News
Mill Hill continues to grow in terms of film and media production. From an academic perspective, we have seen our first year of Digital Media and Design pupils come through Lower Sixth, having just completed their timed exam.
The Video and Film Production Society has had a busy year under the leadership of Calin T (Priestly) and William G (Winfield). Most of the Spring term was dedicated to crafting the School’s submission for the 2024 London Schools’ Film Competition. This is just one of the many entries the School plans to submit. Their film, a horror slasher, unfolds in a school where a detention session takes a deadly turn, leading to a series of mysterious deaths. The identity of the killer remains a mystery. While Mill Hill prides itself in detentions not ending in bloodshed, in the realm of film, the power of the script allows for unexpected twists.
The film’s journey began with pre-production in November, and filming commenced in March. It’s a challenging project requiring more than 60 hours of filming and 50 hours of editing to create a 20-minute short film. In preparation, we invited two industry professionals to conduct workshops on horror makeup effects and fight choreography.
The cast includes Arthur H (Priestly), Carl TG (McClure), Francis N (Weymouth), Aliyah E (School), Zoe S (Priestly) plus six other characters and 36 extras. A film cannot come to life without a dedicated crew and 17 crew members have made this project a reality. Calin T is the main writer and producer, with screenplay and direction by Will G. Other key contributors include Oliver G (Priestly) as the 1st AD, Jake S (Priestly) on sound mixing, Veer D (Burton Bank) and Niam V (Atkinson) on cameras, Charlotte C (Murray) on makeup.
While this style of film may not appeal to everyone, large-scale film projects like this bring together various facets of the School, making it a joy to collaborate with such enthusiastic individuals.
The MHEG Media Team has also been busy throughout the year, showcasing the talents of our various schools, documenting significant events, training and marketing materials. The team’s exceptional professionalism continues to raise the bar for pupil-led media teams in other schools. The core team comprises Sammy M (Weymouth), Fin M (Weymouth), and Charlie A (Murray).
A significant event for the School in showcasing its film prowess is the London Schools’ Film Competition, hosted and run by MHS. This year, over 30 schools entered, and MHS’s own entry ‘System’, written and directed by Alfie C (Winfield), secured a commendable seventh place amidst high-quality entries from other schools. The 2024 competition will culminate in a gala evening on 21 March 2025, where we hope our horror film and other entries will sweep the awards. You can see the entries on the official YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@filmcompetition).
Lee Minett
Head of ICT & Computer Science
