Luke Andrews Biography

Luke studied Film and Video (BA Hons) in International Film School, Wales, heavily focusing on screenwriting and directing. He graduated in 2006 with a 2:1 degree. After taking a year’s break from filmmaking, he became proactive in the production of various short films, gaining experience that led him to writing and directing his first semi-professional short film, WW2 thriller VIVE LA FRANCE in March 2009. The short film has since been selected for South Africa International Film Festival, Crystal Palace International Film Festival (where it was included in the ‘Best of the Rest’ category) and Portobello Film Festival (and is due to be confirmed at several others). He used the film as a showreel piece when applying for a television trainee director’s scheme for It’s My Shout productions, successfully securing a place as one of six directors for short films to be made for BBC Wales. His short film EDNA’S BENCH (shot in August 2010) will be screened on BBC Wales in November 2010. He’s a writer of ambitious, cinematic short and feature film screenplays, and hopes to secure a fruitful career in the film industry off the back of these.

Rachel Dax Biography

Rachel Dax is an FE lecturer in Drama and Philosophy of Religion. Initially Rachel studied Philosphy and Theology at London University and then trained to be an RE teacher. More recently she went back to university to study a BA in Drama at Atrium, graduating in 2008 with a 1st. She is currently doing the MA Film at IFSW. Rachel has been directing theatre for children and young people for 10 years and has more recently turned her hand to film making. She has made 4 short films and is currently editing her 5th. She is particularly interested in creating work that explores identity, sexuality and religion. Rachel is in the process of developing her first feature film ‘Banned Girls’ a gritty British Drama about 5 girls who set up a rock band, which she intends to shoot this coming winter over a series of weekends. Rachel’s first 4 films can be viewed on her website www.racheldax.com . ‘Crush’ explores the lesbian sexual awakening of a young university student who develops a crush on her lecturer. ‘Heart’ examines the life of a right-wing, racist homophobe whose world is turned upside down by a heart attack. ‘HelterSkelter’ is an experimental film shot in a black box, giving a snap shot into the minds of the notorious Manson Family women. ‘The Gatekeeper’ is about a woman who has to explain her choices when reaching the gateway to the afterlife.

Samantha Price

Samantha moved to Wales to study Business and Finance, graduating with an MBA, and after working with a group of newly graduated film students on raising finance for their first film project Samantha saw how these skills could be transferred to film production.

After joining Cardiff based Production Company ‘Those People’’ she worked on her first feature film, the micro budget feature film ‘9 Steps to a New Start’. This was followed by further roles as Co-ordinator and Production Manager on various short films and features which cemented her passion for the industry and drove her to set up Sparkler Productions in 2008.

In 2009, Samantha produced Bad Company a micro budget feature film written and directed Jason King, which has been screened at a number of festivals, recently winning Best Feature and Best in Festival at Crystal Palace Film Festival in August, and screening at the Cambridge Film Festival in September.

She has recently produced two short films ‘Have A Go’ and ‘Worm’, the 2nd as part of the Digital Shorts Wales scheme, and is currently in development of a slate of films.