Congratulations to Final Year UAL Extended Diploma in Film & TV Production student Fenton Ray Daggett on his film Headache which was shortlisted for the ‘best in show’ prize at this years summer show and has  been shortlisted in 2023 Official Selection for the Student World Impact Film Festival! Watch the trailer below and scroll on to find out more about the film and Fenton’s work.

What is Headache about?

Headache is a short film that deals with normal, common issues within everyone’s mental health in an abnormal, extract way. It follows an average girl, Luna, attempting to deal with the all-too-common issue of her Dad leaving, through a healthy and normal method – therapy. How could this basic film be in any way exciting and different? Well, it was simple.

By making the film abstract. I decided the most refreshing, yet relatable, way of highlighting these issues was giving them a whole new (and weird) take, like having our main character fight a physical person that represented anxiety instead of the metaphorical feeling… or having her be able to talk to the overthinking thoughts in her head – how would that conversation go?

One thing that really helped the plot and ideas of this film was the tutors’ other students in my class. They would tell me if the plot was getting too experimental to the point where it made no sense and on the other side, they’d tell me if I struck gold with an idea. That’s not even counting the acting students, in which brought the project together and it would be nothing without.

Highlighting Lyla Dawson and Reuben Green from the acting course as they gave two of my favourite performances. They took their own spin on the characters, really making it their own.

After 6 hardworking months of production and collaboration between me and the students the film was finally finished and released on YouTube – and it ended up being my most viewed and liked video on my channel! Not only that, but it later went on to receive a Student Impact Award and get short listed for the Governors Award for best show!

How did it feel to be shortlisted for the governors best in show award and the Student Impact Award?

This was just amazing. It was so astonishing and reassuring that if you really do put your heart and soul into a project people will see and feel it too. It was also just heart warming seeing that people not only realised and appreciated the issues in this film, which was very personal to me, but also resonated with them. It was treated as a real cinematic film and was sincerely applauded by all my peers, tutors and friends in The Northern School of Art. Me, my cast and my crew couldn’t have happier with the reactions and overall final product. I finally felt like a full-fledged director!

Tell us about your experience studying Film at The Northern School of Art!

The following weeks after the release was some of my best memories in college, and that is saying something. The community and family like atmosphere in my course was unbeatable. We all supported each other and had a genuine care for one another and each other’s projects. The best part about doing the film course, is that sense that we can all help each other – if someone needed a camera operator or proof reader, any of us could step in. Everyone had a core passion for it, and it was clear. Even the tutors gave the most they could in order to get the best from all of us.

The Northern School of Art as a whole has a friendly environment – I knew and felt like I could wear whatever I wanted and like whatever I wanted to like because nobody would care as long as you were being yourself – if anything, it was encouraged. I gained so much confidence that I can only be grateful for and looking back to me before I started the course… I was a completely different person, and I am proud of myself for the journey I’ve been on.

What are my next steps? After summer, I plan to continue my love for film in Manchester Metropolitan with a few of my friends I made in my course, and I cannot wait what for the movies and experiences lie ahead on the path that’s been set for me. My advice for new students of the NSoA is be yourself and step outside of your comfort zone.

YouTube & Instagram – @fentonsimage 

If you are interested in studying Film Production after school, check out our UAL Extended Diploma in Film & TV Production now!