Graduate Stories

Akbar Allana, Filmmaking Diploma Graduate (2002)
Since I graduated from the LFA and moved back to Pakistan I worked for several production houses focusing on television, corporate productions and documentaries. I am currently Senior Producer at AAG TV, Pakistan. I am very grateful for the skills and knowledge gained at the LFA as these acquired skills form a major part of my everyday professional world. Read on >>>

Anna Edwards, Certificate Graduate (2007)
"The certificate course at the London Film Academy gave me the practical experience of directing and producing a short film on 16mm within a limited timeframe - proving that it is possible to bring any idea from concept to screen, with access to the right equipment and a dedicated crew at your side." Anna has recently worked as a freelance assistant to directors including Joe Wright on 'Atonement' and Richard Loncraine on 'Firewall', as well as a documentary researcher for various production companies. Read on >>>

Anna Kolber, Filmmaking Diploma Graduate (2003)
After Leaving the London Film Academy Anna produced a few independent graduate short films for the London Film School before producing an independent feature called 'Recurring'. Read on >>>

Becky Preston - Foundation Graduate (2005)
Writer/director Becky Preston founded Tread Softly Productions with fellow Foundation Graduate Christine Cheung since meeting on the course in 2005. Their first short film, AVOWAL, 2006, was an Orange BAFTA 60 Second Film Finalist. They are currently in post-production on their first feature film INNER CALM, which was shot in the UK and Czech Republic in 2008. Read on >>>

Beth Wade - Filmmaking Diploma Graduate (2002)
"The London Film Academy gave me a thorough insight into the filmmaking process. 'About Betrayal', my LFA graduation film, was an invaluable sketchpad that helped me to understand where my interests lie in terms of writing and directing. Working in the film industry confirmed my desire to become a screenwriter." Read on >>>

Brendan McGinty - DOP, Foundation Graduate (1993)
Brendan completed the Foundation course in 1998. He is now a London-based DP who shoots across film, tape and HD for feature films, documentaries, commercials and pop promos. Credits include: short film THE CONSTANT FATHER (2008), TV series ROB NEWMAN’S HISTORY OF THE WORLD…BACKWARDS (Dir. Jamie Rafn, 2007), feature films DOLPHINS (Dir. Mark Jay, 2007) and FLAMINGO BLUES (Dir. Robbi Stevens, 2004), BBC documentary JIMMY’S FARM; Channel 4 documentary series A YEAR IN TUSCANY (2003); short film LIPSTICK AND LETTERBOX (Dir. Richard West, 2000). Read on >>>

Chris McAleese - Foundation Graduate (2001)
After taking the Filmmaking Foundation course in 2001, Chris directed his own short film, 'Can't Go Back' in 2005. He then spent two years as a camera trainee on Skillset’s FT2 training scheme on feature films including THE HISTORY BOYS, UNITED 93, HOT FUZZ and ATONEMENT. Chris left the scheme in September 2006 to take up his first freelance job as a loader on Paul Greengrass’ THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, which took him to Morocco, Paris and Madrid. More recent credits include THE DUCHESS with Keira Knightley, SHANGHAI and CREATION. Read on >>>

Chris Roberts (2003)
“When I arrived at the LFA I had next to no experience in the practical operations of the film industry. Over the course of the year I learned a number of disciplines that gave me the chance to see which area was the best fit for me personally and a broader perspective on the film making process." Read on >>>

Christine Cheung - Foundation Graduate (2005)
Producer Christine founded Tread Softly Productions with fellow Foundation graduate and writer/director Becky Preston in 2005. Their first short film, AVOWAL, 2006, was an Orange BAFTA 60 Second Film Finalist. They are currently in post-production on their first feature film, which was shot in the UK and Czech Republic in 2008. Read on >>>

Danielle Bennett (2006)
After graduating from the LFA, Danielle was lucky enough to work as a Production Runner on the Universal Picture ‘Children of Men’ (2nd Unit). After which she moved on to the Weinstein picture ‘1408’. Since then she has moved out of the office and on to the floor, into the Assistant Directors department. Read on >>>

David Hughes (2002)
Since graduating from the LFA, David has co-written, directed and edited three short films, which have had screenings at Soho cinemas, and featured in the ICA’s Halloween and Soho Rushes film festivals. He edited a short, funded by Screen South, for Point+Shoot Films and was commissioned to write, direct and produce a promotional short film, ‘At Your Service’. One of his short film scripts, ‘Francoise’, won the Osborne-Clarke Award which is given to promising unmade scripts. Read on >>>

Emma Lightfoot, Filmmaking Diploma Graduate (2006)
When I first found my way to the LFA in 2001 it was a leap into the unknown. The short summer course that I completed that August left me more inspired than ever before. .... After graduation I began working as assistant script editor at Parallel Film and Television Productions for the ITV drama series, Kingdom, starring Stephen Fry. I’m now full script editor on the second series of Kingdom and I’m Head of Development at Parallel. I’m also writing a feature and putting a short into pre-production with Fearlessly Frank Films, winter 07. I’m in this for the long haul, and it all started with the LFA. Read on >>>

Fraser Duncan, LFA graduate 2004 (2002)
'I graduated from The LFA in March 2004 with a diploma in practical film making and have continued to this day to find their support invaluable both in helping me realise personal projects and keeping me up to speed with emerging opportunities.' Read on >>>

Heung-Yee Pong (2004)
'LFA gave me a firm idea of what film making is about including the skills and discipline involved and also the immense satisfaction of actually making films. I can not imagine how I would have broken into cinematography had I not joined the LFA a couple of years ago.' Read on >>>

Jake Wilson (2002)
Since graduating, Jake has been involved in making a number of serious cultural documentaries for television. He has just finished working as Assistant Producer on a new film for the BBC2 art-history series "The Private Life of a Masterpiece", about Salvador Dali's painting "The Christ of St John of the Cross". Read on >>>

James Larkin - Director, Actor, Foundation Graduat (1997)
James completed the Filmmaking Foundation course in 1997. Already an established actor, he has since gone on to direct prime-time television and to write and direct several acclaimed short films, including DEAD ON TIME (1999), which starred Michael Gambon and won international awards. For television he has directed HOLBY CITY, DOCTORS, PEAK PRACTICE, BROOKSIDE and THE BILL. He also has a highly successful screen acting career, including ROMAN ROAD (2004) playing alongside Alan Davies, and the role of Tony Blair in THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, Peter Kosminsky’s Channel 4 drama about the death of David Kelly (2005). Read on >>>

Jamie Payne - Director, Foundation Graduate (1993)
Jamie did the Filmmaking Foundation course in 1993, following which he went on to build a successful career directing drama for film and television. His early film THE DANCE OF SHIVA (1998) starred Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kenneth Branagh, Julian Glover and Paul McGann. Other credits include: SUSPICION (2003); the first and second series of PRIMEVAL (2007-8) for ITV with Douglas Henshall, Andrew Lee Potts and Ben Miller; and most recently the drama U BE DEAD with David Morissey and Tara Fitzgerald. Read on >>>

Jaqui Wright (2002)
In January Jacqueline won production finance for a rock promo, with her pitch for The Shakes track, Liberty Jones. The competition was judged by indie-film legends Raindance and funded by Tiscali. The promo is currently in pre-production. Read on >>>

Jean Philippe Gossart (2004)
“The London Film Academy gave me the opportunity to meet important players in the industry. They have always been there to help me find my way and develop my knowledge, even after the course had come to an end”. Read on >>>

Jennifer Garner (2009)
Filmmaking Diploma 14 Read on >>>

Jessica Macedo - Filmmaking Certificate Graduate (2006)
Read on >>>

Linzy Attenborough - Foundation Graduate (2005)
Linzy completed the Filmmaking Foundation course in 2005. Since then she has established her own corporate video production company, Thought Juice Films, and is in the process of raising finance for her first feature film, CRUENTUS. Read on >>>

Matt Lopez-Diaz - Grip, Foundation Graduate (2001)
Matt took the Filmmaking Foundation course in 2001. Since then he has gone on to become a successful freelance grip. Recent grip and key grip credits include: REVERB (Dir. Eitan Arrusi, 2008), STARDUST (Dir. Matthew Vaughn, 2007), JOY DIVISION (2006), MRS HENDERSON PRESENTS (Dir. Stephen Frears, 2005), BATMAN BEGINS (Dir. Chris Nolan, 2005), ALEXANDER (Dir. Oliver Stone, 2004); The Kaiser Chief's I PREDICT A RIOT and OH MY GOD music videos; and various TV programmes, music videos, idents and commercials. Read on >>>

Matt Taylor - Foundation Graduate (2002)
Matt did the Panico Film Foundation course in 2002. After working on several short films, he took on two unpaid feature film projects as editor, one working with Pat Kelman on his film ENCOUNTERS, which went on to win a few festivals including the audience award at the Cornish Film Festival. He has also been working full time to build up a corporate video company, Fat Beehive Films, and has recently finished shooting his eighth low budget short on the RED 4k camera. Read on >>>

NJ Silva - Filmmaking Diploma Graduate (2009)
Aged 17, NJ Silva enrolled on the film course at Lusophone University, before doing the one-month Filmmaking Certificate at LFA in 2006. After returning to Portugal, he made his first professional short in 2007, ‘Drops of a Soul’. He then returned to LFA for the one-year Filmmaking Diploma, and directed two other shorts, ‘Puny Earthlings’, a comedy, and ‘Yael’, a World War II film, which won LFA Outstanding Film of the Year 2009. He is now working on the script for his first feature, ‘Vengeance’. He has been described as 'an imaginative filmmaker', his own personal style coming across in every single frame. Read on >>>

Oliver Parker - Director, Foundation Graduate (1993)
Oliver Parker attended the Foundation course in 1993 in the Monty Python studios in Camden. Two years later he directed OTHELLO with Laurence Fishburne and Kenneth Branagh. He then wrote and directed two films based on Oscar Wilde plays: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST in 2002 with Rupert Everett, Colin Firth and Judi Dench, and AN IDEAL HUSBAND in 1999, starring Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore and Minnie Driver. Recent credits include: DORIAN GRAY (2008) with Colin Firth and ST TRINIAN’S (2007). Read on >>>

Oneil Sharma (2006)
A graduate of Economics, but soon found his main interest was in narrative and the art of story telling. While at the LFA he directed One Small Step(his directorial debut). He is currently working in Berlin on Valkyrie, which stars Tom Cruise and is being directed by Bryan Singer. Read on >>>

Paolo Chianta - Filmmaking Diploma Graduate (2002)
I left high school in July 2002 and began the LFA Diploma course in September 2002. Despite being the youngest student and having very little previous experience I found the course immensely accessible and encouraging. Read on >>>

Philip Clyde Smith (2002)
“The one major thing I learnt at the LFA was that of the realities of the film world. In that firstly how a film set runs and the politics involved and secondly that the industry is highly competitive and that you have to market yourself in way that makes you stand out.” Read on >>>

Rachel Tillotson - Director, Writer, Foundation Gr (1994)
Rachel did the Film Foundation course in 1994 after completing a Dramatic Arts degree. Immediately after this she wrote and directed her first short film, THE WHITE ROOM, which led to her being accepted onto the Royal College of Art’s two-year MA in Film Direction from 1995-97. Her short film FUEL was funded by Film Four and received national cinema distribution with the release of the Film Four feature film CRUSH. She has been directing television since 2001, winning a BAFTA in 2002 for the BBC drama OFFSIDE and a Royal Television Society Award in 2004 for GIRLS IN LOVE. She has also been developing feature film scripts since taking up a Cinéfondation screenwriting residency in 2000 (funded by Cannes film festival). Read on >>>

Rob Hall, Filmmaking Diploma Graduate (2002)
After graduation in 2002, Rob has now worked on four feature films as 1st Assistant Editor to editor Eddie Hamilton, a visiting LFA tutor, plus one other feature 'Grow Your Own'. Rob’s credits include: ‘Spivs’ directed by Colin Teague, ‘Resident Evil: Apocalypse’ (budget of $45 million) directed by Alexander Witt, ‘The Shadow Dancer’ directed by Brad Mirman and ‘Minotaur' directed by Jonathan English. Rob has also edited numerous short films and is currently completing editing his second 35mm feature 'The Tournament', directed by Scott Mann. He has also been 1st Assistant Editor on the ITV dramas ‘Life Begins’, ‘Cracker’ and 'Lewis'. Read on >>>

Robert Tannion - Choreographer, Foundation Graduat (2001)
An accomplished performer, Robert took the Filmmaking Foundation course in 2001 to complement his dance, acting and theatre work and develop his filmmaking skills. He acted in a number of films made by Club Panico members whilst on the course. Notable credits include: the role of Dr Brown in the US feature film RESIDENT EVIL (Dir. Paul WS Anderson, 2002), Chris Cunningham’s film FLEX (2000) and 15 FEET OF PURE WHITE SNOW for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (2001). He is also an award-winning choreographer, winning an Emmy in 1997 for ENTER ACHILLES with dance company DV8. Read on >>>

Rocky Palladino (2004)
I had always longed to work on film. So the next natural progression was to join the London Film Academy, where I was able to gain a much more practical sense of what the film industry is like. Read on >>>

Rocky Palladino, Filmmaking Diploma Graduate (2004)
"My feature, ' Waiting at the Gate', screened in the Milan – where I won an award – San Francisco and Strasbourg film festivals among others. My latest short, 'Britain Isn't Working', has screened at Strasbourg and Renderyard in London. I've also had work showcased in Beverly Hills, Poland and France. After my feature screened in Strasbourg in 2008 I was invited back the following year to be a judge for the festival." I had always longed to work on film. So the next natural progression was to join the London Film Academy, where I was able to gain a much more practical sense of what the film industry is like. Description I studied Media Production for two years at Nescot College and achieved a National Diploma…One Drawback, of course, was that we were only shooting on digital video. I had always longed to work on film. So the next natural progression was to join the London Film Academy, where I was able to gain a much more practical sense of what the film industry is like. Read on >>>

Rodrigo Legrija (2002)
After graduating from the LFA with a showreel of shorts, Rodrigo won the Almodovar Short Film Competition for writing and directing a subsequent short, "El Mata". As his prize, he won a trip to Madrid to meet Pedro Almodovar, a two-year scholarship to study at the Instituto Lumiere, Mexico, and sponsorship for a ten-minute short film. Read on >>>

Roland Gift - Musician, Composer and Actor (1994)
Roland attended the Filmmaking Foundation course in 1994, after which he kindly agreed to become one of Panico's Patrons. Lead singer of the internationally successful Fine Young Cannibals, Roland is also an actor and composer. He has taken time out from working on albums to contribute soundtracks to a variety of feature films, including Neil Marshall’s DOOMSDAY (2008), Bernardo Bertolucci’s STEALING BEAUTY (1996) and Barry Levinson’s TIN MEN (1987). Acting credits include Bertolucci’s and Claire Denis’ TEN MINUTES OLDER – THE CELLO (2002), Michie Gleason’s THE ISLAND OF THE MAPMAKER’S WIFE (2001), Stephen Frears’ SAMMY AND ROSIE GET LAID (1987) and Michael Caton-Jones’ SCANDAL (1989). Read on >>>

Sadie Frost - Actor, Producer, Foundation Graduate (1996)
Sadie attended the Filmmaking Foundation Course in 1996. She has a long list of high profile acting credits, including including the part of Lucy Westenra in the Oscar-winning BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (Francis Ford Coppola, 1992), SPLITTING HEIRS (1993) with Python Eric Idle, the Emmy and ASC award-winning UPRISING (2001) and SHOOT ON SIGHT (2008). Sadie also produced the visual effects feature film SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (2004), was Associate Producer for LOVE, HONOUR AND OBEY (2000), and has produced several short films. She is currently in pre-production for an acting role in the Stephen Wallis comedy DEFINING MOMENTS. Read on >>>

Sandra Ristovska, Certificate #34 (2002)
Since graduating in August 2005, I got merit based full tuition scholarships from The Savannah College of Art and Design, The University of Kansas and The City College of New York. I accepted the offer of KU and right now I am in Lawrence, Kansas double majoring in film and theatre. Read on >>>

Simon Keating (2004)
After completing the Diploma course in July 2004, Simon initially found work as a production runner on a number of feature films with LFA tutor Bob Portal's company, Phantom Pictures. Read on >>>

Tom Rowson (2004)
“The LFA Showcase kick-started everything for me. It helped get me an agent, meetings with production companies and invitations to several film festivals.” Read on >>>

Yeo Joon Han - Foundation Graduate (1992)
Yeo Joon Han did the Panico Film Foundation in 1992. His first film as writer/director/producer was the 10-minute short ‘Adults Only’, which won the Short Film Special Mention (Corto Cortissimo) at the 63rd Venice Film Festival in 2006. Joon's first feature film, SELL OUT! (Amok Films), received its world premiere in competition at the 65th Venice Film Festival 2008 and won the Alternative Vision Award (Premio Altre Visioni) in the International Critics’ Week Young Cinema Award section (Premio Arca Cinemagiovani). Read on >>>