Sound/Image Cinema Lab

Sound/Image Cinema Lab is a multifaceted partner, funder, resource and research centre dedicated to the production and education of independent cinema.

Falmouth University student film crew on beach location.

Project details

Project lead Dr Neil Fox
Centre alignment Centre for Pedagogy Futures
Start date  2010
End date  Ongoing

 

Based at Falmouth University's School of Film and Television, the Lab is, and has been, responsible for the production and co-production of a series of narrative and documentary, short and feature films since the start of the 2010s.

It supports national and regional feature film productions following a strategy of accessing greater professional opportunities for students and graduates, increasing visibility of regional film industry and culture in Cornwall and supporting the development and potential of British independent filmmaking.

Around the middle of the 2010s the strategy and direction of the Lab crystallised and partnership and production activity increased significantly. Alongside co-producing feature films, the Lab is a funder and executive producer of micro-budget feature films. The Lab provides the majority of production funding, production resources and festival/release support for filmmakers willing to engage with its Filmmaker In Residence scheme, whereby the opportunity to make a feature film is offered in return for working with a majority student crew. These feature film productions also form the core element of the development of teaching and learning strategies within the school as well as academic research into the teaching of cinema.

The Lab also co-produces and partners on short film productions that access greater professional opportunities for graduates in particular, increase visibility of regional film industry and culture in Cornwall and support the development and potential of British independent filmmaking talent. One of the main drivers of this facet of Lab activity is in providing graduates of the School of Film & Television with career enhancing opportunities that may quicken their career trajectory, whilst simultaneously providing current students the chance to learn from professionals and graduate professionals and be able to visualise their own trajectories with greater clarity.

Project team

Below you can see the project team that works on the Sound/Image Cinema Lab.

Professor Neil Fox profile picture

Professor Neil Fox

Professor of Film Practice and Pedagogy

I am professor of film practice and pedagogy. I teach on BA (Hons) Film and MA Film & Televi...

Professor Neil Fox

Dr Laura Canning

Course Leader, BA(Hons) Film

Laura Canning is Course Leader BA(Hons) Film and currently teaches on core modules in...

Dr Laura Canning

Mark Jenkin

Distinguished Professor of Film Practice at Falmouth University

Distinguished Professor of Film Practice Mark Jenkin is a filmmaker based in West Cornwall. He ha...

Mark Jenkin

Rosa Mulraney

Senior Lecturer

A Senior Lecturer at Falmouth University specialising in post-production, visual effects and project...

Rosa Mulraney
Denzil Monk staff picture

Denzil Monk

Lecturer in Film

Denzil is a lecturer in Film specialising in producing at the School of Film & Television at Fal...

Denzil Monk
Beryl Richards Staff Profile

Beryl Richards

Lecturer TV Drama

Beryl directs film, TV drama and comedy. In TV, as lead director, she’s helped create many popular...

Beryl Richards
Kingsley Marshall book cover Philosophical Reflections on Black Mirror

Dr Kingsley Marshall

Head of Film & Television

Dr Kingsley Marshall is Head of Film & Television at the CILECT accredited School of Film &a...

Dr Kingsley Marshall

Partners

For a range of feature narrative and documentary, and short films the Lab has partnered and collaborated with:

  • Baracoa Pictures
  • BBC Films
  • BFI
  • BFI Doc Society
  • Bosena
  • Creative England
  • Early Day Films
  • Elation Pictures
  • Film4
  • iFeatures
  • o-region
  • Quiddity Films
  • Screen Cornwall
  • Screenskills
  • Unstoppable
  • Western Light Pictures

Outcomes & outputs

A key cultural and economic result of all this activity for British cinema is that the production of films that would otherwise not get made, or would be made with significant limitations and compromises attached, has been possible and these productions have provided significant learning and career opportunities and experiences for Falmouth University students and staff.

Within the region, the Lab has emerged as central to the professional and cultural development of a continued and growing Cornish film economy and identity.

Feature films produced, co-produced and supported by the Lab include:

Impact & recognition

  • Film4 will co-finance writer/director Mark Jenkin's next film, Enys Men, which is due for release in 2021. Further development and production support will come from Sound/Image Cinema Lab. You can read more about the production here.
  • The Sound/Image Cinema Lab won the Innovative Pedagogy Award at the 2020 University Industry Innovation Network conference. 

 

Project media

The Lab has provided a number of opportunities for Falmouth University students and graduates to work on professional filmmaking sets.

On set of Bait
Brown Willy behind the scenes
Long Way Back trailer

Project news

Shooting on Bodmin Moor for Dean Puckett's debut feature film
Dean Puckett Film Shoot BTS 10

Photo credit: Jake Cunliffe, Television BA(Hons) graduate

Filming wraps on Falmouth lecturer’s new folk horror film, crewed by students and staff

17 August 2023

Images above by Jake Cunliffe, Television BA(Hons) graduate Falmouth University’s emerging film...

Filming wraps on Falmouth lecturer’s new folk horror film, crewed by students and staff
Letters spelling 'King Henry' with some of them different colours
King Henry title image

Falmouth graduates leading the production of new LGBTQ+ short film

22 March 2023

Two Falmouth graduates are heading up the production team behind 'King Henry'.

Falmouth graduates leading the production of new LGBTQ+ short film
Middle Watch film poster - animation still of periscope coming out of the sea (in blue and black hues)
Middle Watch Poster

Middle Watch narrowly misses the win at 2023 BAFTAs

21 February 2023

The Falmouth community was rooting for the team behind short animation Middle Watch during Sunday’...

Middle Watch narrowly misses the win at 2023 BAFTAs
Film poster for ENYS MEN shows woman wearing jeans and red coat standing amongst yellow gorse. Text reads: From the director of BAIT, ENYS MEN, a film by Mark Jenkin
Enys Men Poster

Mark Jenkin’s ENYS MEN in cinemas 13 January

05 January 2023

ENYS MEN, Mark Jenkin's highly anticipated follow-up to the BAFTA-winning BAIT, will be hitting UK c...

Mark Jenkin’s ENYS MEN in cinemas 13 January
Students on a production shoot for film Enys Men
Enys Men - Production - Credit Steven Tanner

Sound/Image Cinema Lab wins bronze at Reimagine Education Awards 2022

08 December 2022

Falmouth University film teaching and research project Sound/Image Cinema Lab has been awarded bronz...

Sound/Image Cinema Lab wins bronze at Reimagine Education Awards 2022
A man in a yellow coat sits atop a cliff, the ocean set behind him
Enys men Mark

Enys Men to be released in the UK by the BFI

05 October 2022

Enys Men, the latest feature film to be written and directed by Falmouth University’s Distinguishe...

Enys Men to be released in the UK by the BFI
a poster listing screenings for the film 'Long Way Back'
Long Way Back poster

Lecturer's film Long Way Back to be released in cinemas

25 August 2022

Long Way Back, the third feature film to be written and directed by Falmouth University Associate Le...

Lecturer's film Long Way Back to be released in cinemas
A filmmaker crouches behind his camera amongst shrubbery
Final crop

Enys Men premieres in Cannes

20 May 2022

Enys Men, the latest feature film to be written and directed by Falmouth University’s Distinguishe...

Enys Men premieres in Cannes
Place and white image of a man using a film camera with a crowd in the background
Backwoods director

Sound/Image Cinema Lab film makes its way to SXSW in new Folk Horror documentary

22 March 2022

The award-winning short film Backwoods, which was developed by Falmouth’s Sound/Image Cinema lab, ...

Sound/Image Cinema Lab film makes its way to SXSW in new Folk Horror documentary
A student poses in front a camera crew on set
Mab Hudel Beach Shot 4

Film and Television students & staff collaborate on short film Mab Hudel

21 January 2022

The Sound/Image Cinema Lab has added a new film to its portfolio. Students and staff have collaborat...

Film and Television students & staff collaborate on short film Mab Hudel