samuel.blenkin

Directed, Composed, Written, Edited and Filmed by Samuel Blenkin  Performed by Samuel Blenkin, Martha Furnival and Dan Jepson. Heimpra is the Icelandic word for Homesick. It's a tiny word with the depth and connotations of a novel:our deep sense of belonging for a particular place. The film is named as such because I have an intense fear of losing my home forever, a place where a big part of what holds me together as a person is rooted. That's what I'd fear most about the Apocalypse; losing something so central to my life I'd have to leave who I was behind, and start anew. The film is an exploration of coming to terms with losing your memories

A.Loan is a devised theatre piece that a small group of young actors from Gloucestershire have been creating for a year. It has developed into a story and an insight into what it is to be alone when a child/sibling leaves for university: shifting from the frenetic, wild experiences of the leaving to the quiet emptiness the people left behind must learn to endure. The show is held together by the power of the ensemble, a live soundtrack played by the cast, and a nefarious and jealous Bank Manager. We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to take our show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year, but we need financial assistance for accomodation costs, and external practitioners to help develop the show into something worthy of "the greatest show on earth".

On the 24th July 2013, a group of 11 young people from Gloucestershire and 4 professional adults met in the Tythe Barn at Postlip Hall, Winchcombe for a week long residential of collaboration and devising: exploring various themes all centred around strands of the history of Postlip and England's countryside, and the wild surroundings connected to it. This recording is but a snapshot of an incredibly satisfying experience that taught us all about the core of collaboration, and the power of movement. We were incredibly lucky to work with the renowned director Rob Tannion (who has worked extensively with DV8 Physical Theatre), who helped us to produce a final show for guests and the people of Postlip that coalesced the weeks' rehearsals and workshops. From the morning movement workshops to the late song writing sessions, with a few open mic nights around the fire it was a pleasure and a great experience. Thankyou to the people of Postlip for being so welcoming and supportive of the project, to Emma for moving the project forward, and to Sarah Blowers who gathered and became a mother to us all!

A self reflective film I made whilst mourning the loss of last years Christmas. January Blues. I'm enjoying this collaged style of filming, I'm aiming to express conceptual, generalised ideas rather than explicit, naturalistic scenes and circumstance. I do however want to move on to films exploring characters and their stories. As always it is hard to find the true time to write, shoot and edit with filmmkaing currently acting as my hobby, but I'll continue to create. 

I remember when, combined with my savings, I received a new camera for Christmas last year. I didn't put it down for three long weeks spent photographing everything in sight. Half way through this period, on the evening New Year's Day I had the impulse to make this tiny film, or something atleast to mark the passing of 2013.  This is what was created, and it stills make feel a little nostalgic.