It is great to have film back on the Fringe! A programme of six short films, the product of a screenwriting course promoted by Derby University Buxton College; the start of what is hoped will become a regular feature on the Fringe.
For the producers this was their first experience of film-making and it might be expected that the results would be of somewhat dubious quality. But in fact the films were excellent.- original stories, innovative photography and soundtrack and great music. Many of the outdoor scenes were shot in and around Buxton and it was interesting to see with what good effect the backdrop of the town had been used.
Notable in the strong programme were Martin Devaney's Jason's Big Day a clever story about a young lad whose training had not prepared him for the unexpected, Purrfect Match in which a cat brings a boy and girl together and The Ultimate Question where a young girl cannot decide what career to follow and the audience are left to answer the question. Two longer films, Get Sorted and Les Fullerton's Voices showed how the group could handle more extended work. Perhaps though the "palme" goes to Craig Savage for his film Chicken and skilfully getting us to laugh at death.
Alas there are no more showings scheduled, but watch the up-dated Fringe information in case Derby University decide to exhibit the films again.
P.L.