BFI - Future Film Festival Trailer

Production Company: Kumo London
Featured Talent: Tim Tutak (Skateboarder)
Filming Location: BFI Southbank, South Bank Skatepark, Waterloo Bridge, London
Equipment: Sony EX-1 HD Progressive with Dolly & Track
Format: HD 1080p, 16:9 Aspect Ratio

Commissioned by the British Film Institute (BFI), this short trailer was created to promote the BFI Future Film Festival’s third edition, celebrating the next generation of UK filmmakers.

Filmed in January 2011 amidst freezing rain and snow, the piece follows skateboarder Tim Tutak on a symbolic journey through the South Bank towards the BFI Southbank a visual metaphor for resilience, motion, and creative ambition.

At that time, the BFI Future Film Festival was still growing into the global platform it has become today an institution that has launched the careers of numerous filmmakers, some going on to direct for major studios such as Marvel. The trailer marked Kumo London’s second collaboration with the BFI, following the success of a previous skate film that won Best Film at the festival.

The production demanded absolute perseverance from both the team and performer battling wind, rain, snow and ice to create a film that reflected the grit and determination of emerging filmmakers across Britain. Its premiere at the BFI Southbank stood as a powerful moment for the collective, solidifying Kumo London’s roots in narrative-driven short-form storytelling.

DIRECTORS STATEMENT

The BFI Future Film Festival Official Trailer was not simply a commission; it was a test of endurance.

Every frame carried the cold of January, the persistence of movement, and the quiet optimism that defines independent filmmaking. We aimed to create a cinematic journey that reflected both the skateboarder’s rhythm and the filmmaker’s constant push forward, even when conditions pushed back.

The South Bank became both stage and metaphor, a place where creativity grinds against the elements until something resilient emerges. The goal was never perfection; it was momentum. A statement of intent. This trailer became an emblem of that energy: proof that passion, craft, and community can converge to move an audience before a single line is spoken.

TECHNICAL NOTES

Camera & Support: Sony EX-1 HD Progressive with Dolly & Track
Lenses: Fixed HD Zoom (Camcorder Integrated)
Filming Location: BFI Southbank, London, South Bank Skatepark, Waterloo Bridge
Equipment: Sony EX-1 HD Progressive with Dolly & Track
Format: HD 1080p, 16:9 Aspect Ratio

CREDITS

Director, Cinematographer & Editor: Yohan Forbes
Produced by: Kumo London
Assistant Director: Miftin Al-Hadithi
Photographer and Camera Assistant: Emile Mendes
Stakeboarder: Tim Tutak

Need a filmmaker who can translate motion into meaning, who can tell your story through movement resilience, and emotion?

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