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dyspla · 7 years

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Neurodivergence in Art - the ‘Dyslexic Aesthetic’

DYSPLA is at the forefront of artistic dyslexic/neurodivergent creativity - we have been campaigning and advocating dyslexic storymakers since 2007 and by our very existence have created a movement/community of like-minded artists. As an Arts Organisation, our main pursuit is the exploration of what connects dyslexic and neurodivergent artists aesthetically, setting them apart from the rest.

We believe in the ‘dyslexic advantage’, and that it can be channelled to create inventive and powerful art, which pushes modern conventions. DYSPLA believes that the ‘dyslexic aesthetic’ is an emerging artistic genre - which is why we are determined to pin down and articulate exactly what constitutes it. Currently there isn’t a very large body of academic research based around the artistic aesthetics of dyslexia and neurodivergence, which is why DYSPLA hopes to instigate and facilitate research in this field, becoming pioneers of the topic, and establishing it as a genuine academic area of study (and not just pseudo-science) within the next few years.

Most people might be oblivious to the fact that some of the greatest directors and filmmakers throughout history share dyslexia as their commonality, as well as their genius. DYSPLA prides itself on the rich cinematic heritage produced by the godfathers of dyslexic narrative, including: Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, George Lucas, Charlie Chaplin, David Lean, Milos Forman, Tim Burton and Steve McQueen. DYSPLA's mission is finding new emerging talent to join these ranks, helping them to leverage and celebrate their dyslexia in a way that will benefit their creativity as well as their lives.

How do dyslexic artists and filmmakers channel their creativity?

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that dyslexic brains differ only in the ways they process printed symbols, when in reality they show an alternative pattern of processing that affects the way they process information across the board. Dyslexic brains are organized in a way that maximizes strength in making big picture connections at the expense of weaknesses in processing fine details.” - Fernette Eide

Reference: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/dyslexic-advantage

A dyslexic artist’s ability to focus on the ‘bigger picture’ may help them direct and focus their vision, visualising the end product, and envisioning their themes and ideas come to life. Their subsequent lack of special attention to singular details or linearity (i.e. focusing on multiple things at once rather than concentrating on one thing after another) can often help to create a freer process of working, and one which includes a much broader spectrum of influences, methods and ideas.

This in itself can be an immense creative advantage, helping dyslexic artists to stand out and innovate. Their unique thought process is therefore the very thing that helps them stay original - and we can all agree that originality is the most valuable characteristic an artwork may have.

A look at some of the artists featured at DIMIF

The DYSPLA International Moving Image Festival will be showcasing the work of over 30 dyslexic and neurodivergent filmmakers. Among those we welcome the fantastic work of our award winners Mike Forshaw (Saturday), Emma Allen (Ruby) and Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese (Behemoth), as well as our special mention Stan Brakhage (Window Water Baby Moving). The films present a diverse array of techniques, working methods and themes:

Saturday is a dramatic look at the emotional wreckage the Hillsborough tragedy had left on the families of its victims. Without ever actually showing the event itself, the film subtly hints at the violence throughout.

Ruby is an examination of the stages of a person's life and death, ageing and spirituality. It explores the supernatural, and how we as humans fit into the wider context of nature and of the universe.

Behemoth is a critical insight into corruption, greed, religion and poverty, set against an African backdrop. Filmed in Lesotho, this film plays with the concept of money, and the psychological power it holds over people. The film is full of symbolic imagery and signifiers that relate to the status quo of our society as a whole, and the misguided, hipocritical ideas which people hold in regards to morals, money and religion.

Window Water Baby Moving is a documentation of the miracle of birth. The graphic images carry with them a shock value which makes the work really powerful - there is a juxtaposition between the physical pain of bearing a child, and the exultant joy of holding it in your arms for the first time.

DYSPLA is extremely excited to welcome our esteemed panel members for an academic discussion on the DYSLEXIC AESTHETIC. It will take place on the second night of the festival, 15th of March 2018 at 7:00 PM, so save the date if you're up for a debate! There are only 30 tickets available so book your tickets today.

Buy your Panel Discussion tickets here for £10

We will evaluate what connects the linear, feature-film-like narrative of Forshaw's work, with the cross-media style of Allen's time-lapse film, the passionate political rhetoric of Mosese, and the non-sequential, visceral imagery of Brakhage - and how this relates to the ‘dyslexic aesthetic’ as a whole.

Listing Information*

Awards Ceremony, Gala & Gin Reception: 14th March, 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM, £30.00

Industry Panel Discussion: 15th March, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM, £10.00

Daily festival screenings: 15th March, 1-7 PM; 16th-18th March, 1-8:30 PM, £5.00

(All films will be screened continuously throughout the festival) *All tickets will include £1 booking fee. Tickets are an extra £5.00 on the door.

The Crypt Gallery, Euston Rd, King’s Cross, London, NW1 2BA Closest national rail and underground stations: King’s Cross & Euston

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dyspla · 4 years

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DYSPLA STORYMAKERS RESIDENCY 2020 SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

Funded for a second year by Arts Council England and POET, (Protection of English Trust), DYSPLA will be running their unique Storymakers Residency for Neurodivergent* Creatives.

DYSPLA is a London based Art Studio run by Neurodivergent (ND) Creatives, for Neurodivergent Storymakers. We specialize in the creative and professional artistic development of Neurodivergent people, as well as producing the work of Dyslexic and Neurodivergent artists. DYSPLA has spent the last 11 years advocating the creative benefits of Dyslexia as a ‘creative force’, and is committed to building a holistic environment where Creatives can finish their stage or screenplays in a collaborative format, with industry professionals and mentors at every stage of the writing process.

The DYSPLA Storymakers Residency 2020 Shortlist includes 30 artists who were successfully selected from 220 applicants. Congratulations to: Owain Astles, Aislinn Evans, Alex Mill, Aminder Virdee, Ash Morris, Aurora Fearnley, Connor Sansby, Emma Tracey, Eve Leigh, Isabella Albuquerque Sperotto, Matthew Gabrielli, Mia Sinclair, Michael Toluwalope Okanlawon, Mike Forshaw, Mohammod Shipon, Nacheal Catnott, Nala Hermeziel, Rosie Baldwin, Shala Sayedyannakis, Jones Jimiroroso Ogun, Nicolee Tsin, Sean Burn, Thomas Morgan Evans, Ella Jade, Peck Mesma, Cassie Atkinson, Jack McMeechan, Lindsay Dukes, Lucy Sheen, and Janet Barnett. The Residency will offer two artists, based in England, a place on the 12 months fully funded program which offers: free script development support, a creative network of professional actors, directors and industry mentors, rehearsal room workshops, a script report, peer feedback, marketing support and the opportunity to present their work at the DYSPLA Reception and Table Read Presentation.

Last year's attendees included: The Arts Council England, BFI, BBC, ITV, Sky, Directors UK, Freelance Producers, Development Producers, Academic Institutions, and Agents. The DYSPLA Panel will select eight of the strongest applications for the final round of interviews to be announced in September 2020. This year’s Panel includes representatives from Vertigo Films, Goldsmiths University, Disability Arts Online, Earls Court Film, and last year’s DYSPLA Storymakers Resident Writer, Dr. Julia Pascal.

This year's Residency Partners include Earls Court Film Festival, which will support the initial production costs for one of the winning short film scripts with a grant of £1,500. Disability Arts Online (DAO), is on board as our Media Partner and they will commission interview profiles for both the Finalists and the Winners on the DAO website, documenting and promoting the artist's professional development every step of the way.

DYSPLA’s Founder, Lennie Varvarides describes the program as, “A ‘coming out’ party for brave new voices in our Neurodivergent community. This Residency is an acknowledgment of the creative benefits of Neurodivergence and how necessary it is for the survival of our creative ecosystem”.

For more information about the residency or for an interview, please contact Lennie Varvarides.

END**

EDITORS NOTES:

*NEURODIVERGENT - “Sometimes Abbreviated as ND, means having a style of neurocognitive functioning that diverges significantly from the dominant societal standards of ‘normal’. Neurodivergent people include dyslexics, dyspraxics, AD(H)D, autistics, dyscalculics, OCD, dysgraphics, Tourettes, etc.” (Hewlett, Cooper, 2017)

DYSPLA: DEVELOPING DYSLEXIC & NEURODIVERGENT STORYMAKERS SINCE 2009

DYSPLA is a London-based arts organisation founded by Lennie Varvarides with Kazimir Bielecki and supported by the Arts Council England. The company has been developing the work of Neurodivergent artists since 2009. DYSPLA works internationally in Script Development, 360 Film, Installation Art, Immersive Theatre, Digital Art and Festivals to promote the British Neurodivergent Aesthetic and to develop new Storymakers. DYSPLA is both advocate as well as artist, of the Neurodivergent Aesthetic*, which is defined through the cognitive eminence of Neurodivergence. As Ronald D. Davis states, ‘the mental function that causes dyslexia is a gift in the truest sense of the word: a natural ability, a talent’ (1994, The Gift of Dyslexia), DYSPLA believes that gift is what makes ND Creatives so apt for the creative industries and creative writing in particular.

Image ASSETS: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lhv34h2zwcpazek/AAAKYTyxK_J5EhRF819YkbEQa?dl=0

Video ASSETS: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zh0butnp8y9t347/AABkE3mR_FOKyPviLZriStvma?dl=0

Funders - Arts Council England & POET (Protection of English Trust)

Partner - Earl’s Court Film Festival (ECFF): Supports Filmmakers with grants, location and production office support, as well as accepting short film entries for screening at ECFF in Earl’s Court’s wonderful cinematic venues. Many Earl’s Court short films have been selected or entered for screening at other film festivals such as Tribeca, Sundance and BAFTA qualifying festivals.

Media Partner - Disability Arts Online (DAO) a unique online journal with a passion to support disabled or marginalized artists through networking, discussion and profile aimed at achieving a widespread appreciation for the richness and diversity of disability arts and culture. Our readership consists of majorly (65 per cent) of disabled artists and disabled people with an interest in the arts. Our mission is to spread the word about the impact of work being made in the disability

arts sector. Our other main demographic (35 per cent) are people working for other arts organisations who spearhead the professional practice of disabled artists, writers, performers, choreographers, curators or theatre-makers, or for art institutions that provide access to the arts for disabled people. Disability Arts Online gets over 25,000 page views a month.

Quotes from DYSPLA STORYMAKERS Residents 2019 Winners:

“DYSPLA helped me regain my confidence, that can so often become eroded when you are neurodivergent.”

Maike Hale Jones

“This was a truly inspiring residency which helped me learn the new language of writing for film.” -

Julia Pascal

Academic Quotes: From Dr Helen Taylor, Dr Brock L. Eide & Dr Fernette F.Eide, Nancy Doyle

Dr Helen Taylor, Creator of 'The Evolution of Complementary Cognition' advocates for the necessity of the Neurodivergent in A new theory of human cognitive evolution. ‘The reason we evolved different ways of processing information, is because it increased productivity, our ability to adapt to change and our ability to survive’.

Dr Brock L. Eide & Dr Fernette F.Eide, The Dyslexic Advantage. 2011

‘The Dyslexic mind has provoked attention and interest, but it's true nature and purpose have been missed. It’s been evaluated for its charity and accuracy as a lens, and found wanting. Yet if we study the dyslexic mind carefully, we’ll find that its true excellence is its ability to reveal many things that are hard for the [Neurotypical] mind to see’.

INTERESTING PRESS:

Created by Richard Macer and produced by Susanne Murray, Platform Productions.

BBC Documentary Farther and Sun: A Dyslexic Road Trip, 2018

‘ADHD brains are simultaneously hyper-vigilant and under-reacting to pressure. We are over responsive to innovation and don’t panic at risk.’

https://bit.ly/3diM7Yl

Molly Long, Design Week

Designing With Dyslexia Is A Cognitive Plus, 2019

https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/16-22-september-2019/designing-with-dyslexia-is-a-cognitive-plus/

Vanella Jackson, Hall & Partners

Standing With Doctor Thick On Dyslexia

‘The dyslexic mind is preoccupied with possibility, connecting ideas and creating the new. This is why thirty percent of those that attend art college are dyslexic and why dyslexics are drawn to creative industries and becoming entrepreneurs. Some of our most famous inventors and engineers are dyslexic. Albert Einstein was dyslexic.’

#dyslexia #dyslexicadvantage #DYSPLA #screenwriting #neurodivergence #london #writersresidency #artscouncilengland #free writing #dyslexic aesthetic #new writting #shortfilm #Scriptwriting

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dyspla · 7 years

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DYSPLA International Moving Image Festival, 14th-18th March at The Crypt Gallery

TICKETS ARE LIMITED - BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Listing information*

Awards Ceremony, Gala & Gin Reception: 14th March, 7:30-10:00 PM, £30.00

Industry Panel Discussion: 15th March, 7:30- 9:30 PM, £10.00

Daily festival screenings: 15th March, 1:00-7:00 PM; 16th-18th March, 1:00-8:30 PM, £5.00

*All tickets will include £1 booking fee. Tickets are an extra £5.00 on the door.

DIMIF FINALISTS

Aurora Fearnley - Murmur

Aurora is an award winning writer/director with ten years of professional experience, and a visual storyteller inspired by science, myths and psychology. She graduated with a First BA Degree from The Northern Film School. In Leeds she started the company Little Northern Light and co-founded Production Company Left Eye Blind, through which she directed a number of promos and commercials. In 2009, the company signed to Academy Films.

“A young woman makes a dawn escape from a commune she has grown to distrust. It is a film about how we perceive events differently based on our past experiences. Comfort and security to one person is a confined prison to another.”

Sam Johnson - God’s Lonely Man

Sam Johnson is an independent filmmaker, currently working in short and experimental film. A graduate from Falmouth University, he has worked on a number of short films in a variety of roles taking particular interest in sound design, editing and directing. Sam’s most recent project is a short film for his final year entitled God’s Lonely Man, which he wrote and directed. He continues to pursue his interests in film and music and is currently working on a feature length script, which he hopes to pursue as his next project.

“In the moors of south-west medieval England, a delirious pilgrim voyages through perilous lands in search of a hallowed monastery, leading him to the site of a mysterious dream.”

James McColl - Celebrating Ageing

Originally from Devon, James McColl graduated from Southampton Solent University with a B.A. in film and has returned to the South-West to become a freelance writer and visual artist. I am one third of First Line Theatre, a small theatre group that creates site specific live art. As a writer and artist he strives to critically discuss art and its ability to communicate ideas with the aim to reach people outside of the art world. James loves film, live art and comedy and tries to create as much as possible. He also regularly writes for The Skinny, Made In Plymouth and several other magazines.

“Having discovered the family archive of super-8 home movies, video artist James McColl has retraced the different parts of his grandmother’s life; stitching together family holidays, gatherings and present day interviews. He explores her coming to grips with deteriorating health, and how she reflects upon life through these gathered memories. This found footage documentary is an attempt to talk about our cultural fear of ageing.”

Kate Aries - Foil

Kate was recently awarded a Distinction Classification for her Masters Degree in Fine Art from the Winchester School of Art. She was selected as one of the best graduates in the region for inclusion in Platform, a project in association with five galleries: Aspex, De La Warr, Turner Contemporary, Milton Keynes Gallery and Modern Art Oxford. Outside of her institutional environments, she has been involved in a variety of exhibitions and projects; she collaborated with international artists on a residency to produce works that became part of a touring exhibition. She worked with a team of artists to coordinate the British Art Show 8 Southampton Fringe; as well as also being commissioned to solely project manage her own exhibition. She is also involved in the Filiart (Feminism in London) artist group and the Nasty Women Movement, recently showing her work at Nasty Women London, an exhibition that had over 3000 people attend the opening night. Since graduating, she has completed two Internships, one at A Space Southampton and one at the Theatre Royal Winchester. These experiences have led her to her current position, whilst still practicing as an Artist of course; she is also working in events management at an arts venue in Oxford.

I explore perception and illusion through experimentation with the camera, using different techniques to obscure and restrict my body. I use my body as a way of questioning my identity in the contemporary world as a woman physically, sexually, virtually and digitally: creating a tension between a position of sexuality and one of vulnerability. I have grown to realise how ingrained everyday sexism is in our society.

Feminism and female solidarity have become an important part of my practice, as well as the adverse effects of isolation and helplessness. The body is increasingly represented to us through digital mediation. My practice focuses not only on embodied experience, but also the manipulated and processed image and the mutability of identities in this increasingly mediatised society.

Gregory Hayman - Dog

Gregory Hayman is an artist member of Studio 1.1 Gallery in London and has a hybrid practice examining the themes of looking and memory often through the prism of Art History. He has exhibited widely in the UK and overseas.

Hayman’s practice is underpinned by extensive research and he produces a range of 'epistemic objects' or 'research artworks'. In other words, he makes artworks to investigate the subject of his study, linking practical outcomes in a virtuous circle. Last year, Hayman exhibited work in 10 exhibitions including Fountain17, a Hull City of Culture exhibition, alongside artists including Assemble, the Turner Prize Winners from 2015; and shows in Berlin, Athens, London twice, Newcastle twice, Norwich, Stoke on Trent.

This video artwork is a response to the migrant crisis and the death of the three-year-old Syrian boy Alan Kurdi. It takes as its starting point an artwork, as is usual with my work, and explores synergies between the artwork and events. The artwork I chose is Goya’s Dog, or El Perro or Perro Semihundido. It is one one of Goya’s so-called ‘Black Paintings’. It is an intensely moving painting where the dog is given almost human like expression in the way it looks up tragically pleading for help. I usually spend a huge amount of time researching each artwork, and this one is no exception. But, whereas the research is not shown, this work is the research conducted via browsing the web.

Kaiya Stone - Everything Is Going to Be KO

Kaiya Stone is a filmmaker, theatre director, and writer. She was born in Leeds and grew up in Cape Town, upstate New York and Batley, West Yorkshire. She studied Classics at St Hilda’s College, Oxford University where she was diagnosed with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Everything is going to be KO is a film and a one-person show with a book-in-progress. She is a co-founder of the production company Transgress - a collective focused on exploring disability, sexuality, and gender.

Downtown 500 Magazine - No, It Is Not; Not Always. The Self-Fear!

It is a story of the eccentric proto/antagonist of modern times (the Meta Man, the Metamodernist) who is balancing between the Modern vs Postmodern legacies. He/ she is a contemporary creative partner or a new authority – a new artist, an ambitious dilettante in his/ her purity and directness at his/her maximalist stage; explaining his/her achievements along fears, concerns, affairs, failures, addictions etc...

The project explores CONTRADICTIONS AND ABSURDITIES like constructions vs. reconstructions, projections vs. rejections, apathy vs sensibility, postmodern irony vs metamodernist "here I am", prejudices vs freedom, manipulations vs. deviation etc...

ALL FILMS WILL BE SCREENED CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVAL

Listing information*

Awards Ceremony, Gala & Gin Reception: 14th March, 7:30-10:00 PM, £30.00

Industry Panel Discussion: 15th March, 7:30- 9:30 PM, £10.00

Daily festival screenings: 15th March, 1:00-7:00 PM; 16th-18th March, 1:00-8:30 PM, £5.00

*All tickets will include £1 booking fee. Tickets are an extra £5.00 on the door.

The Crypt Gallery, Euston Rd, King’s Cross, London, NW1 2BA Closest national rail and underground stations: King’s Cross & Euston

#dyspla #dysplainternationalmovingimagefestival #dimif #experimentalfilm #dyslexicfilmmakers #neurodivergence #neurodiversity #dyslexia

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dyspla · 7 years

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DYSPLA International Moving Image Festival, 14th-18th March at The Crypt Gallery

DIMIF, with the support of Arts Council England, will exhibit the work of over 30 dyslexic and neurodivergent filmmakers from 14-18th March 2018 at the Crypt Gallery in Kings Cross, London, so do not miss your opportunity to witness the work and participate in the first-ever festival that will investigate the theme of the Dyslexic Aesthetic.

CLICK TO BUY TICKETS

We are very excited to welcome our incredible DIMIF filmmakers and our Award Winners. The work they produce is a massive contribution to the dyslexic/neurodivergent creative community.

We are proudly celebrating not only neurodiversity, but also other types of diversity:

Researchers on the AHRC-funded project ‘Calling the Shots: Women and Contemporary UK Film Culture’ have found that women made up just 14% of directors and 7% of cinematographers on UK films from 2003-15.

Of those women, only 10% of directors and 4% of cinematographers were of Black, Asian, or Ethnic Minority identity, making only 1% of all directors and only 3% of all cinematographers BAME women.

*Thank you to WFTV for providing an article on this research.

In the light of these findings, DYSPLA is proud to celebrate the fact that 2/3 of our award-winners are representatives of the BAME community, and that one of these is a woman.

The festival itself is a novelty, presenting the films in a way that will blur the lines between traditional film festivals and the art gallery experience. DYSPLA loves to challenge their audiences and this festival will challenge how the films are experienced and how the audience can/will interact with the films.

The Themes��

Our films explore themes of birth, life and death, and the fight for existence.

How do we as humans deal with tragedy, corruption, inequity, prejudice, moral issues, ethics?

These are the universal questions in all of DYSPLA work and in true DYSPLA fashion, we echo the stories of under-representation in our society.

MEET THE AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKERS

Mike Forshaw - Saturday (2015)

“As someone who was only diagnosed with dyslexia whilst at university, I strongly believe that open conversation is vitally important to raise public awareness and understanding for a condition that many people still do not fully understand. This event will hopefully provide an excellent opportunity to discuss how my dyslexia has shaped me as a director and why my diagnosis was so liberating.”

Born and raised in Liverpool, Mike studied film at Northumbria University before moving to London to study Fiction Direction at the National Film & Television School. His graduation film premiered at the BFI London Film Festival, and his shorts have screened at the numerous UK and international film festivals.

In 2013, Saturday was awarded a top prize during Nisi Masa’s European Short Pitch, and the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2015. In 2014 Mike was selected for TorinoFilmLab’s AdaptLab workshop and is currently developing his first feature, King of Grain, with Agile Films.

Featured Film - Saturday (2015)

“A fictional account of how the Hillsborough stadium disaster – which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool supporters – unfolded for one family back home in Merseyside.”

Although Saturday is very much linear and lucid in its style, director Mike Forshaw manages to incorporate some non-linear and dream-like, subtle, foreshadowing elements into the story. The film offers a fresh view on a well-documented national tragedy, by placing the focus well away from the actual event - creating emotional microcosms representative both of the direct violence of Hillsborough and the ignorance that led to it, as well as of the massive impact the tragedy had on its community.

MEET THE AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKERS

Emma Allen - Ruby (2013)

Emma Allen resides between Sri Lanka and London. She’s an internationally recognised artist that is entirely self-taught and produces work in a broad range of different mediums.

A maker at heart, and combines painting, body-painting, animation, sculpture, sewing and even light in her work. Despite such breadth her work has a clear focus on the human condition, and how it interacts with nature.

She’s best known for her body-paint animation work which has been exhibited all over the world, received millions of views online, and press coverage in print and online and featured as TV news stories in 12 countries.

Her work manages to combine critical acclaim with mainstream appeal, attracting audiences in many countries around the world. Emma is not afraid to tackle big issues with her work and through the course of it has helped a number of charities, worked with refugees, prisoners and founded her own arts charity for disadvantaged children in Sri Lanka.

Featured Film - Ruby (2013)

“An animated self-portrait exploring the idea of rebirth and illustrating the transfer of energy from one incarnation to another.”

Ruby is a stop-frame mixed media short film which encapsulates our festival’s themes of birth, life and death in a literal way - depicting the process of ageing, dying and being born again in a series of representative face-paints. It explores the wider context of how we as humans fit into nature and the universe. It also touches on ideas of belief and religion, spirituality, the supernatural, and life after death.

MEET THE AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKERS

Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese - Behemoth: Or the Game of God (2015)

Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese is an award-winning Lesotho/South African filmmaker and artist. He has worked as writer, director, cinematographer and editor since 2007, and currently spends most of his time between Lesotho, South Africa and Berlin. His work ranges from feature length to short films and image films to music videos.

Two of Mosese’s short films, Mosonngoa (2014) and Behemoth: Or the Game of God (2015) have been screened at over a hundred film festivals, including: Clermont Ferrand International Film Festival; Raindance International Film Festival; Kinodot Film Festival; Festival del Cinema Africano; d’Asia e America Latina; as well as the Durban International Film Festival and L’Étrange Festival.

Mosese is also an alumnus of the Berlinale Talent Campus (2011) and Focus Features Africa First (2012), as well as the Realness Screenwriting Residency (2017).

Mosonngoa won him the ‘Best Short Film’, as well as the special award ‘Premio Associazione Sunugal’ in Milan in 2016. Behemoth: Or the Game of God has won ‘Best Short Film’ at the Kinodot Film Festival in 2016; the ‘Signs Award’ at Festival International Signes de Nuit Student Jury Prize in 2016; and the ‘Special Jury Prize’ at Moscow International Experimental Film Festival in 2016.

In January 2013, Mosese co-funded Mokoari Street Productions - a film and video production company, working on projects in Lesotho, South Africa and Berlin.

Featured Film - Behemoth: Or the Game of God (2015)

“An itinerant preacher declares to his followers: their God is in the coffin he is dragging along.”

Mosese manages to convey a very strong political rhetoric into Behemoth that touches upon themes of corruption, poverty and power - symbolised by a key referent in the film - money; and the control that it holds over people. Biblical language is used throughout; “I am the javelin in the hand of Cain”, shouts the preacher; “And I have come to bring you either life or death”. The apex of the film serves to illustrate the people’s hypocrisy and greed, which go against the very tenets of the religion they seek to protect so fiercely: “Have you lost your souls?” - cries out our preacher.

Stan Brakhage (Special Mention)

James Stanley Brakhage (January 14, 1933 – March 9, 2003), better known as Stan Brakhage, was an American non-narrative filmmaker. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in 20th-century experimental film. His work is often noted for its expressiveness and lyricism.

Over the course of five decades, Brakhage created a large and diverse body of work, exploring a variety of formats, approaches and techniques that included handheld camerawork, painting directly onto celluloid, fast cutting, in-camera editing, scratching on film, collage film and the use of multiple exposures. Interested in mythology and inspired by music, poetry, and visual phenomena, Brakhage sought to reveal the universal in the particular, exploring themes of birth, mortality, sexuality, and innocence.

Featured Film - Window Water Baby Moving (1959)

“The film documents the birth of the director's first child, Myrrena, by his then-wife Jane Brakhage.”

*Image Courtesy of the Estate of Stan Brakhage and Fred Camper.

The graphic imagery of Window Water Baby Moving carries with it a shock value which makes the work frank, honest and powerful. The non-sequential, non-narrative style of the film instead offers us something very visceral, instinctive and primal in conveying the miracle that is childbirth. Expectation, pain, joy, wonder and love all intertwine on screen in scenes leading up to, during, and after the birth.

*Many thanks to Lux, for their support and co-operation in providing us with the footage of Window Water Baby Moving.

ALL FILMS WILL BE SCREENED CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVAL

TICKETS ARE LIMITED - BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

Listing Information*

Awards Ceremony, Gala & Gin Reception: 14th March, 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM, £30.00

Industry Panel Discussion: 15th March, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM, £10.00

Daily festival screenings: 15th March, 1-7 PM; 16th-18th March, 1-8:30 PM, £5.00

*All tickets will include £1 booking fee. Tickets are an extra £5.00 on the door.

The Crypt Gallery, Euston Rd, King’s Cross, London, NW1 2BA Closest national rail and underground stations: King’s Cross & Euston

#dyslexicfilmmakers #mikeforshaw #emmaallen #lemohangjeremiahmosese #stanbrakhage #dyspla #dysplainternationalmovingimagefestival #dimif #dyslexia #neurodivergence #dyslexicaesthetic #experimentalfilm #lifeanddeath #society #underdogs

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dyspla · 7 years

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Introducing the DIMIF Panel Members

Deborah Williams - Panel Chair

“This festival is a vital next step in the growth of DYSPLA. I am looking forward to facilitating the panel discussion, getting to see the films and hearing from the artists.”

Deborah Williams is CEO of the Creative Diversity Network (CDN) - the body funded by the UK’s major broadcasters, which brings together organisations across the UK television industry to promote, celebrate and share good practice around the diversity agenda. As CEO, Deborah is responsible for the strategic direction of CDN, delivering all aspects of the organisation’s activities; including the ground-breaking Diamond diversity monitoring scheme, diversity talent databases, online resources and the CDN awards.

Prior to joining CDN, Deborah was Diversity Manager at the British Film Institute (BFI), where she opened and managed a £1m lottery fund for diversity, designed the BFI diversity standards for film, and contributed to the BFI business plan and strategy. Before joining the BFI, Deborah was the Senior Officer for Equality and Diversity at Arts Council England.

Deborah is also an award winning actress, as well as being a writer and theatre maker with 20 years’ experience in creating and presenting distinctive, high quality work that challenges ideas of difference and diversity.

D-Fuse

“I think that events like this are important because by facing the stigma of dyslexia and neurodivergence in our society head on, we almost supersede it and turn it into something positive.”

Our commissioned artist D-Fuse will be creating a live 3D installation on the opening night of DIMIF, as well as being part of our panel on the Panel Discussion night on the 15th of March.

D-Fuse are a London-based artist collective who work across a range of media. Founded in the mid-1990s by Michael Faulkner, D-Fuse’s output encompasses installations, film, experimental documentary, photography, live cinema performances and architectural projects.

Beginning in graphic and web design and VJing, D-Fuse’s work has evolved to address social and environmental themes and explore collaborative processes. Besides work with groundbreaking musicians from a wide range of genres including Steve Reich, Beck, Hauschka, Scanner and Swayzak, much of D-Fuse’s output since 2004 includes sound and music by audio director Matthias Kispert.

Their work has been shown internationally, including SFMOMA, WRO Festival [Wroclaw], Prix Ars Electronica [Linz], Sonar [Barcelona], onedotzero Festivals, Eyebeam and TriBeCa Film Festival [NYC], MU and STRPFestival [Eindhoven], Lisbon and Valencia Bienniale, Moscow Architectural Biennale, and many others. The D-Fuse-edited book VJ: Audiovisual Art and VJ Culture was published by Laurence King in 2007.

Chris Arnold

“I think it is great that we can both celebrate dyslexia and inspire others. For me dyslexia has been a gift and an opportunity to see things in ways others cannot imagine.”

Chris is a Creative Director and founder of the brand marketing and creative ad agency Creative Orchestra.

He is also the founder of The Garage, a specialist disruptive innovation consultancy that helps companies think differently and deliberately uses dyslexics. He was a board director and a Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi before setting up FEEL – the UK’s first ethical marketing & advertising agency.

He is one of the UK’s leading experts in ethical marketing and author of Ethical Marketing & The New Consumer (published by Wiley). Being a dyslexic himself, he is a champion of dyslexia – believing that “every board room should hire a dyslexic.” Despite being dyslexic, he has written a weekly blog on ethical marketing on Brand Republic for almost 10 years, as well as pieces for many other publications.

He has also written the mini-insights reports Why Women Shop on Venus & Men Shop on Mars and co-written insighst reports The Truth About Students and The Content insight Guide to Millennials and Students. He’s currently writing THUNK (a different way to think) which is based on his creative thinking workshops.

A former board member of the DMA (Europe’s largest marketing trade body) he’s been the Chairman of both the Agency Council and the Creative Council. He is passionate about community and founded the UK’s largest community arts festival – The Crouch End Arts Festival. He also runs The Intimate Space, “London’s smallest and coolest venue”, as it’s been described, based in a 500 year old church tower in Hornsey. The venture is designed to support young people’s creative talents.

Chris has written for many publications, including the FT, Creative Review, Campaign, Marketing, Impact, The Times, Third Sector, Brand Strategy and Brand Republic – Europe’s largest marketing online site.

He’s also appeared as a marketing expert on BBC’s Working Lunch, Watchdog (3 times) and in a number of documentaries on marketing. On Channel 4 (Food Unwrapped, Superfoods and Despatches) and the BBC. On radio – BBC and LBC. Plus online TV channels.

He lectures around the world on creativity, marketing, brand, innovation & futurology, ethical marketing, Proximity Mobile Marketing and Disruptive Innovation.

Sara Putt

“I think the festival is going to talk about some key issues, and I'm excited about taking part in the festival's discussion on improving the diversity in the business.”

Sara runs Sara Putt Associates. Based at Shepperton Studios, her company is the leading independent UK agency for film and television heads of department - providing personal management and representation within feature films, TV drama, documentaries and entertainment for over 20 years. Alongside the Agency, the Diary Service provides diary management and production knowledge for crew.

Keen on nurturing new talent, in 2011 Sara Putt Associates launched the 'Trainee & Assistants Scheme' providing opportunities to those at the start of their careers. They collaborate with film and television agents in the US and work alongside literary agency ‘Sayle Screen’.

Sara also sits on the BAFTA Board and TV Committee Chairs, BAFTA’s Learning and New Talent Committee, and is Deputy Chair of WFTV.

Mike Forshaw

“I am very honoured and excited to reveal that SATURDAY has been selected for the DYSPLA International Moving Image Festival. During the festival I will be taking part in a panel discussion about dyslexia, and I could not be prouder. As someone who was only diagnosed with dyslexia whilst at university, I strongly believe that open conversation is vitally important to raise public awareness and understanding for a condition that many people still do not fully understand. This event will hopefully provide an excellent opportunity to discuss how my dyslexia has shaped me as a director and why my diagnosis was so liberating.”

In 2013, Saturday was awarded a top prize during Nisi Masa’s European Short Pitch, and the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2015. In 2014 Mike was selected for TorinoFilmLab’s AdaptLab workshop, and is currently developing his first feature, King of Grain, with Agile Films.

Jim Rokos

“After everything we have said about the creative gifts that the neurodiverse mind can bring to creativity, a festival of alternative thinking brings an enormous pressure to deliver the truly exceptional. With the red tape fallen away, I am very excited to see what will be achieved.”

Originally training as a model-maker in the film and TV industry (working on The Muppet Treasure Island, Band of Brothers, Tomb Raider, Victoria and Albert), Jim went on to teach at a school in London before completing a Master’s degree in Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins College.

In close collaboration with Ab Rogers, in 2016 Jim curated the very first ‘Dyslexic Design’ exhibition, which was hosted by designjunction, also at King’s Cross on Granary Square. The show challenged perceptions of dyslexia by accentuating its positive effects and its close association with design. ‘Dyslexic Design’ is a ‘Silver Winner’ in the London Design Awards; category: Pop-Ups, Display, Exhibit & Set Design. It was also nominated for the ‘iF Social Impact Prize 2017′ for Health & Demographic Change. Many now consider Jim's work to be a symbol of the gifts that dyslexia can bring.

Jim also runs 'Rokos'- his brand of playful and sculptural glassware that behave in unexpected ways... Exceptional products express their character - they come to life when they are used! They can take on the mood of the users (13° 60° 104° Decanter) or they can express the behaviour of the object contained (Gauge flower vase).

Rokos won the prestigious 2012 ‘Reddot Design Award’ for the 13° 60° 104° Wine Decanter and the Enterprise Europe Network Award 2014 for the Gauge vase. The vase also won the ‘German Design Award 2017′ for Excellent Product Design and the Smoke colour Gauge has won the ‘LUX Designer Awards 2018′ for 'Most Original Glassware Design'. In addition to this, Jim has been awarded the 'Best Glassware Designer 2018 - United Kingdom' by the LUX Designer Awards.

Jim's innovative cat-food bowl won BBC1’s Tomorrow’s World's Best Inventions pilot in 2001. His Blindspot series is Design Parade selected (2007). In 2008, he won an ‘RSA Design Directions’ award and in 2012, the ‘Faces of Design’ award.

Helen Taylor

“I am very honoured to be part of the Panel Discussion on the Dyslexic Aesthetic at the DYSPLA festival. The broader information processing style of dyslexics really lends itself to greater recombination and translation that underlies novelty and originality. It will be fascinating to see the films and hear my dyslexic panel members describe how their dyslexic cognition shapes their work.”

Dr. Helen Taylor studied initially at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, she was diagnosed with dyslexia herself after nearly being thrown out of her undergraduate degree. She went on to achieve a 1st class honours for her degree as well as several prizes and won a scholarship to study her Masters. On completion she was awarded the highest mark in the history of the department along with several research awards including the Petrie Prize and Seton Lloyd Memorial Prize. After completing a Sackler Fellowship at The British Museum she won a full AHRC scholarship to study her doctorate at the University of Cambridge where she investigated the emergence of social complexity.

Alongside this she started mentoring undergraduate and Ph.D students with dyslexia, ADHD, dyspraxia and autism. Frustrated by the lack of appreciation of these kinds of cogition she became determined during her time at Cambridge to understand what these differences were. By combining insights from her Ph.D, and research into the cognitive differences and strengths found in dyslexia, she developed a new theory of human evolution named The Evolution of ComplementaryCognition. This shows that different kinds of cogntion were not only fundamental to the adaptive success of our species, but are critical to organisational effectiveness in the modern world. Helen is currently working to publish the results of her research. To learn more follow Helen on Twitter.

Tickets

DYSPLA is extremely excited to welcome our esteemed panel members for an academic discussion on the DYSLEXIC AESTHETIC. It will take place on the second night of the festival, 15th of March 2018 at 7:00 PM, so save the date if you’re up for a debate! There are only 30 tickets available so book your tickets today.

Buy your Panel Discussion tickets here for £10

Listing Information*

Awards Ceremony, Gala & Gin Reception: 14th March, 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM, £30.00

Industry Panel Discussion: 15th March, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM, £10.00

Daily festival screenings: 15th March, 1-7 PM; 16th-18th March, 1-8:30 PM, £5.00

(All films will be screened continuously throughout the festival) *All tickets will include £1 booking fee. Tickets are an extra £5.00 on the door.

The Crypt Gallery, Euston Rd, King’s Cross, London, NW1 2BA Closest national rail and underground stations: King’s Cross & Euston

#dyspla #dimif #dysplainternationalmovingimagefestival #paneldiscussion #academic #dyslexia #neurodivergence #neurodiversity #dyslexicaesthetic #dyslexicdiscourse #diversity #alternativethinking #dyslexiccreativity #experimentalfilmfestival #creativeindustry

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dyspla · 7 years

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Introducing the DYSPLA International Moving Image Festival Gala & Awards Ceremony

INTRODUCING D-FUSE, OUR COMMISSIONED ARTIST

Michael Faulkner is a moving image innovator and pioneer, and the founder of D-Fuse Collective. He has been commissioned by DYSPLA to create a 3D installation at The Crypt Gallery in St. Pancras on the 14th March 2018.

DYSPLA love D-Fuse’s socialist approach to collaboration, sharing of materials, ideas and working methods - thus producing an eclectic mix of aesthetics in the work and breaking new creative grounds.

We have met with him last week to run a series of test projections at our venue, and to talk about some of the things that had inspired Mike to work with us:

"Being part of a dyslexic film festival frees up my creativity and almost gets rid of any walls or ‘rules’ which could otherwise be present. I think that events like this are important because by facing the stigma of dyslexia and neurodivergence in our society head on, we almost supersede it and turn it into something positive." - Michael Faulkner

The festival will commence with the Awards Ceremony, Gala and Drinks Reception on 14th March 2018. Our Gala guests will be the first to experience all the award-winning films in an immersive gallery setting, opening with commissioned video artist D-Fuse, who will create a live multi-channel holographic smoke installation. There are only 50 tickets on sale for the Awards Ceremony and Gala, which is always our most popular event, so make sure you book your tickets in advance!

Buy Gala tickets now for £30

Listing Information*

Award Ceremony and Gala: 14th March, 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM, £30.00 Screenings + panel discussion: 15th March, 1-7 PM + 7:30 PM, £10.00 Daily festival screenings: 16th-18th March, 1-8:30 PM, £5.00

(All films will be screened continuously throughout the festival) *All tickets will include £1 booking fee. Tickets are an extra £5.00 on the door.

IN PREPARATION FOR THE FESTIVAL

Are you a fighter with a story?!

Are you a boxer or martial artist with a story? Want your story to be part of an innovative and exciting film festival?

We are filming this Saturday in North London, so please get in touch today.

Contact festival organisers

OTHER UPCOMING DYSPLA EXHIBITIONS

DYSPLA is participating in the Art.Number23 'Chapter I' art exhibition this week, which is the very first event in their new exhibition space! We are excited to be showing the film Washed Up Babies - our take on a modern-day psychopomp. Click the link to watch the trailer on our website.

Washed Up Babies has been exhibited nationally: at the Tea Break Festival in Hull; Underneath the Floorboards in London; and Blowing a Gail in Warrington, as well as internationally at: Alternative Film Festival in Toronto, Canada; Gstaadfilm Festival in Uruguay; 30th Minimalen Short Film Festival in Trodenhiem, Norway; and is set to exhibit at 21st ZOOM Film Festival in Poland this month.

'Chapter I' is a group show of international and UK-based artist. The theme of the exhibition relates to new beginnings and important changes in life. Let us know if you can make it!

Private View: 9th February, 18.30pm - 21.30pm Opening times: 10th February - 14th February, 11.00am-18.00pm For more info, visit the Facebook event page.

Another one of our short films, You Will Fail Her, is set to exhibit in March at both SHAPE Open 2018 exhibition in London, as well as SheFest festival in Sheffield.

You Will Fail Her is a one woman performance about mental health and the educational apartheid that blights British society. Click the link to watch the trailer on our website.

More information about the festival & our partners

DYSPLA was established in 2007 to exhibit and produce the work of dyslexic and neurodiverse story makers. From our early stages we have produced and exhibited work internationally, establishing ourselves at the forefront of the dyslexic and neurodiverse creative community.

DIMIF has secured mentorships with industry professionals and further development opportunities for their Award winning filmmakers. The Award Categories are: Best Story Innovator, Best Experimental Film, Dyslexic Creative Champion. These awards will be judged by DYSPLA's esteemed panel made up of elite members of the creative industry.

DIMIF is excited to be partnering with Canvas Media, an Arts Council-funded initiative aimed at helping arts organisations engage with audiences on digital platforms.

DYSPLA International Moving Image Festival was made possible by funding from Arts Council England. ACE are integral to keeping arts and cultural events like DIMIF alive, and DYSPLA would like to thank them for giving us the chance to showcase incredible dyslexic and neurodivergent filmmakers.

#dyspla #dysplainternationalmovingimagefestival #dimif #d-fuse #thecryptgallery #london #kingscross #stpancras #3dinstallation #14thmarch2018 #dyslexiccreativity #dyslexicaesthetic #experimentalfilmfestival #dysplaexhibitions #artscouncilengland #canvasmedia

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dyspla · 7 years

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Michael Faulkner Interview

LV: Lennie Varvarides, MF: Michael Faulkner

LV: How did you hear about DYSPLA?

MF: Being dyslexic and knowing that lots of film directors and artists are dyslexic, I searched out to try to find a dyslexic film festival, and the only one I could find was DYSPLA, which I found on FilmFreeway and subscribed to their mailing list.

LV: What made you want to be involved in the DYSPLA International Moving Image Festival?

MF: I was looking for an avenue to present some of my films through a dyslexic lens, so people could appreciate them in a different sort of way. Being part of a dyslexic film festival frees up my creativity and almost gets rid of any walls or ‘rules’ which could otherwise be present. I think that events like this are important because by facing the stigma of dyslexia and neurodivergence in our society head on, we almost supersede it and turn it into something positive.

LV: Can you describe what the dyslexic aesthetic is?

MF: The keyword is structure. I would say that one of the factors that sets apart a dyslexic filmmaker from the rest is an obsession with specific details, as well as fast-forwarding and re-winding of other elements. This makes the work seem ‘out of sync’ and gives it a very particular feel, kind of like going through things at a speed of light.

LV: Do you think your work is an example of the dyslexic aesthetic?

MF: Yes, because there is a focus of a non-narrative structure to it – it exists in a 3D space and serves to fill this space visually. There’s a certain intuitiveness about it. I like to speed things up and slow things down; not necessarily working with current time. Often certain images are associated with one another, but there is a strong de-fragmented approach throughout.

LV: When did you find out you were dyslexic?

MF: Officially about 5 years ago.

LV: So, you're quite new to the ‘gang’! Would you say life has improved since your diagnosis?

MF: Well I’d say yes and no in some ways, because it actually gives you an emotional crutch so to speak – and now I can just… blame dyslexia! Or maybe I should say thank dyslexia? It only frustrates me to think that had I known about it before, I might have been more equipped for it. But to be honest, I don’t think society was equipped for it anyway, and in many ways still isn’t. Things are changing though, and people now are a lot more open to topics like neurodivergence, which definitely gives hope for more understanding in the future.

#d-fuse #michaelfaulkner #dyspla #dysplainternationalmovingimagefestival #dimif #dyslexia #neurodivergence #neurodiversity #dyslexicaesthetic #dyslexiccreativity #dyslexicfilmmakers #dyslexicartists #dyslexicadvantage #experimentalfilmfestival

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dyspla · 8 years

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We’ve begun a new campaign for YOU WILL FAIL HER - be sure to like and share!

DYSPLA is an arts organisation producing and developing the work of dyslexic and neurodivergent storymakers. We work in film, immersive theatre, installation, and digital art to exhibit and develop new work by neurodivergent artists, both locally and internationally.

YOU WILL FAIL HER: AN IMMERSIVE THEATRE INSTALLATION, CHALLENGING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BRITISH EDUCATION SYSTEM.

“You will enter a world of movie projection, giant balloons and the soundscape of your inner voice. You will revisit your own childhood and there among your memories, you will relive a trauma so unforgivable that even you will feel the guilt of a system that continues to fail its children.”

With the support of the Arts Council England, New Theatre Royal and Resident Artist Jon Adams, DYSPLA will produce an R&D project called, YOU WILL FAIL HER; a performative installation that attacks Britain’s education system and condemns how it fails to properly teach neurodivergent children.

YOU WILL FAIL HER is a one-woman performative installation that weaves the audience into the tapestry of the protagonist’s life through immersive theatre, moving image projection and an interactive soundscape. The performance will address topical themes of State and Parental responsibilities, explore the emotional consequences of a failed educational system and, in light of the recent cuts to educational funding, prove that it is still the most vulnerable students in our society who continue to experience discriminative education.

After each performance we will invite Guest Speakers to lead a radical and forward-thinking debate, to address ways to challenge the issues within Britain’s educational system and to promote how Dyslexics and all neurodivergent students can still succeed within a defective system.

DYSPLA is currently inviting experts in dyslexia, mental health and educational reform, to create a Panel of Guest Speakers capable of challenging the suitability of Britain’s education system. We are pleased to announce that Creative Network South is one of our first confirmed Guest Speakers who will lead a discussion on dyslexia and employability.

If you or your organisation would like to speak on Dyslexia, Mental Health or Educational Reform, please call or email Festival Producer Lennie Varvarides on [email protected] +44(0)7917157748

ENDS

Listing Details:

YOU WILL FAIL HER

Immersive Theatre, Panel Discussions and Debate about Dyslexia, Mental Health and Educational Reform.

Thur 21 - Sat 23 September 2017, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Ticket price £10 (£6.50 concessions)

New Theatre Royal, Minghella Space, 20-24 Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, PO1 2DD

023 9264 9000 newtheatreroyal.com

#dyspla #you will fail her #acting #theatre #dyslexia #mental health #education #portsmouth #new theatre royal #immersive theatre

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msftmanagement · 8 years

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Holli Dillon Holli is a great all rounder; a trained clown, an excellent commercial actor and very popular on the alternative live performance scene. Holli is currently working on two theatre plays: ''SLIPSTREAM'', a new piece of devised physical theatre exploring the pressures of depression and suicide, and ''WE DO ROM ROM'', a new historical comedy. Holli is also involved in the development stages of, “Two Girls”a Short written by Lennie Varvarides and produced by DYSPLA.

#holli dillon #msftmanagement #actor #london #dyspla

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msftmanagement · 6 years

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ALEX KIFFIN: “My First Year with MSFT Management”

MSFT Management values personal development and encourages all actors to keep a journal of their progress and reflect on the challenges they overcome.

We believe in the mutual benefits of a strong actor-agent relationship, and use a more holistic approach with our clients. By keeping a journal, they are able to reflect on their creative journey which helps them to discover their potential and recognising ways to challenge their limit.

We encourage our actors to keep themselves active, participate in on-going training, work on self-promotion, step out of their comfort zone, and try new things, as these are skills and discipline that make them better at their craft.

Here is a statement from one of our newest exclusives, ALEX KIFFIN.

My first year signing with MSFT Management has been a wide awaking experience, and it also made me realise how much I have to improve my work ethic as an actor. Fundamentally its due to the fact I'm my own brand and in order to be a successful the hours of practice, commitment, dedication has to be relentless. Whether it be in workshops or auditions I always have to give it my all because the competition is farce now than ever before.

I can truly say Lennie has been a real revelation to for, in terms of working as a team, and building together so we can both reach my targets and goals. From when I met her for the interview, she was deciding whether to take me on as her client. She asked me what I wanted to do and I made it clear American TV and Film. She asked me who have I been seen by, so I named them and said get me in the room and I will book. But she kindly said you haven't booked these other jobs you've gone for previously. Which really put me in my place and made me also realise I have to find a method/technique which allows me to either book or get a recall.

Lennie said from day one that she can get me seen by leading casting directors, and by god she wasn't wrong. I've been seen by the Hubbarbs, Carmen Cuba, Kim Hardin, Sophie Holland, Belinda Norcliffe, etc. All these casting directors I've met in less than a year. So, I can only imagine what it will be like for me two or three years down the line if I'm consistently being seen. I think that’s what I struggled with the first 3 to 6 months. I was never in a rhythm of auditioning regularly.

Since auditions have picked up its been good as I feel less nervous going into auditions and I feel I have more fun and I can express myself without questioning my ability. At the moment I haven't booked yet, but I will very soon as I know I'm running a marathon not a race.

Recently I've been doing more workshops to keep myself sharp, i.e. American accents, acting, script work, self-tapes. My self-tape volume has increased considerably which is beneficial as I know It allows me to assess how far I've come from when I started doing them till now.

Next year I plan to have booked high standard of work so I can focus more on doing classes and other aspects of the business. I want to keep building gradually as I can easily get caught up on seeing other people doing work which I may feel I can do, but not getting the chance to do it.

I've opened a film production company with three other colleagues as an avenue to create our own work so emerging talent can break through. I feel it's vital to create your own work as an artist, because not only does it give you the platform to showcase your talent but it allows you to horn your craft and push boundaries which you may not have before.

- Alex Kiffin

ALEX KIFFIN at SurgeryScript as ‘KG’

MSFT Management sponsors DYSPLA’s script development workshop, called SurgeryScript, where actors will have a chance to flex their muscles in a rehearsal room setting, while networking with multiple directors, producers, and writers, who are part of the London Directors and Producers Meetup.

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dyspla · 7 years

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YOU WILL FAIL HER

Immersive Theatre, Panel Discussions and Debate about Dyslexia, Mental Health and Educational Reform.

Thursday 21 – Friday 22 September 2017, 7PM – 10PM New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth

Hope : I bet you have never been on a trip like this before...

(Taken from the script of YOU WILL FAIL HER)

With Arts Council funding, DYSPLA has spent the past 8 months developing a new piece of theatre entitled You Will Fail Her. This immersive and interactive experience takes the audience on an emotional journey where they can explore the effects of mental health on dyslexic students at the hands of a failed education system.

The audience are introduced to the immersive experience through the character Hope, who takes them on a trip through the psyche of a dyslexic child and makes sure they are prepared for every stage of their journey. My name is Rhiannon Truscott, I experienced a You Will Fail Her R&D workshop on July 15th 2017 because I have an interest in education, mental health and Dramatherapy. I experienced first hand how immersive this piece of theatre is and how powerful audience interaction can be in triggering an emotional response to the story narrative.

Immersed in the subconscious world of the protagonist’s psyche the audience will experience what it is like to be a dyslexic child and gain an understanding of how dyslexia can cause anxiety, sadness and depression and how childhood trauma can affect the family dynamics.

The audience are asked to interact with the protagonist throughout the piece and document their journey using their phones to take pictures and record their experience. Much like a personal journal or diary the audience will be able to explore their own personal discovery documenting what they are experiencing and their emotional response. This data will be woven into the soundscape created by Resident Artist Jon Adams for future performances.

Lennie Varvarides, who wrote You Will Fail Her, described the piece as entering ‘a world of movie projection, giant balloons and the soundscape of your inner voice. Revisiting your own childhood and there among the memories, re-living a trauma so unforgivable that even you will feel the guilt of a system that continues to fail its children.’

Furthermore, there with be a panel discussion of guest speakers, chaired by Laura Doyle, after the performance to discuss the impact of Dyslexia and Mental Health on the education system and a call for education reform. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and further their knowledge and understanding about Dyslexia and Mental Health.

DYSPLA are pushing the boundaries of interactive theatre and questioning the audience’s role and their potential in live performance. If you are new to immersive or interactive theatre don’t panic. Each audience member must give their consent and choose to OPT IN or OPT OUT of the interaction. The audience decides if they are Participants or Spectators, but everyone is a tourist while they revisit their childhood and that is a journey not to be missed. ͜

TERMS:

Immersive theatre - Immersive theatre involves the audience as part of the performance where they can be in the role of a witness or a given character. The audience are free to explore the performance space and can sometimes choose what they do or do not want to experience. Usually has a strong emphasis on the sceneography of the piece.

Interactive theatre- Requires the audience’s participation within the performance, breaks down the barrier between audience and performer. This can involve reacting to parts of the performance or set e.g pushing buttons to play a section of dialogue or video and talking with the performer in role. The audience participates in the piece and can actually affect or influence the performance, the performer, other audience members and/or the narrative.

Dyslexia- Is a learning difference that affects a person’s ability to read, write, spell, process information and can cause short term memory loss. It often co-occurs with related conditions such as, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and attention deficit disorder. However, the condition has no affect on their intelligence.

Mental Health- everyone has mental health and it involves our psychological, emotional and social well-being. WHO describes good mental health as ‘a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make his or her contribution to her or his community.’

Anxiety- Anxiety is a normal emotional response to a stressful or difficult situation, that causes worry, fear and unease. People can find anxiety unpleasant and it is related to the fight/flight response. However, anxiety can become a problem when it extends once a stressful situation has ended and causes you to worry all the time and disrupts your normal daily function.

Depression- Depression is more than just sadness and feeling low, it is a serious but common mood disorder. Depression affects away a person thinks and feels and disrupts their normal daily functioning. There are different forms of depression, atypical, mild, moderate or severe (clinical) depression.

R&D- stands for Research and Development and is a process in the rehearsal of a production.

Spectator- someone who watches or observes the action e.g the performance, they are present at the event and respond to it from a distance but do not participate physically e.g. the response is purely emotional.

Participant- someone who takes part in the action of the performance and contributes physically to the piece, affecting the experience of other audience members and potentially influencing the performer and the narrative of the performance.

LISTING INFO:

You Will Fail Her - Immersive Theatre, Panel Discussions and Debate about Dyslexia, Mental Health and Educational Reform.

Thursday 21 – Friday 22 September 2017, 7PM – 10PM Ticket price £10 (£6.50 concessions) CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS New Theatre Royal, Minghella Space, 20-24 Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, PO1 2DD 023 9264 9000 https://www.newtheatreroyal.com/performances/you-will-fail-her

By Rhiannon Truscott

#dyslexia #mental health #theatre #portsmouth #lennievarvarides jonadams #youwillfailher immersive interactive depression new-writing

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