BOOKS: MEET THE CAST AND CREW
PETRA ASHBY
PRODUCER
My name is Petra and I studied Film, Radio and Television at Canterbury Christ Church University. My main focus was on Post Production, however for my final year film I also took the role of Producer which really set off my interest in producing this short film.
I was very happy to come across Tom’s advertisement for this film. I really wanted to get back into film after travelling as I would like to kick off my career in filmmaking!
The script was right up my alley, it was different and intriguing. The characters showed traits similar to my own and it made me want to find out more about them.
“Books” will remind the audience that reading is still significant, but more importantly it’s still a way to escape the everyday world. I also feel it will give a little bit of hope to those who find themselves in uncertain, even slightly scary, situations.
My name is Marisol Bassino and I am a recent graduate from the University of Kent with a BA in Film Studies. Here I got to explore the theoretical aspects of film, but also (my favourite) the practical side, with most interest in cinematography and editing.
I have a lot of passion for filmmaking as I love to see a project develop from a simple idea to a complete film. I knew this was the right path for me as I enjoy every step of the process and love how every phase brings its own obstacles and challenges to overcome. Films are a very powerful outlet to convey important messages and I like being able to speak to an audience through images and sound.
In this film I have taken the role of Producer/Editor to explore a different area I am less familiar with, and to expand my experience within both fields. This helps to have a better understanding of the process of making a film and I have been loving seeing how it has evolved.
I first got interested in this project as Tom mentioned he had a script he wanted to bring to life. When I first read it a lot of what had been said resonated with me and made me think of how we all write our own “book of life”. That book is very personal, and we only select a handful of people to read the pages; and even then, they may not get to read our whole book. I also relate it to the saying of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ as you don’t really know what someone may be going through.
I think this film offers an opportunity to the audience to expand their minds and reflect on life. Contemplate who are they letting read their book and, not only what is says, but how is it being interpreted by other people. We must remain originals, living our lives to their maximum potential and writing the book for ourselves.
Some of my other work includes a film called ‘Blue’ in which I participated in the development of the screenplay, cinematography and editing. The sequel to Blue will be coming soon!
Other University projects can be found on my YouTube channel:
Marisol Bassino
PRODUCER/EDITOR
EMMA TRUE
PORTRAYING THE ROLE OF
LAURA
Hi, I'm Emma and I will be playing Laura in Books! I've always been intrigued by human psychology and in really trying to understand the way the mind works. It's that fascination that has led me to working on incredible projects, including a touring theatre company, circus training, BBC dramas, and playing the lead in a BAFTA-winning short film.
I'm so grateful to have grown up doing a job I love, and when Tom first sent me the script for Books, I was immediately captivated by the themes of identity and relationships. The story weaves beautifully between each character's individual journey, creating a book-within-a-book structure.
I hope the film gives an audience a greater appreciation of literature - and of the people and history that is a part of it. Tom has a particular interest in The Gothic period, and it will be interesting to see that influence unfold into something for an audience to interpret.
I'm really excited to be playing the role of Laura, and to be working with a friendly new team of people!
You can find me on Spotlight and Instagram.
I’m Anky and I’m playing the role of Charlie! I spent a lot of my childhood reading a wide variety of historical and fiction books but, regretfully, have stopped reading since. After auditioning for ‘Books’ and listening to Tom explain his motivations and influences in creating the themes he weaved into the script, I felt nostalgic and began re-reading one of my all-time favourite books - The Kite Runner, and made me cherish the memories I had of reading in general. I hope this project encourages the audience to read more and to appreciate everyone around them just a little bit extra.
I’m about to enter my final year of my undergrad at the Uni of Kent for Drama and Theatre. I spent a good chunk in the second Popular Performance module studying stand up comedy, driving me to perform some myself in and around Canterbury.
Here’s a link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXxlvx0YNIo
Besides stand-up I’ve delved into an array of areas in the entertainment industry including music, poetry (more coming soon!), and (obviously) acting. I’ve done various types of acting ranging from stage plays to Film Student’s films to the Kent Film Society’s films. I’ve written the word film so much it doesn’t even feel like a real word anymore!
I’m really excited to showcase a more serious side of my acting capabilities in this film movie, and for where it takes me in the future!
ANKY DAMZ
PORTRAYING THE ROLE OF
CHARLIE
My name is Max Barrett, a freelancer Filmmaker and Radio Broadcast Assistant in Canterbury. I have been filmmaking locally in narrative and commercial work for 5 years. Other strings to my bow include Playwrighting and Podcasting. I will be the Cinematographer for "Books", helping to achieve the gothic, cinematic vision set out by the team! I love the script’s connection with nature, as well as historic and poetic elements to what we are trying to achieve, using the city of Canterbury as a backdrop to the story by exploring the lesser explored, almost mystic natural landscapes the city has to offer.
MAX BARRETT
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
I'm George Young, currently a MA filmmaking student based in Canterbury. Whilst I haven't made any films as of yet, I am writing my course film for which I will be also be director. Sound design and recording are my principal areas of interest in film production however as it allows me to combine my musical background with my love of film as a medium of art. This is the area that I will be involved in with the production 'Books', seeking influence from the historic city of Canterbury and nature involved in the film's locations to create a soundscape that matches the desired, Gothic cinematic vision. I'm incredibly excited to be involved with this project as I want to gain more experience as a sound designer and recordist, as well as being part of a film crew who team together to make sure that the desired cinematic vision is achieved.
