Target reached!
With this little big of extra money we will be able to put Woodbridge forward for fe...
Woodbridge - Documentary
Bournemouth, Dorset, United Kingdom
Aim
A filmmaker delves into his family history seeking the memories of his predecessors and to connect to them through the ageing family farm
THE FARM
Barnaby’s family have owned Woodbridge farm since 1775, and through many generations worked the land. Over the years, the farm (which once boasted 120 acres of land) has reduced in size to such an extent that it now occupies the farmhouse (and yard), as well as just 8 acres of land. Barnaby’s great uncle, Edwin, was the ‘last of the Lanes’, insofar as he was the last one with that particular surname in the family - but also that he was the last person in the family who worked the land. The farm is now inactive. The film hopes to tell the stories and characters surrounding the farm. Memories of memories are relayed through different family members, as well as other sources (such as 2 books published by a local history group). The film hopes to provide a kaleidoscopic memory of a farm across 300 years, exploring the fragmentation and conflict of collective memory through contradictions, disagreements, and mysteries.
THE FILM
The film will take a meandering walk through a rich history of a particular place, through different points in time, and through the ‘vessels of memory’ at the farm. These ‘vessels’ take the form of books, photographs, maps, documentation, artifacts, even spaces and stories told. The film follows Barnaby as he investigates the different vessels, and evaluates what value they have in his mission to discover his history.
What can be revealed about a place through the medium of film itself? How much access can we really obtain towards the past?
THE VISION
This film was inspired by folk-horror such as ‘Requiem for a Village’ (Gladwell, 1975) and ‘Penda’s Fen’ Clarke (1974), as well as the book ‘English Pastoral’ (Rebanks, 2020). There are political undercurrents to this film in that it tells of a community much forgotten in these times. The severity of the decline in the UK farming community (and potential consequences of that decline) only became clear to me through the research I’ve done in relation to this film. Not only is this a story of evolution and change for whole communities across the country, it is also the same story for my family. This film will not set out to claim that it would be better if the farm were still fully-functioning, nor the other way around, it will simply try to provide a bookend (of sorts) to mark a legacy - a dynasty - that is now coming to an end.
THE BUDGET
We’re trying to keep the cost of the film down to a minimum, but of course there will be costs involved! The main costs that we will accrue relate to our crew; they must be fed, and kept in good working order - that’s why any money you donate will help to contribute for food for those people who have come together to help make this amazing project. The crew of the film are working together through the kindness of their hearts, so the least we could do is feed them! :) Other costs might include hiring some extra equipment to help us elevate the quality of the film, as well as covering the cost of transporting people around the place (e.g. from Bournemouth to Malvern, where the farm is situated).
THE TEAM
Barnaby Omar - Writer/Director
I’m Barnaby and I’m the writer and director of this film. This film is being made as part of my MA in Film Practice, but for my bachelor’s degree I actually studied Philosophy and Religion. I’ve always had an interest in film and drama, having been involved in student film and theatre projects during my undergraduate studies, and initially I was set on making a fiction film. However, the idea for this film seems to have naturally grown over the last few months.
My family have been dealing with a number of losses recently, and it seemed to me that Woodbridge farm represents a symbol of that loss. For me, this film is really about memory, about grasping onto memory, and what different things we can garner from different vessels of memory. This farm has been a mainstay, a hub for my family for over 250 years, and that relationship might soon be coming to an end. What this film aims to do is to explore that relationship, and to provide a bookend to the story, as well as – in of itself – add to the wealth of memorabilia that exists in relation to the farm. I hope you enjoy it.
Jack Ruthenberg - Director of Photography
I’m Jack, a current MA student at AUB with Barnaby. My background is in freelance videography as well as cinematography for experimental short fiction and fashion films. Given Barnaby’s eagerness to stray away from convention on the films we made together during the course, I was really eager to work with him on a bigger project. Ambitious in scale, this project fascinated me as it deals with the complexities of collective memory, and how the past is fragmented over time, two issues I am drawn to in my own work. The vision for the piece so far is influenced by Requiem for a Village and Tarkovsky’s Mirror, in which several generations on the same land are seamlessly threaded into one another, in symbolically powerful, often haunting ways.
Naomi Smith - Co-Producer
I’m Naomi, the co-producer of Woodbridge! I am a recent graduate from BA Film Production at AUB, having specialised in Producing and Documentary filmmaking. I am just stepping out into the real world of industry film production, but wanting to keep my roots in documentary this project came at just the right time!
Having just finished post production on my grad documentary - it has taught me a huge amount about every element to making a film of this format. For a style that is heavily built in post, making sure you get everything you need to be able to build is so important. I met Barnaby through the connections over Bournemouth Film School, so it is has been great to help him achieve his vision for the film. Having also previously worked with most of the team, I know this will be a great production telling a great story.
Thomas Zapata - Editor
I’m Thomas Zapata, recent BA Film Production graduate from AUB. Having specialised in film editing I'll be the Editor for Woodbridge! I’ve had an immense love for the craft and practice of making film for as long as I can remember, but my love for editing eclipses all else with this I am extremely excited to work with the Woodbridge crew to bring Barnaby’s vison to life! Being a Documentary that focuses on multiple aspects including family history and themes of loss and duty, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to convey and handle the complexities of these elements within the edit as well as have an in-depth collaboration with the Sound Department to build upon the film’s visuals and the cuts within.
Joe Selby - Sound Designer
I’m Joe, a 3rd year film production student who can now attribute the term ‘alumni’ to myself. Being a sound designer has been something that I’ve been lucky enough to work at for the past two years and with all of the mistakes I’ve made I’m buzzed to work on something again. The reason I wanted to collaborate with Barnaby on Woodbridge was partly based off of how it investigates ancestry and bygone generations.
I sometimes think about my long gone relatives and the way that I fit into the structures they built generations ago. Creatively I want Woodbridge to harness the possibilities of sound design and work with the cinematographer to develop a style for it.
Eva Babington - Camera Assistant
I’m Eva and I’m assisting with camera on Woodbridge. Having studied Film Production at Arts University Bournemouth, specialising in documentary for four years, I am committed to getting real stories on screen. Working consistently on documentaries from start to finish throughout my university experience has solidified my want to assist on projects like Woodbridge, where Barnaby has a passion to investigate something important to him.
With a big Irish family and by default a wide and deep history, this film brings together many themes that are important to me. The necessity of understanding of who you are and where you came from is therefore a core value that Woodbridge and I share.
Luke Hawdon - Researcher
Hi, I’m Luke and I’ll be helping Barnaby and the crew as a researcher and camera assistant. I’m originally from Sheffield but I’m just about to graduate from Arts University Bournemouth with a BA in Film Production. I’m a sucker for a good documentary and I’ve even directed a couple myself while at uni, so I’m ready to get stuck in with making a film about a place that’s steeped in history. I’m really excited to see how taking a more creative and poetic path will help unravel the intriguing story of Woodbridge Farm and those who remember it!
THANK YOU
This project successfully funded on 19th July 2022