Student sets his sights on short film festival circuit

Film student, Tom Walker, who has been making films since the tender age of 11, hopes to enter the short film circuit with his latest piece.

Tom, who studies Documentary Film and Television Production at the International Film School of Wales in Caerleon, Newport, is in the process of producing a short 10 minute film, as part of his course, based on an extract from a book called "Another Sky.” The project is still in the production stages but, it has already sparked interest.

Tom said: “It’s a Diary extract called "A minor mistake in Evin prison" by Reza Baraheni. I am making a dramatic reconstruction of the night when the author was almost accidentally shot for standing in the wrong queue. The fact that it is a true story and one that is still not uncommon today makes it more relevant.”

“It is a harrowing story about how badly things can go wrong in this sort of situation and one mans struggle through this difficult time. I just think that it’s a story that needs telling, basically I want to do the story the justice that it deserves.”

The charity PEN, who work on behalf of writers and poets who have been imprisoned unjustly and who are behind the book, have shown interest in the end product: “The charity that wrote the book are interested in it if it turns out well and also I would like to see it on the short film festival circuit.”

Tom said that he hasn’t had an easy ride with this film, locations have been a particular problem for him but he said: “If all goes well I will be filming in a derelict lunatic asylum.”

The project has been self-funded and as an independent filmmaker, Tom commented: “I think people can be far too pretentious about it, there are a lot of good films out there privately made or studio based. Especially with this particular medium which obviously relies heavily on opinion, what appeals to one person will not to another.”

“There's something to be gained from all facets of film, it doesn't really matter where it comes from. It is nice however to see what can be achieved without financial backing.”

Tom adds that this isn’t his first attempt at independent filmmaking by a long shot: “I've worked on things from one girl’s obsession with makeup to a film about terrorism with an ex Gatwick armed response unit. Over the summer I worked on a film about a boy who was scared of Santa and one on an accidental child. I've been doing this sort of thing since I was 11 so the list goes on and on.”

The film, which has ‘A Voice of Conscience’ as its working title, is due for screening on 17th December.