Mark Jenkin is a filmmaker from North Cornwall who has written and directed two no-budget feature films (Golden Burn, 2001 & The Rabbit, 2004) as well as numerous short films. He has also directed and edited documentaries and promos for television. He won the Frank Copplestone First Time Director Award at The Celtic Film & Television Festival 2002 for his debut film Golden Burn. As well as preparing to shoot The Midnight Drives he is also developing The Holiday Park with Sally Hibbin at Parallax East and working as part of the War-rag collective to develop a model of low-budget film production within Cornwall. He is also co-creative director of The Ark.
Simon Harvey graduated from Dartington College of Arts and is artistic director of o-region. His work as director includes various productions for Grinning Gargoyle Theatre, the Hall for Cornwall and Cornwall Youth Theatre, as well as the short film One Step Forward, Two Steps Back and o-region’s recent production of Laughing Gas by Carl Grose and Nick Darke. He also performs regularly with Kneehigh Theatre and was recently assistant director on the national tour of Cymbeline. Simon was also the producer of Mark’s second feature film, The Rabbit.
Steve is a freelance photographer and filmmaker who has directed and shot several short dramas and documentaries, including Kneehigh in China; Flight, a collaboration with director Bill Mitchell and writer Anna Maria Murphy; and Church of the Lost Cause by Emma Rice. Steve first worked with Mark Jenkin as DOP on the award winning The Man Who Needed A Traffic Light. He is also a member of the War-rag collective who produced The 12” Pianist and The Lark. Steve also works as a commercial photographer. He has had exhibitions nationally with his personal photography taken in Northern Ireland, Berlin, Eygpt, Russia, America and Japan. He is presently constructing his web site www.stevetanner.co.uk.
Colin Holt is Helston born, which is important if you are considering asking him to partner you in the Floral Dance. Having said that, one year he was right at the back, but easily won the sympathy vote. A graduate of the University of Manchester, he clocked up hundreds of perfomances as a stuntman for Granada Television’s ‘Hollywood’ style Tour. This entailed being shot, stabbed, bottled and blown up on a daily basis; a perfect induction for being an inhabitant of some of South Manchester’s more ‘colourful’ suburbs. It also enabled him to survive a move to Croydon to present local television. It was here that he first came into contact with director Mark Jenkin, who subsequently cast him in several projects. This will be their fourth collaboration to date. He is allergic to fish.
Oliver Berry is a writer and photographer based in Cornwall. He graduated with a degree in English from University College London and has since worked for clients including The Guardian, The Independent, Lonely Planet, Dorling Kindersley, Stranger Magazine, Wallflower Press and TNT Magazine. He is Associate Director of o-region and has been involved in all the company’s projects since its formation in 2002, including the feature film The Rabbit and the recent tour of Laughing Gas. He is also co-creative director of The Ark (www.ark-online.co.uk), a film and media company which he runs with Mark Jenkin.
Alcatraz Swim Team are producers/composers Floss & Noel. They have been working together for eight years and The Midnight Drives is their first feature film score. This is the second time they have worked with Mark Jenkin, having produced music for Talking Coasts in 2006. Previous work has included soundtracks for Team Extreme videos, the Dangerous Brothers, filmmaker Mike Lovemore and contemporary dance company Cerebellum. As well as producing soundtracks, Alcatraz Swim Team are also a trip-hop band, having released their debut album On The Outskirts last year and currently playing live at venues around the UK. Visit www.alcatrazswimteam.com for more information.
Brett studied film at Truro College. Since graduating in 2002, he has written and directed many short films: his awards include Best Amateur Film at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films in 2003, the Audience Award at the Fresh Five Festival in Bristol in 2004, and the Panel Award at the One Take Wonders Film Challenge in 2006. He recently completed principal photography on An Jowl Yn Agas Kegin, winner of the Govynn Kernewek Award at the 2006 Cornwall Film Festival.
Morgan is a freelance cameraman and steadicam operator based in Cornwall. He has shot numerous short and feature length films, music videos and documentaries with a wide range of clients from independent local production companies to the BBC. Over the last 5 years he has worked in Africa, America, Asia and throughout Europe. Check out some of his work at www.morganlowndes.com.
Hana Backland is a filmmaker and artist who has worked in film and television for the last six years. Recently she has made a conscious decision to work mostly in her native Cornwall, committing herself to its vibrant independent film industry. She is a partner in War-rag, a low-budget film production collective, and is the Project Manager for the Young People’s Film Festival Cornwall. Hana wears many hats when working on set, but mostly she’s seen chatting to people trying to wangle stuff for cheap, asking actors how late they mind staying, or up to her elbows in fake blood. When she’s not making films, she’s usually drawing or in the sea. Hana is also currently developing her children’s television series NettleCatFish.
John Crooks (aka Crooksey) is a Lighting/Cameraman based in Cornwall. He has shot many shorts and directed documentaries and corporate videos. John set up his own production company Stanz Productions in 2002, shortly after that he met Mark Jenkin and Si Harvey on Mark’s second feature The Rabbit. He is an associate artist of o-region and on the steering group of the War-rag collective. John is a talented keeper and once had a trial with Plymouth Argyle FC.
Jane is a Production Manager for Cornwall Film and is currently working on four of their Target Talent Projects (The Midnight Drives, Dressing Granite, The Crasken Project and Crawl, Walk, Run). Previously Jane has worked for 12 years as Production Manager for BBC television in London and Birmingham but moved to Cornwall last year to set up home in Falmouth. To date, Jane’s notable projects have been the award winning animated documentary, Walking with Beasts and the flagship BBC science strand, Horizon. Jane’s role is to bring the production in on budget……or else!