Film Oxford is a regional Hub for Film and Digital Media, supporting a community of filmmakers and digital creators through our programme of TRAIN, NETWORK, CREATE, EXHIBIT. We offer a varied programme of professional training, facilitate 5 networking groups and offer a range of screening opportunities. Film Oxford works with complete beginners, emerging talent, artists and industry professionals and is committed to supporting socially and economically marginalised groups. We are a non-profit making company and registered charity (1041014), established in 1986 as Oxford Film & Video Makers Ltd, now trading as Film Oxford.
Take a virtual tour of Film Oxford
Executive
Film Oxford is run on a day to day basis by an Executive made up of employees and representatives of the Trustees and Members.
Geron Swann. Centre Director geron@filmoxford.org
Geron came to Film Oxford via the Trades Council in 1987 and has been with the organisation ever since! He is fundraiser, project manager, Summerscreen festival co ordinator, Location Oxfordshire manager and general spokesperson for Film Oxford.
Gary Shenton. Production Development production@filmoxford.org
Gary has been at Film Oxford for almost 10 years. Working in his role as Production Development Manager he has produced or over seen the production of over 40 short films, many of them getting national and international festival exposure. In addition he has exec produced features including the highly acclaimed ‘Anyone Can Play Guitar’ and the award winning ‘Thank You Skinhead Girl’. As well as supporting production Gary organises network events and supports local festivals and screenings.
Richard Duriez. Training Manager and Finance Manager office@filmoxford.org
Richard has more than 10 broadcast credits to his name for documentaries (Producer, Director, Editor, Researcher). He has produced numerous non-broadcast productions for NGO’s, charities and local authorities as well as short films, and one feature. His films are regularly shown at film festivals in UK and around the world.
Evie Sherry-Starmer. Course Administrator office@filmoxford.org
Evie’s professional background is in university administration. In 2015 she retrained as a jewellery designer-maker working in silver and gold and is currently developing her first collections inspired by medical history, human anatomy and memento mori.
Trustees
Film Oxford is managed by a group of dedicated volunteer trustees:
Candida March (Chair)
Candida is Chair of Metro Safety, a fire and health and safety group, and Team Coach of Oxford HR, an executive search and leadership development consultancy serving the international aid and social enterprise sectors. Previously she was a policy advisor and international trainer on gender relations and women’s empowerment for Oxfam, and has co-written books on the subject. She is also a professional coach, as well as trained in facilitating mindfulness and personal development through movement. She works with Film Oxford because she is passionate about supporting all people (and particularly people from marginalised groups) in finding their own unique possibilities for growth, purpose and contribution.
Mark Gunther (Treasurer)
Over 25 years of experience in charity/not for profit finance. I have volunteered as youth worker, festival/event steward and union treasurer, secretary, chair and representative. I’m a long term supporter of Oxford United which is how I first came to know Geron; and, having lived the majority of my life in Oxford, an Aunt Sally athlete! My 2nd awareness of Film Oxford came when a colleague, for whom I had played roles in short spoofs, was screened at the then Zodiac. Looking forward to working with Executive, Management Committee and members to ensure the continuing success of all the Projects and Productions that Film Oxford is involved with.
Mark Ralph-Bowman
In East and West Africa during the 70s, Mark was engaged with theatre as art form and development tool. From 1984 – 2011 in Oxford he worked in Further Education teaching and managing Media and Performing Arts. From 1998 -2003 he also ran Taking Part, an independent training company working with engineers, tenants’s associations, priests, independent consultants and NGOs.
Andrew Cashin
Andrew is currently Managing Director of A&J Cooks who are the Catering Contractors at Modern Art Oxford. Andrew gained a BA Hons Degree in Photography in Edinburgh but has since developed a successful career in the Catering and Hospitality industry. Prior to setting up A&J Cooks, Andrew held the position of Operations Manager with Benugo and was responsible for the development and success of several businesses in London, Oxford and Bath. Andrew also helped the charity Crisis open their Oxford café business in 2011 and joined their team for servicing Christmas to the homeless that year. 2015 will see Andrew develop his new venture ‘The Cheeky Spoon’. A range of new jams and chutneys. In his spare time Andrew also likes to write scripts and hopes to develop these into more serious projects.
John Twycross
John Twycross is a senior lecturer at Oxford Brookes University with over twenty years of professional practice in film, television and interactive production. His current work explores emerging media forms incorporating the fields of animation, film, art and media.
Deaglán Brennan
Deaglán is a University Student studying Digital Film Making at the SAE Institute Oxford. Looking to venture into a career in Screenwriting, Deaglán succeeded in being paired with BAFTA Award-winning Screenwriter Adrian Hodges for a BFI mentoring programme, and also managed to secure a place as a writer for the National Film and Television School Craft Residential. Alongside these, he is currently working on several other projects outside of University.
Kate Longworth
Kate Longworth has a background in charity fundraising and communications. Currently head of fundraising at Oxford-based charity The Art Room, she has previously worked with organisations including the Oxford Playhouse, the Ashmolean Museum and Cowley Road Carnival. She is passionate about enabling access to the transformative power of education and the arts.
Michail Schiastney
I have been engaged in film production since I was 12 mainly through the use of group projects with friends. My adventures with Film Oxford began with the Sumerscreen 2010 project where a group of us produced short news stories which were broadcasted live for 15 minutes from, which interest in film production only grew greater. This led to being a part of the Digital Youth since the beginning of the group.
Cristina Riveiros
Cristina has been a freelance marketing and social media consultant for the last five years working with independent, mostly arts-based organisations across the country. She graduated from Oxford Brookes University with an MA in Publishing in 2005, and subsequently worked for various music and events tech start-ups assisting in a marketing capacity before becoming freelance.
Members Rep: Grace O Donnell
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Film Oxford Members Rep[/caption]
Grace has a keen interest in film since university, where she ran the film production group. This passion has developed through the foundation and running of the Film Production Group at Film Oxford. Over recent years she has worked in the charity sector. She is currently a consultant for the government in further education.
