Memories of Film Studies - Bradfield College

Of course, none of the success in film would have been possible without the outstanding Film Studies team; Roger Keeley has been teaching Film for twenty years, with Abby Gregory then taking up Head of Film followed by Jane Stables, who has been the driving force for the last twelve years, more than ably supported by Emily Earnshaw who has taught in the department since 2011. The memories shared by their former pupils are a testament to their success as a department and the immense power of Film within the curriculum.

Some of my best memories were created through the Film department,including the BRAFTAs, shooting my coursework with my friends, or simply the life and energy Ms Stables would bring to double Film on a Friday afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed using a camera and bringing my shots to life in post-production. These are both vital skills in a progressively digital world, whether you are looking to explore the route of content creation or as a part of a marketing team in a corporate setting.

Joey McGregor (C 18-23), now studying Digital Media at the University of Leeds

Years later I still remember all the comparative films we studied which incorporated themes of history, geography, politics and economics in the context of the plots which I found fascinating. Creating a short film was so valuable; it gave me a lot of independence in managing expectations, deadlines, multiple resources and thinking creatively. Film strengthens highly transferable skills such as leadership, project management, analytical skills and problem-solving to name but a few.
Oscar Falconer (G 15-20)

Matthew Keel (E 17-22), now studying Film and TV Production at the University of York, also mentioned teamwork as being one of his favourite memories from his time at Bradfield and the skill of learning how to coordinate a team. He particularly enjoyed researching individual films and sharing quirky facts with the class.

My BRAFTA for Sound at A-Level must have had an impact, as I have taken an interest in sound design! Film at Bradfield is a vastly underrated course and was a lot of fun to study.

Rita Bernard Shaw (I 13-15) talked of the importance of film in her career as an actor and, like her contemporaries, Rita said studying Film had a significant impact on her life and skills. After leaving Bradfield and before she had an agent, she would write, film and star in short films made entirely by herself and then release them under pseudonyms. These films helped her to gain traction.

Film Studies gave me the language I needed to understand the fundamentals of film. Understanding things like scene composition allowed me to incorporate elements into my acting that I might have otherwise overlooked.
Rita Bernard Shaw (I 13-15)

For Henry Boston Crayfourd (A 11-16), who runs a small content agency in London, the most meaningful period for him at Bradfield was the time spent making and studying films throughout his younger years.

From the extra-curricular Film Club, where I learnt how to work in a team to create our own unique projects,to Film Studies A Level where we drew on ideas from past and present directors to develop a better understanding of how these multimillion-dollar movies were made, Jane Stables, Emily Earnshaw and Roger Keeley never failed to keep me engaged. Studying Film at Bradfield gave me so many base skills and such knowledge that I would have certainly been lost without. While subjects like Maths and Science provide a solid foundation for logical reasoning, creative disciplines such as art,music, literature, and design contribute to a well-rounded education that encourages imagination and originality by fostering innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Producer Amy Lindsay-Parker (I 13-15)also has fond memories of Film Studies. Like her contemporaries she said

Jane and Roger made the lessons great fun and made us think beyond the syllabus.

Amy always wanted to work in the arts and at the beginning of the year she started a new role as General Manager & Producer for a company that takes theatre productions from stage to screen.

If it weren’t for Film Studies I would never have considered applying. Whilst my career has been heavily focused on stage and theatrical management, I was able to use my knowledge from Film Studies and help combine film and theatre.

Film Director Marta Malecka (J 17-19), whose portfolio comprises feature films including Roman Polanski’s The Palace (a Netflix production) and an upcoming film starring Malcolm McDowell, chose to come to Bradfield because of its great Film department.

Film at Bradfield meant freedom; freedom to explore, to learn, to grow and to discover myself and the world around me. It was a constant adventure and motivation to push my boundaries.Film was and is my passion, I worked on developing it every day, it was the subject to which I gave the most of my time, perfecting every element of my portfolio.

She remembers constantly producing ideas to shoot something in the Chapel, or the swimming pool or at night and Ms Stables patiently obtaining these permissions.

Ms Stables would always believe and fight for our ideas, sometimes even proposing something we never thought would be possible!

Ms Stables helped her to develop her first short films and four years ago the short film Marta directed at Bradfield helped her qualify for her Film BA at the University of Westminster. Recently, her graduation film helped her to gain one of only five places on the directing programme at FAMU, the Prague film school.

Bradfield was the start of my journey,and although I’m still just at the beginning, it provided me with the tools I use every day. I am looking forward to upcoming projects but also reminiscing with fondness on the time spent at Bradfield not that long ago.

From the May 2024 issue of

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