Henry mentioned that growing organic food locally ticks all the boxes when it comes to food politics. It’s tangible, positive and engaging. It’s not just romanticism. "A good farming system is the answer to a lot of things." Liv says at the end of the conversation. This is one of the angles that we want to explore in the film as we spend the coming months storyboarding and planning, liaising with potential composers and firming up the dates for our summer shoot. ​“I’ve never felt so stretched and pushed, and learning every day, it’s beyond anything I’ve ever expected, so much more than corporate sustainability.” - Liv James

Since my last visit two of the young calves died as they contracted pneumonia. The calves were now on the other side of the shed and had a new daily routine for bedding. Both Rose and Freddy spoke about how machinery has helped them keep going especially as they are getting older. The bedding up is still strenuous but manageable as they are both so fit and strong. The older cattle were now in a different field this time and were awaiting their TB results, hopefully with the all clear; some would be off to market soon. Freddy enjoyed taking me to spend some time with them in the field, they were as friendly and inquisitive as last time! As Freddy arrives, the cattle immediately come over and announce their arrival.

Rose also spent some time talking with me about growing up on a farm, and she enjoyed sharing old photos from their photo albums.

I also spent a happy afternoon zooming around on the back of a quad bike (capturing some very shaky footage!) and having my first ride in a tractor. However, no one visits West Ilkerton during lambing without getting involved, and farmer Chris made his debut as a filmmaker capturing this clip of me delivering a very large ram lamb (which of course has been christened Florence!). Sarah talked me through the process and it was such a privilege to be one of the team for this lovely sunny birth. ​

James: Since winning the commission, my professional life has changed exponentially.  A personal milestone was achieved late in March, when I won a Craft Award for motion graphics from the Royal Television Society – Devon & Cornwall. I’ve had a blast flexing my creative muscles on the national stage and am truly excited to focus my attention on the Down on the Farm commission.

In terms of ‘Get Big, Get Different or Get Out’ I’ve been extremely busy, completing the pre-production phase of the film in late February, and have secured the equipment, crew and permissions needed for shooting. I am in the midst of putting together a comprehensive production document, which I am hoping will support the film and its findings across the research portion of pre-production, as well as informing potential audiences of the complete process across the films production.

During this time, I have also been building a relationship with my contributor, Wayne Copp. We’ve arranged a 3-day shooting phase in late May and are both itching to get started. I have recruited Curtis Pyke (former work experience student at North Devon Moving Image) as a camera assistant. Curtis is a first-year student at UWE (University of West England) and is an amateur drone pilot and cameraman.
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I feel 100% confident that we are fully prepared and are ready to enter the shooting phase of the project and I can’t wait to release some product stills, behind the scenes shots and of course – the final piece in November 2019.

Ariel: ​Spring shoots are on their way for our production. The crew has been expanded with the addition of Junior Researcher, Bath Spa University Film & TV Production undergraduate Caitlin.

​The season's turn will  mark our return to Lower Brownsham Farm, where the Jefferys are already looking ahead to summer: preparing for the spring clearing of their barns and looking after their new calves and lambs.

Do you have an old family recipe notebook which has been handed down through the generations?

North Devon Moving Image (NDMI) is looking for local contributors for a short oral history documentary film on the topic of House & Home. 

Do you treasure Granny's Christmas cake recipe?  Do you still use Grandad's carving knife or Great Grandma's pudding bowl?  What local recipes are family favourites?  We would love to feature a person or family cooking from old hand written (or typed) recipes and see kitchen equipment and artefacts from days gone by as well as old family photos of life back in the day.

The film will be part of a collection on view in the new social history gallery at the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon.  

If you would like to be a part of this film or know someone else who might be interested, please get in touch by email to northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com or call Amanda McCormack, Creative Director of NDMI on 01271 860610.

​Happy New Year!  Here is our first Down on the Farm update for 2019.   With such a variety of topics and stories - and a whole year in which to make their films - our film makers are currently at different stages of production.  Some are still working on research while others have already begun filming with their chosen farmers.  Here is a selection of reports and snippets to keep you up to date ...

I am pleased to say we completed our first day filming on Saturday 12th January. Myself, Rem, Judah and our niece Izzy met with Leighton and his partner Jill at the Hartland Abbey gardens to film their first garden clearing session of the season. We were very lucky with the weather as the day started out bleak and wet but cleared by the time we arrived, and we spent two hours filming as Leighton and Jill cleared away last years growth and began digging tomato trenches in the polytunnels. 
 
We also filmed Leighton planting the first seed onions of the year at his home in Stoke, where he explained to us how applying different techniques to growing seeds offers different results. He was very pleased to note that the first seed onions have taken only three days to germinate, so a promising start to the season. There is no work yet to be done on the beehives but in the next two weeks Leighton will be pruning apple trees and planting the first potatoes.

The first shoot for Through Josh's Eyes took place between 3rd and 6th December 2018. I think it was very successful, on several counts. Most importantly, it consolidated my relationship with the film's subjects, the Jeffery family. I was 'embedded' in Lower Brownsham Farm for the duration, observing and sharing in the Jeffery's daily routine and comprehensively documenting all aspects of their life and activities in and around the farm. 
 
I felt we grew to like and trust one another quickly. For my part, my first stay at Lower Brownsham Farm confirmed what interesting - and welcoming - people the Jefferys are, as well as the visual richness of their farm as a film location.  
 
My initial concept for the film, to portray the working/family dynamic of Lower Brownsham Farm through the POV of its youngest tenants Josh, Steven and Charlotte, played an important part in this first shoot. The individual interviews and scenes I filmed featuring the boys and their baby sister have already given me plenty of good material to present themes central to the farming experience.  

I had a brilliant time doing my first stint of filming at West Ilkerton farm in the autumn - the depth of knowledge that Chris, Tortie and Sarah have on their animals is amazing, and will be a challenge to get everything into my 5 minute film! 
 
We went out to visit the herds in the landrover, and saw deer at the same time which are frequent visitors on the land. Nothing gets past Chris, and he has a keen eye for detail on the animals' wellbeing as he checks up on them. We also visited the local abattoir at Combe Martin to pick up meat to be sold at the Lyn Food Fest the next day, and it was great to see this stage of the meat-box process and the team effort that goes into labelling everything round the kitchen table when it's all brought back home. 
 
I got some lovely shots that evening as the sun was setting of Chris doing the rounds on the farm and feeding his beloved rams, and I was also lucky enough to 'help' sample all the types of beef to be sold the next day at dinner time! 

​I arrived one sunny morning on 9th October, to a very welcoming Rose. We spent a few hours having a cup of tea and talking about the farm.  We then went on a walk around the farm, (with the dog) I was impressed at how fit Rose still is, and she still was climbing fences to get around.  We visited the older cattle out in the fields and Rose enjoyed sharing stories about living in Devon all her life. 
 
When we got back from our walk Rose started to get ready for feeding the young cattle that are in the sheds, they have to be fed twice a day, still by hand (the machine they were going to invest in did not work). This is truly a partnership, and with her husband (Freddie) they fed the twenty-three young cattle.   
 
I began filming the young cattle and the feeding routine; Freddie enjoyed sharing about their life as farmers.  This first visit was to get to know Rose and Freddie and for them to become comfortable with me filming them.  I spent the rest of the afternoon with Freddy visiting the older cattle in the fields, they both have such a lovely relationship with their animals, and I could see how much they cared for the cattle.  The cattle are very inquisitive and enjoyed exploring me with my camera, many trying to eat the camera straps! 

Our next update will be in April 2019 when we will bring you more news from Down on the Farms. 
In the meantime if you want to follow us and the project on social media you can find us here:
Facebook: North Devon Moving Image CIC
Twitter: @NDMovingImage #downonthefarm #northdevon
Instagram: north_devon_moving_image

North Devon Moving Image is delighted to be working with the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon to create a collection of oral history films for their new social history gallery.  The gallery which will be housed in the new wing, currently under construction, will be laid out in five themes and we will be producing one film for each theme.

The first film, focusing on The World of Work, features Russell Maynard who worked as an apprentice cabinet maker at Shapland and Petter in Barnstaple in the 1950s.  Russell kindly welcomed us into his workshop where he not only showed us the wonderful pieces he is working on now but a collection of work dating back to his apprenticeship days.  One beautiful wood carving Russell has goes even further back to when he was ten years old and it is this piece that Russell believes helped him win his apprenticeship at Shapland and Petter.

We are currently researching film subjects for the remaining four social history gallery themes; Hatched, Matched & Dispatched, Town & Country, Highdays & Holidays and House & Home.  If you know of anyone who would has some great stories to tell, a fascinating collection of artefacts, photographs or home movies and would like to feature in one of these films then please do get in touch.

RUSSELL'S FILM COMING SOON...

James - As political turmoil surrounding the Brexit result takes hold with cheaper, lower quality products set to be imported from abroad, affecting the future of British agriculture; farmer Wayne Copp is preparing to face Brexit and ready his children as they prepare to become the 5th generation to work his farm.

​Linda - Rose Manning was born in 1945 and has been in farming all her life. Rose is the eldest daughter of 3 girls and she took the role of future farmer in the absence of her parents having a son.  Lifelong Farmer will be told through memories of Rose, through informal conversations whilst she is working with the animals and in the kitchen.

Florence - The film will focus on the Eveleigh family's recently begun 'meat box' scheme, an enterprise which sees them take their own livestock from their farm on Exmoor to the local abattoir in Combe Martin and produce high-quality meat boxes which they can then sell. The focuses on the importance the family place on a small, local abattoir, as this is a crucial factor in the animals' welfare but is often overlooked by the general public. 
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Holly & Jo - All Down Farm’s produce is eaten within a 20 mile radius of the farm.  By engaging with their wider community, market gardeners Olivia and Henry believe not only does this help to strengthen the resilience of the farm itself but also helps rebuild local food networks, links and relationships - links that were once at the core of rural farming communities.

Michael - The lambing season on Michael's family's farm.  Focusing on Michael's Mother, Sister Mel and her 3 year old daughter, this inter-generational perspective exemplifies the importance of women in the continuation of farming life.

Alice - Smallholder Leighton was brought up by the ‘make do and mend’ generation.  He spent his childhood embracing nature and making the most of all it had to offer. This reflects in the resourceful way he farms today.

Ariel - Wife & husband team Tina & Dan Jeffery fulfilled a life's ambition three years ago: to run their own farm. The National Trust's award to the Jefferys of the tenancy at Lower Brownsham Farm meant a challenging, tough new start “at the deep end.” "Through Josh's Eyes” aims to tell the story of the Jefferys, their hopes and struggles as relatively new tenant farmers, from the point of view of their children.

Educational Charity Into Film invited North Devon Moving Image to a creative challenge... to support a group of students at Great Torrington School to make a film in a day! 

Written and created by the students, aged between 12 and 14, "Missing" is a chilling drama: "When Lucy goes missing, everyone is trying to pin the blame on others. But while they are doing this, they are completely blind to the reality as to why she’s gone."

The students threw themselves wholeheartedly into the task and demonstrated their creative skills both in front of and behind the camera.

Amanda McCormack, lead film making facilitator for the day, said "For any film to be successful you have to start with a good story and the students wrote a brilliant one!  The young film makers and actors were really professional in their approach to creating their film in a day and I think you'll agree that their hard work has paid off".  Click below to watch the film on the Into Film Shorts YouTube channel.

Into Film puts film at the heart of the educational and personal development of children and young people across the UK - supporting schools to run film clubs, providing educational resources and training for educators.  If you want to find out more about running a film club or to see what else Into Film has to offer, visit their website.​

Community film making organisation North Devon Moving Image CIC (NDMI) is partnering with the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon to share a collection of short films about farming heritage in north Devon. 

NDMI is calling for film makers to apply for a £1,000 documentary short film commission, Down on the Farm which will produce six short films about farmers and farming in north Devon.  The resulting films will be on show at the new social history gallery being created as part of the Museum's £1.8 million Long Bridge Extension.

Museum manager Alison Mills says "Farming is of course the foundation of life in North Devon, and of our wonderful landscapes, but the everyday aspects of this work are not well known to our increasingly urban populations.  As working practices are changing and many farmers are leaving the industry now is the time to record our area’s practices and peculiarities to enable people learn about and engage with our local heritage."

Amanda McCormack, Creative Director of NDMI says “We work with local people to create, collect and share short films about north Devon and our projects give individuals and communities a voice whilst celebrating our local heritage.”

“An important part of NDMI’s remit is to support and nurture film making talent and Down on the Farm is our very first film commission.  Thanks to our funders, each successful applicant will receive £1,000 to produce one film sharing the heritage and promoting the work of farmers and farming within the boundaries of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve, including the coastal Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”

The selection panel, comprising members of the TV and film industries, as well as farming and environmental organisations, will be looking for the most engaging stories and fascinating characters with the spirit of north Devon at their heart.  Applicants will need to demonstrate strong story telling skills, creative outlook and examples of previous work.

Amanda added “Our consultation for this project drew out plenty of farmers with great stories to tell, so if you are a film maker from outside the area we can put you in touch with willing subjects.  We will also have local volunteers on hand to act as location managers and researchers if needed.”

For all the project and application information visit northdevonmovingimage.org.uk, email Amanda McCormack, Project Manager northdevonmovingimage@outlook.com or telephone 01271 860610.

The closing date for applications is Wednesday 1 August 2018.  

Amanda McCormack from North Devon Moving Image has been working as Artist in Residence with children from Appledore Primary School as part of the HLF funded Beaford Arts Hidden Histories project.

​Hidden Histories is opening up the Beaford Archive of photographs by James Ravilious and Roger Deakins with a major photographic conservation and digitisation exercise.

To complement the work they have been doing on their Hidden Histories community trail, the children interviewed local people reacting to photographs of Appledore taken by James Ravilious in the 1970s and 1980s.  They then recreated those scenes in dramatic tableaux to create ten delightful films celebrating both the work of Ravilious and the heritage of their village.

These young creatives loved finding out more about Appledore and following in the footsteps of James Ravilious.  They developed new photographic skills as well as becoming film makers and, of course, the stars of the films!

To watch the films visit our Hidden Histories page. To find out more about Hidden Histories and look through the newly digitised photographs visit www.beaford.org and for more about Beaford's Community Trails project click here.

We have been having a fabulous time working with children from Appledore Primary School to create a series of short films inspired by the photographs of James Ravilious.  We were lucky to have poet technologist Christopher Jelley joining us on set and he wrote us this lovely poem which sums up the exciting time we have had on this project.

North Devon documentary maker Martin Kemp has won the very first 2018 ARRI Doc Challenge film competition for his three minute film, Where the Land Falls.  The film sees Ed Strawbridge, a third generation dairy farmer at Down Farm in North Devon, looking at photographs of his family by James Ravilious. Ed reflects on how farming life has changed during his lifetime.

As a supporter of North Devon Moving Image (NDMI) and former film judge himself (for our Wild Shorts competition) we are thrilled that Martin is sharing his film with us for the NDMI collection.

The theme for the inaugural ARRI Doc Challenge was “Millennial”. As the winner of the competition, Martin received a cash prize of £3,000.  “For me, having the chance to play with the ARRI Amira for three days was an unmissable opportunity. It’s a wonderful camera and I very quickly fell in love with it. The challenge to shoot and edit a film in just three days is certainly tough but it’s a great discipline. Plus you have the privilege of being able to make the piece you want to make without commissioning editors!” said Martin.

Thank you Martin and well done.  A great film and doing the job that Ravilious did with his engaging photographs - preserving North Devon stories on film.