From film student to producer: Libby Gibbons reflects on the joy of working in commercial filmmaking
13 February 2026
Libby Gibbons has gone from studying both a BA(Hons) Film and MA Film & Television at Falmouth to working as a producer for local video production agency Bull & Wolf, a role that has allowed her to produce award-winning documentaries for the likes of the Woodland Trust, Ocean Bottle, Finisterre and more.
Libby has also produced her own film, Language of Life, with Screen Cornwall, a project supported by BFI Network Plus and made with a crew of BA(Hons) Film students. The film, released on Thursday 12 February, is now available to watch online ahead of its tour around Cornwall’s much-loved arts venues, which includes a stop at The Poly, Falmouth.
While sharing with us her first-hand insight into the process of producing a film, the collaborative approach that makes it all possible and the different roles involved in making everything come together, Libby also reflects on how Falmouth was “an incredible place to learn and develop my filmmaking skills."
You recently produced the film Language of Life and saw it screened at The Plaza cinema in Truro. Can you tell us about the process of making the film and what the film is about?
Language of Life is a BFI Network Plus Supported and Screen Cornwall Funded Project, and its story centres around Lyla, a young girl who has just lost her dad and is preparing to go to university. She meets Marion in the cemetery where her dad is buried, and what follows is a transformative conversation about grief, where the pair realise they have more in common than they may have thought.
Making Language of Life was a really magical process; I was lucky enough to find the job through the group 'Making Moves and Movies Cornwall', an offshoot of the wider London group. Holly had been awarded some funding from Screen Cornwall and support from BFI Network Plus and was looking to shoot the film in the spring and summer of 2025.
Having already obtained funding, we were in a unique position to begin crewing up and rolling straight into pre-production. The most important thing to us as we developed the plan for filming was to have the right crew.
We brought on an incredible Director of Photography, Amber Amare, who I had worked with the previous year on Keskows, a FylmK commission directed by Sophie May. Luckily, we had some great contacts at Falmouth University and brought on some crew from their BA(Hons) Film course who really helped us work within budgetary constraints, while also providing an opportunity for the students to gain experience on set.
After the shoot, we excitedly looked through the rushes with our wonderful editor, Rhiannon Jenkins. Rhiannon, Holly and I went through and chose our favourite takes and Rhiannon was then able to use that as a basis to assemble the first version.
Collaboration was at the heart of the project, and it was magic to see it all come together. The culmination for me was when we screened Language of Life at Truro Plaza Cinema for our friends and family; this experience was really special as it allowed us all to see the film we'd made in a cinema we all go to.
You currently work at Bull & Wolf as a producer, where you have produced award-winning documentaries for brands such as the Woodland Trust. Can you tell us more about the role you’ve played in creating content for well-known brands?
My role is one that spans the whole life cycle of a project. I am the primary contact for our clients and oversee the creative process, from project inception to completion. I work alongside an incredible team of creatives who are driven and passionate about creating impactful and memorable content for our clients. Together we ideate, execute and deliver video content ranging from award-winning documentaries to lo-fi social-first content.
My role sits across pre-production, production and post-production, ensuring the creative that was pitched and promised is delivered to our clients on time and on budget. In pre-production, I work alongside our team to ideate and communicate creative ideas to clients. I then create documents and briefs that communicate what we plan on making to the team shooting it. This often includes myself as the on-set producer and Jack, our filmmaker, who is instrumental in bringing these projects to life.
I then work with our incredibly talented editor and fellow Falmouth alumni, Felix Black, to continue the project’s journey into post-production. Sometimes collaboratively, we will assemble first versions of projects together, before Felix works his magic, fusing creative treatment with footage to create the first version. This is probably my favourite part of the project, as different approaches by different editors can really shape a piece.
Overseeing this work and ensuring it both flourishes and fits the client brief is a really fun role to have. The team is led by Joe, whose diverse career has enabled him to have an incredible vision for how better business should be done in Cornwall. He has constantly supported my growth in my role and supported me to undertake the work on Language of Life.
How did you find your time studying both a BA(Hons) Film and MA Film & Television at Falmouth?
I massively enjoyed my time at Falmouth; it was the perfect setting to learn about such a wonderful medium. The lecturers at the School of Film and Television, specifically Laura and Anna, were really encouraging. They were very clear that there was space for young women in the industry and encouraged us to take up that space.
The practical elements of my MA and BA encouraged me to learn and develop skills that are so important to my day-to-day. These skills have helped me to understand the roles of others whilst on set, something that is very important when working in such close quarters in what can sometimes be quite high-pressure situations.
One thing that I would encourage people who are studying BA(Hons) Film and MA Film & Television to do is to engage with the world of commercial filmmaking; it’s an incredible place to learn and develop your filmmaking skills. Projects I have worked on for brands have been so incredibly rewarding and satisfying. I have seen some incredible creative work take place within the community of commercial filmmakers in Cornwall; it's a fabulous community who are welcoming and supportive. It's also a really great way to enable you to work and stay in Cornwall after your studies, as there is such a flourishing short film scene here.
External links
Watch Language of Life on the big screen at The Poly, Falmouth on Friday 13 March
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