Go Furness

Catching up with Tom Lloyd

I recently caught up with Tom Lloyd again, and have been blown away by his latest work ‘Live before you die’. It made me cry! Take a few moments out of your busy schedule to watch it, it will make a difference to the rest of your day!

So I asked Tom what he has been up to since the last time I interviewed him:

I have been expanding my profile through the web. I have spent some time developing my online showreel, through my site on Vimeo, gradually uploading my back catalogue of work.

I have been getting more work in the corporate sector (where the money is better) doing promotional films for business and also several colleges in the North of england, all through word of mouth.

What else have you achieved and where do you see this taking you?

Earlier in the year I entered the Think Sync Film Competition with some super 8mm footage I had shot some years ago documenting a journey with horses from Cumbria to Cornwall entitled Live Before You Die, "A modern day dreamtime. The freedom of a life on the road with horses in an English Summer."

Though it didn’t win, it was shortlisted and premiered onboard HMS President on the Thames, and I had some fantastic feedback from people, and the possibility of a new project out of it too.

The same film I put up on a the radar music video site http://www.radarmusicvideos.com, which was chosen as a radar pick. I am currently negotiating a deal whereby Radar syndicate the film around their networks including YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and a whole host of social media websites, which is all fantastic exposure.”

How impressive is that? I asked him how ‘Live before you Die’ has been received and here are a few of the comments people have made:

“I love it! im moved to tears, well done and thankyou so much for sharing this with the world… this is a film i will watch often to remind me of whats important… Thankyou!”

“It’s BEAUTIFULL im moved to tears by it. What an inspiration.”

“Top top top!! every time im feeling a little blue i watch this :) what a wonderfull piece of art/documentation that truely inspires,its timeless..”

“Very touching and magical”

“Truly lovely – a truly beautiful film; makes me feel quite emotional.”

“Half documentary, half cinematic essay”

I personally loved the bit about the more you have the less you are and the less you have the more you are…well the whole thing made me think about travelling lighter through life. Tom will develop this work and message even more in a documentary that he has been filming for the past 12 years, it is a unique and valuable record that will hopefully attract some serious funding.

I am also now in post production on a documentary I have been filming for the past 12 years . Rolling Thunder- A unique journey shot whilst travelling with horses and caravan by road to Appleby fair, the largest horse fair in Europe, uncovering the history of the fair as well as the different groups that society labels as Gypsies. With an original soundtrack, the film incorporates 8mm and DV footage of the journey to the fair, as well as interviews and video diary by Noeline Kavanagh with the key players including Billy Welch Head Gypsy, Chief Superintendent Andy Davidson of Cumbria Police, Kevin Douglas Chief Exec Eden District Council, the BBC's Jake Bower and Travellers and horsemen from many cultural backgrounds.

I am currently trying to get this commissioned through the Sheffield Doc Fest , and also looking at online distribution as the subject matter will be of interest internationally.

Also in the pipeline, there is a documentary about the fell pony breeders in the Howgill fells. As a result of falling numbers on the fells, the Fell Pony is now on the endangered list of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, and the breeders themselves are a generation facing a bleak future, with virtually no young breeders prepared to carry on the valuable bloodlines.

I am generally trying to get bigger and better commissions, putting ideas out there and applying for as many commissions as possible, pushing my own ideas , at the same time developing my presence locally to bring in the bread and butter work.

Well, Tom may spend a lot of time on the fells and in nature, but he certainly isn’t letting the grass grow under his feet. I think we can expect to see him creating an international name for himself as an artist but also a powerful social voice. We will keep you posted as Tom continues to expand his ideas and visions.

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Posted by Kay Hebbourn on 18th September.