Film and Moving Image Production lecturer directs film for Byronesque and Selfridges

BA (Hons) Film and Moving Image Senior Lecturer Tansy Simpson recently directed a short film for vintage fashion company Byronesque’s launch with Selfridges. We catch up with her to find out more about the project and about bringing recent grads on board for the job. 

Can you tell me a bit about the project?

It was a fashion film, for Byronesque a vintage fashion company; The film was to highlight the launch of Byronesque’s Helmut Lang sale at Selfridges; part of Selfridges project earth campaign and digital fashion week.  I was the director and cinematographer on the project and recent grads Jade Boothby and Daniel Franklin came on board as part of my camera team!

How did you get involved?

I got the job through the production company Great Guns, thanks to a recommendation from a fellow cinematographer.

What was your experience of working with Bryonesque and Selfridges?

Great! I dealt with the CEO and Creative Director of Byronesque  and with my producer from Great Guns –  the client had a very clear idea of what they wanted and their brand and I offered a treatment born from these ideas, developing some additional ideas, and we worked from there.

How did you develop the look and feel of the film? 

We had great source material in the original Helmut Lang 1998 runway show – the whole idea was to reference it, and then offer a contemporary evolution. 

We wanted to show how forward thinking Lang was;  and how contemporary and fantastic clothes from his archives are. The deeper message being about sustainability within the fashion industry – buy it, love it and wear it a Lang time! 

What do you enjoy about working with BA (Hons) Film and Moving Image graduates?

They work hard, have a great attitude and know their craft. Dan and Jade were both my students, and both have incredible work ethic and professionalism.

Dan had directed a fashion film for his thesis that Jade shot, and I was impressed with their work on this, so when I got this project, it seemed like a great fit to have them be involved and give them an opportunity for professional experience as well as to network.

Do you have any other projects on the horizon?

A couple of pencils – but we will have to wait and see!

View the film in full over at Selfridges and find out more about Tansy through her website. 

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