Through a Lens Brightly
HELEN MURPHY & NICK PELLING find out about an exciting new opportunity for young creatives
in Hastings
I suppose you could argue that we are all film makers now. You can just get your phone and maybe with a little thought, make today’s Instagram splash. But, what if you are really interested in making a film, with its guts and complexity? If you want to go beyond wacky or silly or just self-involved, then serious help is at hand.
In late May the Benbow Arts Space opened its doors in St Leonards. It promises real technical and creative instruction about the strange, complex world of making a film. The Benbow centre is a new creative learning hub that aims to give young people a genuine introduction to the whole gamut of skills and processes that underpin the making of a film. The courses allow students to use high-end kit and receive advice from experienced film makers who really know their stuff, such as Will Davies, the respected local documentary maker from Whalebone films.
The centre is located at number 2 London Road within what used to be the Admiral Benbow pub. The project is being funded by the Bright Foundation charity which established itself in Hastings in 2022 as an educational and artistic resource centre for children, set in a delightful rural setting just minutes out of Hastings. John Bright is an Oscar and Bafta-winning costume designer who has decided to use his knowledge and connections to help young people in this town. In order to fund his projects, he recently held an auction of many of his famous costumes, which raised almost half a million pounds. Notably, Mr Darcy’s white shirt from the film Pride and Prejudice – as worn by a wet Colin Firth in the famous lake scene – sold for £25,000. Inexplicable perhaps, but extremely helpful for the Foundation.
The opening night at the Benbow was a wonderful event with live music, glitzy costumes and a room dedicated to the history of cinema. Along with the twinkly-eyed Bright himself, there were numerous luminaries including renowned international actor Greta Scacchi.
We asked if the Benbow Centre would be turning some young people of Hastings into film stars. That, as you might expect, is not quite the plan. The main idea is to offer people the chance to learn how to take the germ of a filmic idea from inception to final resolution. Genuine film- making is, in many ways, not glamorous at all; it requires planning and consideration of all manner of logistics before the cameras can begin to roll. In short, this is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who has even the vaguest sense that they might be good behind the camera.
If you have a story to tell,or an issue that you want to zoom in on, this centre could be your means of making it a reality. After all, the Admiral Benbow was the pub in Treasure Island from where Jim Hawkins’ wild adventure began.
For more information contact [email protected]
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