Will Stepney
Showreel - 2017
Showreel - 2017
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Personal statement
The first film I remember watching that had a serious impact on me was ‘Drive' directed by Nicolas Winding Refn in 2011. Winding Refn also directed Bronson which is another favourite film of mine. The cinematography in Drive created such a beautiful film in which the soundtrack complemented the plot so cleverly. It was this combination which produced something very special and fired my imagination. I find it fascinating how films are created, how a multitude of ideas both big and small, seen and unseen, obvious and less obvious need to come together to create something worth watching and watching again. Studying film production would give me the opportunity to explore and develop my understanding of film, as well as develop and expand my skillset. I am eager to have the chance to learn from and collaborate with people who share my enthusiasm and passion for film. Studying Film Production would provide me with an excellent platform from which to start a career within the industry.
I watch a wide range of different film genres and enjoy listening to an eclectic mix of music, ranging from Beethoven's second symphony to Nightmares on Wax to Wiley's grime music. I also take inspiration from other forms of art. When in Barcelona I visited the Cuitat Vella art gallery to see a light exhibition as well as visiting the Museu Picasso. Having London on our doorstep provides the opportunity to visit a range of galleries and I particularly enjoy the Tate Modern with it fascinating mix of exhibitions. I believe that in order to be creative it is important to be exposed to as many ideas, stories and concepts as possible. My interest in the arts has informed my understanding of film and fuelled my imagination when working on my own ideas.
I enjoy reading screenplays as they reveal a different aspect of film production. I have recently read the screenplay for ‘Seven Psychopaths’ by Martin McDonagh. The film has such a strong and engaging storyline, something that I believe is key to a perfect film, and it was interesting to see how the plot was constructed in the screenplay, and how it was then transferred to film. YouTube has been a valuable tool to expand my knowledge of film. The range of videos that I find help me broaden my mind on the philosophy and analysis behind certain film and television shows, as well as finding videos on how to edit and shoot videos professionally.
I consider myself to be a bit of a perfectionist and continually strive to find ways to improve my work. I have discovered that collaboration and teamwork are key to working within the media industry. At the beginning of the summer two friends and I created our own production company called ‘Amet’. The name ‘Amet’ is taken from the Latin for film. Our website ( https://amet-title.weebly.com ) introduces people to our collaborative work as well as show casing our individual productions. We are currently working with a local independent retailer called Jack Gelato to produce a promotional video for their website. Our production company is also working on music videos for a young independent musician based in Cambridge, as well as each individual within Amet creating their own ideas. As a team we help produce each others work.
I chose to study the CTEC media course at Netherhall Sixth Form College, because it offered a very practical approach to all aspects of the industry, for example film, television production, radio production, pre-production and planning, and app building. At the end of my first year I was presented with an award for my visual and special effects work. For my most recent production at college I managed to source three professional actors who had worked on shows produced by both the BBC and ITV. They worked for me, acting on a short film about mental health that I had written. I believe that in order to be successful it is important to gain as wider range of experience as possible. To this end I have undertaken work experience with BBC director, Chloe Thomas, creating an educational short film called ‘We are a school’ and a comedy pilot. I have also organised work experience with a production company called 'BoroughFive' who are based in New York. In March 2018 I will be spending two weeks with them assisting with production. The experiences I have had so far have been invaluable in providing me with a real insight into the industry and made me want to pursue a career in film production.
Outside of college I work for two Cambridge based companies. At Scudamore’s punting company I sell punting tours as well as punting clients on the river whilst delivering a talk about the history of the colleges that we pass. I also work every Saturday at a local golf course, managing the club house and running the cafe. Both of these positions have given me the opportunity to develop my interpersonal skills as well as requiring me to be organised and reliable. The sales aspect of the Scudamores job has taught me too be resilient in a work pace the can be challenging.
The excitement and passion that I have for the creative process of filmmaking combined with the enjoyment of working with and learning from others has convinced me that this industry, and therefore a BA (Hons) degree in Film Production are absolutely the right path for me to follow.
I watch a wide range of different film genres and enjoy listening to an eclectic mix of music, ranging from Beethoven's second symphony to Nightmares on Wax to Wiley's grime music. I also take inspiration from other forms of art. When in Barcelona I visited the Cuitat Vella art gallery to see a light exhibition as well as visiting the Museu Picasso. Having London on our doorstep provides the opportunity to visit a range of galleries and I particularly enjoy the Tate Modern with it fascinating mix of exhibitions. I believe that in order to be creative it is important to be exposed to as many ideas, stories and concepts as possible. My interest in the arts has informed my understanding of film and fuelled my imagination when working on my own ideas.
I enjoy reading screenplays as they reveal a different aspect of film production. I have recently read the screenplay for ‘Seven Psychopaths’ by Martin McDonagh. The film has such a strong and engaging storyline, something that I believe is key to a perfect film, and it was interesting to see how the plot was constructed in the screenplay, and how it was then transferred to film. YouTube has been a valuable tool to expand my knowledge of film. The range of videos that I find help me broaden my mind on the philosophy and analysis behind certain film and television shows, as well as finding videos on how to edit and shoot videos professionally.
I consider myself to be a bit of a perfectionist and continually strive to find ways to improve my work. I have discovered that collaboration and teamwork are key to working within the media industry. At the beginning of the summer two friends and I created our own production company called ‘Amet’. The name ‘Amet’ is taken from the Latin for film. Our website ( https://amet-title.weebly.com ) introduces people to our collaborative work as well as show casing our individual productions. We are currently working with a local independent retailer called Jack Gelato to produce a promotional video for their website. Our production company is also working on music videos for a young independent musician based in Cambridge, as well as each individual within Amet creating their own ideas. As a team we help produce each others work.
I chose to study the CTEC media course at Netherhall Sixth Form College, because it offered a very practical approach to all aspects of the industry, for example film, television production, radio production, pre-production and planning, and app building. At the end of my first year I was presented with an award for my visual and special effects work. For my most recent production at college I managed to source three professional actors who had worked on shows produced by both the BBC and ITV. They worked for me, acting on a short film about mental health that I had written. I believe that in order to be successful it is important to gain as wider range of experience as possible. To this end I have undertaken work experience with BBC director, Chloe Thomas, creating an educational short film called ‘We are a school’ and a comedy pilot. I have also organised work experience with a production company called 'BoroughFive' who are based in New York. In March 2018 I will be spending two weeks with them assisting with production. The experiences I have had so far have been invaluable in providing me with a real insight into the industry and made me want to pursue a career in film production.
Outside of college I work for two Cambridge based companies. At Scudamore’s punting company I sell punting tours as well as punting clients on the river whilst delivering a talk about the history of the colleges that we pass. I also work every Saturday at a local golf course, managing the club house and running the cafe. Both of these positions have given me the opportunity to develop my interpersonal skills as well as requiring me to be organised and reliable. The sales aspect of the Scudamores job has taught me too be resilient in a work pace the can be challenging.
The excitement and passion that I have for the creative process of filmmaking combined with the enjoyment of working with and learning from others has convinced me that this industry, and therefore a BA (Hons) degree in Film Production are absolutely the right path for me to follow.
Here are some examples of some of my personal work.
Jack Gelato promo
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Lake como - Super 8
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'It's what you make' - Harry Shapiro
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Weis - promo
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Cambridge Wine Merchants - promo
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New York [18]
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Two wings intro
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