The Satusfaction team had a great time attending this year’s Televisual Factual Festival at BAFTA. Big highlights were ‘Meet the Commissioners – Specialist Factual and Fact-Ent, what next?’ We learnt what attracts specific commissioners to a particular programme, how access to a brilliant situation or character is always key and how channels are hungry for new game changing ideas, that hit the sweet spot of national consciousness.
We heard Tom McDonald speak about how new science and technology are to thank for why he was able to commission Blue Planet 2 – we even got a sneak peek at next week’s episode!
Will Anderson’s passionate talk about The War on Waste was inspiring and we were blown away by tales of legendary natural history producer, Alistair Fothergill’s adventures on Planet Earth and Blue Planet.
Congratulations to Franco for being nominated for editing Ben Steele’s Orphans of Ebola. Franco was lucky enough to attend the event in New York.
Ben Steele’s Orphans of Ebola follows Abu, a 12-year-old boy from a Sierra Leone village, who loses eight members of his family and must restart his life elsewhere. Filmed over a period of four months, beginning just after the height of the epidemic in December 2014 through the reopening of the country’s schools in April 2015, Abu’s story illustrates the incredible bravery of the thousands of children who have been orphaned by Ebola as they reconcile with the past and forge new lives. Orphans of Ebola was filmed, written and directed by Ben Steele; executive producers, Karen Edwards and Fiona Stourton. For HBO: senior producer, Nancy Abraham; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.
The list of winners is on the National Television Academy’s website: www.emmyonline.tv
Jamal is a sergeant with a Special Forces unit in the Iraqi army. Along with squad leader Anmar, Hussein, Amjad, Abbas and a few others were some of the first to go into Mosul last year to try to retake the city from Isis. With them was French film-maker Olivier Sarbi. This observational documentary captures all aspects of war, the confusion of what’s going on, the confusion of who is Isis and who is not and the horror for the terrified civilians after months of living in fear.
Frontline and The Guardian
Mongoose Pictures
Channel 4
The Guardian states “It is an extraordinary film – insanely brave, but also intimate and human. The sound of automatic gunfire rings on long after the final credits”
Here is what Ella has to say about editing the project “I was spoilt in this job with such rare to get and beautifully shot rushes, and also to get to hear all the experiences shooting it direct from Olivier ( Saebil) the crazy genius! But it was also intense in that even while we were editing people Olivier had been with on the Unit had been killed or badly injured. The composers are actually from Massive Attack! And they were good to work with so that’s pretty cool”
Well done to Ella Newton who edited this poignant documentary!
You can watch the trailer HERE.
We had an awesome time at The Grierson Awards last night. It was great to attend an event with so many talented documentary film makers. Stephen Mangan was a fantastic host and it was wonderful to see Stacey Dooley, Nadiya Hussain and George Alagiah to name but a few to present the awards!
The Highlights Showreel for the ceremony was edited by Kel McKeown. This year’s categories were tough, filled with wonderful, moving, insightful films. Congratulations to Duncan Hill, Graham Taylor and Michael Harte who all worked on projects that were nominated. It was great to catch up with Michael Harte too!
Congratulations to all the nominees. A full list of the winners can be found here
Host Stephen Mangan
Nadiya Hussain presents an award.
Grayson Perry presents an award.
The team meet Rich Hall!
Lynne, Louisa and Katie
Satu and Louisa
On Friday the 3rd November at 9.40am, Hector ate his last carrot.
Beloved Hector, who is the image behind Satusfaction, will be sorely missed. His age is still unknown, but he was at least 33 years old which is not bad going for a horse!
Hector didn’t like people much, although he was very fond of his owner, Satu. With most people he was a bit of a bully, but people still seemed to love him, there was something about his character that you couldn’t help but admire.
He did become a little more affectionate in his old age and would happily give you a kiss if you gave him a carrot, or any other edible treat.
Hector will be very fondly remembered – RIP Hector
Lem Lawrence recently completed grading, graphics and online work for Sam Smith’s new Apple Music documentary ‘On the Record’ for his upcoming album ‘The Thrill of it All’
Lem graded the 45min documentary on Flame at Halo Post, creating a rich, moody look, and also adding life and movement into black and white stills photography, with the use of parallax and lighting effects. The Director was James Barber.
The documentary will be available to download on Apple Music on the 3rd November. In it Sam Smith reflects on the success of his debut album, “In The Lonely Hour,” and how it’s impacted his life, his work and not least the new album. The film also includes performances and interviews with Smith collaborators Timbaland, Poo Bear and cowriter Jimmy Napes.
Graham Taylor edited this unique project last year and Will Adams assisted on the film too.
Children of the Snow Land was made to help the mountain people of Nepal. It tells the story of 3 children who were sent away by their families at age 4 for an education. Now aged 16, they’re returning home to see parents for the first time in 12 years. By raising awareness this film can improve the situation and reconnect more children with their families.
Graham really enjoyed working on this film, he found it a truly original project that transformed over the edit. Originally, much of the footage was shot as research for a bigger budget production, but the material, filmed on go-pros by Nepalese children, had such a unique and authentic tone, coupled with dramatic events that took place during filming, that the producers and Graham decided they had to make this the core of the film.
Over the next year and a half, with some more filming trips and 3 phases of editing, the team created a film unlike anything else.
Rooted in the go-pro footage, but with the benefit of storytelling experience of the production team, they created an epic story, yet on a personal, intimate, scale, that goes some way to depicting the difficult, moving and inspiring lives of the subjects.
This film will resonate with a lot of people, it’s a real voyage into self-discovery.
The film will have a huge impact on the lives of countless children who grow up at Snowland School without any idea of their homeland and cultural identity, and perhaps help them understand why their parents had to make the ultimate sacrifice, and hand over their children in the hope that their lives and those of future generations, would be better than their own.
Directed/produced by Zara Balfour and Marcus Stephenson, Exec Producer Christopher Hird
Children of the Snow Landis now complete and will enter into festivals. It will screen in Kathmandu in December at the Kathmandu International Film Festival (KIMFF)
Congratulations to Graham, Will and everyone involved!
Sounds Like Friday Night is a brand new music show broadcasting live from BBC Television Centre in White City. The show has been described as “Top of the Pops meets Saturday Night Live”, for its mix of live music and comedy. Each week, a celebrity host will join the main two presenters (Radio 1 DJ and presenter Greg James and Radio 1 Xtra’s Dotty) . Gavin Ames, who has the perfect experience in comedy and music for this project is one of the editors on the series which is produced by Fulwell 73.
Sounds Like Friday Night debuts on BBC One at 19:30 on Friday 27 October.
Sony Music
Editor and Initial Film Assembly: Gwyn Moxham
The late George Michael’s long awaited documentary is on Channel 4, Monday 16th October at 9pm, and on Showtime in the US a week later. It’s an intimate look into the extraordinary life and career of the award-winning singer and songwriter, in the years surrounding his second solo album “Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1″. Narrated by the star, it features never-seen personal footage and interviews with music legends including Stevie Wonder, Mary J Blige and Liam Gallagher. Gwyn Moxham started compiling and restoring archive material for this mammoth project almost 3 years ago, even bringing David Fincher’s iconic video ‘Freedom ‘90’ back to life in glorious 4K. He spent a year editing the actual film, and can’t wait to finally see it on TV.
Channel 4 – Monday 16th October 9pm GMT
Showtime (US) – Monday 21st October 9PM ET/PT
Lifetime brings back the new season of Britain’s Next Top Model. Would-be-models take on challenges every week to find out who will win the modelling contract and the chance of a lifetime in the final episode. They meet experts and celebrities from the fashion industry. The winner normally receives a modelling contract, cosmetics campaign, and a spread within a fashion magazine which also includes appearing on the front cover.
The lovely Janet Shaw edited episode 7. Here’s what she said about editing the show:
“Britain’s Next Top Model is a gem. There’s a great family vibe at Thumbs Up and I liked squirreling away on photoshoot montages and the likes under the watchful cardboard eyes of Elle, Abbey, Janice and the other Top Model beauties. Air-con blowing my hair as I edit. So glam. ? Good fun light hearted entertainment I’ve often enjoyed watching on the telly at home.”
The first episode of the series is aired on Thursday 19th Oct at 9pm.