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Award Winning Filmmaker shows the Good Side of
Valleys Life
October 2006
An award winning Welsh filmmaker is using his
creative skills to show a positive side to life in the Valleys.
Nathan Webb, 25, from Abertillery, runs Anytime
Films, is building a reputation for the quality of his community based and
educational films. Last November, he won the Princes Trust Community Impact
Award for an anti bullying film produced in association with Media 4 Communities
and was commended by judges at Cardiff International Screen Festival for a
documentary he directed about a budding Cardiff comedian.
The anti bullying film, which involved young people
from Blaenau Gwent Youth Forum, was set in Wales and featured interviews with
high profile figures such as Prime Minister Tony Blair and Wales football team
manager John Toshack.
This success has resulted in a string of contracts
in his home area for the talented young filmmaker. One of these involves a trip
to Morocco with the Blaenau Gwent Youth Services next year to film a group of
youngsters on an adventure that will see them climbing mountains and spending a
couple of days in the Sahara desert.
Last year, he was in Normandy to film another
Blaenau Gwent Youth Services project to mark the 60th anniversary of the D-Day
landings. This was followed the filming of a successful year-long project to
create a sensory garden at Ebbw Vale Hospital.
He is also involved in a project to teach
filmmaking skills to pupils of Glyncoed Comprehensive, Ebbw Vale, which will
they will shoot in December this year.
Having filmed and benefited from community based
projects, he is keen to give something back to the Blaenau Gwent community.
"Seeing the kids' faces light up when they are involved in these projects is
priceless," he said.
"I would love to bring new, exciting jobs into
deprived areas of the Valleys. Having the funds to be able to invest in local
entrepreneurial businesses that excite me would be a dream come
true."
Nathan launched his own business with mentoring and
financial support from the Welsh Assembly Government's Graduating to Enterprise
(G2E) programme, after graduating from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff
with an honours degree in broadcast media and popular culture two years
ago.
He has filmmaking experience in both commercial and
public fields, working with some of the biggest names in broadcasting, including
BBC, ITV and SKY Digital. His ambition is see more of his work televised and he
eventually hopes to work on a blockbusting movie.
"It's every filmmaker's dream to have their work
seen on TV and in the cinema," he said. "There has never been a better time for
filmmakers in Wales, with so many digital TV channels and so many opportunities
being created by the BBC.
"Television companies are always open to new ideas
and fresh talent, but I have learnt from experience that persistence is the
key."
His heart has been set on a media career since
schooldays. Even while studying at Cross Keys College and UWIC he was gaining
valuable experience by working at Valleys Radio, BBC Radio Wales and as a
freelance cameraman for ITV Wales, which included filming Cardiff City's
football matches from a Ninian Park gantry.
Explaining the decision to start his own company,
he said: "In filmmaking you always have to start as a runner and it takes you
years to get to the top. Starting my own business means that I can start at the
top, as I have a degree and have gained the skills required by the
industry."
He praised the support he has received from G2E
mentor Keith MacGregor to get his business established.
"G2E has been amazing in terms of their guidance,
mentoring and having someone there to discuss your concerns with," said Nathan.
"They offer free, impartial and confidential advice on every aspect of running
your business, from legal matters to marketing strategy and business
planning."
G2E is part of the Knowledge Exploitation Fund, a
programme designed to transfer skills and research knowledge gained at colleges
and universities in Wales to industry.
The flexible G2E programme is tailored to meet the
individual needs of aspiring entrepreneurs by providing free mentoring and
specialist consultancy support from business experts.
For more information about the G2E programme
contact 0845 601 0505 or visit www.g2e.co.uk
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