, a reminder that you can catch up with all the very latest post-festival coverage on our website www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk where a visit to the press section will bring you all the interviews from the great and the good at this year’s British Urban Film Festival, the latest chunk coming from our friends at The Community Channel (Sky Channel 539/Virgin 233/Freeview 87) – check out the London 360 magazine programme http://communitychannel.mediatrust.org/video/tTpVMHqubo4/
Many thanks to the team down there: Jasmine Dotiwala, Alex Kann and Simon Constantine to name but 3, the latter of whom is an absolute dead ringer for broadcaster Michael Underwood so if for some reason, Michael’s wife (and mother-to-be) Angellica Bell needed ‘cover’ as it were, then look no further…
Anyway bringing it nicely back to the Screen Nation Awards (hosted incidentally by Michael Underwood and Angellica Bell) and other highlights on the night included honorary awards for the film ‘Burning an Illusion’, the comedy series ‘The Real Mccoy’, broadcaster Sir Trevor Mcdonald and the actor Clarke Peters who had the audience in the palm of his hand with his humbling acceptance speech – one of several little nuggets to be had from the evening which was rounded off by a rousing rendition of Omar’s signature track…
And that was the awards that was. Congratulations to all 27 winners, long may the passion continue in everything that you continue to do through your work. The same can be said for the boys and girls at Screen Nation (many of whom are friends of the festival) – long may such occasions continue.
Tis the season to be hibernating but fear not, for BUFF will be out and about on your behalf, scouting, on the lookout for the 16 buffest films for the 2012 festival which is only a year away… This month’s blog marks the official call for submissions for next year’s festival. Those of you who are familiar with BUFF will know that to be a part of it all as a filmmaker, then you’ve gotta show us what you’ve got. For all the details as to what’s required, when, why, where and all the rest of it, go to the website and click on BUFF Submissions 2012. We leave you with another chunk of buffness from the festival, courtesy of our friends at Vox Africa: http://www.voxafrica.co.uk/vod/videos/&v=0_96905i64&p=0_aknxkygp