Sahra Bhimji

New films added

sahra — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:29:56 +0000

I’ve added a couple new films to my website. They aren’t actually new films, they are just new to my website. Feels good to have “Nest” online at last. It’s a film that I feel wears well with age. When I made it back as a student it felt like the most important thing I’d ever done. Now I look back and think of little changes I could’ve made. Still, I’m really fond of trees, birds, nests, and especially the amazing wrinkles in Emily Frederickson’s face.

Check it out here.

Music video

sahra — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:48:15 +0000

I’m happy to dip my toes into the world of music videos – starting with producing a video for a very cool Scottish musician. I’m working with the hip little production company Bob’s Train Set. Currently looking for a sporty 10-13 year old boy to join our cast. Know anyone? Get in touch!

Film Fridays and my kiddie gig

sahra — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:19:38 +0000

I have been enjoying spending my Friday nights with a great group of teenagers as part of Media Education’s Film Fridays.

I’m teaching filmmaking skills and the group is coming up with their own documentary and drama shorts. It’s a lot to cram into ten weeks but I’d say it took them about an hour to master the camera, so it’s full steam ahead with these kids.

I’m also gearing up to teach a younger crowd soon, a five week workshop at Stenton Primary in East Lothian! It’s going to include a world premiere event at the village hall, which I imagine will be quite a ‘do.

Happy New Year

sahra — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:38:48 +0000

I’m convinced 2012 is going to be a great year. I’ve just signed up for the Writer’s Factory Feature Film Writing Workshop, a serious 22-week course to help me shape my feature film script. Plus, I’m still thinking about making an interactive short film this Spring and finding ways to work with actors throughout the year.

I’m very up for connecting with filmmakers and actors around Edinburgh, widening my local network of creative people.

Filmaka successes

sahra — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:31:37 +0000

“At First Sight” won the grand prize of $3000 in the jury round of the Filmaka.com feature film contest. This is the second year in a row where I made a grand prize winning film, after “You Are No Longer You”. At the moment I am waiting for the feature film round of the contest where one participant will have a chance to make a feature film.

Push/Pull

sahra — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:52:10 +0000

Push/Pull (2008) is a short film about a young girl on a journey towards her own birth. It explores themes of language, identity and memory.

Push/Pull screened at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London as part of the London Short Film Festival. It also screened at the Portobello Film Festival.

It stars the fabulous young Natalie Rousseau and the lovely Anik Belaubre, cast of Francois Truffaut’s final film: Finally, Sunday!

“A Typical Scottish Sunset”

sahra — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:54:36 +0000

I set about making a no-budget 2 minute comedy this summer in Edinburgh.

The result is perhaps more drama than comedy, but I think rather touching:

This video placed 7th in the Shooting People Film of the Month competition, not bad out of over 150 films!

DTV training videos on new website

sahra — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:41:32 +0000

Digital Training Videos is an exciting concept in training videos: highly portable, individual business skills-training that employees can watch on any media device. While working for DTV, I wrote, directed and produced over two dozen short training videos. I also had a chance to interview business leaders on everything from time management to customer service. It’s great to see these videos have a new home in the new DTV Library website.

The videos I produced and/or directed include:

Service in the City. An entertaining approach to great customer service.
Stressed Eric’s Guide to Stress Management.
Kissed: The Key to Clever Client Management. A guide to great sales techniques.
Green My Office. A Pimp My Ride-style take on greening your offices.
The Crowd of One: Great Public Speaking.
Teamwork: A Survivor’s Guide. 6-part series
Perfect Presentation. How to give a great presentation.

“La Ghost”

sahra — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:57:15 +0000

“La Ghost”, a one-minute experimental collage, continues to travel the world with screenings.

Recently it’s screened at the International Video Art Festival in Riga and at the SHAMS centre in Beirut. This adds to the screenings in the Cologne International Video Art Festival OFF 2011.

“La Ghost” was also selected as “Film of the Month” in the Renderyard One-Minute film competition.

“Behind the Happy Lands”

sahra — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:46:42 +0000

Last week saw the screening of my latest documentary, “Behind the Happy Lands”. It’s the “making-of” for the community feature film “The Happy Lands”, due out summer 2012.

Over a hundred people turned out to watch the 13 minute film, which tells the story of the extraordinary effort members of the local community in Fife put into making a feature film. I’ve been involved with this film since near the beginning, and it’s so satisfying to see it come together. This project has been led by the amazing, tireless efforts of the team at Theatre Workshop Scotland. I’m really looking forward to seeing the finished feature!

Scott Ward, The DOP of The Happy Lands. Image Copyright Rebecca Lee Photography