The day after the London 2012 Olympics ended, The London Film School's first ever Directing Summer School began. For the next three weeks, twelve filmmakers from eight countries were put through their paces by director Udayan Prasad (pictured below, far right) and a team of industry experts including Nina Kellgren BSC and editor Barrie Vince.
The basis for the programme was THE HANDKERCHIEF, an exercise originally devised by FAMU (the Czech National Film School). Using an apparently straightforward event as its starting point – a girl drops a handkerchief and a boy picks it up – the aim was to expose, through a systematic and rigorous process of scrutiny, the complexities inherent in this, and indeed any scenario. The participants attended practical acting workshops and specialist masterclasses, before writing and shooting their own short films with professional actors, DoPs and editors.
"It was an incredible learning experience that engaged every part of me," says Mondo Ghulam, one of three UK filmmakers who took part. "Mentally, physically and creatively, every day was a new challenge and a new experience. The detail, energy, enthusiasm and generosity of Udayan particularly (as well as the other tutors) was impressive and humbling. Even after the official end of the course, he was still teaching us more."
Mukesh Bhatia has been travelling back and forth between India and London since 2009 to attend workshops at LFS. When the summer school was announced, he had to apply. "The three week summer school with Udayan Prasad is absolutely the best thing an aspiring director can do," he reflects. "Udayan inspires you, gives you the tools, the philosophy, the path... and his teaching is sheer fun too!"
Click here to read more about the LFS Directing Summer School.
Click here to view a selection of photos.