It's My Shout 2017

Last night, the Watchers attended the premiere of It's My Shout 2017, a showcase of nine short films which were written and directed by new talent from Wales. This took place at the Wales Millennium Centre in the heart of Cardiff Bay. 

Some of you may be asking, what's It’s My Shout? Well it's a training scheme- supported by BBC Wales, Welsh-language broadcaster S4C, and the Welsh Government (amongst others)- which provides training for young people interested in gaining experience in all aspects of film-making both in front of- and behind- the camera. 

From writing and directing, to lighting, make-up, costume, sound, film scoring or acting, the initiative covers all aspects of film-making. Successful applicants are mentored by industry professionals who provide advice and guidance over a period of pre-production and the three days of the actual shoot. The films are then edited and, after the premiere, are then broadcast on BBC Wales and S4C. 

It's a fantastic scheme which encourages and nurtures new talent and Watcher Rhys was selected as one of the directors for this year's films. It was a fantastic opportunity to go and support him and see the fruits of his and so many others' labours. 

There were nine films commissioned this year, seven English-language and two Welsh-language. This year's films are:

Closure
Written by Rob Bryant and directed by Craig Fisher

When Seb's best friend Harry kills himself, Seb and his other friends are distraught. To help with the grieving process- and to help them get some closure- the school provides them with a special grieving robot which looks just like Harry. A very tender and poignant story which could easily have been longer. There's a lovely performance by Harrison Smith as the robot Harry, and the make-up for the robot is particularly stunning.  

Packaged
Written by Peter Rogers and directed by Lemarl Freckleton

Jack's got a very important packaged to deliver. He absolutely can't be late. The clock is ticking... It starts out as one thing and ends somewhere completely different, and I'm not entirely sure the transition is that successful. That said, it's fun- and there's a truly spectacular moustache on display! Phillip Jones, who played the hapless Jack, won the Best Actor award. 

Ffeithiau Amgen [Alternative Facts]
Written by Cai Evans and directed by Rhys ap Trefor

Sibling rivalry goes to a whole new level when high-achiever Siwan and her less-than-achieving sister Gwawr go head-to-head for the position of club president. Shannon Williams and Kelly Pitts are impressive as the warring siblings, and there's a lot of humour to be had as the mud starts to be slung, although the ending did feel a little rushed. 

Rory Romantic
Written by Eleonora Mignoli and directed by Rhys Jones

Fitness guru Rory is visited by one of his fans, Tanvi. But have they met before? There are two stunning performances by Shaz Lancaster as Rory and Ellen Jane Thomas as Tanvi (who deservedly won the Best Supporting Actress award) in one of the most stylish and stylised films in the showcase. The make-up and prosthetic work is also superb. 

Two Player Games
Written by Lexx Oliver and directed by Sion Thomas

Purdy and Joleen are enjoying their first date at a games arcade but come across a machine that can show you the future. But will it be a happy ending for the two girls? This is another one, like Closure, which could have been longer. In fact, you could imagine a situation like this in a Black Mirror story. The visual style was really strong and there's a lovely little hint of something darker towards the end. This short won the People's Choice Award, voted on by the audience. 

Lawr A Lan [Down And Up]
Written by Anna Symmonds and directed by Shelley Rees

Three people take the lift every day. But what happens when, one night, the lift gets stuck between floors? A lot of the film is played without dialogue which works well in creating the mood and scene. The ending of the film can be very much open to interpretation- which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea- but I quite enjoyed it.

Dear Mr Ali
Written by Scott Chambers and directed by Jamie McKee

An unlikely friendship forms between Gareth and his tutor Mr Ali, when Gareth is put in detention and has to help Mr Ali clean the kitchens. This is another one where the ending felt quite rushed, which was a shame, as what had gone before it was nicely observed and well-acted throughout. Matthew Lee Heath, who plays the bully Iwan, won Best Supporting Actor for his performance. 

HOME
Written by Lewis Reeves and directed by Sion Ifan 

Lewis is homeless, living on the streets of Cardiff. A reckless decision made all the difference. Now he must survive in his new circumstances. But will his past affect his future? Some good camera-work on show here, and there's a real gritty, miserable feel to the film which is really successful in evoking the mood of the script; there was clearly a lot of night shoots for this film. Personally it wasn't really to my taste- I think I just didn't 'get it'- but it won Best Film and Sion Ifan won Best Director.  

Peggy
Written by Scott Chambers and directed by Cath Jones

Stacey is starting a new job, as a PA to an experienced actress called Peggy. It's her first day. What could possibly go wrong? Like Packaged, Peggy also starts somewhere and ends up somewhere quite different but the transition is much more successful here. Sharon Morgan is great as the spiky Peggy whilst Chloe Cooper is lovely as the naive newcomer Stacey (winning the Best Actress award for her performance). 

Following on from the awards ceremony, there was a brilliant speech by screenwriter Russell T. Davies (Doctor Who, Queer As Folk, The Second Coming) who was accepting the Inspiration Award. Essentially it was this: shout. Make your voices heard. 

It was a lovely evening, celebrating the hard work and dedication of the teams behind the films. All the films are definitely worth a watch. The English-language films will be broadcast on BBC Two Wales whilst the Welsh-language films will be shown on S4C in October. The English-language films will then be available via BBC iPlayer. More information can be found at the BBC It's My Shout website.

The broadcast schedule for the English-language films is as follows:

Dear Mr Ali: Monday 11th September 2017, 23:15

Two Player Games: Tuesday 12th September 2017, 23:15

HOME: Wednesday 13th September 2017, 23:15

Closure: Thursday 14th September 2017, 23:15

Rory Romantic: Friday 15th September 2017, 23:05

Packaged: Monday 18th September 2017, 23:15

Peggy: Tuesday 19th September 2017, 23:10


Congratulations to all the nominees and the winners! You should all be justifiably proud of your amazing achievements. 

If you're interested in finding out more about the scheme, check out the It's My Shout website.