An award-winning County Durham filmmaker has joined forces with the Tees Valley International Film Festival to help encourage creatives in the region to begin making their own films.
Dean Midas from Willington was awarded North East Film Director of the Year by the music, lifestyle and creative magazine Darkus last year, and his short horror film The Devils Stone has amassed over 25,000 views on YouTube. The film went on to win the Audience Choice award at the renowned Pinewood Studios.
One of the most remarkable things about Dean’s achievements in filmmaking is that all of his films are shot using a mobile phone, and it was this that brought him to the attention of Michael Luke, Director of the Tees Valley International Film Festival (TVIFF).
“One of the key aims of TVIFF is to create a new generation of filmmakers within the Tees Valley. One of the things we do to encourage this is our Smart Phone Film Category, in which people can submit a film they’ve made on their phone, a selection of which will be screened over the course of the festival, with the winner being announced by our celebrity guests at the Closing Ceremony”
“Having seen Dean’s approach to the filmmaking process and the great success he is enjoying, we thought there no better person to come to the Smart Phone film screenings to take part in a live interview and audience Q&A. The story of his journey will no doubt inspire many more to create their own work, which TVIFF can hopefully go on to showcase and reward”.
Michael
Excited at the prospect of having one of his films screened at the four-day festival, Dean said
“I am so honoured to be a part of this amazing north east festival. When I started my mobile film-making, stuff like this was the thing of dreams. I can’t thank TVIFF enough”.
Dean’s currently in the midst of making a new film called Eve Valentine, some of which has been shot at the Manor House Hotel in West Auckland.
The Tees Valley International Film Festival takes place at ARC in Stockton from 6th to the 9th November. More information can be found at www.tviff.co.uk
