19.03.26
STEPHEN AVIS ON HOW SUFFOLK SHORTS HELPED SHAPE HIS FILM CAREER
From photography to film festivals, Stephen Avis reflects on his journey with Suffolk Shorts and the lessons that helped shape his early career in filmmaking.
Speaking as someone who is still honing his craft, and is towards the backend of formal education, I want to stress how important these two things are. When an opportunity is presented, and you can make it work… do it, even if it is something you have never done before!
For any young filmmakers out there, particularly those of you who go through formal film education will, or will have, hear both of the following things over the course of your education- your journey will not be linear, and you will always be learning.
Growing up, my focus was on the world of photography. It was the art form I felt I could express myself within the most. I’ll admit, I could never draw, or paint, but I was happy. Mind you, I still can’t now… but that’s not the right attitude! I was insistent that I would go into photography, and that would be that. A large portion of my spare time was spent volunteering as a Photographer for the Scout Association however, as I previously mentioned, no path is linear...
At the age of 16, I was unfortunately diagnosed with Photosensitive Epilepsy, which turned my world upside down. This came about just before I started study at the local Sixth Form College, where I had chosen to do A-Level photography and a double vocational in TV and Film. The photosensitivity caused no end of issues in my photography class, which pushed me closer to pursuing film. If I am brutally honest, at that age I did not have a clue (some will tell you I still don’t!) and I was just happy to be playing with a camera on a daily basis.
Author:
Derkan Dogan
Derkan is a London-based writer
and director who won the Unique
Perspectives category at the 2025 Suffolk Shorts Film Festival for his experimental dance film Children of Orpheus
After a gap year working at the very same Sixth Form College as academic support, I left Bedfordshire to head up to Suffolk, starting my BA(Hons) in Digital Film Production, where I focused my work on becoming the best cinematographer who ever lived… I mean, you’ve got to give yourself something to aim for, right?
Over the three years I got the chance to serve as DOP on several wonderful projects, inclusive of ‘Stray- By Eve’s Delight’ (Noah Gant, 2025), ‘Spiderling’ (Laurel Brett, 2025) and ‘The Last Man on Earth’ (Noah Gant, 2025). I also got the chance to work on, and shoot, a number of my own films, including Purple Life (2024) which received multiple award nominations and the yet to release ‘The Rule of Free’. Time at University really allowed me to hone my craft, but it also aided discovery of new avenues. Through our ‘Professional Practise’ module, we were afforded the opportunity to work with Suffolk Shorts on the 2025 edition of their festival. I knew this was an opportunity I had to take! Laurel, Noah and I were few of those selected by the University to join the ‘Programming Team’.
Over the three years I got the chance to serve as DOP on several wonderful projects, inclusive of ‘Stray- By Eve’s Delight’ (Noah Gant, 2025), ‘Spiderling’ (Laurel Brett, 2025) and ‘The Last Man on Earth’ (Noah Gant, 2025). I also got the chance to work on, and shoot, a number of my own films, including Purple Life (2024) which received multiple award nominations and the yet to release ‘The Rule of Free’. Time at University really allowed me to hone my craft, but it also aided discovery of new avenues. Through our ‘Professional Practise’ module, we were afforded the opportunity to work with Suffolk Shorts on the 2025 edition of their festival. I knew this was an opportunity I had to take! Laurel, Noah and I were few of those selected by the University to join the ‘Programming Team’.
From the off, the Suffolk Shorts teams installed a great amount of trust in my colleagues and I. After the initial confirmation of interest and welcome talks, Noah, Laurel and I were given the chance to shape the festival from early on, as programmers, where we expressed our desire for an ‘Experimental/Avant-Garde’ category. It was eventually settled that this category would be included, under our suggested name ‘Unique Perspectives’. As to what that meant… well, that was up to us! The three of us have similar viewing habits in terms of short films, tending to air on the more ‘unique’ side. We were allowed to curate what was expected of the category under our shared vision. We were given (yes, dangerously) near enough free reign to take the category in the direction we desired.
During the submission period (before we could actively be programming) I was one of several screeners, watching numerous films from three different categories, sharing my judgement ready for when the programmers and award juries needed. The importance of this in my general film education could not be understated- it exposes you to a wide range of work, and specific techniques from within. I can safely say that I took aspects into my personal work as a result.
When it came to the actual programming, we were again trusted to do our thing, but with support of Rob Bevan, who has programmed with the festival in the past. Rob’s insights were invaluable and we can only thank him for them. Between the three of us, we drew up a long list, which we (painfully) tightened and tightened until we landed on the final programme. We disagreed, we agreed, we had back and forth’s but got there with something we were ultimately happy with. That was a great experience to have, working on a shared vision that you all picture slightly differently can be fractious, and it is important you have those experiences in life! Don’t fret, we are all still friends! Oh, and we hope you enjoyed it!
In addition to the programming and screening, I was invited to work collaboratively between Oskar Bright Film Festival and Suffolk Shorts (stay involved and opportunities come!), to work on a new trigger warning system, ready for the Suffolk Shorts festival. I unfortunately could not make the actual event, but I am told their launch went brilliantly! The whole experience with Suffolk Shorts was invaluable. I have learnt numerous skills, appreciated a much wider picture of film and made new contacts which are already having an impact in my current work. I can genuinely say that I really enjoyed my time with them, and is an experience that I look back on fondly.
If you are in my position, or are just generally a young filmmaker looking to make their way, you could do a lot worse than getting involved in the film festival circuit. You never know who you will meet, what you will learn, what you will see or where you might end up. Life, and a career in film, is built on experiences, push the boat out and see what happens… It could be another string in your bow or a learning experience; you will struggle to ‘lose’.
So, what has supporting Suffolk Shorts done for me? After finishing my Undergraduate degree, I decided I wanted to pursue a Master’s degree. For those of you that don’t know, usually, when applying to do a degree, you must submit a personal statement. In my personal statement I used my Suffolk Shorts experiences to reference why I would be a good fit for modules on the course. Talking with the admissions department I was told my festival experiences were ‘looked upon favourably’, landing me a place on the course. So, that’s where I am now, on an MA in Global Film and Television seeking my next creative opportunity. Despite long since leaving Suffolk, Suffolk Shorts have kept me around, and my opportunity to continue my development with them is still there.
Naturally, I will end this with a call to action… thinking of submitting a film? Do it. Thinking of attending the festival? Do it. Considering taking part and supporting the festival? Get in touch! I am glad that the Suffolk Shorts team have invited me back for this year's edition, and I really look forward to screening East Anglia’s best for EAST X EAST! Thank you to Suffolk Shorts and the team for all they have done for me so far, and for what they continue to do! Oh go on then, a shameless plug, if you want to know more about what I do, then please get in touch on @stephenoncamera!